Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Nice- I got a Clarry bobble head for father's day. ...and a bottle opener. Could probably open a bottle with Clarry's head.

Spent the day in Brisbane travelling for work. Perfect weather for footy up here. I agree with Jono Brown Lions Vs Port should be played in the afternoon not at night. Sorry, just realised I should have posted this in the Non-MFC: Non game day thread.

I mostly like your thinking here, but I don't like the pretense of winning a game we technically should have lost - can you imagine how that would be referred to by them in perpetuity (maybe that's the point). What I'd prefer was an actual goal that was signaled as a behind by the umpire, so they think they've got it initially, but then gets overturned when the video shows a clear goal. Would be kind of hard on us for a second, but would be well worth it. Maybe a lesser rated goal kicker like Gawn or Lever kicking the goal would be better than Pertracca too?

Must be a slow week in football. Who we playing this weekend? - need Fritta back in the side, kicking goals in his moon boots if need be!

Feel absolutely gutted for Melksham, so can't even imagine how he'd be feeling about all this. Remember him saying a few weeks back that he was just playing every game like his last and I fear that at his age, that might now be true. Thought that along with some others that didn't quite make it into the premiership team in 2021, such as Bernie Vince, AvB, Jonesy etc, that Jake was a huge part of the group that lifted the MFC back from obscurity, into a compeditive finals team that believed in it's self. His persistence to fight back into the team over the past two seasons was both inspirational and exhilarating. Really loved the agressive, compeditive and attacking way he took on the game. He'd back him self for the impossible shot, have a ping at the sticks when it was on and although he had his share of misses, he'd nail a good portion too (like this one https://youtu.be/Oaw0TDkbI0s?si=bWcikia9Q5wHfBVI ) - probably better than holding it up and kicking to a contested situation or pack of waiting opposition defenders on most occations. Also think the MFC needed a few players with the combative attitude of never taking a backwards step Jake brings, so well illistrated in the 2018 elimination final against Geelong (see from 0:48 of https://youtu.be/CNGOI8QuEMA?si=LzfcSiNzwkYEWaKW ). Can only imagine some of this would have rubbed off on our current forward mix over the past 6 - 8 weeks that Jake's been in the side. If the fist fight between him and Maysey was a sign of disunity and the wheels falling off our season a bit last year, ironically, maybe Jake's missfortune could a catalyst for galvanizing the team for finals this year.

I agree with what you are saying Wodja. However, rather than being instigated and 'minted' by the AFL, I think it would be better if it actually came from the club. Could be presented by captain and coach at the B&F. In my amature playing days, I was someone who has been a part of teams that went on to win premierships at lower levels. In one instance, there was a surplus of actual game day premiership medals and I was given one by the coach on the day. Got to say that at the time, it did feel kind of token and somewhat rubbed the salt into the wounds of not making the squad on the day. An alternate medal given on another day might actually have been something I'd appreciate. Still do look back fondly on the mateship of that team though.

Don't think so, unless you get a pass out and go outside the stand - but I don't think that's what you are asking. It is quite possible now to walk from the MCC members in the Northern Stand to the AFL members on levels 1 and 4 via the Punt road end. Not sure if that was always possible prior to the new Norther/Olympic stand.

Great to know. Getting a little nervous, because I still haven't received an email from the club on this. I'm not sure why it couldn't have been ready and sent either Sunday or as soon as the AFL anouced their finals fixture this morning - or is it a matter of waiting for the ticket sellers to setup the link on thier site? (Which I'm still not sure why it couldn't be really as soon as the AFL makes their announcement.)

Has the club sent out an email about tickets? I thought I saw it somewhere that they had, but I can't find anything.

Interested in how the Casey watchers think Disco Turner is traveling. Obviously he's picked to play today, but I'd expected to see more of him this season based off his mature showing Queens Birthday last season before getting injured.

Yep. Perhaps I'll just reminded him of the Brisbane V Geelong prelim I went to him with last year and suggest that he wouldn't enjoy that sort of experience again!

Yeah, I guess I've got a better strike rate that the old man. He's got three sons and I'm the only one that's a passionate Demons (the other not really footy driven, but notional MFC supporters). If we get to the big dance at the G, the three generations of MFC supporters will be the together and I couldn't go past that. Dad was there at the G in 64, and I was there with him in 88 and 2000. Watching a winning one at the G with them both would be bloody magic. Love that Max recognises and values the significance of winning one at home at the MCG where family freinds and the MFC faithful can truly share the experience and hope that is really driving the playing group headding into this finals series.

If it's a MFC V Brisbane GF, I have a bit of a family crisis on my hands. Youngest son is fair dinkum and goes for the Mighty Demons, but his big brother supports the Lions (yeah, I know - should have thrown him out of the nest). Only have 2 X GFG memberships 🤔

Karo yes, but Kane Corns was actually pumping up the MFC as still a genuine premiership contender a few months back, when others were casting doubt. Generally don't actually mind Kane, but really didn't like the rumors and innuendo he stirred up about Kossie moving back to SA though. Thought that was pretty rank. Would agree that he's one-eyed self interested in that way, that others in the media don't quite cross that boundary to the same extent. I do think guys like Garry Lion, Jonathan Brown and Nathan Buckley step back and try to be a bit more removed, objective and conservative or even hyper critical when it comes to their former clubs, rather than go all out cheer leaders.

Agreed. Has done exactly what he and Roos set out to do when they respectively took up the helm and set us on the path to where we are now - built a list, culture and game style that means we are compeditive, have a recognisable game style/brand of football that stacks up in finals and sets us up to go deep into September, with an oppertunity to play off in premerships over the foreseeable future. Fantastic to have this extension to bring stability over the next few years that could be some of the greatest for the MFC in the modern/AFL era.

Cool beans Jayden. My guess is BBB would be the more likely of the two to pull up stumps early, but I think he still has pleanty to offer us on the list next season. Even as a depth player at Casey he's got such great footy smarts and character that he'd be a great mentor to someone like Jefferson. I'd also love to see BBB kick a big bag for the MFC and I recon it's still a possibility if he can get his body right for long enough.

My recollection is that it was his relationship with Simon Goodwin that lured him to the mighty MFC from the Bombers: Would like to understand what it was about Simon that motivated that decision at the time and if he's noticed much change in Simon Goodwin the person and coach since his time at the MFC. Also what is it that he's most appreciated about being a Melbourne player and part of the current playing group.

Gawn Dog, can you please explain if we're getting pick 5 and splitting for 7 and 11 (which seems like a potentially good move for us), where does pick 4 come from?

Obviously haven't had the best season this year, but similar things to your comments above were stated at the end of 2020 and the next year, they were both well deserved premiership players. Write them off at your peril I say. Both, but particularly T Mac have earnt their right to retire or play out his contract whenever they see fit.

I do get that, but similarly I feel bad for all the other players they have rubbed out over the previous few seasons for simply playing the game, but supposedly not showing enough 'care for the player' when the inevitable body contact occurred (Nibbler in 2020 and Chanler 2022 come to mind).

Watching Trac on 360 tonight - WTF rubbish internet provider is he with that I don't want to be with?

Nearly a Ben Brown run-up on that one. If he'd only gone all the way back to the 50m, he would have had the technique correct.

They might be on the right track to be half compeditive again in a few years. It's a big step from being able to be compeditive with good teams for a quarter to half of the season to doing it week in and week out and seriously pushing for finals. Hope their overconfidence in how great Mitchell and 'the Hawthorn way' are sees them mired in mediocrity for years.

They still have the arrogance built up from sucessful 80s - 2010 era and a sense of entitlement that they are on a rebuild trajectory that will get them back to that place in just another few years. I'd love to see them have another decade or two of mediocrity, where they bobble about between 12th - 9th and then make finals a few times perhaps, but only manage to finish in the 5th - 8th range and get knocked out in elimination, semi and prelim finals without ever really getting close to a flag to give there fans a reality check on what it's like to be a real football supporter. Their "You Melbourne supporters have become arrogant" remark is just the start of their on the outside looking in journey that they are not use to and don't like the feel of.

All good Steve. That's where the 'more robust' version was angled in terms of disposal reliability as well to an extent. To be honest, I haven't watched Jayden play much for WC this season and I think it's hard to gauge players that are a part of basket case teams. I was more just noting that he seems to be getting games and seems to be in their better players and kicking goals alot of weeks. I think Jayden's feild kicking and decision making did get better towards the end of his career with us though. Some of those plays where he took on the game with his dash through the centre square and great kicking delivery forward against Carlton in our come from behind win against them last season very much reminded me of Rivers plays against Brisbane a few weeks back. I think having Rivers comming through was probably a big part that stoped Hunt getting games and why we were ok with letting him go. Agree that Rivers is a superior player at this stage of his career and is a much better move for managing our list age profile.