Rodney (Balls) Grinter

We just need to start paying in farms like Geelong do.

Also noting that Chandler is in the side ahead of Jeffo - ouch!!

In case anyone wants to know more about the lush surrounds of Nar Nar Goon:

Didn't Max have a similar scare in a few preseason's and was back playing again fairly early in the season, if not Rd 1? I'm thinking that Max's timing may have been much earlier in preseason compared to Luker and I know probably all injuries are different, but it gives me hope that Luker will be available to debut, start building his game and impacting for the team sometime in the first half of the season, rather than another wasted year on the sidelines. Until then, I'm pretty confident we have some good forward options in JVR, Mihocek, Fritta, Melksham and Co. Mihocek in particular looks like he could provide us with a great goal kicking avenue deep in attack.

Agreed, although we have plenty of key back depth, I'm not sure that we have many back there that could provide the same niggle factor as AJ and that might be an advantage against some key forwards that might be susceptible to being thrown off their game in this way. Would rely on AJ also being sufficiently accountable as a defender. Could also provide some ruck coverage in defence if we're not playing T Mac. In summary, don't think he'd be my first choice defensive option, but worth evaluating there in case we think it's called for in the circumstances.

There seems to be a bit of a naritive that this is St Kilda's game to loose. I don't buy it. We were like what 40 points up at 3/4 time in our last outing against them, with a team that wasn't playing as cohesively as we look to be at the moment. If we get in that position against them again, they aren't coming back from it.

There was also one against Brisbane in 2023 where the lights went out in the last quarter as well. Thinking that was storm driven as well: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.afl.com.au/news/887706/lights-out-brisbane-lions-ko-max-gawn-less-melbourne-demons-in-the-dark/amp

Agreed. To me, it's not so much his being available for Rd 1 that matters, it's more about him getting a break and oppertunity to debut at AFL and build his game further and hopefully develop as a potent forward option for us, to eventually take over from guys like Melksham and Mihocek. This injury has the potential to disrupt that to either a minor or significant extent. If he's not available for Rd 1, so be it, but my main concern is that it doesn't become season ending or take a massive chunk out of his season.

No worries mate and thanks for your clarification. My wife and partner of nearly 20 years passed away from suicide around 5 years ago now, so your initial post was somewhat jarring, but I agree with the sentiment within the further context you explained. As I think you appreciate depression can often be a deeply rooted beast.

I see your other post Goffy and know you generally to be a well meaning, thoughtful person, but without further context, explanation or qualification, the above is a truly horrible statement.

What's the bloody reason they introduced it in the first place? Wasn't it enough, just to change from a bounce to a ball up? It's like every year someone who works for the AFL says "What's a new rule that I can make that will be hard for players to adapt to, is completely unnecessary and will infururiate supporters?" 🤔😈

Honestly, I think the AFL should just stop making the Brownlow the flagship players award. Let it die and start promoting and use a countdown system for the Coaches Association award. The coaches have a much better nouce for recognising the better contributors and match impact for both their own players and the opposition. Let the umpires focus on getting umpiring decisions right and not think about who's playing well or not. They should be as agnostic as possible to individual player performances. I actually wounder if some of their thoughts on player performances and star players bias a bunch of their decisions. Couldn't have been any more evident than on Kings Birthday last year.

Give me Tony Lockett, Gavin Waganeen, Malcolm Blight. Give the umpires some ability to recognise quality performances in parts of the ground other than on ballers.

Actually don't mind the commentary team we've drawn. Dixon can be mildly annoying at times, but the others I don't mind at all. I often find Brad Johnson provides some of the most sensible, down to earth and non-sensationist special comments going around. Glad we didn't draw Dunstal who comes across as an arrogant [censored] and with Channel 7 out of the picture for practice matches that Brian Taylor is nowhere in sight or ear shot.

True, but if he can hit targets inside 50 as reliably as Spargo did, to the point he was pretty much best in the league at it, then maybe kicking more than 35m isn't so important. Charlie might have had some limitations, but I'll always regard him as an important part of our rebuild and premiership.

Matthews looks like a ripper. Similar replacement for Spargo with his tenacious tackling, but also looks like he has more tricks as well.

Kossie finally held onto one last year! I reckon he'll take a few more this season too.

I would too, but listening to Troy Chapman's post game interview on the website, I suspect that the coaching team is backing Jeffo at this point. Chapman talks of Kentfield making a bit of a claim for that 5th bench spot after his performance against North. I also can't see that they would play both Kentfield and Heath as forward/rucks, so I'm suspecting that it will take another game of respectively good and poor/mid performances from Kentfield and Jeffo, for Kentfield to get a gig ahead of Jeffo. Not 100% that I agree with this, but it's how I'm reading the situation at the moment. I do also sense that there's something to work with in Jeffo and that he'll be given oppertunites to establish himself.

Yep, yet another case of punish the outcome, not the dangerous action.

And as much as I love to watch him, I don't think Charlie Cameron is A Grade any more, neither Zorko. I'd have Zac Baily and Cam Rayner as A Grade though.

No Kozzie? And he still considers Dangerfield and Patracca A Grade? My gosh.

Perhaps he had dirt on someone or something? Agree that he seems to have been given more of a chance to prove he is of AFL standard than many that have gone before him.

Somewhat agree, with the excuse of his game suffering as a result of Mihocek going out of the game. Key forwards have got to have that killer mentally that 'Their the man' and go for the oppertunites that present them selves. I'd also go against the notion that key forwards have to take years to develop. Having watched alot of Brisbane games the past few years and Logan Morris, being a guy that's actually a year younger and 4cm or so shorter than Jefferson, Morris has performed consistently at AFL level over the time that Jeffo's been running around at Casey. Morris is not hugely physical as a player, but leads well and positions himself well and uses good judgement, holds his ground to take solid marks in front of goal and then kicks for goal well to consistently finish off his work. I do think it's way too early to be writing off Jeffo though off the back of one practice match performance. I actually see alot of the qualities that Logan Morris has in Jeffo and with our better/faster ball movement into the forward line under King, I think there is still plenty of scope for Jeffo to stand up and produce. That said, I also think that Kenterfield and JVR are well ahead at this point in time, but I think there is still plenty of opportunity for that to change over the lead-up and first part of the season. Didn't think JVR's performance was particularly strong. Competition between our emerging key forwards is a good thing and I think they all have good potential, which is a positive going forward.

From what I've seen of alot of his performances at senior level, it more that too often he panics, fumbles the ball and holds back going for it. Somehow needs to get that out of his game.

Wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.