Melbourne Demons - The movie/documentary?

[Supreme_Demon 3,011]

Just putting a suggestion out there.

I think it would be great to see a movie or a documentary about the Melbourne Football Club and how we became Premiers this year in 2021 ending our 57 year Premiership drought.

Obviously, I am very biased but I think it would make a fantastic movie or documentary. It could go from 1964 until 2021 looking at all the heartache and pain we have been through. The triumph of 1964, the loss of Ron Barassi to Carlton shortly afterwards, the shock sacking of Norm Smith, the wilderness years of the 1970s, losing a game against Fitzroy but 190 points, big Carl Ditterich who liked to belt blokes, Brent "Tiger" Crosswell who only brought a towel with him to training, the shining light of Robbie Flower, the prodigal son Ron Barassi returning in 1981 as coach. Mark "Whacko Jacko" Jackson and his crazy antics on the football field. The Brownlow medalists in the 1980s of Brian Wilson and Peter Moore. The defection of Gerard Healy to Sydney for the big bucks. The amazing year of 1987 trying to help Robbie Flower to make the finals. The heartache of Jimmy Stynes running through the mark in the Preliminary Final only for Gary Buckenara to kick a goal for the Hawks to get them over the line and into the Grand Final. The year 1988 with our humiliating loss to the Hawks in the Grand Final.

The early 1990s with Jimmy Stynes winning the Brownlow and the amazing antics of Allen Jakovich. The 1994 finals series under Neil Balme and the wonderful feats of Garry Lyon kicking 10 goals and David Schwarz becoming a super star. The almost merger with Hawthorn in 1996 and the dodgey proxy votes to say we voted "for" the merger. The multi-millionaire saviour in Joe Gutnick. Neil Balmes sacking and the embarrassing wooden spoon in 1997. The recruitment of young star ruckman Jeff White from Fremantle and the appointment of Neale Daniher. The 1998 final series and the emergence of stars like David Neitz, Adem Yze and Jeff Farmer. The salary cap and draft penalties in 1999.

The remarkable bounce back to make the Grand Final in 2000 only to be physically beaten up and crushed by Essendon. Shane Woewodin's surprise Brownlow medal in 2000. The yo-yo years of finals under Neale Daniher. The tragic loss of Melbourne player Troy Broadbridge in the Boxing Day Tsunami. The close but just not good enough finals series of 2004, 2005 and 2006. The resignation of Neale Daniher in 2007 and the appointment of Dean Bailey. The years of frustration and embarrassment from 2008 until 2013. The poor treatment of our veteran players like James McDonald, Cameron Bruce, Brad Green and others in favour of a flawed youth policy.

Captaincy for the two Jacks in Grimes and Trengove which in someways sadly hindered their careers with far too  much pressure. The alleged "tanking" saga with former player Brock McLean spilling his guts against us and sanctions from the AFL. The huge amount of debt the Melbourne Football Club was in and Jimmy Stynes taking over as President. The "Debt Demolition" campaign that helped save our club from financial ruin. The freakishly talented Liam Jurrah who's career was like a comet burning brightly but far too quickly. The horrific "186 game" in Geelong. The Mark Neeld era. The regular thumpings and overall embarrassment for the club, its players and its long-suffering supporters.

The turnaround with the appointment of Peter Jackson as CEO. The chase to sign up Paul Roos as coach. The development years from 2014 until 2016 trying to fix our playing list and our club culture. The shining light which was Nathan Jones. The Simon Goodwin apprenticeship. The untimely deaths of Robbie Flower, Jimmy Stynes, Sean Wight, Dean Bailey and Colin Sylvia. The wonderful 2018 finals series. The emergence of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Jack Viney and other young star players. The unique larrikin and character who got caught smoking on the way to training once and is our superstar Captain Max Gawn who Jimmy Stynes took an interest in. The disappointment of 2019 and the finishing 9th twice in 2017 and 2020. The drought breaking year of 2021!

You gotta admit it is definitely a movie or at least a documentary with that story line right there!

With movies like "The Club" and documentaries like "Year of the Dogs" I think it is a worthwhile proposition for someone considering making a movie or a documentary about the Melbourne Football Club too.

It would be a movie or a documentary 57 years in the making!

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Supreme_Demon

[brendan 3,382]

Didn’t Amazon do docos last year so hopefully they did more and we are involved

[DeeZone 7,769]

11 minutes ago, Supreme_Demon said:

Just putting a suggestion out there.

I think it would be great to see a movie or a documentary about the Melbourne Football Club and how we became Premiers this year in 2021 ending our 57 year Premiership drought.

Obviously, I am very biased but I think it would make a fantastic movie or documentary. It could go from 1964 until 2021 looking at all the heartache and pain we have been through. The triumph of 1964, the loss of Rob Barassi to Carlton shortly afterwards, the shock sacking of Norm Smith, the wilderness years of the 1970s, the shining light of Robbie Flower, the prodigal son Ron Barassi returning in 1981. The Brownlow medalists in the 1980s of Brian Wilson and Peter Moore. The amazing year of 1987 trying to help Robbie Flower to make the finals. The heartache of Jimmy Stynes running through the mark in the Preliminary Final only for Gary Buckenara to kick a goal for the Hawks to get them over the line and into the Grand Final. The year 1988 with our humiliating loss to the Hawks in the Grand Final.

The early 1990s with Jimmy Stynes winning the Brownlow and the amazing antics of Allen Jakovich. The 1994 finals series under Neil Balme and the wonderful feats of Garry Lyon kicking 10 goals and David Schwarz becoming a super star. The almost merger with Hawthorn in 1996 and the dodgey proxy votes to say we voted "for" the merger. The multi-millionaire saviour in Joe Gutnick. Neil Balmes sacking and the embarrassing wooden spoon in 1997. The recruitment of young star ruckman Jeff White from Fremantle and the appointment of Neale Daniher. The 1998 final series and the emergence of stars like David Neitz, Adem Yze and Jeff Farmer. The salary cap and draft penalties in 1999.

The remarkable bounce back to make the Grand Final in 2000 only to be physically beaten up and crushed by Essendon. The yo-yo years of finals under Neale Daniher. The tragic loss of Melbourne player Troy Broadbridge in the Boxing Day Tsunami. The close but just not good enough finals series of 2004, 2005 and 2006. The resignation of Neale Daniher in 2007 and the appointment of Dean Bailey. The years of frustration and embarrassment from 2008 until 2013. The poor treatment of our veteran players like James McDonald, Cameron Bruce, Brad Green and others in favour of a flawed youth policy.

Captaincy for the two Jacks in Grimes and Trengove which in someways sadly hindered their careers with far too  much pressure. The alleged "tanking" saga with former player Brock McLean spilling his guts against us and sanctions from the AFL. The huge amount of debt the Melbourne Football Club was in and Jimmy Stynes taking over as President. The "Debt Demolition" campaign that helped save our club from financial ruin. The freakishly talented Liam Jurrah who's career was like a comet burning brightly but far too quickly. The horrific "186 game" in Geelong. The Mark Neeld era. The regular thumpings and overall embarrassment for the club, its players and its long-suffering supporters.

The turnaround with the appointment of Peter Jackson as CEO. The chase to sign up Paul Roos as coach. The development years from 2014 until 2016 trying to fix our playing list and our club culture. The shining light which was Nathan Jones. The Simon Goodwin apprenticeship. The untimely deaths of Robbie Flower, Jimmy Stynes, Sean Wight, Dean Bailey and Colin Sylvia. The wonderful 2018 finals series. The emergence of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Jack Viney and other young star players. The unique larrikin and character who got caught smoking on the way to training once and is our superstar Captain Max Gawn who Jimmy Stynes took an interest in. The disappointment of 2019 and the finishing 9th twice in 2017 and 2020. The drought breaking year of 2021!

You gotta admit it is definitely a movie or at least a documentary with that story line right there!

With movies like "The Club" and documentaries like "Year of the Dogs" I think it is a worthwhile proposition for someone considering making a movie or a documentary about the Melbourne Football Club too.

It would be a movie or a documentary 57 years in the making!

 

I think that needs to be a 3 part mini series just to much story line for one Doco.💕💙❤️

[Supreme_Demon 3,011]

7 minutes ago, brendan said:

Didn’t Amazon do docos last year so hopefully they did more and we are involved

Not sure, I don't have Amazon.

But I do agree that a 4 or 5 part documentary would probably be the best option.

After 57 years we have a lot of content!

[Roost it far 6,153]

Start from the beginning 

8 seasons each one made up of 25 episodes of 1 hour each

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Roost it far

[Chook 14,502]

This would have to be a Lord of the Rings style trilogy there's so much content.

The 2021 season would just be the end bit when they get home from Mount Doom.

[The Lobster Effect 838]

Hopefully we had someone taking some unreleased behind the scenes footage this year

[radar 1,851]

I started supporting in 1965. 
Lived through everything you documented. Not sure I wanna be reminded anymore. I feel Iike shedding  all things 1964. My car even has 1964 on the dashboard from Ford factory. 
 

I wanna look to the future and get on board with Sparrow and Bowie

[Cassiew 1,870]

Documentary for sure. I mean it’s be a better subject than from to hell and back or year of the dogs. We already had the history of Melbourne football club. Maybe rereleased with an update. If so, I’d like to see a lot less emphasis on 2000, which they give more screen time to than some premiership years

[Demongirl35 816]

I did notice someone walking around with a camera when the players were watching a video not long before the game. I haven’t seen the footage so maybe it was part of a doco they are making… 

[Willmoy1947 3,780]

Just a small addition to these ideas too. I'll preface it by saying I think that not only was that last game, both  wholisticaly and individually one of Australia's greatest sporting achievements it deserves more, and I believe like where in this case you have both, historically combined, it should be recognised in the Guinness Book of Records. I feel sure that the MCC and MFC  could come together on this for 2022's edition and incorporate into whatever is being done.

[Dee man 299]

After 'To Hell and Back' come out, I remember someone from the club saying that a film crew had been following the club for most of the 2019 season and 2020 pre-season. I suspect that with COVID travel/budget restrictions, this project probably fell by the wayside in 2020 and 2021. Regardless, the club clearly has some excellent internal footage from this year, and combined with media footage I'm pretty sure there'd be enough to make a decent documentary.

[Dee man 299]

At the very least, the club could probably re-edit 'To Hell and Back', switch in a bit of 2021 footage and you'd have yourself a pretty spine-tingling documentary.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,585]

16 hours ago, Chook said:

This would have to be a Lord of the Rings style trilogy there's so much content.

The 2021 season would just be the end bit when they get home from Mount Doom.

A trilogy would be great 21, 22 & 23!!

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,585]

1 hour ago, Cassiew said:

Documentary for sure. I mean it’s be a better subject than from to hell and back or year of the dogs. We already had the history of Melbourne football club. Maybe rereleased with an update. If so, I’d like to see a lot less emphasis on 2000, which they give more screen time to than some premiership years

I hear you, but 2000 can't be glossed over either.

Incidentally, I loved noticing Shane Woewodin was wearing his 2000 premiership jumper in the interview he had with Garry Lyon after the game. 

I still somewhat rue 2000 as the one that got away.  I know how good Essendon were all year, but we still had a pretty dam good side ourselves with some absolute superstars ourselves (Woewy included) that year.  Again retrospectively, I guess it would have been a bit like if the Bulldogs had have beaten us this season.

[Cassiew 1,870]

1 hour ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I hear you, but 2000 can't be glossed over either.

Incidentally, I loved noticing Shane Woewodin was wearing his 2000 premiership jumper in the interview he had with Garry Lyon after the game. 

I still somewhat rue 2000 as the one that got away.  I know how good Essendon were all year, but we still had a pretty dam good side ourselves with some absolute superstars ourselves (Woewy included) that year.  Again retrospectively, I guess it would have been a bit like if the Bulldogs had have beaten us this season.

By the retrospect 1988 shouldn’t be glossed over either. It was after all our first big dance since 1964. In the history of the Melbourne football club DVD footage of the 1988 season is about 1 minute long

[Pates 9,537]

Definitely think there should be a multi-part documentary made. Perhaps history of until 2020 (large focus on the dark days), 2021 pre-season to 9-0, then round 10 to perhaps round 22, then round 23 and finals series. 

I hope they’ll at the very least be doing a season review DVD/downloadable content. But this story deserves so much more than just the usual effort. 

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,585]

On a segway from another thread, I think I've still got some of my favorite games from around 2016 - 2018 on an old Foxtel IQ that I'd play in this way.  Now that we've nailed the big one, I can enjoy watching those games again as part of the journey that got us there.  The 2018 elimination and semi finals against the Cats and Hawks would still be enjoyable to watch, particularly the joy clearly evident from Nathan Jones of playing in and winning finals and although by comparison to 2021 PF, it probably doesn't feel like we beat them by enough, the elimination of the Cats was a pretty good highlight.  Probably also good to reinforce what the Weid could still offer us going forward!!

Some of my other favorite games along the most recient part of the journey were:

*  That breakthrough win against the Hawks (2016? Or was it 2017?).  Was memorable in it's own right as a Melbourne supporter, but I think I've heard him say things to the effect it was partly  from how we shaped up to them that game that Jordan Lewis formed a view that we had the foundations of a quality side that convinced him to come and play for us.  Incidently from the performance of Leiws that game, I'd made a somewhat rash conclusion that he was finished as a footballer, for which I'm glad I was wrong, as in retrospect, I think it's clear he bought alot to our team both in terms of onfeild performance and development from having his experience and leadership around;

*  That 2016 thrashing of the Gold Coast at Metricon.  GC were travelling well at the time, but after a closely fought first half or so, we turned it on and it was the first time we'd truly thrashed a team for a number of years (perhaps a sign of things to come).  Was an early game for Christian Patracca and from memory after a few quite debut performances, he started to find a bit of confidence and kicked a few good goals.  Was also a real breakout game for both James Harmes and Jayden Hunt who have also been so important in 2021.  Holds a special place in my memory bank, because the old man came up to visit from interstate and we got to share the elation together of not only winning, but thrashing a side by a big margin.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,585]

28 minutes ago, Pates said:

Definitely think there should be a multi-part documentary made. Perhaps history of until 2020 (large focus on the dark days), 2021 pre-season to 9-0, then round 10 to perhaps round 22, then round 23 and finals series. 

I hope they’ll at the very least be doing a season review DVD/downloadable content. But this story deserves so much more than just the usual effort. 

Agree Pates.  It would be a difficult story to do justice to really.  There are both the highlights of the onfeild performances, but also some really rich off feild personal stories over a long period of time.

I think it would take really good team of documentary makers to put it all together in a quality way and that could also cost a fair bit, for which the market may not genuinely exist.

Will be interesting to see what eventuates in this space.

Edited October 2, 2021 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

[Jaded No More 57,951]

Danny DeVito to play Gawny surely

[leave it to deever 15,378]

21 hours ago, DeeZone said:

I think that needs to be a 3 part mini series just to much story line for one Doco.💕💙❤️

Yep one for each goal in the last minute of the the third😀

1 Trac's physics bender.

2. The long Sparrow.

3. Oliver's airplane.

Edited October 2, 2021 by leave it to deever

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,585]

2 hours ago, Cassiew said:

By the retrospect 1988 shouldn’t be glossed over either. It was after all our first big dance since 1964. In the history of the Melbourne football club DVD footage of the 1988 season is about 1 minute long

Agree.  And some really important people that are part of the Melbourne story to the present involved in that game as well.  Lyon, Stynes, Viney, Wight, Grinter, Stretch and pleant of my other old favorites from the time as well.

For myself as a supporter, stitting there at the ground that day contributed to the mental scars and psyche of being a Melbourne supporter over the 3 decades since and as I suspect it has similarly for the MFC playing group over the years as well.

[leave it to deever 15,378]

But in all seriousness, it would be a great idea for one of the world's oldest football clubs and how long we have waited. Could be crowd sourced here on Dland.

[hemingway 7,589]

True Demon tragics. It only occurred to me after a few minutes that the posters are serious! 

I can personally recommend an excellent doco on Hemingway on SBS on demand. Ernie had too much of a good thing and came to a sticky ending. Beware tragics. 

[Demonstone 19,169]

1 hour ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

On a segway from another thread

 

 

You're welcome!