Rodney (Balls) Grinter

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

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

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.

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.

Just read this on the AFL's site which may have some parallels to the Lumumba situation: http://m.afl.com.au/news/2016-11-28/the-draftee-who-wont-play-why-crows-are-sacrificing-a-list-spot

If he is 'not fit to physically train', then you would assume that he would be obligated to be put on some kind of light duties with the rehab group. If he is not playing ball by the club Re training and or rehab and assuming he is not going through the proper conflict resolution pathway without a manager or the AFLPA assistance, then the club probably has some kind of legal comeback for breach of contract etc. Playing the breach of contract card may not be the best PR outcome, but it may be a decent bargaining chip to ensure that the club doesn't get screwed over by some compensation claim. Overall, assuming the situation is as reported and Lumumba doesn't play 2017, then it's really just damage minimisation for the club, as we have already effectively lost a list spot for 2017. I find it all a bit of a shame really as my impression was that Lumumba was starting to play some good footy again early 2016 and from the outside appeared to be a decent (be it different) kind of bloke around the club. Guessing that when faced with the prospect of immanent retirement and loss of substantial income, Lumumba is just acting out of self interest and trying to ensure his immediate financial security, which would be partly understandable, but somewhat regrettable from the clubs and typical supporters perspective.

It would be rather unfortunate really, should Lumumba retire in comming weeks as predicted, the sentimentalist in me would have loved to see Grimes take his spot again as a delisted FA (if that's even possible), as unlikely as it would be. Turning down "bigger" money offers to play footy with his mates, says a lot about the true spirit of the game and sport that some others would do well to take note of.

I'm sick of hearing the line that "we are not one of the power clubs, thus we have no chance of getting a favourable outcome on this and other matters for the MFC...". It's great are well on the on-field road to recovery (and as you suggest most that want away with white clash jumpers would agree that is the priority), but it's about time that we started acting like winners off the field as well, stand up and take pride in our club and it's identity, rather than adopting a weak loosers attitude that some seem happy to accept.

Agreed, the only white that should be on a MFC jumper are the players numbers on the back and a small amount on the front for the AHG sponsors logo.

Seems the Brisbane Bears are the latest ones doing away with the white clash: http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/sport/afl/news/2016/10/brisbane-lions-release-bears-inspired-clash-guernsey/# The Brisbane Lions have emailed members with an exclusive sneak-peak of their 2017 clash guernsey. The mostly-gold design is inspired by the Brisbane Bears, as modelled by former stars Richard Champion and Roger Merrett. Josh Schache is the current player shown wearing the jumper, whose late father, Laurence, also played for the Bears.

Trying to embed that logo...like the one on your profile rpfc? ...and the one after that. Logos come and go, but the MFC's red V on blue is enduring.

Can Cat B rookies be promoted to play senior AFL mid season as a nominated rookie? If not, the as you suggest, perhaps the club wants to give it self the option of trying one of the aforementioned if their development and form justifys it.

Could Hannan be in the running for back to back VFL premierships?

Ready made gun player. Plus he fills a bit of a list deficiency we have in the long hair area (excluding Max's beard).

Well after all the talk, we didn't get Prestia, so drafted this guy instead.

So here is an option for those wanting to do more than just express their dissatisfaction on Demonland. Just copy/paste, edit, add envelope, stamp and post: [Insert name] [Insert address] Glen Bartlett, Chairman Melbourne Football Club C/O Melbourne Football Club PO Box 254 East Melbourne Victoria 8002 [Date] Dear Glen, As I proud Melbourne Football Club member/supporter, I clearly identify our teams colours as red and blue. As you are aware, in the recent decade our competition’s governing body the AFL has haphazardly applied an inequitable policy, compelling some teams to adopt on occasion, a match day jumper which dilutes their clubs identity by the introduction of a third predominant colour of white (or in some previous instances grey). On past occasions when the MFC has worn such predominantly white or grey clash jumpers on match day, I have found it to be both offensive and confusing to my sense of being a member/supporter of the MFC in the respect that I do not recognise the match day jumpers worn by the MFC team as belonging to the MFC. I am writing to request that the Melbourne Football Club revise the presently designed clash jumper proposed for season 2017 to a version or versions that comprises only of our teams colours of red and blue, without the dilution by applying a predominant third colour such as white. Upon revision of the design to one comprising primarily of our teams colours the jumper, the MFC should advise the AFL of this decision and present the red and blue only alternate/clash jumper options as the ones the MFC intends to wear the few away matches for the 2017 season, where there is considered to be indistinguishable similarities between MFC and the opposing team (2, 3 or perhaps 4 times per year). There are numerous recent precedents whereby the AFL has allowed teams to adopt clash jumper designs without a predominance of white, in instances where that teams colours do not contain any white. Specifically Richmond, Essendon and most recently the West Coast Eagles have adopted clash jumpers comprising solely of their respective teams colours. The MFC should follow the same logic of these teams in wearing match day jumpers which proudly feature only the principle colours of our team being red and blue. I look forward to your reply and to watching the continued rise of an increasingly successful red and blue team in 2017. Every heart beats true. Sincerely, [Insert your name here]

One would have to be a diehard to have actually bought a Melbourne Football Club membership within the last decade, so I'd actually say that there are a fair few die hards amongst us. I've yet to come across a true Demons supporter in my cohort that doesn't hate our any of the white/grey clash jumpers the team has worn since the ill founded conception of them.

Yes, most things would look better than poo brown and yellow. Though I might add that their clash jumper for 2017 looks very much like our 2016 one.

You mean getting people to submit designs and vote like the Dorks did: http://m.hawthornfc.com.au/news/2016-06-01/2017-alternate-guernsey-revealed

Of those MFC mebers I know who are not on this forum/thread, 2 out of 2 = 100% hate white clash jumpers.

Yes, I can clearly see how our players could have trouble distinguishing the principle design of the MFC's clash jumper from a St Kilda jumper when we play against them. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=melbourne+vs+st+kilda+2016&client=ms-android-alcatel&site=webhp&prmd=vni&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs5f__l67QAhVBl5QKHcyOBhwQ_AUICSgD&biw=360&bih=515#imgrc=Sk6dWCC18roEGM%3 Thankfully we no longer need to play our home games on their home ground. Time to stop playing it their jumper as well.

He is an experienced/successful coach, not a football manager though. I know their are some similarities in the roles, but that doesn't necessarily make him the best walk up start at the pies. It would probably also be seen as undermining Buckley's position.

I'd buy a pair of these looong before I forked out for a MFC clash jumper, but as you say, who needs shorts anyway.

So Nasher, should we all just be feable, apathetic and console ourselves to watching our team play in colors that over 90% of us do not approve of (and seriously can you please revoke the user IDs of the 9% that claim to love this jumper, because they are clearly not Melbourne supporters). But you are right in sense, to effect change, we probably need to do more than exchange or views and ideas on this forum(although I do think there is still value in that exchange). My correspondance campaigns hasn't finished with the emails I have sent to the club, as I will be following up with old fashioned hard copies addressed to key decision makers and people in positions of influence within the club and encourage all others who take this issue seriously on this forum to do likewise. Satty -you know all the players, what about board members etc?