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yours truly and some members of my family appear in a double page spread in the HeraldSun this morning...prolific but wasteful ?

For years this [censored] has bent us over. But right there, he had nothing to say. Geeeez I love footy.

TMac and Spargo on a day off :

Right now, I will happily take just one

"Melbourne president Glen Bartlett claims strategic moves by the club over the past five years have left the Demons poised to capitalise on their on-field rise, while flagging post-season contract talks with coach Simon Goodwin" "Bartlett was full of praise for Goodwin, and confirmed the Demons board and management would sit down with Goodwin in the weeks after the season with an eye to extending Goodwin’s contract beyond the end of 2019". Seems it will happen after Pert settles in: “Simon, as soon as we get a chance as a board, and [incoming chief executive] Gary Pert gets his feet under the desk in October, we’ll sit down with Simon,” Bartlett said. Reckon we are all happy with that! Never in doubt and richly deserved!

and just to help you work out who I am, I’m sitting next to some guy who I’ve been told played a few games for the club.. Brassi or something

I don’t know about all of you but it has officially just hit me. I thought I was doing pretty well with all this and taking it in the stride but it just got so massively real. Palpitations, a few shakes here and there. I had a dream last night that Collingwood beat us by 8 points in the Grand Final and it felt so real and tragic. I’d love to play them in a Grand Final but that would hurt beyond belief, I really don’t want to risk that situation. I wish I had the confidence and the no fear attitude that so many of you have but I’m really scared. Winning a final and going out in a semi is ok, you can live with that. But the jump from semi to prelim is huge and in the territory of there possibly not being a better shot at it. Then there’s the Grand Final if we make it. I thought we were going back there every year after 2000 until about 03 when it was evident the moment had passed. Im also so nervy about this special moment that I have no idea what to do. Should I just stay in Melb or break the bank and get over to Perth because if we win and I’m not there after going to every game in Melbourne this year it may hurt. I know it’s not about me, I guess all these years you dream of the big moment and want to do everything perfectly. I know life isn’t perfect though. Appreciate if anyone else is feeling the same, it’s just going to be so tough to deal with. I didn’t want to make a new thread for it and I apologise if it’s too negative for some people I really do. Seems like MFCSS could take some time to subside.

you've never seen a pic of ron barassi before?

The general argument that we can play better is correct. But saying things like we "took a step backwards" is just sensationalist stupidity. We're a young, inexperienced side playing in front of 90,000 people for the second time ever, against a much older and more experienced opponent. To find a way not just to win, but to win by 6 goals, when not playing our best, is an absolute step forward.

I was around throughout of our 'Golden Era' and before, but 1964 holds the greatest memories of all for me. I was still at school, but I'll try to describe my highlight in a few sentences: The Dees were 4 points up late in the last quarter, when Ray Gabelich, Collingwood captain and a lumbering and uncoordinated ruckman, went on a long run towards goal. The ball was bouncing all over the place, but 'Gabbo' somehow managed to maintain some sort of control, while every Melbourne supporter at the 'G' was praying that he would kick it from a long way out. Despite our prayers, he kept going and dobbed a wobbly punt from close range. Collingwood 2 points up, with bugger-all time left on the clock. A minute or two later, Neil ('Froggy') Crompton, the Melbourne back pocket player, took the ball at half forward for the Dees, and kicked the match winning goal from 30 to 40 yards out. The Melbourne crowd went berserk, and moments later, the siren sounded to give Melbourne the Flag against the arch enemy. I'll never forget that moment! Footnote: In those days, it was unprecedented for a back pocket player to be in the forward half of the ground, and legend has it that our coach, the legendary Norm Smith, reprimanded 'Froggy' after the match, for being out of position. Surely if this did actually happen, it was 'tongue in cheek', but you never know! Interesting, 'Froggy' also represented Victoria in Sheffield Shield cricket. He combined his sporting activities with a full-time job as a school teacher. Gee, how times, and football, have changed in the last 54 years, and my love of the Dees has increased with every passing one of them. Now for the next Flag, while I'm still on earth to watch it please! ps. I must have been confident of a win, because I remember winning six pence on the double, Melbourne seniors and Under 19s both winning the Premiership. Very relieved when we won, because I didn't have a penny to my name, let alone sixpence!

But is he the right guy though…?

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Pray let it be a Melbourne-Collingwood Grand Final. At least we get the opportunity for revenge for the 1958 Grand Final when they prevented us from winning a record six consecutive Premierships (viz. 1955, 1956, 1957, xxxx, 1959 &1960)!  To beat Collingwood by a point with a Sam Weideman goal kicked after the siren would be a wonderful sight (especially if the cameras were all trained on Eddie McGuire)! ?

He didn’t worry all of us. Some of us always saw the longer term plan, and that he had the essential qualities. Oscar has got where he is faster and younger than most were/are prepared to admit. The whipping boy treatment he got before probably the last half of this season has always been misplaced and ignorant.

Hibbo’s chase was incredible. We were looking directly at him and the look on his face won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Pure determination. Jack Viney’s chase on Gunston in the third. He was never going to catch him in a million years but the perceived pressure caused Gunston to rush the kick a bit in my opinion and hit the post. 20 seconds later Nibbler ran into an open goal. Waving off those arrogant Hawthorn fans after receiving grief all night. The Melbourne chant that went all around the G by the fans when the boys were standing in front of the race and waiting for Jones to finish his interview with Richo. Spine-tingling stuff.

That rule was brought in to stop the Goodes or Lindsay Thomas style sliding into a player front on. That has the potential to break legs or hyper-extend the knee. The way they are paying it is typical AFL over officiating and completely not understanding why the rule was brought in. Worse still is now players wait until someone is on the ground and then flop over them extracting a free. Its total bullshite. Gus was nearly decapitated and gave a free away. FFS that was criminal. They got three of those on the night and were gifted 4 goals from frees. Its simple if you slide into someone front on its a free otherwise play on.

Do you know what profiteering is? There are laws against it, which obviously don't apply to airlines

No doubt he's thinking about sacking Clarkson.

Bulldogs won a flag with a mediocre list throwing the ball to each other at every contest. The Tigers won a flag with a slightly better than mediocre list + a couple of genuine stars The list that we have demands multiple flags ala Geelong/Brisbane/Horforn. Anything less will be a failure. Yes, I think the future is that bright.

Just noticed a large amount of fireworks advertised on Gumtree. Second hand, in box, unopened, as new. [censored] colours though.

Nup no change. This team has won us 2 finals. Don't change a winning term as much as I love Bernie. Also a note to the AFL. Is it possible to give us the 3 umpires that we had for our last encounter against WC in Perth a few weeks ago. They were pretty good and didn't get sucked in by the home crowd. If that isn't possible then just don't give us Nicholls. Thank you.

We were down contested ball at half-time. We're the second best contested ball team in 20 years, but were being beaten. We weren't playing our game. It was being played on Hawthorn's terms. We can't afford a first half like that next week. It has nothing to do with your "woe is me" commentary. Just facts.

Many of you will remember the ‘debate’ we had here about Frawley leaving to join the Hawks to chase the ‘ultimate’ success. There were two camps at the time, one of which was quite generous in that they argued that Frawley leaving was absolutely acceptable in the circumstances - he was randomly drafted by the MFC (ie, not his choice), we were super carp, he had shown much loyalty to the MFC, his career would not last forever, so why not deprive him of the opportunity to taste ‘ultimate’ success elsewhere. It was an interesting debate - in many respects it hinged on what ‘ultimate’ success looked like to different posters. I was firmly in the camp that ‘ultimate’ success was essentially about the journey with your team-mates, the club, the supporters etc that gives the quest ‘ultimate’ meaning. Without the shared journey, ‘ultimate’ success was saccharine, it was hollow. Many disagreed - they argued it was all about ‘ultimate’ success (ie, winning a flag), and the ‘journey’ etc was just noise, emotive noise, which shouldn’t influence a player’s opportunity to taste the ‘ultimate’ success albeit with a new club. Snagging a flag with a club, with players, whom you met at the 12th hour, in the premiership window, was apparently just as meaningful as doing it with the club to which you were drafted. In this context, I closely watched James Frawley last night. And I couldn’t help but thinking - I bet you envy the hell out of Nathan Jones right now, even though he has tasted ‘ultimate’ success, after all he has won a flag. Irrespective of whether Jones ever gets to hold the cup aloft (and I bloody hope he does), I reckon he’s been far closer to tasting ‘ultimate’ success than Frawley ever has. In the context of their respective careers, ‘ultimate’ success is surely more aligned to leading an unpopular and much derided and widely patronised club, against all odds, to fertile pastures - it’s not been the easy road to success, but geez it must feel rewarding. And the legacy is surely more enduring. I suspect Nathan Jones will eventually look back on these last two weeks, featuring heavily in 2 great contests in front of 90k plus passionate and expectant MFC dominated crowds, and feel super proud of his achievements. Genuinely proud. As he should. This, to me, is ‘ultimate’ success. In my view, that’s got to feel better than jagging a premiership with a group of dudes whom you’ve just met.

Here is my game preview - haven't done one of these for a while... This will be a different game to the Rd 22 - with Darling being injured early and Kennedy out. Defending together WCE like to isolate their talls but will dump it in if they have to. It is a luxury but does, as Jordan Lewis says, make them more "predictable" than what they were in Round 22. We will have our moments like we always do where we dominate the possession and have it in our FWD 50 for long periods, how they escape and how quickly will be crucial - having separation between their forwards will mean our talls against their talls in centre wing - how those kicks will be pressured is key; if they have time to put it advantage side we are going to have problems. When we can crowd the bomb in we also have to trust Gawn/Weed to kill it because Le Cras, Cripps, Ryan and Rioli will stay down and are smart enough to do some damage. OMac to Vardy/Lycett, Frost to Kennedy, Hibberd to Darling, Jetta to Cripps, Salem to Rioli, and Lewis to Le Cras. The McGovern-or Hannan played off his back shoulder last time to keep him looking in 360' - as soon as he can see his direct opponent, the ball and the target of the footy - he will cut off those entries forward. Move it quickly and lower your eyes and you will be a man my son... McGovern has to be made to hesitate and that will be enough because McDonald, Melksham, Hannan, and Petracca are a dynamic group of offensive players that will get help from Spargo, Vanders, and ANB when the ball hits the ground. McDonald on Barrass, Hannan on McGovern, Melksham on Hurn, Petracca on Schofield, ANB on Jetta, and resting mid on Duggan. It's the midfield, stupid This is what it comes down to really - we all know that - Gawn vs Lycett/Vardy and their group of hard running mids versus our contested bulls. However, Melbourne are +18 in CPs, +16 in UPs, +10 in tackles, +7 in Inside 50s, and +2 in clearances... That reveals who should win the midfield battle - how efficient the teams are when going forward will decide the game. Shuey, Redden, Masten, Sheed, and Yeo vs Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes, and Jones. What a great opportunity to play in a Grand Final for these boys...

We are on a two game winning streak vs the Hawks in finals. 1990 Elimination final 2018 Semi Final

We will take 2 and they will fly out on first flight after game lists lodged. Will be back Saturday night and play Sunday afternoon.

WD you will enjoy this excellent article by Jack Niall https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/demons-in-sweet-spot-for-long-term-success-20180915-p50417.html He says: In the giddy afterglow of Melbourne’s romping win over Hawthorn, I asked a former Melbourne official when the Demons had last been so well-positioned. ‘‘1954,’’ he replied. He wasn’t kidding. The Melbourne Football Club – out of the finals for a dozen years in a draft system – has the best platform for sustained success of any club in the competition. What If? Not quite ready to dream of the glory days again but happy to shift from 'one week at a time' to 'one flag at a time'

I would be happy to see one. But next year i want another one. And the year after that i want one as well. While we are at it, i also want one the following year. Year 5... what the hell, might as well throw in another one. My internal organs should have failed by then, so what happens afterwards wont bother me. But my family will want more of them.

Amazing to believe that a six goal win against a top four side in a semi final is being considered as a 'down week.' Remember when such a thing involved an upset loss to Carlton or St Kilda?

For anyone on here who went to or can at least remember our last premiership, can you share some of your memories of it? What the week before it were like, how did you feel during the game, how confident were you and most especially how was it afterwards. It’d be so nice to have a DVD of this, unfortuantly we’re the only premiership winning team that doesn’t have a viewable premiership. All we have are these: The rothmans highlights, 11 minutes long, prerecorded commentary, players look like small sticks. Less than three minutes of the last quarter, missing several plays in extremely poor footage.

Maxy's fantastic mark in defence at the end. I was a bit worried for his wrist upon his landing though. Hibberd's chase preventing a Hawk goal. If his hamstrings have been a problem they are not now. Oliver's chase to earn a holding the ball decision. Viney's weaving and brute strength to twist andwork his way through a congested pack to deliver a great pass to Brayshaw. What a game from this relentless competitor. Brayshaw's fantastic mark in a pack. Pure courage personified. Melksham's absolutely effortless left foot snap from over 50 metres to allow us some breathing space. He does this often, He is a very powerful kick. Spargo's football brain and clever, creative play. He is so cool. Watching all those pre bounce smiles from the arrogant Hawks players disappear as the game progressed. You could almost hear them saying 'This mob is a pushover'. It must be great for Viney and Vandenberg to get real reward from all the rehab they did for most of the season. Those two and Jonesy must be feeling so proud at the moment. May they become even prouder still.

My highlight was the crowd. Years of beliitlement and pain all of a sudden now belief and pride.

Think how irritating it will be when he starts drooling over our emerging MFC stars in future. Cringeworthy.

If people are worried about sharing their barcodes for fear of loosing out on a gf ticket then why not just buy the tickets for those who need them? We have instant bank transfers now between different banks or paypal notifies of payments instantly. Could go on the website book the tickets and have the money transferred before paying for them....

Is this a bit of a side swipe to the Dees from Eddie: “It all turned last year in Round 23 against Melbourne...That was the moment it all changed. We got going, backed ourselves in, cleared our heads and away we went..." https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/collingwoods-2018-resurgence-dates-back-to-round-23-win-over-melbourne-last-year-says-eddie-mcguire/news-story/fadfbe5715e88082e13ddb00d1adbfd2 Really? One game? He has started the mind games in case we meet in the GF! There are two Eddies: 1) Commentator/Showman 2) President of a ghastly club. His 'gushing' and 'enthusiasm' for the dees that Picket refers to was all show. He doesn't 'love' Melbourne any more than any of us 'love' Collingwood.

I'd take Clarkson off his hands. He'd make a handy assistant coach ?

Well I hope not. My heart would not handle the stress. A 60 point win would suffice. Even then I wouldn’t start celebrating until there was 5 minutes to go.?

Hopefully in two weeks time we can say 'yesterday'.

A variation on the one week at a time mantra: one flag at a time.

I haven't got a letter. Don't worry about it. Go onto the MFC site here for the info: http://m.melbournefc.com.au/finals/grand-final-information You need to register Wednesday morning at Ticketek.

West Coast is a Clarko Footy disciple and currently play better Clarko Footy than Hawthorn. Kingy is right. We got away with the game last night. If the Hawks were on their mettle we would have been skewered. If West Coast is on their game on Saturday we will be in trouble simply because they are comparatively better than Hawthorn and we most definitely struggle against Clarko Footy. Nevertheless, we beat the Hawks despite being quelled around the contested footy, which is usually our long suit. Last night's game was weird in so much as it was like Melbourne playing against Melbourne. The Hawks kept taking the ball into our forward line, but we were able to hold them out and score on the breakaway. We can't tempt fate and allow West Coast the same territorial ascendancy, simply because they will operate better than Hawthorn. With luck and good management we will play the game in our forward half and put the slows on their sling shot and stop Kennedy and Darling getting clear chances. Fingers crossed we don't play tennis against a brick wall. No matter how well we play the ball keeps coming back.

"Hawthorn, if they had taken their opportunities, they’d have been three or four goals in front at half-time and it’s a whole different ball game then,” And if my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle.

Misleading heading and King is exactly right. We were average last night, which in some ways makes the win sweeter. King isn't saying we'll lose, although he may tip West Coast later in the week, just that we can't afford a first half like last night. King famously loves the Dees in 2018.

Eddie won't love Cinderella too much when she turns up to the ball, boots a few blokes in the nuts, does Prince Charming on the dinner table ,tells the king where to go and then downs a magnum of Champagne and belts the ugly sisters with the bottle.

Several years ago when Hawthorn beat Geelong in the Grand Final of 2008, the critics were raving about Cyril’s game in which he had a low number of possessions. Charlie Spargo had only a dozen disposals tonight but it was one of the best games of 12 touches you could get. He kicked 2 goals and was involved in at least three goal assists of which I was aware. His “quiet” game was probably the difference between the sides. Spargo plays in WA.

Reckon Spargo is due for a rest. Looks tired.