Skuit

I keep thinking what life would be like if the reverse had happened. Poor bastards. A real sniff of hope snuffed out in an instant. Shell-shocked is the only term. The 2016 flag obviously makes it bearable. But they ran into a juggernaut the same way we did in 2000 and 1988. I hope our fans are gracious enough not to hang [censored] on them. And in general, yes, they have a decent supporter-group from my experience.

From the available footage, not impressed with Gerra at all. Gone completely missing every time the Google search heats up.

The suggestion of him going back to Adelaide has been floating around for a while now. Then a poster said we could lose a couple fringe-22 players (not of the 2019 crop) in our pursuit of Cerra. But letting him go would be a big mistake in my opinion.

Only people named Bailey will get to play in the AFL in future years.

It seems you just talked over yourself Bizkit . . .

Really reluctant to lose Sparrow now. This kid will be a gun.

Not at all stifling, but I could probably survive without a t-shirt for a couple of hours. If it gets cold I have a blue jumper on stand-by. Wearing the club colours hasn't at all served me well in the past.

Thanks heaps Wiz. I'm assuming now that I can at least watch it on my phone. Maybe you can also help with my other dilemma? Just moved into a new place and don't have a washing machine yet. Due to being busy, have let the clothes pile up a bit this past week, so all that I have left now is one t-shirt. It's in our red & blue, but has some unfortunate white stripes on it as well. A) Should I burn it and go directly to the shops for a replacement? B) Take it off and just be half-naked and bare-chested for the game? C) Hand-wash some clothes now and maybe deal with being a bit damp and smelly? or D) stop being superstitious and just get on with life and enjoy our grand final win?

Thanks sue. But I don't trust that advice at all. Everything I've read is about the restrictions. Surely there would be other people in my boat without a TV and laptop alone, and they would cater some information in that direction?

can you tell me more Wiz?

The boys have been talking about only two things all month: the 57-year premiership drought, and the die-hard fans stuck back at home. It's our time. I don't think the message will stray far from this, as well as go out and play the way we have all year, the way they have been coached to do. That's enough motivation. All Goody has to do is get them to believe in themselves, as most pundits and posters on here know that we have a better team.

Please help. I was distraught yesterday to learn that Kayo wouldn't be showing the game live (although I'm glad I found out before the match). I don't own a TV and wouldn't watch it again if I got one. I don't really want to be out in the greater public for the match. So my options are limited: buy or rent a TV for one night (the former is expensive and wasteful, while the latter seems to be an impossibility here in Cairns); get a international pass and VPN to watch it (I'm really not that clued in in how do to that); risk a pirated stream with [censored] quality (not advocating anyone do that, but it happens), or?

Yep. I've finally been broken, and woke up with so much resolve. I love them all, and it has given me renewed respect for all the players that haven't quite made it in recent years. Everyone has contributed, in their own way.

Cross-post from the Class of 2000 thread: Guy Rigoni: “We went over to Todd’s place for a midfield meeting one day and Jack Viney got his teeth knocked out on the trampoline out the back. He came inside and Todd said ‘don’t you cry!’” Andrew Leoncelli: “Jack Viney has always been heart and soul. He was a wild kid. Todd was an unusual dad, so Jack would just be tearing around, kicking the footy, and Todd would grab him and say ‘shut up!’ Olden day parenting, you know.” Brent Grgic: “Todd played when I was playing. He used to drag Jack around and his brother Max. He was a very tough two-year-old! He played the same as his Dad.” Travis Johnstone: “I remember Jack Viney annoying the crap out of us when he came into the rooms. He would go mad, crashing into walls. He grew up with us and now he’s playing.” Jeepers. We know that Jack is special, and I don’t agree with the parental approach (although I grew up in the world of high-level tennis and often regret that I didn’t have overbearing parents – pretty much the only way you can succeed in the sport) – but Jack was reared as a hardened football robot. A flag and Norm Smith medal is the only reasonable outcome. David Neitz: “I had a shot early and I will never forget missing it. It was a left foot snap and you do it in training which makes it sort of gettable. I slammed it into the post. I never forget that.” I’ll never forget that either. On a day where you felt everything had to go right, this was a serious early blow to the confidence (thankfully today feels completely different, and that we can overcome any early set-backs). I still remember my muck-ups in regular under-15 games ffs. I feel sorry that Neita has to live with this. Let's change the story. Anthony Ingerson: “On the ground, I smashed heads with a teammate in the first few minutes. I went to the bench and Neale Daniher was screaming: ‘Get him on the ground!’ The doctor stapled across my forehead and I was back out on the ground within two minutes, with my entire head sideways.” We did get bullied in 2000, but the general carnage was insane. The game feels different today (though last year’s grand final was pretty hectic), and our team feels different. I'm sure that we will stand up to any physical onslaught, even if a couple key players go down. David Schwarz: “Running out onto the ground was [censored]ing phenomenal. The roar was like 25 steam-trains going at once. You couldn’t even hear yourself think.” Troy Simmonds: “I’ve seen the vision of Long’s bump on me numerous times. When I finished up at Richmond they put it on the highlights video! I went to hospital. I do remember coming in the changerooms. I saw my parents there and I was asking ‘where am I’ and ‘what’s going on?” Fire! All of the old boys are tipping us to win, with Oliver, Petracca and Gawn splitting allegiances as to favourite current player and Norm Smith tip. Go the mighty Dees!

Other highlights though: Guy Rigoni: “We went over to Todd’s place for a midfield meeting one day and Jack Viney got his teeth knocked out on the trampoline out the back. He came inside and Todd said ‘don’t you cry!’” Andrew Leoncelli: “Jack Viney has always been heart and soul. He was a wild kid. Todd was an unusual dad, so Jack would just be tearing around, kicking the footy, and Todd would grab him and say ‘shut up!’ Olden day parenting, you know.” Brent Grgic: “Todd played when I was playing. He used to drag Jack around and his brother Max. He was a very tough two-year-old! He played the same as his Dad.” Travis Johnstone: “I remember Jack Viney annoying the crap out of us when he came into the rooms. He would go mad, crashing into walls. He grew up with us and now he’s playing.” Jeepers. We know that Jack is special, and I don’t agree with the parental approach (although I grew up in the world of high-level tennis and often regret that I didn’t have overbearing parents – pretty much the only way you can succeed in the sport) – but Jack was reared as a hardened football robot. A flag and Norm Smith medal is the only reasonable outcome. David Neitz: “I had a shot early and I will never forget missing it. It was a left foot snap and you do it in training which makes it sort of gettable. I slammed it into the post. I never forget that.” I’ll never forget that either. On a day where you felt everything had to go right, this was a serious early blow to the confidence (thankfully today feels completely different, and that we can overcome any early set-backs). I still remember my muck-ups in regular under-15 games. I feel sorry that Neita has to live with this. Anthony Ingerson: “On the ground, I smashed heads with a teammate in the first few minutes. I went to the bench and Neale Daniher was screaming: ‘Get him on the ground!’ The doctor stapled across my forehead and I was back out on the ground within two minutes, with my entire head sideways.” We did get bullied in 2000, but the general carnage was insane. The game feels different today (though last year’s grand final was pretty hectic), and our team feels different. We will stand up to any physical onslaught, even if a couple key players go down. David Schwarz: “Running out onto the ground was [censored]ing phenomenal. The roar was like 25 steam-trains going at once. You couldn’t even hear yourself think.” Troy Simmonds: “I’ve seen the vision of Long’s bump on me numerous times. When I finished up at Richmond they put it on the highlights video! I went to hospital. I do remember coming in the changerooms. I saw my parents there and I was asking ‘where am I’ and ‘what’s going on?” Fire! All of the old boys are tipping us to win, with Oliver, Petracca and Gawn splitting allegiances as to favourite current player and Norm Smith tip.

My partner's six-year-old daughter just sent me a drawing of the "Demon robot crushing the other team". Her dad is Collingwood, but the rest of her family on that side are Melbourne. I think that's Bontempelli in the bottom-right, and Macrae on the left.

I hope Jeff Farmer is okay - quoted as not being interested (it's not clear if he isn't interested in the GF or simply not interested in being interviewed, saying he is 'happy living the quiet life'). Seeing his celebrations at the MCG in recent times was a massive boon, but maybe he identified that he needed a spell (or that memories of 2000 are a bit too emotional). I also hope it's not related to Kobe not getting a gig - I'm sure that our club is professionally run nowadays and treated Kobe well. Does anyone know what the youngun' has been up to this year football-wise? No doubt he remains on our radar.

After a lifetime of nerves and screaming at the television, I've felt an odd detachment for most of this year, calmly watching each match with the occasional quiet fist pump here and there. Even round 23 failed to launch me off the couch as it would have in the past. I have wondered if maybe I had run out of emotional puff, right as the club was coming good. But no, it's the confidence I have in the coaches and team, like a proud parent having done their job through the multitude of challenges and finally sending their offspring out into the world. Today is graduation day, and I don't feel nervous at all. I'm not even all that concerned if we lose, as I know we have built such a solid team with another gear yet to come. That feeling may change closer to kick-off. I'm hoping Gawny will give us another knowing smile during the anthem, and then I'll know we're ready to roll. I'm also hoping that if we do happen to succumb to the occasion, then Demonland will be a place for shared disappointment and a celebration for what we have achieved - rather than anger and reprisals. Good luck everyone, with my thoughts especially going out to those enduring lock-down and unable to enjoy the game with extended family and friends. In a way, the isolation itself will be a unique shared experience among many supporters, unlikely to be repeated again, and another special chapter in the storied history of the Melbourne Football Club. One final, and emphatic, Go Dees!

Possibly half of my favourite ever half a dozen players have worn the #13 (at least two out of my top 3), with all of those present at Optus this weekend. Go Dees!

LG as a sponsor ran from 1998 to 2003, covering the entirety of Daniher's tenure. Could be a red herring though, with extra signatures possibly collected after that period ad hoc. You say you received it around 15 years ago though, so let's presume it was current at the time and cut off at around 2006. Neale's signature looks different in later life, but we can all appreciate there's a very good reason for that. We'll rule out Daniel Nicholson, in a weird way of signing one's name. Another earlier scribble pretty much confirms Daniher. First thought was Simon Godfrey in the top left - but on checking Schwartz's signature online, this looks like a somewhat horribly squished example, although I'm sure it's not easy signing fabric. And maybe a suggestion of a #5 above it? Leoncelli is a cert below that, and I think S. Febey is likely too (although I'd like to ask the latter some questions about his design, as it looks much more like Stevie J. The original Stevie posts on here from memory - so maybe he can confirm?). What looks like a #21 however could also be the exact same as a random signature squiggle. Stephen Tingay, bless his woollen socks, may also possibly fit the bill here (though definitely not according to other online examples). The one to the right of that and the bottom one are a complete mystery though, yet I would naturally go for Jeff White over Farmer for the lowest one. Hilton however looks the most spot-on to me, though I actually think it's bizarrely David Neitz! Was going to go with a very random suggestion of Brad Green for the former, but doesn't fit with other online examples. Other left-field suggestions included Lyon and Woewodin, but they don't fit either. And not R. Robertson. Thanks for the distraction B_Wright. I'll be up all night on this one.

This may interest you as a member of the medical profession Webber. Last year I was caring for my father with advanced Alzheimer's. One evening he had a crazy flare-up like nothing even close to what I had experienced previously - he was completely out of control. Super anxious and rambling about death and trying to find some car keys to flee the house. I had to call another family member for support, and while I was on the phone a decent sized earthquake struck off the coast of Darwin, enough to briefly rattle the house. Afterwards he chilled right out again, like nothing had happened. I have absolutely no doubt that it wasn't a coincidence. Have you ever heard of anything like that before?

According to AFL Tables no one had any disposals in that match, with presumably all 14 of our goals soccered off the ground.

Are you going to brave Coco's AmDam?

Possibly the most welcome interloper on any of the club's forums. A credit to yourself Ash. Cheers for your kind support over the years, and hoping you have a great day on Saturday like the rest of us fools.

So outside of Richmond (which I still can't bring myself to rate as a decent team), between me, you, BillyBeane (COLA mention) and MT64 (ongoing West Coke), the last legitimate premiership was achieved by Collingwood in 2010. But they also had a truck-load of F/S and priority bonuses (including Daisy Thomas, Heath Shaw, Travis Cloke and Josh Fraser). Maybe Port's 2004 triumph is the purest example, though I have no recollections of what Port received in draft concessions on entry into the AFL?