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In 1964 my best mate and I bought our first MFC memberships. I was 13 years of age. I've misplaced it now but it was stiff board about 10cm by 7cm. Folded out it had the fixture and at each game we would have it clipped as we went into the ground, home or away. My mate's mother gave us the tram timetable each time we played away so we'd get off the train at Flinders Street to find the tram route so we could attend attend most away games not only all of those at the 'G'. Only games we didn't get our cards clipped were for Arden Street and the Western Oval. I was in NSW when we smashed the filth in the second semi and remember my uncle teasing me about AFL players being ballet dancers. (It was some years before I learnt to call NRL players bumsniffers.) My dad somehow wrangled me a ladies ticket from a member he knew and so I sat in the Grey Smith Stand between two nice Melbourne ladies who had a thermos and sandwiches as well as the mandatory tartan blanket. All very middle class and civilised. Until Gabbo did this famous wobbly run down the southern end at which point they completely did their bottle. He seemed to be about half a mile away from where were sitting but it was an unforgettable moment. It was high drama when Hassa Mann marked and kicked for goal towards where we were sitting (just keeping our seats by this stage) and then he missed. Melodrama! Angst! Gloom! Finally though, unbelievably, we got back in front after Froggie kicked the sealer. Now everybody was on their feet, hugging each other and shouting for joy. Froggie! He shouldn't have even been there. And in reply to a few posters on this thread - it certainly was Mick Bone, the resting rover whom Froggie followed down into our forward line that afternoon. Probably never been across the centre line in his whole career before that match, Neil Crompton - back pocket players never left their post in 1964.

Gus's brother plays at Freo. That's a straight swap for Cerra.

Anybody know where to catch a replay of yesterday's game? I missed a chunk of the first half.

Shai Bolton would be a great pick up!!!!

I'm not concerned about all this talk of not showing up and then beaten by Crows, Magpies and Giants, then drawing with Hawks. After all - we won't be playing any of them in the finals anyway. Our games will be against other teams in the 8 and we've beaten them all.

Is it Dr, D or Dr. No? Nothing positive to say at all . Persistently enervating. Maybe you are a troll. We'll be alright, you wait and see.

Looks a strong team indeed. Even the emergencies - we bat deep at the moment.

Can't be happy with the free against Sparrow or the mark not paid to May resulting in 2 free goals to the filth but how does the ump reverse a decision about out of bounds on the full because Pendlebury complains to him. Plenty of players dispute decisions but they are never reversed; how come the Pies captain can get away with it?

42 - the Spencil. I remember him fondly. Do we have a # 43 at the moment? 43 is the fall back position for most clubs.

I'm watching on Foxtel and the way ADL endorse and promote gambling throughout the game is appalling. There's also a narrow strip banner at the base of the screen which advises a helpline but it's not only tiny but cleverly out of focus. Cynical.

Thanks BDA.

I'd be prepared to chat with Gary Pert who may be unaware of the mess. Anybody know it?

Well it has been a strain and a huge disappointment in trying to join up 3 junior members, 2 of them new. At the start of the year I rang and after an hour or so had them all paid and signed up - so I thought. 3 weeks later only one membership pack arrived. Another long wait to speak to someone (maybe put on more phone people?) and yes, there were 3 accounts for the kids but two had no dollars in them for some reason. So I paid for two more and asked that they be sent express post. (This did not happen.) One month later 2 membership packs have arrived but both have the same name on them so one child misses out. I'm furious and surprised at just how [censored] this admin is. Trying to lodge a complaint on the Melbourne website is just not worth the effort. Believe me, I looked into doing so. For example, just to get started you have a mandatory field as follows : Are you diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, or someone in your care or household has been diagnosed with one? * I dread having to call the footy department tomorrow to get things changed somehow before the end of this season and believe me when I say I won't put myself through this frustration again next year Or the year after or the year after and so on. That'll be 3 less members.

For mine, this is straight forward : Salem for Jetta (an odd selection), Lockhart if Salem not fit and Sparrow for Melksham (I've run out of patience with this guy).

I AGREE WITH YOU THERE, BINMAN : dANIEL DOESN'T WASTE A POSSESSION. HE REALLY IMPRESSED LAST WEEK AND ADMITTEDLY IT'S THE FIRST LOOK AT HIM I'D SEEN! HIBBERD TO TAKE HIM AT CERTAIN STAGES IS ALSO A GOOD SUGGESTION.

BBB's ground level game : he looks like a giraffe when he's working beneath his knees. Or at least he did last game when he went down the ground chasing the pill. If he plays, he plays from the goal square.

Hardwick was a thug in the 2000 Grannie. Leopard, spots, etc.

I just searched under Melbourne AFL players. The list is an interesting one :Garland, Spenser, Bail, Terlich and another 17 named who are no longer on our list!

Gus is a most sloppy user of the pill, definitely not AFL standard at the moment. Terrible early today and not much better later on either. Clearance numbers were once again heavily against us. I don't understand how we can rate so low on this statistic, particularly from Centre bounces. Someone suggested that we don't mind losing since this puts the ball in a position for our rebound defence to take control. This hardly seems feasible and sounds like a wacko strategy if that is indeed the case. Any comments?

This history is interesting and can be interpreted in different ways but ultimately it is not relevant to 2021.

Yes Hutchy - Wallis punched Greenie in the throat as, I think it was Hardwick, held on to him. Long didn't bump Simmons, he kneed him in the head. He was given 6 weeks but was allowed to use 4 of them up in pre-season matches. He should have been shown the red card. Kevin Sheedy was behind those "tactics". In 1964 I was 13 sitting behind the goals at the city end. I went in to shock when Hassa Mann missed the easy shot from close in after marking it. The rest was a bit of a blur and I didn't properly see the goal kicked by Froggy Crompton. He had followed the Collingwood second rover who had been resting in their forward line (it was usual way for most teams to have one rover on the ball and one resting in the forward pocket) down into our froward line. It was Mick Bone as I recall. So although Smith gave him a blast Froggy (#5) was only doing his job and sticking to his man. It was a minor sensation for a back pocket player to have a shot at goal back then.

Never believed in the curse, me. It's like black cats, breaking mirrors and walking under ladders plus a bit of voodoo, a pinch of astrology , some tarot card reading and seeking advice from a witch doctor, a gypsy with a crustal ball or chancing at the ouija board. There's no place for superstition at all, at all. Might as well believe in leprechauns.

Petty has to get games under his belt. It's tough breaking in to a winning team.

Have to say..... looked the guy in the eye and elbowed him in the face. Not that here's anything wrong with that BTW but I'd say it was a reportable offence, clear and simple.

TMac played very well in our backline and the forward line went well without him so it's not hard to see him back down there again. Still, I think Petty must be given game time and the next few games are an ideal patch to give him just that. I'd bring him in for Tommo as a straight swap and then focus on who to replace Viney. That will be a harder choice. Jones is hardened and did pretty well today. He's a desperate man now that he's on the fringes and will want to break the games record. So he's Jack's replacement and bring back Sparrow or Chandler for Baker. I'm not a fan of Ginger.