I have had feedback from two different sources relating to David Misson's first impressions of the players. One current player said that at his first meeting he told the players that "they would need to be at least 50% fitter". A different source knows David via his previous connections in athletics. David told him that he could tell that the players were not fit enough, "just by looking at them"!

Yes, I expected him to be a little bit surprised. Even if we are 5% rather than 50% less fit - that is a huge difference.

Misson Impossible?

I have had feedback from two different sources relating to David Misson's first impressions of the players. One current player said that at his first meeting he told the players that "they would need to be at least 50% fitter". A different source knows David via his previous connections in athletics. David told him that he could tell that the players were not fit enough, "just by looking at them"!

wonder what his thoughts on cale morton. He looks to be marathon fit rather then afl fit.

Gysberts, Blease, Bennell, Cook, Tapscott need to go to the next level of fitness.

Watts. I'm sure Misson has Riewoldt's preseason program.

Well, he better do what he is getting paid for an get them into shape. I dont care about the past or what condition they're in now, i care about what he does with them over the preseason and how they go next year.

Misson Impossible?

and yet the irony of that show was they always succeeded..lol

Hamburger Hill possibly..lol

This is good. The "need to be 50% fitter" is just a generalization though. Have a nice pre-season boys. Come back fitter, bigger and harder.

oh, and less tweets please.

The good news from his observation of the players' lack of fitness is there is plenty to work with and plenty of scope for improvement. How quickly he can "change" them will make for interesting times as he works with predominantly young bodies that will need careful programming to minimise the risk of injury and burnout.

His record seems to suggest he knows what he's doing.

and yet the irony of that show was they always succeeded..lol

Hamburger Hill possibly..lol

You know you're old when you think of Mission: Impossible as a TV show and not a movie.

The Melbourne Football Club is like an old man with creaky joints finally getting out into the sun after too many years on the couch. But when it comes to getting off the couch, the hardest part is getting started. At least it seems we're past that now.

Look at Dale Thomas to see what is required to improve your fitness. Has moved on to be elite after the past 28 games or so. Works hard. That's what we need to do. Particularly blokes like Bennell and Jetta

NOt surpirsed

His last contact was with a playing group playing in finals

He has just met a group coming off a 6 week break , living it up on Hamburgers in the USA and $1 beers inThailand

This is good. The "need to be 50% fitter" is just a generalization though. Have a nice pre-season boys. Come back fitter, bigger and harder.

oh, and less tweets please.

Oh yes, the couple of minutes it takes them to tweet 3 or 4 times a day, must really have a major impact on their fitness!

Oh yes, the couple of minutes it takes them to tweet 3 or 4 times a day, must really have a major impact on their fitness!

Just a minor pedantic point, but people who tweet probably spend much more time reading others' tweets than writing their own, so its more than a few minutes.

I'm loving seeing the twitter comments from Neeld who every now and then just responds to one of the boys comments about something with something along the lines of, "Preseason isn't far away, be ready"

makes me smile every time. Glad its not me to be honest.

The guys haven't even commenced pre season training yet???

Just a minor pedantic point, but people who tweet probably spend much more time reading others' tweets than writing their own, so its more than a few minutes.

True, but I still contend it would be having zero impact on their fitness levels.

Just a minor pedantic point, but people who tweet probably spend much more time reading others' tweets than writing their own, so its more than a few minutes.

Physical fitness gains are made not while exercising, but while resting. What a player does when he's resting is his own concern.

Just a minor pedantic point, but people who tweet probably spend much more time reading others' tweets than writing their own, so its more than a few minutes.

True DC, however do we really expect the players to be training and thinkng about footy and their game 24/7.

I'd contend that their tweets have nothing to do with their footy performance at all. It's a bit boring really how often people complain about them being human and having a twitter account (shock horror). Are we so obsessed that we expect them to be completely single minded? They'll get fitter and better now that they have the right coaches in place to develop them correctly. Twitter won't affect them at all and, amazingly, the world will keep turning.

I have had feedback from two different sources relating to David Misson's first impressions of the players. One current player said that at his first meeting he told the players that "they would need to be at least 50% fitter". A different source knows David via his previous connections in athletics. David told him that he could tell that the players were not fit enough, "just by looking at them"!

Good, i'm glad there's a reason we were so poor this year, and why we are going to be a Premiership side

True DC, however do we really expect the players to be training and thinkng about footy and their game 24/7.

I'd contend that their tweets have nothing to do with their footy performance at all. It's a bit boring really how often people complain about them being human and having a twitter account (shock horror). Are we so obsessed that we expect them to be completely single minded? They'll get fitter and better now that they have the right coaches in place to develop them correctly. Twitter won't affect them at all and, amazingly, the world will keep turning.

Hey, Whoa. I said it was a minor pedantic point. Purely about the time aspect of a couple of minutes. I don't give a stuff (up to point) what they do in their spare time

Very glad Misson sees so much scope for improvement. If you watch this years G. F. it is pretty plain to see. I hope our list actually enjoys the hard work and the subsequent improvement against top 4 sides. We didn't move into AAMi Park for nothing. Lift ya game boys.

I have had feedback from two different sources relating to David Misson's first impressions of the players. One current player said that at his first meeting he told the players that "they would need to be at least 50% fitter". A different source knows David via his previous connections in athletics. David told him that he could tell that the players were not fit enough, "just by looking at them"!

Its sound good but its obvious that at the start of October after 4 weeks off season, players fitness levels would be at their low point. I wonder if he meant 50% fitter their current position or from last season? It would be interest to gauges Misson's view on where they should be starting this season to where they were last season.

Any improvements in players fitness and conditions is greatly accepted.

I don't blame him for not being impressed. The players deserve to be chained in the bowels of a slave galley and row all the way to China for an end of season trip.

wonder what his thoughts on cale morton. He looks to be marathon fit rather then afl fit.

Gysberts, Blease, Bennell, Cook, Tapscott need to go to the next level of fitness.

Watts. I'm sure Misson has Riewoldt's preseason program.

I hope not, I think Riewoldt is way overrated, in terms of being effective tall forward.

I'd rather he play a bit like Buddy,,, and gradually learn to play in a similar style to a young Carey, when he covered more area.

If they want him to play defence for a year, that would be good to.

The phrase no [censored] Sherlock comes to mind. There's a reason why our players always trailed their opponents and refused to push hard running for team mates to create options etc. It's either they are not fit enough or just plain lazy. Glad it's the fitness because laziness is harder to fix.

Thank god we have a FD in place now who can at least identify the problem and take it from there.