News Lions Board Spill - update: Board Dispute Resolved

[lukiuslion]

Good to see there are some positives being discussed in relation to Springfield, it's obvious sharpless was made Chair for his connections out there. Hoping it can be if great use to us going forward, travel time is a down side, however - financially it sounds like a rare opotunity.

 

[dlanod]

Springfield sounds like the biggest backwater out of any of the 18 AFL club's base.

We'll no doubt be sure to entice and retain many an AFL star being based in such a locale.

If people are knocking Springfield for the lack of amenities and stuff to do (besides, you know... train), they'd be slitting their wrists if they had to train at Homebush.

 

[luthor]

Can't see what all the fuss is about with training at Springfield.

If that gets us the best outcome in terms of facilities, go there.

We're not living in the horse and buggy days.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Essendon's new training base

 

[Davemonkey]

Essendon's new training base

Comparable to Springfield in terms of a drive IMO. Wouldn't it be a nice change to be able to afford to live inner city and commute to the outer suburbs, satellites.

 

[adey115]

Still better than Adelaide

Somehow Adelaide has made it into the top ten of "Cities to Visit in the World" listing this year.

Seriously. "Effortless chic" is how they described it apparently.

Um, Springfield in there yet?!

 

[James North]

Can't see what all the fuss is about with training at Springfield.

If that gets us the best outcome in terms of facilities, go there.

We're not living in the horse and buggy days.

Isn't it obvious? It's a Pandora's box for Haso to start using more Simpsons gifs.

I can just see it now:

• Every team we play in the NEAFL will be referred to as "Shelbyville", and he'll Photoshop it into images.
• Gifs containing fluro green bars superimposed onto images of the gym
• Jokes about how "Shelbyville" are proud of how they beat us "almost half the time"
• Every news event that occurs in Springfield will affect the Lions and there will be a gif for it.

It'll be exhausting, but cheap.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Wouldn't want to be going to training at peak times. Roads around Tullamarine can be chaotic, as anyone who's ever caught a plane from there would know. Looks like a decent set up though.

There are a few things that are make or break for this new site I think. From a fan perspective, one of those is whether or not there'll be some kind of clubhouse there with a restaurant/bar and function spaces. If you're making the trip down for a training session, or an intraclub, or a NEAFL game, it'd be much more attractive if you could stop in for lunch too. My dark days as a league supporter featured a few trips to Red Hill, and if we could replicate anything like the set-up they have for members there it'd be great. It helps to make it more of a presence in the area too - for example, there aren't many Springfield locals who'll go along just to watch training, but with not many restaurants in the area yet, if one were set up here it could attract locals and become a real meeting place in the community.

 

[dlanod]

Essendon's new training base

Essendon's new weight regime.

 

[James North]

I ordered Haso a banner to take to Springifield.



For what it's worth I'll be taking the trip down to check out NEAFL games when it opens, but as PattyKisagun says ... if they don't have some kind of lunch option or other thing to do nearby it might get old pretty quickly.

 

[chopperduck]

It might be a bit light early on, but other things will develop there around it. As Sharpless has said, they want an AFL presence there, and it's a big part of the overall planning of the area. I'm sure they can have some internal facilities for food and stuff for players and staff, and other places will develop later.

We've seen a few players leaving talking about development, good facilities are a must, and to have them available to players 24/7, along with staff is vital.

 

[chopperduck]

I would also assume they would put in some kind of social club at some point, perhaps after springwood is paid off, wouldn't need to be anything huge, but just a basic club house as some have said.

 

[wantok]

I reckon Springfield is like trying to make the Glass slipper fit one of the ugly sisters. They would like it to fit and are willing it to fit but it just does not seem right. We need to know why the alternatives were discarded so easily. Surely an open and accountable board would have provided the reasons to its members. No one has ever clearly outlined the reasons except to say we get a bucket load of money from the Feds and its in a growth corridor. I'm happy to support it if I can be given a rational argument but it just seems to have a smell to it.

 

[Judge]

I reckon Springfield is like trying to make the Glass slipper fit one of the ugly sisters. They would like it to fit and are willing it to fit but it just does not seem right. We need to know why the alternatives were discarded so easily. Surely an open and accountable board would have provided the reasons to its members. No one has ever clearly outlined the reasons except to say we get a bucket load of money from the Feds and its in a growth corridor. I'm happy to support it if I can be given a rational argument but it just seems to have a smell to it.

I don' think that there is anyone on here who wouldn't prefer the new training base to be at Coorparoo or Yeronga than Springfield, but given the cost of the exercise and the club's lack of financial resources we effectively have no choice but to follow the funding.

If the Feds say we'll tip in money for the facility but at Springfield only, that's where it's going to be built regardless of anyone's preference to the contrary.

 

[Hollow Knight]

And besides... it's only a 99 year commitment. We aren't locked in forever.

 

[Judge]

Somehow Adelaide has made it into the top ten of "Cities to Visit in the World" listing this year.

Seriously. "Effortless chic" is how they described it apparently.

Seriously?

Who wrote that assessment?

Adelaide has always seemed like a retirement village to me, but with less attractive inhabitants.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I reckon Springfield is like trying to make the Glass slipper fit one of the ugly sisters. They would like it to fit and are willing it to fit but it just does not seem right. We need to know why the alternatives were discarded so easily. Surely an open and accountable board would have provided the reasons to its members. No one has ever clearly outlined the reasons except to say we get a bucket load of money from the Feds and its in a growth corridor. I'm happy to support it if I can be given a rational argument but it just seems to have a smell to it.

This is close to how I feel I think . From a purely financial POV the benefits are blindingly obvious. But I can't quite shake the feeling that culturally that it might come back to bite us on either/both buttock(s). It's all well and good saying that it's not a big commute and it's not in the grand scheme of things. But if you're trying to attract quality staff and players to the club, it could play it's part on people not willing to come to us.

Also, it kind of feels like we're running away from the fight (WRT the other codes). I think the Broncos could probably get away with this better than us- their support is traditionally in the outer suburbs. The Reds less so. Sure, we'll still play at The Gabba, but for us it feels like we become less relevant.

I too would like a detailed account of the potential sites considered and why they didn't measure up. Perhaps a willing questioner at the AGM could raise this?

 

[Fatcat08]

Worth noting that its not like there's nothing there, there's a fairly large shopping centre just across the road from where the lions will be and there's a few more places to eat just down the road.

If its structured right with the right facilities it won't be too much of an issue for the players. At present they have to train at coorparoo, then drive to the gabba. They're coming and going a lot between the two and their homes. If they structure the facilities correctly with rec and breakout rooms and spaces, food and kitchen areas etc then its one trip there in the morning and one trip back when they're finished for the day. They'll be going against traffic which will shorten the trip a fair bit as well. Really its about having the right types of facilities (non training related) there so the fact that they can't really head home in between things isn't really even an issue for them. If they get that right then it will be largely a moot point I feel.

For those that want to study there's a USQ just down the road as well.

 

[adey115]

AGM Notice is up.

Only Mick Power up for re-election.

 

[POBT]

I know a couple of staff members are pretty happy about the proximity to Brookwater Golf Club.

The close proximity to the university is interesting, not so much for the academic aspects but because you often find a relatively vibrant youth culture in "university towns". While I'd imagine that the Springfield ethos is very much family/suburbia, having a uni does bring with it some fringe benefits which might be more attractive to younger blokes

 

[LanLion]

I know a couple of staff members are pretty happy about the proximity to Brookwater Golf Club.

The close proximity to the university is interesting, not so much for the academic aspects but because you often find a relatively vibrant youth culture in "university towns". While I'd imagine that the Springfield ethos is very much family/suburbia, having a uni does bring with it some fringe benefits which might be more attractive to younger blokes

Liked for eloquent use of fringe benefits.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

 

[blynd_freddie]

Liked for eloquent use of fringe benefits.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

Like other athletes – for instance, the universities beach volley ball team...

 

[AFLQLD]

Isn't it obvious? It's a Pandora's box for Haso to start using more Simpsons gifs.

I can just see it now:

• Every team we play in the NEAFL will be referred to as "Shelbyville", and he'll Photoshop it into images.
• Gifs containing fluro green bars superimposed onto images of the gym
• Jokes about how "Shelbyville" are proud of how they beat us "almost half the time"
• Every news event that occurs in Springfield will affect the Lions and there will be a gif for it.

It'll be exhausting, but cheap.

And I assume that Duff beer will be the official Beer of the Lions. Not that Fudd that they drink in Shelbyville and Spittle County.

 

[JasRulz63]

Letter from the new Chairman

I’ve been a member of the Lions for 15 years, sitting in the stands, witnessing both the good and the bad.

Members are the lifeblood of our football club and I want our members to know that there is a genuine desire and willingness to listen to any concerns you may have to see if we can accommodate them. We have already made a commitment to take two concerns to our members at December’s AGM:

1. The club’s guernsey
2. Change to the rights of Life Members in our club’s Constitution

There’s previously been a lot of emotion around the guernsey which is perfectly understandable.

Recently, the club surveyed its membership base, with over 3,000 responses finding a 71.4 percent approval rating for change.

 

[JasRulz63]

Comparable to Springfield in terms of a drive IMO. Wouldn't it be a nice change to be able to afford to live inner city and commute to the outer suburbs, satellites.

About a 20 min drive, but traffic is horrible in the morning. But CBD to their facility is against the flow of traffic so it isn't too bad.