Here is the first of 3 installments Bails talks of how we are better set up going into this year than this time last year.

Bailey on Dee's 09 pre-season

Make no mistake... we're going into this season FAR better prepared

Agreed.

Five huge plusses for this year in....

1. Number of players able to participate in a full pre season.

2. Additional Footy department resources to develop players.

3. Access to a complete and professional training venue like Casey.

4. Our youth are another year more experienced.

5. Our recruits this year starting with Jack Watts.

Bring it on!

As far as a training ground (not gym and other facilities) goes, I think it would just about be fair to say that Melbourne have gone from the worst to just about the best (within Victoria anyway).

An indication of the difference about this years preparation to me is when it started.. half way through last season. This bodes well.

Im sure in many ways ..and please this is not meant as disrpectful of anypst players, the club must view our current status as something of a renaissance with a bit of the "out with the old..in with the new" .

5 salutory points there RR !! Each of those is a reason to be excited but whenb rought together in alliance the synergy resulting must be bringing dividends even now.

Bails and Cuddles are thinking quite long term. Thats good. I sense this year will be a development year..but not so much is the typical lip-served footy parlance but in the way the whole club functions and strives towards delivering a demostrative and sustainable improvement. whilst not dismissing 09 Im really thinking -10 will surprise many in the footy world..but not us !!

Success is built upon sound foundations and planning. I think we can see these now.. Agreed...BRING IT ON !! :0

Does anyone want to invest in a Time Machine with me? Coz i can't wait for the future!

How much difference does a year make?

In 2008, players with ten games or less experience at the start of the year played a combined total of more than 150 games for Melbourne.

That's one in every three players on the ground each week having less than half a season to their name at AFL level.

Here's the list -

Morton

Wonaeamirri

Garland

Buckley

Martin

Warnock

Maric

Valenti

Frawley

Newton

Plus Bode and Weetra who have since been delisted, and I didn't include Grimes in the main list as he only played the one game, similar deal with Petterd.

There was a fair pile of guys in the under 50 games category too - hell, by that point we seem to be expecting them to be core players or something -

Jones, Dunn, Bate, Bartram, Bell, Johnson.

There's an awful lot of development to look forward to there.

There's an awful lot of development to look forward to there.

I hope the key word there isn't awful!

Seriously though i think we're in a much better position in many way than last year, Sylvia getting his first full pre-season is hopefully the key for him and all those kids that were making up 80% of the 22 last year will be more experienced and mature. And the hope that Jack Watts brings us will be good to watch.

I think something many of us ovelook...I know it sat way back in my mind for a whiles, is the amount of talent still yet to debut let alone make an impact. A good preseason and some growing/bulking will see dividends again with our 2007 recruits let alone the recent 08 ones. Just the added maturity and games ( even if vfl ) will bode well going in to season 09.

Extra fitness...well hell..just fitness..plus an added half yard or more in players will allow a better implemtation of whatever 'plans' Bails has in store. Options open up instead of just plugging holes. Yes this may well be the case for many clubs but the difference for us 08 to 09 is immense and possibly more encompassing than for many clubs.

Yes proof proper occurs soon in competitve footy but you just have to feel we go in fighting ...not limping !!

That's the most positive post I've ever seen from you :D

IMO we're still a long way off, and given we're going to be replying on young and inexperienced players in key roles I think we'll be inconcistent.

I'm not sure we'll have terrilbly more wins, but I do expect a more competitive effort for most matches...an improved result reflected in percentage moreso than wins and losses.

I expected 2008 so I wasn't too down about it, and this year I'm just looking to see further development in many of our younger players.

I don't mind us losing, well as much as anyone, but i know we are still developing, just so long as its not a belting.

Just love the positivity of this thread as the season draws closer. Dare I say it, but we may even be able to add full seasons from McLean, Rivers and Maloney to Rhino's list of plusses. Couldn't agree more, bring it on!!

Moloney

I don't mind us losing, well as much as anyone, but i know we are still developing, just so long as its not a belting.

in some ways its not even the belting that is a problem, its when the players seem to give up and don't try.

no matter what the score says, no matter where you are on the ladder, i expect all players to run as hard as they can, tackle as hard as they can and always try their best. no one should ever take a short step, and no one should ever shirk a contest.

poor skills, poor gameplan, poor what ever is not as big a problem as lack of heart and guts.

given that we seem to be assembling a team of talented players with good kicking skills etc the thing i want to see most is effort and commitment to their team mates. the skills will be honed with experience and the smarts with maturity. but if you dont play for the jumper and for each toher now, you wont suddenly start to do it in 5 years when your skills are good enough.

Does anyone want to invest in a Time Machine with me? Coz i can't wait for the future!

Bring on Round 1. If only it were feasible AzzKikA. Looking forward to the announcement of a sponsor.

That's the most positive post I've ever seen from you :D

Sorry.

IMO we're still a long way off, and given we're going to be replying on young and inexperienced players in key roles I think we'll be inconcistent.

I'm not sure we'll have terrilbly more wins, but I do expect a more competitive effort for most matches...an improved result reflected in percentage moreso than wins and losses.

I expected 2008 so I wasn't too down about it, and this year I'm just looking to see further development in many of our younger players.

Agree on all three points.

While after a dismal 2007, 2008 was going to be hard. I dont think people realised the disadvantage we started with last year with crap training facilities and only 17 fit players to do pre season. You could have almost predicted the start of the season was going to be a problem playing the heavyweights of the competition when we were underdone inexperienced lightweights.

Does anyone want to invest in a Time Machine with me? Coz i can't wait for the future!

New sponsor announced - "Tardis-mart'

New sponsor announced - "Tardis-mart'

Who ??

I don't get it!

........

Who ??

Who Indeed.

Moloney

Sorry 45 (and Beamer). I hate it when others do this, and now I'm guilty myself! :angry:

Haha no worries mate, just noticed someone else do it a few times yesterday, we don't want it escalating!