On my way into Uni today I noticed the boys out on the track and so I decided to stop by for while to have a look...

The teams were broken up into the senior playing group in the normal MFC colours and the rest were in a lovely green.

The Full Press Zone: Since the beginning of the pre-season I have been watching closely to see whether the Demons would employ a Collingwood/St Kilda style zone when the opposition is kicking out from full back after kicking a behind. From what I have seen, the Dees have solely used the forwards in a smallish zone with the mids staying primarilly outside the 50 meter arc. Interestingly (to me at least) according to Champion Data, Melbourne and the Bulldogs where the only teams not to adopt the full zone press on kick-outs last season (please correct me if I am wrong).

Today the forwards were once again the sole defenders of the kickout...until the whistle went and Bailey demanded the team in Green tops kickout from full back. It was at this point that I noticed the demon midfield filling up the forward fifty and all defenders working up into the middle of the ground. Every Melbourne player was in one half of the ground. This is the first I have seen of a full press on the kickouts and confirms for me that we, and every other team in the comp, will resort to this tactic throughout the season. When the green tops kicked short to either pocket, all the MFC players would move to the side of the ground that the ball had been kicked - as usually happens in a zone in Basketball. The result was a series of switches of the ball in an attempt to free a player on the 'fat' side of the ground.

From what I saw, it seems that this season we will see a lot of switching of the play back and forth until a free player can be found up the ground, however it is likely to be a fairly tedious process. Of perhaps greater interest will be the long kick straight down the middle of the ground, especially on smaller ovals such as Etihad. Col Garland was able to kick the ball to the centre square, from where Jamar knocked the ball forward and Stef Martin gathered the ball and ran into an open goal (only to miss, with all MFC players required to complete push ups for his error).

I think from the Dees this season we will thus see a combination of short kick to the pockets with switching of the play, or the kick to Jamar outside the forward 50 on the flanks, or, the long drop punt/torpedo that will be used to kick over the defensive zone. With the reduced number of players on the interchange it may become harder for teams to apply a successful zone and in which case it will be very interesting to see what happens in that instance.

It has to be noted that the kicking was appalling today, although it was admittedly windy. The first passage of play was a sequence of clanger kicks. I fully agree with Gerard Healey that our kicking skills coming out of defence is a key weakness and I have often mentioned this in the past. Today J Riv was defending brilliantly yet on several occasions kicked out on the full trying to hit targets near the boundary line. C Bartram was excellent and his short kicking powerful and accurate, yet when kicking long he always kicked to a contest and his vision and accuracy declines rapidly beyond 30 meters. J McDonald's kicking to me improved midway through last season, after he was dropped due to the 5 clanger kicks he produced against Nth at Etihad, but I will never be fully confident with the ball in his hands. When you compare the following backlines I think the Dees are a paralell for defensive ability (stopping the opposition from scoring), but are not close when attacking.

If I were choosing players for their attacking capacity and reliability by foot, I would take all of the Geelong/Collingwood players ahead of our own with the exception of perhaps Frawley/Tarrant.

Bartram (Enright) (Heath Shaw)

Macdonald (Mackie) (Maxwell)

Frawley (Scarlett) (Tarrant)

Rivers (Milburn) (O'Brien)

Geelong has also used Kelly and Hunt in the backline, while Taylor is a very reliable kick. The point is Collingwood and Geelong have very few liaibilities by foot in the backline, and Geelong has actively played smaller, more skillful players over tall defenders with tremsndous success.

Grimes and Garland and very good kicks, Aaron Davey has been used successfully to clear the ball from defence and James Strauss is a precise kick. What has been of interest at training the pre-season, and was evident again today was the use of Sam Blease in the back line. Also in the backline was Luke Tapscott. I have mentioned how good a kick Tapscott is and today his kicking under pressure was quite amazing, considering how little football he has played in the last three months. Jamie Bennell was also used in defense and showed courage backing back into contests. It will be fascinating to see the defense evolve at the MFC, and it appears that the Dees are working on options. It is now a matter of weighing up defensive ability against offensive potency. For mine, we lack offensive potency and our brilliant defenders remain a liability in this new era of forward defensive pressure.

Other notable performances go to Stef Martin, who took a couple of great contested grabs up forward, and Jordan Gysberts. Gysberts does not appear to have a technically sound ball drop when kicking, but he hits targets and uses the ball very effectively. He was often seen marking the ball on the edge of the centre square when it was coming out of defense - much in the same way Jordie Mckenzie is used - and he looked composed and confident. If he can get to full fitness and break back into the team this year for more than a couple of weeks, he will be a monty for another rising star nomination (I believe Hurley received two nominations over two seasons).

On the injury front, Tom Scully was nowhere to be seen and it seems he will not play on Thursday despite Bailey stating in the Australian last week that he would. Jordie Mckenzie was also missing and the word 'groin' has been used in reference to an injury...I fear OP. J Howe was not playing, and with Ricky Petterd moving freely I imagine Howe will come out for him. Ro Bail and Troy Davis were not training with the main group. M newton was working hard on the boundary line and I swear he actually looks like there is some muscle definitions on those arms, as opposed to those sausages that have hung off his shoulders for the past 6 seasons. Jonesy was back on the track and I'm really looking forward to seeing him play on Thursday after a big preseason. Quick mention to Matty Bate - he is looking really fit and if he is ever going to fire it will be early this season - go Bater!

Finally, Lynden Dunn was very vocal all day and managed to get into a bit of a fight with (I think) J Macdonald. Four blokes had to intevene in what was really a bit of a faux jumper punch scenario. There was nothing much in it but I thought it was great as it put a bit of spark into training. This is the second or third time I have seen Dunn getting into scuffles as training and every time it generates a bit of intensity which is so important when training all the time.

Won't be at training tomorrow but look forward to the reports.

Cheers.

On my way into Uni today I noticed the boys out on the track and so I decided to stop by for while to have a look...

..

Cheers.

Thanks Bhima.

Petterd moving well? That's a direct contradiction of the latest injury list here: AFL injury list update

I'll be swinging down there tomorrow along witha few other Demonlanders i'm sure so i'm tipping there will be plenty of coverage......

Edited February 22, 201114 yr by Nasher
Removed massive quote

Thanks for stopping and reporting Bhima.

Very .. Very interesting and observed report. Looks like we aim to take it up a not h this season )

Could we peweeease not quote whole reports in replies. It's a bugger scrolling on a phone lol Ta

Thanks for another insightful & comprehensive report Bhima. It will be fascinating to see how our set-ups and tactics evolve.

Interesting to hear, but no real surprises.

As I've posted in the Future Fund thread, in think this has some relevance here:

Also: leading on from Lucas Cook having great disposal.

CC was saying that kicking a clean disposal is something we have concentrated on in terms of recruiting.

As he put it "we have tried to build a critical mass of good kicks, and when you have a critical mass, that is what you become."

Well put Chris.

Anyway, he went on to say that our assistant coaches coming in from other clubs, especially Brian Royal from St Kilda and Viney from Hawthorn and Adelaide, have said that they are very impressed with our kicking program and it is the best they have seen in the AFL.

This is the first I have seen of a full press on the kickouts and confirms for me that we, and every other team in the comp, will resort to this tactic throughout the season.

Could be our plan, but also may just be running the drill to simulate how to combat what most teams will be doing.

Cheers for the report Bhima.

Thing about presses is just as in bball you don't HAVE to employ it all the time . you mix it up. Do it all the time it's predictable. It's as much a psych weapon as a physical one. Going to be interesting to watch

Thaks for the great report.

I still like to know whats happening with Scully. Hasn't trained for two weeks, hasn't played and is not on any injury list.

Would appreciate some clarity from the club on his knee soreness.

Great report Bhima

That's good feedback re: the kicking program. I'm pleased about the clubs emphasis on striving for the 'critical mass' level too.

Thanks again Bhima.

Thaks for the great report.

I still like to know whats happening with Scully. Hasn't trained for two weeks, hasn't played and is not on any injury list.

Would appreciate some clarity from the club on his knee soreness.

Oh that's it. The sky is falling. He must be going to GWS....

Top effort Bhima ol son.....just watch out when speculating on injuries you may awake the ferals

Oh that's it. The sky is falling. He must be going to GWS....

another great report...are you going Thursday "WE are "... if so maybe a catch up

Oh that's it. The sky is falling. He must be going to GWS....

now how many times are you going to request THIS thread gets closed?

people happened to be interested in Scully you know

now how many times are you going to request THIS thread gets closed?

people happened to be interested in Scully you know

He didn't say that.

Our resident chicken little ADC has intimated once again that his knee soreness is a ruse and there is some sort of rift between Tom and the club.

Jnr Mac is like the rest of us - happy to chat about Tom but sick of the same baseless Scully-to-GWS rubbish that keeps popping up on a Demon forum.

Oh that's it. The sky is falling. He must be going to GWS....

GWS standing for Greater Western Soreknee

GWS standing for Greater Western Soreknee

GWS = Giants welcome Scully ( my bad)

He didn't say that.

Our resident chicken little ADC has intimated once again that his knee soreness is a ruse and there is some sort of rift between Tom and the club.

Jnr Mac is like the rest of us - happy to chat about Tom but sick of the same baseless Scully-to-GWS rubbish that keeps popping up on a Demon forum.

You are gunna have a lot of time on your hands once Scully signs with.............this whole issue certainly has become a baby of yours and yet you know just as much as everyone else.

You are gunna have a lot of time on your hands once Scully signs with.............this whole issue certainly has become a baby of yours and yet you know just as much as everyone else.

"People happened to interested in Scully you know."

Hardly, my baby.

I just don't like the way this 19 year old is being portrayed and betrayed by supporters and some posters.

I have never claimed (outside of the fact that Tom has recently moved into an apartment in East Malvern) to know anything more than anyone else.

I only claim a little more faith than those that - in the face of the same non-knowledge - are convinced their club cannot compete in keeping their own players.

"People happened to interested in Scully you know."

Hardly, my baby.

I just don't like the way this 19 year old is being portrayed and betrayed by supporters and some posters.

I have never claimed (outside of the fact that Tom has recently moved into an apartment in East Malvern) to know anything more than anyone else.

I only claim a little more faith than those that - in the face of the same non-knowledge - are convinced their club cannot compete in keeping their own players.

At least he is living in the "heartland"

good report "BHIMA" thankss

im going down 2moro and i must say im pretty excited to see the boys run around and also see who's on the track 2moro!

ill give a descriptions of the day if nobody already has.

GO DEE BOYS!!!!

Thanks for the report from the 22nd, those that go tmorra please I love to read the reports much appreciated Ceers