Lucifers Hero

Had the pleasure of meeting Barassi at the Bentleigh Club when the 1964 Premiers celebrated the 50th anniversary. This photo with him looking hale and hearty, is in my 'special mfc photo frame' (which includes many of the 2021 Cup) It was a great day to meet him and so many others of that era. I also obtained the autographs of the 1964 premiers in the second photo. A bit of trivia, Barassi had stopped using #31 with his signature. In the top left corner of this photo you can see 17410 meaning he participated in 17 GF as coach or player and won 10 of them - a record that is unlikely to be bettered. It is very sad that he is gone but he had a wonderful life, impacted so many for the good and has left a legacy that is unlikely to ever be surpassed.

I guess so. Hopefully someone tells him it was but one in a hundred moments that affected the result. But to see one of the toughest and courageous players in the game be so vulnerable was tough to witness.

The everlasting image from this game for me is Jack Viney after the siren. Most of our players were sitting or sprawled on the ground in disbelief. But Jack was in the middle, kneeling with body thrust forward, head in the dirt cradled in his arms. He seemed to be crying. He stayed that way for a long time. I think it was Rivers who went and picked him up. God knows what was going through his mind. It was heartbreaking. Haven't read most of the threads on this forum but going on the titles I reckon the players and the club deserve better than what is being offered here.

Bumping this to put some good news out there about Gus. While not having read many threads in recent days, the list of sad looking thread titles, suggests that we could all do with a little bit of sunshine. Delighted that Gus is doing so well. That is the good news story of the week!!

Reckon it would be churlish to not feel pleased for you that the Blues won. It was one of those nights that things went right for the blues and didn't go right for the dees. Nonetheless, it is the score on the final siren that counts and the blues were in front. Enjoy the rest of the finals. If you come up against Coll...smash 'em!!!

Great post - kind and thoughtful of you, as always. Thank your for the kind words but not sure I deserve to be signalled out as so many people contribute. Err...um...now I feel guilty about wanting to off-load the 'what they are saying @...' threads😐.

I reckon there is a bit of a myth in that. He has played just 8 games this year. Subbed out in two (winning games) and we lost two. If he plays this week it will because we have no better option but his performance this year (KB aside) hasn't been convincing or finals worthy.

Voss wasn't that convincing today...

Voss is hedging his bets with Silvagni. Says he is available but hasn't played a game for over a month. It is rare for a player with his # of preseasons to come back via the VFL. . They have lost a tall fwd have an injured #1 ruckman and only Silvagni covers both positions. Pittoney and DeK are not fwds and they need another tall to help Curnow otherwise Curnow will be in for a harrowing night!! If he isn't selected tonight I would expect a late change tomorrow. Mind games...!

Based on the above and an interview with Max I would say it was Gawn and Petracca that were with Gus when HWSNBN Mark 2 arrived with flowers and wine. By all accounts it was Max that let him in etc so I reckon it was Petracca who walked out!! I liked that; showed his disgust without knocking him out which is what he deserved. Imagine if Petracca had let his rage loose. HWSNBN Mark 2 probably wouldn't play again!

This should help cheer everyone up (report from The Age): Petracca said a neurologist gave Brayshaw the “all clear” after the Melbourne midfielder’s brother Hamish Brayshaw, an ex-Eagle, told reporters this week he would undergo brain scans. “He is going better. I saw him the day after [the incident happened], and he obviously got concussed 12 hours before that, so, of course, he was going to be feeling sore,” Petracca told KIIS FM. “I think [his concussion history] was more so worrying him, but he saw the neurologist and [he received the] all clear. Apparently, the concussion – the way he pulled up compared to the last one – was much better, which is good.” That must be a huge relief to Gus, families and team mates!

1. I'm not concerned about the 'outs' from last week's teams and injuries. Outs: Carlton: Martin, McKay Melbourne: Brayshaw, JvR Rumoured Injuries: Carlton: Cripps (Ribs) Pitttonet (Knee) Acres (Shoulder) Melbourne: Oliver: Knee Gawn: Foot Petracca: (ankle?) Both teams missing key players and both teams have key players battered and bruised (who will play) so will match up fairly evenly. As the missing and battered are in the same part of the ground it evens up the field a bit more. So imv we can relax about our depleted resources disadvantaging us in this game. 2. Carlton's 'one wood' is winning centre clearances. We beat them at the coal face we will be half way home. They seem to not be able to play out four quarters whereas we finish well. We should win. 3, My major reservation is their potential physicality. I'm not sure they have any 'attack dogs' like Coll do. but they are coached by one of the toughest players of all time. Having seen what Coll did to us early last week Voss may bring out their aggression and play in 'beast mode' early. I doubt they can sustain it for a whole game. To counter that we need our aggressive players (May, Viney, Salem, Sparrow, Kozzie) to be (legally) aggressive from the get go. A repeat of the first 5 minutes of the 2021 GF will do very nicely. 4. Dees by 2-3 goals.

Yes, Ron carried the No 31 to Carlton but for me it will always be a an infamous Demons number. Your a good sport and I look forward to reading your posts, albeit from a slightly different angle.

Well done for staying undetected for a whole year!! Had me fooled with the No.31! But the jumper should have given it away... You seem a good sport so you can hang around.... ...But in the unlikely event the Dees lose on Friday night I suggest you stay well away from DL for a while...

Thank you. Your prediction? Mine: Dees by 2-3 goals.

😮 What !!!! Methinks you are projecting your state of being onto poor ol' innocent Luci !!

I loathe Geelong but kudos that they took their medicine when Stewart knocked out Prestia early in the game last year and it cost Richmond a win. They didn't whinge nor drum up fan and media hysteria. I guess it serves Collingwood's '19th man' agenda to keep them all frothing. But it just makes everyone else hate them all the more.

Agreed. Crowds are usually eerily quite when a player is knocked out cold, with concern and respect. And usually fans of both teams clap the player off. The pies fans continued to chant while he was carried off. They are just morons and bogans. What surprised me is that only Moore went to Gus as he was being stretched off and offered a hand of support. Not much but at least he did. I didn't see any other Pies player offer support. I think Moore is a great captain but he missed a trick by not hushing the crowd. Moore and his leaders only need to go stand in front of the cheer squad and Ponsford stand and quieten them. Letting them go feral (and we were along side the cheer squad bay and surround by pies' fans🤮 ) has fed their hysteria since.

Let it go layzie - enjoy the sunshine and do something you really like!

Reckon @Bitter but optimistic was just looking for an excuse to use the 🤮emoji as he really likes the use of emojis in posts...😉!!!

This should be fun: iirc... English teacher vs Proof Reader! Popcorn anyone...🙂

We don't know. A reliable poster mentioned that Cox stomped on Max's foot, that Max had scans and had been wearing a moon boot. He didn't wear the moon boot at training. Whether that is because he is ok or to not draw attention to an injury we don't know.

Alex isn't 'hip' enough...

I did.

It seems my optimism has suddenly returned!! But touche for deftly avoiding the question...