Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Channel 7 comentators overplayed this incident big time and just wouldn't shut up about it all night.  [censored] off.

I think Dermie actually got it right, it was a stupid act, but probably not intended to make quite the contact that eventated.  Scofield's could have been just as bad.  All about the intent and the realitive needlessness, which was similar in both cases.  If anything at least Bugg's was actually in gametime and far closer to being in-play than Scofield's.

Please no one state agan that either McDonald are poor kicks.  Showe'd tonight (as they have many times before) that they are anything but.  Thinking particularly of Tommy - has kicked 9 goals 3 this year and nailed a perfect pass tonight into the forwardline that shows he has the goods.  Was poor with some decision making early in his career and probably lacked confidence and needed to perfect his craft, but he certainly has now, so MOVE ON McDonald haters.

43 minutes ago, jumbo returns said:

Lewis and Bernie really need to STAND UP...

I've probably been in denial for a good 18 months, but my feeling is that Bernie is spent as the dominant midfielder he once was.  I was actually hoping that we could rest him through this period of 3 X 6 day breaks, but injuries stuffed up any such luxury.  A game like tonight would have been the ideal opportunity to throw him in the guts and give us something,  but I get the feeling that it wasn't tried because the club understands his now limitations.  I find this sad, because I love Bernie and everything he has done for the MFC ...now go and prove me wrong Bernie.

4 minutes ago, waynewussell said:

Have watched 1st Qtr on replay since returning from G. Those happy to shove Wagner under the bus are short sighted! He had a very good first Qtr. No way should he be lumped in with White as a dodgy selection. I agree that White had a shocker. Labelling players as VFL standard is dumb! Hannon was playing VAFA standard two years ago. Over the years I've heard the same thing said about Nathan Jones, Sam Frost, Cam Pederson, Oscar MacDonald, and so on. Bugg has copped a lot for his response to being impeded while he was trying to get to the ball. He will get several weeks for that! I loved the way he put his body in the path of a Swan who has was running at Big Max to remonstrate. Bugg has his deficiencies, but avoiding putting his body on the line is not one of them. I think we can do better with selection than we did against Swans... I look forward to Kent's return and I am keen to see J Smith again. Maynard may get a chance and I hope Weiderman can follow up on the progress he made last week. It's not all 'not up to AFL standard' in the VFL. The challenge is to have some synchronicity when a large number of players come in to the best 22. Something that was lacking tonight.

Personally I thought White was the wrong selection on team ballance, not a bad selection per say.  Garlett should have been replaced with like with one of Kennedy, JKH or Kent.  Playing Hunt forward to start was a loose loose.  I would have picked Wagner over White, I wasn't unhappy, but suprised to see White get a go an was hoping that it could have been some kind of inspired move, but not to be.  

Hinsight is a beautiful thing.

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

Can we play on Thursday night next week?

2 hours ago, Chook said:

Over the past month, I've forgotten what it feels like to lose. I don't like it.

2 hours ago, bringbackthebiff said:

Crap umpiring, crap commentators. But realistically they were too good, too strong. That's the standard for contested footy. 

Thought about starting a new topic "Why I now hate Friday night games":

1.  We lost.

2.  We lost.

3.  We lost.

4.  Six day breaks;

5.  Brian Taylor;

6.  Brian Taylor;

7.  Brian Taylor;

8.  Bruce McAvaney.

29 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

6 T.Mac (showed amazing leadership all night and with Gawn badly beaten, our only tall marking option)

5 Hibberd (Kept providing run from defence, but a couple of unusual errant kicks was only demerit)

4 O-Mac (As with the Pies game, needed to fire up and once he did he showed he is more than capable at this level)

3 Viney (Clearly our best to half time. A disaster if he is out for long with Jones missing as well).

2 Trac (Two very classy goals manufactured from nothing, but unable to provide any lead-up work)

1 Tyson (Just pipped Melky and Frost. Clean all night but unable to conjure any major brilliance)

Agree with the general theme of all posters.

Thought it was a good game from Melksham.  His form over the last three or four weeks has been pretty good and I think he's actually one of those, along with Oscar who have actually got better over this period.

Big NO from me.

What would we possibly get in return? Probably  something equivalent to a 3rd Rd, possibly a 2nd Rd pick at best with an exchange of 3rd Rd picks or something stupid like that.  We will have a 2nd and 3rd Rd pick this year, so why trade a potential gun for that.  We've carried Lumumba on our list this year (stupid bloody AFL rules), so I'm sure we could even Cary Gus for another year I'd that's what it would take.

Probably something of a topic for another thread, but someone mentioned loyalty as a two way street.  If there is anyone at Melbourne that should extend to it's Jack Trengove.  Almost forgotten, but I'd love to see this guy play at the top level again, and I think the MFC should keep him on the list until  either says enough, can't hack it at VFL level or makes it back into the senior side - hopefully the latter.

4 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Punch that idiot Dermie for me. 

Dermie, punch that idiot David King back twice as hard.

18 hours ago, Wells 11 said:

Im not sure why the negativity really. He just came out in print and tipped us as possible premiers. hes about the 3rd now and  THAT hasnt happened since ...actually cant remember anytime in my lifetime that has happened. Its hard to believe and feels like Im opening up to a bigger hurt if it all goes terribly south. And its hard not to feel that imagining it wont somehow jinx the team.....like moving seats in the middle of comeback or something. But, god strike e down for sayng so,  it is exciting to contemplate this. 

Go back 5 weeks to just after the North game and Kingy stated on On The Couch that he thought St Kilda were ahead of the MFC on development and I also seem to remember him stating that we wouldn't make the 8 this year either.

Personally I'm enjoying the ride, but you also have to be realistic, it's a looong season and a lot could happen yet.  I felt our start to the season was really beter than what we got rewarded for wins and loss wise, due to the Geelong and Richmond games where we had all the accendancy for the majority of the game, but we're cruled by early in game injuries and couldn't finish them out and got over run.

3 hours ago, Chris said:

Nicholls was the ump and I am not sure he has given us a free since!

Surprised if he'd given us one prior anyways.

At 3:55 on Tommy Mac Donald

"Yeah, he got drafted as a forward - I didn't see the potential myself...if he does it two weeks in a row I'll give him credit.  Yeah if he kicks five again, I'll be the first to shake his hand"

Lol cracks me up does big Maxy.

Another from same media conference:

On the general closeness of the competition "you could be just about playing off for the wooden spoon and still have a chance of making finals"

Pleanty of good pickings from Max's latest media conference:

http://m.melbournefc.com.au/video/2017-06-26/media-conference-max-gawn

A personal favorite is, with reference to Jack Viney injury status "he'd just about have to have the shoulder hanging off the bone for him not to play Jack".

On Monday, June 26, 2017 at 10:29 PM, Petraccattack said:

I did an experiment on AFL.com ladder predictor...  I had us losing the next 3 and slipping to 8-8.

And we were still 7th on the ladder.

Moral of the story is that at 8-5 with a very nice % we are extremely well placed to make finals, and if we keep up recent form we will finish top 4.

Only the MFC of old could screw this up!  Lets pray we really have turned the corner.

If we loose this week to Sydney, I think the lowest we can fall is to 6th place, courtesy of a 4 preimership points break to 7th and our healthy percentage.  Other than the beleif factor, it is one of objective reasons that the wins against the Eagles, Dogs and to some extent Collingwood were such huge 8 point games.

To some extent, beating Sydney then loosing to Carlton the week after would not be as bad as the other way around when it comes to our campaign for finals... not that I want to loose to Carlton again in a million years though.

20 hours ago, Demons1858 said:

I wish I had the time to research what individual commentator where saying about our prospects after round 9 or earlier and see what they are saying now ... don't think the bandwagon can take any more passengers ... love it though!

20 hours ago, Roger Mellie said:

Was it Kingy who said Adelaide would go through the season undefeated?

 

I don't remember if he was on the panel this Monday, but go back only 4 weeks and after the North loss, Kingy was definetly stating that St Kilda were ahead of us in development and playing us down big time.

The media's obsession making all these outlandish statements and predictions is increadable.  Not only is it the career media types like Sheean, but you would think that the so called 'expert' panelists would know better than this stupid flavour of the month band wagon jumping and predictions.

One of the few I have developed a level of respect for is Brad Johnson.  Carries on like the village idiot a bit and doesn't take himself too seriously, which is what I think I like about him.  However you also sense an astute footy brain lurks behind the grin, which materialises in occasional gem of wisdom without getting into this band wagon jumping group think so much.  At the start of the 2016 season he made what seemed like the outlandish prediction that Freo would miss the finals after finishing on top or there abouts in 2015 - he was practically laughed at by the other pannelists, but in hindsight was right on the money there.

Am I on the same forum and or barracking for the same team I was 5 or 6 weeks ago when our season was teetering on the presapus and there were still question marks all over Goodwin and over 3/4s of our list internally and externally to Melbourne suporters? 

15 hours ago, solly21 said:

If we win the flag i would like to see the Rev present the cup & i would like to see Roosy up there holding the cup with Jonesy & Goodwin.

I'd also imagine big Jimmy, Robbie and to a lesser extent Dean Bailey up there with them.  Whilst yes he was associated with that now imfourmous period for the club, few have given more heart and soul to the MFC than Jimmy.

Still so much water under the bridge to actually winning a flag again, but thanks to Roos, Goodwin, Taylor, Viney and Jackson it's good to be in a position where at least dreaming of these things doesn't seem like a complete farse.

4 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Watching those goals shows how much Stretch and Neil-Bullen contributed to the team beyond the goals they kicked themselves.

1 hour ago, hells bells said:

Watching all the goals, ANB had an excellent and unheralded game.  Kicked 2 and was heavily involved in a few others. He is improving all the time.

Likewise, Melksham and Harms did some very tidy things in setting up others.

Oliver usually contributes so well through the guts, but some of his forward 50 entrys were also sublime - that sidestep followed by the well weighted pass to Melksham, shows that there is much more than winning the hard ball and handballs to this lad.

In all seriousness though, I actually think most opposition suporters actually realise our situation and are happy for us to be having some success again at last...unless we are beating their team of course.

I think we would be the absolute fan favorite against GWS or just about anyone else should we make the GF sometime soon, except perhaps against St Kilda and then we would probably split  the market a bit.

57 minutes ago, Ted Fidge said:

Take the opposite tack and agree with them!

Tell them we've got an armchair ride from the AFL.

Tell them half our side are top ten picks.

Tell them we don't deserve our success.

Tell them that because of that, their team should have beaten us.That they are the rightful winners and it's all very unfair.

Rub their faces in it.

Lol - I like it.

If anyone does windge about any of the concessions we have had, then tell them that their team is welcome to have the last ten years that we have had and they can have all the concessions they [Censored]ing well want - see howhat many takers you get.

12 minutes ago, Demonised said:

All teams get the same number of draft picks, unless they trade them away or choose not to use them.

Note quite true.  We did get a few concessions, but they were mostly watsed.

The biggest gift we could be accused of being given of late was what could be viewed as over compensation for Frawley which gave us essentially the third pick in the draft which landed us Gus Braeshaw, but that's hardly paying dividends right now and might or might not even be viewed as sparing another team a wasted pick if he can not get over his concussion problem.

2 hours ago, Stevienic23 said:

Now that we've come good, I quite often here the old 'yeah so you should be with all your draft picks' yet let's look at the 22 we had on the weekend.

 

B: Hibberd (pick 30*) McDonald (pick 53) Jetta  (pick 51)

HB: Lewis (pick 48*) Frost (pick 23*) Bugg  (pick 43*)

C: Melksham (pick 31*) Oliver (pick 4) Salem (pick 9)

HF: Stretch (pick 42) Pedersen (pick 63*) Petracca  (pick 2)

F: Hannan (pick 46) McDonald (pick 53) Garrett (pick 61*)

Followers: Viney (pick 26) Gawn (pick 34) Vince (pick 23*)

Bench :  Tyson (pick 2*) Harmes (rookie pick 2) Neale-Bullen (pick 40) Hunt (pick 57)

Note * is what we gave up in trade and not their original pick number.

I count that as only 4 first rounders that played on the weekend. Make no mistake we are being coached and developed properly to go with some excellent trading. 

 

 

Viney and Stretch probably would have gone lower were they not father sons, but we aren't the only club in that situation either.  No club can match the gargantuan gifts of GWS in terms of draft picks/recruiting concessions.  Given we have found so many dimonds in the rough, an undervalued concession that GWS had for a number of years was to have access to an expanded list, which allowed them to have their cake and eat it too.  

Doesn't matter so much in the end though, what GWS have got in terms of consessions and top end tallent has made them arrogant, with a sense of entitlement.  We have done it tough and struggled for many years and that adversity makes us stronger and as much as Viney's athletic attributes and footy skill set make him a good player, it's his passion and love of the club which make him an unstoppable bull of a player.

I'm really just hoping Viney's shoulder and Salem's hammy arn't too bad.  We've done very well without Gawn and Hogan, but going without Viney and Jones for too long could be bad news.  Getting up next week against the Swans next week will be more of mirricle win than the WC IMHO, that said I'm not writing us off either.

So far this season we've been able to prevent consecutive losses which is a real credit to the team.  It was a real trate of the MFC teams of the 90s to display bursts of form in which we looked like absolute world beaters only to loose the next 4 or 5 on the trot and have to fight tooth and nail to make finals.  Let's hope this new breed is different, the Dogs might have won flags from 7th, but the odds are stacked against winning from outside the top four.

4 hours ago, Akum said:

Let's stop focussing on Clarrie.

Let's have a closer look at the sniper who hit him. Will Schofield. Stats for the game 3 kicks & 3 HB, DE a mighty 50%. He only had 3 effective possessions the whole game.

This is the quality of this terd. Clarrie pushes poor lil' Shuey in the chest. Sookfield sees no umpire in his line of vision, Clarrie is wide open and not expecting to have to defend a head-hit so he snipes him flush on the chin. "Tough guy" who's having a s*** game snipes a 19 year old kid because he thinks he'll get away with it. Or perhaps because he knows that it you hit someone, the focus immediately turns away from you on to whether the guy you hit staged or not. Gets reported instantly by an umpire standing 2 or 3 metres away over his right shoulder who had an unobstructed view of the front-on hit.

By far the most cowardly and low an act that I can remember seeing in a sports competition. If Clarrie was in a situation where he expected that a snipe might come (which is what makes it a snipe rather than a fair hit) he probably could have ridden the hit to some extent. But he was wide open. If Hogan got 3 down to 2 for the hit on Rowe, Sookfield should get at least that. 

But by far the worst part is the idiots on this site who want to say that the 19 year old staged what was only glancing blow. Just pathetic. 

 

Well, I recon Sookfield did us a favor.  From what I recall of the game, Clayton was well held and had little impact in the first half.  Getting that little clip had him breathing fire and he was awsome in the second half.