Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Probably repeating things here, but how the F was Nibblers goal reversed? Compelling evidence?

Love the huge first pumps afterwards as well. Reminds me alot of the great Alan Jackovic - maybe he got some training from him before the game.

Yes, I want us to absolutely pummel them on the scoreboard as well, but also to be a physically dominant display that utterly belittles and embarases them. Finish it off with winning the premership at the G in emphatic fashion, while the Pies miss out on the 8.

Reporting for duty. I'll let Jack take care of Maynard, but I'll happily tear Eddy a new one - and then real justice will have been served.

I like where you are comming from, but there are better means - it doesn't need to come to fisty cuffs and brain damage (I think it's too late for that in Maynard's case anyways). Maynard has bung shoulders, so I just want to let Jack Viney go at him unrestrained for 30 seconds and let him rip his arms off like the that Black Knight in Monty Python and end his career that way.

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Shackenator lol Got to admit that the skinhead haircut does make him look a bit tougher - hopefully it rubs off on his play a bit as well. He actually reminds me of a bit of a Brad Miller type in his game against Carlton. Someone that may never be the No.1 key/power forward, but can still make their contribution and provide value on the day.

Based on the sample size I've seen Chandler and Spargo have Laurie for hardness, heart and agression every day of the week. Maybe he needs to play that breakout game to feel like he belongs, but so far most of what I see from Laurie is a player that holds back and often shirks the contest in comparison to the aforementioned. Also don't think Laurie brings anything like the energy or forward pressure that Chandler and Charlie do. Charlie is the sort of player that firmly plays the Goodwin way and has that angry little man mongrel that's invaluable IMHO. If Chandler can be get involved and play more consistently, he'll become a lock in our side - good overhead mark for his size, runs hard to make great position offensively, as well as defend well and is generally a reliable kick for goal when he gets his oppertities. Like what I see from Billings so far and if he can stay fit, I see him being an important player for us this season.

I really struggled to get my head around Judd in No.4 against Richmond, particularly with Kynan running around everywhere in #41.

If there is one player from Sydney I hope we can take totally out of the game it's Pappley. He's both a pretty important player for them and one I absolutely can't stand as an opposition supporter. Would love nothing more than for someone to do a total shut down job on him and have him crack it, like the arrogant little prat he often behaves on the feild.

Personally I think Hunter was pretty good last year, but don't think there was great chemistry with he and Lingers, compared to that Ed has had some of the other players that he has shared the wing with over the years. It's almost like having Hunter there robbed Lingers of opportunities, because Hunter usually made better attacking position than Ed.

All the media are going the hyped up big name clash of Gawn Vs Grundy. Personally, I'm more interested in the clash of Schache Vs Grundy as the player the later was overlooked for as 12th man in the final against Carlton. I've got to say, going on their last respective preseason games, that Schache has showed the better form for the role that was needed on that night and what we are playing him for as ruck/forward. Both racked up as many possessions in their last preseason game, but Schache kicked 2 useful goals and had a few other marks around the ground, while I felt Grundy struggled to have any real impact on the game. If Schache can continue and build on his form from his last game, he might just play a useful role for us this season.

And also another player that qualifies the father son/daughter rule. Though this period of stability and building games into players, I feel we are also somewhat setting up some good future recruiting opportunities. With something like 4 out of 40 players at the club currently father sons, that makes 10% of our current list.

Full credit to Webster and St Kilda in the they handled the aftermath: The Saints pleaded guilty with Webster saying: “I’m really sorry about what happened on Sunday. It’s something I’m not proud of - I’ve left a lot of people down. “My main concern is for Jy to get back to playing footy and I really hope he’s OK. I understand how bad concussions are and how much we want to see them stamped out of the game.” Asked why he jumped off the ground he replied: “I haven’t got an excuse.” If only we'd seen this kind of humility from Maynard, Collingwood and that F### (Justice has been served) McGuire, no one would need disect the rules and be splitting hairs over the legalities rather than focus on the intent.

Was certainly a good kick off one step that day. But Tommy has always had been a great kick for goal and I'd rate it as one of his strengths. There's few of our players that I'd rather be taking a short in that 35 - 55m zone than Tom Sparrow. Really like his strength and ability to take strong overhead marks and I think this gives us a great foil for the opposition being able to throw all their attention on Tracc when he goes forward or on the ball.

Was woundering where this was going for a while, thought it might have been something to do with swerving to hit Adelaide supporters which would have been just as scientifically credible and morally justifiable.

Great into and summary all in the first para: "Nothing fuels media lust for AFL content like a good off-field controversy. Particularly when it's the off-season and there's nothing else to write about." It does also make me wounder about the weird commercial media landscape we now live in, when some of the only decent reporting comes courtesy of an American sports channel / news outlet.

F#@% Warner Brothers - that they could take out some garbage trademark over one of our national animals is absurd, similar to that of ugg boots (which will probably feature heavily in the official Tassie Devils merchandise).

That's pretty much as I have it. Impressed with our improved delivery into the forward line against Carlton and the scoreline could have looked even more dominant if Fritsch and JVR kicked with their normally elite accuracy. If we can win enough games early and then build towards finals without the consistent injuries we had last season, I think we are right up there again. Yes we've lost Gus, but we played almost half the season without Clarry last year and still managed. Will be interesting to see if Collingwood can back up again. They have the oldest list in the comp and with Scott Pendlebury (36 at the start of the season), Steele Sidebottom (33), who are still pretty key. I think their come from behind mode of winning games is confidence based and could set them up for the wheels to fall off completely if they loose a few on the trot. They now also have to well and truely deal with being the hunted every week and let's see how the deal with that. Brisbane have a good opertuity to finish in top, through having the biggest home ground advantage of all the contenders.

The other not so subtle messaging from the club through out all this turmoil is that the club and it's leaders are right behind supporting Clayton and Joel, as apparent from Goody's presser this morning. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/1499693/opening-round-media-conference-simon-goodwin?videoId=1499693&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1709508015001 Also the usual 'boring' Goody talk of putting in place processes and Oliver needing to demonstrate himself, etc. But all in all I think the united front that our leaders have shown in being behind and supporting Clayton and Joel has been admirable, even if at times challenging and providing some slightly clumsy robotic responses to media questioning.

I've not seen alot of him in seasons past, but in the two practice matches this year, he looks alot like another Judd McVee type - defends his opponent well, then has good composure when he gets his own pill.

Agreed. On a related note, the new colours on Jack Ginnivan look even more putrid than the old ones!

I'm on board the Sydney death ride for sure. Still good odds that a pick in the late 20s early 30s could bring us a quality player. A good reference point for me is that we got Tommy Sparrow with pick 27. The other great value that I get out of a death ride like this is the satisfaction of seeing a side that I despise do badly, without getting the full return for the low ladder position via the draft. I'm still somewhat seething with the way the Swans beat us in the 2022 finals series and think they have been over pandered to in recent years. Unless the Dogs totally tank, finish on the absolute bottom (not going to happen) death riding them is pointless. Even then, it would likely end up mid third round by the time all the compensation and accademey picks have well and truely diluted the draft. As an asides, from my research for this post, I learnt that Tom Sparrow's middle name is Frank.

I agree with all the above, but I think one key differentiator between Clarry and all those others mentioned is that he's got the most 'Star Power' of any of the aforementioned and to a certain extent that makes him a bigger story for the media to get their claws into.

But there's no way Rodney would have played the next week if he did what Maynard did. Equally, there's no way Maynard would have played the next week if he did what he did and Rodney was out there.