Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Understand. So probably frindge, not best 22 (similar to where he ended up with us). The thing being, we could have done with a findge mid to provide depth last season, as I'm fairly sure he would have given us way more than Laurie Vs GWS and say maybe a game we lost by a few points against Brisbane etc and might have tipped us into playing finals contention... not that we might have had that much impact with the way our season ended. In some respects I think it was actually better for us not to make finals last year. Few better draft picks and extended presason for Oliver and whoever else was carrying injuries and tires from x3 intense seasons running right to the pointy end.

Comming through as a rookie / secondary list type player like Harmes too. Still dispointed that things went somewhat south between Harmes and the club in the end. Though I haven't really watched many of his games for the Dogs, he still seems to be getting a senior game there and thought we could have used the depth and his hard edge and attacking dare in our team last season. All the same, I think it's also good (perhaps for all involved) that we let him go, even just from the perspective if list balance age profile wise.

If I recall right, he was one of the top finishers in the 3km time trial, so perhaps he's in the mix for the ANB type role.

If we are looking for a small forward who puts on pressure, then I'd be looking at Pup Brown. From the limited times I've seen him play, I think he's also got great goal sense and ability to execute. Love to see this guy given a good opportunity play at senior level.

Or it gives us the option to be rotating one of those 4 off the bench some of the time. May and Lever play best when they don't have a lock down role, so always having someone there to take that role frees them up in that sense and we'd never be caught out being short in defence height wise. Probably want them all playing more than 75% game time, so perhaps the remaining time could be spent in the ruck and up forward for bursts.

Tommy was thrown forward on a few occasions for 5 or 10mins in games we were struggling to take marks in that part of the ground and cluncked some good ones. He's well got the ability to finish it on the scoreboard when he takes them. Would love to see him used more in that sort of capacity. Particularly if we also have Petty in defence and/or as a similar swing man, I think it gives us a great oppertunity to create a mismatch and catch sides out. Even if it isn't T Mac or Petty going for the grab directly has the potential to create confusion and doubt for the opposition defenders and maybe its Roo, Disco or Fritta that comes over the top and takes the grab (certainly makes it harder to double or tripple man them to take them out of the contest) Sometimes all it takes is one goal against the flow to break a game open or get you back in it.

Sorry for the mulit post (pardon the pun) - Demonland got glitchy on me. Appeared not to post a few times, then out spits 3 of the same post.

While I don't think I'm totally sold on the concept, I think you'd have Trac in the mix wouldn't you, maybe Salo and would big Maxy qualify for having some kind of NZ ties? Roo? Kolt in a few years perhaps. Indigenous all stars - yes, bring back state of origin - yes, but multicultural game would be just a bridge too far for me. There's already multicultural Rd and I think the league acknowledges, respects and promotes the game sufficiently to all backgrounds to not require a stand alone game.

Wow, there's some highly imaginative ones in there hey! Mainly thinking of one's like Jed, Will, Marty, Luker. I had TC as one of my nicknames back in the day and another good mate of nine was an AJ. Also played with a Spaz and I'm betting there are a few of them getting around. Must say, I like Tom Fullarton's one and Ricky Mentha's one isn't bad either and love the subtle nod to Kynan's old man. I did play with a few good ones like Captain Bilko, a couple of Turtles a Dumbo and a bloke we referred to as Car City (had a bit of a lazy eye) a few more like that would be good.

Maybe this is what the transition game is all about, but can we master the ability to swap between game styles with the season and within games to conserve and defend when we need to and attack when the opportunity is there, so we arrive at finals in both good ladder position and injury/fitness wise?

Sorry, but I can see Richmond getting belted in quite a few games and generally uncompetitive for the next year or two. I know they've drafted a bunch of talent, but I think history has shown that putting a bunch of talented kids up against men week in, week out that they can't bridge the gap between youth and experience, developing and age hardened mature bodies. Thinking of examples like North in recent times, but even Gold Coast and GWS, who had ridiculous draft riches and priority talent at their disposal. Then, there's always one or two sides that either fall away and/or have a horid season with injuries and drop way down in competitiveness. As much as the draft, salary cap etc even things up, I think having only 40 odd players per team on a list means that beyond best 22, there can be a relative shallowness of ready to play talent on most lists which will provide a spectrum of competitiveness across the league given age profiles and injuries etc.

Yeah, but quality players don't grow on trees and until he's either sufficiently out of form and out of contract and/or deemed medically beyond repair, I'd rather be optimistic that he can return to his best. A few players of late that we've had have been almost given up for dead, but then turned around their injuries/fitness and fortunes on the feild and made some very valuable contributions. Thinking of guys like Melksham and TMac in particular, but possibly even Disco to an extent.

A fit Salo is A grade, end of story. His contribution to our premiership season was very important.

Agree with this 100% Personally I'm fairly loath to see him moved off the wing, because he added another dimension to us in that area that complmented Ed Langdon as seen by the great year that he also had. I don't see anyone else really having the same skill set as Windsor to do what he did for us on the wing, but maybe he can still use that to greater benefit of the team off half back, so I'll reserve full judgement until whatever transpires does. Also, surely another focus for the team/individual development has to be to stop Ed kicking it out on the full so often. I do think it's not all Ed's fault, because I think the role we have him play, he's so often collecting the ball and disposing it so close to the boundary. But I do wonder if we'd be better off either changing our game style a bit, so he's not so often in positions where he's hard up against the boundary or if we do see that as a critical part of how we use the ground, try to use a player who's a better kick than Ed to be in those positions more often. Personally I'd like us to play a more direct game style that sees us move the ball through the centre of the ground more, so we almost eliminate the issue anyway.

I'd say he got Tmac a bit more when Oscar was still around at the club. Forget exactly what they use to call Oscar, but I recall it being a good one. He was a bit of a whipping boy for the fans, but think he was genuinely well liked by his teammates.

So's [censored] knuckle yeah?

A message from the man himself, copied from Neil's FB Page: I am deeply honoured to accept the title of Australian of the Year 2025. This recognition belongs to the entire MND community - the families, carers, researchers, volunteers, everyone at the Fight MND foundation, MND state associations, and the countless Australians who have joined us in this fight. It also belongs to my family, headed by my wife Jan and our children and their partners, who have supported me every step of the way. My journey began in 2013 when I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease - a beast of a disease. It doesn’t discriminate; it robs you of your ability to move, speak, swallow, and breathe. But it also ignited a determination in me to fight for those affected now and in the future. I chose to fight because if I didn’t, how could I expect anyone else to? I chose to hope because I believe in the decency and generosity of Australians. I thought, if people truly understood the challenges we face, they’d join the fight with me. And you have - oh, how you have. So thank you. In my lifetime, I hope we find the causes of MND, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure. Beyond that, I hope to leave a legacy that shows we all have the power to choose to fight, to smile, and to act. Because the mark of a person isn’t what they say; it’s what they do. Thank you for believing in this fight. Together, we will win it. #AusoftheYear Australian of the Year Awards In all the appearances he makes, I'm amazed at how humble, greatful and inspirational is. With his ability to reach out to other people and bring them together, it's no wounder he was a coach. I bought my nephew Neil's book "When all is said and done" a few years back for Christmas, but haven't actually read it myself; something I think I should make time for. Queens Birthday this year will be huge. Also wounder if there will be a bit of a pre-election promise of funds for MND research?

Yeah, feed him to the Lions for his crimes ...or whatever. Lol

No, I think a bot would offer better insights and interactions.

Yeah, Harley Reid seems like a fair swap if Freo don't want to let go of Andrew Brayshaw.

So I think Brad Green sent flowers to Trac's mumma and they're doing full exploratory surgery with Australia's best truma doctors tomorrow, to make sure he hasn't pulled a heart mussel as well. Personally I'm a Trac fan in many ways, but that [censored] show around him last year at the end of the season was a disgrace. He could have shut it down way earlier. Think he actually has to build back some trust with the supporter base. The team winning and planting ourselves back up top of the ladder off the back of a few bogs from him and Clarry will probably do it!

Nup. No woundering - man is a beast. I think he'll be running for the role as the black knight after he retires from football.

Agree with that. He has that innate forwards sense of where the ball is likely to drop, where the dangerous space is and awareness of other players around him. He may drop the mark, skirt the contest and seem out of the play, but next thing you know, he's out the other side of the pack and having a shot on goal. On the down side for him I think that when he pulls it off, he makes it look easy and opportunist and when it doesn't fall his way, it probably makes him look lazy and undefensive. BBB also had a similar sense as a forward, although I think he may also have been better at times of bringing other forwards into the play, by providing a well directed tap on to advantage of our other forwards out of nowhere when he looked out of position, that often created scoring opportunities, even though he wasn't pulling down that many marks and having direct shots himself. I'm not sure we could have all our forwards play this role of Fritta, but I think you at least need a few with the ability to create and provide attacking scoring opportunities - if everyone is just looking to takle the defender, who is actually being the attacker? Also think that it soaks up alot of the opposition defenders attention checking him and fees up other players to get out in space within our forward line. I personally think playing as a defender on someone like Fritsch would be a nightmare, because players like him are just so 'slippery' that you can't easily out position them around a contest, they are always two steps ahead of you with respect where the ball is going and where to position themselves.

I grew up in Box Hill and really wished dad had taken us out to Sportsco to meet Robbie. I did get out to the Western Oval last round in 87 though and standing up the back against the fence behind the goals is memory that will be etched in my memory forever and probably solidified my passion for being a MFC supporter and I have Robbie to tank for that. The elation of MFC supporters that day when we realised we'd made it through to the top 5 was amazing and that Robbie would get to play finals was frequently mentioned, not just that it was our first finals appearance in over 20 years

Shows what a joke the award is. But maybe some if it is down to the bad luck of Robbie having his best years the same as those of other absolute champions of the game like Bernie Quinlan, Malcolm Blight or a Ross Glendinning played a blinder of a season? What year(s) do you think were Robbie's best that went unnoticed by the men in white?