Tim

We’ve just managed to get through the first 19 September in a very long time without having to mark it as the anniversary of our last flag. Phew! (And thanks to @Whispering_Jack for his 1964 video rememberance yesterday).

7 flags?

When Gerard left at the end of 1985 (when we were shizen), he said it was so that he could play finals. He got his wish - 4 finals for 4 losses though. But had he stayed he would have played in winning matches. C’est La vie!

Another achievement: breaking a premiership drought/winning first flag and making finals the following year. It’s more common in modern times (Richmond 2018, Geelong 2008, Swans 2006), but it used to be a thing to miss after a breakthrough flag - Dogs (1955, 2017), Saints (1967), Pies (1991), Hawks (1962). We were actually clubhouse leaders in this stat (1901, 1927), so good to do what we’ve done.

Cue close finish in the count, with Clarry needing votes in the last round. Gill calls “Melbourne…C…” followed by interminable pause to heighten the drama as to whether it’s our #5 or our #13. And then calls out “Spargo”! Or alternative scenario with Trac needing the votes.

Rory Lobb - grave digger

Coincidentally I just went to the AFL’s Season Guide 2022 to see what our list changes were at the end of 2021; in the “ins” column is the rookie elevation of our #23, James Jordan. Seriously, from the AFL’s official bible….?

Sage and timely advice indeed, ‘Stone!

Good points, George. We mighty be reigning premiers, but we aren’t Best in Show in terms of our Constitution. Many would channel Blighty in saying they couldn’t give a Fat Rat’s Tossbag about the latter in light of the former. And that’s a pity because we need to be the best performing club we can possibly be in all areas of operation from the board down. Now is the time to be making hay, and current board members should be overseeing a constitutional renovation which addresses George’s points. True leadership in this regard would embrace this and not see it as a threat to their positions. Other clubs have brought their constitutions into the 21st century along the above lines and a board confident in its own capability should be doing the same for us while we are riding high.

Yeah, Shane Grambeau, son of Mick who played for North in the ‘50s. I just looked up Mick’s page on Wikipedia. Interesting read. After a loss by North in 1955, both he and Laurie Icke were sacked for apparently not trying. Following a big public furore they were reinstated, but had to sign statements that the club was right in sacking them! Amateur Hour. Coincidentally the sons of both Mick and Laurie ended their playing days at Melbourne, Steven Icke adding a Bluey to his 1977 premiership medal.

The middle one of that trio had the probably unique feat of winning the game against us with a goal after the siren in his first game.

Spoke to my mate Stan the Statistician and he said that since the Beginning of Time Melbourne was complicit in none of those streak-breaker games, which would surprise some. Clubhouse leader is Geelong with 5, followed by 3 each to Essendon, Collingwood and South/Sydney. Two things: it’s good not to be on the list, and Stan needs to get a life!

That’s my understanding, and apparently the only club to do it at all, even once. Fair effort in 125 years of the competition!

Agree. I’m constantly amazed at how good players have been at adapting tackling techniques to minimise frees for in the back and to minimise head contact. Kade’s tackle was from the old days, and sadly he’ll pay the price for what looked like over-enthusiasm to put his mark on things.

Second placing in a Copeland in 2004 was not too shabby. Probably eligible for the Bluey in those years too, given the amount of his salary the Dees were said to have been paying him to play with C’wood….😀

I’ve met him in recent years, and concur with your comments. Interestingly, when he was going around he looked like one of the Beagle Boys - rough, tough and unsociable looking, as suggested by footy card photos of him; in person in the 21st century he was the exact opposite.

Clyde Laidlaw also has the all-time league highest game winning percentage for players who’ve played over 100 games (81.05). If any of the current mob threaten that, then happy days for us all!

Pig says hi….

Perhaps a little more deep-seated than that. I’ve heard him describe his day at the 1964 GF as a mad 11yo Collingwood fan. He said that he was so upset at the result that he cried all the way home to Ballarat in the car. 57 years probably hasn’t eased the pain….

Yep, I’ll take our 13 flags and no “tons” over St Kilda’s 1 flag with 5 times having players kick 100 goals in a season.

That’s often mentioned about him, and was targeted by opposition players accordingly, apparently. I heard that he kicked 6 goals in a quarter against Fitzroy in a match where we flew home late but still lost. In looking at AFL Tables it was 1959 (when he won the Bluey in a flag year), and amazingly, he only kicked one other goal in the entire 75 other quarters he played that year. His last kick for us was the “winning goal” that was disallowed in the dying seconds of the 1962 First Semi against Carlton - iirc it can be seen in the MFC club history DVD.

In the 2021 finals series our winning margins totalled 190 points; I like to think that with that symbolism, and winning the flag, we consigned the 1979 Fitzroy and Geelong 186 results to the shizen hausen - way down past where they can creep up and cause us mental fragility about whether our club could ever climb the mountain again.

Agree with the overall assessment, but James Jordon says “Hi!”.

Spent quite a lot of his first year at Casey at half back, so wouldn’t be out of place in the unhoped-for scenario of a back going down.

Tend to agree; I think JJ covers more bases than Hunt which makes him a more flexible candidate for medi-sub; if they think Hunt is ready he’ll be in the actual 22 to do his usual specific role. Seriously underestimates JJ’s body of work.