Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Thought Cross showed some real go and ability.

Have also been impressed with the season Ed Langdon is building. Seems to be able to work well forward into space and snag some good goals in addition to his overall awsome work rate.

39 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

Mmmmm, @picket fence has gone real quiet

He's in awe of Kade Chandler's magnificent clutch goal in the last quarter that put us right back in it!

...add to that, he ended up the game, with 2 goals 16 disposals and 9 tackles (second on the ground for tackles to Steel).

GO THE MIGHTY DEMONS!!!

Got there at quarter time and thought that maybe I should have not bothered, but watching us fight our way back into the game and then dominate it, made it one of the best days at the footy in a few years.

3 minutes ago, Nicko said:

Can’t have scared your neighbours more than we did on a Sunday afternoon in Brisbane!!!! 😂

My neighbours in Ipswich said they knew Melbourne had won, when we beat Geelong last Rd of 2021!!

25 minutes ago, bing181 said:

K Pickett 820 metres gained.

Contract extension?

Paging Kane Cornes - Go F@#k yourself Kane!

2 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

Three letters… B Y O

I don’t even buy water at any ground.

Agree. But today I was in a hurry and hungry. Was still a massive shock when that's what the girl on the register told me the price.

At the Lions Saints game.

My gosh food prices at the footy are beyond a joke. $80 for x2 below par sized, very ordinary soovas, HSP chips and x2 Cokes.

Honestly, I'm not surprised Rivers has been dropped. We all know he can definitely play and maybe he was lighting up the track over the summer, but in actual game this year against other opposition (North and Richmond preseason games included), I've been disappointed with how ordinary he's looked.

I'm glad that King has pulled the trigger in Rd 3 rather than waiting until another half a dozen games have gone. I'm sure Riv will respond. I also get the view of @binman that this is also about getting a bit more pace into the side, but if it were just that, then surely there were also others that could have made way as well. I do think this is a bit about sending a message as well.

11 hours ago, picket fence said:

Um ... name names!?

Jeffo for starters...

31 minutes ago, Temporarily Hopeful Demon said:

Stoked for both of them.

I'm particularly happy for Tmac though. He played through the absolute worst of our dark era but he just kept at it. He's also been a highly adaptable player too. There have been multiple phases of his career he looked almost done yet he managed to reinvent himself. I'd say he's been our most reliable defender over the past two years.

And Gawn is Gawn. For me he's the greatest ruckman of all time and our best player over the past 40 years. I still think people take him for granted sometimes. He's a real once in a lifetime sort of player.

Share this sentiment.

I remember early days of a young T Mac, who quickly became one of the elite key backman in the league. Distinctly remember taking great pride in having an up and coming player that the competition respected, at a time the team oscillated between a mid table team and complete rubbish. Tommy was one of the few backman in the league that had the athletisim to run with Nick Reiwoldt in his prime and genuinely restrict his influence on the game, when St Kilda were one of the top teams. Was bemoaned for his deer in the headlights kicking out of defence, but on retrospect, I really feel that was more of a reflection on the team than on T Mac, because I think as time went on and the team around him improved, I think he has showed much more reliable user by foot.

As good as he's been as a backman, for me T Mac's most memorable and defining moments have been as a key forward:

3. Kicking a freak goal to win us the game with seconds to go against West Coast in Perth when they were a half decent team - really gave us belief that put us on the road to a premiership;

2. Combining with Jessie Hogan to both kick bags of goals and hand Carlton a 100 odd point thrashing at the MCG (would love that result to be repeated come Sunday)

1. Kicking the goal after the siren in the 2021 premiership - we didn't need that goal, but what absolutely fantastic full stop to the most glorious game of footy I've ever watched.

As for Max, you could definitely tell I'm his first game against Essendon that he was going to be something special. The ups and downs against Geelong have been something of feature of his career. That real break out game where he dominated and helped us to victory against the Cats at Kardinia Park; missing an absolute sitter that could have won us the game at the G, kicking the after the siren goal to give us top spot against them in 2021 and his role in that demolition job we did against them in the 2021 prelim - couldn't ask for better drama. The official accolades speak for them selves.

I do get the sense that the character of these two leaders of the team has been a massive part of the success we've had over their careers and it's been a bloody sensational ride. Will be bloody awsome to watch them celebrate this milestone together at the MCG on Sunday. I know we had an ordinary result last week, but the MFC faithful should all get to the G on Sunday and get behind these 2 absolute legends of the club, cheer loudly and hopefully the team can get us over the line (I actually think we're way better than Carlton anyway).

9 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

I may have a slightly different view to most of you but I am a little surprised that everyone is saying T-Mac replaces Turner this week.

Given that our emphasis under Kingy is speed of ball movement and on top of that the slight tweaks to rules (quick ball ups, out of bounds etc) have increased speed throughout the AFL game as a whole, I am a little surprised that Jed Adams isn't one of our three tall backmen, especially now that we have lost Turner's pace.

Adams played well last week in VFL (I am reliably told) and is the quickest guy over 100m at the club. Kozzie would easily beat him over 20m though.

King has already shown his liking to prioritise playing the fittest players at our club and that's partly why our best 2km men Kolt and Sharpy are in the side and they have rewarded him by being two of our best players both weeks.

But adding T-Mac alongside Lever and Petty does not imbue our defence with the pace needed to play at such a breakneck level of 2026. I am very happy for T-Mac to come back in because he provides versatility and has a little more height to play on Hudson O'Keefe or McKay. But it should be at the expense of either Lever or Petty. Adams should replace Turner.

And clearly our other defenders should be on notice because Xavier Taylor must play in the very near future because he is our future.

Finally I'd also say that as much as I enjoyed the spark that Latrelle provided against St Kilda, his game against Freo was not up to standard and he should be given a firm reminder over the next two weeks by watching Sunday from the stands and the following week by playing in the VFL.

While Laurie deserves his spot, I'd say it's hard not to bring in the lively and somewhat manic pace of Moniz-Wakefield.

I'd even say there is a case to drop Sparrow for Laurie, but I can't see that happening.

My changes: In: Adams, Moniz-Wakefield, T-Mac, Laurie. Out: Turner (injured), Lever, Latrelle P, Sparrow.

Expected changes: In: T-Mac, Moniz-Wakefield. Out: Turner, Latrelle P

Speed on the ball doesn't just mean quick players everywhere on the ground though. One feature I've noted from T Mac over the past 5 or 6 years is that he has a habit of driving us out of defence with a 50m pass down the ground to a player in space out the back.

As I understand it, he's probably dropped back a few spots, but from what I understand T Mac is still one of the top 10 if endurance athletes at the club. Maybe not great agility these days, but his other strengths in defence is reading the play and taking strong intercept marks, so I think there's still a place in the side for him on that basis.

Glad to hear your review that Adams is performing well at Casey, because we do need that key back depth for the future. Other reviews I've heard of his performance of late have not been great, but it's a long season and I hope these negative assessments aren't on the money and he works his way into the team.

1 hour ago, DeeZone said:

That would be very fitting for Max and TMac Rodney dual 250th games has that ever happened before but probably keep them separate so they can enjoy the limelight .

I'm struggling to see a better oppertunity. I'd rather ensure that we do get T Mac to the 250 games. Having him stranded on 249 at the end of last season for a guy at his point of his career wasn't ideal.

In alot of ways, I know milestones are just another game, but they also do have cultural significance to clubs/teams and I think it's important they be recognised and celebrated as such and that the club does actually put a priority on giving it's veterans thr opportunity to achieve these milestones. Like I suggest, T Mac really should have played his last season rather than being dropped for Jake Lever who in retrospect wasn't quite right.

Asides from all that, I think T Mac's preseson form and track record of standing up when it counts is such that his place in the team would be well justified. Comming off from a week off should also see him hit the game physically fresh. I'm guessing the only thing that might influence the decision on his selection is the mix of talls and smalls in the backline we think we need for Carlton and/or if Heath comes in, our overall tall and small ballance. Again personally, I'd like to see T Mac in, because I think he's a rock in defence arialy and we could do with that after last week. I also think he helps us play a fast open game style, because he has a booming kick, that he often uses to put players into space with 50m passes out of defense.

... I'm not a selector, but I'll be fascinated to see what the outcome is.

Not sure if it's been mentioned already in the thread, but with Disco out injured, does that get T Mac a game on Sunday?

Would be somewhat fitting for both him and Gawn to play game 250 together, given they are our two longest serving players at the club and journey at the club over this time.

5 hours ago, Bendigo_Demon2 said:

I always like to see Oskar do well, but if he is in your team, you’re not winning a flag. Seems like a ripping bloke though.

As others have pointed out the Dog look kinda like a potential premiership winning team at the moment and he's in that team, so I wouldn't be writing him off.

Some players mature late and he's clearly found his fit and an enviroment where he's thriving so good on him.

Not every player in a premiership is an absolute star and every premiership team needs players that do the team thing and sacrifice their game for the benifit of the team.

Excited for this game. I think it's a tough ask beating the WA teams over there when they are in form and they probably deserve to be favourites, but I'm not writing us off.

If we do loose, so long as we're compeditive and show something, then that will be OK enough with me.

Mostly I'm looking forward to us playing some good opposition to get a better feel for where we are at right now.

For what it's worth, I thought Ryan had spilled the mark at the time, but in retrospect he did clearly control the mark until the point he hit the ground.

Was a great mark, which in a sence showed great courage, but I actually think it also shows a level of contempt for you own well-being when you repeatedly jump for marks without caring hoe you land like that. He had a sore shoulder after that effort, but could just have easily concussed himself or done serious neck injury. Shaun Smith use to do it all the time and I got my sister a great photo form the age, which I got developed into an A1 poster size of him landing pretty much on his head following a similar mark.

On 15/03/2026 at 12:41, whatwhat say what said:

they both walked out on us for more opportunity elsewhere

at the time they were clearly fringe players in a side that had won a premiership and was a top 4 side

chandler was preferred to bedford (rightly so) while sparrow was prioritised over jordon (neither here nor there imo - both average at best)

The thing that really hurt about Jordon though is that 5 months after he left for Sydney, we lost Brayshaw through concussion and he would have had more opportunities that would have kept him on our list. I know Jordon probably isn't ever going to be an absolute A Grade / dominant player, but he the kind of solid player that great teams all need. That he's been best 23 up at Sydney ever since and played in a grand final for them shows that he's defiantly an AFL standard player.

35 minutes ago, Deestar9 said:

Pretty sure same Media team. Paul Guerra sat them down & said “make it fun”.

Just like Kingy did with the players. Whatever is is it's been a great change. Our content has been so much more professional, contemporary and watchable.

This is a bloody brilliant watch:

Our new media team would have to be rating up there as one of the recruits of the year.

On 16/03/2026 at 10:23, Red But Mostly Blue said:

I'm gonna back the big guy in for 10. It's a much nicer number.

What about 11? Would suit him.

4 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Proud of his game on the weekend. He fought back well and started to challenge NAS the other way as shown by Jordan Lewis On the Couch. I reckon after quarter time he was told to not be so rigid but losses up and try and get him on the return.

People on here seem to forget he missed the whole of last pre season due to injury and was always behind the eight ball in terms of fitness and then through incompetent coaching was brought straight back into the AFL team off the back of zero match fitness and all that did was set him up to fail.

He would have learnt s great deal playing on NAS in terms if running ability and always staying focused in the moment.

I would certainly like to see him play more midfield minutes and get the ball in his hands as he is actually a very neat user of the footy.

Agreed.

He did get shown up on a few occasions when playing as a deep defender, but:

a) Alot of more seasoned players might also have been exposed in a similar way playing against someone with the skills and athletic profile of NAS

b) He can take it on as a learning experience.

Overall, he did a pretty decent job and we won the game, so happy days. If he kicked that set shot on goal he had, it would have been the icing on the cake. Hope he can continue these kind of performances and build his own game at the same time.

Who called it better?

11 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Was woundering why the kid in the stands was 'going off' even more than I was, then after watching it for tge 3rd or 4th time realised he was probably one of Lattrelle's family members and that's why the cameras were on him.

How good is that and absolutely gold in the current circumstances for Kozzie to have a special family moment like that with Latrelle on the field.

3 hours ago, Redleg said:

Jeff is a good listen as he knows what he is talking about.

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

Excellent analysis.

Thanks Jeff

Agreed, but stop giving away tips to the opposition please Jeff 😂

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

You can literally see the crowd rise as soon as he marked the ball.

Everyone knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Agreed, I could see Latrelle in the open, an open paddock to run into and was just cheering and hoping that he'd pull off what we'd seen him do in preseason on the big stage.

2 hours ago, beelzebub said:

I do wonder how long before opponents catch on that he does this thing.... runs straight.. then zags to the right ( his ) to skirt round a defender. ( bouncing when required )

Hopefully a lot lot more in bag of tricks 👍

I think opponents are probably well aware that he does this thing, but knowing that's what he's going to do and stopping him from doing it are two very different things.

Agility like him and Kozzie have got is a rare thing and I don't think there are many that could match them in that department well enough to lay their hands on them.