Rodney (Balls) Grinter

9 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

One of the more remarkable wins I've seen, given the month that preceded it.

When Turner went off at half time the script was written - gallant first half but our second half worries and personnel difficulties were going to kill it for us.

But if we'd kicked straight early in the fourth I reckon the heat would have gone out of it and we wouldn't have had to hold off their final comeback. Which, at any rate, I thought we did superbly well.

Blending our desire to move quickly with smarter short kicks and better forward structure with leads up at the ball carrier worked a treat, but that was all secondary to our pressure and intensity which we kept up for the entire match. We made it our focus and unlike the last month, we actually executed.

Can't add any more superlatives to Pickett's game. When he is that focused, he is a top 10 competition player. Petty's a confidence player and that early goal where the ball was delivered to his chest on a simple lead up at FF was the perfect start for him. Gawn and Viney led from the front, whilst Langdon continues to quietly put together a sneaky good year. Rivers found the level he's been missing all year, and as others have said, Tholstrup brings spirit which our last month has been lacking.

I still think we have a massive problem with Salem - dinky kicks under no pressure which repeatedly miss targets and expose us on turnover. But that's for another day. A win like this deserves to be savoured.

I hope we look back on today as some sort of turning of the page. We need to work out how to extract that pressure and intensity each week, not just when we're at rock bottom. If we can do that, I doubt we'll still be 17th in a month.

Agree with all that.

Thought Bowser played a ripper and T Mac continues to hold together the backline that's consistently missed it's star KPPs. Really hoping we can get McVee back and playing at his usual level sooner rather than later.

Continue to be impressed by Langford and Lindsay, though I think Winsor hasn't got back to what he is capable of since returning to the side.

3 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

HOW BLOODY GOOD WAS THAT WIN !!!

All the emotions running amok but the main one was RELIEF. So, so proud of our boys.

PS: ‘twas my lucky Melbourne socks that did it.

I wore Melbourne socks today as well!

Didn't think anything too much of it at the time other than they were a pair of clean socks without holes in the and it was a Melbourne game, so what the heck.

But as it turned out, maybe our sock powers combined in some hellish Desmon spirit today!

6 minutes ago, Stiff Arm said:

His return to his best form has been one of the few positives of the season to date.

3 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Kozzie that'swhat we need every week

https://www.afl.com.au/video/1303065/pickett-raises-the-bar-with-aerial-wizardry?videoId=1303065&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1745037093001

Loved these moments from Kossie today and played a ripper all round as well.

41 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

I think at face value those two have been contributing to our woes. Not solely responsible, but the forward line functioned better without them today. I hope they are made to earn there way back.

Want them to have earnt it, but I also want Fritta and JVR to find their way and find some confidence and form as soon as possible. We're a better side when Fritta is at his best and JVR should be the future of our forward line and stamping his authority all over the place.

Happy and somewhat relieved to get that win today. No way should we be a 1W and 5L side that's in the bottom 4.

Didn't expect to see Oscar Mc Donald out there today. Good on him. Keeps persevering and keeping his AFL career alive.

Hated seeing that goal kicked against us, but still happy for Oscar at the same time.

Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for the banter and sledging between T Mac and him.

5 minutes ago, jaydenh10 said:

petty forward, so turner down back??

Could work. Disco was a good back before he was a forward. Think he's a better forward than Petty though

5 minutes ago, frankie_d said:

Still on track

love the optimism

And dominate? Wow, that is optimism

I have near zero expectation we can win this game today, which probably means we will.

We've got to turn it around sometime right?

Looking for some enthusiasm from big Tommy and Disco Turner always provides good value IMHO. Good to be getting some more games into the Kolt, Lindsay and Langford.

9 hours ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

Hawks have won 16 of last 18 games. Far from fragile sadly Goffy.

They are also damn good to watch as hard as that is to say out loud.

Yeah, nah sorry. Never good watching Hawthorn win. Was much better them getting beaten every week.

Still they haven't actually acheived that much yet. If they can go another decade or five without winning another flag, now that would be damn good to watch.

Sorry, but way to early to be calling it at this point. Yes we've been puss the last two weeks, but I have some faith that with a few players back, a bit of consistency within the team and a bit of confidence back that we will claw our way back to competitiveness this season.

2 minutes ago, binman said:

Who did you expect to he sub.

Can play multiple positions: wing, half back, defensive forward - Woey makes perfect sense to be sub.

Would rather him than Sharp as someone with that much run is wasted as sub, but I also think Woey deserves more of a crack than 15 - 20min gametime.  Quite happy that he'll contribute when he get's on though.

7 minutes ago, picket fence said:

I am on the Train from Berwick, stacks of Norfs, not too many Dees supporters🤪

50 / 50 mix comming in on the Lillydale train.

4 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Beautiful night last night and the roof was closed. It was one big communal sauna. Had to go outside at the breaks coz it’s nice to be able to breathe unlabored. 🥵

Anyhoo that was last night. Today is a new day but yeah, the roof will still be closed 😅

We’ll be in aisle 1. Anyone with GA tickets please come and sit in aisles 2 & 3 so as to create a sea of red and blue. ❤️💙

The mighty Dees by Ricky Mentha III (39)!

 

Thanks Gosty.  Your info is much better than the generic fluff on the club's website.

Really starting to despise going to watch the AFL these days for the way they treat the average punter.  I'm only getting GA tickets to the footy, bar finals, but despite the fact the ground will be half full, I've got a sinking feeling today going in that there will be so few GA seats available that it will be an ordeal to find somewhere to sit.

The info on the club's 'Match Day Info' Page for today:

Patrons with General Admission tickets can sit in any of the designated General Admission areas. These seats are on a ‘first-come, best dressed’ basis and are not reserved.

General Admission bays are confirmed the week of the match, with specific information posted on event pages and our social media platforms the morning of the match.

If you are unsure upon arrival at the stadium, please see a customer service staff member or see signage around the stadium.

Useless as the proverbial 

P.S. There is no specific info posted on the MFCs FB Page either.

7 hours ago, Brownie said:

Funny how we're always portrayed and the club full of rich snobs, not Geelying

We were probably very lucky not to lose Clarry to them with a dodgy deal

Thank you Brad Green.

and Clarry would probably already be on pretty good coin for us to start with, so probably not quite as high a motivation there.

16 hours ago, The Mighty Demons said:

 

If only he didn't slightly overcook that pass around the 25 second mark, it would have been the perfect centring kick and forward 50 entry. 

Still great signs for me that he had the skills and awareness to make space for himself at half forward and then lower the eyes to hit up a great leading option and not just chip it deep into the pocket to get bottled up or a low percentage shot on goal.

Also took whoever it was to be making the lead straight down the ground giving the option.  Noticed that Jefferson provided that several times for us and hopefully it is team directive in our game plan over the pre-season marking an improvement in how we move the ball into forward 50.

15 minutes ago, Nascent said:

Clean player with a good bit of agility and pace. Got caught out of position a bit on defensive transition but not unexpected for his first game. 

Deserves more opportunity but will face a bit of competition with Spargo and Tholstrup once they return from their respective injuries.

That competition for spots will be great.

If Spargo can get back to his best, I'd certainly see him as the closeset competition to Henderson, but no doubt Tholstrup will also heat things up as he matures and gains in confidence.  Hendo looks to have that maturity, hardness and composure to play at the top level already sorted.

3 hours ago, binman said:

- Mcvee, Lindsay, Koz and Melk they can take on any kick they want

Add to that Winsor given licence to take on players and have a shot at goal whenever he wants as well (I think this licence has already pretty much been handed out by the coaches).

20 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

it you think mcdonald's a turnover merchant, what're yr thoughts on may

when he tries to pinpoint those 25m stab passes i have conniptions 

Agree.  I've seen May have a few games where he turns it over again and again.  But I think those are mulligans.

Conversely I actually think T Mac is a much better kick out of defence than people give him credit for.  I do think there is a bit of perception bias at work here from 1 - the days we were getting pumped and the backline was constantly under pressure with a lack of good outlets and 2 - his lumbering movement and kicking style. 

I actually think T Mac's kicking out of defence these days is pretty good and something he regularly executes well are almost pin point 50m passes which clear the defensive zone and put us on the way into attack.

Went on Sunday and sat out in the open on level 1 of the Southern stand, got a little wet here and there, but thought it was a great atmosphere created by those that did come.  The collective clapping that the crowd with the Irish dancers doing the jig was awsome.  Actually liked being able to be close enough and quite enough to here the players and vice versa at boundary throw ins.

If we had have come away with the win, it would have been one of those days out at the footy to remember for mine.  It's one of those true joys being there as a die hard and savouring those moments and wins when all the band wagon jumpers and half hearted supporters have given up and don't bother to come and show their support. 

Just wish the club would recognise those that do show up to the lesser games like GWS week in week out more when it comes to the big high crowd drawing games, when they want to cast us asides into the depths of the top level unless you are willing to pay top dollar for reserved seats.  Yes they want to profit off those big games, yet if we didn't show up to the GWS type ones, they'd be screwed.

Great to have another elite ball user in the backline.  Has alot of Bowey of 2021 about him in that respect, always looks like he's got time, space and awareness.

...don't get me started about Caleb, he's in a league all of his own 😍

Would love to see May through forward in bursts here and there as a circuit breaker if we are dominating forward 50s, but not putting it on the scoreboard, however IMHO he's too valuable as the rock of our backline to move away from that role perminantly.

Absolutely encouraged by Petty's performance down there against GWS though and also rapped that T Mac can step up as an emergency and more than hold his own.  Thought Salem also looked back to a good level.  Great to re-establish that elite backline again.  Now just to get McVee back in 3 - 6 weeks (know the injury report might say less, but I'd rather not rush him).

12 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Greene knees someone & gets a fine.

Knees someone - for the hundredth time.  I do actually like Toby, but he's more than just a serial offender on this.  Should be an automatic suspension every time he does it.

Improve you takleing technique maybe AJ, but don't change.

More of that bustling aggression and attack on the ball every week is exactly what out forwardline needs.  Make sure you bring it double against Collingwood.