Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I don't disagree with your points and it wasn't an entirely sensible thought on my behalf either, but do you really think Port would give up quality young players like Rosee or Butters when they are in a rebuilding phase? Exchanging a mature player of quality is something that would could suit both sides more in the short term, but I'm not sure I'd really want us to become too top heavy age/list profile wise either. Asides from that my thoughts are that Wines is the type of player that we already have something of an abundance of. I know Wines has professed his love of Adelaide, but family freinds I have in Echuca also do tell me of a desire to return to the Murray after his career is finished and perhaps with COVID etc, there may be a desire to bring that forward?

In this respect, would we want and/or could we get Ollie Wines? At his best I think it would be a reasonable trade for Kosie in the circumstances, but I didn't follow Ollie that closely last season to know how he's tracking. Reunite Ollie with Jack and Vic - a bit if go home comming back our way?

Get where you are comming from in part. I'm not so much one for chipping Goody and the selection pannel for their mantra of maintaining stability within the senior side, but it also did feel a bit at times last season that we perhaps could have used our opportunities to rotate more player's through the senior side at times. I'd agree though, that during our mid season slump in particular our depth was tested and strained by having a number of players out at once, like Gawn, Jackson, May, T Mac and perhaps Viney/Trac?/Oliver miss over a period of a month or so, which I think really hurt in retrospect. I'm also glad we didn't throw in JvR into the finals pressure cooker in desperation. Don't think our Casey Premiership counts for nothing in terms of depth though. If you read some of the recient comments from Alan Richardson, I think there's a bit of an admission that perhaps the team and coaching pannel went a bit too conservative and defensive in the back half of last year and perhaps weren't will to take risks that could have created better energy in the second half of games etc. I think the team selection aspect could be part of that conversation.

Not sure that he needs Kossie Picket etc level pace if he can find a way of poping up in the right places and be well balanced and poised around goal, which I think he's shown some ability for. You'd think these are the kind of things that would come through in reviews during the regular season and could be a big focus for him over preseason to adjust in his game. I think the other part is just about getting enough time at AFL level to become accustomed to the pace, adjust and get comfortable with it. In all honesty, I'm not sure if Kade will make it with the MFC or not, but I'd love to see him get the chance and make it if he can. Seems like a ripping bloke who deserves his chance. It would somewhat frustrate me to see him overlooked all year, but then get picked up by our opposition and go on to become a star player. Will be interesting to see how Bedford goes in this respect, but I wish him well.

In thinking about things a little further, I think the real point of difference that Chandler offers, compared to Spargo and ANB, is that he's a more attacking small forward than either of those two and has the capasity/potential and game style to kick multiple/bags of goals that I'm not sure is Spargs or ANB strength. Even with Kossie playing a small forward role, I think it's well worth having a second small live wire around goal as it both takes the pressure off Kossie somewhat mentally and also makes it harder for opposition to contain both of them at once.

As pointed out by T Mac and others, ANB does a tonne of running without ball in hand and plays a role for the side pushing up and back defensively that few others would have the aerobic capasity for. I'm not sure he nessacerilly needs to be a decision making king when he gets the ball to hold his place in the side, it's more the cherry on to when he can link up, deliver well and slot the odd goal when he's really on his game. Spargo's pressure, hardness and intensity is right up there normally and he was pretty much the leader in the competition for hitting targets inside 50 last season, so unless he drops off, I think his spot is pretty much safe as houses. The real challenge for Chandler is more about how can we create an opening within the current structure for him to contribute to the side. As others have started, the increased on-ball time for Kossie is the most obvious scenario, but it's also been suggested that will provide more forward time for the likes of Trac, Oliver and Viney. Chandler may find himself with substitute role in alot if games, similar to Bedford, although he'd be more likely to be used more regularly and get more game time with the recient rule change. The other possibility is that perhaps this season the coaches and selection pannell might have more of an emphasis on rotating players through the senior team, which would certainly be a good thing. If we can have a fairly good run with injuries, it could certainly be more than just Chandler on the sidelines of the senior side trying to break in for a game, with guys like Harmes, JJ, Sparrow, Laurrie, Rivers, Bowie, Turner, BBB, JvR and likely others that would get game in most other sides in the comp that could be on the frindge banging the door down. Wouldn't hurt if we were more flexible and less predictable to opposition sides.

Paul Puopolo was the AFL's tenth shortest player, standing at 173 cm and played nearly 200 games in what was a strong multi premiership team at the time. If Chandler can find his niche in the MFC side, I don't think height is really such a barrier. I didn't watch Puopolo super closely as a player, because of my general loathing of Hawthorn, but seem to remember him as being a nuggety and strong for his height, a tenacious tackler and a player that kept bobing up and presenting in good places around goals. He was also a reliable shot on goal and didn't miss many opportunities. I see alot of the same traits in Chandler. He's also great mates with Max and I think generally a pretty popular guy with his peers, which has got to count for something. I'm going to be a bit more bullish on Chandler and offer up $2.20 for the farm boy from outback SA. A a supporter group, we've just got to come up with a nickname that's as infuriatingly annoying to opposition supporters as 'Poppy'.

In the off season, I have some of the 2021 MFC games on repeat, but yeah, get what your saying.

Hawthorn are easily my most loathed supporter group, with Essendon not far behind. Use to include West Coast on a similar level, but the way WA embraced our 2021 finals series has tempered that. These two muppets embody alot of the Hawtorn supporters obnoxiousnous into a simple clip. Back in the late 80s and 90s, it was even worse the "That wasn't Hawthorn today" quote someone bought up really embodies their arrogance. Every yuppie bogan band wagon jumper Hawthorn supporter that might attend Maybe 1 or 2 games per year was a [censored] footy expert. Our lack of ultimate sucess through the late 80s and 90s seemed to give their loathsome supporters an additional air of arrogance towards me as a Demons die hard. While I'd love to well and truely smash Hawthorn both times we play them this season, the ultimate revenge would be a decade of sustained sucess with multiple premerships for the MFC, paired with a corresponding decades of mediocrity for Hawthorn (they don't even need to finish bottom every year. The odd hopeless finals appearance would be good for the souls of Hawthorn supporters). Old mate has the Tasmania sponsors logo on his jumper and gee it would be awsome to see them completely relocated there.

The knocks on Joel as a player are a bit unwarranted IMHO. Yeah, he wasn't any superstar, but I generally thought he was a pretty honest player who had a fair dinkum crack. Can't comment too much on the honesty side of his business dealings, but it almost seems like ASIC etc going after a soft target. Just my perception based on bits and pieces of reporting over the years, but I think some of the multinationals and even the Trumps, Zuckerbergs and Musks of this world probably regularly deal in more deceptive behaviour with intent, but are just better armed with expensive lawyers, better at covering their tracks and perhaps more cunning and better liars.

So this is an interesting development: https://membership.melbournefc.com.au/membership/kayo-digital KAYO DIGITAL The best (and cheapest) way to stream all our games live, while supporting the Melbourne Football Club through membership. It's a win, win! Package Benefits A subscription for 12 months of Kayo Basic (RRP $360) Access to watch all AFL Premiership season games, plus more than 50 other sports, as part of your 12-month Kayo subscription 2023 Melbourne Armchair membership 40% off voucher to use at the Demon Shop (valid for one transaction) Access to exclusive offers from club partners Would be interested in the details and implications of this deal: 1. The number of devices it permits per subscription, i.e. is it Kayo premium etc? 2. Does it mean any existing member that purchases the Kayo subscription through this offer adds another membership No. to the club's total (not sure that's a huge advantage as no doubt all AFL have been offered this deal) Anyways an interesting option for those wanting to know 'the best way to watch the Footy'

Yeah, I don't disagree, but I'm still quite happy for the footy world to talk up others and under rate us for now. I think we could be 1st and undefeated by half way through the season again and there will still be a question mark about us waiting for us to faid out like 2022. Don't care I'd rather we just put together another season like 2021 when everyone else thinks we're flaky, but the team beleives in itself and we march on to another flag - at the G the time!

Greg Staford was/is our forwards coach and I'm not sure we need to rush in and replace him. From what I recall, JVR credited Staford with simplifying and breaking down a philosophy for JVR that really helped him develop his game in the second half of last season. I'm also not 100% sure that our goal kicking inaccuracies are all about technique as it could be somewhat of a result of where we end up leading to and taking our shots from. That said, it can't hurt to give Choco a go at the job either and perhaps he'll bring a fresh aproach that could really click for some players. As I've said elsewhere, if we can get a few more goals out of Trac and Clarry purely through better accuracy, that would add significantly to our scoring potentency.

Maybe I should sign up, so I can stop seeing adds for David Kosh telling me how I can make $ by the million all the time!! He seems to be one of the favorites at the moment. BTW, I wouldn't advise anyone take up his advice. I know it's the net etc, but how they can't stop these obvious scammers using real identifies for paid adds is somewhat beyond me. Is the server for this site in Kazakhstan or the Cayman something where there it's untouchable by western authorities?

Best news all day. Huge part of our premiership success in 2021 and hopefully he'll add a few more in years to come. As others have said even if his body/form doesn't hold out at it's best for the entire duration of this contract his value as a mentor/coach for our next generation key defenders will be invaluable. ...and yes @MrFreeze my love for Maysie is strong enough to have his babies (if that were anatomically possible!!🤣). Even though him and Melksham got into the biffo last year, I recon both of them are the sort of blokes who'd want in the trenches with you in a war zone. Maysie would bleed red and blue these days.

Sheeesh PF ease up. For all we know maybe he's just happy pulling on the boots at VFL level and playing footy at the best level he can. Can't blame the guy for having a go. His skills are silky as, has good footy sense and I recon he'd be good enough to be a good player at VFL level. If he wasn't 30 and didn't had the issues with his body, I think AFL would be well within reach, but I'd agree that's a long shot based on the indication of that we saw in 2020 of his physical ability these days.

If he gets to anyone, I think it will only be if he dominates at VFL level, in which case I think he'd go to high in the mid season draft to get to us. If he's looking the goods form wise, I think he will have plenty of suitors, but I suspect that's a big IF.

Seems like some truth to the rumor. Former No.2 pick making bid for third AFL comeback https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/former-no2-pick-making-bid-for-third-afl-comeback/news-story/545b179933485b4f3cf9b9d49a381c43 Currently playing with the Tiwi Bombers, where I think Majak Daw is also currently playing, perhaps there could be some inside insights. Good luck to him.

That's some nice handywork there knitting the No.31 onto the back. I'm actually woundering what BBB thought about his delusional wannabe wife was doing with Fritta's number on their plush toy?

No need for the close up photos of BBB to prove his presence WCW, his height and huge afro give him away on the far left of the above! Will loose some of his presence when the locks get chopped 😔

Thanks @Deemist, that's a cracker of an interview/podcast. Probably the best one I've listened to in a while. Maxy take the [censored] out of T Mac at times and has a tongue in cheek go that he's a [censored] bloke, but I think the opposite is actually true and that Max actually really rates T Mac. He's just such a down to earth country bloke at heart. Loved the numerous intelegent insights into life as a AFL footballer, the days after the 2021 GF etc. Particularly thought his take on the stand the mark, the 666 rule changes and ANB / Spargo roles and running were great. Stuff about Mark Neeld was also pretty interesting. All of this has probably been said/rumoured before, but if you want all this crammed into one 60min interview by someone who can accurately and articulatly explain it all, then this podcast is well worth the listen.

Sward - an expanse of short grass. Nice thanks Demonstone, I just learnt something, however a natural talent for poor spelling and a few reds probaby don't mix that well 😂. Putting a few teams to the sword on the sward would be enjoyable 😊

I was possibly also thinking of 2019 when he kicked 22 goals 14, but looking back through his stats it almost seems like every second year his goal kicking is up the [censored] and in alternate years it's pretty respectable. It's not that I'm being over critical of Trac, it's just that I think he's too talented of a player to consistently kick poorly for goal, when he shows that he can do it so well. Could make a big difference to our fortunes him kicking 19.29, compared to 29.19 as we probably would have one a few of those games we lost last year had he (and/or others) kicked straight. Clarry is the other who's set shots in particular defy his generally pretty solid kicking ability. I recall some comentator claiming he could play a role as a part time forward based on his good kicking for goal three or four seasons back. However his last few seasons his set shot goal kicking has been woeful (5.8 and 11.18). I half wounder with Clarry and Trac if they were carrying injuries that impacted their kicking technique last season in particular? If our gun mids can contribute a few more goals, it makes us a much more dangerous team, regardless of improvement in our dedicated forward setup.

You pretty much nailed the reasons for my thirst for vengeance against those teams. Against Sydney in the final last season, I planted myself in the middle of a Sydney memebers area, because I couldn't get the online ticketing system to allocate me anything decient in the MFC members allocation, but was able to get decient enough ones in the Sydney one. Ended up sitting next to this obnoxious Sydney supporter who took offence to my passionate vocal support for our boys, which made loosing to them even harder to swallow. Loosing to Collingwood in 2021 was bad at the time, but didn't hurt in the end after we won the flag. Fortunately I was there at the Gabba in 2020 when we dismembered them, but asides from that, they've been a bit of a bogie side for us.

So a with a little ryhm to the title, here's a thread to dump your wishes for the MFC's season to come. So, asides from the obvious premiership, what is something you'd like to happen from a player or the team as a whole? For me I think a few things I'd love to see this year are; in no particular order: * Trac get back to his goal kicking best - yes he kicked two in the 2021 GF, including a magic dribbler that started the 'Bang Bang Bang' , but I don't feel that Christian's goal kicking has been as sharp as it could be for a few years. There was a season (somewhere 2018 - 2020 I think) where he was absolutely on top of his goal kicking game and you could back him in to nail a set shot from either 25 out straight in front or 55m right on the boundary and I'd love to see more of that. * The MFC to slaughter Collingwood on the first Kings Birthday match; * The MFC to slaughter Sydney in Rd 3 and beat them by 12 points in Rd 24 to knock them out of the finals; * The MFC to slaughter Hawthorn both times we play them and clap their pittifulfy attended supporter group leaving half way through the third quarter. * Generally I'd like to see us put more teams to the sward early if we can. Maybe this is a bit presumptuous and arrogant, but after watching our team get dismembered and picked apart on so many occations, gee it would be good to watch the reverse and I will emphasise that this is more of a wish list and die hard supporters dream than an expectation of things to come.