TOUGH-nut Rod Grinter talks to club historian Lynda Carroll about his time as a player and among the football staff and what his latest involvement is with the Demons
AT THE HEART of the Melbourne Football Club from the mid 1980s through to the mid 1990s, across 134 senior games and after 57 goals, Rod Grinter has never really ventured far from the red and blue.
Renowned as a tough, never-say-die character and great clubman, Grinter is once again involved, albeit in a different, off-field role.
‘I’m currently doing some work to support the Melbourne Football Club in promoting a new partner - Betezy - which has a website called deesbet,’ Grinter told melbournefc.com.au.
Betezy is one of three platinum sponsors of the club, and guarantee a contribution each year to the club.
‘We’re only interested in encouraging existing punters to bet online with Deesbet - the website is www.deesbet.com.au, and even when you win, you’re helping the MFC as well as yourself. Check it out and get on board,’ he said.
It’s an exciting new venture for Grinter, and one that he approaches with his typical enthusiasm, as well as delight that it can tie in and assist the club.
The Melbourne Football Club has been part of the former Katandra boy’s life since he was in the Under 19s, part of a larger group that progressed through the levels to reserves, and then on to seniors together, part of the late 1980s resurgence of the side that brought joy after many lean seasons.
‘We all started playing at similar times, and you knew everyone really well. It was a magnificent period,’ he said.
Proud of being a one club player and life member, and being able to say ‘we are part’ of an institution such as the Melbourne Football Club, Grinter’s connections, even in his playing days, extended well beyond the arena.
‘The players of today are lucky. They have no worries regarding their job. One thing in my playing career was that I had a number of jobs. If the job got in the way of footy, I moved on. Then, when early training - around two in the afternoon - started, I started working with the MFC. It worked well!’ he said.
Marketing and sales representative with the club, once Grinter finished his playing career, he was never far from the game, and the Club, with only a brief hiatus before the ties were resumed.
‘We went to Tasmania, and I was playing coach of New Norfolk. We had our third child, William, there. Then I went to East Burwood in the EFL. Alan Richardson (ex-Collingwood player and now Essendon assistant) was coach, and I played in the 1999 premiership - they went back-to-back in 2000.’
After 1999, Grinter hung up his boots, and after receiving a call from Garry Lyon and new coach Neale Daniher, Grinter took on running duties with Melbourne, restoring his connections to the club.
‘I was right amongst it, and involved mentally as well. It was quite enjoyable, and it was good to be able to contribute,’ he said.
In the meantime, Grinter is also involved with St Kevins College, attended by sons James and William. James, now 18, is making progress in the game.
‘He’s played the pre-season with the Oakleigh Chargers for the last two years’, he said.
Meanwhile, William, aged 13, is also playing with St Kevins College, as well as for local side, Surrey Park.
Grinter himself has welcomed the advent of playing contemporaries, such as Chris Connolly, on the club staff.
‘He values past players, and he warms to people. He’s got lots of energy and empathy. It’s great to have him around, along with the likes of Cameron [Schwab], Jim [Stynes] and Kelly [O’Donnell] from my era. We’ve been embraced and encouraged, and Chris has been great, showing us the Casey side of things as well,’ he said.
As Grinter sees it, such connections offer much encouragement to the current crop of players.
‘If all goes well off the field, it will most likely go well on the field, too,’ he said.
The friendships and cross-generational contact is invaluable, and enables the likes of Grinter to extend his involvement into other areas of the club.
Deesbet is the perfect example of this, and as Grinter himself says, ‘The great advantage for the Club is with the success of the deesbet website the more the MFC benefit - and remember that when registering, mention or click on my name ‘Rod Grinter’ in the drop down box of the deesbet website under ‘Other Questions’ for a special surprise. It’s a great way of improving the club’s revenue streams.’
Meanwhile, from player to runner, staff member to integral part of the past player community, Grinter is at the heart of the Melbourne Football Club, as he has been and will be for many years to come.
AT THE HEART of the Melbourne Football Club from the mid 1980s through to the mid 1990s, across 134 senior games and after 57 goals, Rod Grinter has never really ventured far from the red and blue.
Renowned as a tough, never-say-die character and great clubman, Grinter is once again involved, albeit in a different, off-field role.
‘I’m currently doing some work to support the Melbourne Football Club in promoting a new partner - Betezy - which has a website called deesbet,’ Grinter told melbournefc.com.au.
Betezy is one of three platinum sponsors of the club, and guarantee a contribution each year to the club.
‘We’re only interested in encouraging existing punters to bet online with Deesbet - the website is www.deesbet.com.au, and even when you win, you’re helping the MFC as well as yourself. Check it out and get on board,’ he said.
It’s an exciting new venture for Grinter, and one that he approaches with his typical enthusiasm, as well as delight that it can tie in and assist the club.
The Melbourne Football Club has been part of the former Katandra boy’s life since he was in the Under 19s, part of a larger group that progressed through the levels to reserves, and then on to seniors together, part of the late 1980s resurgence of the side that brought joy after many lean seasons.
‘We all started playing at similar times, and you knew everyone really well. It was a magnificent period,’ he said.
Proud of being a one club player and life member, and being able to say ‘we are part’ of an institution such as the Melbourne Football Club, Grinter’s connections, even in his playing days, extended well beyond the arena.
‘The players of today are lucky. They have no worries regarding their job. One thing in my playing career was that I had a number of jobs. If the job got in the way of footy, I moved on. Then, when early training - around two in the afternoon - started, I started working with the MFC. It worked well!’ he said.
Marketing and sales representative with the club, once Grinter finished his playing career, he was never far from the game, and the Club, with only a brief hiatus before the ties were resumed.
‘We went to Tasmania, and I was playing coach of New Norfolk. We had our third child, William, there. Then I went to East Burwood in the EFL. Alan Richardson (ex-Collingwood player and now Essendon assistant) was coach, and I played in the 1999 premiership - they went back-to-back in 2000.’
After 1999, Grinter hung up his boots, and after receiving a call from Garry Lyon and new coach Neale Daniher, Grinter took on running duties with Melbourne, restoring his connections to the club.
‘I was right amongst it, and involved mentally as well. It was quite enjoyable, and it was good to be able to contribute,’ he said.
In the meantime, Grinter is also involved with St Kevins College, attended by sons James and William. James, now 18, is making progress in the game.
‘He’s played the pre-season with the Oakleigh Chargers for the last two years’, he said.
Meanwhile, William, aged 13, is also playing with St Kevins College, as well as for local side, Surrey Park.
Grinter himself has welcomed the advent of playing contemporaries, such as Chris Connolly, on the club staff.
‘He values past players, and he warms to people. He’s got lots of energy and empathy. It’s great to have him around, along with the likes of Cameron [Schwab], Jim [Stynes] and Kelly [O’Donnell] from my era. We’ve been embraced and encouraged, and Chris has been great, showing us the Casey side of things as well,’ he said.
As Grinter sees it, such connections offer much encouragement to the current crop of players.
‘If all goes well off the field, it will most likely go well on the field, too,’ he said.
The friendships and cross-generational contact is invaluable, and enables the likes of Grinter to extend his involvement into other areas of the club.
Deesbet is the perfect example of this, and as Grinter himself says, ‘The great advantage for the Club is with the success of the deesbet website the more the MFC benefit - and remember that when registering, mention or click on my name ‘Rod Grinter’ in the drop down box of the deesbet website under ‘Other Questions’ for a special surprise. It’s a great way of improving the club’s revenue streams.’
Meanwhile, from player to runner, staff member to integral part of the past player community, Grinter is at the heart of the Melbourne Football Club, as he has been and will be for many years to come.
