TeamPlayedFine39

Laurie is a huge surprise! Either as a sub or we’re replacing Fritsch with a smaller option considered how tall our forward line is already. Good on him!

ex-billionaire ex-Lion sounds better.

Fair enough, but is it any more our heart than Victoria Park was for the Magpies or Glenferrie was for the Hawks? I think the MCG is part of our identity; an oval 500m down the road is not. But it really is a matter of opinion, which is what I suggested in my original post. I am curious to know what the supporter base feel about it. Board after board tells us it’s important, and I’m not so convinced the majority agree now that we see it’s all a bit of a pipe dream.

That’s what I don’t understand. Why do we need to train near the MCG? If we had access to the G, then that’s another matter, but as it stands we are training in sub-standard facilities just to be close to the MCG.

Perhaps there has been some fan/member engagement from the club, but of the many surveys I receive from the club every year, I have never been consulted about my feelings on a training base. I know the fan base is only a small part of the decision making process, but there is a long held assumption and policy from multiple MFC administrations, that we MUST be in the CBD/MCG precinct. Having watched Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Brisbane, West Coast, Fremantle all move away from the traditional homes in order to significantly upgrade their facilities, we've now spent decades waiting for something that, realistically, doesn't seem to be happening. There's no votes in developing another sporting center in the CBD, if anything, you'd lose some. Cutting down a single tree from a public green space would results in protests at best, which club and definitely government don't want. I'm 40 years old and in my lifetime, the MCG has never been exclusively ours. I hold no real allegiance to the area outside of the actual MCG. I want to see us develop a facility that can hold its own against other teams in the league and that requires space and political will that simply doesn't exist in the MCG precinct. We are hamstrung by the promises of multiple boards.

I’d like to see the players enjoying their football. 2021, the team were clearly enjoying their football and celebrating each others success. They’re looked fresh, happy and enthused. 2022, they looked like they were ‘all business’ and it seemed to weigh them down come the second half of the year. I would like to see them hungry and happy.

Plenty of hilarious videos about Gawn and Grundy being in love though…

Made the trip into Gosch’s after checking the website this morning - even now it still says it’s on at Gosch’s. Very easy thing for the club to fix.

Thanks for the update! Has this been announced by the club yet, or is this inside information?

Fremantle have a very strong developing list but the biggest dangers that they face are cultural/above the shoulders. Are they a young team, who made a big leap last year, who think that it will ‘just happen’ for them in 2023? (See MFC 2001, 2003, 2005,2019 and Carlton seemingly every year) To afford their big signing, have they lost too many solid role players? How does the group feel about the players they let go to accommodate a high priced recruit? How does the group feel about their own pay cheques with a largely unproven new teammate?

Obviously, plenty to play out, but there's definitely room to manoeuvre into one or even two top ten picks.

Cox was an unbelievable player; such a smooth mover and was every bit as damaging as Cousins, Kerr and Judd in that WCE team. Completely different from Gawn though. If you had to pick one for your team, it would depend upon gameplan, teammates, etc. Cox was a genuine midfielder (ruck rover), probably closer to Grundy 2017-2019 and of course the OG Jim Stynes. Both six time all Australians so Gawn is every chance to go one up in the next year or two.

Maybe it’s just the fact he’s clean shaven, but he looks like he’s slimed down quite a bit.

Home games for both Anzac eve and Kings Birthday is good for the $$$ side of things. Happy to be at Adelaide Oval for Gather Round, a venue we play very well as well as playing a franchise in Northern Territory so we may outnumber opposition supporters.

She’d be right.

Glad to see responses recognising his relative youth and talent here; many of the comments during the season weren’t so forgiving. He and Bowey found it tough to maintain form and intensity, but they’ll both bounce back. Trent will be an excellent long term player for the MFC; respected by fans and underrated by the media. Has a great attitude to his football to compliment his talent.

Couple of years away from the league to mature and realise what he’s missed out on, then he may be ready. Massive talent.

It’s done! Finally! Bring on the draft and let’s move into 2023. Freo got a good deal, but also gave everything that they had to give; those expecting more were always going to be disappointed. For all the talk, it really did turn out that he was always going to Fremantle and they knew it. Asides from letting him go to the PSD, the club did everything it could.

It’s done! Finally! Bring on the draft and let’s move into 2023. Freo got a good deal, but also gave everything that they had to give; those expecting more were always going to be disappointed. For all the talk, it really did turn out that he was always going to Fremantle and they knew it. Asides from letting him go to the PSD, the club did everything it could.

Wish him the best. Every criticism of Weideman was also levelled at Peter Wright and he’s now a Best and Fairest winner.

Gold Coast should be even more excited. Same state and they’ve been freeing up cap space all post season.

I was essentially locked out of Australia, so I had no chance. Still cherished the day. I realised that if I was in Australia, I’d most likely be at the game sitting with strangers, instead of at home watching with my kids. Really fond memories of celebrating each goal with them. Wouldn’t trade it.

I wouldn’t go near that place. They are completely trapped in the Sheedy/Hird era and the factions will undermine any ‘outsider’ that comes along. Anyone good enough to get a senior coaching role there, is good enough to get one somewhere else.

I’m yo-yo-ing on this one almost daily. Today, I’m for it. The current scuttlebutt suggests that we’re after a low and a high first round picks in exchange for Jackson. Using the late first round pick on Grundy shores up the immediate future, with the earlier first rounder shoring up the future. I understand the comments about Grundy being a ‘past’ AA Ruckman but he was comfortably in the top five players in the league only 3-4 years ago. That’s ability doesn’t come knocking often.

When we reflect on the season, I suspect the loss of McDonald will be a significant factor in our issues forward of center in the second half of the year. Even when he’s not on top of his game, his presence, endurance and movement are so important to our structure.