Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I fully admit that I for one certainly questioned the Weid's inclusion in the side ahead of Pederson late last season (the Carlton game in particular).  Whist don't think I take that back, I do think it's good that the exposure of the Weid to senior AFL beyond the Hawthorn game should have a positive medium term impact on the Weid's development:

More than anything, the experience of playing senior footy made him realise that he needs to continually refine his game and find different ways to be more involved in the play. 

The 195cm forward kicked two goals (one with his first kick in the AFL) against the Hawks but kicked just one in his final two games of the season. 

"I did quite a bit of work last year and into this pre-season on finding different ways I can get the ball and improve my leading patterns," Weideman said. 

"I did find myself struggling with the lack of space but I've been doing a truckload of work with [defensive coordinator] Jade Rawlings and [offensive coordinator] Troy Chaplin this year on not letting my defender get set on me." 

What a great attitude from a young player and hopefully it pays dividends this season and beyond.

15 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

That was his approach in the midfield, particularly this year, and it came in handy having him do it against Hawthorn in the wet. He'll be at half back again this year and rotating to a wing/on ball and if he plays like he did for the first 2/3rds of the year he'll be handy. Especially if the additions of Hibberd and Lewis, and a fit Salem means he doesn't have to take on so much kicking responsibility and can share the ball more. If he get on to a wing he can get it outside and then long bombing in to the forward line to advantage or kicking goals comes in handy.

It would be interesting to see the breakdowns of Bernie's bomb it long turnovers by ground position.  I suspect he is fairly calculated in when he executes the bomb it long option, as I don't doubt that Roos would have hesitated to drum bad habits our of even experienced players

That said, I agree that Bernie's best position out of the midfield is up forward.  In a number of our wins last year, he bobbled up and kick 2 or 3 telling goals.  He has great goal sense as a snap shot and the ability to avoid inside 50 contests from his long hoofs from outside 50.  The only downer that could be said about his goal kicking is my impression that he can have off days and miff up plenty of simple shots.

Can also see why he would be used in defence as he reads the ball so well and positions him self well as a loose defender and is highly effective of getting under the skin of his opponent so it's handy to have that flexibility within the team.

16 hours ago, rjay said:

I can't think of any other characters in the AFL apart from Bernie and Max...I think Trac is also on the way.

We are well covered in this area...

Yes, Trac could be developing nicely in this area, though I think he is mainly hyperactive.

There are some other characters left at other clubs - Bob Murphy would be one, but don't think we would lever him away from his beloved Dogs.  Dane Swan struck me as being from a similar mold to big Maxy, but perhaps a little less overt.  There must still be some others out there.

Will need to word up Jason Taylor and the team to test for characters at draft camp Jack, or is their one we could/should trade for.  Apart from Maxy and to an extent Bernie it might be a bit of a list deficiency at the MFC and a rare commodity in the AFL in general these days.

On 26/12/2016 at 7:56 AM, Whispering_Jack said:

I'm thinking of reviving our Book of Numbers series and for starters, I reckon it's time for a look at Number Eight.

My favourite player to wear the guernsey was the late  Bob "Tassie" Johnson who passed away last year.

Late AFL great Robert "Tassie" Johnson lives on in enduring love affair on the Sunshine Coast

Tassie was a great exponent of the drop kick and holds the club record for most games wearing the number 8 (202). He played mainly at full back where he was a true champion of the game but on the odd occasion would also go into the ruck and performed well there.

The list of players who wore the number from 1912 to the present day:

1912 Fred Harris  (also #29 in 1912, #7 in 1914, #28 in 1919)
1913 Jack A "Dodger" Evans
1914 A "Bert" Trahair
1915 Jack A ‘Dodger’ Evans (see 1913 above)
1919-1925 Charlie Lilley (also #6 in 1913 and 1915, #11 in 1914)
1926 Herbert White 
1931-1932 W ‘Bull’ Adams
1933 - 1941 Rowley Fischer
1942-1943 Don Hewson 
1945 Ralph Latham 
1946-1947 Roy Stabb (also #22 in 1945)
1948-1951 Doug Heywood  (also #25 in 1943, #26 in 1944)
1952 Ian Toyne 
1952 Maurie Lehmann 
1953 Don Cameron
1954 Geoff Collins  (also #3 1948 to 1952)
1955 Kevin Clarke 
1956 - 1957 Jim Sandral
1959-1969 Bob "Tassie" Johnson
1970-1975 Peter Keenan   (also #10 1981-1982)
1976-1978 Peter Johnston 
1979 Glenn Elliott 
1980-1982 Brent Crosswell
1983 Les Bamblett 
1984 Peter Thorne  (also #40 1978 to 1979)
1985-1995 Graeme Yeats  (also #45 in 1984)
1996 Craig Turley 
1999 Jeff Farmer  (also #33 1995 to 2001 and changed back to 33 during the 1999 season)
2000 James Cook 
2001-2006 Alistair Nicholson
 (also #44 1997 to 2000)
2007-2014 James Frawley
2015- 2016 Heritier Lumumba

Bring it on Jack.

How about No.6 next?

On 23/12/2016 at 9:07 AM, Satan said:

Gawn vs richmond  r5 this year on now with the player fka obrien playing

Watched that game last night, along with Rd 15 Vs Collingwood.  In fact the player fka O'Brien features in quite a few of the games and dispite some distain of said player on this forum, Harry (can't spell his new one) is actually quite serviceable in most of them.

Back to da Gawn Dawg - contrast Rd 15 Vs Collingwood 2015 where he is out on his feet late in the third quarter (and much to the amusement of the commentators pretty much stuck hands on hips in the same spot at CHB for the last 5 mins of the qtr), compared to Rd 20 Vs Hawthorn 2016, where big Maxy just powers on with his dominant marking and ruck work full of running.  What a difference a full preseason and further physical development makes - now multiply that out for a few more in our developing list and watch the positive match day results flow!!

2 hours ago, monoccular said:

 

 

Have ASADA / WADA definitely signed off on this?   

It is worth remembering that these bodies have a ?2Y ban for avoiding / hiding from tests.

From what has been reported, it would appear so.

18 hours ago, Redleg said:

They lost their first round pick. That is a big penalty for this particular offence.  

Rubbish - GWS have had and continue to stockpile so many early picks and recruitment concessions that loss of a pick 15 is like a drop in the ocean to that side.

Speaking of the suspended Collingwood players, based on the lack of punishment handed out by the AFL, GWS and any future culprits would have to think that rolling the dice and avoiding a drug test is better than subjecting players to drug testing.  The Collingwood boys got a full season for their positive drugs test, where as Whitfield, GWS got a slap on the wrist and less than half a season for their dishonest behaviour - well done AFL, massive opportunity to send the right message missed.

Get ready for some Max mainia in just a few hours fellow Demonlanders.

17 minutes ago, DubDee said:

76 goals 39 pts for Jesse in 2017

Watts, Tracc, Lewis and Kent will be hitting him up every time

screw all this roaming up the ground talk! let him kick goals

So effective goal kicking routine implemented over the preseason - like it.

IMHO, there were games this that Jessie's wayward kicking was a big contributor to our loss.  The Bulldogs game stands out to me.  Simply must kick most of the most gettable set shots on goal.

6 hours ago, John Dee said:

Zero divided by zero is 1 as is evidenced by zero to the power zero being 1; something from nothing.

 

The function y = 1/x. As x approaches 0 from the right, y approaches infinity.  Anyway infinity seems like a good number of goals for Hogan to kick...just play along.

2 hours ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

Give him some decent delivery and if he straightens up his kicking action, then 60 plus is not beyond him.

If we play the fast direct down the guts Goodwin style of footy, then that will give him every chance, combined with Jordan's Hawthorn pin point foot passing.

 The club should make Jack Watts his practical conjoined twin over the summer.  Jack can learn more of Jessie's combative one on one skills and competitive moungrul and Jack can teach Jessie set shots on goal and perhaps how to better manage his body language.

5 hours ago, McQueen said:

Infinity.

Technically that's how many he's kicked per game already in season 2017, since anything divided by zero is infinite!

On 15/12/2016 at 6:01 PM, Bigred said:

Now THAT is a good signing

Well done. Fantastic 

He has 'nailed his reputation to our mast'

He would not stick around if he didn't think we were going to get there 

Well done everyone at the Club.

I just want to know when PJ is pulling on the boots and running out with the team - I recon he'd go alright.

9 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Haha, I remember that one fondly. It was a completely different team back then. I think only Jones, Watts, Jetta, Trengove and a beardless Gawn (who made his debut that night) remain from that game. Quite remarkable really.

I don't think Max had a huge impact on the game, but I remember him clunking what is now known as a trademark 'Maxy grab' in the goalsquare against Dustin Fletcher and proceeded to miss the shot from 10m directly out in front. 

Not totally sure I remember it, but was it the one where Col Garland played at FF and kicked a small bag?

We had the wood on the Dons for a few years there, when they were on a competitive side and we were bloody hopeless - those tables have certainly turned in the last few years.  If I recall correctly 2011 they were practically unbeaten until we played them at their drugged up peak.

So for Foxtel suscribers, next Friday is a good day to start you Christmas leave early or queue up some recordings on the iQ for some classic big Maxy (and MFC wins) showing on the Fox Footy channel.  Eight whole games in total starting with Rd 11, 2011 Vs Essendon, cumulating with Rd 20, 2016 Vs Hawthorn.

...hanging out big time!

On 6/12/2016 at 6:20 PM, Ron Burgundy said:

So much rests on Max Gawn remaining uninjured for the entire season.

 

I know whereas you are comming from, but I disagree in principal.

If we are going to become a successful side, then we need to develop ways of winning without a dominant ruckman.  Very few sides have a ruckman close to the dominance of big Maxy, yet there were around 10 that finished above us this season.  Even if he is fit and in form for the majority of the season, we will need to win games where Maxy is beaten/nutralised or has an off day.

6 hours ago, don't make me angry said:

Sorry, the point you were trying to make was...?

On 24/10/2016 at 1:52 PM, nutbean said:

 

 

From last year.....

"Why on earth would we give Hunt another year on the senior list? He has done nothing at all to date to suggest he will be an AFL player.

Three years is what we gave Toumpas to prove himself, and he showed a million times more promise in that time than Hunt has."

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, ay ? The problem is  - there is ruthless and reckless - you give players some time to show their worth and some will reward you and some will be a bust.

 

 

Yes, but Mitchie came to us with a number of years already under his belt at a senior AFL club, Hunt did not.

I'm still bemused why Mitchie got such a run in the senior this year compared to Grimes, who showed far more potential at AFL level IMHO.

My expectation is that if we start to string together some good form and push up into the top 8, all the media will start talking us up as the next WB.

Whilst I do think we will improve next year, I'm also one in the camp of being cautiously optermistic and realistic.  I'm thinking if we do make finals, I'll be somewhere on the spectrum between releived and elated.  If we don't make finals, I won't be totally supprised and so long as we don't completely capitulate or regress, I'm not sure I'll be all that concerned or dispondant.

I think I've seen enough good signs this year to indicate that we have the core talent, work ethic and solid coaching/off field support to set us up to make a really decent crack of it in years to come.  Sounds a bit cliche and perhaps I've been drinking a bit much of the Paul Roos bathwater, but I'm really more looking forward to a few years time, when we will find out if we have developed into just a good team capable of making finals or a great one that is capable of winning them and going all the way.

Other than that I do expect us to finally beat North and St Kilda and I'll take those as my moments of joy for the footy year. They say that every game is worth 4 points, but I think there is a bit of a physiological victory to be had in winning those ones which is worth more than just the 4 points, similar to the Hawks win this year.

Interesting to note that jumper design has become a board level issue at the Tigers:

The colour of Richmond's jumper has become a board election issue, with aspirants Simon Wallace and Peter Casey promising to get the guernsey right.

The Tigers have also been working behind the scenes for at least six months to make sure their new apparel range would be a true reflection of their 'yellow and black' tradition.

"Our jumper is who we are … yellow and black are not just our colours, they are the best line in the best (club) song," Wallace wrote in his campaign prospectus.

"It should be yellow and black, not the charcoal and mustard that it now is."

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2016-12-01/charcoal-and-mustard-to-yellow-and-black-tigers-hope-for-new-jumper

On 29/11/2016 at 2:33 PM, It's Time said:

2 months ahead of last years tally although January is traditionally a slow month. 

Wondering if any of that is attributable to the additional excitement generated by the J.Lewis and Hibbard signings?

33 minutes ago, Mad_Melbourne said:

do you buy the home jumper every year?
The demonland population whilst a strong supporter base does not reveal a majority of the members, and whilst a majority of demonland supporters are vehemently against it, it is a small sample of actual supporters.

The new jumper design allows us to have a much clearer association with Melbourne as a name, rather than football club, which personally I think will lead to an increase in jumper sales due to tourism industry. Not only that but we are trying to increase our brand to take over the city of Melbourne and whilst if you follow AFL the colours make sense, but if you do not follow football and you were shown several jumpers there would be no association to the name of the team and thus the logo on the front is a clear association.

I personally am not against it, although I think it is a lazy design, it is hardly the abomination that people make it out to be. Sure a white jumper has no linkings to our past, this is fine, but the clash jumper is something that will continue to exist and whilst the AFL continues to suggest that there are clashes and we need to avoid them, then why not embrace something which can increase our influence in the Melbourne area but also help increase club profits.

I'm not against what the club is trying to do with the new logo and the whole marketing campaign to broaden the appeal of the club. Quite to the contrary. However we shouldn't sell out on our core identity to go chasing a few cheap tourist $.

The new logo looks great on the all red polos the club has on sale and I think many tourists and members alike (including myself) are more likely to purchase a classy looking item like that, than the tacky looking clash jumper.  Further the AFL has clearly accepted that the all white is not required for some and just need to accept that red can provide a sufficient colour contrast for the MFC as other non white colors such as yellow for the WCE.

13 hours ago, old dee said:

Are you sure the club is against a white jumper RBG?

Pretty sure it is old dee.  'The Club' being it's members, well you get a pretty good indication from the results of the Demonland survey which shows the vast majority hate it, a result which in my mind is validated by the views of other members/supporters outside of Demonland that I know personally.  Would be interesting for the club to do a survey of members on this issue.

I think the clubs administration is well aware of this.  When you look at the merchandise in the Demon shop, there is virtually no items that feature a predominance of white, other than the abomination of a clash jumper proposed for 2017.  Similarly the same propotion of our printed material from the club features our red v on blue jumper, or red and blue. In corporate gobildegook, I think this reflects that even our marketing people know our brand is red and blue for which our heart beats true.