Eddie says send North north

[gokangas]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/eddie-mcguires-idea-to-deliver-north-melbourne-access-to-hundreds-of-nga-players/news-story/bdd382ff7a2d703a4c9644df5cc62430

 

[gokangas]

Eddie McGuire’s idea to deliver North Melbourne access to hundreds of NGA players​

Eddie McGuire has an idea that would change North Melbourne forever. MARK ROBINSON chats with the ex-Pies president to break it down.
Mark RobinsonChief Football Writer

April 26, 2024 - 4:02PM

Eddie McGuire is an ideas man. And he has an idea for North Melbourne that requires enormous initiative and investment, but the payback could be access to Next Generation Academy players in their hundreds.
The idea? Claim the northern outskirts of Melbourne as a second home.
From Mickleham through to Whittlesea, taking in Kalkallo, Beveridge, Donnybrook and Wollert – it is one of the fastest growing corridors in Australia.
McGuire says the Kangaroos – with funding assistance from the AFL, local and state government and major organisations, including health and education – should plonk a training facility in the heart of the growth area.

Eddie McGuire has an idea to help North Melbourne get access to NGA talent. Picture: Getty Images
Much how Melbourne was bold and expansive in 2009 when it put a training base at Casey Fields, which is south-east Melbourne’s premier sports and recreation precinct.
The Demons train there and it’s the home of their AFLW team.
McGuire’s plan is to tap into the children of immigrants – and their children’s children – to ensure that Australian rules is their “field of dreams”.
The more immediate dividend could see some of these children being ready for AFL careers in 10 years’ time and widespread talent flourishing within 20 to 30 years.
“This is football 2055,” McGuire said.
The son of Scottish immigrants, McGuire’s big-picture plan is to foster Australian rules in the outer northern area and he believes North Melbourne is the perfect club to take an active role.
The Kangaroos will soon lose their second home in Tasmania because of the new Devils team – and they will also lose their NGA access to the island state’s young talent.
“I’d love to see North Melbourne go to the north of Melbourne,” McGuire said. “Keep North Melbourne at Arden St, but also move up the road.
“If you have a look at the demographics of Melbourne and Victoria … we know there’s 500,000 people coming into Australia; we know Victoria is going to be the biggest area.
“So what are the things we have to get? More players. They’re coming, but what we have to do is make it attractive. We have to build on what footy and what the AFL is good at, and that’s community.

Projected population growth​

Town	2024	2041	Growth
Kalkallo	8,683	18,336	111%
Mickleham	23,877	52,920	121%
Donnybrook	7,089	48,123	579%
Wollert	7,843	33,726	330%
Whittlesea	5,641	6,387	13%
Beveridge	9,118	73,754	709%

Source: Informed Decisions

“We should go into these areas and build footy grounds, and community health centres, then mum from Somalia comes down and then dad comes down, then the great Aussie tradition … the Afghan dad comes down and does the barbecue and the canteen. That’s what we’ve got to do; get past all the ring roads, because that’s where it’s all happening.
“Everyone who has played in the under-11s is dreaming of playing at the MCG one day and that what’s we need to do, we need to go out to these areas and connect with these new migrants and introduce them to football, or introduce them to what it could be.’’
He believes North Melbourne, if it formed a second home base, could have access to potentially hundreds of players under the NGA rules.
The AFL is reviewing its draft policies, which includes the father-son and NGA and academy bidding.
Victorian clubs want the same access to their NGAs as the northern-state clubs get with their academies. For example, Melbourne worked with Egypt-born Mac Andrew and his family for several years, but lost him to the Gold Coast because Andrew was taken at pick No.6 in the 2022 draft and the Demons could only get access to him if he was not in the first 20 picks on draft night. How many future AFL draftees – like Andrew – are in the burgeoning far north suburbs of Melbourne?

Could McGuire’s plan help turn the fortunes of the Roos? Picture: Getty Images
“My position has always been, I don’t care who they are playing for, as long as they are playing,’’ McGuire said.
“If North got in there and were able to pay their own way, and get their own players, well, if we keep the academies as they are, that’s practically everyone for them.
“All these kids’ fathers and mothers are born overseas, so they qualify for the NGA Academy … and the kid who was five when he came out (to Australia), his kids qualify (for) NGA.
“You have to be sophisticated in how you do it, but we don’t want the AFL to go the way of rugby union and become a private-school game.
“I look back at Broadmeadows, not only is my team not there anymore, the league’s gone … in the fastest growing area in Australia.’’
McGuire admires AFL great Kevin Sheedy for his continual vision of expansion of Australian rules, and believes the Kangaroos can aid that vision.
“Everyone says, OK, what do we do next? How do we get bigger?” McGuire said.
“We’ve got to go into Western Sydney, into Queensland – that’s no problem whatsoever – but we have a big joint north of Melbourne and probably in the south-east of Melbourne as well.
“The growth goes out past Sunbury, you’ve got Melton, I drove out near Calder Park the other week, the houses go out to the Thunderdome now.
“I thought to myself, why doesn’t the AFL buy it and turn that into a stadium?’’

 

[Hearts to hearts]

That’s not as bad as the headline made it sound. On the other hand, all Eddie’s ideas are dumb and never go anywhere.

 

[King Corey]

Um, that's actually ok. Do I need re-read for breadcrumbs?

 

[giantroo]

I'd be happy with that. Beats being in Carlton's zone.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Also, if it’s any good the other clubs will not let it happen (cf last draft).

 

[blackshadow]

Sounds perfectly reasonable from Ed.

I doubt it will happen if it gives us a meaningful recruiting resource though.

 

[Roostorm]

After reading..not bad ….l like the ideas…but there are a lot of if and maybes to be ticked off on the suggestions….
Not excluding gaining approval and funding from listed organisations.
As well as hurdles from other clubs coughing at the thought of this…
But if these all aligned and we’re put into place it’s a pretty big area with exclusive access to talent ….
Worth investigating.

 

[Sphynx]

I might be alone, but I don’t want to leave Arden St for a ******* paddock in Sunbury or Whittlesea.

Player retention would be horrible

Thanks

 

[Zondor]

I might be alone, but I don’t want to leave Arden St for a ******* paddock in Sunbury or Whittlesea.

Player retention would be horrible

Thanks

All in Sunbury don't like this. :stern look

FWIW I am with you. :stern look

 

[gokangas]

North having a presence out north has been canvassed a few times. I think we trained at Crazieburn a few times if I recall correctly. Idea has merit.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Great idea!

We would not move fully there - Arden St would remain a training base - but we would have a major presence in the far North area and play practise matches there etc. And have 2 ovals there - like * at the Hangar. We could also play games there against the Gold Coast etc like the Dogs do in Ballarat.

Clubs who have that area already will scream blue murder but it's the AFL who need to sort this out.

 

[Nylex]

Surprised Xander didn’t interview Eddie.
Eddie should petition the state government to build him a new Lexus Centre at Calder Park…. then the pies can piss off there, as they no longer have any connection to Collingwood.
Melbourne can take over at The Lexus Centre as should always have been the case.
North Melbourne will stay where we always have been… Arden Street, North Melbourne

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

North having a presence out north has been canvassed a few times. I think we trained at Crazieburn a few times if I recall correctly. Idea has merit.

Also, City Oval in Coburg ring any bells?

 

[big_e]

Eddie McGuire is an ideas man.​

Eddie McGuire has several thought bubbles every year and somehow gets his mates to write them up in the paper.

That we'll need a new NGA area to replace the one in Tasmania is a given, and for North Melbourne to get a new zone North of Melbourne is not that earth-shattering, if you ask me.

Wasn't he f***ing us off to Darwin this time last year?

 

[muttley45]

North having a presence out north has been canvassed a few times. I think we trained at Crazieburn a few times if I recall correctly. Idea has merit.

I remember going to watch a praccy at Craigieburn a ways back, and Braddles pulled the pin at 3/4 time due to inclement weather

 

[koshari]

That’s not as bad as the headline made it sound. On the other hand, all Eddie’s ideas are dumb and never go anywhere.

Its actually pretty sensible, i would include the area right up to bendigo, might even be able to manage a gerrymander that takes in Gasos katamittite!

 

[LB2Snake]

Next minute, Bulldogs zone expanded.

 

[andana]

Showing some initiative. We do need something. Sounds better than previous plans.

 

[Woolly Mammoth]

It's a very good idea, something we should have been exploring 20 years ago. The challenge as always is whether we would ever be allowed to do it. Our Vic big 4 overlords will have the final say.

 

[Woolly Mammoth]

Also, City Oval in Coburg ring any bells?

False equivalency, as that was planned as a wholesale move and was in the days that teams played at their home ground. Eddie stated it would be a secondary base, and Robbo, with a dozen schooners of Carlton draught coursing through his bloodstream, has clearly not understood what Eddie was saying and brought up the inaccurate example of Melbourne at Casey fields.
The Dees were homeless and training at a rat infested Junction Oval (not figuratively but literally was so run down it had a rat problem) and needed to find somewhere new to go.
We have a great facility and there would be no need to pack up shop all together.

 

[gokangas]

False equivalency, as that was planned as a wholesale move and was in the days that teams played at their home ground. Eddie stated it would be a secondary base, and Robbo, with a dozen schooners of Carlton draught coursing through his bloodstream, has clearly not understood what Eddie was saying and brought up the inaccurate example of Melbourne at Casey fields.
The Dees were homeless and training at a rat infested Junction Oval (not figuratively but literally was so run down it had a rat problem) and needed to find somewhere new to go.
We have a great facility and there would be no need to pack up shop all together.

I sat in the stand there every home game when we made the one season move in 1965.

 

[RHLK]

'The Kangaroos will soon lose their second home in Tasmania because of the new Devils team – and they will also lose their NGA access to the island state’s young talent....'

Our great gushing geyser of Tasmanian NGA talent is set to dry up? Oh noes....

 

[Passmore]

If there was anything out there McGuire would want it for Collingwood.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[NMFC49]

Great idea!

We would not move fully there - Arden St would remain a training base - but we would have a major presence in the far North area and play practise matches there etc. And have 2 ovals there - like * at the Hangar. We could also play games there against the Gold Coast etc like the Dogs do in Ballarat.

Clubs who have that area already will scream blue murder but it's the AFL who need to sort this out.

I reckon North will try to get into Bendigo after Tasmania exit. Bulldogs in Ballarat. Bendigo is now over 100k people. It will continue to grow. The Calder corridor all the way from Sunbury through Gisborne to Kyneton and up to Bendigo is a rapidly growing area. I live in this part of the state and its building fast.