Rodney (Balls) Grinter

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.

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.

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.

Lol. Maybe.

Correcting the Correcta 😉 - I love it!

The player I think we are more likely to rest at some stage is Melksham. Shuffle a few positions around and maybe Sestan gets a game or othwise maybe Jai Culley seems to be next in line as a forward given his nomination on the extended bench last week's game.

Could we not play him back instead of Windsor and release Windsor to play on the wing again? Really feel Caleb is a wasted talent in the backline at the moment. Perhaps another who could be released further up the ground is Lindsay. Although I've really liked his work in his current position, I do wonder what damage he could do further up the ground.

I'd be surprised if the Tigers take home. Don't think the link to Adam would look very good. The Suns are the nepo babies of the comp.

Would actually be more legit than the $cully GWS package deal, buy I think that saga would have the club and the AFL seeing red. Although not totally without precedence aka, Todd and Jack Viney, Silvangni at Carlton; difference being that those guys where already successfully employed at other clubs prior to comming together at the same club as their sons and eventually they also left due to perceptions of and/or real conflicts of interest that became distractions. I still can't help but think that Todd was a net positive for the MFC revival, particularly when he first came on board with Roos etc.

I haven't seen this week's episode of the front bar yet, but from the previous footage I've seen of Kozzie, it rings true that he came across as a bit shy. Not sure he's exactly the polished media performer, but then again, neither is Cayton Oliver and I'm not sure I'd perform that well in front of a camera either, even if I could play footy as fraction as well as those guys. I wouldn't be getting too hung up about words of love for the MFC. I'd personally just put that down as an extension of the same shyness and lack of full expressiveness in English/in the media spotlight. ...by the way, I mean no condescension by saying a lack of expressiveness in English - as I say to others in similar situations that they "speak a second language far better than I do".

That was Essendon supporters as well back in Sheedy's day, but the past 20 years has wiped that out of them.

I think it is quite reasonable that some of the father sons and others already in the footy system end up in the accademey system. To a certain extent having more elite players together enhances their development through feeding off each other. It does in alot of ways make you wounder why have the elite U18 competition (whatever they call it these day) and the undermining of the draft and equalisation measures is highly regrettable, although when we are talking father/sons generally, that’s somewhat of a non issue - except that in Kalani's case, it gives another club the opportunity to poach them off us at a discounted draft price which they wouldn't otherwise have access to. The constant changing of the rules is also disgraceful ...Mac Andrew 🤬🤬

Maybe another reason Kalani might choose the MFC is to get tutored under the best ruckman this century in Max Gawn.

As asides gee I miss this bloke in our side.

Good lord, how many times did that bloke need to pull up his socks and throw bits of grass around before taking a shot. Unfortunately, it seemed to work for him, though, if I recall correctly.

Not quite the same I know, but some of the Demonland faithful refer to Havey The Bison Lanford

I think Chandler is playing the ANB role and doing it brilliantly. Not sure what more you're talking about as ANB was a regular goal kicker and play maker in his past few years with us. Huge fan of Chandler and there are few other players I'd rather see having a set shot on goal than him - his accuracy and reliability are awsome right up to 40 to 50m out.

My kids always love the indigenous jumpers. Will be buying one for oldest son this year.

That's my recollection also. T Mac was and still is to an extent an awsome athlete. One of the few that could keep up with Reiwolt athletically and often kept him from impacting in games against us. T Mac was viewed as one of the elite defenders in the competition at that time, with his kicking being perhaps his only real weakness. Around that time, when we were struggling as a team on the feild, he could have walked into so many other teams, but chose to stick fat with the MFC and I have alot of respect for him for that (and I think Max and Vines would also, amoung many other things). He probably still finishes top 10 in preseason endurance time trials. In the years since, I only think he has added more strings to his bow as a footballer. While he might have lost a bit of agility, I think he has significantly increased his physical strength from his younger years and become an excellent contested mark an, even better reader of the play and enhanced leadership presance. Although he may lack the agility to play as a full time forward, I feel he could still impact down their by pinch hitting and giving us a marking option deep if we needed a circuit breaker as he did a few times late last year. Persoally, I have soo much love for Tommy as a MFC footballer and he'll go down as one of my all time favourites. Also worth remembering the amazing year he had last season as well came off the back of his personal family tragedy of loosing a baby - would take amazing inner strength and resilience. Give him a contract as long as he wants to be at the club.

Have both been outstanding at their respective roles. Bowser couldn'tplay on the monster key forwards and take the big contested marks the same way T Mac does.

Both were better than Salem in my view, but I'd probably gave given them to T Mac - he's been a powerhouse down back this season. Sure his aging body catches him out occasionally and he gets beaten, but on the whole, his defensive play has been first rate and saved us numerous times. Has been a realitive saviour in the absences of May and Lever, which make his performances even more impressive IMHO. That all said, I think May's game against Richmond was also first rate. Got beaten a few times by a quality opponent in Lynch, but generally held him pretty well when it counted. Felt they got off the chain a bit more when he had to go off. His presence down there is also such an influence on the whole back 6, demanding high standards - his rip at Rivers case in point. All of this not to say that I thought Salem played badly. To the contrary, I'm very glad that he seems to be improving his form and having more of an impact on games again.

I'd definitely add Steff Martin to that group as well. To think that at one point we had all of Mark Jamar, Steff Martin, Max Gawn, Jake Spencer and Jack Fitzpatrick at the club at the same time. Although Fitzpatrick never quite made it, he wasn't that far off the mark and did have some good football qualities about him. Spencer was the kind of solid backup option that we'd love to have now. And if only we could re-recurit another young Cam Pederson. Was a great forward/ruck on his day and very handy backup. If AJ can produce the sort of career with us that Peddo had, I think we've done well. The other recent also rans of quality that we never really got the best out of of course are Brodie Grundy and Majak Daw.

Not a chance in hell.

Trying to find another Max would be like trying to find another Gary Ablett senior or another Wayne Carey. Every club would love to have one, but the reality is that very few ever will, so they just work with someone who is competent enough at that position. Hawthorn one a bunch of premierships with Ben McEvoy as their main ruck. He was an above average ruckman, but nothing as good as Max.

Is such a dichotomy: We want a team that puts itself in a position to compete in finals every year; Vs Let's take it one week at a time. Personally I think we have way underachieved the season to date and have more upside than alot of the teams above us. The V12 firing on 7 cylinders is a reasonable analogy. Trac and Clarry are better than current form. The past few weeks we have seen what happens when Kossie, Max and Vines start to fire. We will need things to go right injury wise from here and a few young players like JVR etc to stand up and take the next step, but if that happens, I think we are better than alot of the teams currently above us. Who knows.