i found it interesting reading that both Collingwood & StKilda have broken records for their membership this year (Herald Sun website). The Tigers have also smashed membership figures for 09 on the back of our storming end to 08 and the signing of Ben Cousins (in fact Cousins probably inflates our membership by 4000 or so which brings us closer to the Saints).
looking at our figures in comparison with these 2 clubs i thought it would also be interesting to relate it to results over say the last 15 years (as success / results can influence membership and the last 15 years has seen a boom in memberships) as follows:
Collingwood Richmond StKilda
45,286 36,589 32,323 (not even considering ticketed/non-ticketed)
2008 6 9 4
2007 4 16 9
2006 7 9 8
2005 15 12 3
2004 13 16 3
2003 2 13 11
2002 2 14 15
2001 9 3 15
2000 15 9 16
1999 16 12 10
1998 14 9 6
1997 10 13 2
1996 11 9 10
1995 10 4 14
1994 8 9 13
Positions Avg.
Avg(15yr) 9.5 10.5 9.3
Avg(10yr) 8.9 11.3 9.4
Avg(5yr) 9.0 12.4 5.4
Finals 6 2 6
Top 4 3 2 4
GF 2 0 1
1st 0 0 0
14-16th 4 3 4
10-13th 4 4 4
9th 1 6 1
So what can we decifer from this info:
- Richmond has the worst avg. ladder position marginally over 15yrs but the avg. deteriorates and the gap is significant in the last 5yrs (it is amazing that we have increased our membership and are at the levels we are on results)
- Collingwoods avg. has remained steady over the time (the Pies results don't affect memberships like other clubs)
- StKilda has the best avg. overall with very strong results in the last 5yrs (the results of the last 5 yrs has seen the Saints significantly increase memberships)
- Collingwood & StKilda have many more yrs of finals appearances, top 4 finishes, and GF appearances. (it pains me to think of where our membership would be with similar results)
- We have significantly more finishes from 9th to 13th (this has hurt us both in memberships and more importantly at the draft table. we have false hope of improvement, have not bottomed out, and have had middle 1st rnd picks consistently bringing more unknown success of picks, not to mention trading of 1st rounders)
- The Pies & Saints have finished in the bottom 3 more often (the Saints have really utilised bottoming out with successive yrs of an extra pick at the start of the first round)
- The Pies & Saints have a steady trend of peaks & troughs in their results (they have bottomed out, had success, bottomed out, & had success again. the successes are sustained for a few yrs as are the lows)
- The Tigers don't really peak and trough with their results (with the two finals appearances the peak is rare and short which shows our real lack of success. the lows, apart from 2002-05 where we were quite low and didn't utilise the chance to get a few yrs of early picks cause of results & trades etc, are short. we really have been middle of the road :'( )
looking at all of this i really am amazed we have the membership we do. with the Saints success they should be well ahead of us (thank **** for the 60's & 70's) yet we still show them the way
however as i said it pains me that our lack of success & poor results are hurting the club. we could be 40,000+ in membership. we could also have had a few higher draft picks at the club which i feel could have sustained success for us for a few yrs right about now.
i really hope the review and directive of our club puts us on a path that will enable us to have sustained success in the near future. GO TIGES!!!
looking at our figures in comparison with these 2 clubs i thought it would also be interesting to relate it to results over say the last 15 years (as success / results can influence membership and the last 15 years has seen a boom in memberships) as follows:
Collingwood Richmond StKilda
45,286 36,589 32,323 (not even considering ticketed/non-ticketed)
2008 6 9 4
2007 4 16 9
2006 7 9 8
2005 15 12 3
2004 13 16 3
2003 2 13 11
2002 2 14 15
2001 9 3 15
2000 15 9 16
1999 16 12 10
1998 14 9 6
1997 10 13 2
1996 11 9 10
1995 10 4 14
1994 8 9 13
Positions Avg.
Avg(15yr) 9.5 10.5 9.3
Avg(10yr) 8.9 11.3 9.4
Avg(5yr) 9.0 12.4 5.4
Finals 6 2 6
Top 4 3 2 4
GF 2 0 1
1st 0 0 0
14-16th 4 3 4
10-13th 4 4 4
9th 1 6 1
So what can we decifer from this info:
- Richmond has the worst avg. ladder position marginally over 15yrs but the avg. deteriorates and the gap is significant in the last 5yrs (it is amazing that we have increased our membership and are at the levels we are on results)
- Collingwoods avg. has remained steady over the time (the Pies results don't affect memberships like other clubs)
- StKilda has the best avg. overall with very strong results in the last 5yrs (the results of the last 5 yrs has seen the Saints significantly increase memberships)
- Collingwood & StKilda have many more yrs of finals appearances, top 4 finishes, and GF appearances. (it pains me to think of where our membership would be with similar results)
- We have significantly more finishes from 9th to 13th (this has hurt us both in memberships and more importantly at the draft table. we have false hope of improvement, have not bottomed out, and have had middle 1st rnd picks consistently bringing more unknown success of picks, not to mention trading of 1st rounders)
- The Pies & Saints have finished in the bottom 3 more often (the Saints have really utilised bottoming out with successive yrs of an extra pick at the start of the first round)
- The Pies & Saints have a steady trend of peaks & troughs in their results (they have bottomed out, had success, bottomed out, & had success again. the successes are sustained for a few yrs as are the lows)
- The Tigers don't really peak and trough with their results (with the two finals appearances the peak is rare and short which shows our real lack of success. the lows, apart from 2002-05 where we were quite low and didn't utilise the chance to get a few yrs of early picks cause of results & trades etc, are short. we really have been middle of the road :'( )
looking at all of this i really am amazed we have the membership we do. with the Saints success they should be well ahead of us (thank **** for the 60's & 70's) yet we still show them the way
however as i said it pains me that our lack of success & poor results are hurting the club. we could be 40,000+ in membership. we could also have had a few higher draft picks at the club which i feel could have sustained success for us for a few yrs right about now.
i really hope the review and directive of our club puts us on a path that will enable us to have sustained success in the near future. GO TIGES!!!