Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I'm actually wondering if the AFL didn't do all they could to pre-script his 200th against the Crows this week? I'm also wondering if the MFC isn't keeping him out of the midfield to a) pregerence the development of our young players in there and b) manage Benie for the times we really need that extra output? Anyways, hope he breaks free of the schackles a bit and puts in one of his blinder performances. Came to us and offered so much when we were desperate for players to stand up and be competitive and I will never forget those first few years and that role he played for us. Total legend Bernie - give em Crows hell mate, your well and truly one of us now!

No good that Hunt

Might be something in that

Come on DEMONS big second half, I hate these pricks!!

I also thought it really hurt us having Hunt off the ground for most of the second quarter. We can definitely still win this game if we run them off their feet in the second half. Hawthorn's last quarters in particular have been the worst in the league.

Gee we were missing Gawn a few times there. He puts himself in such good spots defensivly, in attack and at the kick-ins.

Hawthorn were obviously always going to come out hard after the hiding they copped last week, but for the first irstter and a half, we played like we were intimidated by the Hawks. Really hoping we can play out the game like we were for the last ten minutes or so of the second quarter.

We can't let these Fers get their tails up

And that's why Pedo should be in the side regardless of Gawn

I'm seriously considering the membership package that garentees you GF tickets for that very reason.

The flawed exit part I agree with, but Junior still played some pretty handy footy at the Giants in his first year there and provided some vital on/off feild leadership which the MFC was certainly short of at the time.

Similar to my other post, this time last year, if you had said that Melbourne would be favorites against the Hawks you would have been sent to the looney bin. Like you say, let's just hope we have sufficiently turned the corner to honour the expectations upon us and clinically put away the Hawks like they have done to us so often in recent years gone by.

Let's hope this is true, since they effectively traded this year's second pick (was it last year's first rounder as well) and Jordan Lewis for him as well? I'm wondering if in time Hawthorn's call to move on Lewis and Mitchell will look as bad as retiring Robertson and Junior Mac before their time.

Lol. As it turns out, I didn't put the bet on, but was more anoyed that we'd let a getable game slip than I would have been about loosing the fifty bucks. Really hoping the MFC assert ourselves tomorrow, continue our rise and keep the Dorks in the duldrums.

When for the coerresponding game last year against the Hawks, I stated on this forum that I was thinking of putting a $50 us to win, I was advised by @Ethan Tremblay that I'd get more enjoyment from burning my money. How the worm has turned. For what it's worth, I think the Hawks are bigger outsiders this time with the bookie's than they perhaps should be and may represent a value bet, but I'm hoping for the same result as last year. I'd be happy for Hawthorn to put in a competitive effort and come close, but for us to take away the four points.

Let hope for a return to a pre 1960s AFL World order!!

Would like to see Billy Stretch back in the side. I know his last game was a bit average, but someone suggested he was tired and perhaps just rested against the Don's (I'm hoping that was/is the case). When he's firing, I think Strech adds a great combo of speed, toughness/tenacity and classy finishing skills. His last game against the Hawks was a ripper and I'd back him to turn it on again this round. Either JKH or Melksem to make way for Billy The Kid.

Love them or laoth them, but Gerard and Robo are giving this game a really good plugging for the second night in a row on AFL 360 on Foxtel - well done guys.

I said it after the Freo game when I was having a bit of a vent at the second pathetic game of output from the Weid in a row, that it was hardly like Weid demonstrated anything in the JLT series asides from being a segul, gathering easy over the top handballs in the goal square. That was probably a bit harsh, semi emotional with respect to the Freo game, given in retrospect he was injured fairly badly early that game and yes he did do a 'couple' of other nice efforts on the side in the JLT (one sheppard against Carlscum stuck out) - but that was it. He had been playing mostly on potential in terms of what he might produce at AFL level based on some of his VFL showings (which I'll admit, I have seen none of). A few here have stated that Pedersen is limited and or not an AFL footballer, which is just total crap as far as I am concerned. Have seen him play in many games where he has definitely played to the required standard and though he may have the odd bad game, what player doesn't (particularly for the MFC over the last 2 - 4 years). Whilst he may never be a Carey like superstar, there are not too many of them going round and I think a fair synopsis would be to say that he contibutes his fair share to the team effort as an average player, releases the stars like Watts and Hogan to provide the big fire power/finesse and I don't think you can ask much more than that.

All for the development of the Weid for the future, but above that is the need of developing the team for the future. Playing finals this year would be huge for the development of many players on our list and to do that we need to win games of footy. I recall listening to Bomber Thompson recently about the flack he use to cop over playing Tomahawk, however my recallection is that by the time Tomahawk was introduced to their side, the Cats were already a powerhouse team with a flag or two and several GF's under their belt. I just don't we are in that same position of luxury as that just yet. I still see Pedo as a big part of what could help us take the next step, a bit like a Cam Mooney for Geelong in the day. Not super flashy or fashionable footballers, but big tough effective team players that help others walk taller and are very important to the teams structure.

I think most MFC supporters will agree that it has been a disappointing start to the season, with what could have been 5 and 1 or even 6 and 0 start to the season, we find ourselves hovering around 3 and 3. Looking ahead to our next 4 games leading up to the bye, the MFC has a real opertunity to set up a tilt at this year's finals series. Over the next 4 weeks we play the Hawks, Crows, North and Suns. Obviously the Crows is a big game that we will do well to put in a competitive effort and not get blown away and whilst I'd certainly be wary of a wounded team like the Hawks, it's not beyond comprehension that we could walk away with 3 wins from 4 starts and really set up the back half of our season following the bye.

The curve balls could be used to good effect, provided all of the stand-ins can give us something. If we can get it right, it could be quite hard to play/coach against.

Last time he did that (and did it well), we smashed the Dorks when they were on a roll and sent them on their downward spiral. Mind you we had Big Max being his best Big Max and Vines in top form on that day too - oh to have that combo back.

I think time will tell if we have the better of the Frost brothers. Jack had a great first season and has faded almost into oblivion. Sam has some great attributes and I'd almost say he is ahead at this point, but still has some way to go development wise and to make a permanent spot in the side for himself.

Perhaps, but having the gun brother of the above more than makes up for the lesser abilities of the sibling. In the case if Brian Stynes, was it more the case that he returned to Ireland? From what I can recall, he was still quite a gun Galic player when he went back and went alright for us, which suggests he could have been a pretty good VFL/AFL player had he stuck with it? Or am I confusing Brian for someone else of the Irish experiment?