Rodney (Balls) Grinter

What will it say about the credibility of the Rising Star award if Hunt wins MFC's best first year award and or finishes higher in our B&F than all our other nominations and has still not been nominated for the Rising Star? Although, that said, there are still two rounds left. The totally presumptuous dreamer in me hopes that he plays an absolute blinder last game of the year against Geelong that helps the team across the line and simply can't be ignored. Not that I really care about the award anyway.

I'm finding it hard to separate Hunt and Patracca. Different style of players, but I think both have significantly impacted games and improved as the season has gone on. Loving watching both these guys go about their business.

I would be very conflicted if we required a goal on the siren from that scumbag Scully to get us across the line.

For anyone wondering as I did, the 3.7% between us and North is equivalent to around 60 points winning/loosing margin. So one answer to the original question could be "hope that we flog_ Carlton or Sydney flog_ North" ... actually I just hope we flog_ Carlton regardless.

At least we are not the only team to have lost to Essendon now.

I hear you brother - up to a point. Was a good win and whilst I certainly savored the moment for what it was, I was also left feeling a little let down, because it could have been so much more. With some of the mistakes we made, we wouldn't have beaten a good team last night and in our current circumstances I would have really loved a 60 to 80 point win to help bridge the % gap North have on us. On the other hand, I was glad to come away with a win that even earlier this year we could have thrown away. I guess like others have stated, progress not perfection. But otherwise looking forward to jumping in the ocean!!

It wasn't the perfect win it could have been if we had nailed some of our easy shots on goal and or not let them back in the game 3rd quarter (and sorry for saying this if I'm repeating others), but those last two goals to Garlett and Jones in particular were some nice icing on the cake. Jones goal was the sort of goal where the siren normally goes for us the second before he kicks it!!

Per 1964nowMORE - To be sold with clip on beard accessories!!

If us and Sydney win next week, I'll be thankful that the last game of the season means something more than a dead rubber. ...at least we won't be accused of tanking this year!! Someone needs to get the commentators at Fox Footy (or was it Channel 7) some maths tuition. During the pre match of the Hawthorn game (you know when they were suppose to be building up the game) one of them stated unchallenged that the highest Melbourne could finish was 9th.

No real issues about this one, it's their home game, their home ground - that's where we will play them. Just don't start me on why we should play the Saints or the dogs at their home ground for our home games. That is what really sux with AFL fixturing.

And how much did the MFC need a character like this to lift our profile and humanize the club?! Has been interesting listen to 'expert' commentators waking up to Max in past weeks. One (I forget who) stated that they "hope that the Melbourne football club doesn't try to curtail his public persona" (or words to that effect). Again how disengaged these experts can be from all but the top clubs at the time. From what I've observed, the MFC has encouraged and fostered big Maxy's entertainment value and unique character from the start and perhaps even improved his media skills through things like "Gawn in sixty seconds". Max is a victory for what it means to follow footy in an increasing corporatised world of professionalised sport. His interview at half time of the Fox Footy coverage was insightful, in which he stated that during his years of injury he saw a different side to the club and became a more of a supporter. Great to see that loyalty, passion and personal connection in footy has not been lost (incidentally, I think that's why the MFC also needs to treat Trengrove, Grimes and Dunn with the respect and loyalty they deserve).

Love his evasive skills and how rarely gets caught. Even when he comes close to getting caught he manages to squeeze out a pass somewhere up field and usually without just coughing it up straight back to the opposition. Re the Rising Star, asides from his occasionally ordinary foot skills passing into the forwardline or shooting for goal, I actually think Hunt looks more like a seasoned player rather than a first year one. Perhaps that's why he hasn't been nominated yet - doesn't look enough like a first year player to the judges. Different sort of player, but Hunt impacts games just as much as Patracca, who incidently also just keeps improving and going from strength to strength at the elite level. Can't wait to see what these guys can produce for us over the next few seasons!

Agree with all your other points, but you know, one of the things I love about Maxy is that he is so real, down to earth and is such a funny guy. Maxy and also Bernie Vince are like the typical top blokes at your local footy club that every loves playing with because they are so loyal and so much fun. How both these guys manage to walk the tight rope of being a bit edgey and blokey whilst being under the public microscope of the AFL is really a credit to them.

And I love how much he prides wearing the number 11 for big Jimmy. Gawn is a player of such fitting character to follow in Jimmy's footsteps. ...not like the hoax of a bloke who wore it before big Maxy.

Peddo for Jordan Gysberts, the best trade since Bernie Vince for Colin Silvia.

No Mitchell is defiantly the weakest [censored] of all

1987

Here here brother. The ten years of crap that preceded this year make this all the sweeter. Bring on 2017, finals and beyond!

Here here brother. The ten years of crap that preceded this year make this all the sweeter. Bring on 2017, finals and beyond!

Kn oath Gawn dog

Only just watching the game now. But one significant observation - how much better does RED and BLUE look compared to poo brown and yellow.

I don't like Harmes so much in the back half though, he looks a little like a fish out of water there and I think I've seen him cough it up way too many times (not that that would make him different from a few others down there though). Perhaps it's a development thing, where the coaches are prepared to cop some of the turn overs in the interim in order to add versatility to his and the teams game for the future?

Yes, but if Gawn gets an injury, I think Pencil is the most likely back-up we have on hand at the moment - I don't think Dawes, Peddo or Watts could ever ruck out whole games.

I think your right. Jeffy looked like our most dangerous forward any many games earlier in the year when we achieved fast ball movement and played a very open forward line - that sling shot ball movement where he can exploit his pace suits him to a tea. I've also noticed that since the St Kilda game (at least) we have become much more defensive. Particularly our score (not sure about the oppositions) the last two weeks have been well down on our average this season. I'm thinking that there has been a correction/balance that the coaches/players have tried to implement that may have overshot the mark a bit. This is perhaps when the much need maturity in the side will come to the fore, in good time and we will be able to acheive this within games, rather than a week to week basis. As for Jeff, he probably needs to learn to develop a few more strings to his bow - you don't see players like Cyril out of the game because their sides not playing the way that best suits them - they find a way to stamp themselves on the game and change it's direction. In this respect, I wish that the brains trust would give Gartlett a license to through himself into the middle of the ground from time to time like he did last season, which could be quite useful.

I've noticed a fair pattern of the debutants getting announced ahead of selection all year - probably quite a good policy really when you think about it. I think it also makes sence to get Weeds debut game out of the way before we play in a few winnable games he could be a part of and build confidence from. Really do think and hope that Peddo is in over Jessy this week. Mostly on the basis that it doesn't make sense to smash a lame Hogan in a game we are outright underdogs and also thay Peddo will certainly give a good presence to take the heat off Weed. Also give Peddo a chance to make a meaningful contributions and build some form. I think there are actually some players that play to the level of the game they are playing in and Peddison is one of them.