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What I always wonder about is why the Melbourne Football Club has had so few 300+ game players? Especially with a Football Club as old as ours. I know some Football Clubs have numerous 300+ game players and even 400 game players. Especially Football Clubs like Hawthorn, Richmond, North Melbourne and Essendon. However, the Melbourne Demons only have David Neitz and now Nathan Jones. The late and great Robbie Flower probably could of but definitely had numerous injuries throughout his career. Adem Yze and James McDonald were definitely chances to play 300+ games too. Historically, so could of 1950s champion Demons Rover Stuart Spencer if he hadn't moved to Tasmania at the prime if his career. Lets hope that this lack of 300 game players changes in the future. I am confident that it can with the likes of Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw, Christian Salem, Clayton Oliver and even James Harmes. All are relatively young and are well over 100+ games. Anyway, I would definitely be interested knowing who else at the Melbourne Demons people here think might be a chance of playing 300+ games?

As far as I can tell, the club gives 10 awards for players each year starting with the Bluey Truscott Medal for the B&F. Of the remainder, seven are named after players who had all finished playing for us by 1964 (Sid Anderson, Ron Barrassi Sr, Ivor Warne-Smith, [censored] Taylor, Harold Ball, Ron Barassi Jr and Ian Ridley). The remaining two are the James McDonald Esprit-de-Corps Award for Best Team Player and Troy Broadbridge Award for best VFL Player. I don't wish to remove any of the above, but there's a lot of living in the past with these. I think we should freshen up the awards with an award (or two*) named after a more recent player. And I think that player should be Nathan Jones. But what should such an award be for? Any ideas? My first thought is for the team's Most Consistent Player, which would have to be a subjective assessment by the coaches or Match Committee. It could be awarded to anyone, including the same player who might also win the Bluey, but, equally, it could be to a role player who does his job, week in, week out. Any other ideas? (*And there should be an award named after Robert Flower, too.) Edit: The censored word is the common abbreviation for Richard. Given the sensitivity of the auto-censor I'm quite surprised the next surname on the list made it through unscathed.

I notice Nathan Jones has got a bit of heat from posters over last nights game and I want to rally a bit of support for him to not only make the 300 club but to commit to a full season next year. He has had a year of continuing change being asked to play differing positions and styles. When he got back in the side he not only looked a bit confused, but unloved and I think he sooked a bit. But I thought Jones had a great game last night and we should shout out some love for him to finish his career on a high and in style. At the end of next year. To elaborate on last nights game and why I think he is working hard to stay in the team and that he is worth keeping in, of course everyone saw his lazy kick, that ended in Steeles hands, for a goal to end the first half. He was shattered. You could see him thinking that could have been the end of his career. But if you fast forward to the 10.30 second mark of the third quarter, St Kilda had got to the lead and it looked like they would run over the top of us. In one of our few forays forward which eventually ended in a snap goal from Petracca, Jones was twice involved in the play and even though he desperately wanted to kick the goal himself he still had the smarts enough to get it to Tracc for the goal. In the replay of the goal you can see Jones in the background half kicking the ball for Tracc and then pumping his fist when Tracc kicks it. He goes straight to the bench and you see him sitting there hoping he has gone a little way to erasing the mistake he made before half time. Then later in the game I saw him down the bottom of a pack for the first time in ages. It's as if he's been told thats Vineys space you are now an outside player. Geez it was good to see him burrowing in again. His specialty. You don't have to look far to see older players being integral players in top teams. Boak is having a stellar year, Rockliff is contributing. Zirco is still a big part of Brisbanes plans and even Stevens has a role at Geelong. So please post some wishes for our elder statesman, Jonesy and may he kick the sh#t out of 300 games and beyond.

Nathan Jones is likely to be in our next team of the century. He stood by MELBOURNE during the worst years when he could have easily left for more money. Paul Roos, who is a better judge than I, rated his leadership and rates the winning goal he kicked to seal a final as one of his greatest moments he has seen watching football. Bernie Vince won our b&f, the following year he was moved to the backline and was never the same. Benie Vince was more dynamic and had more tricks than Jones. Jones can’t play anywhere to AFL standard other than in the guts much like Dom Tyson. Oliver is close to the best midfielder in the league but I think he could spend less time in the midfield and more across the ground to provide Jones an opportunity to spend more minutes on the ball. We need to give him more time in the midfield or send him into retirement.

Jones takes the biccies and Oliver 5th overall. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-05-29/jones-leads-round-10-aflca-votes- MELBOURNE v GOLD COAST 9 Nathan Jones (Melb) 6 Jeff Garlett (Melb) 6 Clayton Oliver (Melb) 4 Jordan Lewis (Melb) 2 Jack Leslie (GC) 2 Jake Melksham (Melb) 1 Michael Hibberd (Melb) AFLCA LEADERBOARD 53 Rory Sloane (Adel) 47 Elliot Yeo (WC) 46 Joel Selwood (Geel) 43 Dustin Martin (Rich) 42 Clayton Oliver (Melb) 40 Scott Pendlebury (Coll) 39 Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) 33 Taylor Adams (Coll) 32 Gary Ablett (GC) 32 Sebastian Ross (StK)

Congratulations to Jeff Garlett and Nathan Jones for making this weeks AFL Team of the Week.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-03-07/nathan-jones-powers-on-after-neck-surgery I didn't realise that the last 8 to 10 weeks of 2015 were so hard on Jonesy. You wouldn't have known it by the way he plays. Champion.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-12-11/jones-retains-captaincy-for-2016

We start our 2012 Player Review series with the season's best (comments from the MFC website Player Reviews):- Games MFC 2012 21 MFC Total 135 Goals MFC 2012 16 MFC Total 68 MFC 265 kicks (2nd) 251 handballs (1st) 516 disposals (1st) 45 marks 95 tackles (3rd) 73 inside fifty (1st) MFC Keith "Bluey" Truscott Memorial Trophy Winner 368 votes