ATTENTION EDDIE!-re Roos game

[the prez]

Eddie,why is the club sitting back and accepting the decision to switch the Kangaroos game to Canberra?A ground with a capacity of 14,000!Thats half the size of Vic park.As the Pies continue to build up steam towards a drought breaking finals appearance,how the board can sit by and let the AFL toy with the club once again.In arguably the most anticipated game of the season as we all will be wanting to see our team clinch a finals spot,to play the game at a venue as undeserving as Manuka Oval is a disgrace to this club.Playing in Sydney would have been more acceptable because at least we could have gotten 40,000-50,000 in there.The biggest club in Australia playing on the smallest ground is a joke.The substandard surface complete with cricket pitch is barely up to AFL standards and I'd hate to think of the potential risk of our players doing a serious injury a week b4 the finals on a third rate surface.The AFL hasn't even given this game 2nd thought considering the same situation exists here as did the Essenscum-Dorks game at Colonic.In that case the argument was a potential 10,000 missing out on getting into the game.In this case we are talking of a potential 55,000!Thats a disgrace and I don't use those words lightly.Our members & supporters are being denied the opportunity to go to the game and the club is once again standing aside and letting it happen as it did last year when we played Carlscum at Optus Oval.In this case the board is doing little to look after its members.The Kangaroos are being let off the hook by saying its home game and they can play where they like(same line Essenscum used) and they'll make money out of the signage of the ground.What about the money they'd make From the Collingwood Army rocking up to their home game plus an AFL incentive gift to bring the game to the vacant MCG.In rnd 22 when the game comes around,as usual there'll be a lot of debate about it but it'll be too late to do anything about it then.Now is the time to act!We need to put buckets of pressure on the AFL to move this game.They have power of veto.For years we've put up with them moving us around all over the place even to Optus Oval last year to play Carlscum.Its time we reminded them that the Pies are back in town and the Pies wield some power of their own.As big a joke as he is,I admire John Elliott because at least he took on the AFL to look after his member's interests and look who's come out the better from that clash.The AFL is now practically bending over backwards to keep Jack happy.Its time the board showed its teeth Ed and stood up to the AFL.

GO WOODS

[magpie joffa]

Totally agree and what about the supporters who have no chance of getting finals tickets and want to go to cheer the pies in the last game of the year and wish them well before the finals series...can u imagine the emotions of 70.000 maggies saying thanks to the team a week before there first finals appearance in years.

STUFF THE ROOS.....ITS OUR TURN !!!!!

WE MARCH WITH PRIDE,WE MARCH WITH LOVE,WHEN IT COMES TO OUR COLLINGWOOD WE FOREVER MARCH ! we will never forget our great number #42...GO YOU BLOODY PIES yeaaah LETS KICK ASS.lets kill the bloody bastards !!
http://www.mp3.com/joffa

[Sly]

Well said, Prez and Joffa.

I don't care about the size of the ground - fitting 15 thousand, that's probably still 7 thousand more than the Roos are capable of getting.

My concern is that if we're in the Finals (and by Round 22, I think we should know), what sort of effect will traveling to Canberra have on the Team?

In the preceding weeks we play Carlton and Essendon. Then we have to pick up and travel to Manuka to play on SUNDAY, (hello and thank you for the possible 5 or 6 day break AFL <---heavy sarcasm). The AFL said they were trying to minimize travel for Teams in the final Round of the Season - so what's the case here?

I never liked the thought of playing anywhere interstate for Round 22, but at least if we were playing at the SCG in Sydney we've done that trip 20 or so times. The Club knows how to deal with it, Mick Malthouse knows how to prepare and how to warm-down the Team following it.

But I don't recall being to Canberra before and I don't recall Mick Malthouse ever having to take the West Coast Eagles to Canberra. (I may be wrong, but if so, I'm sure it would've been a one-off thing).

Pagan and the Roos are familiar with the Canberra-experience, but we - and Mick Malthouse in all his years of Coaching - are not, so at that time of the Season I don't exactly want to be breaking new territority in traveling, preparation, recovery, et al, etc.

Worse, we played the Roos the first time at Colonial - and now we have to play them again in Manuka. How about our natural Home-Ground advantage at the MCG?

I'm sick of being Rent-a-Crowd for the AFL. I'm sick of them sending us to every end of Australia because we're the only Team who can attract enough fan-interest. If the Roos want a crowd, then have the game at the MCG - if we're marching into the Finals or needing that game to get into the Finals, we'll draw 80 thousand.

Let the Roos take that little windfall to the bank.

Sly.
MTA.
The Collingwood Rant.

[This message has been edited by Sly (edited 03 July 2001).]

[the prez]

The other rip off here to the club is that North and the AFL are USING Collingwood to make a profit but what will Collingwood get out of this?Whats in it for us?I read today that they reckon they'll make half a million out of the game and would need to get 110,000 at the G to make that kind of money.What a load of crap.Did we not make $700,000 from last year's Anzac Day game with a crowd of 80 odd thousand.With a finals spot on offer,We would pull at least 70,000 which would make the same profit as Manuka.And considering they were disappointed with the profits from last week's game,how do they reckon 3-4 thousand more people will make them a windfall.The fact is the Roos & the AFL are screwing us over and we're getting nothing out of it.Its time this club stood up to these clowns.Lets see how much money they make if we refuse to go and take the AFL to court like Elliot did.

GO WOODS

[jamjar]

I am so sick of the Kangaroos, they cry poor and feel hard done by because they have no money or fans, they resent clubs like ours and expect us to bank roll them. I am starting to feel that the sooner they are put out of their misery, the better for all of us.

Jarrod - My football God

[GeorgeQ]

As a resident of the nations capital I'm pleased that the pies are coming although very very suprised that North or the AFL would let such a game out of Melbourne. There must be another agenda. Collingwood have no say in this deal I'm sure.

Prez, the ground is every bit as good as the SCG if not better, turf looks awful in Canberra at this time of the year due to nightly frosts and sub zero temperatures. In all the games played this year I have not seen anyone slip or loose their feet in the centre square, there has also not been any major injuries at Manuka oval.

Collingwood came here last year during the pre season competition and played Sydney (and won, Leon kicked 6) so most of the current squad and the coaching staff have been here. MM brought wet toast here to play Fitzroy in their second last year during July and Dean Laidley coached local club Weston Creek the year before going to Collingwood. All this adds up to a good deal of local knowledge and current experience with Manuka oval.

[junkboy75]

GeorgeQ, the agenda is that the AFL are underwriting the event by $125,000 which is why the roos are comfortable with playing c'wood at manukah. having said that, I am still endeavouring to make my way to canberra, despite being screwed for my airfare to sydney.

can you advise on any good restaurants there? I am a restaurant reviewer and would like to check out a nice place; don't know if I trust the Age Good Food Guide. I will most likely be lodging at someplace called the "Forest Inn" motel (organised through the Black and White Club), and will probably only have time to sample the night life on the saturday. thanks.

"everyone's a winner hot pies"

[GeorgeQ]

Junkboy, the two best places to eat close to the Forrest Motor Inn are Jewel of India in Manuka (02 62957037), a short walk from your motel, and Santa Lucia in Kingston (02 62951813), a short ride from the motel. My opinion is biased of course, I like Italian and Indian food and am certainly no food expert. There are many restaurants in the Manuka/Kingston area to choose from.

It would be good to meet with some of the people from this site, the Kingston pub is 2 to 3 minutes walk from the ground and you can get VB or Carlton on tap for normal pub prices, as well as disk water NSW beer. I will post a topic about meeting closer to round 22. If anyone has any questions about Canberra please email me at george@magpies.net or post and I will answer your queries.

[JLC]

Round 22 the week before the finals we are being forced to travel interstate to a sub standard ground. I wouldnt have thought this is the ideal build up to the finals.

SURELY EDDIE YOU SHOULD BE OUT THERE STICKING UP FOR US. IMAGINE THE OUTCRY IF BUCKLEY GOES DOWN INJURED PLAYING ON A SUB STANDARD GROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember the outcry from clubs at having to play at Vic Park and one game against the Bulldogs was moved to the MCG in 1990 i believe. Surely we have move passed third world ovals like the one at Manakua

APA

EVERYONE IS A COLLINGWOOD SUPPORTER ITS JUST THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE IN DENIAL

[GO RUPERT 10]

YEAH IVE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT CANBERRA
WHATS THE FASTEST WAY OUT OF THERE?

[Greg J]

junkboy75, I can recommend the souvlaki place (they call them doner kebabs up north) on a corner, off the mall, in the CBD. You can miss it, a bunch of kids will be hanging around outside.

Then, off course, there is the RSL club (in the CBD), and a workers club (I think), near ANU.

And, seriously, if it is UNI break, ring up Toad Hall for a cheap room, where we will be able to party all night, in the common rooms, and do our bond.

Greg J

[Greg J]

I was going to go to Sydney, but unsure whether I make it to Canberra. How cold is it going to be? Freezing! I've never seen snow, so maybe, ...



Greg J