durango

I think Nathan made that decision to leave for family rather than wait for the grand final team to be listed giving the coaches a clear path to selection. If he stayed I think a token game as 23rd man might have happened denying a young player the opportunity to be a part of the 23 players in a premiership team.

I think that Bradtke has had very little football in the past 2 years to prove himself and I think they will retain him if the development coach and the ruck coach believe he has an upside.

I love his dedication to become the best of the best, unfortunately the demons selected Weideman (selection 9) and not Harry Mckay (selection 10) but the boy is more like his dad and not his grandfather, lack of mungral or as Ray Jordan would say C***.

Of those that died only Sylvia did not get the best out of them selves during their careers at MFC. I met Robbie, Jim and Sean while i worked as trainer with MFC and watch their progress but the deaths were very sad. There is an old saying "only the Good Die Young" and they were very good.

Mac could do what Naitanui did before the draft he said he would request a trade back to WA if he was picked by MFC. If that was not draft tampering then the AFL have failed

Oliver, Petracca, Viney and Gawn are easily the best 4 players I have seen in one team at the MFC playing at the coal face in the 1950's there was some great players but they would not hold a candle to these 4. I have been a supporter since 1952.

Nat Fyfe 2019

Unfortunately I saw this match with my best friend who was 8 and a Footscray supporter, I had to travel home with his father and listen to them telling me I should support Footscray. I was 8 at the time and never jumped ship because my favourite player was Ron Barassi loved he played in my favourite number 13 in reverse. Time proved me right but after 1964 and Ron left the club I was very disappointed and 1965 when they sacked Norm Smith my father said to me we would never win a flag in his life time, he passed away in 2007 so he was right. This team is better than the 1964 team by a big margin but whether they can be great begins on Grand Final day 2021.

Most GF are won by the teams that bring their 'A' Game and also kick straight puting scoreboard pressure on the opponents but this is the first time the Demons have a better than even money chance to complete the season as premiers the 1988 and 2000 teams were good but lacked the killer punch in 1988 we kicked 6 goals 20 behinds just imagine we kicked 20 goals 6 behinds the result might have been different. In 2000 the defence was poor consisting of Ward, Ingerson, Nicholson, Walsh, Collins and Febey. In 2021 the defence is very good and none of the players in the 1988 defence other than Febey would get a look in.

In 1954 Peter Box won the Brownlow and Footscray won the premiership. In 1966 Ian Stewart won the Brownlow and St Kilda won the premiership In 2001 Jason Akermanis won the Brownlow and Brisbane won the premiership In 2002 Simon Black won the Brownlow and Brisbane won the premiership In 2009 Gary Ablett Jr won the Brownlow and Geelong won the premiership In 2017 Dustin Martin won the Brownlow and Richmond won the premiership These are some of the Brownlow winners on the top of my head Sometimes players win the brownlow and their team does not even appear in the finals or if they do they don't play in the Grand Final

There is common saying one door closes and another door opens. We missed out on Issac but got Ben Brown and some games into James Jordan and Tom Sparrow are we better off. Jayden Hunt got back to pre-forward form and Jake Bowey showed his wares are we better off. If the answer is yes then we did not get a 31 year old who decided to hang is shingle on the Cats and lost.

I have the paper version of the 1964 record which I purchased on the way into the ground with my father and my cousin. Unfortunately both have passed away never to see this day when we have the best chance to win the ultimate prize. I can remember watching the U19 and reserves Grand Final before the big one I was supremely confident we would win after we destoryed the Pies in the Second Semi-Final, but the kicking for goal by the Demons almost brought them undone. I remember the Gabelich run and Brian Roet almost ran him down and the panic in the Pies stacking the Back line only to see Neil Crompton kick the winning goal.

There is always a hard luck story before the grand final I think he would have given his right arm to play but he also recognised his time was up similar to Robbie Flower who retired after the 1987 preliminary final without a premiership to his name but at least he played in a final series. Some players play 150-300 games without tasting premiership or finals glory but contribute to the fabric of the club, so for every Shane Crawford there are at least 50 Bob Murphy's or Nathan Jones' or Robbie Flowers. Lynden Dunn who played 198 games and managed 0 finals.

At least I did coach football and win 3 premiership in Under age football which I guess you never even got near a football, I also played for my school team and played 1 reserve grade match for the MFC when they had runout of fit players in 1981.

I guess you never played any football in your life since we need a defender on Bailey Smith and Brayshaw in a very good Midfielder and Hunt will replace the run of Rivers. Also Rivers played as a midfielder in the WA Colts or WA team? He plays like a wingman on the half back flank. When I coach Junior Football often you had to make decision like moving good players for the team to spots they never played before.

I would make 2 changes bring in Hunt and play Rivers on the wing moving Brayshaw to the midfield and Smith 23 man with Sparrow missing out.

The trend is to have 185+ midfielders but if you are good enough, quick good ball disposal and agile then height is only a factor in marking duels when the ball is delivered very high, like Gawns 5 goal.

I watched Gawn's and Jackson's progression this year from ruckman to midfielders which I think it was Gawn's desire to keep up with Jackson in that area and Jackson has become a ruckman to keep up with Gawn. They have challanged each other to become better and the team is benefiting from their work his goal on the run is an example of their improved work at the stopages.

I am so happy that this lad has got over his injuries which spoiled his 2020 year and has not only fulfilled his potential but in my opinion has exceeded it. I think he has got more confidence in his ablity and now knows he belongs at this level.

I met John Beckwith when I was young and he is a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

It would be a great result if Jack won the Norm Smith Medal and won a Premiership this year his Father and Uncle would be over the moon. The players like Gawn, Petracca and Oliver would be very happy for him and the Team. Jack has been a great player but injury has made his journey to 150 games a very long process the last player who lost lots of games due to injury and was an exceptional player was Glen Lovett who played over 100 games in the same period as Jimmy Stynes but never seemed to string games together.

Gawn when he was made captain who ever made the decision got more than they expected when he took his game to another level and that is what captain do in finals and clutch moments of a game like his goal at Geelong in round 23.

Maybe he will win the Rising Star Medal next year since he will be under the age limit and games limit. His games have been excellent for his age and the fact that he played virtually no football last year but probably has been helped by Mark Williams and the fact that he was slowly brought along at Casey and not rushed into the team to fill holes in the team. Most times young players get games gifted because they are high draft picks and rushed into the team before they are ready al la Jack Watts.

Petracca is the closest player to the great Ronald Dale Barassi Jr who was my favorite player from the first time I saw him play in 1953 till he retired from the MFC in 1964. Petracca is his clone and both being of Italian heritage. I am not Italian by the way.

This win is a reminder of the teams of the 1950's where MFC was a great team and a Premiership team with 5 premierships in 6 years and 7 grand fianl appearances from 1954 to 1960. This team is good but will it be great will depend on whether it can convert appearances in Grand Finals to Premierships.