Bulldogs, Destination Club: What have we done ????

[GVGjr]

It's interesting to me that other players across the competition don't look at us in a more positive destination type manner
Our ability to keep signing our talented and emerging players should be a great sign that we are a club that values positive and hard working players plus we probably have the scope to pay a bit more than most.

I'm probably very biased (OK definitely) but shouldn't any smart player manager be giving their clients a not so gentle nudge towards us?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

It's interesting to me that other players across the competition don't look at us in a more positive destination type manner
Our ability to keep signing our talented and emerging players should be a great sign that we are a club that values positive and hard working players plus we probably have the scope to pay a bit more than most.

I'm probably very biased (OK definitely) but shouldn't any smart player manager be giving their clients a not so gentle nudge towards us?

This is what continues to puzzle me. How is it long term dumpster fires like Melbourne and Carlton continue to attract players like Lever, May, Docherty, Marchbank and McGovern, whilst we struggle so hard. This despite recent success, off-field stability and a significantly improved bottom line, especially compared to those two clubs.
On top of that the re-signing of some young, long term talent, I'm genuinely puzzled why we don't attract higher profile recruits.

[G-Mo77]

If that was truly the case we should have had a queue of applicants a mile long at Whitten Oval after 2016.

Problem with that was it was kind of out of left field and we didn't sustain it. Had we been competitive in 2017 I'm sure we could have attracted a big fish.

[Grantysghost]

We need a blockbuster game to use as a selling point. Seriously Melbourne train at Gosch's paddock, they change in a moving van, their club store is so deep in the bowels of the MCG not only is it impossible to find, when you enter you feel you've walked in on a storage area...but they have Queens birthday and the MCG. I think we really need to keep pushing for a blockbuster game there has to be a market for us. I think there's some potential for a game v the Cats, maybe Western region or something I dont know but is has to be a top priority. (I'm sure it is).

[Eastdog]

More games at the MCG would help but it really is up to us fans to turn up to the games. Marvel stadium is our home today but playing a bit more at the home of footy can only be a good thing and we seem to play pretty well there.

[Eastdog]

Big memberships is a furphy in some cases, Hawks apparently huge but they don’t go to games, how many are pet and baby memberships or 3 game memberships ?
You can do shiftys to up your membership numbers, Essendon gave out a few thousand free after the drug scandal.
Should look at revenue from membership and average crowd to home games to get a better idea.

Revenue is the important one and that can vary on the types of memberships people buy. A massive number of 3 game members won’t get a lot of revenue.

[S Coast Simon]

Sadly if your from the Western Suburbs you love the West. If your born in the Eastern Suburbs you don’t like the West. Simple as that. You may notice the guys from the Eastern suburbs mostly live over the bridge. Like the interstate teams we need to focus on local talent. We are still Footscray in many peoples thoughts. To us it’s beautiful but to the others we are lower than them.
Will be difficult for us for for many more years till we can have a run of sustainable success this is our game I’m sorry

[GVGjr]

We need a blockbuster game to use as a selling point. Seriously Melbourne train at Gosch's paddock, they change in a moving van, their club store in so deep in the bowels of the MCG not only is it impossible to find, when you enter you feel you've walked in on a storage area...but they have Queens birthday and the MCG. I think we really need to keep pushing for a blockbuster game there has to be a market for us. I think there's some potential for a game v the Cats, maybe Western region or something I dont know but is has to be a top priority. (I'm sure it is).

A blockbuster would help but it's 3 years of meaningful finals performances that will make the difference for us for both fans and players. That will propel us towards 50K members which is where we really need to be to attract the quality bigger name players.

3 solid seasons will get us close to 47 or 48K members and that's a strong position for us and ultimately if that isn't tempting to some players then they wouldn't be coming for the right reasons so stuff them.

[mjp]

This article is 12+ months old but it details the steps that the Minnesota Vikings - in a less than 'appealing location' in the states, went about revitalising their training facilities to improve performance AND assist in acquiring free-agents:

http://www.startribune.com/vikings-f...tos/487412921/

Now - our facilities aren't 'BAD' by any means...but are they a differentiator?

Offering facilities such as the cryo services on-site is attractive to free-agents as they are often high-earning players who want to continue to be high-earning players...the reputation of our medical and rehab teams and the available facilities are absolutely key here...

[GVGjr]

This article is 12+ months old but it details the steps that the Minnesota Vikings - in a less than 'appealing location' in the states, went about revitalising their training facilities to improve performance AND assist in acquiring free-agents:

http://www.startribune.com/vikings-f...tos/487412921/

Now - our facilities aren't 'BAD' by any means...but are they a differentiator?

Offering facilities such as the cryo services on-site is attractive to free-agents as they are often high-earning players who want to continue to be high-earning players...the reputation of our medical and rehab teams and the available facilities are absolutely key here...

Excellent example of creating an environment that offers a point of difference to other clubs

[Danjul]

Excellent example of creating an environment that offers a point of difference to other clubs

we unexpectedly got into a grand final. That would have caught player’s attention.

what did they see when they looked closely?

1. 20% of the premiership team moving to other clubs.

2. premiership players unable to get a game.

3. An obvious emphasis on young inexperienced talent.

4. Trengove, a migrant, couldn’t get a game in early 2019.

5. Etc

Not an inviting prospect for a champion.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

we unexpectedly got into a grand final. That would have caught player’s attention.

what did they see when they looked closely?

1. 20% of the premiership team moving to other clubs.

2. premiership players unable to get a game.

3. An obvious emphasis on young inexperienced talent.

4. Trengove, a migrant, couldn’t get a game in early 2019.

5. Etc

Not an inviting prospect for a champion.

And what exactly did players like Lever, May, Docherty, Marchbank and McGovern, see when they 'looked closer' at Melbourne and Carlton respectively?

[Twodogs]

we unexpectedly got into a grand final. That would have caught player’s attention.

what did they see when they looked closely?

1. 20% of the premiership team moving to other clubs.

2. premiership players unable to get a game.

3. An obvious emphasis on young inexperienced talent.

4. Trengove, a migrant, couldn’t get a game in early 2019.

5. Etc

Not an inviting prospect for a champion.

I think we get judged in a poor manner over the whole Cloke thing. Get him to the club on a two year deal, refuse to play him despite the fact we are/were screaming out for a player of his type and then inexplicably give him the flick after only one year of the contract. In politics they talk about optics (how things look to the average punter) and the optics of the Cloke deal to other AFL players must have been awful. It looked like we didn't know what we were doing and more importantly didn't care. It looked like the recruitment guys weren't talking to the list management guys or what they were saying was getting lost in translation. Anyway we didnt look like a club that really good players ( Crozier and Trengrove are good solid players but they are not superstars) would want to take a risk on coming to.

[Grantysghost]

A blockbuster would help but it's 3 years of meaningful finals performances that will make the difference for us for both fans and players. That will propel us towards 50K members which is where we really need to be to attract the quality bigger name players.

3 solid seasons will get us close to 47 or 48K members and that's a strong position for us and ultimately if that isn't tempting to some players then they wouldn't be coming for the right reasons so stuff them.

Agree with this, the sell of sustained success with the perceived talent on the Melbourne list was probably a big factor in recruiting May and Lever.
On the other hand we have had successful periods before (2006-2010) recently and we haven't really capitalised on that. I guess it's a series of things as mentioned in the previous posts, I think they are all part of the stew of attraction.
Success, facilities, shop-face exposure for players (Friday night, Finals, Blockbusters), indigenous programs, great staff (snow button!).
We are starting to tick some of these boxes, re-signing our young stars, improvement of indigenous programs, land for new facilities, on field success (look at last five years across all streams) so we are heading in the right direction. Our lack of big games is troubling however, so as you say sustained finals need to be our blockbusters.

[GVGjr]

we unexpectedly got into a grand final. That would have caught player’s attention.

what did they see when they looked closely?

1. 20% of the premiership team moving to other clubs.

2. premiership players unable to get a game.

3. An obvious emphasis on young inexperienced talent.

4. Trengove, a migrant, couldn’t get a game in early 2019.

5. Etc

Not an inviting prospect for a champion.

We had a very strong 2015 season, a flag in 2016 but we fell short of expectations in 2017 and beyond. I doubt the flag has any currency now with players from other clubs. Had we done better in 2017 then our perception in the market as a destination club would have been enhanced.

Regarding your point 3, does a rebuild actually work in favour for bigger name players? I would have thought that with established players of the ilk of Bontempelli, Macrae, Dunkley, Liberatore, Johannisen, Daniel and Hunter and then a host of emerging talent in Naughton, English, Richards, Schache and Smith plus a host of quality role players like Trengove, Crozier, Suckling, Lloyd and of course Morris then we should be a more attractive destination for quality players