Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I can also suggest a next assignment for PJ. Since he did do well with his last basket case, I suggest that he be nominated to run for PM. I'm sure he would do a better job than any of the muppets we have presently got in Canberra. Kind of has a ring to it too - "PJ for PM!!"

Just reflecting on Peter's time and presence at the club, despite the circumstances he inherited at the start, I can hardly remember any administration or board we have had that was as calm, organized and professional. Also can't remember an administration with fewer ex MFC personal (Robbo is almost the only one I can think of). Whilst many have attributed Jimmy Stynes, Garry Lyon and Chris Conelly's time at the club as a negative influence in various respects, from what I can gather, there are also other clubs where it has worked at - as I understand it, Jason Dunstall has a fairly significant involvement at Hawthorn and just thinking about it, closer to home Todd Viney has made a pretty good contribution to the MFC. Would be interested in Peter's thoughts on the role of ex players/'old boys' within footy clubs and also if he feels we should be actively welcoming and promoting more back into the fold at the MFC.

Awesome coup for Demonland. In his time with the club, he really tried to elevate the brand of the club and in paricular the being associated with the name Melbourne as a capital city. Would be interested in hearing Peter's thoughts on what that means for us going forward. Does he believe it is feasible for us to get up there with the 'power clubs' in Victoria in terms of profile, stability and membership base. Would also be interested on his thoughts on the member/supporter demographic and attitudes at the MFC distinct to other clubs.

Hoping that to JKH this one year contract yells "I've got one more season on a good AFL list. I'm going to work my butt off and not die woundering if I could have made it".

Yet if I recall correctly, the opportunity for him to be captain was something that was part of the appeal for him. In retrospect, I think they would have been better off telling Gazza where to go on the captain thing and making Harbrow captain. GWS certainly did alot better making Ward skipper - huge respect for him.

Maybe if we could rookie him, but I think he's more like a 1% chance than 10% and we are better off drafting a kid with good athletic ability, but a bit raw than a Bennell with lifestyle problems as well as recurring injuries. I mean nothing against the guy personally and would love to see him sort his stuff out, I just don't think he is a viable option. If you listen to Mahoney and co, they are also backing Jayden Hunt to have a better preseason and become that outside runner we need. Bailey Freitch would be another, or as something from left field, Frosty could be a pretty difficult match up on a wing, if we have Lever, Oscar and May to hold fort down back.

Actually @drdrake just thinking about things, Liam Jurrah was a bigger waste of talent than Bennell. Wow could that guy play. Imagine him in our side now and the high octane outside run he could provide.

I like the sentiment, but I recon that's what Freo would have thought. I think he's run out of any credits at AFL clubs these days. For Bennell to redeem himself, I recon he would need to put together an injury free season at state level and pull his own act together. Surely there are enough good indigenous leaders out of the game who would be willing to help ...if he pulls his head in and acts himself.

Lol. Was Gaza really a mentor to any of the players at Gold Coast? Star player at the start of his time there, but a pretty average choice of captain and off feild leader I think I'd say in retrospect.

Yeah, Col was somewhat of a waste (waste of high draft pick, spot on a list, waste of free agency by Freo), but I Bennell had way more tallent to start with. Bernie Vince was the best thing to come from the Col Silvia saga.

One of the biggest wastes of talent in the last decade. Probably part of the great legacy that Karmichael Hunt left at the Suns.

GWS also lost Treloar to the Pies which [censored] me (forget what they got in return). Treloar is a better player than Shiel in my veiw. If I was GWS I definitely would have wanted to keep Treloar.

Thought he struggled a bit in his first game back against the Suns, but just kept getting better as the season rolled on. Earlier in the season before he had even played again, some on here were suggesting (hoping) that he might come back into the side and provide some X factor for finals. To be honest, with the run the MFC have had with cronic injuries I'd pretty much conceded that he wouldn't play again, but was pleasently surprised. All this in the context of his tragic personal circumstances. Really shows the great character of the guy and you can understand how he would be such a good influence on the younger guys like Oliver that I recall it was reported he shares a house with. As suggested above, really hope we don't loose him, but wouldn't begrudge him for leaving under the circumstances and he has already made a pretty valuable contribution to the MFC in the time he has been here.

Probably one of the real improvements I think he made after comming back in the back half of the season was cutting out most if not nearly completely the absolute clanger turnovers where he would kick it out on the full or straight to the opposition at short range. My other observation was that even the times he did turn it over after really taking on the game, it didn't hurt us so much, because he'd gained so much ground for us that we had time to reset our defense rather than it turning into scoring opportunities for the opposition, probably also in part due to the rest of the team transitioning back into defense around these plays as well.

His goal kicking is generally absolutely supurb. I had a bit of a dig on Demonland at one point that his goal kicking was off for a few games (cumulating with the Sydney game) there because he wasn't kicking at his usual +80% accuracy. I was actually giving the guy a complement for his usual superhuman accuracy, but another poster thought I was being serious, took it to heart and thought I was being a bit harsh. Tommy himself admitted later that week that his goal kicking hadn't been what it could have been, but that he'd identified a few things that he wasn't doing right, but that he'd done some practice that week and thought he had sorted it out. Low and behold, from that point in the season onwards, his goal kicking was back to it's superlative normal. His one grab pack marks are also such a treat to watch. Love big Tommy Mac and really hoping that Oscar turns into a similar build and player in seasons to come.

Awsome news from Demonland's resident time traveler. In all seriousness though, I'm looking forward (pardon the pun) to what he can produce in 2019, given that he had a pretty interrupted preseason this year with his foot issues.

One of the other things I really like about Frosty is his ability to really put the boot into it. That kick out against the Hawks in the semi was something else. Also remember him slotting through a similar length kick for a goal a few years back (against North perhaps?). Will be interesting to see what the future holds for Frosty. If we were to pick up May, could we be looking to turn him back into a ruck/forward perhaps? The addition of May would make things interesting all round, as from what I understand, May can play forward pretty well himself. I'm also wondering if Frosty might even be used as part of a trade for May, as were we to pick up May, either he or O Mac could become a bit redundant.

Reminds me of Sean Wight more than any other player on our list, the way he can come from nowhere with a diving spoil. Love his ability to read the ball comming down and courage to run off his man to spoil or intercept, best example I recall was him playing off Lance Franklin to spoil, the week or so after Franklin had booted a bag and won Sydney the game off his own boot. That time he evaded and burnt off Franklin like the latter was standing still was a rare highlight from an ordanary game.

I haven't really seem much other than highlights from his time at Casey, but from what I can gather he is a contested ball, bull type of player. Not sure that he has as much footy tallent, but could be important to us if we lost Vandenberg. Depth isn't something that should be underrated in my veiw, neither having too many on ball bulls. Asides from Viney, we had a pretty good season injury wise in the guts and I also though Vandenberg's impact in the last 6 games or so of the season was pretty important to us.

Will go down as one of my favorite players for the MFC. It's a pitty that his career was somewhat of a fringe player and that's not how I will remember him as a footballer.

Interesting stat on the MFC site player reviews "Lewis was also amongst the best at the club for ball use by foot, ranked third, with an average of 8.3 effective kicks per game." Not particularly surprising, but evidence for what many have observed.

Not quite sure what the inferance is there. We are now up to 8 delisted/retired and possibly still a few to be traded. Obviously we need someone to step up and step into a replacement for the role Lewis plays, but I don't think that would be at his expense. That said, I do find the reference to Cross above intersting. From what I recall, Crossy was keen to play another year, but the club not so inclined. I guess part of the difference could be that Jordan was already contacted for next year, whereas Cross may not have been.

All this bartering, cloke and dagger double speak does make you think that having a good poker face would be a pretty highly rated skill for those in list management.

I recon that Freo want Hogan more than we want May, so if them trading Neale for unders gets them closer to a Hogan trade, then I think they would cave.

Forgot to add Jim Stynes Memorial medal for comunity service to the list of honors for the year. Top effort by Nev in that respects and does further demonstrate the quality of his character.