Yeah every day every player has to give a score out of 10 for how they are feeling in a number of areas. Back, hips, legs, etc. They also have to note how much sleep they get, general energy level etc.

They feed all this into their iphone or whatever and the fitness staff receive it all via the net.

So if you feel like a day off you email

- Hardly slept a wink last night

- Think it had something to do with the pain running down my leg from the lumbar area in my back.

- Can someone pick me up this morning I doubt i can drive.

Well that might have happened in 2011!

And if you ask the player or coach of course you will never get the truth, I asked Dawes, Grimes, Jones et al when they were in the rehab group and they were all just a bit 'sore'.....professionalism again

And all of them got over their documented niggles and went back into the main group. So no problems with the truth there.

You could be right. The injury he copped in the NAB cup last year was a shocker and really made it hard for him to play to his potential. In a team lacking x factor Col's natural ability is crucial.

Aside from two below par performances Cols second half of the season was strong. I think as long as he does not have any preseason hiccups he will have his most consistently imposing year yet.

So if you feel like a day off you email

- Hardly slept a wink last night

- Think it had something to do with the pain running down my leg from the lumbar area in my back.

- Can someone pick me up this morning I doubt i can drive.

Well that might have happened in 2011!

I think that would be akin to saying, "Don't bother about me for the opening round, I'm happy to play with Casey.

I'm sure it might have happened in 2011 but the message has been driven home by now. No free games! Buy in or organise some accommodation out Casey way.

I'm still not seeing the unbridled optimism I'm looking for from you OD!

Go DEES!

I think that would be akin to saying, "Don't bother about me for the opening round, I'm happy to play with Casey.

I'm sure it might have happened in 2011 but the message has been driven home by now. No free games! Buy in or organise some accommodation out Casey way.

I'm still not seeing the unbridled optimism I'm looking for from you OD!

Go DEES!

It was a joke Rev.

I thought you would appreciate it mate.

Optimism yes but unbridled

That will have to wait till around about June1st

It was a joke Rev.

I thought you would appreciate it mate.

Optimism yes but unbridled

That will have to wait till around about June1st

I feel like I'm getting closer to saving your soul but faith has no boundaries. No time frames. You just have to believe that it will happen. The believers will be rewarded! Those who doubt will be condemned to a long, slow, agonising existence in the next life as GWS supporters. They will be forced to endure the rantings of Kevin Shoddy for all eternity.

C'mon OD, it's time to shout it to the world. Go DEES!

Training pics from today. Stay tuned.

We still have to many players that turn the ball over, we do have more quality in this department than years gone by, but there will be players in MFC jumpers this year that we will be crossing our fingers every time they get the footy.

I have noticed this as well. Its a bit concerning. Sloppy disposal will kill us everytime. Being a training session as opposed the real thing, its been my biggest worry up to this point. Its something you cant' say will improve during a real game. If anything, its going to get worse.

The offenders have been pulled up for it. Its disappointing to hear it is still continuing.

I have noticed this as well. Its a bit concerning. Sloppy disposal will kill us everytime. Being a training session as opposed the real thing, its been my biggest worry up to this point. Its something you cant' say will improve during a real game. If anything, its going to get worse.

The offenders have been pulled up for it. Its disappointing to hear it is still continuing.

This is why I never worry about optimistic training reports too much. Poor decision making and skills killed us more than anything last year and we will only know if they have improved once the season starts. Nothing else is a gauge including NAB Cup. No amount of fast laps are going to change this other than the fact that improved fitness generally means skills for what they are are maintained longer before fatigue sets in and they go to total cr@p.

I have noticed this as well. Its a bit concerning. Sloppy disposal will kill us everytime. Being a training session as opposed the real thing, its been my biggest worry up to this point. Its something you cant' say will improve during a real game. If anything, its going to get worse.

The offenders have been pulled up for it. Its disappointing to hear it is still continuing.

Do you think that Hawthorn and Sydney don't have those types of errors when 35 players are training ? All clubs have skill errors at training and I think one tends to focus more on the errors of a bottom side, which is quite understandable, but we'll know lots more after the first 3 rounds of the season proper.

Photos of training

Do you think that Hawthorn and Sydney don't have those types of errors when 35 players are training ? All clubs have these skill errors at training and I think one tends to focus more on the errors of a bottom side, which is quite understandable, but we'll know lots more after the first 3 rounds of the season proper.

Of course, no team / player is perfect. But we can ill afford to have someone handball / kick thats misdirected and under no pressure.

This why they have been clamping down on it at training, I have been too a few training sessions, they have stepped it up in all areas, and when I see a players kick end up 30 metres from the intended target, i have been hanging my head. If it was just the odd one or two, NP, We havent got the cattle to cover sprayed handballs or kicks, Its not the end of the world, but its an area that needs more work.

when I see a players kick end up 30 metres from the intended target, i have been hanging my head. If it was just the odd one or two, NP

Absolutely. The perpetrators won't last.

I spoke about this after chatting with Fitzy last week, they have to report the slightest niggle and it is checked out and they are put in the rehab group to work through whatever the issue is, if at all, so Tappy must have a niggle somewhere, Grimes spent the first four or five weeks in the rehab group, he is fine now Terlich has obviously been diagnosed with concussion so he is allowed to do very little.. Everything is much more professional now, there won't be players 'hiding' injuries, or being given a game if not fully fit

Great post.

If a player is un fit we now have someone to take there place. Does that mean we have premiership depth? No. But it's a start...

PS: I'm drunk

Aside from two below par performances Cols second half of the season was strong. I think as long as he does not have any preseason hiccups he will have his most consistently imposing year yet.

Doesn't make up for his previous 7.....(I couldn't resist)

This is why I never worry about optimistic training reports too much. Poor decision making and skills killed us more than anything last year and we will only know if they have improved once the season starts. Nothing else is a gauge including NAB Cup. No amount of fast laps are going to change this other than the fact that improved fitness generally means skills for what they are are maintained longer before fatigue sets in and they go to total cr@p.

I agree with this but it can turn around quickly. Richmond were abysmal 3 seasons ago in terms of turnovers. Last year they were significantly better. Fitness has a lot to do with it according to NCraig,,

I think we owe a lot to Moloney for his last year with the Dees, his extremely poor efforts helped us in snaring Toumpas. I am glad to see we now have some new players looking like they are able to produce now, i hate hearing year after year of the potential of the players we have and everyone expecting this year will be the year they burst out and be stars, reality is most never will, can just hope they turn into honest hardworking footballers instead of the one match a year wonder.

With Col Sylvia, if he gets throught the last couple of weeks of pre season and the NAB Cup unscathed it will probably be the first time ever since his very first season, let's not try and jinx him, spoke to him at trainging the other week, he wants to really show people.

Supporters need to realise that if you don't get a full preseason under your belt, you are playing catchup...so don't go expecting great things from Clark first up

Did you get the impression that he wanted to stay at the club beyond this year? I'd absolutely hate to see him leave the MFC.

Watts will be our most important player this year.

Binman, please settle down.

More important than Howe, Jones, McDonald, Clark, Viney, Frawley, Dawes, Garland, etc?

I don't think so...

Binman, please settle down.

More important than Howe, Jones, McDonald, Clark, Viney, Frawley, Dawes, Garland, etc?

I don't think so...

More important season than those?

yes, no, yes, yes, yes, no, yes, yes

(Clark will miss most of the first half of season)

Will be good to find out as the season progresses

I didn't attend training today but I hope nobody minds me raising the name of the player about who much of Friday's training report centred (and no it's not Jordan Gysberts ).

I've been watching a recording of last year's SANFL Grand Final, in particular focussing on Dean Terlich, then of Norwood. He's 23 years of age and looks older. Until last year he played as a medium forward but to his credit, coach Nathan Bassett assigned him a role in defence and he never looked back.

The role he played in the first half of the grand final (which is what I watched) was what I would call a "distributor" role. He seemed to always be in the right spot in defence and is very good by hand and foot, always picking the right options and often following up down the field for the return pass. We certainly had nothing like him in 2012 and dare I say it he would make an excellent replacement for the wayward Clint Bartram. With both he and Watts bringing the ball out of defence it opens up a lot of additional possibilities for those further afield.

Obviously the question mark is whether he can make the transition from SANFL to the elite competition. I noticed he fumbled a couple of times under pressure but it was a grand final and he was in the play perhaps 20 times in half a game. He's pretty gutsy.

So for those concerned with our disposal skills coming out of one or two training sessions, I wouldn't be panicking but rather, I would be waiting for the NAB Cup when everyone has to be fully switched on and competing for a place in the team for round 1. The blokes without the disposal skills won't find it so easy to get in that side this year and some of our worst offenders are gone.

I think Colin Sylvia has the greatest potential to influence our performances and results. If he has an inconsistent or poor year like every other year we'll finish bottom 5. If he can play consistently to his maximum (and everything else goes right) we can make the 8.

Good call.

He and McLean were recruited to be a-grade midfielders and due to that not working out we have Nathan Jones almost playing a lone hand against sides with several genuine midfielders. There are 6 or 7 other young hopefuls but their time to shine is years off. I agree our ladder position will be hinged most on Sylvia.

More important season than those?

yes, no, yes, yes, yes, no, yes, yes

(Clark will miss most of the first half of season)

Will be good to find out as the season progresses

You've changed binman's basic premise.

He didn't say 'season'...he said most important player.

Ridiculous comment.

Aside from two below par performances Cols second half of the season was strong. I think as long as he does not have any preseason hiccups he will have his most consistently imposing year yet.

But where will he play?

I can't see him being a major fixture in the midfield.

I have noticed this as well. Its a bit concerning. Sloppy disposal will kill us everytime. Being a training session as opposed the real thing, its been my biggest worry up to this point. Its something you cant' say will improve during a real game. If anything, its going to get worse.

The offenders have been pulled up for it. Its disappointing to hear it is still continuing.

oh bugger just when i was getting excited about this year , now to hear its all over same as last year , sob