The are certainly plusses to winning the pre season cup. And if we get that far then fine. However, I find the pre season cup annoying in that the test or contrived rules drive different strategies than what would happen in the real stuff. If we dont progress with the NAB cup then we focus on proper practice matches in preparation for the season.

FWIW, i think we go into the NAB cup with arguable the broadest list of available players we have had in years. Previously we have seemed to mount up injuries through the pre season and carry over from the past years. When we have been a struggling club, injuries particularly to your better players just crucifies you.

However, I would not be surprised if the team looks raw and rusty under Neeld. He has only been in charge of the side for about 5 months and its fantasy to think a team will be able to implement a new game plan/style in so short a time. I am not overly confident about MFC doing well in the pre season comp but I expect the side to improve subject to injuries etc as the season goes on reflecting the growing maturity of the young team and the understanding of Neeld's way of doing things.

RR - forgive me if I'm wrong, but all teams play 4 games of the NAB Cup over a 3 week period. Then the following weekend is the Grand Final, while teams that don't make the grand final play 1 practice match.

Chances are if you lose your first 2, you're probably not going to make the GF (I'm pretty sure the top 2 teams at the end of the 4 games are automatic GF teams).

If I were Neeld, I'd rather be playing in the GF at Docklands/MCG (wherever it is played), as opposed to taking on Freo at Exmouth or something.

Ok. Great thanks for that. In past years I have found the pre season cup a bit of a yawn and it drags on. My interest is not in the format of the series. I prefer the practice matches. Well.... I prefer to watch Round 1.

Having been to Exmouth in WA (aside from swimming with Whale Sharks), there is no reason to go there. Bloody awful distance to go for a game of football.

Ok. Great thanks for that. In past years I have found the pre season cup a bit of a yawn and it drags on. My interest is not in the format of the series. I prefer the practice matches. Well.... I prefer to watch Round 1.

Having been to Exmouth in WA (aside from swimming with Whale Sharks), there is no reason to go there. Bloody awful distance to go for a game of football.

Haha, never been, and I hope we don't have to play a practice game there! (Nb. that was just an example, and to all our Exmouth supporters, there hasn't been any announcement to say we will be playing a game tehre if we don't make the NAB Cup GF).

I like the new format - the mini comp idea keeps it interesting and ensures that teams that win say 2 of the first 3 games will be having a bit more of a crack in the last round. A lot will come down to percentage (of course the Filth plays the $cum's team), but 3 wins and a loss will go close to qualifying.

I would like to think we will defeat GC first up, then with a bit of luck roll the Lions. I'll be there, so watching 2 Demon wins within 80 minutes will be quite enjoyable!

I looked hard in Exmouth and while you see MFC supporters in strange places, all I saw were mangy Freo and WCE supporters. You would want Foxtel if you were an MFC supporter there and a greater yearning for life.

However, I would not be surprised if the team looks raw and rusty under Neeld. He has only been in charge of the side for about 5 months and its fantasy to think a team will be able to implement a new game plan/style in so short a time. I am not overly confident about MFC doing well in the pre season comp but I expect the side to improve subject to injuries etc as the season goes on reflecting the growing maturity of the young team and the understanding of Neeld's way of doing things.

Not so sure about this. The Bombers responded pretty quickly to Hird and there are some obvious similarities. Like the dees this year the Bombers were coming off a really tumultuous previous season, again like Melbourne were given a completely new game plan to master and finally were also considered by their incoming coach and fitness staff to be unfit and were duly flogged on the training track.

Essendon (with West Coast perhaps) were near the fittest side at the beginning of 2011 which really helped them get going early, including an impressive NAB cup campaign (during which they ran ll over the top of an unfit dees outfit). I reckon we might go all right (though i though that last year!)

Essendon (with West Coast perhaps) were near the fittest side at the beginning of 2011 which really helped them get going early, including an impressive NAB cup campaign (during which they ran ll over the top of an unfit dees outfit). I reckon we might go all right (though i though that last year!)

I'm not sure we looked all that unfit when we toppled both Crows and Power at AAMI. But Essendon were definitely up and running at the Dome on that occassion and definitely made us look second rate and dare I say it, not as fit.