Training this morning - I presume @ Gosch's Paddock @ 9.45am (check your local guides please - I'm not 100% certain).

The mercury is already nudging 22 degrees on its way to a forecast max of 32 and the conditions are expected to be humid.

This should really test their* mettle.

* by "their" I mean those intrepid people who brave the elements in order to report on proceedings for us Demonlanders stuck at work or school or elsewhere on the planet.

Look forward to your work.

Of course, I do hope that training is on today.

Players are tweeting about going surfing etc.

Best to check with the club before you venture out.

MFC website also says it is on this morning,same details as WJ stated.

Of course, I do hope that training is on today.

Players are tweeting about going surfing etc.

Best to check with the club before you venture out.

Can't recall who it was, but last night I noticed one player tweeting something about "time trials tomorrow".

I think I read on Petterd's Twitter that they are doing 3 x 1km time trials. Damn, that will be a killer!

Slightly different post on Friday Training.

I live too close to Vic Park, a place where I walk my dog and let him defecate on the Filths Soil ( I do pick it up).

Today the "Homeless Bummers" were training there - this is their new training venue until Tullamarine gets up and running.

At 10:30 they all went inside to hit the showers. It was warm but no warmer than our training on Wednesday at Casey.

I don't know if they were tapering off for Xmas but the efforts were pretty pathetic. And some of the set plays they were practising, my god they wont trouble the scoreboard much this year. Their intensity throughout their session was no more than 50% of the training our boys have been doing.

I actually came home with a smirk on my face.

Slightly different post on Friday Training.

I live too close to Vic Park, a place where I walk my dog and let him defecate on the Filths Soil ( I do pick it up).

Today the "Homeless Bummers" were training there - this is their new training venue until Tullamarine gets up and running.

At 10:30 they all went inside to hit the showers. It was warm but no warmer than our training on Wednesday at Casey.

I don't know if they were tapering off for Xmas but the efforts were pretty pathetic. And some of the set plays they were practising, my god they wont trouble the scoreboard much this year. Their intensity throughout their session was no more than 50% of the training our boys have been doing.

I actually came home with a smirk on my face.

Our intensity needs to be up, becasue we are/were so far off the better teams. At the end of the day, Essendon played finals in 2011, so I would want us to be training harder than them.

Slightly different post on Friday Training.

I live too close to Vic Park, a place where I walk my dog and let him defecate on the Filths Soil ( I do pick it up).

Today the "Homeless Bummers" were training there - this is their new training venue until Tullamarine gets up and running.

At 10:30 they all went inside to hit the showers. It was warm but no warmer than our training on Wednesday at Casey.

I don't know if they were tapering off for Xmas but the efforts were pretty pathetic. And some of the set plays they were practising, my god they wont trouble the scoreboard much this year. Their intensity throughout their session was no more than 50% of the training our boys have been doing.

I actually came home with a smirk on my face.

Big call, but i hope youre right.

Slightly different post on Friday Training.

I live too close to Vic Park, a place where I walk my dog and let him defecate on the Filths Soil ( I do pick it up).

Today the "Homeless Bummers" were training there - this is their new training venue until Tullamarine gets up and running.

At 10:30 they all went inside to hit the showers. It was warm but no warmer than our training on Wednesday at Casey.

I don't know if they were tapering off for Xmas but the efforts were pretty pathetic. And some of the set plays they were practising, my god they wont trouble the scoreboard much this year. Their intensity throughout their session was no more than 50% of the training our boys have been doing.

I actually came home with a smirk on my face.

In todays sun about Essendons new fitness guru

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/weapon-of-mass-destruction-high-performance-guru-dean-robinson/story-e6frf9jf-1226217676548

All fitness people seem to be gurus...

It's odd.

Did we train ?

I stopped by for about 20mins while they were doing the time trials. Nicco was strongest in the lead group that included Bate, Trengove, Jone, Couch. All looked strong. They were doing them in 2.50-3.10. Maloney was off the back with his big body.

In the big bodied group Mitch Clark was a stand out. He streeted them. Flash was being covered by Big Maxy Gawn at one stage, but came back. Poor Sam Blease was really battling at the tail of the field. Rivers even did well, finishing mid group.

Of the other players, Col Sylvia was doing some faster running, Bail/Petterd/Jurrah we're all doing some more serious interval work. Bail and Petterd both looked good and LJ was doing his best to hang on.

Tapscott was just doing some ball work and left early. Not sure what is up with him.

That was it and I had to go.

Neil Craig had a couple of the GreenEdge cycling guys there and was talking them through it. I heard a guy asking him if sports science had gone too far in dictating the players program. He said he had the luxury of both sports science background and coaching and that while it is different at other clubs, ours is very much a coach (not player/fitness staff) driven program and ours is more about footy than anything else.

Howdy folks,

I went out this morning and had a look at the session. Did seem like 3 * 1km time trials. The squad was split into 3 groups of about 10 each, the first group as mentioned by Swooper was led well by Nicholson and JT right on his tail. Standouts in the other groups were Joel Mac killing it in group 2, Dunn and Green behind him. Mitch Clark was a good performer in the last group, sharing honours with Fitzgerald who seems to run well for a big man, he sorta lopes along. Bail, Petterd and LJ were running together but didn't do the full program.

Few other observations were that Davey really was struggling, hard to tell what was wrong with him but he was looking proppy and certainly alongway from the speedster we loved in previous seasons, hope he can make some improvements and show his worth to the side. Col Sylvia was running along again, and seemed to be doing a better pace than Monday. Grimes was also gaining speed and looking more impressive.

Late arrivals to main session group were McKenzie, Spencer and Tapscott. I asked Tapscott when he was likely to join the main group and he hoped just after Xmas but didn't ascertain reason for being out of full training.

Noticed no Watts today, wonder if it was just a day off. Post running they did some group drills and some match simulation, the coaches running the show from various stoppage positions, making the players run to new spot on group to contest, a lot of running on and off the ground with like for like players. Mitch Clark and Stef Martin kicked one or two that I noticed.

That's it for today. Cheers

Thanks for the report guys. I couldn't think of anything worse than doing time trials on a day like today.

Few other observations were that Davey really was struggling, hard to tell what was wrong with him but he was looking proppy and certainly alongway from the speedster we loved in previous seasons, hope he can make some improvements and show his worth to the side.

Not a good sign.

Davey is champion player...it's early on in the preseason...panic button should be put away until leadership group is announced.

Thanks guys.

Looking forward to seeing the new kids on the block in 2012. You know....Maloney, Fitzgerald, Bleeze, Pettard, Trengrove and see what coach Nark Meeld has to offer....

Anyone see how the new recruits went. Especially interested in James Sellar? Also Dan005 you said that Clark kicked a goal or two... did he look like a natural forward? like leading to the right areas, good marking and second efforts.

Cheers guys for the reports!

Thanks guys.

Looking forward to seeing the new kids on the block in 2012. You know....Maloney, Fitzgerald, Bleeze, Pettard, Trengrove and see what coach Nark Meeld has to offer....

Is that intentional?

Not a good sign.

Davey is champion player...it's early on in the preseason...panic button should be put away until leadership group is announced.

Davey has only this week joined the main group he is a month behind plus has been on restricted training for a number of months. If he can stay with the main group over the next month into January his running will improve.

We all look at players that seem to struggle with the running, some are but as long as they can continue to improve each week and their testing results improve to club will be happy. I will guarentee you Blease, Gysberts, Davey and other players mentioned to be struggling will be the fittest that they have ever been and for the younger players it is about building a work ethic so each year they can build on this year.

Is that intentional?

You have an apt username.

You have an apt username.

Righto champ.

You have an apt username.

face palm even?!

Hey H_T you get them sucked in all the time.

I think they should consult Russell Robinson.

Fark, congrats on the in-joke. Welcoming lot you are.

Fark, congrats on the in-joke. Welcoming lot you are.

welcome aboard - its a baptism by fire. Their is littel forgivness when anyone misssplells