Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Is it the largest shadow? He does have a rather large nogin that boy!

They might have all been able to play in four premierships like one of my other favorite players from that era - Martin Pike.

is getting better and less unreliable. I don't ever think that he will be masterful by foot, but if he can get the job done more often than not, I'm not sure he has to be a super kick to be a very damaging player. My impression is that Oscars disposal skills by hand and foot are even better than Tommy's.

Not sure I agree Stuie. My perception is that he IS rated by many on Demonland and certainly by me. Tough, skilled and poised under pressure - injury and form permitting, he's in my best 22. Could be one to pay dividends, become a mature, solid best 22 performer, delivering all the aforementioned attributes on a regular, reliable basis. That's the real next step in the development of the team, to deliver the goods over the whole season, rather than patches.

Development. He's in effect only a second year senior AFL player, who from my recollection hasn't performed a full preseason as yet. In my view Wagner has weppons - his tackling and kicking are pretty good. Perhaps if he develops his tank a little more and is able to sneak up the ground more often and provide another goal kicking option? He may be one which fly's under the radar. I think in general apart from the obvious automatic selections, with whesre our team is at, picking a best 22 this far out is a bit like throwing darts at a dart board. So much is dependant on preason development, preseason match form and dare I say it who adapts most to Goodwin's updated game plan. From all reports Tommy Bugg has had a cracker of a preseason so far and may be amougst those whom get one of the last contestable spots, but I'm also very wary of preseason 'track' form (particularly this far out), although in retrospect it did provide a pretty good lead indicator on big Maxy last year. Further on Bugg, whilst many here rate him as only an average player, he is a competitive little [censored] and good sides can never have too many of them. He also has good goal sense. My only criticism would be he went missing too often at times last season, but perhaps higher fitness level is the answer to that and IMHO, he could a be best 22 option come round 1. On the other hand it wouldn't surprise me if either or both Milksham and Hibbard are not in the 22 from round 1.

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.

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.

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.

Bring it on Jack. How about No.6 next?

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!!

From what has been reported, it would appear so.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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

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.