Rodney (Balls) Grinter

I don't think the narrow kick to the pocket forward 50 entry game that we played for the first 3/4 or 2021 and alot of 2022 is the destination in our game style. For alot of the back half of 2021, Goody and the coaches spoke about working on the attacking part of our game (or the phase when we were in possession or whatever the lingo is these days). The lead up into finals 2021 and that finals series, we played a far more effective attacking game when we had the momentum and I think that is actually the game style we aim to play. Of course you also need the toops to play it and back half of 2022, we had no T Mac etc. The recruiting of Hunter is another sign we know we need to correct our entry and that's the type of game plan we are really targeting. That said, it is also a key plank of our game style to kick to the forward pocket, retain the ball and defend from within our forward 50 that helps keep us in games even when we might not be in our best form and help us win games more consistently and set us up deep inside the top 4 in genuine positions to win premierships. After having watched some great attacking MFC sides over the decades, I'll take the one that finished with home and away ladder positions of 1st and 2nd, including a premiership over consecutive seasons than the ones that would scrape into finals, but always behind the 8 ball to actually get into the GF, let alone win a premiership.

I did pick this thread to continue, partly as a bit of a stir, but I'd be making the is he worth the money thing as more of a judgment on Freo than Jackson. Personally, I'm happy to take Dogga sincerely that it was mostly about going home. Neither can I really blame him for taking the he extra money or Freo for offering for that matter. I think when clubs wrestle a player away from their current club, there is often an element of paying them a bit overs to get them over the line to make the switch and their club as the preferred destination. I suspect Melbourne generally play this game as much any other club. Mostly Bell's call on Dogga as being a great contested mark/key forward is somewhat over blown. I'm not denying that Dogga wasn't a good mark for us, as he was capable of pulling down some good screamers around the ground on the odd ocation using guys as a step ladder and also took the odd mark for us inside forward 50, but I don't think his marking was on anything like the same level as Gawn's. Dogga being the second decoy option inside forward 50 is a very different option to being the main goto guy getting double or tripple manned by key defenders when you're the man. Will be interesting to see if he steps up or struggles with that sort of pressure and attention. Maybe he's the sort that thrives under external expectations, but I actually think Bell has done a disservice to Dogga by putting even more pressure on him in this regard.

And won the premiership that same year. And BBB kicked 3 in the GF. The ball wasn't bombed to him that game and our game plan isn't just bombing it in every time. If there isn't a quality option on then yes it's about retention, but if we're on and the option is on, then we're hitting targets in good goal scoring positions.

So Peter Bell thinks Melbourne underutilized Dogga and that his best role is in the forward line as a contested mark beast! https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/fremantle-dockers/afl-news-2022-luke-jackson-fremantle-traded-from-melbourne-contract-game-plan-where-will-he-play-sean-darcy-peter-bell-interview/news-story/ba5714fefa8b95830f2b9dd11ba671c4 Good Lord. Peter might want to have a look at Harrison Petty's mark as a forward late in the final against Brisbane before he commits to Jackson as Freo's new key forward now that they have no Lobb.

And then an away game against them once they do, so we can thrash them in front of their 10 die hard supporters. We owe Hawthorn that pleasure particularly.

Definitely this. Sorry, I could hardly give a [censored] about how much prime time our sponsors get or don't. If they get the ultimate prime time of Grand Final day and all the subsequent promotional opportunities that come from a premiership, they should be pretty happy with that. Our supporters that have rocked up week in, week out for years deserve to be looked after more than a bunch of corporates that have been on the ride for just the last few and will jump off whenever it suits them.

Really hope he does get signed. Always makes me pleased to see our delisted or frindge ex-players get a chance at another club.

That one incident got so over exacerbated it's not funny. I think it was more just a case of lack of awareness of the player bearing down on him than him actually torching Trac. Fritta was in an easy goal scoring opportunity himself and 99 time out 100 he kicks that goal. In another scenario that plays out he hand passes to Trac who fumbles and then we'd have the same comentators accusing us of lairising and claiming Fritta should have taken the shot. It was at a point of the season where we were just going off the boil and alot of comentators were loving the oppertunity to have a chip at the side for whatever reason.

Actually think BBB is alot better once the ball hits the ground than many give him credit for. Yes he looks awkward, but in my view he has brilliant footy sense that means even when he misses the mark, he knows where to go to put himself in dangerous positions to stay in the contest and be useful option in chains that end up in goals, whether he's the one kicking them or some deft tap ons to others. Don't think he would have been the leading goal kicker in the league over a period of 3 years if he was a one trick pony and couldn't do stuff off the ground. I also think he's an absolute asset and great teacher for guys like JVR in this respect.

Agree, but then I'd actually like to see that done too on occasion. If we're behind early in the last and need to kick a bunch of goals to get back in the game with a forward line that's struggled to kick goals all game, then I think pinch hitting either of these guys up forward would be worth a shot. I recall that game 2020 (against Freo I think) when we through May forward, he kicked a succession of goals and we nearly pinched the game back. Maysie can be an absolute weapon on his day up forward. Would have got us into finals that year had we got over the line. But overall I agree that Petty to FF is too much robbing Peter to pay Paul. We'd only be that injury to May away from swinging Petty back down the backline and at the same time taking away or key forward and destabilize both ends of the ground. Disco could be a solid option down back one day, but I'd be very surprised if he's close to Petty and May's standard just yet - give the guy a few years to build his game and body like we did with Petty.

Looks like he's working on that impresive tan of his too!

Glad to see Tipungwuti is comming out of retirement to play for Essendon again. It's a win - win I recon. Footy lovers get to see a freakish talent in action again and at the same time, he'll probably help get Essendon's competitiveness up there for a few years to help them avoid getting better draft picks.

We have the best VFL team in the comp, I say bring it on!

The opposition have enough trouble kicking it to Max when he's the main ruck, if he can have even more licence to drop back with Brodie as the main ruck, that could make things very difficult for them. Likewise, the unpredictability of using Max as a wepon forward or back while still having a dominant ruck in Grundy could provide some real headaches. Luke wasn't exactly that much of a contributor in alot of games this season, particularly the longer it wore on.

Best in my lifetime. Jeff was great, but Steve May was a key plank in taking us to premiership glory and I think that tops Jeff's very respectable contribution. Him still wanting to bury the Bulldogs with minutes to go in the final quarter of the GF speaks volumes about his competitiveness that helped get us there. Jamie Shanahan and Anthoney Ingerson were also pretty decient recruits down back from other clubs, but May is bloody awsome. Elite.

I think this much has been publicly acknowledged by the club and was one of the key reasons stated for recruiting Lauchie Hunter.

Would have put a huge smile on my face (and definitely his) to have seen him pull on a senior jumper for the MFC, but I guess that's life and I guess just because he never did that doesn't mean he didn't impact the team. Definitely a Demon whenever I hear or see his name these days. Still need to get around to reading his book!

I think this belongs here too

What a difference a few years makes. Not saying it was you Binny, but I recall a number on this forum telling us how much closer to a flag the Saints were to us at the end of season 2020!

Lol. You're (or your?) creative mastery at it's best @Demonstone love your work.

I'm neither for or against players changing numbers. Some it suits and I do also like it when players make a high number their own. Some high ones I liked were 43 Guy Rigoni, 45 Mathew Wheelan. Equally liked Neitz having 9, Stinga getting 2 and Maxy getting Jimmy's No.11. Per my post above, there are certainly some numbers that have such a history at footy clubs that getting them represents a real honour. Similarly, I think some double numbers are also quite good numbers, even when they are high, like 33 & 44 and if I was Joel Smith, I'd be quite keen to hang onto 44 for that reason.

Yeah, but changing to the number 2 would be a huge honour at the MFC and if it was offered, I think alot of players would find that hard to knock back. He'd just need to win another premiership in No.2. Tom Sparrow could definitely be one of my picks for number 2, but I'm not 100% sure he's quite at the level that could justify such an honour. Possibly someone like Jordan could be another future candidate, but I think either of them would need to have an absolute standout year before you bestowed the number 2 on them. There would be alot of pressure associated with wearing that number at the MFC and also if it get's given away too cheaply and the player doesn't quite make the grade, then I think it denigrates the number and history somewhat as well.

He didn't play in the 2021 GF, but yeah, great to have another player with grand final experience to the list. Having 26 players (with Tomlinson) with grand final experience on the list would have to be a 58 year high for the MFC!

Nope, he's on the money. Lost 1 (Jackson), gained 2 (Schache and Hunter).

Still a very decient and tough player though