I don't know if it's mentioned but why don't you guys just make a private sub forum for your what appears to those on the outside of it, a frankly exclusionary clique in its own rights. It's fair enough too, a lot of you were MWTS.
If I can be honest though it's the internet, you literally know what you're in for when you "login". But please forgive me if I'm wrong but you're close to, if not closing in on your 70's. Given that, and probably some shared experiences with other demographically similar users who have been here since the "official" forum days - sorry was only a lurker, too young then - but I know there's a few "older" members getting around now. Is it not unreasonable to give yourselves a space in the forum - because everyone should be, and is welcome - allowing you to more pick and choose when you make contributions which might illicit the devious response of a (not so) anonymous keyboard warrior such as myself?
I think most people who jump on here occasionally enough from the toxic (
@The Royal Soup, kidding love it) to the average Joe enjoy most people's contributions to an extent. If not merely as another digital content distraction which actually allows this forum to exist (monetarily) but a sometimes thought provoking place, especially when someone like
@Mark from Brisbane, or even
@Woodsie (up the Woods!) posts the occasional gem, who I have both called a boomers on numerous occasions. Personally he has been an obvious mainstay and masthead to a casual contributor like me as a fan coordinator, leader, inside man for rumour threads, and most importantly just a normal supporter with an opinion, like myself and everyone else here. As a nearly 30 (****) year old brought up in the digital age, opposed to the pub or wherever else you guys trolled each other.
There's first and other highly graded and experienced people here whilst my claim to fame is playing for school and on the weekend with and against future NRL stars William Hopoate and Clinton Gutherson. I "retired" at 15 after getting steamrolled by Will in a semi against Manly Cove, faked an injury in a game we eventually lost - I think you guys would call that being a cat haha. I'd respond with saying I was a footy smart, yet to fill out kid starting to take on physically developed Pasifika boys, I know you guys had it tough but fuark those boys could f**k your year up - it's on another level now and statically it's a fact, I ain't generalising. I then briefly took up the relatively light pastime of Oztag and retired as a captain, with as many trophies as seasons played, a couple of dislocated fingers, but most proudly having representing Manly-Warringah in a key ballplayer position, the dream of any wannabe superstar halfback. I guess apart from my fond trip down memory lane, our experiences are relatable in their own way to some point 🤷♀️
If anyone's being directly denigrating I reckon it's not out of line to start kicking people off for the day or week with a temp ban, then weed out the repeat, vitriolic people over time who just can't help themselves. I think with a simpler, more defined set of contributing rules and maybe a few more mods outside the very real clique which exists, who can moderate discussion to a point and temp ban could help bring a more inviting environment.
Personally I've administrated many internet communities on many platforms from early to mid 2000's vBulletin forums with over 100K registered members, to 2020's Discord servers with tens of thousands at anytime, active, real-time contributors on an Australian focused ASX stock and options trading, financial and business analysis and other degenerate discussions that have attracted enough mainstream (AFR, SMH, etc) coverage and reporting that I'll actually rescind that claim for legal reasons 😂 I guess my point is they all took a diverse inner sanctum of sorts that remained aligned in what community they wanted to participate in and help maintain. There are probably other relatively mature, rehabilitated terminally online people here like myself that could make more of a contribution to content and progressing the site into a safe and sustainable (let's face it) niche environment, which is essential for the place to survive long term, we all know it ain't cheap. Personally I like checking in and worry if the way things are now will end when
@Dan and whoever else hang up their mice with no plan for succession, there won't be a chance to re-establish a place like this against the reddits (🤢) and other social media hubs which lack the authenticity a place like this provides on the internet today.
Who knows but I think the website could always do with a shakeup since it's an obviously uniquely valuable platform that seems to exist solely within this subforum. I don't think a place where like-minded people can get together and shoot the **** should die a slow death through people giving up. Full credit to
@Dan on the technical improvements implemented over the years (fr impressive stuff) but I think with some fresh discussion and ideas taken with a more collaborative approach between disrespectful youth like myself (I'm not 30, yet!) and the older, genuinely knowledgeable and by virtue, interesting members could revitalise the place a bit, if not at least churn out a bit more content and influence the media narrative which we all know they trawl places like this to form.
I'm not proposing myself personally because I feel that would be a bit arrogant and uncalled for given my relative obscurity, but I wouldn't be against the idea of members of more diverse demographics having an opportunity to seriously engage with and guide this website to the next stage. I think the truth is a lot of us agree with the sentiment and are about as rusted on as it gets about the joint, given that I reckon we could find at least a few reasonable members to hammer out some new ideas which might revitalise the place.
Just a small IMO but a few more active mods with a metaphorical list of 10, straight forward commandments (rules) they're allowed to enforce to prevent people from feeling like they can't express themselves without abuse which is what this is all about might be an idea? Call them janitors til they've demonstrated they're responsible enough to earn the title of moderator or staff, such as the existing prestigious council of Silvertail overlords 🦅
Cheers.
