Forum topic

Im pretty sure you will be able to buy a membership internationally, Barry told me we had international members but that was when they didn’t offer a piece of merchandise with the membership. 
 

Theirs been mixed reactions to giving up the Rec, I guess I would have been more supportive if we gave it up after we had proven revenue streams and shown that we could stand on our own two feet 🦶 without them, rather than giving them up now and searching frantically for extra revenue streams. 

Just emailed the membership department about the address question. It makes sense that there would be international members. 

What do others here think about Heppell signing with Collingwood as a development coach while still playing for us? Given that Collingwood also competes in the VFL, it seems like a conflict of interest. And as a development coach he'll be working a fair bit with young players who are particularly likely to line up against us.

Back in 1922 Bill Walton coached Hawthorn while still playing for Port Melbourne, and once when Port Melbourne played Hawthorn that year, one of Walton's Borough teammates had to be restrained from striking him because Walton was coaching said teammate's opponent during the game... so I guess as long as Heppell doesn't start coaching the oppo midgame this situation will be less strange than that one... but that was in 1922, which was rather a different world. Presumably the club has signed off on Heppell's role with Collingwood? Will he still have a coaching role with us as well as playing?

I can’t believe it’s allowed to happen and definitely wouldn’t have happened a few years ago - almost certain Ayres and administrators wouldn’t have allowed somebody with such divided loyalties to be part of the club. I was going to say we live in an era where theirs not much loyalty but seems like it’s not a reflection on modern day as it also happened as you said just over a century ago. It does make you question if he will be at the club long term though as it’s the final year of his 2 year deal, may move exclusively to Collingwood next year rather than sticking around as a club ambassador, supporter or a coach etc 

The more I think about this the less I like it. Even if Heppell is set on coaching at AFL level once he stops playing for Port Melbourne, there will be coaching positions every year, so it's not as if he had to take one this year. I hope it does work out for us and that Heppell puts up the same kind of performances for us that he did last season.

Loyalty to clubs does seem to be declining in the modern day even though there were situations like Walton's in the past. Heppell is one of the last players from whom I'd have expected this, given his unwavering loyalty to Essendon despite their lack of finals success. Everything I've heard about him makes him sound like an almost unbelievably nice guy, so I'm willing to believe that he somehow doesn't see it as a question of divided loyalties, but it's very strange. And there's a very real chance that when we play Collingwood he'll be opposed to a player he's coaching. 

It seems odd from Collingwood's point of view as well - not sure why they're willing to have a development coach who plays for another club in a league in which they also field a team. It looks like a disregard of their own VFL side, although that perhaps is not surprising from an AFL club. Is there any chance that we aren't fixtured to play Collingwood this coming season and that both clubs already know this? That would still suggest that Heppell would be leaving after this year, which would be disappointing, but it seems like the only way to make sense of both clubs being on board with the situation.

The Ben Hobbs signing has just become official- one poster saying he doesn’t remember the last time he scored a goal which is perhaps his way of saying he is feeling some angst at another non forward named in out squad. We now desperately need news on forwards as was animatedly stated at the AGM. Nevertheless another very strong midfield signing.

Could perhaps also be a response to the Hobbs announcement describing him as a player with the ability to "push forward and make an impact at the scoreboard," which is, to say the least, optimistic. In the AFL he's kicked 21.26 in 65 games, and in the VFL he's kicked 5.3 in 11 games (1.1 for his most recent 7 VFL games). And in the AFL at any rate he was not a success at half-forward. But playing for us as a midfielder he should do very well, particularly at stoppages, and even if he doesn't kick a lot of goals himself the essential thing is for him to deliver the ball to those forwards that we all hope the club is going to find somewhere and sign....

True may have been in response to his description which is a tad inaccurate or optimistic as you say. 

Wondering what out Frankston friends can tell us of our new GM I. DALE Christie who was also general manager of Frankston.

Not much to go by but I notice that he has made several transitions in his working life, can't read too much into that or speculate but would be good to get a opinion from those in the know. 

All I can really say is he was gm in 2021 of Frankston a d that's when they seemed to  come good- how much of that can be accredited to him I dunno.

There have been 39 signings and re-signings confirmed so far for the VFL side (including Bedendo who hasn't been announced but whose re-signing you confirmed, Mega), so assuming list sizes of 44 and no one yet on the long-term injury list, we have 5 list spots left. Hopefully those will be filled by rucks and key forwards. The rumors of another midfield signing seem to have died down online, although whether that's because it isn't happening or because the holidays delayed things is another question.

I've read that Heppell's role at Collingwood is not necessarily a gameday role, so playing for us will take precedence in the event of a conflict. Still extremely bizarre that he's allowed to have both roles, and from what I've seen elsewhere online, Collingwood supporters aren't any happier about the conflict of interest than we are (while not necessarily realizing that he was contracted with the Borough first!). 

Since I asked the question here, I'll mention that it turns out memberships can indeed ship internationally, so that was very good to find out.