Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Awsome - is that Richo?

😯 like how!!?? Soo jealous. Think you could broker a Demonland / MFC member cup house tour?

I watched a few quarters of it again the other day. Your right, it's hard to get that same rush from it, but worth watching from the perspective of being impressed about just how under control we had the game for most of the time and what a complete and dominant finals series it was that we played. Couldn't have scripted our finals series better if I tried. Over all, we were just so impressive and dominant that we basically crushed the life out of every side we played, even though a few of them challenged and pushes us for parts of each respective game. Also evident what awsome finals series both Freitch and Patracca had, probably closely followed by Oliver and Gawn. Fritta kicked bags of 4, 2 & 6, including some crucial momentum shifting ones and similarly, Trac was dominant out of the middle and also kicked a couple of crucial goals against the Lions to seal the game.

Can add to that list that he has great forwards goal sense and skills set. Always knows where they are, is surprising agile, has good ball handling skills and is quite capable of snagging a sneaky snap or kick out of a pack if the ball hits the deck as well.

Maybe GWS and Sydney in particular can hand back a few of theirs? Only going from recollection here, but I think they have been by far the biggest beneficiaries of the NGAs. Personally, I agree that the NGAs are a rubbish idea. It's like going back to the old zone recruiting days. I think the issue here is that many others have had their lick of the lollipop, but when it's our turn, it gets taken away by mum. The NGAs shouldn't be needed as incentive for the Northern states to invest in developing junior players. They are subsided by the rest of the competition just to be in existence. They should be greatful for that an see it as a reasonable obligation to invest back into their local grass roots teams (as should all AFL teams in a sense, who are essentially funded by popular demand).

Forget about the typo, I just can't quite reconcile that he only played 11 games in 2021 and only a total of 19. Performs like a mature 100 game player. Just on the games played though, by my reckoning, it was actually 19 games 2021 (including finals) and 11 pre 2021 for a career total of 30, which matches a little better with the maturity he played with. BTW, I didn't set out to correct the record, but from my recollection of when Tomlinson went down, 11 games 2021 seemed like way to few, as again just from recollection, it when Out: Tomlinson injured, In: Petty the week after, who played every game? for the remainder of the season and didn't miss a beat.

That call of BT's somewhere during our second half onslaught where he exclaims that "the noise level of this crowd should be illegal" drives me insane.

Just curious, who else's are still up 😁😁 I'm thinking mine might go until past Christmas 😊😁 Lookout God, the Demons are back in charge and ruling Aussie Rules around here!! 😝😜 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

There was also another kick to the top of the square in that third quarter onslaught, which had it not been contested by Maxy / T Mac and punched over by a good spoil from one of the Bulldogs defenders could well have been either a mark from point blank to us or on target to bounce through for another goal. One of those players who doesn't necessarily need to get mountains of the pill to be dangerous. If he marks anywhere within and probably up to just outside 50m on a reasonable angle, he's one of the few players I'm more confident than not will slot it right through the middle. Only chip on him is possibly that he lacks a combination of either pace, agility or awareness of the opposition players around him, as he seems to get caught holding the ball a bit at times. Hopefully he improves this part of his game, but I don't see it as a huge deficiency as I think we also need players who are prepared to wear one for the team and do sometimes get caught in the process, but on other occations use their strength and power to break clear, break lines and some bones and spirit of the opposition at the same time.

This was my tribute to Col and others when I flew the flag for the GF. Loved watching Col play, particularly when he first arrived at the club, he was a beacon of hope that had star power written all over him. Had we had the other capable players and maturity of leadership around him, I very much think that Colin had the talent to have been a part of a Demons premiership side. See alot of how he played in Tommy Sparrow, hard, tough and an accurate, booming shot on goal. Was somewhat disappointed when he left for Freo, but also understand it based on what I understand of where he and the team were at around that point of time. Really happy how his family and the MFC were bought back together around our premiership and I hope his family felt some happiness being a part of it. Demon for life. RIP Colin.

So much conjecture over whether that one pass to Gus was intended for him or not (personally, I thought it was directed to Ben Brown), but I think the key point here is that Bowey pulls off this type of kick multiple times a game. I loved pleanty more of his kicks in the grand final and games leading up to it. Such natural poise. Usually doesn't try to bite off the miracle pass, so just picks sound options most of the time, in the blink of a eye. But when he does decide to go big and hit up the target with a switch kick through the centre, it 'hits his team mates on the chest' as the man himself would say. His awareness of players around him and ability and agility to get out of a tight spot are elite as well. Love watching him play and if he keeps on the trajectory he's on, I think we could well have another AA player on our hands.

Not a chip on Sparrow, who's finals campaign was simply awsome, but I doubt he actually got on the park anything like 21 times this year. What goose in AFL land thought it was a good idea for the sub to be credited a game to their name whether they actually played or not?

I like where you are heading with that, but there still needs to be some penalty closer to goal, or the rule will be flouted. I actually like the way this rule helps players get that bit of extra distance from around 50+ out and opens up scoring and breaks up defensive zones a bit in an era when flooding and low scoring had become the norm. Perhaps just a 10m penalty within 50m would be a fairer thing, But overall, I don't recall too many 50m penalties being paid because of this rule, as it's so simple and much more black and white than the protected zone rule for instance.

I'd rather it stayed, for the simple reason that I think that the way the MFC play, we are able to take better advantage of it than other sides. When we go, we play on hard and use this rule to help break lines, but so many of our rivals just do the slow chip or long down the line over the man on the mark, because we force them into that and then they just turn the ball over to our defense, such that the rule is not of as much use to them. I don't care if it doesn't work for the rest of the comp.

Happy for Jay if he finds a new home where ever that may be, but I'd rather it wasn't GWS. I think GWS are one of the sides that will actually be in contention in the years ahead and I think Jay could be more than useful to them. Would much rather he end up at GC to help them become compeditive.

Put it on your credit card maybe?

Free access version here: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/dees-and-dogs-reportedly-almost-came-to-blows-at-nightclub-days-after-afl-grand-final/news-story/3160b2546fce467d3971aa3b8493c407 I still haven't seen it, but sounds like the Bulldogs went off half cocked after they beat us in that final home and away game. Like that we kept our powder dry until we'd won the one that counts and while I it's a fine line and I don't want us to get a reputation as cocky and arrogant, I feel the Dogs had this coming and like that we are hitting back a bit. Could make for an even more spiteful rivalry with them in the years ahead, perhaps similar to the Geelong, Hawthorn one of a few years back.

Don't get me wrong, it's better than nothing in a way and I'm still buzzing from our win. GO DEMONS! 2021 AFL Premiers baby!!! Whooohoo!

I may be in the minority here, but honestly for me personally the moment for this has past. You can't replicate those spontaneous feelings of joy we all had imeediatley post the game and the party atmosphere they enjoyed in Perth, while most of the rest of Australia was excluded. To me, this would just be a slightly better than normal family day type function. I am much more looking forward to Rd.1 or whenever it is that we unveil the flag for the first time in front of 80,000 MFC supporters at a sold out MCG and give who ever we play an absolute hiding. Following that it's winning the 2022+ flags at the G, with my mates, son and old man that I'm looking forward to and then this moment will be complete and real.

I'd think he'd be competing for the half back role that Hibberd played in the GF, along with Hunt, Smith and Bowey. Per ACL, Tommlinson's fitness was elite. I remember that first practice match or two he played for us when he first joined and was on an opposite wing to Lingers and the amount of distance they covered over the game was around the same, which is saying something. Got to find a way to utilize that run if it's still there.

I honestly think the shorter quarters in 2020 did us a disservice against teams like Richmond, Geelong and possibly others as well. We smashed it out in preseason 2019-20 and were primed, but didn't really get the full oppertunity to make use of that fitness. We didn't loose to either Richmond, Geelong, Freo, Brisbane (let's not forget their dream advantage) and possibly others I'm forgetting by that much in 2020 and would have only needed one of those games to make finals. Had we made finals who knows what could hace happened.

I'm guessing there's probably an AVB farewell thread somewhere else as well, but will take this oppertunity to thank Vanders as a supporter for standing up and giving us hope as supporter when the team was still on the rise back to competitiveness. Really admire that someone who didn't come through the elite junior ranks was able to elevate himself to play AFL footy at the top level and make a real impact (physically and metaphorically speaking). Had not his body let him down, I think AVB could have been a premership player for the MFC. Loved his strong marking, bulldozing bursts out of packs, through players and his bone crunching takes and body on body work were something to behold. His contribution to our 2018 finals rebirth was probably the pinicle of his career and I think his presence in that series contributed immensely to the belief the team built out of making and performing well in finals as an important stepping stone towards the premiership glory of 2021. Hope AVB looks back fondly and with great pride of his time at the mighty MFC. Thanks Vanders, you were a ripper!!

Form my own observations from afar, part of me has a sense Hibbo may struggle next season and right now might be a good oppertunity for him to go out on top. However I'm sure that Hibbo and the club know his body and desire to go again much better than us mere mortal supporters. In the scenario that he goes on Hibbo's senior appearances next season are limited much like Jones and Jetta this year, I'd be ok with that too. He isn't that senior and we are nowhere near as top heavy as alot of teams and I'm sure that Hibbo would provide valuable leadership to who ever we are developing down at Casey and around the team in general. For instance, I get the sense that having Jetta around this season was really important to Kossie and I'm sure there are others for whom Hibbo could play that mentoring role. Quite asides from his valuable contributions to our premiership season this year, Hibbo has always been a hard as nails, heart and soul type of player for the MFC during a time when we were still building a winning culture. For a number of years before Lever and May, he was both a rock and awsome rebounder out of defense. His gut running back to cover our defense epitomizes the 'selfless' spirt the team has embraced and he is fully deserving of the respect that it appears he is being afforded.

Don't want to be a party pooper, but honestly, I don't get too excited about the length of these signings these days, because anything further than 2 years out is almost meaningless. All signing him up beyond 2022 will acheive right now is to reduce some of the media chatter and speculation early next season. Come 2023 or even late 2022, if things arn't looking rosy for any of the respective parties and the talk will start again. As seen with Bobby Hill, Lobbe and Lauchie Neil and closer to home, Jessy Hogan, players are increasingly requesting trades inside their contacted period. About the only thing having them contracted does is give the club slightly better leverage for extracting a reasonable trade in the instance they want out. Best way of retaining Dogga is keep winning and keep him happy. I think Dogga is also shrewd in recognising the value of playing with and learning from Max over the next few years. All these things should be a win/win for the MFC and the individuals involved, so I put more weight on that than any contract that's announced.

Stinger also played a couple of years in No.15 as has our current man in 15, #positivelingers Think Ed would be a very worthy recipient of No.2 and that it has a good history of being worn by wingers.