Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Sounds like a cracking bloke as a footballer. I think we've done well to recruit Tom.

Which wouldn't have been the case in this instance by the sounds of it. Honestly, I think we've actually over corrected in this respect and there are a number of worthy debutants that have been burnt by the club via the sub rule in recent years. Main culprits in my mind are Toby Bedford, Taj Woewodin and Kynan Brown. Kynan Brown in particular out of this group got like 2mins of a game against North three quarters of the way through the season, when I actually think he looked quite ready from watching him in the preseson game against Richmond. Getting back to the Collingwood game - we looked putrid, lathargic and flat for that game and an injection of youth could have been something great to booster some energy and enthusiasm, but I guess hindsight is a beautiful thing isn't it.

What odds were we and did you do this at the end of 2020?

Nah, the sky is falling down isn't it?

What about against the sides that have x2 genuine rucks like Freo (possibly others?)? I wouldn't write it off all together, but agree that it's not our intention to have them both regularly in the same side. I really do hope it means we're not playing Max if he's carrying injuries that he would benefit from resting a week, where this year he would have played because we had no quality backup option.

Yeah, fair enough. I forgot all the specifics. Even though he was out of contract, that still meant GWS had to trade for him yeah? Otherwise we could have told them we'd let him put himself up for the pre-season draft? I really wish a few clubs would follow through on this threat some more as I feel players are really too free to walk out on clubs willy nilly at the moment.

Fritta's against Geelong is my pick, as it was also at such a consequential time of the game. When he kicked that it pretty much sealed the game for us. Love alot of the other goals too. Overall, watching these clips reminded me we were really not that far off flag contention this season bar a run of rubbish season ending injuries to several of our guns. Only just lost to Brisbane (after they'd turned the corner) and Port away and even the GWS loss doesn't look that bad given how they faired this season.

I know it doesn't work like this, but GWS owe us for Toby Bedford. Quite a similar situation in a way, only Bedford was getting games and showing promise at AFL level. Still spewing we let that kid go so easily.

Just looking over the life members stuff - 45 games and 73 goals was a decent enough return from BBB I think. And for all the talk about cultural issues at the club, guys like Ben should be celebrated even more for what I understand he bought in that regard as well. His contribution to our 21 premership should never be underrated IMHO.

Skills of Robbie quite possibly, but does he have the same red and blue heart? I guess we will see.

If his post concussion brain is up to it, I think Angus Brayshaw could do a great job on one of these shows. His Gus and Gawn was good and I think I recall him being decent on the Sunday footy show a few times. Would be a huge gig first up, but he certainly has the intellect and footy smarts to pull it off.

Only that his sister Shae was on our AFLW list at one point, so clearly the grudge can't be that deep.

Ireland should be part of our NGA through the Stynes connection and give us priority access.

Totally agree. Strong as an ox and has a great penitrating kick on him. Showed so much potential in 2021, but has flat lined and probably even gone backwards since (being demoted to Casey at a time we are down in the mid is evidence of that). I don't know what the dynamic is between the two at the moment, but I think if Trac so desperately wants us back up there, he should take Tommy on as his pet project and pull him up to the next level. Maybe then, we can have some more bang bang bang on the last day of September.

One thing I don't want to see again in 2025 is Turner played as the starting sub. Too impactful as a forward to have sitting on the pine for 3/4 and seems mobile and adaptable enough that he could play a bunch of roles even if we looked excessively tall in our forward 50.