Rodney (Balls) Grinter

The one against Harmesy early in the North game was an example of that. Also due to the hashness of the penalty, I think it should only be paid for the more extreme indiscretions. That one against Harmesy was soft as butter.

Gets me that they would reverse a free kick for what Vanders did yet, blokes frequently get pushed in the back by other players towards the fence when it goes over the boundary ...and nothing. Haven't noticed it so much lately, but a while back it use to happen all the time. That to me was a real anomaly.

Back on the topic of the fixture , I am really hoping we plan and implement an intentional policy of resting and rotating players for our games against Freo and the Swans in Cairns, comming off 4 - 5 dayish breaks and playing in Alice. Really do think theI do think it's been apparent that even with reduced game time, the shorter breaks take the edge off teams and the hotter/humid weather in these parts up North will sap the players comming of such short breaks. We have plenty of quality players to bring into the side fresh, that I don't think it will be big step back in terms of the quality of the team we put on the park. Particularly if we can get over the Bulldogs and Saints in the next few weeks, I think we would be in a great position to make sure we were managing the list to be fit, fresh and raring to have a red hot crack at finals, without risking a West Coast prelim style blowup.

Rippa jumper design. Whole heartedly embraces the MFC traditional jumper, yet is also a proud and distinct display of indigenous culture all at the same time - a great reflection of it's designer Nev Jetta. I'm rarely tempted to buy non traditional/alternate jumpers, but I'd love to get one of these.

I remember that one, it was Cunnington that punched him. It was pretty obvious and pretty darn hard and if ever there was a case for suspending a player for a gut punch, the was it. Mind you Bernie was the kind of player to do this to others as well, so I think it was somewhat a case of what goes around comes around. Altough as others have said, guts like Bernie, Lewis and Hogan all got weeks at the tribunal/match review for silly little things like this playing for us.

I actually think @WERRIDEE is pretty close to the mark. Just have a look at how many players the MFC has up the top of the AFL coaches association voting - was more than any other club when I scrutinised it not so long ago.

I think his delivery by foot can look slow, because of his smooth kicking action and because he usually has good awareness of the time and space he's in. But if he needs to quickly hit a target off one step, he's more than capable doing that - pin point pass to a leading Tom Sparrow in the last quarter vs the Pies was a good example.

I'd want a 2021 or 2022 first rounder for him. 2020 first round could be an even bigger lucky dip than normal.

About the only other thing I'd possibly hold against him is that - is he injury prone? He spent most of this season injured (though he did come good at the perfect time!). Did he also spend a big chunk of last season unavailable through injury as well?

Like the big Preuss. Has got a good competitive and hard/aggressive streak to him. His marking around the ground was pretty good for us against the Pies. Remembering that one of the initial thoughts behind getting him, was as a backup ruck who could also play as second ruck and second key forward. It's now almost a similar predicament to how things were a few weeks back with Jacko in the side and playing well - can we play all of Gawn, Preuss, T Mac and Weid in the same side? His previous lumbering running action and lack of mobility didn't stand out to me against the Pies and I do wounder if he has slimmed down and got fitter?

I know you have kind of justified the above later in this thread and I'm not saying that Jones should be beyond reproach. Maybe us red and blue faithful are worshiping someone who with a ballanced view was only an above average player and never a superstar based on football ability. But Jonesy won three best and fairests in a row, so he was the best above average player we had at the time and he stuck fat with the team. I also do think that having guys like Jones and Bernie do the bulk of the grunt work in the guts has allowed the current batch of on ball stars we have now to mature in their own time rather than practically solely carry the load as Jonesy did for so many years or get the weight of the World and expectations thrust upon them like Trengrove and Grimes. I think he really played an anchor role in the current state of the team and for that he deserves a ton of respect in my book.

He has probably played in more wins this season so far in the 4 or 5 games he has played for the year than he did playing a full home and away season of 22 odd games in the dark times era 2011ish.

Imagine if the club had decided to ditch Robbie Flower at the end of 1986, rather than let him retire on his own terms. Obviously there are some differences between Jones and Robbie and if there was a total parallel, then it could be argued that if Jones were Robbie, then he probably would have seen the writing on the wall and retired at the end of 2018 and gone out on somewhat of a high. But similar to Robbie, Jones stuck with us through thick and thin when we were a total basket case and at his prime could easily have gone seeking greener grass at another club elsewhere chasing a flag/finals like Frawley. Time for the MFC to repay the faith. Also thinking we don't have many veterans, so I'd assume that we could pay a fair portion of his salary outside the cap (whatever that ends up being next year).

No way we finish bottom 4 from here, so I'm booking us into the top 4 right now.

As I've said before, I get the feeling that shortened quarters have hurt us more than most teams. Go another 20mins against Geeeelong, Richmond and Brisbane and I think that's three games we would have won.

Ohhhhh, yeaahhh

@titan_uranus, I know there is that old clechè of taking it one game at a time, but I'm also of the view that we need to start being confident enough that we have an expectation of winning most if not all of those games, otherwise to me it's just like expecting mediocrity of another practically wasted season from our team. Not beating the teams above/around us on the run home would mean that we haven't improved and matured as a team and would actually represent a huge step backwards for me on 2019, which is not where I think we are at.

Really don’t envy the selectors this week. I thought all the inclusions last week were good to great and the guys that were rested are pretty much automatic inclusions if fit. I guess the selectors jobs may be made a little easier by having actual knowledge of the injury status of the guys to come back in, but that’s about it. I also think a case can be made to keep the most obvious omissions in the side as well: Harmes – was absolutely horrible at times, with his countless fumbles. But every time we have bagged out one of our on ball stars this year, they have responded with brilliant runs of form there after (thinking of Oliver and Brayshaw in particular here). Give Harmes the job on Sidebottom and let him go to work. The anti will go up significantly in this game from those we have just played against North and the Crows. I think we will need to step it up physically, make a big statement in this game and I think Harmes is just the sort of player that will rise to that occasion. Jones – looks like a shadow of his former self at times, but one thing I did noticed in our wins of the past few weeks is that he made good space/position, used the ball well and was in a significant number of our most potent attacks. Melksham – not in scintillating form by any means, but similar to Jones keeps kicking important goals and along with Patracca is a often a key cog in our fast ball movement through the centre of the ground that breaks the game open and results in goals. Experience and physical presence – really important in a big game Vs the Pies. They are somewhat depleted and were not particularly impressive against the woeful rabble that is the Crows, but Collingwood would realise that this is backs to the wall time and that if they don’t win this game, they can just about write off their season. I really think this makes guys like Jones, Melksham, Harmes and AVB really important – big game players and I expect they will rise to the occasion. Should throw both of Harmes, AVB into the guts early, get them angry, fired up and along with Viney putting on some big, hard, but fair hits that really hurt Collingwood and set the tone - this really is like a final for us I recon and we need those guys to set the tone. I’d also be leaning towards playing T Mac over Gawn if there is any lingering injury concerns over the later. Don’t want to destroy Gawn and as good as Jacko has been, he’s an 18 yo and I don’t think we want to be destroying his physical development by overworking him in is first year either. For that means if there is an opportunity to work T Mac into some form for later in the season there is some huge benefit. I don’t underrate T Mac’s ability to take big pack busting marks, go back and reliably kick big goals when on song – different players, but I’m not sure that the Wied or Jacko quite have that in them yet

I don't think you are - that is the equation. With this short season, it feels like the season has only really just got under way and yet we are rapidly closing in on the regular season's end. It's time for our boys to stand up and deliver in big pressure games. I wouldn't be happy just falling over the line into the top eight either. Really need to beat a few of the more likely finalists like GWS or the Saint's to give the side some confidence and momentum headding into finals.

Listening to Dunn in a post match interview he speciffically acknowledged the support from Melbourne supporters for his efforts making his come back. Not often that players would acknowledge the ex club and least still supporters of their ex club like that. I think it says something of the genuineness of the bloke and the way he is regarded.

Regardless of our players being fit enough to handle it and Burgo's enhanced knowledge to prepare the players off short breaks, I'm not convinced that aiming to play the same 22 over these compressed periods is the right strategy. 1. As good as Burgo's preparation techniques might be, intuitively playing guys that are completely fresh has got to provide some edge in sharpness over guys that are playing off a 4 day break; 2. While we have a healthy list all around if the frindge players are not getting enough match fittness and genuine match practice and development due to the lack of a reserves comp, then I think we need to keep them sharp, confident and in sync with our game plan by playing them periodically; 3. It's still a long season and if we are going to have a genuine crack at a flag, then we want to get to finals without our guns being fatigued and carrying injuries. In years gone by clubs with the depth like Geelong and WC in 2018 gave them selves a genuine crack at September by strategicly resting players throughout the season. I think we actually achieved a bit of all of the above against North.

I don't expect him to get that oppertunity. Apparently they are more or less just bringing him into the side to allow them to manage Moore and some other back of theirs.

I remember a big barrel of a goal he kicked from outside 50 playing as a forward against Brisbane at the Gabba one year and nearly put us on the path to a come from behind win. Possibly back in the Wonaeamirri era as I seem to recall him turning it on that day as well.

Who isn't? Keeps getting better every week, such a joy to watch.

Broomhead revisited, Dunn not done: Collingwood's forgotten return https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/broomhead-revisited-collingwood-forward-in-frame-to-return-after-two-years-20200810-p55kax.html Not sure he will make the cut (pardon the pun) to play his old side, but great to see Lyndon take the feild again after his career looked done and dusted. He's sure does blend in well down at Collingwood these days, with a look like this!! Good luck to him. Alway liked Dunn, a real heart and soul type of player. 0b038cfd8f49ec7480cd0af0194b3b8d763ba627.webp