Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I recon Nathan Jones impact on games has been on the wane in the last few seasons, but I'm wondering if he can defy the doubters and put in a few more big seasons to take us to the next level.

Vanders is an automatic selection, he just needs his body to jump out of the ruck as you put it and stay fit for a whole season. Was instrumental in our late season surge. Some were suggesting before he played "what if he makes it back, he could be our finals X factor" and beyond expectations - he did.

He was a Pies supporter as a kid too yeah? Had filth in his heart. Was probably also making a bit of a call on us not developing - love to make him pay on that one. Of all the guys we have lost to free agency, I think Howe was the best footballer.

Malthouse has never been much of a fan favorite and his time as a coach in the modern world of AFL are clearly past him evidenced by his Carlton days. But I fully respect his record as a 3 time premiership coach and always admired the way West Coast just diligently got on with the job, consistently finishing top 4/top 2, the flags they won in that time and wanted the MFC to clinically go about winning in a similar fashion.

He's overrated sooky la la and we have got his measure. Probably the key thing about Geelong is that they don't have many the quality players around to support him any more. Too many frount runners and they aren't a frount running team any more.

He did always have that X factor, could take a big grab and was very coordinated for a guy his size. Was only ever a question if he could get over his injuries and I thought he had a pretty good chance of becoming a good player, but didn't quite see the absolute superstar he has become right from back then.

No worries. I couldn't remember his name when I wrote the original post, but do now - it was Viv Mitchie.

Furthermore, if we had have beaten Geelong and Hawthorn like we should have during the home and away season, then we probably wouldn't have even played them in finals. Geelong wouldn't have made the top 8 and Hawthorn wouldn't have made the top 4 and probably would have been bundled out in the fist week, whilst we would have benifited from having finished top 4. Our performances last year were quite understandable for a youngish side making it's way and establishing experience in big games and establishing beleif in themselves. Looking for us to be that next step further along in our development this year, to start off where we left off towards the end of last year, but to be solid as rock, ruthless, and professionally/mechanically asert our dominance on the competition. I think this is the Goodwin way and hoping it will become know as the Melbourne way sooner rather than later.

My recollection was that the Hawthorn game they had the better of the play, just failed to convert in front of goal. Thus I wasn't surprised at all when a fresh West Coast did the job on us they did. Geelong and Hawthorn are both puss football sides these days. Dangerfield and Selwood are past it. Hawthorn have (had) one good onballer and a bunch of old geriatrics. Game against Geelong should have been over at half time with the gap we put on them in the first quarter, but then we choked up and barely kicked a goal for a quarter and a half and let them back in a game they should never have been in. Need to put sides to the sword in these situations.

Last year we were generally very good at beating the sides below us that we should and stepping on the throat of them. I think we need to do it against good sides and consistently over the whole season. We simply must stand up and win the big games against good teams more consistently than not. Would like to see us beat Richmond, Collingwood and West Coast in our home and away games this year. Call me a harsh critic, but I was disappointed that we didn't totally put Geelong and Hawthorn to the sword in finals much earlier in those games. We did make some big statements with those games, but we also kept them in the game far longer than they deserved to be. I don't care if we loose a few in a upsets this year, so long as we have enough buffer on our ladder position and are able to flick the switch against the sides we really need to beat.

The club should try and broker a personal sponsorship for Harmes from Colgate, Oral-B ...or perhaps Racing Victoria.

And that scum bucket $cully right at the other end. Perhaps he was scared Max was going to vomit on him again. Actually just the thought of that little turd makes me want to vomit, so I completely understand why Max reportly did it.

Yep, no room for scum Collingwood supporters around here unless they see the light and start looking one eyed red and blue

Don't need big biceps for tunnel ball.

Absolutely. Similar things could be said about guys like Nev. Stefan Martin and Martin Pike are others in a similar vein that I have serious regrets about us trading, though they might still have been an almost unviable options for various non playing ability reasons. A bunch of guys presently on our list this applies to moving forward (Stretch, JKH, T Smith, Keilty etc). As a supporter I have the luxury and prefer not to make a call on a player's future potential with us, with a few exceptions. I never felt that Freo guy we picked up in Mark Neilds time was any chop - impressive numbers at VFL level, but always looked useless and never produced when he got an opertunity at in our senior side. It's so much easier to be an armchair expert with the benight of viewing things retrospectively and without actual responsibility for making list management calls.

I'd be quite happy for Freo to develop him as a footballer for a few years and for us to pick him up as a free agent in the prime of his career. Sick of us giving up players and draft picks, it's our turn to pillage the lists of other teams and it would be sweet revenge to take him away from Freo like that.

I think Jones is in a situation more similar to Shane Crawford than the other ex Hawks players you mentioned. I don't think anyone would be complaining if Nathan Jones career ends in a similar fashion to Crawford's.

Hate the suspension. Love the reaction from May to the press after the tribunal hearing. Total proffesional and great leader.

Absolutely, it's not like May actually lined him up or deviated to hit him. Bloody Lions player has a duty of care to him self to watch the F where he is running.

Interesting that you still have Preuss in your side Werridee, where others have dropped him like a sack of spuds. I'm also in the boat that he should and will play. From reports I've read Lycett and Ryder have tag teamed well in the ruck and I think we will be looking very seriously towards Preuss to give Maxy a decent chop out. I've been relatively unimpressed by Hore though. Doesn’t appear to have any real weapons, unless he is an A1 stopper, which I didn't see great evidence of from the JLT telecast, but apreciate that sometimes you can get a better understanding of such things watching at the ground. I'd have Frosty over him in a side that included May, but in May's absence, I'd play Freitch half back/wing and have Smith in the side in place of Hore, assuming he pulls up fit in time. Was also very impressed with Petty and he would be another that I would be playing before Hore from what I've seen.

If you lined up against that during a game, you wouldn't need to be a very creative sledger would you? Just point and laugh!

Who would have thought after his first year or two that he would be the pick of this bunch for the red and blue.

One of the best reads from a footballer I've read in a while. He is a unique, lovable and slightly contradictory character Maxy. Very clever, witty, funny and layed back, but has also developed into a highly professional and motivated athlete. Will go down as one of my favorite all time MFC players. Love his closing quote “Really, the only time we can go to an off‑season happy now is winning the flag.”

And here was I thinking that our Bali top clash jumper was bad. I think pleanty of Dogs supporters and players would rather swap a try hard superhero costume for a crap Bali top. Guessing it's all part of the Marvel Docklands stadium sponsorship thingy. The Dogs would want to be making bloody good money out of it. Biggest pawning of a jumper since the m and m baby blues - lol.

"In your first year playing at AFL, you will introduce your first born prematurely. Driving to and from hospitals and training for over a month, until you can take her home to the ‘granny flat’ of your in-laws house, will be exhausting." Not the cushy ride that some over privileged playboy type draftees get. Respect.