darknavy wrote:
Agro jr wrote:
Is it coincidence that 3 out of the last 4 premierships have been won by sides who have their own stand alone Reserves Teams?
careful agro jr - people on this site get very upset you suggest something like this
http://www.talkingcarlton.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28871Yes I remember that thread and agree with you 100% - I also have my own theory and that is its not just important from a player development point of view that we should have our own VFL Team its also important for the long term future of our football club - that we should stake out our own territory in Melbourne, as we (an no other Melbourne based club) can no longer rely on a suburban heartland the size of Carlton for long term survival.
Western Bulldogs - have staked out their turf in the Western Suburbs.
Hawthorn - have done the same in the Eastern Suburbs.
St. Kilda - are doing it down the South East and Mornington Peninsula.
Essendon* - to a lesser extent are taking on Melbournes North West.
Geelong - obviously have their own town and surrounding Western District.
Carlton should do the same with Melbourne's North - which I know has been Collingwood's traditional heartland - but whilst Collingwood have taken their eye off the ball in Melbourne in their efforts to become a national brand - we should take the opportunity to take ownership of the Melbournes North.
Step 1 - Stand alone team in VFL (Northern Blues) playing in a Navy Blue Strip. Do what we can to bring Northern Bullants into it quietly with a merger or kicking and screaming via takeover.
Step 2 - Play and train at Visy Park.
Step 3 - Establish links with local schools and local businesses and local football clubs - to attract supporters, sponsorships and players.
This is not a short term plan - but a long term vision and if our Board were serious about our long term survival without handouts from generous (but welcome) benefactors - we should seriously look at it or something similar otherwise we are not going to struggle with our support base in the next 20 to 30 years.
We should do this quickly and thoroughly as already Richmond have started this process by building a training base in Craigieburn and North Melbourne will start on this process as they have already realized that they cant sustain themselves just as North Melbourne.
Fitzroy have already disappeared within 50 years of being the most successful club in the VFL - and we are already 15 years into what could be our most unsuccessful period in the clubs history.