Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I'm not disagreeing with much of this either Daz only to say that the two players you mentioned played at the level below. I thought Laurrie was decient. I'm not sure that Harmes was best 22 from 2018 - 2020 on this forum. Always seems to attract comments questioning if he's good enough. But he still seems to play majority of games most seasons. I think we've agreed to disagree on this topic, but personally I think write James Harmes off at your peril.

Anyone got good ideas on parking near Gooches? Train services on the Belgrave/Lillidale line are going to be rubbish for the first part of the season due to track closure and replacement buses for the Mont Albert / Surrey Hills level crossing removal works.

For me the surprise was that JJ didn't stand out in the second game anywhere near as much as I thought he would. Maybe cause for concern or maybe he just had a bad day?

Not entirely sure I agree with this. I didn't overly notice Harmes, but did see him do a few good things. In terms of sliding down the pecking order, from the moment he stepped into the club as a final round rookie draftee, I think he's been fighting to justify his place in the side just about every season since. He's a tenacious beast and good honest footballer in my book, but does also have some assets being his hardness, kicking is generally better than some make out and I think he has a reasonable ability to break out of a pack situation with his strength power and speed in those situations and break lines a bit. His best asset is his ability to be at the right place, right time and execute some fantastic well weighted passes into 50 in critical match situations. Turned the premiership in our favor with his brilliant pass to Fritta in the 3rd quarter and back in 2018, he hit up a perfect pass to Dean Kent that put the sealer on us beating West Coast and got us a finals birth for the first time in 14 years. Selectors would be excluding him form the side at their peril IMHO.

Hibberd on his last legs? Yeah nah. Was a gun in the second half of last season when we bought him into the seniors. Thought he was by far our best defender and close to best on ground in the second hit-out. A class above. In my mind, if he's fit, he plays ones. Brings so much hardness, toughness, never sat die and just a ripping player and defender. If we're cruising I think it would be something of a luxury to have him play seconds to mentor the next crop of defenders, but back end of last season, he was definitely a required commodity in the senior side. I did like the look of McVee though. Thought Rivers and Bowey were also good, so there is going to be tough competition for spots. Disco was good in the second game and that was a great screamer he pulled down.

Was watching the game today and thought that Will Verrall has a bit of the Jack Fitzpatrick look about him. Hope he has a better AFL career than Jack i.e. less the concussion. ...please don't teach him tunnel ball at training.

I somewhat miss the 90s MFC/MCG experience. Red Seats MFC members for the game and Demons Club in the room under the Northern Stand afterwards. There was a number of MCC members that use to come across the divide and attend the Demons Club functions rather than the Red Legs, because they preferred 'the vibe' of the Demons Club. If only we'd won a premership in that era.

You know what I mean. Echuca is on the Murray (somewhat to Echcua's detriment with all the recient flooding). Although as you point out, technically the Murray may be closer to Adelaide, but the time it get's there, it's a bit like the city of Adelaide it's self - a backwater [censored] hole.

Honestly, asides from the Collingwood arrogance about this issue, I'm not really that bothered as it hardly impacts me and I suspect it doesn't really impact our members. The bigger issue for me is how the MFC has decided to manage it's allocation of seating during our home games. I resent that the club took away the premium seating area on the wing/half forward ground level of the Northern Stand which use to be the MFC members ' Red Seats ' area open to all MFC members and made it into an exclusive MFC reserve seating area. I get the finacial imperatives the club operates under, but I actually think this move was somewhat corrosive to the fabric of the club from a supporters perspective. I reestablished my MFC membership since around 2011 back when we were rubbish, so think I hace contributed reasonablely to the club over recient history. The way the MFC reserve seat area on the wing is managed is [censored]: 1. For a family it would cost me excessively for everyone to purchase reserve seats in the area; 2. Even if I could afford it, it's difficult to get enough seats in a block together and almost impossible to also be allocated next to/near my old man's reserved seat in this area; 3. The other issue with perminantly reserved seats is that when people don't rock up, they go vacant, per the Collingwood home game issue. Having vacant seats in premium viewing positions is bad business and bad for footy culture in my view and bring a real finacial eliteisim to the game that erodes it. Please bring back the old MFC members Red Seat area (Even if they are now grey!). Perhaps Kate can champion that cause for the average MFC punter.

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.