What do you feel is most important?

[Stripes]

The obvious choice is - 'All the Above' but if you had to choose one which you felt is more important than the others which would be be and why?

[Mr Magic]

Recruitment.

We're improving on this front but ultimately this is where we need to make the best decisions if we're ever going to get this club up the top again.

[Ekto]

A Reserves team would:
1. Allow the recruiters to bring some promising guys into the club that they would not normally draft or rookie and see if they can develop;
2. Allow better "Tiger" structure to be taught and perfected for the big stage;
3. Give the club full influence on the footy culture/environment that its players are exposed to.

Dare I say it but the club should also look at "buying" one of the TAC Cup teams (preferably the Calder Cannons  ) and then we would be back to our 60's and 70's glory days structure of Under 19's, 2nds and Senior side under the control of the club. This should provide a better understanding of the best group of promising players going around.

Unfortunately that goes against the spirit of the draft so it won't happen.

[TigerLand]

Shocked at the lack of Reducing the debt.

If we clear the debt we effectively begin earning the money we would normally be paying off the debt's interest. Debt must go first, no club will be successful whilst being in debt.

[Danog]

Improving in other areas will create a snowball effect to reduce debt.

[WilliamPowell]

Dare I say it but the club should also look at "buying" one of the TAC Cup teams (preferably the Calder Cannons  ) and then we would be back to our 60's and 70's glory days structure of Under 19's, 2nds and Senior side under the control of the club. This should provide a better understanding of the best group of promising players going around.

Unfortunately that goes against the spirit of the draft so it won't happen.

Agree nice thought Ekto but as you say will never happen. The League got rid of the Under 19's for a reason (sadly) they will n ever go back to that model

[WilliamPowell]

Improving in other areas will create a snowball effect to reduce debt.

I look it the other way - get rid of the debt and it will allow you to do all the things listed

 

[dizza]

Reserves/VFL team, so that we actually control the development of our young lads who aren't immediate first team inclusions. A squad with a strong depth of quality will help us sustain a consistent standard of football for 24 rounds (plus finals), and it also gives us the chance to try players in new positions without having to rely on the coach of the VFL affiliate. There's also the chance for our young players to get used to playing alongside the same players every week, rather than being alongside a number of players who they'll never play alongside at AFL level.

Popelord, you're absolutely right that debt reduction is incredibly important (after all it's crippled us for the best part of 3 decades), and so the reason that a Reserves team will help with that is the classic case of playing better football = more wins = more crowds & more televised games and blockbusters = more memberships and gate revenue for the club over the longer term = more money overall to eliminate our debt.

[WilliamPowell]

Popelord, you're absolutely right that debt reduction is incredibly important (after all it's crippled us for the best part of 3 decades), and so the reason that a Reserves team will help with that is the classic case of playing better football = more wins = more crowds & more televised games and blockbusters = more memberships and gate revenue for the club over the longer term = more money overall to eliminate our debt.

That's true dizza but you have to have the $$$ first to field your own VFL side. We don't have the $$ because it's tied up paying the interest bill on the debt.

So IMHO you get rid of the debt, you thereby get rid of the interest bill (conservatively at the moment around $500k a year) and bingo you have the funds for your own reserves team.

[Stripes]

WP - I think this is why the club is attempting to draw funds from the supporters and invest half into debt and half into the Football Department, our ground, reserves team etc. It's a bit like the chicken and the egg argument but which will be best for the club now and in the long term.

My view is the same as many  - Reserves team first, development second, recruitment next and debt following. I just feel until we have onfield success, regardless of how much we reduce the debt in the short term, it will only grow again if we continue to be anchored at the bottom of the ladder.

Just my opinion of course.

[Tigermad20011]

Debt reduction as with no debt we could do all of the others.

[Smokey]

Shocked at the lack of Reducing the debt.

If we clear the debt we effectively begin earning the money we would normally be paying off the debt's interest. Debt must go first, no club will be successful whilst being in debt.

x 2

[WilliamPowell]

WP - I think this is why the club is attempting to draw funds from the supporters and invest half into debt and half into the Football Department, our ground, reserves team etc. It's a bit like the chicken and the egg argument but which will be best for the club now and in the long term.

My view is the same as many  - Reserves team first, development second, recruitment next and debt following. I just feel until we have onfield success, regardless of how much we reduce the debt in the short term, it will only grow again if we continue to be anchored at the bottom of the ladder.

Just my opinion of course.

True stripes - would love our VFL side but it is going to cost money and trust me it is a fair amount they would need.

Ulitimately I want everything on the list but you said which one and my view is you remove the debt the other things  should be auotmatically possible with good management

Reality is while the debt is there at its current value we cannot have the other things no matter how much we want them.

[tony_montana]

Improving in other areas will create a snowball effect to reduce debt.

we've been saying that for years - without debt you can then start improving in other areas bc you can start throwing money at those areas instead of paying off interest. Debt will almost be gone by seasons end so thats under control now.

From there, for mine  - Development is number 1 so a combination of extra development coaches and our own reserves is a must

[the claw]

Recruitment.

We're improving on this front but ultimately this is where we need to make the best decisions if we're ever going to get this club up the top again.

agree every club lives or dies, or succeedes or fails on the back of its recruiting. there is no more important role at a footy club. i would have thought after 25 yrs of failure at the draft all rfc supporters would realise this.
its getting the horse in front of the cart.