Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Was woundering where this was going for a while, thought it might have been something to do with swerving to hit Adelaide supporters which would have been just as scientifically credible and morally justifiable.

Great into and summary all in the first para: "Nothing fuels media lust for AFL content like a good off-field controversy. Particularly when it's the off-season and there's nothing else to write about." It does also make me wounder about the weird commercial media landscape we now live in, when some of the only decent reporting comes courtesy of an American sports channel / news outlet.

F#@% Warner Brothers - that they could take out some garbage trademark over one of our national animals is absurd, similar to that of ugg boots (which will probably feature heavily in the official Tassie Devils merchandise).

That's pretty much as I have it. Impressed with our improved delivery into the forward line against Carlton and the scoreline could have looked even more dominant if Fritsch and JVR kicked with their normally elite accuracy. If we can win enough games early and then build towards finals without the consistent injuries we had last season, I think we are right up there again. Yes we've lost Gus, but we played almost half the season without Clarry last year and still managed. Will be interesting to see if Collingwood can back up again. They have the oldest list in the comp and with Scott Pendlebury (36 at the start of the season), Steele Sidebottom (33), who are still pretty key. I think their come from behind mode of winning games is confidence based and could set them up for the wheels to fall off completely if they loose a few on the trot. They now also have to well and truely deal with being the hunted every week and let's see how the deal with that. Brisbane have a good opertuity to finish in top, through having the biggest home ground advantage of all the contenders.

The other not so subtle messaging from the club through out all this turmoil is that the club and it's leaders are right behind supporting Clayton and Joel, as apparent from Goody's presser this morning. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/1499693/opening-round-media-conference-simon-goodwin?videoId=1499693&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1709508015001 Also the usual 'boring' Goody talk of putting in place processes and Oliver needing to demonstrate himself, etc. But all in all I think the united front that our leaders have shown in being behind and supporting Clayton and Joel has been admirable, even if at times challenging and providing some slightly clumsy robotic responses to media questioning.

I've not seen alot of him in seasons past, but in the two practice matches this year, he looks alot like another Judd McVee type - defends his opponent well, then has good composure when he gets his own pill.

Agreed. On a related note, the new colours on Jack Ginnivan look even more putrid than the old ones!

I'm on board the Sydney death ride for sure. Still good odds that a pick in the late 20s early 30s could bring us a quality player. A good reference point for me is that we got Tommy Sparrow with pick 27. The other great value that I get out of a death ride like this is the satisfaction of seeing a side that I despise do badly, without getting the full return for the low ladder position via the draft. I'm still somewhat seething with the way the Swans beat us in the 2022 finals series and think they have been over pandered to in recent years. Unless the Dogs totally tank, finish on the absolute bottom (not going to happen) death riding them is pointless. Even then, it would likely end up mid third round by the time all the compensation and accademey picks have well and truely diluted the draft. As an asides, from my research for this post, I learnt that Tom Sparrow's middle name is Frank.

I agree with all the above, but I think one key differentiator between Clarry and all those others mentioned is that he's got the most 'Star Power' of any of the aforementioned and to a certain extent that makes him a bigger story for the media to get their claws into.

But there's no way Rodney would have played the next week if he did what Maynard did. Equally, there's no way Maynard would have played the next week if he did what he did and Rodney was out there.

You are dealing alot in 'rumors' with these 'strong connections' here. Who are these suposed connections? Richo and the boys are playing a Team game, something the Ox didn't do off feild at his time at the club, so he should bit his tounge or get behind them. I don't give a flying what the media say. Media said we were metally weak wouldn't make finals in 2021. I'll rate our pre-season, post seaon - based on on feild results, not media rubbish.

I'm thinking we're ending up at an agree to disagree kinda place here SWYL. If he's well connected and he cares so much, then why don't he have the info Richo had and/or isn't he talking the same tune as the leadership? Max, Viney and Goody & Co are the leaders that took us to a flag and 3 top 4 finishes in as many years - something we never really came close to in Schwartz's time at the club. I'll back them over anything Schwartz has to bleat on about.

Yeah, nah. Read the article it says he has no real knowledge to speak of, he's just assuming and adding to the pile on. If he loves the place, he needs to learn not to be such a loose cannon and just adding to the external pressure. If he's really concerned, why not get more involved and have a chat to Maxy or Richo?

Itching for this game and the season to begin. It's been a long off season without alot of joy as a supporter this year, but I did really like some of the signs we showed against Carlton in particular. Backs to the wall, it's time to stand up and let our footy do some talking. Won't be getting too carried away whether we win or loose this one game, but looking for us to build another dominant season where we are in control for most of the year and build into finals like in 2021 - just hope we don't get decimated by injuries again like last year.

I hope this guy is saving him self for the real deal kicks a bit straighter in front of goal against Sydney than his pre-season games.

I think it's about time the AFL step up and defend the MFC a bit more on this one - but they won't, because they'd rather leave us as scape goat than deal with things than have more open and reasonable discussion that spoke about recreational drug use across the industry and comunity in general.

Thanks. Haven't listened yet - what's was Garry Lyons take? It's been somewhat disappointing for one of our past greats in David Schwarz to go adding to the pile on without any real evidence to speak of: https://wwos.nine.com.au/afl/news-2024-melbourne-demons-david-schwarz-clayton-oliver-joel-smith-troubles/15b35324-f219-45f1-8be9-49553ebbb778 BTW, from what I recall of the story of Schwartz's influence on club culture with gambling, he's the last one that should be having go at the club on this basis or blasting other player's for their off feild problems - apparently some forms of addiction and abuse are more forgivable than others. Loved him as a player (On feild), but from what I can see, I think his contribution to the club since has been overly negative and critical at times, which is disappointing.

Well I certainly hope Taj doesn't take Gus's role in that way.

Agree. Incidentally, I don't recall seeing him in the Richmond scratch match in either game. Is he injured at the moment or did I just miss him. Reckon he's got star quality and character written all over him - both things that Gus played with from day dot.

Do Collingwood supporters have teeth?

Are you for real? Is this sarcasm? Or actually a post by a Collingwood supporter trolling?

What do you expect? We were a laughing stock for all of my generation, we finally crack it and then we're back to being a failure after a flag and consecutive top 4 finishes in the two years since - really? I'm proud of my club and I say a big F U to any that want to keep sh##ing on us. Yes we're still to forfill that illusive premiership on the G, but not for lack of being in the race. Biggrst one hit wonder, pfft. Yeah nah. And I'll say, we're down right now, but not out of the race for another just yet either, so a premature call at best.

When we are loosing in games, I'm normally eternally opermistic that we can fight back and somehow win, but I'd given us up for dead that night against Geelong. It wasn't just being down by 40 odd points, it was also that we'd only kicked 4 goal for the game and seemed like we couldn't buy a goal. When we came back and won, with Max taking that mark in the dying seconds and then actually slotting it through, I went bisurk. The next day my neighbors at my place in Qld (who arn't big AFL people) told me, that they could hear that Melbourne had won. In the minutes after the game I got calls from my MFC supporting dad and sister and we couldn't beleive we'd just won that game. It was similar with that bang bang bang, the way we turned the momentum from looking like another GF going down the toilet half way the 3rd to the most dominant MFC premiership in history. After all that pain we'd gone through in the ten years prior and the 2 other failed GFs I've been to in my lifetime - absolutely unbelievable. Still craving the feeling of winning one at the G and being there though.

From mid way through the third quarter, that really set the tone for our finals series to come. We'd been good and building in the games prior, but I think beating the Cats the way we did on their home deck built belief that we belonged.

I know it's not exactly the same, but I also feel there is a sense of camaraderie and bond created within the die hard supporters of a team such as ours that stick fat with the team through years of turmoil and then finally winning one. I sense this with my mates that grew up supporting they club, who were quick to call in a state of euphoria when we won in 2021, but also people I didn't know at the time and we both realise are MFC supporters - doesn't take much to realise how dinkum they were with their support and following of the team, when you reminisce about seasons past in the 80s/90s or whenever they seriously followed them and how good we were when we cracked it in 2021.