Rodney (Balls) Grinter

It's a big punt on Johnson I agree. But if we do run with the angle that as he's mature enough and offers that physical edge and can receive JVR from pinch hitting in the ruck, I could accept that. Personally, I haven't seen quite enough out of the Kolt yet to suggest that he should have a place in the side ahead of Disco, who can and does play very mobile for his size. I'd have Disco in as well, as I think he could be about to really hit his straps next year, take his game that bit further and give us some real potency up forward. Was definitely one of our best forwards last season.

I'm not sure the tribunal and MRO being Pies supporters was the factor in the Maynard case though, because if my memory those people actually initially handed down a reasonable (yet possibly still slightly lenient in hindsight) penalty. I lay the blame more so with Collingwood for taking it to court to challenge what was clear to everyone else in the game an action that shouldn't be accepted and the AFL for not having the gumption to counter challenge Collingwoods legal action or threaten Collingwood into submission before it went to court in the first place by whatever means. The fact the AFL changed rule in the off season was an admission of guilt that they had essentially Fffed up. As for the McGuire behaviour after Maynard got off - don't even get me started. AFL Power club politics at its best.

That's rubbish. The players that can actually get elevation to take screamers do so because they get most of there momentum going up and not forward into the players back. If you can't do that, don't go for the mark in that way and don't raise your knees into their back. What Moore did was like an unrealistic attempt with neglect for the players welfare. Similarly poorly executed attempts like Chol on May should be looked at. Again massive knee raise. From memory it was Chol or someone similar that almost took out someone's head/kneck in the next week. Can't have the head being sacrosanct whe you bump, but then have it being OK to make full contact with a knee during a controlled action. People also say that Maynard was within the rules and do you want to take out players committing to the contest. I think it's all about players playing with an extent more control and being aware that they can't just be human wrecking balls out on the field, but that that still leaves plenty of room to play the game it should be played. It use to be more of the 6' and less athletic types that could actually jump they flew for this sort of mark and now they have given licence to every man and his dog to go for them. Similarly, I don't think players would have got away with jumping straight into someone's back like Chol and Moore way back when, because there would have been an even-upper.

If only they'd seriously investigate Darcy Moore's role in it too. Understand that sometimes incidents/accidents will occur and/or are technically within the rules, but when huge blokes like more through their whole body weight at other players knee first, what do we expect the outcomes to be? I guess the words duty of care and Collingwood players are a but of an oxymoron at best within the AFL.

Further to the Disco getting Gus's number thing, in the Disco video up on the club website, he does mention how honoured her is getting it and how he was quite close with Gus, having stayed with him and his parents when he first came to the club (as I understand many others have also).

I'd also say that Bolten, Kelly and Grundy grossly overpaid for their respective contributions. Grundy somewhat at the expense of Collingwood I hope/assume. Also says to me, how fortunate we are having Max as someone who could have demanded top dollar, but accepted a more modest salary for the benifit of team success. His consistent output justifies a bigger pay day than so many others on that list.

Yeah, also know as the WTF emoji

Lol. Oh, please bring back the faceplam emoji.

So interested in what you see as Chandler's weaknesses and/or if you see him as best 22 long term material? Personally I do rate Chandler for his general tenacity, workrate, ability to find the goals on a fairly regular basis and his reliability in nailing the set shots opportunities he gets. If you're suggesting he's a good overhead mark for his size, then I'd agree with that too. I also get the feeling that he's well liked around the club for his good character and willingness to do the team things.

And the worst haircut at the MFC.

Add Chandler, Woey Jnr and Doggy Brown Jnr to that list IMHO. Sharp is also one that could be in the mix if he can take then next step, secure a regular spot in the team and leverage his great athletisim to fill the ANB role - be it in a younger body, so again more generational rebuild.

Agreed. Biggest problem I see here though, is that Goody is almost always unwilling to throw the magnets around in any significant way, until the match is pretty much lost and there's little to no value in that. Incidently, I can also see the counter argument Goody and the coaches might have as there have also been some great wins we had where we had issues scoring, but persevered with players in their more tried and tested roles and ended up with great comeback wins like 2021 final H&A Vs Geelong and to some extent the 2021 GF. But as a whole I think I've seen far to many games where we have struggled to take marks in our forward 50 and lost the game, despite having forward half dominance and a key back who could clunk big marks like T Mac or Maysie and we went on to loose the game. I'd love to see him have a bit more dare in this respect in seasons ahead.

Great kudos for @Demonland! I'm assuming someone from this forum was the photographer with the scoop?

🤦 improvised.

Party time! Got big rapps on this kid. Think he's hot alot of tricks and alot of heart. Good choice for Gus's old jumper I think. I don't think retiring it for years is nessacery if you've got a worthy recipient good to go.

For me, I think it's Sparrow and Petty that really need it. By some stats I've seen, Sparrow seems fit enough and to be working hard enough, perhaps he just needs to be give a role and granted a bit more freedom to show off his attacking flair and be more damaging to reach his potential. Petty playing backline would help. Spargo probably also needs one to get a spot in the 22 and maintain relevance. Salem is another. Not that they reall 'need' it exactly, but I'd love JVR and Disco to go to that next level and become regularly damaging and dangerous key forwards. An uninterrupted preseason would help several of these guys. If we can maintain a fit list, then I think we could be in a position of having great depth again. I'd really like to see us manage that situation by sufficiently resting players throughout the season to hit finals fit and fresh, as opposed to tired and banged up like in 2022 and 23.

🤢🤮🤬

Cool thanks for clarifying. Recall actually going to one of their grand finals Vs Heidelberg back in the mid/late 90s with my old man and one of his indigenous work colleagues. Was a pretty wild and rough affair both on and off the feild. Somehow I had in my head that this might be a team from Fitzroy Crossing in Northern Australia where maybe their may have been a little more professionalism, although that is probably still pretty grass roots type level and budget. Goes completely with Neville's character to be seeking out a role giving back to the comunity than merely financial gains. Still a great opportunity for him to coach a team in his own right and maybe build towards that at the top level at some point.

Nev's old number for fellow indigenous backman - I like it. Speaking of which, I missed this bit of news: On 8 October 2024, Nev was announced as the senior men's coach of the Fitzroy Stars Football Club for the 2025 Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) season. Also gets him away from that filthy Collingwood bunch, so I'm just as happy about that

Agreed. Not many senior coaches are in the position for 14 seasons. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he reflected and just thought that himself that he was feeling a bit stale as well as his gamestyle amd message to his players. After all, he took over the reigns from Roos in very similar manner. He has got one flag to his name as coach and umpteen as a player, so is not still reaching for that as an unfulfilled achievement. After 14 years on $1M - $2M+ as senior coach, plus whatever he had managed from his playing days, it's not like these guys need to work. Again similar to Roos, he may just ultimately end up walking away from the professional football scene altogether and live a more normal life.

On the topic of hit and miss media from the MFC, here's a few precious seconds of your life you won't get back:

Agree it was an interesting little clip. One moment that stood out to me in a bad way was that scene when they take the group photo / 'media op' with all the other 1st round draftees. "Now have a fake laugh and have a chat to the guy next to you" - comes across so very fake stage managed moment and the way first round draftees are herded through the whole media circus really grated on me. Conversely that scene between Jason Taylor, Lindsay and Reece Conca in the corridor was a ripper I thought. Lindsay talking about the call he'd got the day of the draft from JT and then Conca exclaiming "I didn't get a call from you", to which JT sharply replies "because I wasn't picking you!". Comes across as a bit of a funny quick witted jib/backhander, which I think it is in a sense, but looking back at the 2010 draft, Collingwood didn't get their first pick until 45, so it's probably quite a blunt, honest answer from JT straight off the cuff at the same time. Speaking of which, the post draft interview with JT as always, is a bit of media put out by the club that is a good listen.

Paging @Demonstone and @WERRIDEE

Many are questioning his spot in the side, but something I think this does provide us with the oppertunity to do is play AJ forward in place of Petty and release the later to go back to defence. While he has shown glimpses of potential as a forward, I really do feel that Petty's best position is as a defender, where he adds alot of toughness and can lock down capacity. With both May and Macca getting on in years, both being injury prone at time (though so too Petty), I think our key backing depth is a highly important part of our game, but also an area that I feel has been somewhat neglected in terms of developing tallent in our quest to plug key forward holes. Think this move has the potential to address that in a round about way.