We can't just keep running away from things that are difficult. If we didn't have a $10 Million debt then maybe it would be a different story. But the reality is we have this massive debt weighing us down and we have to think outside the square to rid ourselves of it.
My preference was to embrace Tassie but unfortunately BUTTHEAD (Rod Butters), did not agree with me. That was me nearly 20 years ago at the AGM when during Q & A I told BUTTHEAD and the board that abandoning Tassie was very short sighted and would one day come back and bite us on the bum. And it has bitten us big time. Look at how much money both North Melbourne and Hawthorn have made out of Tassie. And then look at us, still wallowing in debt.
We need to keep playing 1 game in Cairns each year to balance the books but at the same time do everything we can to get NZ up and running again. I believe the Western Springs redevelopment in Auckland has been delayed unfortunately. We need to try and see if we can somehow get AFL funding to get the project over the line. Once the redevelopment is completed then we can get rid of Cairns and play in Auckland every ANZAC day. But the most important thing is to rotate the interstate teams that we play there each year, excluding Sydney and Brisbane. ie on ANZAC day in Auckland we play the following teams on a rotational basis. Gold Coast, GWS, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle.
