I'm led to believe that there's an open training session tomorrow but I have no idea as to the venue and for some reason am having trouble accessing that part of the melbournefc.com.au website that covers training sessions.

I think the board and football department have done a good job so far in quarantining the playing group from the tanking controversy and all of the attendant nonsense (anyone who knows the slightest thing about playing football would be aware that the fumbling furphy could only come from the likes of Clothier and Haddad whose understanding of the game seems to be minimal) and should be congratulated on this. It's important that we keep the players focussed on the season ahead.

Anyway, bring on the footy and the training reports and please tell me that nobody is really practicing fumbling at this stage of the pre-season.

I'm led to believe that there's an open training session tomorrow but I have no idea as to the venue and for some reason am having trouble accessing that part of the melbournefc.com.au website that covers training sessions.

I think the board and football department have done a good job so far in quarantining the playing group from the tanking controversy and all of the attendant nonsense (anyone who knows the slightest thing about playing football would be aware that the fumbling furphy could only come from the likes of Clothier and Haddad whose understanding of the game seems to be minimal) and should be congratulated on this. It's important that we keep the players focussed on the season ahead.

Anyway, bring on the footy and the training reports and please tell me that nobody is really practicing fumbling at this stage of the pre-season.

Gosch's at 9.30 'WJ', I think a lot of us will be down to support the club. Cheers

Thanks for that rjay.

Wouldn't mind being there but I'm in Hobart ATM.

Have a great day!

I dropped in for about 10 minutes and took some photos. I'll have them up in a moment..

Triple the number of Melbourne supporters as there were watching the filth.

Hogan was working with Max Gawn, looked like a rover!

Strauss, phenomenal skills, beautiful kick. Sadly can't say the same for Davis, if today was any guide, he is going nowhere. Jordie had some nice kicks, wind was getting quite blustery. Young Jack is already a tank, wasn't hugely impressed with his kicking efficiency early when having a kick to kick with Chunky.

Reckon Dawes may have trimmed down a touch, still a beast though.

Davey with the pads put Frawley down pretty heavily which was impressive, pads or not.

Had some young kids so watched most of session (left early), but will happily answer any questions people might have.

Expect more, and better, reports from those on the other side of the ground.

With regards to big Max, was running well, lateral movement was very cautious though.

Triple the number of Melbourne supporters as there were watching the filth.

Hogan was working with Max Gawn, looked like a rover!

Strauss, phenomenal skills, beautiful kick. Sadly can't say the same for Davis, if today was any guide, he is going nowhere. Jordie had some nice kicks, wind was getting quite blustery. Young Jack is already a tank, wasn't hugely impressed with his kicking efficiency early when having a kick to kick with Chunky.

Reckon Dawes may have trimmed down a touch, still a beast though.

Davey with the pads put Frawley down pretty heavily which was impressive, pads or not.

Had some young kids so watched most of session (left early), but will happily answer any questions people might have.

Expect more, and better, reports from those on the other side of the ground.

With regards to big Max, was running well, lateral movement was very cautious though.

did you notice someone looking like a cross between a cherokee indian and madame lash?

if so was wondering what his form was like. did he fumble a lot? was he ashen-faced?

While I left after an hour and a half, the group were doing running exercises. This involved a 300m run then a series of 100m sprints end on end.

Mind you this was AFTER the hour and a half on the track!!!

When Misson said the fitness and endurance factors would be raised he was serious. It was interesting as a contrast that Collingwood were running match simulations next door, and we are still building on fitness. Make of that what you will....

It was great to see the turnout from the tragics. As RGRS noted there were at least 3 times as many Demon supporters there as Filth, but it must be heartening for the players to have that sort of support shown.

Sylvia and Tapscott walking laps. Sylvia with bandage on Hamstring/thigh. Nothing obvious with Tapscott.

Gawn running full stretch with multiple laps. I wish I could run as far and as fast as he was.

Dawes participating in the main activities, despite a knee bandage. Good signs to have him back on the track.

Grimes back with the main group, also good sign.

Clark still standing at the sidelines. At this rate will be lucky to be available early on in the season.

Byrnes, Rodan, Gillies and Pedersen all out there which means 4 players ready to go from round 1 who weren't there last year.

Hogan running laps. My god he is a big unit and only 17!

Not a really intense session, but they seem to vary the programme week to week.

Interested to hear others impressions, and keen for more reports over January, as being a typical Melbourne supporter, am now off to the ski-fields for a couple of weeks.

Great to hear the numbers attending training is on the up.Cant help but inspire the boys and staff.

I am sure it would get a mention amongst the group at some point in time.

I;ll take anything that we beat the filth at,even if its just a training session.

Thanks for the training updates

That was the largest number of people I've ever seen watch training. I didn't count, but there were at least 100 in attendance.

I watched training with "Bitter but Optimistic". He was incognito, but it didn't take too much imagination to appreciate what a fine specimen he'd be in full regalia.

I won't go into too much depth, but I thought the standard of their full ground drill in blustery conditions was excellent. The ball didn't hit the ground often, but when it did it was kicked to the advantage of the receiver and easy to run on to.

Good to see Evans training. His kicking is the query, but I like what he offers with pace. Matt Jones is a good size and moves well. Terlich has nice footskills. Hogan was running lap after lap at a really good pace. He was standing next to Watts after the session and they were the same height. Dawes trained with the main group. Toumpas had his calf strapped and was in rehab, but he was running OK and kicking the footy with no problems, so I suspect it's a minor niggle. Tapscott didn't train with the main group, nor did Magner and Sylvia. Grimes was back in full training. I didn't see Garland or the coach.

It was a pretty light session that finished by repeat sprints over roughly 70 metres. There were three groups - best runners pitted with each other, with Nicholson dominating the best group. It was good to see Viney and Barry both with the best group. Blease dominated the final group. Admittedly he was with the defenders, but it was still nice to see him clearly at the front of each sprint and well ahead of last year's efforts. There were 7 or 8 in each group.

Others will have different insights and add more detail, but I have to say that I love the look of Barry. He's definitely the closest player I've seen in looks to Michael Long; if not a tad taller. He's skinny, but wiry and those players are quite often 'sneaky strong'. He has excellent endurance already, did well in the repeat sprints, has great evasive ability, pace, is a really good left foot kick and looks to have a footy brain. It's called class.

Morale is good with plenty of voice and encouragement. While having a drink and stretching before the next drill there was constant talk with players urged to keep up their intensity, "don't drop off", etc.

We just need that midfield to get going this year. It's most definitely the key.

I watched training with "Btter but Optimistic". He was incognito, but it didn't take too much imagination to appreciate what a fine specimen he'd be in full regalia.

Is it true he's an uncouth country bumbkin?

Did i detect a bit of man-love in your sentence ending?

Cheers B-H

Can you see Barry getting a run much this season or possibly too light this year ? (Even with gym work and lots of wheaties )

Cheers B-H Can you see Barry getting a run much this season or possibly too light this year ? (Even with gym work and lots of wheaties )

I'm guessing about 8 games. The club won't expose him before they're ready and he'll need some decent form at Casey.

He's exactly what we need, so I hope he can step up at AFL level. But it's a big jump from training to AFL footy. If he makes the grade he'll be "special".

Cheers B-H

Can you see Barry getting a run much this season or possibly too light this year ? (Even with gym work and lots of wheaties )

Lewis jetta was pretty light too, and one R. Flower.

If you got it.....you got it!

Barry's my big smokey for a regular spot this year.

Edited January 11, 201312 yr by DeeZee

Thanks for the reports, much appreciated

Thanks for the reports guys. Reads well.

We at least now sound like a real AFL Club on the grass.

Bring on match days...

...

Morale is good with plenty of voice and encouragement. While having a drink and stretching before the next drill there was constant talk with players urged to keep up their intensity, "don't drop off", etc.

...

Ben, was this during the quality time you spent with Bitter, or are you talking about the players out on the field?

Nb. I know I'm on your "Ignore List" so you won't reply, couldn't GAF to be honest.

The intensity of training and the ability of the players to recover quickly and go again is way beyond what we have seen before. I counted 16 players who were not at the club or were not available in 2012 who are now training with us. Evans & Taggert are doing the full set. Big Max is not far off. He is the giant of the club, has filled out and will be a weapon if able to stay fit. Howe lead his group in the 400 metre runs, Byrnes lead his and Frawley just pipped Pederson in the other group. The groups then ran a shuttle with Nicholson coming to the fore, Byrnes also doing well and Davey and Blease big improvers. Of the newbies, I was impressed with the speed and carry of Kent, who trained with the mids along with Dom Barry. By the way, Barry did very well in the 400's and the shuttle After the shuttle the groups then repeated the 400's, followed by another shuttle! The group now has a fantastic fitness base to take into match practice. I will put up some pics with further comments after the cricket!

Any observations on Fitzy? He doesn't seem to rate a mention of late?

Any observations on Fitzy? He doesn't seem to rate a mention of late?

I have a mate that is mates with Fitzy and he told him he is worried he won't be on the list next year with the influx of talls.

Anyone know who wore number 45?

Cheers.

Any observations on Fitzy? He doesn't seem to rate a mention of late?

Saw a bit, not a lot of him. Missing the bulk of the likes of Gawn and Spencer, but has got bigger since joining us. Can't say he shone out, but did a few nice things.

A 50/50 prospect ATM, am a fan, but he's probably down the pecking order considering some of the units we have recruited.

I'm guessing about 8 games. The club won't expose him before they're ready and he'll need some decent form at Casey.

He's exactly what we need, so I hope he can step up at AFL level. But it's a big jump from training to AFL footy. If he makes the grade he'll be "special".

I was there too and was equally impressed with Barry, everything he does oozes class.

I genuinely think the FD have high hopes that he'll get plenty of game time this year. In the stoppage work they were doing he seemed to be the go to guy on the outside and designated kicker. Jones and Viney were doing the inside work and they were rotating blokes in the fluero vests specifically to block for Barry.

It's clear they'd love for him to play a Lewis Jetta type roll and be free to create. A lot will come down to the ability of the blokes around him to keep him free and still win the ball themselves. We don't have midfield grunt of Sydney just yet to be able to structure our stoppage set up around one first year player and not get picked off by the top sides.

I suspect this will be one of few strategies they'll test this year but would be great if they can make it work, he is extremely creative with the footy in hand and time to use it.

I have a mate that is mates with Fitzy and he told him he is worried he won't be on the list next year with the influx of talls.

Well tell him not to worry and to start training. It's a competitive life being an AFL footballer I really hope he realized that going in

I have a mate that is mates with Fitzy and he told him he is worried he won't be on the list next year with the influx of talls.

Well he has more speed than the others even Gawn, is the Ideal height with his mobility/speed & agility.

He has a good skill set with plenty of room to develop.

He has the frame to grow in size.

unfortunately some will prob get injured along the way, so opportunities will arise for when he's ready to take them on. Its up to him to realise & grow mentally.

there is a place in the forwardline for him, when he grows his game. & clarke, currently injured, could one day play 2nd ruck/forward pocket, rotating with someone.

good things will happen.