Rod Grinter on Open Mike Tuesday Night

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

35 minutes ago, america de cali said:

I liked the way he said how insanely fired up they were before a game and how motivational Northey was.  Another planet. 

Yesssssssss.  Is there room for that in this day and age?  Although it would have to be done a bit differently, I'd like to hope so.  For any form of such motivation to work, it would have to show leadership, which could transcend the negatives in the workplace, which every workplace has - some more than others.  I guess leadership is what its called.  Someone, some people, to whom others just want to follow........... regardless.

Edited June 1, 2016 by iv'a worn smith

[dieter 3,325]

Grinter conducted himself with great dignity during Sheehan's grilling. All Sheehan seemed to want to talk about was Grinter's misdemeanors. Mike seems to forget that those were different days, they were the days when animals like Matthews, Scott, Dipper, Brereton and Wallis were free to biff and assault and punch and elbow opponents because 'it was part of the game' and because 'what happened on the field stayed on the field'. 

I wonder how Sheehan would interview thugs like Matthews and Brereton, whether the bulk of the interview would have centered on their king hits, assaults and general thuggery.

 

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

On 31 May 2016 at 3:42 PM, america de cali said:

Sensing Grinter's closing footsteps Wallace shat himself and fumbled the ball. The ball was bobbling about six inches away from Wallace's face. Unfortunately the ball moved as Grinter swung his arm to punch it away. Anyway that's the way I saw it. 

That's correct.

I was on the opposite side of the ground, but had a good view.

Rod failed to mention that it was a very windy day. The kick was a tumble punt into the wind. It wobbled around, and Grinter took a swing at it, just missing, but collecting Wallace's suntanned face.

The umpire was close at hand....no report.

No Footscray player remonstrated. They saw the incident clearly.

The media hyped it up, and generated the first video report.

If Wallace cleaned his teeth instead of sitting in front of the ray lamp, Grinter's hand wouldn't have got infected!!!! ( just joking!)

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

1 hour ago, dieter said:

Grinter conducted himself with great dignity during Sheehan's grilling. All Sheehan seemed to want to talk about was Grinter's misdemeanors. Mike seems to forget that those were different days, they were the days when animals like Matthews, Scott, Dipper, Brereton and Wallis were free to biff and assault and punch and elbow opponents because 'it was part of the game' and because 'what happened on the field stayed on the field'. 

I wonder how Sheehan would interview thugs like Matthews and Brereton, whether the bulk of the interview would have centered on their king hits, assaults and general thuggery.

 

I knew Dipper well from school days and met Grinter a couple of times at the pub. He used to live nearby and was always seen running around the neighbourhood. Both were really nice guys off the field. Never met the others.  Dipper could barely play football at school and was recruited by Hawthorn only because of his size and powerful physique.  They made him into what he was.  Every team had  enforcers. No such thing as duty of care in those days. 

 

 

 

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

15 hours ago, Middymalt said:

Chris Mew still wakes up with a headache .

Yep, one of the best legitimate shirt fronts you will ever see, wondered why they didn't show it last night!

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Anyone who has played footy knows that Grinter knew Wallace was there. Good sportsmen are most always spatially aware and know what's going on all around them. I used to be coached by a very famous and highly credentialed footy player and coach who demanded you "DESTROY THE BALL" when spoiling, and then he would show you how to sweep your arm through the ball, arms and head of your opponent without looking at him.

 

That's not to say I've got it in for Balls. He was just another hard man in a hard era. It's just that he is being a little disingenuous with his explanation about how his hand made acquaintance with Wallace's teeth. 

 

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

It was long time ago but I recall reading in The Sun late in the late 80's an article saying that an unnamed club had a"hit man" playing suggesting his brief was a little more ambitious than the usual hardman tactics employed then. Myself and a few others thought the article may have been referring to Grinter. He was claiming regular scalps with no consequences for quite a long time then. The particular attention he later  gained from tribunals suggests he may have been a candidate for "hit man".

Edited June 1, 2016 by america de cali

[tilly18 289]

33 minutes ago, america de cali said:

It was long time ago but I recall reading in The Sun late in the late 80's an article saying that an unnamed club had a"hit man" playing suggesting his brief was a little more ambitious than the usual hardman tactics employed then. Myself and a few others thought the article may have been referring to Grinter. He was claiming regular scalps with no consequences for quite a long time then. The particular attention he later  gained from tribunals suggests he may have been a candidate for "hit man".

I recall that was a Don Scott article and it came out he was referring to Roger Merrett.

[Moonshadow 17,676]

33 minutes ago, america de cali said:

It was long time ago but I recall reading in The Sun late in the late 80's an article saying that an unnamed club had a"hit man" playing suggesting his brief was a little more ambitious than the usual hardman tactics employed then. Myself and a few others thought the article may have been referring to Grinter. He was claiming regular scalps with no consequences for quite a long time then. The particular attention he later  gained from tribunals suggests he may have been a candidate for "hit man".

Didn't Roger Merrett release a statement then that reports of him being the hit man were wrong? Or was that a different situation adc?

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

I think the Merrett article was from a lot earlier but I could be wrong.  The article I was referring to was a small single column story and nothing to do with Don Scott I believe.

Edited June 2, 2016 by america de cali

[Diamond_Jim 12,600]

15 hours ago, america de cali said:

I liked the way he said how insanely fired up they were before a game and how motivational Northey was.  Another planet. 

I can remember the Northey days very well. One of the joys was that supporters were welcomed into the rooms before and after a match. Just ordinary supporters mind. No need to be a member of a special coterie or the like. You could hear the fire in Northey's voice as he encouraged the players. After more than 20 years of mediocrity it was a special time.

[Fork 'em 6,986]

I remember the hitman article and it turned out to be Merrett.
Can't remember who wrote it though.

I remember the thing of beauty Grinters shirtfront on Mew was and the roar of approval from the Demon faithful.

Also remember Brereton flinching when confronted by Grinter on the half back line at Waverly.

Make no mistake kids.
Rod Grinter was an intimidating badass ..... And we loved him for it.

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Fork 'em

[Middymalt 244]

15 hours ago, Hell Bent said:

Yep, one of the best legitimate shirt fronts you will ever see, wondered why they didn't show it last night!

I was right in front of it at Waverly best hit iv ever seen I remember when they took Mew off the doctor put up a couple of fingers and Mew just shook he's head , we would've beaten Carlton next week  it's the one got away we should've all been premiership supporters that year .

[Gator 17,387]

I'm surprised they didn't show the Chris Mew back/bump.

Having read the thread this may seem a little controversial.  I never thought Grinter was overly tough.  He hit a lot of blokes (fine by me), but I never thought he was overly hard at the footy.

But there you go.  Plenty will disagree.

[DemonOX 8,791]

I love Balls in the Grinter variety only! 

Wish he was still on the team. 

[Moonshadow 17,676]

I remember when he was 'reinvented' as a leading forward and wondered why it hadn't been tried earlier. He was a good mark on the lead and lovely kick.

[Biffen 12,944]

I remember him kicking the ball across ways during the wet for goals during a very slippery day.

He was no mug.

[picket fence 17,186]

On 6/1/2016 at 6:16 PM, Rocknroll said:

Cheers moonshadow 

 

Wallace is a squid dislike the man 

Wallace the only player EVER to seek legal advise and recieve a payout for an incident where no umpire report!

ASTOUNDING!!

[picket fence 17,186]

2 hours ago, ProDee said:

I'm surprised they didn't show the Chris Mew back/bump.

Having read the thread this may seem a little controversial.  I never thought Grinter was overly tough.  He hit a lot of blokes (fine by me), but I never thought he was overly hard at the footy.

But there you go.  Plenty will disagree.

Really would like to see this agian ! Have searched but can't find it!

[Sir Why You Little 37,055]

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Really would like to see this agian ! Have searched but can't find it!

Round 22 1990?

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

7 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Round 22 1990?

I think it was in the third quarter of the 87  prelim final. Unless he got him again at a later date.

Edited June 2, 2016 by america de cali

[Sir Why You Little 37,055]

2 minutes ago, america de cali said:

I think it was in the third quarter of the 87  prelim final. Unles he got him again at a later date.

Ok that whole day is an emotional blur from behind the big scoreboard goal. 

I lived all the misses...

Death in the family stuff!

Edited June 2, 2016 by Sir Why You Little

[Guest]

That was actually the worst Open Mike I have seen. 
I get that Rod was a controversial player in his time but I thought more could have been said about some of the very powerful characters coming through the club and less about minutae about his so called hard man reputation.
I don't blame Balls for the episode. I think Mike needs to focus less on being a tragedy wh ore and focus more on what we watch Open Mike for: tales of the footy!
I thought we would eventually get to him talking about Jimmy and Gazza but they weren't covered at all!

Edited June 2, 2016 by Colin B. Flaubert
Wanted to add one more sentence.

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

Some hair curling nostalgia.  Grinter features in a few.

 

[Sir Why You Little 37,055]

22 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Some hair curling nostalgia.  Grinter features in a few.

 

A lot has changed in 30 years!!