Rodney (Balls) Grinter

22 hours ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Let's not waste these next 9 games with some fanciful illusion we'll sneak into the 8 or trying to chase wins that will amount to nothing.

This is now the time to prepare us for 2026. Play Jefferson and JvR up front. Put Petty down back

May + Melksham to Casey. Viney to a forward pocket.

Use this as an opportunity. I know Goodwin is a self-described "winner", but it's now about the big picture. If he's still chasing wins this season instead of formulating a game plan that will challenge in 2026, then he can go.

Are you serious? - No way May plays at Casey.

His form has been good and he's of also of value to the team in a mentoring capasity and setting the standard. I'd even like him to play up forward with some of our developing forwards. He'd make them walk taller playing along side them and if they're not doing the required team things and/or committing to the contest, I think a Maysy rev-up could actually be a good thing for them too.

Melksham should also be played when fit for similar reasons and how funny would it be to see him play in a forward line with May.

I'd be quite OK with Lever and/or possibly even Petty being dropped back to Casey to find some form and hunger. Would love to see T Mac given the opportunity to get to 250 games this season - his service to the club and form this year deserves it.

Sick of seeing us wasting games on Laurie. Would far rather we get some more games into Tholstrup, Kynan Brown, Adams, Woey jnr, Sestan, Culley and possibly one or two others like Sharp and Verrall.

Have loved his season to date, but I think Langford looked tired and lacked impact on Sunday, so could do with a rest.

Also time to end the Winsor experiment at half back put the kid back on the wing and let him play his natural game.

The irony would be if by playing guys who are keen as to prove them selves, changing things around a bit and releasing the shackles of expectations as bit that we actually play with more freedom, flare and start attacking more effectively and winning games.

17 hours ago, manny100 said:

A real athlete and a project player. Needs a fair bit of size which will come in the AFL system. Certainly a lot to work with.

I hope he selects the Dees.

We only have Gawn, TC and Verrall at 199cm plus so room for Kalani.

What ruck prospect isn't a project player?

Asides from LJ

1 hour ago, Previously known as LITD. said:

It's definitely a mind set.

Often you see it in a game when the yips go through the entire team.

...

Dozens of Austrian Psychiatrists working around the clock.

tanding on the sidelines giving advice and therapy.

Glad we're leaving no stone unturned and have reached all the way to Europe in pursuit of kicking a drop punt truely through the big sticks 😉 😂

21 minutes ago, dice said:

Turner is a better mark in the forward line for me. Sort of shows up in the stats too:

Disco's goal kicking is also pretty solid.

Conversely so was Petty's for a while, but he seems to have lost it.

Honestly think the answer to alot of our goal kicking woes is a switched on sports psychologist.

I think Petty is the future solid key back we need to build around, along with Disco and Lever (Possibly also throw Adams)

If we loose another game or two, I'd really like to see Steven May up forward. I hope he's still got a few more years yet, but he's not the future of our backline. He'd probably also enjoy the oppertunity to have some fun and kick a few goals. Could alternatively play JVR and Jeffo up there around him - he'll make them wall taller and I think he'd provide some great on feild coaching to them as well.

4 hours ago, old dee said:

Turner stays back and Petty is out for Jefferson. It won't happen on Sunday but must the next game.

Yeah, nah. Play Petty back before dropping him altogether. I think his form back there earlier in the season was pretty good. Poor bloke can't help it if he keeps getting asked to fill holes up the ground because our key forward stocks are all over the shop at the moment.

56 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Thank Lucifer for that.

Generational player that changed our fortunes and helped deliver our 13th drought breaking flag.

My hopes and feelings before the 2019 draft realised...

Demon DynastyMembers

5 yr

comment_1772645

Looking for a small guy that will chew up opp mistakes and force opp mistakes then punish on the counter.  Someone that eats crumbs off the pack for breakfast with lightning quick reflexes, a great running leap for his size (equal 9th in the National Combine) and super goal sense and finish?

At a pinch he could even play short cameo stints in the mid given a decent pre-season or two.

Is it Weightman? ... Nope!  Henry? Serong?....ummm...nah none of those.  Taylor, surely it's Taylor!...hmm close but no cigar!

"Whoever it is, he can't be worth pick No.8 though.  That's just sillly" i hear you say.

Well think again fellow minions!!  Another piece in the premiership puzzle awaits...

That was a great call DD. But such great credit to Kozzie to turn that potential into the genuine superstar of the competition he has become. How many players can have great junior careers and highlights reals that actually go on to have the AFL career that Kozzie has had just to date.

16 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Email just sent by Greeny

Make Greeny president for life ... oh wait

6 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Wonder who at Freo he texted first....

Belll "stick that where the sun don't shine!"

On 11/06/2025 at 07:02, dazzledavey36 said:

Surprised there isn't a stand alone thread on this. Congrats to Garry! An all time Melbourne great...

Great interview last night with Gerard Whatetly and one of the best things I love about the Hall of Fame is when they get to tell their story from the very beginning.

Well overdue. Was definitely one of the iconic players of the era, both for the MFC, but the league generally. That he had such a footy cultural impact from such an injury intrupted career is a testimony to his talent and leadership qualities.

Interview is a great watch. As a MFC / footy tragic, I'm often looking out for new footy stories and this interview has some gems delivered in a thoroughly entertaining way.

For so long there I sense there has been a bit of crindge about his media work within the MFC supporter ranks, but personally I've never been prouder to have one of our own amoung the media voices and I think his calm laid back and professional approach to his media work over the years have been brilliant.

...and that moment he handed over the 2021 premiership cup was just so brilliant - not sure who we'd get to hand over one we might one day win at the G, but Gazz will take some topping.

41 minutes ago, RickyJ45 said:

Well deserved Garry!

And last but not least thanks to Billy for introducing me to...

Bring back the face palm reaction.

On 08/06/2025 at 15:58, whatwhat say what said:

we're like the old money landed gentry that have the fancy country abode... but the roof leaks, everything smells of mould, and only 3 of the 27 rooms are truly habitable

Sounds like @Bitter but optimistic's dungeon

13 hours ago, Adam The God said:

I've been surprised by the lack of commentary on game style regarding yesterday's game. Our approach yesterday was very much 80% 2021-2023.5 method. Which is: win the contest, bomb long to create repeat inside 50s, and hope more shots on goal leave us ahead of the opposition at the end of the day. (the NBA 3 point method - data drives most elite sports in the world and the tactics employed by coaching teams)

The remaining 20% was where we changed our angles when we went longer, tried to use forward handball on the rare occasion and a very small amount of uncontested possession at the back.

But our entries were sloppy, high and often to our disadvantage. Melksham and even Petty did well on a few occasions to halve a contest versus 2 or 3 defenders.

I'm not sure of the stats, but we did appear to use the corridor more than we have in the past, but that's a function of playing a team that gambles so much with numbers forwards and leaving space through the corridor to ping back into.

I was most disappointed with our entries though and it was the most similar style to the way we played in 2022-2023 that I can remember. We know this is a highly competitive model, there are a few Demonlanders, myself included, who think we left a flag on the table in 2023 with this game style. It matches it with the best, but aren't we trying to evolve our game style? Use more aggressive forward handball, use more uncontested possession to open up their defence and control tempo?

I find it really fascinating that there are no cries on Demonland last night or today about the game style being outdated when we go close in games, but when we turn off our pressure (not a function of game style), it's an outdated model and Goody needs to get with the times.

I've seen posters say Goody has worked out how to stop these sides playing fast. This is not new. We were masters at this in 2022-2023, so much so we finished top 4 both years playing against this fast ball movement. I just think people see what they want to see sometimes.

I'd prefer we continue to evolve our game style, particularly, how we move the ball and how we enter forward 50, because if we do this, the forwardline will function and we'll start to blow teams away. Until then, we'll be ruing missed chances, scoring shot differentials and inside 50 differentials.

I think we can win a flag again soon if we get this right.

Honestly think something we need to get much better at is roosting it long out the back into space that Kozzie and others can run onto. Something like the old Pagan's paddock.

Freitch did it pretty much to perfection with a handball well into space for Kozzie that resulted in a snap goal to him. Melksham could have done the same but even better in the second quarter on Monday, with a penetrating kick out the back and Kozzie would have smoked Howe and everyone else in the area. Instead Melksham tried to finesse a pass on the full to Kozzie, slightly over cooked it and it was cut off by Howe arially. I know it's easy as an armchair expert and Melk is actually one of our best kicks to an option inside 50 (if not the best), but I just feel we seldom use one of Kozzie's best assets to advantage in these situations and/or look to create these types of opportunities for him enough.

Similarly, I think if we got a bit more creative a bit more often and tried to play Trac one out as a deep forward it would be hard for the opposition to respond to and help give us better value for our entries. Just look how many goals St Kilda scored against us last week by moving it quickly and directly into a forward line with pleanty of space.

45 minutes ago, binman said:

Which was precisely what Sparrow was trying to do. In fact more than that he was clearly trying to get it to a teammate.

If he wanted to take it out he would have picked up the ball, taken the tackle and allowed himself to be taken over the boundary, which he was hard up against.

The irony is that happens 20 plus times a game, never gets pinged despite the sile intention being to take it OOB.

At the risk of introducing yet another rule change which draws the ire of spectators, I think there is a pretty simple rule change that could be made to stop that behaviour - if you are tackled over the line while holding the ball, it's holding the ball (via no intent to dispose of it) or insufficient intent to keep it in play - take your pick the rule is there they just need to play it properly.

10 hours ago, chookrat said:

The AFL cpuld be creative in how it funds full time Professional Umpires by getting a betting sponsor on board and having tv segments to review umpiring decisions and also allow punters to place bets on categories based on umpiring mistakes and even have the umpiring department sponsor players known as umpire pets.

You mean, just like legalising alchol after the prohibition?

Bring it out of the black market and into the open.

6 hours ago, Great Sage said:

Umpiring has been poor all year. I do not believe that they are deliberately biased - just poor standard and some teams can end up getting the rub of the green. I have never seen so many games influenced by umpiring errors. I doubt that making them full time will significantly improve decisions as I believe the following cause decision making to be incredibly difficult.

1. Players staging & exaggerating contact.

2. Pace of the games makes it hard to make some decisions in real time.

Staging can be impossible to identify in real time and needs to be removed from the game culturally. It causes umpires to second guess decisions therefore adding complexity. Let's get the entire competition involved in working out a strategy to remove this and then 100% commit to agreed actions. My starting idea would be a 3 strike policy. Have each game reviewed my match review and implement a 3 strike policy for any players deemed to have staged.

Strike 1 = $1,000 fine

Strike 2 = $5,000 fine

Strike 3 = 1 match suspension.

I would have no time limit on strikes (i.e they never lapse) and allow no appeals (as you would have to do it three times to miss a match). I feel that this combined with name and shaming would significantly reduce staging.

For the pace of game issue I would allow an umpire watching the game on screen to be miked up with on field umpires. Let them overrule howler decisions in real time (i.e. When Melksham was pushed by Moore simply have decision reversed). In may slow down the game a little but nothing to the extent of a score review that sometimes happens after play has recommenced.

This would be my starting position and then continue to assess impact and enhancements.

Agree that the concept of a remote video umpire, but that it should only be there for the absolute howlers like Kossie being tripped in the goal square against Hawthorn a few weeks back. Still baffles me how that wasn't paid by a feild umpire - maybe the off feild umpire could simply play it on the big scoreboard screens and the AFL enable the feild umpires call back the play and to play a slightly delayed decision. Don't think anyone at the ground would have argued against that one and would save the umpires the embarrassment that they missed it entirely.

1 hour ago, HarpenDee said:

On the couch's panel only had two comments on the umpiring.

1. Unbelievable Nick Daicos didn't get more holding free kicks against Langdon

2. Melbourne's leadership and culture is junk, look at Kozzie Pickett appealing for a free while chasing Mcreery

We've seen before they have the technology to show how many metres run, yet they chose not to here. I wonder why? We've had shorter 50m penalties. But no, Kozzie is the one in the wrong.

All the moaning about pretty boy Daicos getting scragged here and there - do they watch what happens to Max every second week? Nope. The On the Couch [censored] have almost praised they way teams like Port Adelaide and Brisbane have gone after him on multiple occations. Sorry I can't see how it's within the rules how the do it either shepherd a player in an inconsequential way within 20m of a marking contest and it's a free kick, but on occations I've seen Max shepparded off the ball left right and centre without consequence. You can bet that if one of our players came in and laid a similar block we'd get pinged for an off the ball fee kick.

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

He couldn't hear the umpire saying "stand"

Oh, FFS, so hand Collingwood a free shot at goal because of that. My original comment stands then (pardon the pun), that the umpires have insufficient game awareness of the penalties they are handing out. Umpires that has half a brain would understand that issue presented by big games at the G and moderate their actions according. Instead we seem to have robots with no game sense, but who pick and choose in which instances they will penalise a player based on the colours on their jumper and the bets they have put on the game, not the actual merit.

Haven't watched the replay yet, so can only go by what I saw at the game, but that first 50m penalty they paid against us was the epitome of what is wrong with umpiring and how 50m penalty is paid. From what I saw, we had a MFC player who legitimately didn't know exactly where to stand the mark and an umpire being pedantic then arbitrarily pulling a 50m penalty out of their a hole that gave Collingwood a free shot on goal.

In today's highly congested game, clean shots inside 50 are like gold and to pay a 50 anywhere forward of the centre circle is massively more advantous than in the back half. The umpires really do need to be cognisant of this when paying super marginal 50m penalties. To me the standing the mark penalty needs to be proportionate, bring it back to a 15m penalty. How does being half a meter over the mark 80m out from goal actually meaningfully impact the play anyway - hint it doesn't.

Conversely many of the most blatant incidents to unfairly infringe and hold up play go unpenalised.

On 19/05/2025 at 18:37, Redleg said:

Freo has destabilized us twice with Jacko and Kozzie and didn’t seem to be overly concerned about us.

Whether we get Jacko or not, I also am happy for us to destabilize Freo for a season.

Just twice Red?

Add Hogan, Farmer and Troy Longmuir

1 minute ago, chook fowler said:

2 weeks to work on his goal kicking which is bad enough to get him suspended for bringing the game into disrepute

Will we have enough players at Casey to step up feild a team at the MCG on Monday if that is the basis for suspension?

12 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

I agree, but also why waste the money on a challenge? AJ isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. What he did was stupid, and could have easily concussed someone. Given what Viney is facing and what we went thru with Gus, I have no issues letting him cop a 2 week ban.

The very big issue I have with him copping a 2 week ban is that forever and a day, the AFL have used the outcome determine the consequence. So often in the past, no concussion would equal no suspension. Typical AFL using the MFC as a scape goat. Watch a Collingwood player do an identical action to one of our players next week and get off scott free.

Many other players have been afforded this grace by the AFL tribunal of getting no suspension because no injury resulting. AJ has become like another Kossie goes to the tribunal / MRO, it will be an automatic suspension every time, because players in Collingwood jumpers are allowed to play with aggression, but ours are not.

19 hours ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Happy to be in oppo's face, too, I've noticed in recent weeks. Nice for our nice team to have a bit of not nice!

I think Melksham is actually really good at winning the mental battles. Really got under Harris Andrews skin the other week, that was brilliant. Not that I dislike Harris Andrews in particular, but to clearly shut down, put one of their best play makers off their game and then dominate them like that does something to the whole opposition teams mentality I think.

He's a tough cookie Melky. The way he toyed with Andrews and frequently does to others is fun to watch. I think they might all have in the back of their minds that he's an ex amateur boxer and a bit of a loose cannon after his touchup of Steven May. In hindsight, it also did Steve some good to be put back in his box that day.

20 hours ago, Hopeful Demon said:

I reckon he is just about our most clutch player. Here are some games/moments where has stood up and has allowed us win important matches:

-Round 22 2018: Kicks 4 goals and gets 20 touches, helping us break our 12 year finals drought.

-2018 semi final: Kicks a goal from outside 50 in the last quarter, putting a massive halt to the momentum which Hawthorn had been gaining. The crowd went absolutely insane after that goal.

-Round 22 2022: Kicks 4 goals to help us win a total scrapfest against Carlton, who at the time were playing for their season. That game was mostly known for Pickett's goal right before the siren but Melksham was the definitely the main catalyst.

Round 18 2023: Kicks a goal right before the siren to give us a 1 point win over Brisbane, who happened to be 5 goals ahead 10 minutes beforehand. We probably wouldn't have made top 4 if it wasn't for his performance that night.

Round 10 2025: Kicks 4 goals straight to help us win another close game against the Lions. We wouldn't have won that match without his accuracy given how wayward our goalkicking was, especially in the final quarter.

I just can't be convinced that his injury late in 2023 didn't cost us a preliminary finals spot at minimum. He's the perfect player to have in close matches.

All absolutely magic moments.

Was there for those comebacks against Carlton and Brisbane and particularly the Brisbane one are up there with some of my favourite days at the footy - Melky was huge that game.

13 hours ago, Dees_In_October said:

There certainly is a bit of cream on top of our Milkshake.

Love his work. These days players can't help where they are drafted to, so that he started with Essendon is a stain we can't blame him for, but in the time since he's proved that he's red and blue through and through.

For mine, his peak season was 2018, when he was in his physical prime, but the form he's produced in the last few years is impressive. While I think he's lost a touch of speed and power to blast them from well outside 50 like he had in the past, his ability to out smart and out position his opponents allows him to maintain potency. He also hasn't lost that ability to have great vision and pin point a low dart to a team mate in a great position - the boys must love playing with him for that.