Rodney (Balls) Grinter

It will take some getting use to being in that position again.

Meer details. Who watches the cricket anyway, we're crap. Tell them to go play at the Junction Oval.

Pure gold. Love the Coodabeens. "...He's daggy but he is cool, didn't go to no private school..." "...if he wasn't drafted by the Dees he'd still be driving a pizza van..." Maxy is definitely my kind of bloke. Should be more AFL footballers like him.

We have an oval already right in the middle of Yarra Park. It's called the MCG. It's our home ground. That's where we should train.

I haven't read the article ( probably can't get through the pay wall anyway ), but if Labor are not supporting it, is that actually the same as them opposing it? Or could they still be leaving themselves open to the position of letting normal development appovals process take it's course without ditect state government interference? i.e. are they taking a more neutral position and their lack of support could be read more that they are not proposing to contribute funds towards construction like various governments have for things like Kadinia Park and the Western/Whitten Oval redevelopments?

Did a quick Google search to confirm the abbreviation of the term and this thread from mid 2011 came up. Practically premonish at the time. I guess it was probably Watts being referred to, but it could also somewhat apply to the end result we achieved with Trengove although I'don't say it was more his foot and our medical team's management of it than the player himself being the dud. Personally I managed to get through the bad years with a generally positive attitude having thought we were a sneaky chance of making finals in 2016, being moderately confident that we would beat Collingwood in 2017 and maintaining the faith most of 2018 (that Sydney loss shook me a bit), but still thinking we could knock of at least one of WC or GWS to finally play finals this year. However, strangely I think I may be fighting off a late onset of MFCSS of late. It's not really the Jessy leaving thing (disappointing in a way, but it is and I'm over it for now and getting May does help offset the loss to an extent), but more a feeling that as good as what we have built to this point is looking, there is still so much work to do and thateverything could still fall apart badly from here.

Why would he be happy? Looking at the top photo, looks like he has just got dressed in his new employers uniform and is about to start his shift down at your friendly local supermarket. Bit of a demotion.

Well one of those 3 was when we played GC second time around and we gave them such a shalacking that hardly anyone in the whole GC team got a kick, so KK's underwhelming performance in that game is hardly surprising. Imagine saying that about a MFC game 3 or 4 years ago, how times have changed for the better. Having concussion problems is quite from having depression and motivational problems like Balic, not that he was that much of an issue for the MFC anyway. I think that worked out ok for both parties as it was. We knew what we might have been up for, so only had him contacted for a year, so no huge damage done with things ending as they did. I do have much better expectations for KK though.

Sounds like the Josh Mahoney podcast interview has already been recorded. So @Demonland, did you ask Josh how serous the conversation got to including Andrew Brayshaw as part of the Jessie Hogan deal?

Gawn is really a pretty good kick for goal (particularly for a ruckman). There was that absolute numpty of a kick after the siren in Rd 1 and one or two more similar to it in the next few weeks, but after that he tidied up his goal kicking nicely. He kicked a number of great goals in pressure times of the game from 40 - 50m out a number of times during the season and those two checkside/bananas from right out on the boundary against Essendon are ones that not even some forwards and mids kick reliability. Not only did Gawn nail that first on from the boundary against Essendon, but ten minutes later he went back and did it all again to prove it wasn't a fluke. The sledge he gave the Essendon supporter afterwards was pure gold and another 'Max Gawn Classic Moment'!

Thought he came across pretty genuine and provided sensible answers without too many stock standard modern footballer clechés. Did seem a bit nervous though and not as polished as some, which is kind of refreshing in a way.

Too right. Lynch is a pretender.

Frost tidied up his disposal and decision making in the second half of the season considerably. Agree that he does sometimes mis-judge marks (normally by running way under them), but also takes some rippers. Would like to see how his % of winning marks stacks up against some of the key forwards he plays on, I recon it would be pretty fair. Similarly some of the forwards he plays on grossly misjudge marks and he takes an easy one. Either way it's a turn over, just looks worse for a backman at that moment, but equally how many plays did Frost initiate, where he broke lines and we went practically coast to coast and goaled as a result? It was a fair few. I don't see why people don't think Frost won't continue getting better. I recon there is more possibility of teaching an older dog new tricks, than turning a boxer into a greyhound. At the end of the day, I also just love watching this guy play - seeing guys take the game on and go on big runs, taking big grabs and kicking big torpes is what makes the game exciting to watch and Frosty does all three pretty well.

@stevethemanjordan regards your opening line, let's face it - our whole team has gone from a shambles to strength in the last four years. ... and Fing god (actually Roosy, Viney, Taylor and Co) for that!!

Hey Man, I'll agree that May is a good addition to our side, but I think your looking through some pretty rosey coloured glasses of him in a few respects. You make out like he is some kind of messiah and to borrow a well worn quote from Monty Python: "He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy" Admittedly I didn't pay super close attention to May this season, but the impression I got was that he was somewhat ordanary on the whole and was somewhat playing on his reputation from seasons gone by. I watched his game against us at the Gabba on replay again the other week and he really didn't do anything special that game (except for a 55m goal from the boundary). Sure he took a few cheap marks as a loose man on the last line of defense, but didn't really impact in his main role as the No.1 key defender on the ground - Tommy Mac and Jesse ran a mock that game. I can give May a bit of a break for that game in the sense that he was playing after coming back injured to an extent, but I'm not sure that our own supporters sometimes cut O Mac or Frost that kind of slack for their poorer games (everyone points to Oscar's last Qtr Vs Geelong, but with delivery to Hawkins that good, who really would have stopped him?). I'm also happy to accept that the team environment and performance at the Suns has been some kind of influence on May. I think a true leader may have shone above it, but also that all people are human. I am encouraged that in his interview presently up on the MFC website May acknowledges that he became complacent and needs to lift his game (how refreshing that a player comming to the MFC knows they need to be at peak performance to fit in!). I think you are stretching it though to suggest that May is as quick as Frost. I have no doubts that May is a better all rounded footballer, but I will be mightily impressed if he has the pace and acceleration of Frost. I actually find the assumptions and notions that either of Oscar and Frost being relegated to obscurity pretty uninsightful. Both these players had games in season 2018 that they would rather forget and both also had bloody rippers of games and streaks of form. Oscar started well and somewhat tapped off and Frost was ordanary early and finished like a house on fire. Going forward Oscar will get only stronger and capable of running out the whole season and unlike many, I'm not putting a ceiling on Frost or his capability to learn new tricks. Reality is that even with May, I think we still need one other key back and having competition between Oscar and Frost can't be a bad thing. However the key position spots play out though, I think Lever, Hibbard, Salem, Jetta, Lewis and perhaps Lewis, J Smith and or possibly even Hunt will have a ball playing around them. Like I think we all are, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing our quality back six hit the park together in 2019. GO DEMONS!!

Where there is smoke there is fire. AFL trade whispers: Young Fremantle players could be circuit-breakers for Jesse Hogan deal https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-trade-whispers-young-fremantle-players-could-be-circuitbreakers-for-jesse-hogan-deal/news-story/6d5dbe87393d2fb06af54e56b7e89861 Top sports journalists like Tom Morris don't write this sort of article if there isn't any truth behind the story.

Regards the May be a forward thing, my take is that whilst he has been recruited to play primarily back and that's where he will most likely spend most game time, it certainly doesn't hurt to have some flexibility either in game or within a season to shuffle guys around if things are not going to plan.

The thing where I recon Pruess will be happy to play second fiddle is that he wasn't even that at North last season. I recon he's been told by Goodwin and Co that provided his form is up to it, there will be games where we will: 1. Play two rucks; 2. Rest Max and give him a whole crack; and 3. Possibly see how he goes as a forward option if the Weid is either injured or out of form. Like I say, any of is more that he was getting at North, where I'm guessing that Daw and perhaps others were in front of him for similar roles. Plus he gets to learn from Max and Greg.

Of our current playing group, Frost is the one which most reminds me of Sean. Brilliant athletisim, which he often uses to close in on an opponent and spoil the ball away with a late dive.

Well, until he is a Demon anyway 100% we should do this. Personally I am filthy for Freo about the way they acted with Jessy. I understand there will always be some pull for players to return to their home state and family, but to me Freo were so focused and persistent in white anting out Jessy from the start. I also understand that with the compeditive nature of the league, clubs will always have an interest in getting good players from other teams, but to me, there is a line between trying to attract outside tallent and underhanded poaching. Time to bring Andrew Brayshaw home - I want revenge.

Andrew certainly didn't mind a bit of rough and tumble with big brother when we played them. Made a tackle stick pretty good on Gus, which is a decient effort. Had a bit of a tussle with that bloke from West Coast, Andrew Gaff too I seem to recall.

Sick him Rex ... I mean Josh. Make brother Drew a Demon.

Yeah, maybe. I recon the eagles were just far fresher and more switched on at the start of the game than what we were thay day in the prelim. We had essentially played 4 to 6 weeks of finals, where as they had somewhat costed to the end of the season and played 2 games in a month. It was more our shocking turn overs, though appreciate that is related to physical pressure. If you go back to Rd 22, we hit them physically as hard and with a similar sort of intensity that they did to us in the prelim. My recollection is that had we kicked straight in Rd 22, we probably would have ended up smashing them on the scoreboard by as much as they did to us in the prelim. Key thing for us is that I felt our younger guys started hitting physical maturity as team last year and pushed us over that critical mass in that respects. Guys like Brayshaw, Harmes, etc had the grunt run, rough and tumble in the guts all day. Viney was already a beast. AVB had a big physical presence when he came back. I'm really hoping that as guys like Oliver, Weid, Oscar and the rest already mentioned get that one more preseason into them that it will allow us to absolutely bully, monster and intimidate the opposition like those great Lyons sides of the early 2000s. Then we just need the runners like Hunt and Freitch to find some form, run and dash on the outside. Yes May and perhaps Preuss wI'll somewhat complement that, but I think it will be our physicality all over the ground that will damage sides more so. I also like the idea that Preuss might give us an option much closer in height to plan on the American Cox. If Cox continues to improve, watch out, he could become even more of a wepon and having tall options to nullify him could become pretty important.

Surely Gunstan or Bruest are up for free agency soon? Didn't they kick 40 odd goals for the Hawks this year? Roughead must be close to pulling up stumps and I'd love to steel one of those two off them to totally cripple their forward line for a few years, just to spite them for Frawley. Plus, how good would it be for the WEEEEEEEED to kick it to BROOOOOOOOST and vice versa.

As a bit of a long shot, Sam Frost was recruited to the MFC and played most of his first season with us as a forward. Whilst he never looked completely comfortable forward and has played far better footy for us as a backman, you just never know. Takes a mean grab, that burst of speed he has could be hard to match up on and has a huge boot on him. Frosty could also find it tough competing with Oscar for the second key back role now we have May, however I'd also think that the pace he has could make him quite versatile and I could even see him playing on a half back flank or wing, where his height would also make him very difficult to match up on.