Nasher

This year will definitely rank in the top 20 of Max’s life.

Yeah that must be the only reason. How do you reckon Trac compares to old chap Jack Leith?

He's the guy who got sacked from the Gold Coast Suns for punching (teammate) Steven May in the face.

Nick Smith must have really impressed you in his 4 games!

Surely at least some from our 1900 flag could get a gig? No? Could that be because it’s pointless comparing players of different eras, where the skill level was different to begin with, and relies on faulty and incomplete human memory?

I’m glad he managed to hang on to his spot in the flag side, even if it was by the skin of his teeth. Will be even harder next year, but he’ll always have that medal now. Loved the cheeky moment of snatching the cup and running off towards the crowd with it… to where Bernie Vince awaited, in a Melbourne guernsey, cheering like mad like the rest of us. Cheers for your part in the rebuild boys. Both part of the MFC family now.

Yep, same. I went through the roof. Watching it in the replay, this goal is still the moment where the hair on the back of my neck stands up. Love the look on his face as he salutes the crowd too. None of the usual excited child bouncing around you see from him sometimes. A stern look of concentration. We’re crushing them, but the job’s not done yet. We may never again in our lives see a midfield combination like Petracca, Oliver and Viney. I’m definitely going to enjoy it while it lasts.

To Richard? I don't think so.

Schadenfreude directed at other battling clubs seems cheap now. I'm saving all mine for the Geelong cliff.

It’s a fair bit of a stretch to tie this to the GF loss.

My mind went straight to Aaron Keating. I was going to give you a big WTF before I realised I had the wrong Keating.

I mean if it does, it can’t have been that strong in the first place. I’m sure Jeff understands how it works and that it’s not personal.

He sure picks his moments too. No junk time goals there.

It may seem like the third quarter of the GF has wiped out my memory of the entire rest of the year, but... well, yeah, it pretty much has. And he was HUGE in that third quarter. The tap, the breakaway like a (small) midfielder, and the rocket handball to Oliver was just absolute perfection. Not just the skill there, but the choice - he could have been forgiven for handballing it to Viney, who was hot and collided with Daniel. Wouldn't have been a goal if he'd made that choice. Only question is, how long before he's a better player than Gawn? If you ask Max, he'd say with honest belief that he already is, but no doubt the (premiership) skipper underestimates his own capability.

If his parents are moving from Perth to Melbourne, it's not just him that has committed long term, it's the whole family. Love it.

Harrison Petty. Dunno why. I like the idea of a big bloke in #2, it’s been smaller players my whole life. On that note it’s weird to think, I’m nearly 40 and there’s only been four #2s in my life and only three I can actually remember - Tingay, Armstrong and Jones, and Flower who I never saw play. Not in favour of retiring numbers.

I haven’t had a favourite player, or a Melbourne football jumper, since I was 10. Will be ordering a 2022 guernsey with the number of my favourite player: #5. He played the Granny with the god mode cheat on. Absolutely dominant on the biggest stage of all.

First player to touch the ball in the run to the cup. Amazing split second gather at pace from the Smith fumble, and kicks it down Fritsch’s throat. That play will be burned in my memory forever. I’ll be in a nursing home one day not able to remember where I am or what I had for breakfast, but I’ll remember James Harmes charging towards the 50. Brilliant.

I don’t owe anyone apologies because I never bag or abuse Melbourne players. I was very late to recognise Charlie Spargo’s contribution to the team though and thought his place in the side was tenuous as late as mid season. Jumped on the bandwagon just as the doors were closing. (Do bandwagons have doors?)

Great effort! But let’s just let the anonymous source remain anonymous.

Nah, it’s a significant part of the story. Who at the time DIDN’T think we were in all sorts? Watching that part of the clip gave me a slightly sick feeling, just enough to remind me of the overwhelming despair I experienced at the time when they looked to be running over the top of us.

Are… are you Brent Moloney?

I was thinking the same thing. Mitchell might have made himself look like a naive, incompetent newbie and that will hurt them, but he at least has the right idea. Signing Chris Scott for another three years is an endorsement of his top-up with senior players strategy. They’ve developed very, very little young talent as per rpfc’s post a month or so back. Once the team loses its competitiveness, it won’t be an attractive destination for those senior players. The fall will be accelerated as a result. The cliff is coming. Scott doesn’t see out his three years, and Geelong are set back further by not having recognised the need for a strategy change earlier. It is going to be magnificent.

From the outside, not breaking in to the MFC 22 seems more likely than being arbitrarily dropped because of his age elsewhere, but I can understand why he might not see it that way, based on his own self-belief and his recent experience at St Kilda. The club’s in a no-lose position though. Hopefully Dunstan is right and he’s able to add something on a regular basis. If he’s not, we’ve lost nothing.

I’m surprised. He’s good enough to be best 22 elsewhere, hard to see exactly where he fits in the MFC picture. Looking forward to seeing this one play out.