From MelbourneFC on Twitter:

The boys are training at Casey Fields tomorrow morning from 9:45am

This is apparently the last training session for the year. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could find out the time and place for training when it resumes in January which should be my first chance to see them in the pre season.

I don't know how I'm going to be able to get my fix for the next couple of weeks with no training reports. Maybe I'll go into hibernation.

I don't know how I'm going to be able to get my fix for the next couple of weeks with no training reports. Maybe I'll go into hibernation.

If you are living with your family try talking to to them it is Xmas afterall.

If you are living with your family try talking to to them it is Xmas afterall.

I guess I could try that.....

About 3 rehab groups going, more varied drills than under past coaches, not much talk, Col, Jetts, Russian doing sprints with young draftees...

love your avatar Red n Blue Bloke. I rememer than little fella coming on the tellie if you won. Classic!

Interesting training session - before I go on - as soon as I mentioned there was very little talk, it became a very animated, competitive session!

 

Rehab/Catch-up Groups:-

• Jordie Mac, Spencer and Good Times walked laps and then when inside for bike work;

• Bull, Strauss and LJ ran heaps of laps.  LJ has a blue cast on his arm, over the hand and up to the elbow.  Bull's arms are having a battle with his legs for the most muscly part of his frame. Struass was looking good, he did some sprints after his laps and look to be moving very well, unlike many coming back from that injury. 

• Col, Jetts and Russian ran fartlek sprints with the younger draftees, except Jai Sheehan, who was with one of the the main group. 

 

Main Group/s:

These were usually in two big groups, each with a mix of mids/fwd/backs as pretty much all drills were competitive and focussed on stoppages/keeping possesion in traffic.

Everyone looks very fit, but if they did not at this time of the year you would be worried.  Having played footy at a reasonable level, something that often surprises me about AFL training is how crook the players will go at each other when they lose a competitive drill.  This seems to be forgotten quickly, I guess these guys are the ones who got to that level so have the edge/desire.  This was definitely the case today, I hesitate to single him out as he has become something of a whipping boy, but Morts copped it a few times when he took the wrong option!  The losing team in these comps had to roll around on the ground with their arms straight down their sides, much to the humour to the other team, coaches and the couple of supporters who were there.

A great drill they were doing required the team in possession to pass the ball to teammates at different points of a star that was around 25 meters apart.  The other team had to spoil, harass and stand on the mark.  If they won the ball, it was given back to the possession team, as the winning team was determined by who had the most successful passes in 3 minutes.

Standouts for me (but it is hard when there is so much going on) were Green, Jezza Howe, Trenners, Sellar (!) and Watts.  Bartram had a massive icepack on his knee but was walking around on it so the old injury must be still bothering him or a little tweak.  Did not see Davey anywhere, but he might have been inside on a bike.

 

There is a massive focus on stoppages/possesion/accurate passing now.  Bailey training had groups of guys running together passing the ball, so the change in focus is obvious.  The tanks we have been drafting, rather than young/fast/skilful, will put heaps of pressure on guys who have been getting games to continue doing so.  

 

In between sessions, Rawlings and Garland did wrestling/fighting work, the first time I saw this a while ago I thought they were having a fair dinkum blue, it gets pretty vicious. Rawlings is a big, fit guy and they go at each other and Garland starts to look very [censored] off!

 

Any questions, ask.

How did Petterd go? I haven't heard much about him this preseason.

Did not see him - someone else who was there might be able to offer something? I reckon if he was there I would have seen him as he is a favourite.

Great report Red and Blue Bloke. Appreciated.

In between sessions, Rawlings and Garland did wrestling/fighting work, the first time I saw this a while ago I thought they were having a fair dinkum blue, it gets pretty vicious. Rawlings is a big, fit guy and they go at each other and Garland starts to look very [censored] off!

Love it.

A very different Melbourne in the making...... like it

great reporting R&BB

Sounds like healthy competition for a spot is emerging . Cale ,LJ ,Davey beware ! Desperation in defence (once a Davey signature) will be key .

Here comes success .

Hoo-ray success .

I'm hoping Morton picks up his game. I still feel he has a heap of talent, but it looks like next season is going to be all about playing the percentages and that will take some adjusting for a few of our lads. I wonder if they will be allowed to take the high risk/high reward pass into the forward 50 or if it will be percentage the whole way. We could see a lot of passes into the forward pocket next year.

Here comes success .

Hoo-ray success .

Iggy Biffen?

I'm hoping Morton picks up his game. I still feel he has a heap of talent, but it looks like next season is going to be all about playing the percentages and that will take some adjusting for a few of our lads. I wonder if they will be allowed to take the high risk/high reward pass into the forward 50 or if it will be percentage the whole way. We could see a lot of passes into the forward pocket next year.

Hopefully what we see is passes to the forward flanks (where Clark/Watts/Howe is set up) followed by long kicks to the goal square or open space (where Clark/Jurrah/Howe/Martin) is attacking the footy. Not to mention crumbers at their feet!

But I'll settle for pocket play if it's better than this 1 on 4 or everyone up the ground and guys leading backwards and sideways into 2 on 1's. (I'd keep the open space for Jurrah etc to run into after kick outs, that plan worked ok).

jurrah playing 3rd tall makes an interesting opponnent...then how do you cover overhead markers like petterd and howe...hope he can get his body right with all this running.

anybody see how nicho went in the skill drills? we all know he can run but can he hit a target?

The tanks we have been drafting, rather than young/fast/skilful, will put heaps of pressure on guys who have been getting games to continue doing so.

Nothing makes me warmer and fuzzier than this line .

Am sick to death of watching power clubs brush our skinny and skillfull aside in big games .

Lets hope our tanks have a healthy dash of aggression in 'em aswell , no good having power if you don't use it .

Thanks to all those who have submitted reports during the pre-season .

Has been great reading .

I think we can all agree that Neeld likes the Leigh Brown style of player. Not only did he recruit the guy as one of his assistants, but he has now drafted a raft of players with similar physical attributes. I am very curious to see how he plans to use them.

Fantastic report RBB...felt like I was there...Caseys a long way from Central Victoria so thanks! Not long now to the first pre-season game..... its starting to get interesting!!

RBB Many thanks

Go Dees give 'em HELL

I think we can all agree that Neeld likes the Leigh Brown style of player. Not only did he recruit the guy as one of his assistants, but he has now drafted a raft of players with similar physical attributes. I am very curious to see how he plans to use them.

Yep, this could mean we will have some 'skillful types' to trade coming up.

Yep, this could mean we will have some 'skillful types' to trade coming up.

Trade for who?????

I think we can all agree that Neeld likes the Leigh Brown style of player. Not only did he recruit the guy as one of his assistants, but he has now drafted a raft of players with similar physical attributes. I am very curious to see how he plans to use them.

Thinking outside the square...Having these 'bigger blokes' around at training will surely help out the smaller younger guys. Various training drills involving the big bodies vs little boys.

Trade for who?????

Who, Or whatever. Picks or others.

Thinking ahead, I'm suggesting that If we take a different tack going forward that would consist of more hardness and a bit less numbers of outside types,,, then some won't get games and may Want to leave.

In this scenario I'm sure the club would want to be on the front foot to maximise our benefit/loss of the situation ahead.

.

Edited December 22, 201114 yr by dee-luded