For avoidance of doubt, here's the info straight from MFC's twitter:-

Sorry to make you think about Monday when it's weekend but open training will be on from 9.15am at Gosch's Paddock.

What? No live streaming today??

You guys need to lift your game.....

They'd be in the thick of training at the moment. Anyone there?

Just finished, Howe walked gingerly off early after a marking contest with Tynan. Didn't seem too serious will provide report later

Got there at half time.

Family day for the players it seemed. Miss McKenzie taking some photo, all families getting handout folders. Chris Dawes' old man to boost match day pie sales.

On field I watched a drill or two before they went into a full ground match practice with whites v blues. The blues featuring most of the starting players. Except Dunn, Watts and Strauss in white. The drill primarily seemed to be about ball movement. One team would bomb it to the their forward line and then let the other work it out under pressure. Bit messy especially at the start but picked up a bit. Byrnes and Dawes working nicely up forward. Dunn controlling the white back line. Toumpas made a couple of errors early. Most of the class players got involved.

Howe seemed to roll his ankle and from my vantage point it looked like he did it trying not to take a hanger! He had Tynan in front of him and instead of flying over him try to reposition to out body him. Seems to roll his left ankle. Might of been better just taking the hang! Got up and walked to the sheds after being assessed.

Promising to see Clark and Trenners running but not with the main group. Big Gawn was also on track and then after training did some kick to kick and leading with a staff member. Moved and kicked well. I'd think he'd be within reach of getting back to the main group and playing VFL practice matches if not nab. It's very hard to judge how far the other 2 are away but at least they are running.

Photos from training courtesy of Melbourne Football Club Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151562431462317&set=a.10151562431207317.537234.285839797316&type=1&theater

Guys did anyone see Tapscott?

Was he in main training group or still among the walking wounded?

Not sure what Pedersen looks like.

Haven't seen much comment on him from training reports.

Can anyone add any insight as to how he settling in with the forward structure.

I was there for a short time. Tapscott was in the game, playing with the white shorts.

To start with only Mitch, Trenners, Sellar and Clisby weren't in the main group (Mitch did the warm up with them!) once the balls came out he went back to running laps.

Gawn dropped out once they pushed past a short-ish kick just to run/sprint as well. Couldn't tell what was wrong with Sellar, was pushing laps out well, and Clisby hurt his hammy last week.

Howe rolled something. Bit proppy but walked back to AAMI at least! Roh Bail dropped out of drills ¾ through to do some back and forth movement stuff through cones; didn't seem to be too injured!

Drill wise the boys looked good, Tommy McDonald seems to be developing as a leader, was always talking and pushing blokes to work harder. Plenty of voice from the whole group, seem to enjoy being together and workin hard!!

Aaron Davey and Nev Jetta stopped after 1 hour and walked back to AAMI, only as they played Saturday. Flash looks in high spirits, training with a smile! And his skills and touch are back!!

Not the highest intensity session, but lots of working the ball around the defence, keeping off and switching when opp press hard! Watts and Dunn look to be go too guys with this. Also tries to get players like Blease/Nicho/Barry to get possession in a mis-match ( happened to Dawes twice) where if they can mark with a taller/slower FWD on them. Turn and burn!! Still some work to do in clearing the backline, but dunns long bomb up the middle will be a feature again!!

Happy to answer any Q's anyone has

Is it compulsary to have a beard now...I though Norm Smith banned any facial hair....

I was there for a short time. Tapscott was in the game, playing with the white shorts.

Thanks Tim

Is it compulsary to have a beard now...I though Norm Smith banned any facial hair....

I can live with 37 pages on unproven drug use, I can endure a topic on a guy who is resigning from another Club, I can put up with RR's polls.......but lay off the facial hair.............

.for your info Max Gawn, Jack Watts and Tom Gillies are in a competition re the beards although it was Max that told me that so not sure whether it is true or not.......

Aaron Davey's skills and touch have never deserted him, it was his body letting him down

Edited February 11, 201312 yr by Satyriconhome

I got there early to catch Viney, Nicholson and Couch out on the oval practicing hitting moving targets out of defence. No surprises Viney's kicking had a lot more penetration and accuracy than the others whose disposal still needs work

After an extensive warm up the boys began a match simulation exercise where the ball would be marked on the half back flank with the objective of getting the ball forward. With resistance only in the form of four or so defenders as opposed to ten rebounders, the team in possession were able to move the ball effectively the majority of the time, except for Davis (won't get a game until disposal improves), Nicholson, Tynan and Gillies who all turned the ball over at times much to the displeasure of the coaches.

There was a key focus to play on at all times and there was lots of ball movement through the middle and switches to the fat side. Dunn really impressed with his run out of defence, he looks incredibly fit and seems to have gained a yard or two in pace.

Thereafter, the group split into blues and whites for separate drills. Down the other end of the ground there seemed to be a kick out type drill. Whereas the end I was watching had a 6 on 6 exercise deep in defence where a group would try to move the ball out by hand under lots of pressure form the opposing 6 players. As expected the bigger bodies thrived with N Jones and Viney the standouts, consistently being able to rebound the ball cleanly by hand. These two seem to be a level above all other midfielders with their pace, size and tenacity.

Others who impressed were Strauss who showed good pace and was willing to back himself, Dunn again used his bigger body to break tackles and McKenzie was the standout chaser and haggler.

The final drill was end to end match simulation with 15 or so a side plus interchange. Watts, Dunn and Terlich were all used a lot in defence when switching and were all good by foot, throw in Jetta, Strauss and Nicholson and there's going to be a lot of competition for those roles as rebounding defenders. Dawes and Pedersen both took good marks presenting high up the ground at the ball carrier.

Rory Taggert had a period he would rather forget where he dropped a simple mark causing the drill to restart, only to be used again in the next passage where he kicked a shocking wobbler out of bounds.

Also the forward pressure was much improved, Dawes always impressed me when he was at Collingwood in this facet and he seems to have brought that intensity along with him as they were consistenly pressuring and forcing errors deep ind defence.

All in all a solid session with Dunn, N Jones and Viney the standouts.

You win that hands down.

I can live with 37 pages on unproven drug use, I can endure a topic on a guy who is resigning from another Club, I can put up with RR's polls.......but lay off the facial hair.............

New Age Hipster:

This is totally off topic but couldn't resist....sorry..

New Age Hipster
16 up, 13 down

An individual who tries to go against mainstream lifestyles, and favors the ideals of non-conformity, yet conforms to other hipsters around him-her. Typically, new age hipsters view themselves as artistic and often times sport "thrift store chique". if you would like to find a new age hipster, go to artistic neighborhoods in major cities, such as Williamsburg in Brooklyn. When looking for a fine specimen of new age hipster in Williamsburg, look not at the orthodox Jews, but the bohemia who are all wearing thick non-perscription glasses, and American Apparel wear that they say they bought at a thrift store. Hipsters used to be seen as cool, but are quickly losing reputation as new kids come into this scene who have an art history degrees and live off of their parents wealth.

Typical Person: Hey, where did you get those jeans.

New Age Hipster: A thrift store... <ugh>

Typical Person: Oh wait, no, you still have the tag hanging off, you got that from American Apparel. Ok.... What music is that you are listening to?

New Age Hipster: It is just a small band, you wouldn't know of, or appreciate them. <Haha>

Typical Person: Try me.

New Age Hipster: Matt and Kim

Typical Person: Arent they like celebrities now-a-days, they are awesome, but not a small band to say the least.

New Age Hipster: <Ugh> Whatever, Im going to go smoke with my friends, Im too cool for this anyways.

Ladies and gentlemen...your number one draft pick is now a man.

Look out AFL!

Compare his arms with Chip's in the above image.

He looks ready.

Ladies and gentlemen...your number one draft pick is now a man.

Look out AFL!

Gotta be camera trickery. He looks bigger than Chipper.

He is gonna shut some mouths this year. Can't wait.

...we've checked his urine, right?

(I kid..kinda)

I saw him in person at last Wednesday training.

I said at the time he had everything to be a very good player.

He has the body, speed, marking and kicking ability.

It will not be his body or ability that stops him.

Gotta be camera trickery. He looks bigger than Chipper.

He is gonna shut some mouths this year. Can't wait.

...we've checked his urine, right?

(I kid..kinda)

People have taken the urine out of him since he made his debut.

Sure he looks a player. But it'll take one timid marking contest for people to go "Oh yeah, that's right, there's still that thing."

Big arms doesn't mean he's grown bigger balls.

Prove me wrong, big boy.

How does Max Gawn look as far as 'coordination' goes?

People bag out Spencer because of his unco play and footy skills so I'm interested to know if Max appears to have a better set of skills.

Gotta be camera trickery. He looks bigger than Chipper.

He is gonna shut some mouths this year. Can't wait.

...we've checked his urine, right?

(I kid..kinda)

Chip's facial expression seems to suggest that he is on the backend of a bad whaft of air passing through from Watts Shirt flapping

The thing I want to know is whether Watts' increased muscle is giving him more confidence to hit the contests and lay strong tackles at training? Size is only half of the formula.

I saw him in person at last Wednesday training.

I said at the time he had everything to be a very good player.

He has the body, speed, marking and kicking ability.

It will not be his body or ability that stops him.

Has he the Dee sire & cojonas to do the job right?