Nathan Jones 300 Games

[dees189227 12,527]

I believe he will be on the couch tonight and goody will be on AFL 360 

[Pates 9,697]

Say whatever you like, he's earned this honour. His 299th was extremely poor, but I'm backing him in to produce something worth of his 300th.

He's heart and soul, a Demon to the core. If he kicks an early goal the MCG might just fall apart from the sound of Dees fans cheering!

[NowWeKnow 130]

There's something about that No. 2 jumper. 

Nathan Jones has not only done it proud but has added to its greatest.

Dead Set Legend.

[Guest]

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

A very fitting summation of how Nate has approached his football career. 
 

Congratulations, Chunk. You are a testament to and blessing upon your family, you coaches, your teammates and the club.

Edited April 19, 2021 by Colin B. Flaubert
Measure was missing!

[Dingo 1,183]

  On 19/04/2021 at 04:59, Jaded said:

For a decade Melbourne supporters would drag themselves to games knowing we would lose. They would also drag themselves to games knowing that our captain would be giving his all.

Nathan Jones is a warrior. A player who has carried himself with quiet dignity through years of working in a toxic, negative and more often than not losing environment. He withstood board meltdowns, countless coaches, and multiple trashings, and he did it all while putting his body on the line every week, getting every inch of skills out of his body, and leading a revolving door of players. 

In an environment that is often marked by a lack of loyalty, money chasing, and easy premiership grabbing, Jones has stood out as a beacon of a team first player. A player who puts his teammates, his club and the jumper above all else. 

We are so lucky to have found Jones, to have had him at our lowest moments as our shinning light in endless darkness.

What a deserving milestone to play 300 games for a club you fought so hard for, for so long, and to now be playing in a winning side that you helped to nurture. 

Congratulations Jonesy on 300 wonderful games. Nobody is more deserving of this accolade than you.

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[Dingo 1,183]

Fantastic comment! The best!

 

[Pates 9,697]

  On 19/04/2021 at 09:25, Colin B. Flaubert said:

"The ultimate of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

A very fitting summation of how Nate has approached his football career. 
 

Congratulations, Chunk. You are a testament to and blessing upon your family, you coaches, your teammates and the club.

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Damn, great quote! I'd be sending that to the banner makers for the week, very fitting.

[Guest]

  On 19/04/2021 at 10:01, Pates said:

Damn, great quote! I'd be sending that to the banner makers for the week, very fitting.

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I forgot to put ‘measure’ in the quote! ?

It’s one of my favorite all time quotes. ?

[Chook 15,080]

Great interview with Jones On the Couch if you get a chance to watch it.

[Lord Travis 10,819]

A rare achievement for a Melbourne player to play 300 games, and making it after the pounding his body took under those packs for years is impressive. Nathan is a great clubman and was a very good player at his peak. Congrats to the legend for sticking with the club when others didn’t and always giving his all out on the field.

[Demons11 7,151]

Great tribute by Lyon to him on the couch.  Jonesy was the bloke who held the club together during its worst times. 

[Maldonboy38 6,436]

The word 'star' gets attached to players like Josh Kelly and Brody Grundy after 1 good season, and then after huge dollars, they return to being good footballers. Overstated, overpaid.

And in the background you get mostly un-heralded players like Gary Wilson from Fitzroy, John Blakey from North Melbourne, or Kade Simpson from Carlton who may not be stars but are champions. Club servants, reliable, influential, calm, who love the people of the club.

Jonesy is the embodiment of the Dees as a CLUB - a community of people long-starved of success who stick by the colours, the jumper and the burning desire for success. With every reason to leave, he stayed. He endured Neeld, the "benefits of losing" emphasis, the appalling over-celebration of Watts, Scully, Trengove and Jurrah. He saw Bailey sacked, argued with Roos about leadership, had the captaincy taken away - and he stayed. 

All the accolades in the world could not adequately communicate the place this bloke holds in the hearts of us who love this club. 

Well done on your 300, Jonesy. Very well done. 

[titan_uranus 25,255]

It's a special moment.

Thoroughly deserved by one of our club's genuine legends.

[Dee man 303]

I just watched this highlights package which was in one of the threads Little Goffy posted and it's a joy to watch. I'm sure there are many other highlights packages on the internet but it's refreshing to watch this guy at his best. In his prime, he was not only our best inside player, but our best outside player as well (and for a while, he was our best leader, our best kick and one of our most reliable set shot for goal). Look at those booming handpasses, the classy sidesteps, and the one-step run-up drop punt goals. In the early-mid 2010s, Jones was doing this kind of stuff week in week out and he was a seriously underrated player because of the team he was playing in. One can only imagine what kind of player he would have been were he lining up in a half-decent team.

We all know Jones doesn't have all the tricks that he used to, but what's just as important to remember is exactly how bad we were when Jones was at his best. Especially now that we're 5-0 and living in a momentary golden age (this is currently the best winning streak we've been in since 2000 if you include the 2 games at the end of 2020), it can be difficult to remember some of those awful weekends when getting thrashed by 100 points was the norm. Jones was there every week, trying his absolute guts out, and carrying the entire team on his shoulders. Thank god for Nathan Jones.

[Brownie 6,086]

  On 19/04/2021 at 11:46, Lord Travis said:

A rare achievement for a Melbourne player to play 300 games, and making it after the pounding his body took under those packs for years is impressive. Nathan is a great clubman and was a very good player at his peak. Congrats to the legend for sticking with the club when others didn’t and always giving his all out on the field.

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He got a free on the weekend while copping a knee into his head on the bottom of a pack.

Had a chuckle to myself that it's probably well over 300 knees and elbows that shiney noggin has copped.

An incredibly tough and resilient human being both physically and mentally.

Can't wait for Saturday

[whatwhat say what 23,880]

who doesn't love this absolute warrior of a footballer?

epitomises the resilience and attitude that it takes to back up again and again so that he can deliver the best he can for the club

can't wait to see him get a win in his 300th in front of a massive crowd in a massive game

[Clayton spirit 269]

Absolute champion for what he has meant to the club and what he's stuck through. Basically was what we turned up to see in 2012-2013. Has gone through at least 4-5 phases in his career. It's not so much the skill but the passion that will make him be remembered as a champion footballer

[Dee Zephyr 19,326]

Hope Jones gets some rest this week at some stage, he’ll be on SEN this morning after 7.

[leave it to deever 17,621]

  On 18/04/2021 at 23:40, Cards13 said:

Any highlights of him with hair???

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Im flagging this post for all the follicly challenged.

Shame on you.

[dpositive 1,838]

  On 19/04/2021 at 13:53, whatwhat say what said:

who doesn't love this absolute warrior of a footballer?

epitomises the resilience and attitude that it takes to back up again and again so that he can deliver the best he can for the club

can't wait to see him get a win in his 300th in front of a massive crowd in a massive game

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[dino rover 714]

  On 19/04/2021 at 05:33, John Crow Batty said:

Never mind about playing 300 games. Jones talking about playing finals this season.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/this-year-is-different-jones-says-dees-are-better-than-2018-20210419-p57kby.html

 

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The Age reported "acknowledging the lure of finishing his career in the manner of Hawks great Shane Crawford, who retired after winning a grand final in 2008." I doubt that Crawford was gifted his last game for Hawthorn he made it on merit - right? THe same must apply to Jones surely?

I take a less sentimental view of who owes who what. The team and the teams success is primary over any individual recognition IMO. If games are gifted to a player for services rendered - as admiral as that service is doesnt it debase the currency somewhat?

[Jaded No More 68,976]

  On 20/04/2021 at 00:32, dino rover said:

The Age reported "acknowledging the lure of finishing his career in the manner of Hawks great Shane Crawford, who retired after winning a grand final in 2008." I doubt that Crawford was gifted his last game for Hawthorn he made it on merit - right? THe same must apply to Jones surely?

I take a less sentimental view of who owes who what. The team and the teams success is primary over any individual recognition IMO. If games are gifted to a player for services rendered - as admiral as that service is doesnt it debase the currency somewhat?

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If this week was a grand final, I would definitely raise the option of dropping Jones on current form, even if it was his 300th game.

But this week, the negative impact on the team of dropping Jones, would far far outweigh the positive impact it would have on the entire club when he plays. 

Losing to Richmond this week would firstly, not be a disaster or a missed opportunity we can never get back (like playing in a grand final), nor would it come down to Jones playing or him being replaced by another marginal player from Casey.

[JTR 2,910]

?  Nathan Jones is the greatest person who ever lived

[Cards13 9,117]

  On 19/04/2021 at 23:48, leave it to deever said:

Im flagging this post for all the follicly challenged.

Shame on you.

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The only reason I want to see them is to remind of when I had hair! I was at the 2007 final and had hair, I finally shaved what was left off in late 2008. 

[hardtack 11,107]

  On 19/04/2021 at 09:22, NowWeKnow said:

 

There's something about that No. 2 jumper. 

 

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I’m hoping that when he does retire, that number is retired with him for x amount of seasons.