Rodney (Balls) Grinter

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

Wins the Norm Smith and hoists the cup up. Then will the curse be broken!!

Yeah, nah. Schwarz before he did his knee was a freak. Probably the only two things that stopped him being AA was a bloke known as The Duck who was apparently a fair player having his position pretty much stitched up and a dodgy knee. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving what Patracca is becoming at the moment. It seems that he is finally delivering on the promise of the player we had all hoped he would be and a player truely befitting of a number one pick. But for me Trac still needs to deliver consistently over the course of one or two seasons and in big games for me to say he's clearly better than all those you have mentioned. Really need guys like Trac and Clarry to stand up against quality opposition and win it almost off their own boot. Both of them either went missing or were in effective witg their disposal against Port and Richmond. I think both Clarry and Trac have it in them, but they still need to actually do it.

I'd like to know what it's done for Goldy's AA chances getting towelled up by an 18 yo playing his 6th senior AFL game.

6. Patracca 5. Brayshaw 4. Oliver 3. Lever 2. Jackson 1. Kossie

To an extent I don't care if we win by 2 goals or 20 goals from here, we have just got to GET THE JOB DONE.

A lot if the inclusions - Hannan, Spargo, Rivers, Kossie are playing great games. Jacko and Brayshaw have picked up where they left off last week. Loving the Weid, but please nail those shots on goal.

Soooooo many missed free kicks to us that quarter. Kossie being held on to was so obvious. Then how many times did we have them holding/dropping the ball and not have it paid. Were taken high - play on. I know our goal kicking has let us down a bit, but for crying out loud. North do not deserve to be in this game.

How the [censored] do we get the worst umpires in the league two weeks in a row. Patracca gets leged, play on. Goldy and old mate get looked at the wrong way and get frees. Fffing BS.