Rodney (Balls) Grinter

It can be entertaining when you get a close high stakes game like that, but it's a once in a blue moon that occurs OMHO. Mind you I only ever watch it once in a blue moon for either an origin game of GF like that too. Watched it a couple of times at the ground and that's even worse. I can see why their attendances are so poor.

Honestly, I don't think we're very far off competing for a flag again right now. Finished with one of the best % outside the 8, we beat the premiers Brisbane on their home deck, came close and should have beaten Collingwood twice - when they were playing well the first time and even late season they showed they could turn it around and beat Adelaide and push Brisbane for a while. If we can do all that while being handicapped by not being on top of our ball movement, lacking in confidence and with the aura of negativity that's haunted our past two seasons, then just watch us go in 2026. If we loose Trac, while it will have something of an impact, I'm not convinced it will be catastrophic (we was nowhere near 2nd B&F type good this season IMHO) and if we've lost him, it should also mean we've secured something pretty good in return. If that eventuates, then I really do hope we secure someone like Humphrey's in return, otherwise the pressure on a 2nd year Langford is going to be huge, although maybe it also creates the space for someone like Rivers and/or maybe even Sparrow to step up and take the reins. I think the real lessons that the club has learnt from that post 2006 era is that tanking and bottoming out just to access the low draft picks isn’t the pathway to success, rather keeping a ballanced list profile and striving to always to be competitive is the way to go. Keeping a ballanced list profile is something think we have acheived ever since 2021, by participating ways with the likes of Harmes, ANB etc and natural retirements of guys like Hibbo, BBB and the untimely retirement of Gus as evidenced by the post of @biggestred.

Richmond were down and struggling in a similar position to us when the expansion teams came in. They went on to win 3 flags while we struggled for a few years longer before coming away with one ourselves. History shows, it's not like Tassie will come in and me super competitive right away and that other existing teams will still be the ones competing for the flag. Although Tassie will likely starve the competition of new talent and steal some of the existing talent, that could actually represent an opportunity if we can be one of the good teams at the time, by creating greater stratification in tallent throughout the league. I'd like it if we could be more like Richmond 2017 - 2020 era when Tassie comes in.

Being reported here as a free agency move rather than a trade at this point: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/afl-trade-news-2025-brody-mihocek-to-leave-collingwood-magpies-for-melbourne-demons-free-agency-deal-latest-news/news-story/c2ea08f4c58c5b0743d50c3f2d7c4487

I actually think we could get more value from Melksham playing further up the ground and being a player the drives the ball inside 50 to the advantage of the deep forwards. Probably still opportunities for him to play deep inside too on occations and should add a few more dimensions and less predictability to our forwardline. The other aspect is in line with your suggestion, perhaps like T Mac, Melksham might be destined to spend more time at Casey in a mentoring role this coming season developing players than producing in the seniors. He might actually be better value to the club in the long run playing that role. Overall, I think Brody gives us much better options and flexibility to shape our forward looks and plays for the next few seasons.

And I don't think Brody has the chronic knee issues either (althoug like you I still think we got good value out of Brown).

Lol, yeah. Maybe not the Spargo part and he's not actually named after him exactly. He's also actually a Brisbane Lions supporter, who's favourite player is Charlie Cameron, but I won't hold that against him. Watching the Lions and Charlie Cameron over the years has been alot of fun also, particularly this past few when we've been such 💩. Did have that awsome Jake Melksham inspired comeback we had at the MCG a few years back which was alot of fun to get one back over him!

I thought he was pretty good for us when he first started with us as an 18yo and burst onto the scene with his tenacious tackling pressure and attack on the footy, at a time when we were really struggling as a team and lacking players with those attributes. Will have some fond memories of Charlie. Not only because he's got the same name as my oldest son, but because I genuinely think he made a good contribution to the Melbourne footy club over the years. His last couple of seasons have been poor by his standards (mainly due to injury), but I felt he played some really good seasons for us as well, including but not limited to our premiership. Was some of that manic Spargo pressure that resulted in one of our early grand final goals to Pickett if I recall correctly. All the best Charlie sad to see you go, but thanks for your contribution.

When Carlton get pick 19 for Jack Silvani (reportedly the about the same Hawthorn got for Lance Franklin) after he played 0 and 13 games for Calton in the past 2 seasons, then I think we should also expect realitive overs for Spargo. Perhaps the AFL are finally waking up to the corrosive impact of free agency on equalisation and giving more reasonable compensation as a result. ... or maybe they are just favouring Carlton - we'll soon see I guess.

Lol. Ease up Mr.Fence. I don't want to trade him out, but if we do, I'm just wanting a developing young player with potential, as opposed to a spud that never makes it. Many on this forum have been talking up Derksen for the past few seasons. Konestly don't know if he's the best that we could get out of GWS, but on face value if the reports are right that we're prepared to pay $700k of his salary, our own club itself doesn't seem to think Clarry has that much currency. I'd rather a semi developed key back where we have a bit of a potential gap, than taking a pot on a run if the mill mid where we probably have more options in-house.

Two great humans and what a great moment in the history of the MFC. Would love it if they were both still here with us today. Saw Austin play for the Northern Territory Stars (or whatever they were) in Souuthport a few years after he finished with the MFC - what a tallent. Still spewing he didn't play more games for us.

Sorry, at this point I see that gesture as a show of support for his partner than for the club. Fair enough too, in that sense, but it also equally irks me as a club supporter.

If only that was a sentiment more reciprocally expressed in modern day footy, although I do think Clayton is one of the more genuine and loyal players going around.

That game and that moment were one of the few high points of the season just gone.

Maybe (pardon the pun 😂). It's crazy how quickly the worm turns. One moment Maysie is the super compeditive silver back gorrilla key back that the club has wanted and needed for the past 10 years and the next, he's too much for us to handle and past it. Honestly, I'd rather he stays and plays out his days in the red and blue. One of my favourite players of all time - he's an absolute beast and a MFC legend as far as I'm concerned. Every team needs a guy that gives his team mates a spray every now and then - Jake Lever will be lost without that!

Fully agree with the sentiment of the rest of your post and would rather Clarry stays, but did King get the job saying Clarry would be playing on the ball every week? I know the reports the 'club' (i.e. not just King) is willing to pay a massive portion of his salary at another team is sending something of a message, but conversely it's still open to Clarry to accept a different role, get back to his personal best in another capasity and be a contributor.

Perhaps. But if May isn't getting opportunities ahead of Adams, then T Mac isn't either though (which I think he'd be fully ok with and aware of). The interesting part will be can Lever get back to his best next year? I sure hope so and it's funny how his name hasn't been mentioned much as trade/wants out material much lately, when not so long ago it was (which personally I think is a good thing). Didn't see much of it this year, but I think the Lever/Disco combo could work really well.

He went from the default medical sub with us in 2022 to being best 22 in a team that has made finals the past 2 years and also leads their all time tackle average. Exploded, ok, maybe that could be seen as being generous, but I think GWS would be far happier with the value they got from Toby than I am from what we got out of the Ben Kennedy when Howe left for that scummy team. That's the point I started trying to make. Good fringe (Bedford), bad fringe (Kennedy); Derksen?

Maybe, but Bedford was on our list for 3 years, then exploded for GWS. Similaly, Adams has been on our list for 3 years of what 1 or 2 games - key position players take longer to mature. From what I understand, there are some fair raps on Derksen and if he was no good, why were we chasing him in the first place. If we are telling Clarry that he'll potentialy playing alot of footy at Casey in the years ahead, what should we expect in return? I'd rather get something we need than another average mid sized fringe player, which is also a real possibility. That all said, I also hope there is a chance that Clarry gets going, gets back to top form and reinvents himself as a footballer in the red and blue.

From our perspective or his? And was he no longer, because we didn't have enough collateral to make it happen - Oliver to GWS could change that. As much as I would like to see us give opportunities to Adams, I'm not convinced that we have enough developing key position back depth if he doesn't make it.

Yep, give me an undervalued developing fringe player like Bedford that's been starved of opportunities though that club having a glut of his type, but ready to explode into a best 22 player as opposed to one that will remain a perpetual finge player. Not really wanting to loose Clarry, but if it gets done, then I think Wade Derksen sounds like the kind of fair return I'd expect from GWS.

Agreed. And if he comes back, it's because other clubs didn't see enough value in him to meet our trade terms. Should that occur, it should humble him, put him back in his place and knowing that he has to earn any respect back. Personally as a supporter, I have lost alot of respect for him out of this episode and hope we can get a good enough trade for him to leave the club on acceptable terms to us. Hasn't acted like a team player or club champion at all.

We'll have him for draft picks / points value we should have got him for in the first place, then start talking the terms for Trac as a separate negotiation - quality players, not random draft picks in a weak draft thanks.

Still think he has something to offer the team and will be interesting to see what he does under the fresh approach of King. Think he could really thrive.

Had a bit of a meh year by his standards, but hey at least he put on a good show against the Saints in Rd 20 😜