Rodney (Balls) Grinter

13 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

I accept this mission 👍🏽

Meanwhile, care to take a guess? Jai looks about 6yo in the picture so it was probably taken in 2009-2010. Ima guess Jack Watts. 

He did mention big Maxy in his interview and I think that's a sound choice both based on talent/player profile as a supporter perspective, but also politically for Jai to nominate his captain.

If you look at the squad we had in 2010, there are some great ones to pick from:

Top of the list for me at that time would probably be Nathan Jones, James McDonald, Aaron  Davey, Brad Green (surprised he didn't mention el presidente for good measure), Liam Jurrah, and Brent Moloney who was a fairly strong performer at the time amd although he was probably not much of a player back in 2010, I always did feel Maxy 37 hinted at that X factor even then.

Then there are the other solid performers of the time:

Jared Rivers, Kyle Cheney, Joel Macdonald (wounder how his business ended up), Cameron Bruce, Austin Wonaeamirri (a personal favourite), Stefan Martin (wish we'd been able to hold onto him), Neville Jetta (another favourite that ended up going the distance), the Russian - Mark Jamar and Chip Frawley

Those that showed potential at some points, but never quite made it big:

Lynden Dunn, Ricky Petterd, Jack Grimes, Colin Garland, Luke Tapscott, Jamie Bennell, Rohan Bail, Jack Fitzpatrick, Jordie McKenzie, Jake Spencer, Addam Maric, Clint Bartram, Jack Watts, Colin Sylvia, Brad Miller, Jack Trengove, Matthew Warnock

Lastly, Jai would have been one of the young fans that had his heart broken by that greedy deceitful $cully.

Do like the idea of our main logo having the Demon on it somewhere and the flaming Demon logo is probably the best, most contemporary looking one, only I'd probably loose or rework somehow the white diagonalised "Melbourne" on the bottom, but still somehow work the word in there.  Maybe just changing the Melbourne to navvy blue would look more contemporary.

I'm a bit conflicted about the MFC monogram.  Think it can look classy on formal wear, but on the other hand, it reminds me too much of Carlton's jumper and monogram to be overly enthusiastic about it.

11 hours ago, rpfc said:

Can we please have a tedious back and forth about the difference between a logo and an emblem? Approx. 70 pages worth. 

Thanks

rp

Thought you'd be leading the charge campaigning for the flaming Demon rpfc 😉

6 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Terlich finished 3rd in the Bluey behind Nathan Jones and Colin Garland.

Thanks, I didn't reacall that and I wasn't trying to be sarcastic about Terlich playing a few good games.  In my personal opponion, he showed signs of potentially becoming a really good player given where he'd come from as a mature age recruit.  It's just a pity that maybe he didn't quite have it in him to go to that next level where the team was heading towards becoming an elite backline. 

Similar story for Colin.  Was actually a little disappointed that Colin didn't remain on our list those years we had the success, as I always thought he was an honest contributor in the period we were getting smashed every week and it would have been hell being a defender at the MFC.

Was struggling to think of players who previously wore 46, so consulted the great Demonwiki 

http://demonwiki.org/Number+46

Was amazed to learn that the great state cricketer Brad Hodge played a reserves game for us wearing this No. back in 94.  Must be a bit of a cricketers No. as it was also worn for a year by Maxy Walker.

Troy Simons probably being the  most noteworthy wearer of the jumper asides from Turlich (who I thought played a few good games for us)

14 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

From some of the videos put out by yhe MFC, the two really seem to get along, which is awesome IMHO.

On 17/02/2025 at 22:39, picket fence said:

JEFFO, Langford and Sharp..... dark horse... CULLEY

The odds on your dark horse have got considerably shorter in the past few days Picket

So maybe one for the playing No.s thread, but woundering if he gets promoted 3 numbers up the order or sticks with 49?

8 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Cripps probably wouldn't even be top 10 for me. Great ball winner, but his influence on matches is often far overhyped and I don't believe he's a very good leader either. Bontempelli is basically better in every facet bar pure inside contest work, and it's a mystery bigger than the Bermuda Triangle how Cripps has two Brownlows and Bont has zilch.

If I had to pick a player to build a team around, I'd be tossing up between Bont or deciding on the best key position player. 

Perhaps he'd not be my top pick, but I'd still have him.  Have always had an amount of respect for him as he does seem to be a fairly honest, hard working player.  Broken down a number of times from carrying all of Carlton on his back.

Would definitely have the Bont as No.1 though.  Ironically Adam Trelor tallied more Brownlow votes last year (shows what a sham of an award that is).  Not that I don't rate Trelor, just don't think he's in quite the same league as the Bont.

Beyond that, I'd have Harley Reid for future potential and as some smokies, I also have a bit of a soft spot for Callum Ah Chee, Oscar McInerney, Keidean Coleman and Kai Lohmann of the Lions, Charlie Ballard and Sam Collins of the Suns.

Happy to keep being underrated. 

Amazing how fickle these comentators and so-called experts are though.

As mentioned, don't see how May isn't up there.  Viney would be the other I'd include based on his last season.

36 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Bowey did his shoulder that game

Short preperperation for Rd 0 after final, playing away in Sydney in stifling humidity, poor umpiring - lets face it, it was a rubbish set of circumstances to start our season.  AFL probably had a predetermined agenda for a Sydney win as well (Northern states code promotion etc.)

At least this year, we are on out home turf at the G and will be at least well acclimatised to the conditions in front of our home crowd.  Let's hope we get a better rub of the green on all fronts.

51 minutes ago, 58er said:

It was Spargo wasn’t it ? 

Correct, an Achilles injury

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1598038/injury-update-spargo-sidelined-for-season

I thought we also copped a collar bone / dislocated shoulder injury that game 0 Rd Vs Sydney that couldn't be put down to conditioning.

1 hour ago, greenwaves said:

No he's not good enough.  He was poor last year and I actually think his career is close to being done.

I don't read replies or reactions 

 

Yeah, fair enough.  Bet your school reports always come back with the same comments about attitude: "doesn't play well with others".

5 hours ago, DemonicFinalFantasy said:

Best I could do using AI.

3 hours ago, Supreme_Demon said:

Funnily enough today is Jai Culley's Birthday on the 24th of February. 🎂

That's a pretty amazing Birthday gift to be put onto an AFL list (albeit due to unfortunate circumstances).

I wish Jai Culley all the best at the Demons! 👹🔴🔵

 

What a range of emotions he must have gone through over the past week, firstly being overlooked when we selected Henderson to fill in for McAdam, then to get this oppertunity on his birthday.

1 hour ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

Jumping Jai....the centimetre guy 😎

The nearly 2 meter guy.

58 minutes ago, M_9 said:

Last year TMac finished 10th in the Bluey Truscott (301 votes). May was 9th with 316 votes.

Petty would have been lucky to place in the top 20. He's overrated IMO. Three good games in last two years.

TMac will play at least 15 games. He may be getting on but he's proud, fit and skilled.

Agreed, but gee we need Petty to return to 2021 form as a backman as our succession plan for Maysie.  I think he's got it in him to step back up and play at the level, not that I'm sure that's quite a full equivalent to what Steve brings though.

The players should be getting this one into T Mac:

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Lachlan McAndrew of the Swans and Thomas McDonald of the Demons compete in a ruck contest during the 2023 VFL Round 02 match between the Casey Demons and the Sydney Swans at Casey Fields on April 2, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Sited in this article on Fox Footy https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-ssp-2025-league-to-reopen-supplemental-selection-period-after-jagga-smith-acl-injury-at-carlton-blues-adelaide-crows-sign-lachlan-mcandrew/news-story/2f031617399ec84d3560ff297181e067

 Perhaps there could be a play on it a bit and start calling him 'The Tank Engine"!

Not sure I've ever seen him refered to a Thomas before.

2 hours ago, bush demon said:

Surely this initiative  would present excellent cost-saving opportunities for our new Admin centre at Caulfield...

A Lego replica might be the closest thing to a new training facility / club hq that we ever get.

Members can have their own Lego avitar go hang out in the Lego social club.

I'm sure the players would rather use it than go out to Casey too!

I haven't been following the pre-season train threads or really watched the match sim Vs North, but is Billings form good enough for a starting spot on the wing?

To be honest, I'm neither for or against his inclusion as I've seen him do some good things at times, but will admit that his season last year was quite disappointing over all as he seemed very frindge depth type, even once our depth got really depleted, I recall him often starting as sub and having minimal impact once he got on.

Perhaps a great pre-season and more oppertunity to learn our systems and maybe better buy-in and ability to play the more attacking game style we are trying to implement?  A big part of me would like to see him do well and really impact as I love a good redemption story and really hate it when we burn list spots with mature/recycled players that go nowhere and just frustrate.

Genuinely interested in others thoughts.

7 hours ago, Supreme_Demon said:

An excellent article pumping of Jack Henderson. Love it! ❤️💙

Looking forward to seeing "Hendo" get a run against Fremantle this coming weekend.

"JH: I won't die woundering, I can assure you of that."

Great attitude from this bloke.  I feel that if there were questions about our culture, having guys like this around the place helps reinforce good culture.  Had been suggested he's been earmarked for the ANB role - possibly in attitude as well.

Obviously not playing for sheep stations as a team, but I always hope to see signs from those battling for a spot in the starting 22 that they have further developed and give us some good options to pick from.  Particularly looking at a few favourites like Kynan Brown, Woey Jnr, AMW, AJ and perhaps Sharp. 

If Jefferson does walk away with a bag, that could certainly make forwardline selection very interesting.  Will also be good to see all of JvR, Jefferson, Disco and AJ all working in the same forward line in various combinations at times perhaps.

30 minutes ago, dpositive said:

I reckon the defence is settled with May, Lever, Petty Tmac forming the tall base with big base and Hore, AMW, Salo, Bowey who knows as the smalls. Plenty of depth to cover peaks and injuries rest and recovery.

With no May playing in this match, it will be interesting to see what Maxy's breakout boy Jed Adams can do.  Really hope he gets some good gametime and opptunitiy to get a taste at the higher level. 

Not sure what is keeping Maysie from playing in this game, but I'm assuming the fitness department are just keeping him on ice a bit to save him getting banged up before the season proper, which I'd support (noting he also played the indigenous all stars game a week or so ago).  It's not like experienced campaigners like him, Maxy and Vines really need that much match practice to hit their straps.

It's a pity that McVee pulled that hammy, because our defence was starting to look solid as a rock like with the line-up we will play down there this season.  I'd love to see us find a player the equivalent of Hibbo, but I guess some guys are almost one of a kind and hard to replace.

I still recall that Brad Johnson was about the only journo after 2020 that thought we could go anywhere in 2021 and make finals.  IMHO, he's one of the few comentators I can respect from the perspective of being all of a bit of a clown, but doesn't take himself too seriously and have too many tickets on himself, but also seems like a genuine good bloke, who knows a thing or two about footy.

I think it's cheap and easy for comentators these days to predict that we get back up there, because, let's face it, we've been up there as top 4 finishes for 3 seasons in a row previous to a horror season last year.

Personally until we perform again throughout the season like we did in 21, then it's all fugazi https://youtu.be/IiTfnpgNkmI?si=zfIUE8IPN0s15zDh

On 20/02/2025 at 16:39, layzie said:

Not me, I'm actually hoping to go through the whole season not consuming any AFL media and watching games on mute. 

On 20/02/2025 at 16:42, Demonland said:

That is known as the Binman Method and is not for the faint-hearted.

Forget sound proof rooms, let's face it, following this team, we should all probably be watching from a padded cell!