5 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

Very fair summary.

I'm absolutely baffled by how the decision-makers thought the player described above could fit into our team without one of the best ruckman of the last 20 years being in some way relegated or played out of position. 

Didn’t Max kick 5 goals in our final against Geelong ? I think that may have persuaded a few that Max could be our Paul Salmon - alas it was not to be 

19 hours ago, Sydee said:

My 2 cents 

Grundy and infact the swans generally are having a nice run of form. Are they good enough to win the cup ? Personally I have my doubts still

I think they are a really solid well drilled and coached footy team 

Grundy has his limitations and can’t jump, can’t mark in contested situations and rarely if ever goals. He is good at scrapping and blocking and following up with contest when the ball is on the ground. However he is pretty slow and his disposal skills are just ok 

It’s a shame that things didn’t work out at MFC with Brodie but we lost so much more losing LJ than Grundy make no mistake 

We do need a genuine back up for Max but that doesn’t need to be a 2x AA it needs to be someone physically capable of a strong contest against AFL quality rucks - I think that’s one of our big weaknesses atm 

We need a key forward more than  2nd ruck l think ... JVR seems to do a good enough job

1 minute ago, Demons1858 said:

We need a key forward more than  2nd ruck l think ... JVR seems to do a good enough job

We probably need both to be fair 

I’d argue finding a big ruckman that can compete is way easier than finding a quality tall forward 

19 hours ago, Sydee said:

My 2 cents 

Grundy and infact the swans generally are having a nice run of form. Are they good enough to win the cup ? Personally I have my doubts still

I think they are a really solid well drilled and coached footy team 

Grundy has his limitations and can’t jump, can’t mark in contested situations and rarely if ever goals. He is good at scrapping and blocking and following up with contest when the ball is on the ground. However he is pretty slow and his disposal skills are just ok 

It’s a shame that things didn’t work out at MFC with Brodie but we lost so much more losing LJ than Grundy make no mistake 

We do need a genuine back up for Max but that doesn’t need to be a 2x AA it needs to be someone physically capable of a strong contest against AFL quality rucks - I think that’s one of our big weaknesses atm 

We need a key forward more than  2nd ruck l think ... JVR seems to do a good enough job

15 minutes ago, Sydee said:

They probably Fullarton could offer more but the lack of a genuine replacement or back up for Max is a very big fail in terms of list management at this stage 

Good ruckmen who are prepared to be second string are very hard/impossible to find. The list managers have tried with Schache and with Fullarton; Schache is a fail, Fullarton may be a fail too but we don't know yet for sure. They have recruited Verralls. In other words, they are trying but have not yet achieved the near impossible.

31 minutes ago, Sydee said:

Didn’t Max kick 5 goals in our final against Geelong ? I think that may have persuaded a few that Max could be our Paul Salmon - alas it was not to be 

Yeah coz we didn't persist and Max probably didn't buy in! If I was coach I would have demanded it, Max you are going to play Full Forward for a lot of the game, when Brody isn't in the Ruck then its your turn and he comes of the ground! Take it or leave it. NORM SMITH would agree I'm sure, but alas this is why it didn't work, limited buy in and not ballsy enough coaching IMO

Edited June 18, 20241 yr by picket fence

Did Preuss ever play in a match alongside Big Maxy?

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Yeah coz we didn't persist and Max probably didn't buy in! If I was coach I would have demanded it, Max you are going to play Full Forward for a lot of the game, when Brody isn't in the Ruck then its your turn and he comes of the ground! Take it or leave it. NORM SMITH would agree I'm sure, but alas this is why it didn't work, limited buy in and not ballsy enough coaching IMO

And to those 3 that facepalmed, clearly clueless and maybe haven't played a team sport!?? Drysdale u in particular have been having a go mate quite a bit of late! So I'll say it nicely, ..........actually just put u on ignore, thats better!

Edited June 18, 20241 yr by picket fence

Gee @WalkingCivilWar ‘s memoirs are going to be a must-read. Published under a spectacularly inventive nom de plume of course. Demons of the Demons, by Lady Crysanthenum Thistlethwaite.0

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

Yeah coz we didn't persist and Max probably didn't buy in! If I was coach I would have demanded it, Max you are going to play Full Forward for a lot of the game, when Brody isn't in the Ruck then its your turn and he comes of the ground! Take it or leave it. NORM SMITH would agree I'm sure, but alas this is why it didn't work, limited buy in and not ballsy enough coaching IMO

that sounds like the sort of leadership style espoused by mark neeld

3 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

Gee @WalkingCivilWar ‘s memoirs are going to be a must-read. Published under a spectacularly inventive nom de plume of course. Demons of the Demons, by Lady Crysanthenum Thistlethwaite.0

“Crysanthenum Thistlethwaite“????What am I, 90yo? I’d choose a more modern name, like, one from this millennium. Or I could go the sentimental route and publish under the name one of my sons affectionately calls me… “Knackers” 😑

28 minutes ago, picket fence said:

And to those 3 that facepalmed, clearly clueless and maybe haven't played a team sport!?? Drysdale u in particular have been having a go mate quite a bit of late! So I'll say it nicely, ..........actually just put u on ignore, thats better!

Five FacePalms and counting 😃

41 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Five FacePalms and counting 😃

six

surely ol mate tgr would hold the record?

7 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

six

surely ol mate tgr would hold the record?

Who is tgr?

also: eight FacePalms 

Edited June 18, 20241 yr by WalkingCivilWar

1 hour ago, whatwhat say what said:

that sounds like the sort of leadership style espoused by mark neeld

Polar opposite, did u see what philosophy I suggested NORM SMITH, Team first!

On 17/06/2024 at 09:08, whatwhat say what said:

i've been watching that with interest too

he basically takes one big step over the centre circle and then uses his big frame to block the oppo ruck's access to the ball and then has a 180 degree drop zone in front of him - it's part of what is helping the swans have such a dominant midfield currently

it's smart, but i'm amazed no one has queried whether or not it's allowed; it's not too dissimilar to gawn's arm block approach which was outlawed for a time and then re-allowed

It was a rule change amusingly called the Max Gawn rule. Funny though he rarely does it. 

3 hours ago, picket fence said:

Yeah coz we didn't persist and Max probably didn't buy in! If I was coach I would have demanded it, Max you are going to play Full Forward for a lot of the game, when Brody isn't in the Ruck then its your turn and he comes of the ground! Take it or leave it. NORM SMITH would agree I'm sure, but alas this is why it didn't work, limited buy in and not ballsy enough coaching IMO

Hnmm a lot of non agreement here! With facepalms so can I say... Hmmm as Darth Vader would say..."I find your lack of faith disturbing"😱☠️💀

Edited June 18, 20241 yr by picket fence

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

“Crysanthenum Thistlethwaite“????What am I, 90yo? I’d choose a more modern name, like, one from this millennium. Or I could go the sentimental route and publish under the name one of my sons affectionately calls me… “Knackers” 😑

No not you, your pseudonym, silly! She’s as old as the hills! 

3 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

No not you, your pseudonym, silly! She’s as old as the hills! 

You said a “spectacularly inventive” pseudonym. Crysanthenum Thistlethwaite is spectacularly sch!t.

You’re fired!

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Polar opposite, did u see what philosophy I suggested NORM SMITH, Team first!

except your 'my way or the highway' is the antithesis of 'team first'

yr posts are baffling, and that's me being polite

15 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

You said a “spectacularly inventive” pseudonym. Crysanthenum Thistlethwaite is spectacularly sch!t.

You’re fired!

Good! The pay sucked and the boss was a monster!

20 hours ago, picket fence said:

Yeah coz we didn't persist and Max probably didn't buy in! If I was coach I would have demanded it, Max you are going to play Full Forward for a lot of the game, when Brody isn't in the Ruck then its your turn and he comes of the ground! Take it or leave it. NORM SMITH would agree I'm sure, but alas this is why it didn't work, limited buy in and not ballsy enough coaching IMO

10 facepalms! that's pretty good going. My PB is 6.

40 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

Good! The pay sucked and the boss was a monster!

There’s still two years to run on your contract. Geez, did I pick up a dud or what?!?! 🙄 

 

A lot has been made about the decision to let Grundy go and how it was a poor decision for the Demons. I think this is absolute rubbish and it was definitely the correct call for us.

Max has an average AFL player rating of 17.71 this season and is the third best player in the AFL. Last year he had a rating of 13.90 and was 36th best.

We have freed up $700k in salary cap space.

Grundy will only decline from hear on.

The two games Max missed this year, we won against Essendon and got smashed against the Dockers. I don't think Grundy would have been the difference that day.

While Grundy has had a higher average player rating this season due to playing in the ruck, it is only marginal.

11 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

I think this is absolute rubbish and it was definitely the correct call for us.

It was. But a terrible call to go after him in the first place.

Grundy can't mark above his head. He was never going to work as a forward. He was never going to work if we asked him to concentrate on getting back as the extra defensive interceptor. He was only going to work as a (mostly) very effective tap ruckman (although I would say he relies far too heavily on umpires being extraordinarily lenient with their interpretation of holding during ruck contests). That would have meant consigning one of the best Melbourne footballers of the last 50 years and arguably the best ruckman of the last 20 to an understudy role. 

Easy to say in hindsight, but I found it equally baffling way back when it was clear Melbourne were keen on him.