Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Thanks, I didn't reacall that and I wasn't trying to be sarcastic about Terlich playing a few good games. In my personal opponion, he showed signs of potentially becoming a really good player given where he'd come from as a mature age recruit. It's just a pity that maybe he didn't quite have it in him to go to that next level where the team was heading towards becoming an elite backline. Similar story for Colin. Was actually a little disappointed that Colin didn't remain on our list those years we had the success, as I always thought he was an honest contributor in the period we were getting smashed every week and it would have been hell being a defender at the MFC.

Was struggling to think of players who previously wore 46, so consulted the great Demonwiki http://demonwiki.org/Number+46 Was amazed to learn that the great state cricketer Brad Hodge played a reserves game for us wearing this No. back in 94. Must be a bit of a cricketers No. as it was also worn for a year by Maxy Walker. Troy Simons probably being the most noteworthy wearer of the jumper asides from Turlich (who I thought played a few good games for us)

From some of the videos put out by yhe MFC, the two really seem to get along, which is awesome IMHO.

The odds on your dark horse have got considerably shorter in the past few days Picket

So maybe one for the playing No.s thread, but woundering if he gets promoted 3 numbers up the order or sticks with 49?

Perhaps he'd not be my top pick, but I'd still have him. Have always had an amount of respect for him as he does seem to be a fairly honest, hard working player. Broken down a number of times from carrying all of Carlton on his back. Would definitely have the Bont as No.1 though. Ironically Adam Trelor tallied more Brownlow votes last year (shows what a sham of an award that is). Not that I don't rate Trelor, just don't think he's in quite the same league as the Bont. Beyond that, I'd have Harley Reid for future potential and as some smokies, I also have a bit of a soft spot for Callum Ah Chee, Oscar McInerney, Keidean Coleman and Kai Lohmann of the Lions, Charlie Ballard and Sam Collins of the Suns.

Happy to keep being underrated. Amazing how fickle these comentators and so-called experts are though. As mentioned, don't see how May isn't up there. Viney would be the other I'd include based on his last season.

Short preperperation for Rd 0 after final, playing away in Sydney in stifling humidity, poor umpiring - lets face it, it was a rubbish set of circumstances to start our season. AFL probably had a predetermined agenda for a Sydney win as well (Northern states code promotion etc.) At least this year, we are on out home turf at the G and will be at least well acclimatised to the conditions in front of our home crowd. Let's hope we get a better rub of the green on all fronts.

Correct, an Achilles injury https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1598038/injury-update-spargo-sidelined-for-season I thought we also copped a collar bone / dislocated shoulder injury that game 0 Rd Vs Sydney that couldn't be put down to conditioning.

Yeah, fair enough. Bet your school reports always come back with the same comments about attitude: "doesn't play well with others".

What a range of emotions he must have gone through over the past week, firstly being overlooked when we selected Henderson to fill in for McAdam, then to get this oppertunity on his birthday.

The nearly 2 meter guy.

Agreed, but gee we need Petty to return to 2021 form as a backman as our succession plan for Maysie. I think he's got it in him to step back up and play at the level, not that I'm sure that's quite a full equivalent to what Steve brings though.

The players should be getting this one into T Mac: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Lachlan McAndrew of the Swans and Thomas McDonald of the Demons compete in a ruck contest during the 2023 VFL Round 02 match between the Casey Demons and the Sydney Swans at Casey Fields on April 2, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images Sited in this article on Fox Footy https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-ssp-2025-league-to-reopen-supplemental-selection-period-after-jagga-smith-acl-injury-at-carlton-blues-adelaide-crows-sign-lachlan-mcandrew/news-story/2f031617399ec84d3560ff297181e067 Perhaps there could be a play on it a bit and start calling him 'The Tank Engine"! Not sure I've ever seen him refered to a Thomas before.

A Lego replica might be the closest thing to a new training facility / club hq that we ever get. Members can have their own Lego avitar go hang out in the Lego social club. I'm sure the players would rather use it than go out to Casey too!

I haven't been following the pre-season train threads or really watched the match sim Vs North, but is Billings form good enough for a starting spot on the wing? To be honest, I'm neither for or against his inclusion as I've seen him do some good things at times, but will admit that his season last year was quite disappointing over all as he seemed very frindge depth type, even once our depth got really depleted, I recall him often starting as sub and having minimal impact once he got on. Perhaps a great pre-season and more oppertunity to learn our systems and maybe better buy-in and ability to play the more attacking game style we are trying to implement? A big part of me would like to see him do well and really impact as I love a good redemption story and really hate it when we burn list spots with mature/recycled players that go nowhere and just frustrate. Genuinely interested in others thoughts.

"JH: I won't die woundering, I can assure you of that." Great attitude from this bloke. I feel that if there were questions about our culture, having guys like this around the place helps reinforce good culture. Had been suggested he's been earmarked for the ANB role - possibly in attitude as well.

Obviously not playing for sheep stations as a team, but I always hope to see signs from those battling for a spot in the starting 22 that they have further developed and give us some good options to pick from. Particularly looking at a few favourites like Kynan Brown, Woey Jnr, AMW, AJ and perhaps Sharp. If Jefferson does walk away with a bag, that could certainly make forwardline selection very interesting. Will also be good to see all of JvR, Jefferson, Disco and AJ all working in the same forward line in various combinations at times perhaps.

With no May playing in this match, it will be interesting to see what Maxy's breakout boy Jed Adams can do. Really hope he gets some good gametime and opptunitiy to get a taste at the higher level. Not sure what is keeping Maysie from playing in this game, but I'm assuming the fitness department are just keeping him on ice a bit to save him getting banged up before the season proper, which I'd support (noting he also played the indigenous all stars game a week or so ago). It's not like experienced campaigners like him, Maxy and Vines really need that much match practice to hit their straps. It's a pity that McVee pulled that hammy, because our defence was starting to look solid as a rock like with the line-up we will play down there this season. I'd love to see us find a player the equivalent of Hibbo, but I guess some guys are almost one of a kind and hard to replace.

I still recall that Brad Johnson was about the only journo after 2020 that thought we could go anywhere in 2021 and make finals. IMHO, he's one of the few comentators I can respect from the perspective of being all of a bit of a clown, but doesn't take himself too seriously and have too many tickets on himself, but also seems like a genuine good bloke, who knows a thing or two about footy. I think it's cheap and easy for comentators these days to predict that we get back up there, because, let's face it, we've been up there as top 4 finishes for 3 seasons in a row previous to a horror season last year. Personally until we perform again throughout the season like we did in 21, then it's all fugazi https://youtu.be/IiTfnpgNkmI?si=zfIUE8IPN0s15zDh

Forget sound proof rooms, let's face it, following this team, we should all probably be watching from a padded cell!

At first I read Longmuire as Longmire - that blokes valve has already gone pop!

Choco is the gift that keeps on giving. Will be great for Hendo to have that connection already in place at the club, as well as AJ to help his development in taking the next step in his carer.

Can't wait to see how he goes when he gets his chance the real stuff starts, but going off all indications so far, I recon The Bull would be a great nickname for him. Just as a side note, yeah the players might have their own nicknames for what they call their team mates, but doesn't mean us supporters can't have our own for them as well. If the two align, then great, but who's to say if supporters and the media start referring to them as a particular nickname the players wouldn't adopt that themselves too, if it's a good one.