Rodney (Balls) Grinter

45 minutes ago, picket fence said:

DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT MONGREL MOORE PUT HIS KNEES IN AGAIN IN THE DYING MINUTES VS FREO. HABITUAL OFFENDER SCUM!

Nope, but wouldn't surprise me in the least.

It's OK though, we know the ratings system the AFL for head high contact to determine suspensions - it's THE TV RATINGS STUPID!!

So Maysie might as well stay in his seat at the tribunal for when Tom De Koning gets called up to answer for the careless high contact that left Steve with concussion.

28 minutes ago, lorn said:

May's set for a long holiday

10 days or whatever of concussion protocols isn't what I'd call a holiday.

2 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Steve's whole intent was to get the ball, clearly," Goodwin said.

...

"But if you just look at his pure intent, it was purely for the ball, and it was unfortunate, and in the end, similar too, Steven, he's walked away with a concussion himself late in the game with a knee in a marking contest."

The media and AFL bias and lack of logic on these issues is astounding. We'll see what happens to Maysie at the MRO this time, but the comentators cries for blood for Steve and relative silence on his own concussion are enough to rile me right up now.

If the AFL is serious about reducing concussions and serious injury potential, then all actions need to be looked at, not just the bump. Steve himself has been the victim on at least two previous occasions and the perpertators walked away scott free.

I love seeing a good screamer as much as the next person, but the AFL has got to stop the amnesty on players recklessly flying for the with total disregard for their fellow players. Knees can do just as much damage as elbows and shoulders, particularly when they belong to giant 100kg + players. I can find it on the net, but my recollection is pretty much the next week Chol almost took off someone's head and/or fractured a cheek after he'd injured May like this. Similar action from Moore left Trac in a critical condition - what's it going to take for these morons to act.

Two fracture ribs.

afl.com.au

Fractured eye socket, concussion.

afl.com.au

Xerri's act deserved way more than 3 week, yet we didn't hear the commentators asking for any more than that. Xerri's act was way more careless and much less of a football act than what may did.

If Maysie gets rubbed out for this, then [censored] you AFL, you brain dead ****whits

On 17/07/2025 at 15:28, Ghostwriter said:

Claz the person: He’s one in a million. He’s playful and affectionate, he loves children and children love him. He can’t wait to be a dad.

Claz is honest… always honest. He’s childlike in some ways, which isn’t an insult, it’s actually a beautiful quality. Claz trusts everyone and doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body. He has a huge heart, and it’s worn on his sleeve. When he hurts, he hurts hard.

More than anything else in the world he adores his two cavoodles, Billy and Benji, and happiness to him is going home to his parents’ place in Echuca where his puppies “go off chops” when they see him. He says, “They love me no matter what.”

But the most amazing thing about Clarrie is his ability to remember… pretty much every single thing anyone says or does. His memory is insanely accurate and as we’ve agreed, that’s not always a good thing, but at times it’s a great thing.

I often bemoan the polished yet guarded and vanilla responses that many players pump out to the media, so Clarry is a breath of fresh air in this respects.

It was his bang in the bang bang bang that really put the exclamation mark on the play and probably also broke the back of the Bulldogs spirit. It's a pity that Sparrow, who nailed the bang before in a great moment won't be out there to celebrate with Clarry today.

Any assertion that Clarry doesn't deserve to be at the MFC now is totally misguided. I remember (as many here probably do too) Clarry's humble beginnings at out footy club. It was a struggling shambolic mess of a team on the feild. Clarry came in as an underrated 18 yo kid and quickly stamped his mark on the comp as one of, if not the best young players of the competition in a bottom four side.

He could have easily walked to another club after two years like that $cully bloke did before him. Him sticking around helped us build a core midfield team around him, Trac and Viney. Even in subsequent years 2018 - 2020 when he was an undoubted top 10 player in the comp, he could have sought out success at one of the power clubs of the time. But Clarry stuck fat with the MFC and played a key part in the only flag in my lifetime.

As a supporter I highly value loyalty in our players, but it cuts both ways. The way the club leadership including Goodwin, Gawn and Brad Green 'put its arms around' Clarry in his darkest times is something that I'm proud of. Clarry is also known as a manic trainer, with the bigger problem at times being holding him back from training too hard- he'llget back to his best, don't worry about that.

Congratulations on 200 games Clarry. Red and Blue through and through and really hope we get to celebrate his milestone with a great win ❤️‍🔥💙❤️‍🔥💙

5 hours ago, BangBnagBang said:

Be ready for the meltdown when Tmac is dropped again and Petty plays back

Tmac was dropped to let Disco play back. It was never Tmac or Lever.

Maybe, but seems T Mac, May and Disco can all play in the same team - well at least sometimes (Carltons plethora of tall forwards may have something to do with it).

On 16/07/2025 at 15:33, Ollie fan said:

Completely agree with this. Re dropping TMac: I thought it was terribly sad as he had been playing very well, is a real trier, and has given great service to the Club. However, clearly the Club thought that lever was a better player and that is a reasonable thing to say. You can't have four tall defenders in the one team. Goodwin is very much a believer in developing cohesion which no doubt is why some players remain in the team despite one or several bad games. I think selection integrity is very much a changeable term.

Largely Agree Re T Mac Vs Lever. I understood the rationale at the time, but in hindsight, it was a bit of a punt that didn't pay off. Lever has looked underdone and struggled to get back to his best form since he returned. Also at the time T Mac was dropped, we still had a sniff of finals in our season and he just might have made enough difference to get us a few more wins and we'd still be in it. But everything is clear and beautiful in hindsight hey.

The calculation these days is that quality players like Lever, Viney, Trac etc don't usually need a run in the twos to get back in form, but I do wounder if it wouldn't be a prudent move sometimes in marginal circumstances.

It's also somewhat disappointing that T Mac may well not get the opportunity to get to 250 games, when in alot of ways I think he deserves that honour, but will likely fall just a few short.

Conversely I'd also like to see Adams blooded before the season is out.

On 15/07/2025 at 17:37, sue said:

Was arm-chopping against the rules years ago? Or is it a relatively new rule?

5 hours ago, layzie said:

I never knew why the arm chopping rule came in and don't know why it has lasted this long to be honest. A key forward worth their salt in physical strength can be arm chopped all day and still pull marks in.

Doesn't get nearly enough heat that rule.

When I played juniors I recall assistant coach who had played U19s footy for Collingwood back in the 70s (Bruce Armstrong I recall) who gave us the advice based on his playing days that if you can't reach to punch the ball, then punch the inside of their arm, such that even if they hold the mark, at the end of the day they will have a sore/brused arm. That's pretty much the Collingwood way right?

14 hours ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

Don’t disagree, however forwards can block defenders for their key targets as well. The thing that does my head in about the game is that “incorrect disposal” isn’t a thing anymore. You have people being tackled that don’t kick or handball the footy ie incorrect disposal that get rewarded with free kicks for holding the man. It’s fundamentally wrong.

Totally agree. The other aspect is when the ball spills free and is taken away by the team that incorrectly disposed of it and becomes part of a quality forward ball movement chain. The tackling team is actually disadvantaged in these instances, which is counter to what should be the case.

With respect to holding the ball in general, I feel that the AFL has also let it slip on two aspects:

1. The time allowed to dispose of it has gone up drastically from the 80s;

2. Players are being allowed to dive on the ball and being penalised in very few instances, which is also a significant relaxation from when that rule was bought in. Only if it gets raked back in blatantly are the always called or at others its a lottery;

The impact of 1 & 2 is to slow up and bottle up the game more.

Great article. My favourite quote Re his preference for playing forward or back:

"I love playing both positions, so as long as we're winning games I honestly don't mind where I play," Turner said.

Top attitude, which I really hope is shared by all our players

43 minutes ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

Clarko’s response to Spaz being knocked out:

“It is pretty hard going from competing in the ruck with big Max to then trying to lay a tackle within a split second. It’s unfortunate for Tom, but injuries happen”. Then mentioned LDU knocked out last week, and said “It swings in roundabouts,” what!?

What a grub. WHAT tackle?!!!! Swing his arm out, just one arm to the face. Thats a tackle?

4 weeks. Minimum.

Typical. Clarko is a C [censored].

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

You would be giving Melksham and TMac another 12 months on todays Performance.

Lever is now a serious liability, Playing him in such a crucial position has to be looked at long and hard

If Lever isn't right physically, then it's well time to rest him and/or get him operated on and get him right for next year.

He doesn't need more exposure at AFL level to be a great player.

Give the opportunity to those that need it (Adams) or those that deserve it (T Mac).

If he's just out of form, then he needs to suck up a few weeks at Casey like anyone else. He's always been painted as a great leader, so that really shouldn't be beyond him. If it is, then trade him for someone with real leadership qualities (but I don't think that's the case).

11 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

How good was Max's goal from 50? Just flushed it

Never ...in ...doubt

55 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Staggered that we can’t find a place for TMac in the side. There has to be a role.

Sign Melksham for another three.

Seriously for the love of God, just play T Mac every game between now and the end of season if he's fit. Way more impactful than Lever is at the moment and deserves to end his career on a high if he doesn't go round next year (which I feel he possibly could, but probably won't).

8 minutes ago, layzie said:

Very happy with Bayley Fritsch's game today. 3 goals and 21 possessions (career high?). Found space and his instincts were to help the team today.

One slight worry - 0 tackles and 4 pressure acts. When you're finding space and getting opportunities like he did today then you don't worry about the defensive side, but he is not going to get the space he did today against a lot of the other sides in the competition. When his leads are blocked and the forward 50 marks aren't happening this is when most of us notice the lack of defensive pressure and being able to offer something other than his 1 wood. I hope we can see more of this from now till the end of the season, or just keeping hitting him lace out.

I honestly thought both Fritta and Tracs lack of defensive intensity in the first quarter was woeful.

Did think they somewhat redeemed themselves by the end of the game, but seriously when we were on a hiding to nothing after 4 losses on the trot, you'd hope they would have showed a lot more endeavour and despiration - it's almost like they think that's beneath them.

If they want inspiration, just look at T Mac up the other end of the ground.

11 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Xerri had no reason to put his arm out like that. He lost the contest already.

I don’t think he meant to knock him out, but he did and for that he gets 3-4 weeks.

Kozzie got 3 weeks for something that was a clumsy footy act. Xerrie should get 4 - 6 weeks. But he won't.

43 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

18.11 on the windiest of windy days

Go figure right!

The joys of following the MFC. Lol

5 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

T Mac has been a good inclusion

Just about BOG for us at this point.

Has anyone got some tissues for @picket fence ?

Seriously Petracca, Fritta just let them walk the ball out of our forward line, no pressure.

Not good enough - how about a bit of desperation?

Pertracca is just hanging out for loose balls in the forward line.

Drop them both and let them rot at Casey.

Think this is an important game for morale.

My take on the past 3 - 4 weeks is that while we havent exactly put the cue in the rack, we've been happy to prioritse blooding new players and perhaps being willing to cop the hits on the scoreboard in an attempt to persevere with ball movement methods in game conditions.

Comes a time where loosing week after week has a debilitating effect and we really need to get another win on the board.

9 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I would’ve had Kolt as sub but I can see Windsor as an effective sub with his run and dash in the last quarter.

Yes agree effective, but wasteful.

2 hours ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

Melbourne App doesn't show me my Membership Tickets for this game...

Anyone else have issues?

Good old fashioned plastic membership card never let's me down (except for the two I lost at the start of the season 🙄)

8 hours ago, Chook said:

I would shake my head and wryly laugh if/when our backline actually functions better with Tom McDonald.

You mean like it was before we dropped him?

3 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

I got them at $4.50 (I back against us every week and have done for almost 10 years). But I’d never say Go North. Shame on you, BDA! 😂

Yeah, like tipping against your side, you don't mind loosing the cash if we win and at least you have the consolation of the bet if we loose.