Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Thank you St Kilda for Trac!!

So much love for Roosy and what he did to turn our club around. Took us from a total basket case and set us on the path to sucess. Established the foundations of the premiership we are now basking in, by creating the start of the great team culture we now have. When you look at it too, he is one of the few (possibly only) coach that I can think of in the modern era that has executed a near seamless and sucessful coaching hand over that has led to premierships.

Agree. And some really important people that are part of the Melbourne story to the present involved in that game as well. Lyon, Stynes, Viney, Wight, Grinter, Stretch and pleant of my other old favorites from the time as well. For myself as a supporter, stitting there at the ground that day contributed to the mental scars and psyche of being a Melbourne supporter over the 3 decades since and as I suspect it has similarly for the MFC playing group over the years as well.

Agree Pates. It would be a difficult story to do justice to really. There are both the highlights of the onfeild performances, but also some really rich off feild personal stories over a long period of time. I think it would take really good team of documentary makers to put it all together in a quality way and that could also cost a fair bit, for which the market may not genuinely exist. Will be interesting to see what eventuates in this space.

On a segway from another thread, I think I've still got some of my favorite games from around 2016 - 2018 on an old Foxtel IQ that I'd play in this way. Now that we've nailed the big one, I can enjoy watching those games again as part of the journey that got us there. The 2018 elimination and semi finals against the Cats and Hawks would still be enjoyable to watch, particularly the joy clearly evident from Nathan Jones of playing in and winning finals and although by comparison to 2021 PF, it probably doesn't feel like we beat them by enough, the elimination of the Cats was a pretty good highlight. Probably also good to reinforce what the Weid could still offer us going forward!! Some of my other favorite games along the most recient part of the journey were: * That breakthrough win against the Hawks (2016? Or was it 2017?). Was memorable in it's own right as a Melbourne supporter, but I think I've heard him say things to the effect it was partly from how we shaped up to them that game that Jordan Lewis formed a view that we had the foundations of a quality side that convinced him to come and play for us. Incidently from the performance of Leiws that game, I'd made a somewhat rash conclusion that he was finished as a footballer, for which I'm glad I was wrong, as in retrospect, I think it's clear he bought alot to our team both in terms of onfeild performance and development from having his experience and leadership around; * That 2016 thrashing of the Gold Coast at Metricon. GC were travelling well at the time, but after a closely fought first half or so, we turned it on and it was the first time we'd truly thrashed a team for a number of years (perhaps a sign of things to come). Was an early game for Christian Patracca and from memory after a few quite debut performances, he started to find a bit of confidence and kicked a few good goals. Was also a real breakout game for both James Harmes and Jayden Hunt who have also been so important in 2021. Holds a special place in my memory bank, because the old man came up to visit from interstate and we got to share the elation together of not only winning, but thrashing a side by a big margin.

I think I've still got some of my favorite's from around 2016 - 2018 on an old Foxtel IQ that I'd play in this way. Now that we've nailed the big one, I can enjoy watching those games again as part of the journey that got us there. The 2018 elimination and semi finals against the Cats and Hawks would still be enjoyable to watch, particularly the joy clearly evident from Nathan Jones of playing in and winning finals and although by comparison to 2021 PF, it probably doesn't feel like we beat them by enough, the elimination of the Cats was a pretty good highlight. Probably also good to reinforce what the Weid could still offer us going forward!!

...I hadn't actually paid any attention to that, but now that you bring it up, I'm thinking you wouldn't be really unhappy about being proven wrong there 😂. To be honest, it hasn't surprised me at all to see the decline of the likes of Collingwood, Geelong, West Coast and to an extent Richmond. All those teams have a large number of key players on their lists who have slowly fossilized over the past few seasons. I've been somewhat expecting our list to deliver in their mental maturity for a few seasons now as I think that was the only thing holding us back and now that it seems to have clicked in that respects, I fully expect to blow the aforementioned teams off the park more often than not, with the superior physical fitness that comes from our core players being in their prime window. GO THE MIGHTY DEMONS!!

I hear you, but 2000 can't be glossed over either. Incidentally, I loved noticing Shane Woewodin was wearing his 2000 premiership jumper in the interview he had with Garry Lyon after the game. I still somewhat rue 2000 as the one that got away. I know how good Essendon were all year, but we still had a pretty dam good side ourselves with some absolute superstars ourselves (Woewy included) that year. Again retrospectively, I guess it would have been a bit like if the Bulldogs had have beaten us this season.

A trilogy would be great 21, 22 & 23!!

And ours it is JCB!! Now that the imeediate excitement of winning the GF has 'slightly' subdued and I'm in a reflective and retrospective mood, I thought it was a good opportunity to give this thread a bump and for people to revisit the article. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/gawn-anger-driving-dees-after-finals-near-miss-20210310-p579gj.html At the time I thought my fellow Demonland posters comments were off the mark, although I can understand their sentiment after years of promises, slogans and statements from our leaders that were never delivered on. The title of the article/thread was click bate at its best and I think the actual content was more reflective, humble, honest and of substance than the meaningless 'play angry' headline. In particular I thought the following quotes from Max regarding our 2020 season resonate pretty well retrospectively with the our grand final performance and the way we played throughout the season in general: “We obviously wanted to play finals. We thought we were good enough at the time. But then a reality check in Cairns showed us that we weren’t, we were a little bit off,” he said. “And we’ve touched on that as a playing group coming back, what we think we need to improve on. Our defenders were top four rated in the AFL but everywhere else was relatively low. So the mids and forwards have got together and we want to create something that hopefully is as good as our defensive group, and that could take us to the pointy end. This coaching group’s got a game plan that the players think is going to take us, hopefully to the pointy end of September.” I also think Max's comments on Lumumba reflect pretty well on the inclusive approachable style of his personality leadership wise. On a slightly different note, I also think it's interesting to reflect just how lucky we were how things played out with injury and the integrity of Max's body, recalling that the main reason we listed Daw was as backup for Max, particularly since he had strained one of his knees again preseason. I think this speaks volumes of both Max's professionalism to his recovery, but particularly how lucky we were to have Darren Burgess this year in particular. Gee I hope our other fitness staff have been good enough understudies to the Burgess method and knowledge that they can carry on his good work in the years ahead. Would also really like to see Majak get a senior game or two for us at some point next season, as I feel he's earnt that and there's another great story to be written. I just love the sentiment from Max in this article and the other stories that have been published about how the players critically reviewed where we were at as team over the off season, what needed to change and the collective buy-in that followed. It reminded me of the sort of honest review that the great 2007 Cats team had committed to, knowing the result of that. Over the course of the season seeing guys like Trac, Clarry and others buy in and sign on for future years (assumedly at the expense of chasing bigger coin and the lure of other 'successful' teams) it also reminded me of the Cats 2007 ethos of individual sacrifice for team sucess.

Once it gets underway in earnest, I'll be on our women's team. They must be pretty close to winning the big one as well this year and how good would it be to complete the double. On this note, something which irked me a little listening to the GF commentary was at the point it was obvious that we'd win, when one of her fellow comentators poised the statement/question to Daisy as to how good it was "watching her club do this?". Daisy's response was along the lines that it wasn't her club, but that it was Garry Lion's and others (she named them, but I forget) club. I'm not having a go at Daisy here, because, I realise she was just being modest in her response, but I see it as being very much her club, as a person and player that has fully embraced the MFC as it has embraced her and as a person who holds a prominent place in our clubs (and indeed the AFL's) history as all of a champion player and the first captain of our women's team and pioneering advocate for the entire women's national competition. Will be great once the AFLW starts up again and hopefully crowds are allowed back, as I think our girls will draw crowds the envy of the competition, hopefully play some great footy and be right up there in competition at the pointy end of the season as well.

Strangely, I was actually looking forward to the footy finishing in a way, to get a few more hours of productive time back into my weekend (I have so much to do and so little time right at the moment), however I can see that's not going to happen. I'll be joining the rest of you basking in the retrospective goodness of that last month and a bit of footy from the Rd 23 classic comeback to top them all, through to the GF on rotation. I think I'm wearing out the server that holds that last half Demons of premiership bliss.

Nailed a few of these too lads.

I imagine that Clarry, Trac, Gawn and many others could attract a bigger pay packet if they went to North, Carlton or just about any side bar the Pies right now. The other side of the equation that North have lost out on is the presence of a highly skilled, knowlegable and quality human being, with a great footballers brain to foster the next generation of young players at their club. The way he BBB was able to accept and adapt to a different role at the MFC within the space of half a season is testament to that. Advantage MFC.

Yeah, I'm really not a Caro fan, to put it politely. Your second paragraph could sum up any given week for her. More often than not all about stiring up the dregs of rumor and innuendo of the AFL. Brown to the MFC was such a winner for both these parties in my eyes from day dot. Wow, imagine picking up the leading goal scorer across the previous 4 seasons for practically nothing? The way he was clunking them in the last 3 or 4 games, you can tell he's got his mojo back again. Now I'm just salivating at the thought of BBB kicking multiple huge bags over the next few seasons on every other week when it's not Fritta, Weid, T Mac or Kossie that does the damage!!!

That's true, but I just didn't like something that felt like half a loss and particularly to them!!!

FFS, please get a better understanding of your son's digestive system, so that we don't unnecessarily loose game's in 2022, particularly to Collingwood and on GF day make sure he eats whatever he wants. What happened against Hawthorn?

I want one of these for my next snowfields trip RRTTS. ...cheese boards, posters and polo tops. What a bunch of tight butts.

I'd be hoping that Furphy's might be more the go for us, given their our sponsor. ...19 points down half way down through the third quarter and end up winning by record margin with a kick after the siren from Tom McDonald - now there's your Furphy (Oh wait, no it's not!!).

And a bit of a shout out over the boundary line to Will Schofield.

Perhaps it's time to scrap our NT game in favour of WA. We could make it a GF replay against the Bulldogs!!

P.S. has been really good reading over some of the posts in this thread, from others and in particular the more regular DL posters, who I feel like I've shared this journey with over the past 5 or so years since I joined. I haven't really had time to work my way through much of the post game thread yet, but will probably do so at some stage over the rest of the off-season and imagine that will also be a great read, bringing more enjoyment.

Some of the similarities I have with you and your experience are a bit eerie. I'm also 43 and watched the game in Brisbane most of this season (in fact most of the past 17 years). I've always thought we were around the corner from winning the flag, but this season when we went 6 and 0 and then 8 or 9 or whatever it was and 0 losses, I thought we were definitely onto something this year. I'd bought a second GFG for my youngest son who's become a mad Demon. Managed to get down to Melbourne and attend the early season Hawthorn and Geelong wins at the G, which was unreal. There were many times this season I've thought of the irony of us potentially finally winning the flag the year after my late wife passed away. She wasn't a MFC supporter (In fact far from it), but numous times I thought how bitter sweet it would be if we finally won the flag and would I be able to enjoy it in the context of my circumstances. As it's turned out, the season we've had has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it's kept my mind off other things and given me at least something to look forward to at the end of each week. As the year progressed and the chance of potentially being their at the ground gradually disappeared, it was something of a downer, but the sensational way in which we have won has somewhat made up for that (particularly Geelong Rd 23 and again in the PF) and in the end like so many I made the decision that even though I would be able to watch in person or be with my dad in person to watch it (who I was there with in 87, 88 and 2000), that I wasn't going to let that spoil the moment. I was having some late onset MFCSS panic attacks on Friday night and a bit first thing Saturday morning, because although I felt we had been so good all season that anything could happen on the day. But at some point, I just thought I wasn't going to let that fear of loosing spoil what could be and began to envisage that feeling of us winning which welled up the tears within me a few times and I refused to let myself think about a potential loss and enjoyed the moment of GF day. Half way through the third quarter I'd almost started to convince myself that it was looking like a loss and to talk myself onto going about calmly accepting that in a disconnected, almost emotionless way. Like many, I was too full of adrenaline during the rest of the third quarter and then the last to really start the tears. I don't think I really started any crying until I got on the phone with my sister, dad and a couple of MFC suporting old school mates after the game, which bought home the reality and enormity of that moment which had escaped us for so long. Watching Garry Lion interviewing some of the past and present players after the game also bought a bit of a tear to my eye (particularly Alan Jackovic, Steven May and Gus). In the end, I don't think I cried much, but was thankfully more overwhelmed by the elation of it all. Not sure I'd ever be able to top the emotions of that game (then again I said the same thing R23 and then the PF), but a premiership at the G with my son and old man all their together would be a pretty good chance I think. Maybe then I'd really let loose with the tears.

The other word Goody threw out their towards the end of last season for the team to adopt as an ethos was 'ruthless'. Towards the end of the home and away and as the finals series progressed, I think the team became the embodiment of ruthless, in the way we won games which will be even harder for others to emulate. I'd be quite happy for the ruthless buzz word to be associated with the MFC.

Kayo didn't broadcast the game live, so you didn't loose out there, but agree with what you are saying. Best buzz would have been at the ground, but maybe next year for that 😥.