Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Yeah, I do recall sitting there at the game thinking "it's about bloody time M Brown does something". They were timely goals though which really broke the back of Hawthorn and at least he nailed his set shots. That lead and mark for the second goal was a beautiful play all around which just made it look so easy, like shooting fish in a barrel. Could do with more of those plays at the MFC!

And may there be many more reasons to be posting "good" in the weeks and months to come. All the goody goodness to the Demons.

At FF for Casey. Mind you, Brown was pretty handy in that last quarter against Hawthorn. I do think it's a great reflection of the depth and/or perhaps the realitive health of our list that a guy comes into the side, kicks 2 goals and then gets dropped the next game.

Yeah, like the same weeks Hawkins got rubbed out for breaking an eye socket. I can't imagine the equivalent "I reckon if he had a Melbourne kit on he’d get weeks for that" would ever feature on this forum though ???

Not sure what you're getting at there Cards. I've actually found KossieJacko's comments quite enjoyable and considered alot of late. Or was that ignore the Balls?

Ask guys like Wayne Schwass and Shaun Smith if they think the sport is soft. Administrators have an obligation to be seen to be doing something and I think also actually be doing something. The thing I'd argue is that is suspending players who make accidental contact to The head while tying to play within the rules really the answer? It's not like we see guys being lined up and ironed out by reckless sniping these days. I'd really struggle to see how what Fritta did was even careless really when all these actions happen in the blink of an eye. If he doesn't put his arm out, what other reasonable action does he have to protect himself, turn his body and smack him in the head with a shoulder. Maybe the North bloke should also be suspended for carelessly running at Fritta while down low? Where is his duty of care to himself? It all starts getting a bit silly really I think. It's hard to know what the all the answers are, but I actually think asides from the trivial suspensions for 'careless' actions, I think the AFL is probably doing mostly all it can, with regards concussion tests, mininum return periods, subs etc whilst still allowing it to be a contact sport. The only other thing I think is that the AFL should probably give players a bit more leniency before suspending them, by taking into account previous record and/or giving players a chance to explain their actions prior to assuming the guilty of being careless/reckless etc. I know that doesn't seem to be the basis of the MRP/O/whatever.

If this is the kind of thing which draws a suspension from the AFL, then it's also about time they start looking at the number of fists to the side of the head during marking contests? Max copped an absolute barrage from Richmond the other week. Jack Riewolt's backchat to the umpire after giving away the free kick "I was punching the ball" - such utter BS.

Hawkins has form flailing about due to jumper tackles. Whilst I'd agree that with the one he got May with was accidental due to him being off ballance, I think it's almost become a reflex action for players like him to throw back arms and elbows when tackled so as to accidentally give elbows to the head/gut/wherever they can land one on the player behind. Freitch isn't a dirty player like Hawkins in this respects and I think that should count for something, but clearly not on current AFL form.

And the abridged, hub based season last year was possibly the perfect oppertunity to give opportunities to and develop Kossie, Jacko and Rivers, who I think we're ready to play and perform at the top level. Shorter games and season would have ment that we weren't smashing their developing bodies, but I think all of those players would have benefited massively from being played at the top level, as well as being around the footy environment 24/7 to build the right habits and lifestyle.

6. Freitch 5.Oliver 4. Kossie 3. Jakson Daylight 2. Melksham 1. Max?

#1 Baby #neverindoubt Go the mighty DEMONS

Playing like total crap, but if we don't win the game from here everyone should be microwaving their memberships - that's how you win premierships isn't it?

Lever officially has no back

Melksham is playing a good game. Setup another goal then I recon.

Good sausage roll #positivelingers

...Langdon finished 5th in Freo's 2019 B&F behind a couple of guns in Fyfe and Mundy. I know he wanted to come home, but I still don't recon Freo played enough hard ball to get sufficient compensation for him. Probably too much else going on for them at the time being Neale, Hogan and Hill centric. #positivelingers

In that case, perhaps our historical kicking coaches are way better than this forum gives credit for and worked wounders over his first preseason for us, because his feild passing by foot has been pretty well on the mark since day for he's played for us. His goal kicking has been a bit iffy in the past and does seem to be an area he has stepped it up a bit.

I agree with what you are saying Re Langdon. Dockers essentially accepted a future second Rd pick for Langdon, who was clearly a very good player for them at the time (somewhere up towards the top of their B&F from memory). Compare that with two first Rd picks for Jake Lever. I'd say that Lever and Langdon are quite comparable commodities with respects to their high calibre and impact on games. We got Langdon for absolute peanuts. Not that I'm complaining. #positivelingers

If he was fit he'd be getting games ahead of the mummy, no doubt about that for me.

Agreed. Hawkins had an absolute mare of a last quarter goal kicking wise. Could have iced the game on a few occations, but failed to do so. Admittedly I only saw the last quarter or so, but thought it was more a case of Geelong loosing it and Sydney lucky to be in the game due to some good goal kicking, so I'm unconvinced that they represent as big a threat to us, but probably not as easy a win that it was starting to look like with the Swans on the slide either. No doubt if we do win, the media will still be like "Melbourne haven't really beaten anyone yet".

I have to admit that I've got a bit of latent MFCSS about this double header block busters. Last season we were just stating to get up and about and then came up against Brisbane and Port in big games/tests in subsequent weeks, lost both games and became a bit of a dislocation to our season. I think our team is performing much better right now and I really do hope we put on a good show in front of the football world this time.

Love this part of his game. That he mixes it up in a bit of a scuffle and then jogs away with a huge grin on his white pasty face and boofy head of red hair ensure he gets right under the skin of opposition supporters. A joy to watch.

I honestly don't know what has happened to his goal kicking this year. Over his career he has been pretty decient in front of the sticks, but this season he actually looks worse and less likely to nail a goal than Max. Hope he is just saving up his accuracy for if/when we need that set short after the siren to win the game, I just hope that's not a grand final or something - that would send my blood pressure through the roof. Agree with others regarding his goal assists and score involvements. That play where he combined with Spargo to win possession and then flicked the perfectly placed handball to Jackson out the back around the corner was typical Clarry, making the dificult look easy and results in a goal that otherwise might not have been in the hands of another player. Sure there were probably other great little handball gives out of congestion deep forward that he instigated as well, but that one to Jackson was peak Clarry.

Preuss wishes he has a profile. . P.S. I quite liked the big PREUUUUUS. Also hope he gets a break with injuries and gets out on the park, although I'd also worry that GWS are starting to look pretty good as a side again, so perhaps he can take his time a bit too.

Partially agree, but finishing to 2 also means a guaranteed home final which does have some value associated with it. Absolutely pinching myself about the position we are presently in. Normally at this point in the season I'm looking ahead in the fixture to see who plays who and who we can beat just to edge ourselves into the top 8 after a horror or mediocre start to the season. Right now that's all kind of irrelevant and it's about which are the few sides that are on papper and form good enough to push us and present as genuine danger games. That might sound kind of arrogant, but to me it's a reflection of the tallent we have been building and the attitude and cohesion which we are presently playing with, which has finally come together. The maturity with which the team is playing, I really don't feel like there is much risk of us being beaten by poor or mediocre sides. It's a nice place to be, but pretty unfamiliar territory I must say. Maybe this is what it feels like to support a team that's actually a strong and well coached like supporters of some opposition teams must have felt like in the past.