Ladies and Gentlemen,
This site has never been the most endearing to the club or even parts of our own fanbase. A common piece of feedback I receive privately is that some find it too negative or drama-filled, which is why many choose to stay away. At times we clash hard and put each other down, the club, the players, and even Super, who pays for this site out of his own pocket. Some of this could understandably offend players’ families. In conversations I’ve had with people within the club’s hierarchy, the club takes a fairly open-minded view and accepts that it can’t control what others say or think. That’s a mature approach.
That said, I believe the majority of us are good eggs, mean well, even if some are rough around the edges and a small minority hold more extreme views. Over the past decade, I’ve met many wonderful people through this site, some of whom I now count as close friends and have learned a great deal from. You’re a big reason I’m still here and why I care about this community.
If you’re willing, I’d appreciate your thoughts on the direction the site should take. Ultimately, Super will decide, but it’s helpful to understand how people feel, here or privately, on:
- Current affairs and political blogs: Even if personally enjoy them, these often become the most feral and attract extremist views, especially in challenging times. They can flood the site and turn off many who simply want to talk footy, the one thing we all share. Life has enough dramas.
- Moving these blogs to The Cave: Making them members-only allows discussions without overwhelming those who’d want to avoid it. Could it be a win-win?
- Any other ideas for improving the site.
Please don’t comment on political, religious or current affairs issues in this blog. This is about improving the site, not saving the world from an apocalypse.
Replies
The 40 year drought would have ended years ago if Phil didn't post that infamous Dynasty blog, damn you Phil, damn you to hell.
Whether some admit it or not, the off season blogs do keep this site alive during the downtime. It's also offers people a place to off load and share their opinions on matters outside of footy.
And if we are all being honest, who can honestly say that they haven't learnt anything from others by reading some of the more educated posters on here.?
I know I have and my writing, punctuation and spelling (although great already 😂😂😂) has also improved significantly since I began posting in 2013.
I've learnt heaps and that was my whole point in joining in 2012 so I could learn more about the game and my team and not only that communicate with some more " normal " men 🤔😆😆😆
Heisen is 14 inches Carls, that is not normal!
Omg poppa !!!!!
That's exactly what Mrs Heisen said
When she was choking 😆
Holy hell frank
I think she said that as well after she got the OMG out!
Ladies & gentlemen,
It’s been a pleasant surprise to see so many comments. There’s a lot of good in this community beneath the often dysfunctional bonnet. Based on feedback here and in private, a few key challenges stand out for Super and the mods:
■ Some members feel harassed or belittled by regular posters and choose to stay away
■ Religious and political discussions are causing excessive divisions; war zones
■ There’s some boredom with the site’s layout; a “new jersey”?
The feedback pretty much confirms our suspicions. As the community has grown, some norms that worked when the site was smaller are under more strain, particularly around open debate in religious and political threads. What once felt manageable can now discourage broader participation on the site and in footy discussions, so it’s probably worth reviewing how we handle those areas.
A new “jersey” is harder in the short term due to platform limits and a tight budget, with costs largely falling on Super. It's a major renovation job to change over to a new platform.
I’m not overly confident ideas like The Cave will work, but it’s reasonable for Super and the mods to explore options as a middle ground, rather than moving toward very heavy handed moderation banning these types of discussions or ignoring the issues. We need to keep changing and evolving, and will again later.
Thanks again to everyone. I got a lot out of the discussion.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone.
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