There is a great article on the ESPN Australia website about the MFC past players association for those who are interested. 

How Melbourne's past is inspiring the new generation to success

Edited September 7, 20214 yr by Grapeviney

here it is

Great article, thanks for sharing 

Great article thanks for this. The section below warned my heart, this is the kind of stuff that creates a great club culture.

"We were all welcomed to join in for the Saturday fitness session with the current guys and we ended up having 30 past players running alongside today's list. All of the current players then joined us for our regular breakfast catch-up, we had 70 odd Melbourne players mixing together after training."

While a simple gesture, it's been symbolic of a new Melbourne ethos that has been noted by Grinter.

"The biggest change I've noticed with the way the boys have been playing, is their want to play for each other and the broader club, not as individuals. The way they speak after games, it's all about the supporters at home and that connection is really felt from the past players," he says.

"The club opened up to past players from far and wide for that session, no matter how many games they'd played. We all really cherished the connection of that day."

Current Demon James Harmes has recently joined the Past Players committee, and an AFLW past player will soon be appointed.

Dead set one of the best articles I've read this year.

I made note last week about Brad Green tearing up to the Norm Smith Curse promo from channel 7 and how much it means to these ex players as much as supporters. Reading that Stephen Tingay was crying after our first finals win back in 2018 and then Clint Bizzell losing his voice from screaming with delight against his old mob this year is just terrific. 

Well done to Rod Grinter.

Once again, a fantastic article!

I listened to the Deebrief interview of Glenn Lovett over the weekend and he was full of praise for Grinter and his role in keeping the past players in touch. He said Grinter texts him on his birthday each year without fail and said "if he's doing that to me then he's doing it for plenty of others as well".

Edited September 7, 20214 yr by Dr. Gonzo

Guuhhhhh reading this just makes this not being able to see the team love even harder. 
Nice read and great to see the past players really behind the team and vice versa. 

'Balls' was my coach for a 'Play On The G' game (Jeff Hilton was the other) That's when a real connection between past and present - that I wasn't aware of, and which you might normally only associate with 'community' footy - struck me. From my experience, then, it's real...

In 1988, during the finals, it was always Rod Grinter, and Rod alone with chest out, who led the team in a final circuit of the Junction Oval at the end of training to the cheers and delight of the adoring supporters.

It was so moving that I sometimes still believe that most of us spent our emotion there on the eve of the Grand Final. The actual match against the dominant dorks was almost an anti climax.

When coaching an amateur club,  Mark Williams invited past players to join in the club song with the team after a stirring victory on the day of the past players president's lunch. Similar sentiment. It was the best experience that I had had (apart from premierships) since I hung up my boots. Builds a club.

No surprise at the at the efforts of the current club. Good people bring good results.

What a read that is, awe inspiring stuff.

Brought a tear to my eye.😢

love it.

Thanks for sharing this article. Just great to read about the connection that the past players have with the current players. really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the share.

I loved Rod Grinter already as he is my vintage, but that article has the heart overflowing.

Just imagine how much a premiership means to the past players.

A Saints supporter at work has already volunteered to cover my rostered shift for Grand Final day if we make it. He also promised to barrack his [censored] off for the Dees. Bloke is a legend for a New Zealander :).

This is our year.

Believe.

 

That was great.

Really enjoyed that article (except for the incorrect detail that failed to mention Steven Febey played in both grand finals 😉).

Grinter coached New Norfolk in the Tasmanian statewide league when I was playing and was way too formidable for me to go anywhere near him.

Great article Earl! Rod Grinter may have played tough unsociable footy but this is always my memory of him;

training at junction oval 1988. I was 10 @ the time. With my mum, brother and sister. Normally we’d get a few autographs off the players when they came off the ground, then my brother and I would go into the rooms. Females weren’t allowed. 1 time my sister went straight to Rod and said can you sign the back of my jumper. He was stocked when she turned around with a no. 14 on her back. He posed for a photo with her and then sat down on the steps and had a chat with us. Still brings a massive smile to my face!!

 

BEST ARTICLE FOR A LONG WHILE🤩