TRAINING 15/12/08 by Whispering Jack

Casey Fields is a large sporting complex and while I was already aware of its size, the scope of the sporting facilities down there was emphasized when a few of us were fortunate to get a guided tour from Chris Connolly.

Apparently, the curator is a Demon supporter and he's prepared some fine sporting surfaces out there including the MCG sized main arena that was being used today by the Melbourne Football Club. The other major user is the club's new VFL alignment partner, the Casey Scorpions. One of the first things that stands out is that the seats are coloured red and blue. Chris outlined the plans for future expansion of the ground with an additional stand and terraces on the outer side.

Who knows? One day it might become a boutique stadium for AFL games involving some of the interstaters although, admittedly, that seems a long way off.

The area also has grounds for the local Cranbourne club and its junior teams, a cricket ground used by Premier District Cricket Club Casey-South Melbourne (there's a Lindsay Hassett Pavilion there), soccer fields, a bike track used by the club for player rehab as well as the local bike club which was having some sort of event as we went past. They even have a lake for trout fishing!

All of this is in one of the country's largest growth corridors, and to its east is land for 80,000-100,000 more people (in addition to the large number to come into the area's existing residential zones) under a newly released government growth plan. There are also plans to extend the Cranbourne rail line all the way to the ground with a possible future station at its doorsteps.

A state of the art aquatic centre to be situated almost across the road is under construction. Next door to that is an existing indoor faciklity that includes tennis, basketball, netball and ten pin bowling, facilities that will be available to the club for wet weather training.

The club will be making a great contribution in the form of contact with the local community and this was already in evidence as a class of schoolchildren were entertained later in the morning by Chris and other Melbourne people including Robbo who is still undergoing rehab for that snapped Achilles but who gladly joined the group when one of the kids said he was their favourite player. Connolly’s response was something to the effect that “he’s a good singer!”

If the exercise was only to help develop a fan base for a club that has the least support in the country according to statistics, then the Casey prohject seems to already paying dividends.

Down to the football training and my first impression after just a few minutes was the fact that most of the players were hitting targets far more regualrly than at training sessions from the equivalent times two and three years ago. Granted that there was far, far less pressure on today than they will have in an actual game situation, it’s clear that the focus of the club’s recruiting has been on players who can not only get the football but who have quality disposal skills by hand and by foot as well as being excellent decision makers. Takes James Strauss, take Jamie Bennell and take Rohan Bail – they all looked to have classy skills with the football. Sam Blease might be lightly built but he has clean hands, pace and skills and then there’s the young bloke who who has taken Benny Holland's old jumper. This will sound funny but he impressed me the most; he looked as if he loved being out there and was every inch a # 1 draft pick. I think even at that selection, he might prove to be a bargain if you get what I mean.

That was the new blokes although there were a few others – PSD and rookie hopefuls but in the gloomy conditions I didn't really notice them very much. Former rookie lister Danny Hughes who has been dogged with injury was on I did recognise and he was not out of place.

A couple of tall blokes in Stef Martin and Jake Spencer looked impressive with their size. The way Martin was being used in one of the drills suggested that he might be tried up forward this year and Michael Newton replete with white boots also looked impressive in front of the big sticks. Another of the young blokes who looked good was James Frawley (he's built up and looks much stronger) while Flash and Aussie were showing off their pace and skill.

Of course, it's a different thing when players are tested under full match pressure but that's a long way off yet which is a good thing because there were a few blokes either not training or on a lighter load. I didn't see Brent Moloney while John Meesen, Colin Sylvia and Robbo were taking things easy and Simon Buckley was on the sidelines. So was Adam Maric who was jogging around the oval. Paul Johnson, Colin Garland, Brock McLean, James McDonald and Jared Rivers took part in limited training work.

The boys are off to Mansfield later in the week and won't be back in full training until after the break. By that time they will be a little over a month away from the first NAB Cup game.

Bring it on!

The scene at training this morning. Hopefully, I'll be able to give Andy his camera back tomorrow and the films inside will be half decent

Cant wait to see more pics mate!

MUCH appreciated!

I gave Whispering Jack my camera to take some snaps but won't have it back til tonight or at the latest tomorrow. The above photo was taken with his phone and emailed to me from Training. Will post the camera photos when I get the camera back.

Is that casey fields?

Great looking cover of the green stuff

Is that casey fields?

Great looking cover of the green stuff

Yes.

I gave Whispering Jack my camera to take some snaps but won't have it back til tonight or at the latest tomorrow. The above photo was taken with his phone and emailed to me from Training. Will post the camera photos when I get the camera back.

Thanks goodness for that Andy, I thought all of those hours that you have spent explaining to Jack how to use your camera had been wasted.

Has Miller shaved his head like Jones?

Thanks goodness for that Andy, I thought all of those hours that you have spent explaining to Jack how to use your camera had been wasted.

They probably have but we'll have to wait until tonight to see what develops. The above pic was taken from my iphone so it was almost the first ever live photo of training in the history of the world!

Miller's head and that of Trent Zomer definitely resembled that of Nathan Jones.

They probably have but we'll have to wait until tonight to see what develops.

Miller's head and that of Trent Zomer definitely resembled that of Nathan Jones.

Saturdays Shave for the Brave would be the reason for that.

They probably have but we'll have to wait until tonight to see what develops.

Miller's head and that of Trent Zomer definitely resembled that of Nathan Jones.

Disagree. Nathan "chunky" Jones head is shiny while the other two have stubble.

Is that casey fields?

Great looking cover of the green stuff

That's Casey Fields all right. Hard to believe that 5 years ago it was just a trotting track. In another 5 years it will have residential development all around it with thousands of potential Demon fans.

That's Casey Fields all right. Hard to believe that 5 years ago it was just a trotting track. In another 5 years it will have residential development all around it with thousands of potential Demon fans.

And hopefully seating for 25k allowing us to play the smaller crowd pullers and maybe geelong (Give em a taste of their own medicine!). With the current economic climate I suprised the ALF is not pushing forward with this.

Great to see Martin being drilled to play forward! Just another string to our bow if it comes off!

Disagree. Nathan "chunky" Jones head is shiny while the other two have stubble.

Geez Redleg. You've got good eye sight looking at the above photo then. Identifying stubble...

TRAINING 15/12/08 by Whispering Jack

I didn't see Brent Moloney

Well done again WJ. In relation to Brent Moloney he was walking laps in a blue rain jacket. Pretty inconspicuous.

Geez Redleg. You've got good eye sight looking at the above photo then. Identifying stubble...

I did it at training in the flesh not from the photo.

I did it at training in the flesh not from the photo.

I've since learned that from another thread in this forum. Would have been a great tour, one for the memory bank. Great to see Connolly's proactive response after learning one of the kids favourite players was Robbo too!

Massively hanging out to see these pictures!

yeh me too!...its really appreciated guys.

Also, If we lose to hawthorn in the round 1 of the nab cup(jumping the gun perhaps), our next match will be in queensland and i will be up there during that time so I will write up a massive match report and take photos for everyone...so in advance, thats me chipping in.

yeh me too!...its really appreciated guys.

Also, If we lose to hawthorn in the round 1 of the nab cup(jumping the gun perhaps), our next match will be in queensland and i will be up there during that time so I will write up a massive match report and take photos for everyone...so in advance, thats me chipping in.

That would be good freak. However, I'd like the Dees to get the jump on the Dawks and not have to play in Qld. In fact I wouldn't mind if they win the first couple as there is greater prize money each week, and the Dees need all the $$$$ we can get.

I can't believe people are keen for us to play real matches way out there. I'd be incredibly disappointed if that ever happens. The only way I'd ever contemplate supporting it is if it was to force the MCC's hand for a better deal, and then only short term, hope it doesn't come to that.

I can't believe people are keen for us to play real matches way out there. I'd be incredibly disappointed if that ever happens.

Why?

In terms of playing games at Casey it would mean a smaller capacity stadium would need to be built there (around 20,000 capacity). All of the economics indicates the benefits of filling smaller stadiums. There is still a long way to go before any of this would even be considered.

Yes, Melbourne are Melbourne but they cannot rely on just being the MCG team. There just aren't enough supporters and teams need these supporters to survive and grow. It gets done to death but Casey is rapidly expanding with an above average level of kids and young people, just the supporters that Melbourne need.

On Casey Fields itself it is a new world-class facility with room to grow and expand. Compare it with Punt Road Oval which is in a prime location but is severely limited by space.

A lot of Melbourne-based people whinge about having to drive down to Cranbourne, but it's only about 40 minutes from the eastern suburbs with almost no traffic.

how are those photos going?

how are those photos going?

Remember these photos were taken by someone who has hardly ever used a camera and obviously has never used the zoom function.

Remember these photos were taken by someone who has hardly ever used a camera and obviously has never used the zoom function.

not working for me...

me either:(