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Everything posted by Rodney (Balls) Grinter
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The Brandon Parfitt Thread
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to spirit of norm smith's topic in Melbourne Demons
Agree we could do with some more midfield depth, but I have some serious question marks with some of the above: After only a few rounds in, Billings didn't really look close. Can he put in a killer pre-season somehow and turn his career around at a late age like T Mac? I've got my doubts, but you never know. After pleanty of opportunities at senior level Laurrie just doesn't look to cut it for mine. I'd much rather put more game time and give opportunities to guys like Woey and Doggy Brown Jnr. Was interesting to see Judd McVee given some midfield time late in the season and if AMW can keep performing in defence, perhaps that opens up an oppertunity for Judd to spend more time as a mid? -
May have been mentioned by others (pardon the bad pun), but will never forget the ripping game he played against Geelong in early 2021 after Hawkins smashed Steve's eye socket. Winning that game was so important for our belief and early season momentum and Tommo did more than just hold up an end in May's absence. I will personally remember Tommo as a contributing member of of premiership squad, not as frindge player in our team. Having players of his calibre as depth that season was huge. As a side note, I still can't believe that Hawkins didn't get suspended for that clumsy hit on May and really does make me think that we get harder done by that other charmed clubs/players. Kossie only has to look at someone and scare them into falling over and he is garrenteed a 3 week suspension.
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Welcome to Demonland: Harry Sharp
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Demonland's topic in Melbourne Demons
Most players have some inconsistency to their performance year to year. ANB was brilliant in 2021, 2024 (third B&F) and I don't recall him being horrible in 2022 or 2023, just maybe not smashing it every game. His role also tends to go un-noticed. I felt Fritsch was down a bit this season, as have been other acknowledged quality players like Bowey and Salem at points, but I don't think we'd be branding them as fickle. -
Welcome to Demonland: Harry Sharp
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Demonland's topic in Melbourne Demons
2020 was an interesting season for ANB and the club as a whole. Seem to remember him being cruelled by the AFL with what I regard as an excessive suspension for a sling takle early in the season, just as he'd worked his way into the side. Vividly recall his last game in 2020 against Essendon at Carrara stadium - he played a ripper, which was a bit of a preview of his potential in seasons to come IMHO. Will be interesting to see if Sharp can now step up and grab the opportunity that we will now provide him. I know Brisbane have a feast of brilliant on ballers, but I think they also have some aging stars amoung that group, so part of me is a little surprised that they let him go for peanuts in some respects. Guess there is a bit of a come home factor for Sharp as well, although from experience Brisbane is a great place to live and you'd think he'd be pretty happy up there. Anyways I'm not complaining with the outcome for the MFC at this point. -
Welcome to Demonland: Harry Sharp
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Demonland's topic in Melbourne Demons
If Sharp can mature and develop into the ANB mold, then I think we've done well out of trading ANB to the Crows. Although I always saw early glimpses of potential in ANB, he didn't really start hitting his straps as an AFL footballer consistently until he had around 4 or 5 seasons under his belt. Alot of that development work has been done with Sharp and if he can make the grade, then I like that we're continuing to rejuvenate the age profile of our list, without bottoming out and/or ending up with a glut of aging starts that would set us up for a big fall in the future.- 244 replies
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Don't think it's a forgone conclusion that explayers coaching at their former club is a bad thing. Of course it depends on the individual circumstances and the talent, buy for example Paul Roos at Sydney worked out pretty well. Not saying I have any intel on Jones being the same sort of all round coaching footy genius as Roos, but from what I understand, he was always well respected for his leadership and perhaps that's what he'd be helping to re-establish and reinforce?
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Looking forward to what we can do with both of 5 and 9. Last time we had a similar hand, we ended up with Clarry and Weid. Not paying out for picking up Weid as not every player recruited can be an absolute hit, but if we end up with at least one player of Clarry's quality, I think we'll be doing all right, but if we could nail both picks, I think it sets us up for the future well.
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Got to admit that I was a little thrown off this season, with more of the hype seeming to be that Tholstrup was the more AFL ready, yet it was Winsor that really shone (which I'm not complaining about, because Caleb was nothing short of sensational this season and definitely looks the goods for the future). I haven't really seen enough of Tholstrup to make as much of assessment of my own, but take the points you are making Macca and will be watching with interest over future seasons.
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Welcome to Demonland: Tom Campbell
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to titan_uranus's topic in Melbourne Demons
You know I think the benifit of having someone like Tom as that backup ruck option, is that he seems genuinely just happy to be still at an AFL club and a part of that environment and happy enough just to keep doing his thing in the twos for as long as is required while Max is fit and firing. I'm not knocking Grundy, but I think someone like him who was capable of playing regular AFL would have been super frustrated not playing at the top level and even as professional and free of ego that he seemed to project. I know he probably can't play the key forward role, but if Tom can make a similar contribution to our list as say Peddo or perhaps Mitch Brown, then I think we've done all right. -
Welcome to Demonland: Tom Campbell
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to titan_uranus's topic in Melbourne Demons
Sounds like a cracking bloke as a footballer. I think we've done well to recruit Tom. -
2024 Player Reviews: #38 Oliver Sestan
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Demonland's topic in Melbourne Demons
Which wouldn't have been the case in this instance by the sounds of it. Honestly, I think we've actually over corrected in this respect and there are a number of worthy debutants that have been burnt by the club via the sub rule in recent years. Main culprits in my mind are Toby Bedford, Taj Woewodin and Kynan Brown. Kynan Brown in particular out of this group got like 2mins of a game against North three quarters of the way through the season, when I actually think he looked quite ready from watching him in the preseson game against Richmond. Getting back to the Collingwood game - we looked putrid, lathargic and flat for that game and an injection of youth could have been something great to booster some energy and enthusiasm, but I guess hindsight is a beautiful thing isn't it. -
9 Reasons to be Positive Heading into 2025
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Demonland's topic in Melbourne Demons
What odds were we and did you do this at the end of 2020? -
9 Reasons to be Positive Heading into 2025
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Demonland's topic in Melbourne Demons
Nah, the sky is falling down isn't it? -
Welcome to Demonland: Tom Campbell
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to titan_uranus's topic in Melbourne Demons
What about against the sides that have x2 genuine rucks like Freo (possibly others?)? I wouldn't write it off all together, but agree that it's not our intention to have them both regularly in the same side. I really do hope it means we're not playing Max if he's carrying injuries that he would benefit from resting a week, where this year he would have played because we had no quality backup option. -
Yeah, fair enough. I forgot all the specifics. Even though he was out of contract, that still meant GWS had to trade for him yeah? Otherwise we could have told them we'd let him put himself up for the pre-season draft? I really wish a few clubs would follow through on this threat some more as I feel players are really too free to walk out on clubs willy nilly at the moment.
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MFC GOAL OF THE YEAR 2024
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to spirit of norm smith's topic in Melbourne Demons
Fritta's against Geelong is my pick, as it was also at such a consequential time of the game. When he kicked that it pretty much sealed the game for us. Love alot of the other goals too. Overall, watching these clips reminded me we were really not that far off flag contention this season bar a run of rubbish season ending injuries to several of our guns. Only just lost to Brisbane (after they'd turned the corner) and Port away and even the GWS loss doesn't look that bad given how they faired this season. -
I know it doesn't work like this, but GWS owe us for Toby Bedford. Quite a similar situation in a way, only Bedford was getting games and showing promise at AFL level. Still spewing we let that kid go so easily.
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MFC 2024 BEST & FAIREST NIGHT
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to spirit of norm smith's topic in Melbourne Demons
Just looking over the life members stuff - 45 games and 73 goals was a decent enough return from BBB I think. And for all the talk about cultural issues at the club, guys like Ben should be celebrated even more for what I understand he bought in that regard as well. His contribution to our 21 premership should never be underrated IMHO.- 473 replies
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Welcome to Demonland: Caleb Windsor
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to adonski's topic in Melbourne Demons
Skills of Robbie quite possibly, but does he have the same red and blue heart? I guess we will see. -
Robbo parts company with AFL360
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to Whispering_Jack's topic in Melbourne Demons
If his post concussion brain is up to it, I think Angus Brayshaw could do a great job on one of these shows. His Gus and Gawn was good and I think I recall him being decent on the Sunday footy show a few times. Would be a huge gig first up, but he certainly has the intellect and footy smarts to pull it off. -
Rory Sloane to the Dees as Assistant Coach?
Rodney (Balls) Grinter replied to petzy's topic in Melbourne Demons
Only that his sister Shae was on our AFLW list at one point, so clearly the grudge can't be that deep. -
Ireland should be part of our NGA through the Stynes connection and give us priority access.
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Totally agree. Strong as an ox and has a great penitrating kick on him. Showed so much potential in 2021, but has flat lined and probably even gone backwards since (being demoted to Casey at a time we are down in the mid is evidence of that). I don't know what the dynamic is between the two at the moment, but I think if Trac so desperately wants us back up there, he should take Tommy on as his pet project and pull him up to the next level. Maybe then, we can have some more bang bang bang on the last day of September.
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One thing I don't want to see again in 2025 is Turner played as the starting sub. Too impactful as a forward to have sitting on the pine for 3/4 and seems mobile and adaptable enough that he could play a bunch of roles even if we looked excessively tall in our forward 50.
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If this is the assessment, then I think KPP backman remains one of the key recruiting / development needs, that and/or the club needs to work out and stick to their guns on who of Petty/Turner are forwards and let the other solidify a role down back. Personally, despite some glimpses I think the Petty forward experiment has failed and I'd rather see him down back again. We've got a huge Steve May sized hole to fill when he retires.