Rodney (Balls) Grinter

You mean we have escaped from 'The Twilight Zone!'.

If we are playing the sort of footy that puts us in premership contention, I really don't think it matters who we double up on as we should be better than 50/50 against the best sides. It's also a double edge sword in a good way. Every time we play a good side, it's also a chance for us to deny them 4 points as well. In the context of playing Adelaide twice last year, our two victores against them essentially kept them from playing finals.

...because watching the side get smashed in an empty stand was more fun? Hmmm

Rd 2 - BAM

Agree with 90% of what you are saying here, but I really do feel like we have been short changed for Jesse, based on the hit and miss rate of KPPs in the draft. A proven commodity should always be worth more than an unknown. Just look at Josh Schache and Tom Boyd as two virrually failed top draft pick KPPs. Yes we got May, KK and a little bit of loose change, but I recon that in the scheme of things: 1. Freo got a bargain; 2. We got somewhat short changed and; 3. The Suns got completely shafted. Basically they got pick 6 for x 2 top 10 club B&F players - one a pretty solid defender and the other a running player who has been a bit patchy for the last few years (like if we traded Brayshaw at the end of last year). Pick six could be the next Lucas Cook, just an average on baller or a pretty remote possibility of being a superstar - more than likely it will be one of the first two. I don't buy the injury doubt thing. Not only have Freo got a known commodity, but compared to a raw draft pick, they have also got a player with half a dozen years devopment already put into him and raring to go in his prime physical maturity for a KPP. I still hold the view that free agency has skewed the system way too far in favor of players, because the club that recruits them doesn't have to give up anything with respects to draft value. Would the Tigers have thought twice about Lynch if they had to give up their first and second round draft picks for him? The draft has become broken as an equalisation tool when players can serve a few years on a list and then walk to basically anyone they chose to as occurs these days.

Agree. Will be over half a decade since we have played West Coast at the G.

Unfortunately I don't know that winning a flag will end the curse as such, but I'm pretty sure that when we do win one, these guys will be remembered and celebrated as valuable parts of the journey. Soo sad. Rest in peace Col. Gone, but not forgotten. Every heart beats true for the red and blue.

Just hurry up and release the whole bloody draw, I want to start making some travel plans for 2019. Does anyone know when the AFL are releasing it?

This is the biggest downside to me. The MFC needs to capitalise financialy during any period of sucess and gate takings are one good revenue stream. A game against practically any Victorian team would draw a much better crowd than Port. Yes we get to play other Victorian teams over the course of the season, but generally Rd 1 draws a bigger crowd in it's own right. MFC supporters need to get to this game on mass and create a cauldron like atmosphere, to make sure we get half a dozen cheap free kicks like Port did at their dung heap this season , just to make well and truly sure we get over the line. Get the win and hopefully we build the crowds throughout the season.

Not that bloody literally, but it wouldn't hurt if he was the equivalent of a killer on the footy feild. Every good team gains from having a few players with a bit of mongrel and killer instinct, providing that agression is well focused and controlled. Watching how he plays, I think Spargo fits that mold pretty well.

It might be a slightly sensitive question to ask of Josh, given he was somewhat touted for the top job, but I'd genuinely be interested to know how things are settling in under new CEO Gary Pert. Has been a pretty low key transition and not without some frenzied media style controversy, but we shouldn't walk on eggs shells forever and I think it's time that the MFC members and suporters get in behind Gary a bit more and give him our suport as we drive towards the ultimate sucess.

He was pretty firey as a first year player and that could get even more accentuated as he gets more physical strength and confidence. Could almost be said to have the personality of Chucky as well. Could be a good asset to have a player that gets under the skin of the opposition and their supporters every week. Could be our improved version of Hayden Ballantyne.

Wow. The star pulling power that Demonland has is impressive. I noticed that Maxy also gave Demonland a bit of a shout out in his B&F speach. That these players and officials of standing keep rocking up to give interviews is a real credit to the manner in which the moderators and administrators at Demonland run the forum. Well done guys.

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.

Can we rookie list him maybe? Really? Yep, go back 4 - 6 years and anyone that had played a game for Geelong but wasn't in their absolute best 22 was still a champion player starved of opportunity by playing for the footy club with the team of the century. How times change. PLEEEEEASSSE let them come full circle and let people speak of the MFC like this one day!

@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.

How about Robbie?