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We have a 3 week drought.

Screen shot from part of an article in the HUN on Sept 26.

I sat down and watched a few games in a row: R23 - The entire second half then First final V Brisbane Quarters 1, 2 & 4 then Prelim V Geelong Quarters 1, 2 & 3 then GF v Dogs Quarters 1, 3 & 4. was a long but bloody enjoyable experience! I highly recommend it - especially knowing the glory of the flag has been won - you can appreciate all the small things in each game that led to what we saw in the GF. I am also working may way through watching the mini matches on Foxtel/ Kayo - another way to see how good we were all year. I will say, if it wasn’t us, the Melbourne Demons, this would be talked about as one of the most COMPLETE seasons EVER. We won 17.5 games, only being beaten by 1 top 8 side all year (GWS wasn’t in the 8 at the time, being technical there I know) and a % around 130. Then we win 3 finals against 3 of the best 5 teams for the year (and the 3 teams were all very good, if not dominant at there own section of the season) by smashing them. Imagine if this was the Tigers season, or the Cats, the media would be going crazy. I know we are getting a lot of press and talk of back to back etc., but I don’t think enough credit has been given to how amazing our ENTIRE season was!!!

I keep saying ( to my fellow golfers who have reminded me about 186 for years )that we had 2 Practice Matches against Geelong : 1 To see how much of a start we could give them and still win. 2 : To show them how much we could win by when we play fair dinkum. I wonder why nobody wants to play golf with me !!!

If you haven’t seen this already….Do yourself a favour and spend 7 and a half mins watching it! I’ve never had goose bumps as big as I did when watching this!!!

Finally, after so many years, it’s a bloody good time to be a Melbourne supporter living in Geelong.

Thought this deserved it's own thread.

Just came across this video. I do feel for him, but I will admit that watching it makes me feel even better. All the things he’s saying were the same stuff I was saying for years. Seeing a team win a premiership is like seeing your best friend kiss the guy you like. You give the thumbs up, but deep down you’re thinking “why not me?”

Nic Nat overrated as always, 13th best? He averaged 68% TOG and 1.6 marks per game. Completely overrated.

No apologies needed. I never lost faith in any of my boys. Love them all

Re-watching some of the games of the year, I watch how these two interact. Each time either of them gets the ball, they look for each other with an absolutely beautiful connection. To me, the only way to describe their connection is: love. There is obviously total trust between them, and why shouldn’t there be? They each know that the other one will respond with ability, cleanliness, determination, and overall brilliance. For decades to come, we will debate which is the better, but there is no true answer to that. We are just so lucky to have them both. it seems to me we have two other superb combinations. One is Lever and May in the backline, and I think the word for their relationship is: respect. We also have Langdon and Hunt and to me the word for that is: fun. Or perhaps: joy. And for us supporters, the three words together: love, respect and joy.

Remember the days when we hoped Jones would creep into this? now Fritsch is #16 what a world

Any excuse to post this again ...

One of my biggest fears towards the end of the year is that we’d do a stkilda and blow it whilst the saints talk about a drought unlike us until this year, over the past 25 years they’ve had probably at least 4 golden chances to break their drought - realistically this year was our only golden chance and thank [censored] we actually took it !

Hard to argue with your top 3 Picket but I think you’ve undersold Viney. The Brisbane QF match was a fair while ago now so it’s easy to forget but he was enormous in that game. Even in the GF it’s not until I’ve watched the replay 3 or 4 times lol that you realise how pivotal he was.

We had to buy a couple of snails for our fish tank Recently to suck up the scum. We called them Joel and Patrick. I think Joel has gone into his shell or died.

You can watch Taj Woewodin play for WA here today -> Watch LIVE: SA v WA in U19 Champs clash on Sunday

Looks identical to Shane!

I find this comment strange. Hes 21 years old who was from the same draft as Tom Sparrow and James Jordon. He's played 30 games which is more then Jordon and Sparrow as well. He was also a pick 24, so wasn't like he was a top 10 pick who some expect to come in and make an immediate impact. This year alone he played 17 games and kicked 15 goals. That's just under a goal a game. For a young small forward that's not too bad, especially playing one of the hardest positions on the ground. Amazing how quickly some are to write young players off immediately. Has ample amount of development left in his game.

In the preliminary final Geelong's 2nd youngest player was Gryan Miers, who was 22 years old. We had 8 players in that game younger than Miers, whilst Geelong had 1 (Max Holmes). Our second oldest player in that game was Max Gawn, who was 29 years old. Geelong had 11 players older than Gawn, whilst we had 1 (Hibberd). They're probably right to try to keep wringing whatever performance they can out of this group because, really, what's the alternative? They have 11 players under 22 on their list and they have combined for 42 games in total .... of which 29 have been played by Jordan Clark who is leaving. It's pretty dire.

Isn’t it great having a trade week where none of the available players are better than what we’ve already got.

We're really inside their heads Reality is going to hit hard over the next few years. They had their chances and blew it. Melbourne is only going to improve given age profile and recruiting - I honestly can't see anywhere where we are likely to improve. We did not look competitive against Melbourne... It was embarrassing... Tell me where the team is going to improve. Chris bet on recruiting old blokes for short term success and failed. Now we are stuck with a list full of blokes who can hardly run out a full season and little if any young talent. What isn't to like about his strategy and success??? If Melbourne had have lost the GF would we be highlighting their poor H&A performances too? After all they drew with the lowly Hawks, lost to GWS at the ‘G and were thoroughly outplayed in a loss to the Pies. If we fielded 22 players who came through the falcons and played their entire careers with the cats, Gawn wouldn’t have torn us a new one in the prelim. The ball would have known what it was up against and behaved differently. Based on the GF, Melbourne are the better side. Looking at Melb we are nowhere near it. Interesting watching on the couch Goodwin mentions in one of his breaks he told the team basically get it on the boot and go for distance. Common theme this year in finals with the other top teams is that they worked hard on both quick breaks from the centre clearances, and often getting territory especially up the middle of the ground. The emotional high of 10/10 season and winning a premiership (no guarantee of this either) feels better for everyone and does actually impact the bottom line (as Melbourne have found out). Melb are the Premiers and then you have got daylight to the rest. Looking at Melbourne 16 other teams were also no where near it. And those teams aren't relying on 30 years olds going forward but are looking to youth. They are better than us and have more top-end players in an age bracket where they will be able to continue at that level for several years, where we do not. Is there much star power? You have Cameron and Stewart who are both high-end players still in their prime age bracket. Dangerfield, Hawkins and Selwood are big names who have performed to a high standard but are very much on their way down. Other than that, it's pretty barren. It's a long way from Melbourne who have a group of top-end players who will be in their footballing prime for a number of years yet. We are yesterday's news. We have a better forward line than Melbourne but its pointless if the ball either doesn't get down there, or gets down there after the other team has had 3 minutes to flood numbers back while we play kick to kick on the half back line. Psychotic and mood disorders related narratives Oh please tell me if we can have 16 minute quarters and 17 rounds a year for the next two years of Scott's contract extension. I told the club 2 years ago I'm not renewing my membership until Scott Is gone and that was after 38 years of being a member. Looks like I'll have to wait another 3 years. I can remember at the after match coaches press conferences at the conclusion of the 2011 GF - and Mick Malthouse said – quote " This will be my last day at the football club " Well when Scott says that - it will be music to my ears. Ummm so without Stewart MOC Parfitt a banged up Danger and maybe a virus hanging around you expected the team to perform to a level to topple the best in September? Seriously? Isaac Smith said it best, the most embarrassing game he has ever been apart off. That coming from a person who only knows what winning and success means. The lions have proven to be bigger finals bed ****ters than we are. Terrible decision... Didn't expect anything else though - getting reamed and embarrassed in finals is considered a success by the club lololol. How dare anyone suggest a thing called change could lead to a better outcome - it's not like Chris has had enough time to control every aspect of the list and game plan. Captain Ahab continues at the helm. Is it April the 1st today. What a laughing stock our club is becoming. Good luck getting membership renewals. Long may we say God save the Queen, but nothing will save the coach. Damn was hoping we could chase Buckley … then again being Melb based he probably wouldn’t want to drive down here for the job anyway

He’s just as big of a reason we are the premiers as any of the 23 who ran out on grand final day.

Technically, only Brisbane and Hawthorn were three-peats as the other two (Geelong and Richmond) didn't win their three in consecutive years. And we all know that "technically correct" is the best kind of correct. As for Melbourne, let's aim higher and go for the "fourplay". Who knows what that might lead to?

So which player would you say sorry to because you thought they weren't good, a list clogger or simply thought they'd never make it over the years. Mine include Alex Neal-Bullen - Never really rated him over the years, thought he was just going to be a player that got his few possessions but never did anything with them & thought shouldn't be in the team. This season he has taken his game to a new level, he is kicking more goals, his tackle pressure has gone up a notch & is definitely using the ball better. Charlie Spargo - didn't think he kicked enough goals, his pressure wasn't great and he did go the duck. Again this season has taken his game up another level and his finals were great. Christian Petracca- Only because we knew he had the talent & always said he should look at the Bont for the player he should be and boy he has probably passed him. He has now set the standard of what his seasons should be like. We finally saw the player he should be this year especially in the GF. From years ago when he'ds butcher the ball and I remember 1 game where he didn't even make the distance 30 metres out. Just a different player now. Tom Sparrow- Thought Nathan Jones should have taken his spot leading up to the finals but Tom did the right things and his final performances were great. He contributed to games he played in and his GF goal was outstanding. Jake Bowey- When he was picked for his 1st game thought why bring in a new kid, didn't know a lot about him but boy what a great 7 games. He uses the ball well, calm under pressure and handled the finals like a seasoned campaigner.

50. Bailey Smith 49. Brandon Starcevich 48. Dylan Grimes 47. Paul Seedsman 46. Zac Bailey 45. Taylor Walker 44. Jacob Hopper 43. Karl Amon 42. Callum Mills 41. Tom Papley 40. Charlie Cameron 39. Jack Henry 38. Bailey Dale 37. Hugh McCluggage 36. Tom Liberatore 35. Rory Laird 34. Josh Kelly 33. Jarryd Lyons 32. Sam Taylor 31. Lance Franklin 30. Harry McKay 29. Daniel Rich 28. Sean Darcy 27. Christian Salem 26. Travis Boak 25. Tom Mitchell 24. Dayne Zorko 23. David Mundy 22. Jacob Weitering 21. Luke Parker 20. Jake Lever 19. Zach Merrett 18. Aliir Aliir 17. Steven May 16. Bayley Fritsch 15. Tom Hawkins 14. Jake Stringer 13. Nic Naitanui 12. Darcy Parish 11. Jack Macrae 10. Touk Miller 9. Tom Stewart 8. Jack Steele 7. Sam Walsh 6. Ollie Wines 5. Max Gawn 4. Toby Greene 3. Clayton Oliver 2. Marcus Bontempelli 1. Christian Petracca

Ever since I was a kid in the 50s and Melbourne had a ruckman named Dick Fenton-Smith running around, I was conscious of the importance of hyphenated names in the club’s history. After all, we produced the great Ivor Warne-Smith (pictured) who won Brownlow Medals in 1926 (in a premiership team) and 1928. In 1996, the Demons created a league record of players with hyphenated names wins David and Donald Cockatoo-Collins and Tent Ormond-Allen on their list. They had that record all on their own until 2019 when the Tigers muscled in and equalled it with Callum Coleman-Jones, Riley Collier-Dawkins and Derek Eggmolesse-Smith. But now, North Melbourne are homing in on a Melbourne record for the number of players on a club list with hyphenated names. That will occur when the Roos draft Jason Horne-Francis in the November National Draft. They already have Luke Davies-Uniake and, after receiving Coleman-Jones from the Tigers, they are set to equal the record when Horne-Francis comes on board. Could someone pluck a quartet of players out there in the draft with hyphenated names to help us keep our record intact. Hat tip/Swamp on Twitter

Along with Ron Barassi and Neale Daniher I believe it is incredibly important that we allow Nathan Jones to raise the Demons new Premiership flag for 2021 at our first home game at the MCG in Season 2022. It would definitely be fitting to see him involved. Nathan Jones is a champion and a loyal servant of the club that needs to be sent off in the best way possible as a sign of respect for all he has done for the Melbourne Football Club. A shining light during our darkest days. You were a loyal Melbourne player through and through! I am glad you got to play over 300 games for the Demons. We will all miss you Chunk! 😪

I just found it on YouTube so I could watch it on the big screen. It’s under “Game Film | It’s Coming Home”

Bontempelli went ok for a half. Could rotate off the bench as an impact player.

The question is, how many of the other 43 would get a game at Melbourne based on our exposed form in September?

Whats a blinder?

Is Chris Scott the right guy ?

Not this Cliff, however. He was Young.

Noel McMahen. 94yo. 95 at end of October. My late father said he was one of the toughest blokes on the team but a true leader. Played in 48, 55&56 premiership teams. Captained 1955-56. MFC team of the century half back. Life member. Never got to coach us unfortunately. Probably would have been a successor to Norm Smith I remember Noel from the Redlegs function that I was invited to in the 1990s. He loved the Dees. So passionate. So vocal. Sometimes had to be “advised” to calm down given he was about 70 at the time. One of our greatest players.

TMac - thought he was finished. Desperately wanted him traded last year. With BB and the Weid injured in preseason he stepped up and delivered big time. Hats off. I was wrong. I'm sorry Tommy

I feel like a wine waiter… can I recommend the third quarter of the prelim, strong notes of Max Gawn with delicious moments of Petracca and no undesirable Geelong aromas to speak of.

Totally agree. See Sydney, Essendon, even Hawthorn games. Then Jake produced the offensive kick of the year to Max in round 23. Although maybe Harmes to Fritta tops it. BTW, has anyone else had the thought that the unarguable turning point of the Grannie, the Harmes steal, was number 4 to number 31 to turn the game, which by jumper number is Norm Smith to Ron Barassi!

Frittas leap and grab. He had no right to land and run away with it like that

Spargo is the main one. The club looked to trade ANB and McDonald last year so I don’t feel totally bad about incorrectly writing them off. Sparrow I thought shouldn’t be playing finals, how wrong I was. I took a while to warm to Lever, but ever since the defensive system started clicking then so did he. I really didn’t think we should have drafted another ruckman in Jackson but he’s just extended Gawn’s career by three years, absolute star.

I think a lot of posters owe ANB an apology. But then again, you can only judge that player at that time on their form.

Angus Brayshaw. My eternal apologies mate. I did tip you to be better than Trac early, but boy did I backtrack on that. Let's meet halfway hey?

Smashed 2nd, 4th and 5th by average 11 goals on biggest stage

@Deemented Are Go!sent this when it was announced, it’s appropriate. And I can confirm, cats fans are not happy.

The dilemma for the Cats is whether to keep their chip-and-possession game, rack up the wins at Kardinia, and get walloped in finals again. Or change to a more bruising finals-ready style and have their senior citizens beaten up every week, then get walloped in the finals.