Rodney (Balls) Grinter

4 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Good little connection is that Mark Williams coached Henderson in 2019.

Choco is the gift that keeps on giving.

Will be great for Hendo to have that connection already in place at the club, as well as AJ to help his development in taking the next step in his carer.

7 hours ago, Supreme_Demon said:

I like "The Bull" or "The Bison" for Harvey Langford. Just because he already has quite a physical presence.

Can't wait to see how he goes when he gets his chance the real stuff starts, but going off all indications so far, I recon The Bull would be a great nickname for him.

Just as a side note, yeah the players might have their own nicknames for what they call their team mates, but doesn't mean us supporters can't have our own for them as well.  If the two align, then great, but who's to say if supporters and the media start referring to them as a particular nickname the players wouldn't adopt that themselves too, if it's a good one.

On 21/01/2025 at 06:36, Katrina Dee Fan said:

I did notice yesterday Vines is growing a rather Todd-like mullet himself, I think soon he’ll need the Todd headband! Complete the look of his old man :) 

Has grown to match the metaphorical stature of Todd over the years, so might as well take on the look as well.  I'm not sure it will eventuate, but I'd love to see Jack captain the team in his own right for a season or two.

8 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Small forward/mid with good goal sense, smarts and tackling.

Lacks stand out attributes to be a big difference maker but can come in and do a role from day 1 if he’s had a good summer VFL training at a high enough level.

With Pickett’s suspension, Spargo still injured and Kolt injured there’s going to be opportunity.

4 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Impressive:-

VFL Showreel, GF: Jack Henderson highlights

What a great highlights package.  Numerous things I like:

*  Ability to hold his nerve, perform on the big stage and nail key passes and goals

*  Great range, with numerous goals nailed from the 50m + line

*  Great take takling technique for the modern game

*  Looks the complete package with his range of skills including marking and good decisions by hand and foot

Perhaps it's putting too much pressure and expectations on a guy that's only just got a spot as a supplementary player, but all the above and the way he appears to go about his game actually reminds me alot of Gus.

6 hours ago, Dee Boys said:

Fitness won’t be an issue, he’s an elite runner and has kept himself ticking over in the off-season.

Club have earmarked that ANB high half forward spot as his role. 

I think we've got a good 2 or 3 player earmarked for that ANB role now - might take all three to replace him.

Congrdulations to Jack, what a great oppertunity he's earnt himself and look forward to seeing how he performs if he gets his chance on the big stage.

1 hour ago, monoccular said:

A list really needs top 28-30 so these so called fringe players are vital.  

Yeah, don't disagree with you there Mono.  Having guys like Tomo etc to capably plug holes for us when required was key to us finishing top and winning the flag on 21.

Just that there was a time I think Harmes was probably on the right side of the 22 between best 22 and fringe though and probably played more like 18 - 22 games of the regular season in a premiership team.  That he only played 9 games last year suggests he's probably not quite at that level any more.

4 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Think he only played  9 last year.

 

Understand.  So probably frindge, not best 22 (similar to where he ended up with us).  The thing being, we could have done with a findge mid to provide depth last season, as I'm fairly sure he would have given us way more than Laurie Vs GWS and say maybe a game we lost by a few points against Brisbane etc and might have tipped us into playing finals contention... not that we might have had that much impact with the way our season ended.

In some respects I think it was actually better for us not to make finals last year.  Few better draft picks and extended presason for Oliver and whoever else was carrying injuries and tires from x3 intense seasons running right to the pointy end.

44 minutes ago, Demonised said:

Could help to fill a gap we've had since Harmes left and we lost Angus😪.

Comming through as a rookie / secondary list type player like Harmes too. 

Still dispointed that things went somewhat south between Harmes and the club in the end.  Though I haven't really watched many of his games for the Dogs, he still seems to be getting a senior game there and thought we could have used the depth and his hard edge and attacking dare in our team last season.  All the same, I think it's also good (perhaps for all involved) that we let him go, even just from the perspective if list balance age profile wise.

3 hours ago, BC_1718_DC said:

It’s mystifying to me why Brown hasn’t been injected into the forward line as a pressure small forward considering all our options already on the wing/half forward. 

If I recall right, he was one of the top finishers in the 3km time trial, so perhaps he's in the mix for the ANB type role.

12 hours ago, DubDee said:

Fair enough mate 

So who are our small forwards for the first few weeks

Chandler may play the ANB role. Then…

Laurie, Brown, Mentha, Billings?????

12 hours ago, DubDee said:

We desperately need a small fwd who can at least put in pressure so we would be looking around broadly i’d say

If we are looking for a small forward who puts on pressure, then I'd be looking at Pup Brown.  From the limited times I've seen him play, I think he's also got great goal sense and ability to execute.

Love to see this guy given a good opportunity play at senior level.

15 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

As mentioned in another thread - this is our selection dilemma. It is unlikely that May, Lever, Petty and TMac can play in the same backline - unless we are against a very tall (and hopefully slow) forward line. The only good thing about this dilemma is that we have a ready-made "tall back three" should any one of them be injured. 

Or it gives us the option to be rotating one of those 4 off the bench some of the time.  May and Lever play best when they don't have a lock down role, so always having someone there to take that role frees them up in that sense and we'd never be caught out being short in defence height wise.

Probably want them all playing more than 75% game time, so perhaps the remaining time could be spent in the ruck and up forward for bursts.

Tommy was thrown forward on a few occasions for 5 or 10mins in games we were struggling to take marks in that part of the ground and cluncked some good ones. He's well got the ability to finish it on the scoreboard when he takes them. Would love to see him used more in that sort of capacity.

Particularly if we also have Petty in defence and/or as a similar swing man, I think it gives us a great oppertunity to create a mismatch and catch sides out.  Even if it isn't T Mac or Petty going for the grab directly has the potential to create confusion and doubt for the opposition defenders and maybe its Roo, Disco or Fritta that comes over the top and takes the grab (certainly makes it harder to double or tripple man them to take them out of the contest) Sometimes all it takes is one goal against the flow to break a game open or get you back in it.

Sorry for the mulit post (pardon the pun) - Demonland got glitchy on me.  Appeared not to post a few times, then out spits 3 of the same post.

13 hours ago, Ungarieboy said:

Would be an interesting game if they played a multi-cultural team (parent, grand parent born overseas).

As a start their tall backs look ok with Alir Alir, Mac Andrew, and Leek Alir.

Any other suggestions?

I'm sure a heavy Irish contingent would give it plenty of run!

While I don't think I'm totally sold on the concept, I think you'd have Trac in the mix wouldn't you, maybe Salo and would big Maxy qualify for having some kind of NZ ties?  Roo? Kolt in a few years perhaps.

Indigenous all stars - yes, bring back state of origin - yes, but multicultural game would be just a bridge too far for me.  There's already multicultural Rd and I think the league acknowledges, respects and promotes the game sufficiently to all backgrounds to not require a stand alone game.

22 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

A couple of updates to nicknames (in bold)

 

 

1. Steven May - Maysie
2. Jacob van Rooyen - Rooey
3. Christian Salem - Salo
4. Judd McVee - Knuckles 
5. Christian Petracca - Tracc
6. Caleb Windsor - Leb, Winnie
7. Jack Viney - Vines
8. Jake Lever - Rick
9. Charlie Spargo - Charles
10. Daniel Turner - Disco
11. Max Gawn - Maxy
12. Koltyn Tholstrup - Kolt 
13. Clayton Oliver - Clarry
14. Jack Billings - Jibba
15. Ed Langdon - Langers 
16. Bailey Laurie - Bill
17. Jake Bowey - Bowsa 
18. Jake Melksham - Melky
19. Harvey Langford - Harves 
20. Xavier Lindsay - X
21. Matthew Jefferson - Jeffo
22. Blake Howes - Howesy
23. Shane McAdam - Shane-oh
24. Trent Rivers - Riv
25. Tom McDonald - Tmac
26. Jed Adams - Jed
27. Marty Hore - Marty
28. Will Verrall - Will
29. Tom Campbell - TC
30. Harry Sharp - Sharpie 
31. Bayley Fritsch - Fritta
32. Tom Sparrow - Spaz
33. Tom Fullarton - Cream
34. ——————
35. Harrison Petty - Petts
36. Kysaiah Pickett - Koz
37. Kade Chandler - Chin
38. Oliver Sestan - Sesto
39. Ricky Mentha - Ricky, Tricky
40. Taj Woewodin - Woey
41. Kynan Brown - Pup
42. Aidan Johnson - AJ
43. ———————
44. Luker Kentfield - Luker
45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield - Andy     
                                              Roy George - Roy Boy

Wow, there's some highly imaginative ones in there hey!

Mainly thinking of one's like Jed, Will, Marty, Luker.

I had TC as one of my nicknames back in the day and another good mate of nine was an AJ.  Also played with a Spaz and I'm betting there are a few of them getting around.

Must say, I like Tom Fullarton's one and Ricky Mentha's one isn't bad either and love the subtle nod to Kynan's old man.

I did play with a few good ones like Captain Bilko, a couple of Turtles a Dumbo and a bloke we referred to as Car City (had a bit of a lazy eye) a few more like that would be good.

1 hour ago, binman said:

Thanks TU.

 I hope that puts the whole we are implementing a new game plan this season myth to bed once and for all.

What goody says above is almost the same as what I wrote a few weeks ago - we implemented a transition game lastseason, struggled to get it right - particularly defensively - got opened up several times as a result and went back to our old model to stem the bleeding.

Goody notes our injuries, but not what i think what was our biggest challenge implementing the transition model - our fitness in the second half of the year was miles off. 

That model is incredibly taxing and requires elite all team fitness and running power.

To be fair to goody, we would have been pulverised if we hadn't reverted to our down the line style in the last third of the season. 

And would have copped it big time on here - even more than we did.

2024 was very similar to 2019 in terms of trying to implement a new method- the big difference being we didn't revert in 2019. 

Maybe this is what the transition game is all about, but can we master the ability to swap between game styles with the season and within games to conserve and defend when we need to and attack when the opportunity is there, so we arrive at finals in both good ladder position and injury/fitness wise?

7 hours ago, drdrake said:

There is no doubt that the 2025 season is going to be the most even comp we have seen.  The last couple of years we have seen the gap get closer from top to bottom.

All about early wins, get the confidence, win the close games and finish strong.

It will be interesting to see the so called experts top 8, most will have us 10th or below and Collingwood top 6, I think it will be other way around.

Sorry, but I can see Richmond getting belted in quite a few games and generally uncompetitive for the next year or two.  I know they've drafted a bunch of talent, but I think history has shown that putting a bunch of talented kids up against men week in, week out that they can't bridge the gap between youth and experience, developing and age hardened mature bodies.  Thinking of examples like North in recent times, but even Gold Coast and GWS, who had ridiculous draft riches and priority talent at their disposal.  Then, there's always one or two sides that either fall away and/or have a horid season with injuries and drop way down in competitiveness.

As much as the draft, salary cap etc even things up, I think having only 40 odd players per team on a list means that beyond best 22, there can be a relative shallowness of ready to play talent on most lists which will provide a spectrum of competitiveness across the league given age profiles and injuries etc.

5 hours ago, demon3165 said:

And what year was that again and what year is it now, axl rose had a great voice years ago now sounds like like a possum and a cat fighting we all have our time in the sun.

Yeah, but quality players don't grow on trees and until he's either sufficiently out of form and out of contract and/or deemed medically beyond repair, I'd rather be optimistic that he can return to his best. 

A few players of late that we've had have been almost given up for dead, but then turned around their injuries/fitness and fortunes on the feild and made some very valuable contributions.  Thinking of guys like Melksham and TMac in particular, but possibly even Disco to an extent.

57 minutes ago, 58er said:

Well why are you so against Salo playing in the AFL ?

His ability is “ when fit” is AFL standard so why not.

You don’t seem to realise that fitness is a very important part of his ability to play well. Just like every player. 

I don’t agree that his best is not AFL worthy. But he must be fit not struggling with leg issues or hamstrings. 

A fit Salo is A grade, end of story.  His contribution to our premiership season was very important.

15 hours ago, CHF said:

Windsor is a quality footballer. 

His first season was exceptional as he played on the wing. He has good vision and balance and always seems to have plenty of time to play the ball. His execution sometimes left a little to be desired, but that is understandable given his level of experience. 

I have no problem having a look at him in defence as long as the coaching team are proactive in response.

I recall Fritsch having a run in defence some seasons ago and it was very clear from the first couple of games that he was being played out of position but he was persisted with for some time before he was moved. I do not want to see that happen with any other player.

Have a look at Windsor back there by all means. When assessing the success of the move, there also needs to be an assessment of the player slotted into his wing position. Overall we need to see a team improvement in the moves.

 

Agree with this 100%

Personally I'm fairly loath to see him moved off the wing, because he added another dimension to us in that area that complmented Ed Langdon as seen by the great year that he also had.

I don't see anyone else really having the same skill set as Windsor to do what he did for us on the wing, but maybe he can still use that to greater benefit of the team off half back, so I'll reserve full judgement until whatever transpires does.

Also, surely another focus for the team/individual development has to be to stop Ed kicking it out on the full so often.  I do think it's not all Ed's fault, because I think the role we have him play, he's so often collecting the ball and disposing it so close to the boundary.  But I do wonder if we'd be better off either changing our game style a bit, so he's not so often in positions where he's hard up against the boundary or if we do see that as a critical part of how we use the ground, try to use a player who's a better kick than Ed to be in those positions more often.  Personally I'd like us to play a more direct game style that sees us move the ball through the centre of the ground more, so we almost eliminate the issue anyway.

On 24/01/2025 at 18:42, Ghostwriter said:

Nothing’s hard and fast with these things. You mentioned Tmac and that’s one of those grey areas. I’ve heard the boys call him Tommy and sometimes Macca as well as Tmac but I reckon it’s fans who mostly call him Tmac.

I'd say he got Tmac a bit more when Oscar was still around at the club.  Forget exactly what they use to call Oscar, but I recall it being a good one.  He was a bit of a whipping boy for the fans, but think he was genuinely well liked by his teammates.

On 25/01/2025 at 18:33, Roost it far said:

My mate calls me knackers occasionally, it’s a term of endearment 

So's [censored] knuckle yeah?

A message from the man himself, copied from Neil's FB Page:

I am deeply honoured to accept the title of Australian of the Year 2025.
 
This recognition belongs to the entire MND community - the families, carers, researchers, volunteers, everyone at the Fight MND foundation, MND state associations, and the countless Australians who have joined us in this fight.
 
It also belongs to my family, headed by my wife Jan and our children and their partners, who have supported me every step of the way.

My journey began in 2013 when I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease - a beast of a disease. It doesn’t discriminate; it robs you of your ability to move, speak, swallow, and breathe. But it also ignited a determination in me to fight for those affected now and in the future.
 
I chose to fight because if I didn’t, how could I expect anyone else to? I chose to hope because I believe in the decency and generosity of Australians. I thought, if people truly understood the challenges we face, they’d join the fight with me. And you have - oh, how you have. So thank you.
 
In my lifetime, I hope we find the causes of MND, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure. Beyond that, I hope to leave a legacy that shows we all have the power to choose to fight, to smile, and to act. Because the mark of a person isn’t what they say; it’s what they do.
 
Thank you for believing in this fight. Together, we will win it.

#AusoftheYear Australian of the Year Awards

In all the appearances he makes, I'm amazed at how humble, greatful and inspirational is.  With his ability to reach out to other people and bring them together, it's no wounder he was a coach.  I bought my nephew Neil's book "When all is said and done" a few years back for Christmas, but haven't actually read it myself; something I think I should make time for.

Queens Birthday this year will be huge.  Also wounder if there will be a bit of a pre-election promise of funds for MND research?

23 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

I just really wanted to use the thumbs down response for the first time.

I feel like Caesar.

Yeah, feed him to the Lions for his crimes ...or whatever.  Lol

2 hours ago, binman said:

Are you a bot?

No, I think a bot would offer better insights and interactions.