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It's been too good, too much of a relief to have broken the drought, with too much spectacular finals football to revel in to indulge in schadenfreude. Until now. Yesterday I felt just the slightest twinge of guilty pleasure at the plight of the Magpies, with JdG in strife yet again and possibly to be axed sometime next year, when I thought of Jeremy Howe. As a Demon, I loved the spectacular feats he produced, and I was genuinely disappointed - and told him so in person - when he talked himself out of the place by believing his manager's BS about how much he was worth. That's the truth. He made it impossible to keep him even though, as well all know he ended up in the same role at Pie Park that he had with us, and for much the same dough. I say that acknowledging that his disposal was problematic although no worse than Nat Jones and correctible, had he stayed, by Mark Williams. Instead he finds himself at an ailing club, full of its own BS, with its premiership window slammed shut and the pain of a 13 possession 6-point Grand Final loss for consolation. And he can look on his former teammates with the big medals around their necks. Those who played alongside him include Salem (22 times), Harmes (8 times), Viney (49 times), TMac (82 times), Brayshaw (21 times), Gawn (49 times), Neal-Bullen (11 times). Others on the list this year who were teammates with Howe but without the premiership medal include Jones, Jetta, Van den Berg and Hunt. Petracca did not debut until after he had left, but was a training mate in his last season, 2015. I know this is small minded of me but it's nice to remember that slur he threw at us when Covid locked fans out of stadiums. He knew what it was like to play to empty terraces because "I used to play at Melbourne". Maybe if he had not said that I would not have posted this but I did think he was graceless and unappreciative of the club that plucked him from the obscurity of Dodges Ferry. His win loss record with us was 22 wins and 78 losses from 100 games, which goes some way to explaining why he might have wanted to go. But TMac at the same time had 18 wins and 64 losses from 82 games and stuck fat. Ditto Viney, 10 wins and 39 losses from 49 games while Howe was with us. All around the 20%-22% mark. I guess some of his old teammates would not hold it against him but it's the fans job to hold on to grievances. So Jeremy, in the quiet times, when it's late at night and you are alone, ponder what might have been.

I find these type of lists a bit contrary to our modus operandi of last year. The performance of our so called role players (Petty, ANB, Spargo, Hibberd, Brayshaw, TMac, Jordon, Sparrow, Viney on occasions, Harmes, Rivers and Sparrow) are the major reason we did what we did. Stars are important of course but they can only be stars when the cogs in the wheel work for them. Lever can only play roaming backman when Petty is locking down on a dangerous tall. Salem can only play distributor when Rivers and Hibberd keep the opposition crumbers at bay. The star midfielders need Jordon, Sparrow, Viney, etc to play their roles. Block, shepherd, tackle, etc. Our supposed top 10 players are only as good their teammates around them allow them to be.

What ... Abracadabra?

I didn't mind getting Angus Brayshaw for him in compensation, worked out ok ;)

He was drafted by Taylor in the same draft as Oliver. I fail to see how he isn't categorised as a recruit of the Taylor era.

"We always knew that if Ben could get his body right, his best football stacks up," Brown said. "You don't kick 60 goals in an AFL season by luck, and it was disappointing that some parts of the media wrote him off and didn't give him credit for what he had achieved. "He wasn't getting lucky goals - if that was the case there would be a heap of us running around on an AFL ground. "He's got something pretty special with his size, his hand-eye co-ordination and footy nous. "We're really pleased he could get back to this level, and while he had to go back to the reserves to work hard and re-evaluate a few things, Melbourne has been awesome in their support of him. "They continued to give him time and said he was a four-year player for them, not a one-year player, which took a bit of pressure off him and allowed him to work on some little things. "When the final siren went, it was the culmination of a long journey for Ben, but the last couple of years have been a real rollercoaster, so to have that all come to a head was pretty emotional for the whole family.

My champion Premiership coach from 21 years ago recalled I was a staunch Demons supporter and went out of his way. Legend.

Sounds like the Hawthorn members said far Kew.

Nice succinct summary of his journey with us this year

Great pic of George, proud dad and Godfather (according to Gus).

The driver of that thing must have had a big day. After he ran over howe he drove on further, out toward geelong, and ran over Isaac Smith as well.

Max needs to get a photo with George in our cup😃before George grows to big, just like his dad😁

Part of the script was written about 425 years ago. Just look at the parallels in Richard III. It starts with the line, "Now is the winter of our discontent...". The murder of the two nephews in the Tower is an obvious reference to the destruction of Grimes' and Trengove's careers by making them captain too soon. And the immortal line, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse" is clearly Roos asking his recruiters to draft a stallion called Petracca.

I hope you're right TBH. Weid's problems seem to be mostly between the ears, I reckon if he can string together some early-season form it will hold him in good stead for the rest of the year.

The signed jumpers are now being shipped earlier than expected, mine just arrived and very happy with the $2k investment

James Jordon to come back onto the Primary List. Clubs confirm seven AFL rookies set to be upgraded to the Primary List

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!

He wasn't quite as fit as they would have liked him to be and he didn't quite understand or execute the Melbourne role and style at that stage. When he came back in he played completely different to those 3 games. He will be even fitter and cause more problems next year

HArd to argue with the list. Petty maybe gets in ahead of Langdon. I know TMac's form tapered off in the second half of the year but we would have been stuffed if he didn't step up in the absence of BB and the Weid for the first half of these season. Very important contribution from Tom this year

The mushrooms are good this year

Weid will play more games than TMac next year

After watching the highlight reel DeeDJ his defensive work is fantastic and he has become a tackling machine,so tough. Well done Jayden.💕❤️💙

I read yesterday Alan Richardson was driving around with the cup & if he saw a painted red & blue fence he'd pop in with the cup. I hope at some point they have popped into Neale's house

He wouldn’t have made the GF lineup, particularly owing to his age, and l suspect his attitude. We are well rid of him.

Our bottom 10 whoever they maybe are the most important 10 players.

Happy when he left, similar to Watts they just didn't have what it took to take it to the next level.

Dreadful man. The worst of the worst. Classic bully.

Well boys and girls, I just had a VERY SPECIAL visitor to my house…..the Premiership cup presented to the players on the night!! A moment I will never forgot! I couldn’t put it down! (Except for this photo)

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

Sparrow Bowey Harmes Petty Spargo Hunt Rivers ANB Jordan Dunstan The bottom 6 and role players are what will allow the others to be AA again.

He hasn't left yet. He's just said he might, or is willing to, stand down earlier than when his term expires in December 2023, two years from now.

1. Oliver 2. Petracca 3. Gawn 4. Salem 5. Lever 6. Fritsch 7. May 8. Viney 9. Brown 10. Jackson

Was hoping he'd stick around a while longer.