Training - Monday 25th November, 2013

[old dee 23,791]

Surely thats the only reason

Sorry deeko I forgot "the"

[Bay Riffin 1,474]

. If he can get this right in Jack's game, then i have no doubt Jack will end up an All-Australian next season. This alone has the potential to deliver big time for the MFC. To be fair to Jack, i have not seen him look as fit, as big, as fast or as focused as he does at the moment. I'm quite sure Roos will get the absolute best out of him.

Massive call. Has not got anywhere approaching it so far. Also about to play a new position to him.

[What 18,810]

Some training pics - Photo Gallery Monday 25 November

[Hannibal 5,814]

Lots of skill errors - Viney, Barry, Nicholson, Grimes and a host of others. Roos will want to lessen skill errors. But some good movement and energy also. Howe was really good in just about everything he did.

Clisby was noticeably bulkier, which he needed to be. And I like the way he moves.

Running is now done at the end of the session, as opposed to last year.

[Slartibartfast 17,279]

Running is now done at the end of the session, as opposed to last year.

In Roos' presser he says there is a focus on skills and Jones backs that up and says the players are loving it.

It would be interesting to know how much of the gut busting running was the initiative of Misson or Neeld. I think it did so much damage. The players hated it, it cost them skills and had them as flat as tacks going into the season.

Neeld seemed to miss the point that people perform better when they enjoy/love what they are doing. From the players I've spoken to and the feedback from various sources this year is miles ahead of last year.

[binman 42,972]

Neeld seemed to miss the point that people perform better when they enjoy/love what they are doing.

Seems obvious doesn't it but Neeld seemed not to put any truck in this at all.

[Whispering_Jack 30,140]

Some training pics - Photo Gallery Monday 25 November

Some great shots in there ... gee you wouldn't want to see Hogan bearing down on you at full pace, would you?

[beelzebub 23,376]

What sort of num nut is this Roos fellow....coaching skills !!! pffft !!! novice

[What 18,810]

Some great shots in there ... gee you wouldn't want to see Hogan bearing down on you at full pace, would you?

He is seriously going to put some opponents in hospital in his first season

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

Public service announcement number 1: If you're a 50 year old dude wearing a lycra top and shorts then at least make them fit. No one wants to see lycra

Public service announcement number 2: To the guy in a blue shirt taking photos and the guy in the red boston t shirt. Both of you dudes are very fat. You're buying 2 seats at the footy. If you're at dees training do a couple of laps around the oval whilst you watch. Get moving, do something.

Public service announcement number 3: To all the yobbo's driving down punt road beeping their horn - just stop, it's stupid. The players dont hear it and it's a waste of time.

MFC service announcement number 1: Get a public toilet located next to our oval. I'm all for urinating in public but it has to be out of sight, as there isn't such thing around an oval we need to get a toilet. At the same time you could post some signs on the toilet facing punt road side instructing passers by of MFC's presence and the membership number. I know we don't own Gosch's paddock but surely we are entitled to some signage especially if we paid for the toilet in which case we could do it as a trade off.

Now on to the session. Good session. Skill level was certainly a pass for the time of year and intensity was good as well. The ball is moving at a much sharper speed than last year even if the players aren't grinding in to the ground they are working hard and smart.

MIA: Couldn't see Dawes, Kent or Riley. Thought I might have seen Bail.

Modified duties: Byrnes is on lap duty. Blease the same. Tapscott on sprints and then he and Blease doing drills with the draftees. Very sad to see these 2 stuck in first gear. Gawn doing some laps and strides, moving and looking ok to me. Strauss and Jamar playing kick to kick and doing some sprints. They don't look far off. Tyson doing well as well. Frawley and Garland in rehab but I almost got the feeling they were there just to ease them in to the season. As they'll play 100% game time if fit during the season and had huge work loads in 2013 I think it's precautionary. McKenzie the same I think as he's always better managed in to a year than pushed. Tyson, Garland and McKenzie did some running together at the end and were moving well and evenly with each other taking it in turns to lead it out. No concern with those guys at this stage. Michie, Viney and Hogan pulled out of the main group towards the end for some sprints as well. VIv took it up instead of Viney or Hogan compared to a fortnight ago and all 3 looked strong in the sprints.

Newbies: I watched them do very simple running drills then a kick to kick. Kennedy Harris kicks a sweet ball from the boot. Salem a nice left footer as well but at this stage I wouldn't put him down for the reincarnation of Malceski, more just a very good kick. Hunt not a natural kick like the others but has an acceptable action and decent results. In the running Hunt seems to have that effortless turn of speed, it's evident off a couple of steps. JKH is short and thin but should fill out. Salem is leaner in person contrasting to AFL footballers than on game footage. Looks very much a kid when contrasted to this years Jimmy Toumpas. Hunt is taller and leaner again but his legs aren't sticks either. Really very limited work done by these guys so nothing new to judge off except how young and skinny they look.

Main Group: Some more simple drills divided by zone of ground to start (love the midfielders practicing picking the ball up off the deck and a piggy in the middle handball drill to practice quick hands). Defenders working on ball movement. Forwards (Howe, Clark, Hogan, Westrupp only) working on leading and marking. Then all ground ball movement drills with all players involved (besides rehab) which is nice to see and various other drills. I like the way Michael Evans is moving and attacking training. Trengove looks good. Cross is like Nathan Jones the way he's always buzzing around and getting involved, going the extra distance. Bernie Vince can kick a footy. Watts' skill by hand and foot and him using his pace in a 3 man weave with defenders drill was great to see. I'm finally confident now in at least saying he really is training better. He's still Jake Spencer but whilst he's fit, marking and kicking he's gaining ground on Gawn and Jamar. Jetta did train well, kicked the ball sharply and moved well, right now I'd take him with our last rookie pick over what little is bound to be left in the pile. MItch Clark is such a lovely kick and mover for a big man.

[Dees2014 2,377]

He ran 11.03 APS Day, which is all electronic so he's obviously got heat. I'd imagine the 10.9 would probably be illegally wind assisted yet he's just counted it. Fair enough too.

Your second point is most valid though, I myself ran the APS 200m 5 years ago, and was substantially faster than everyone else in my team but could never get it to translate onto the footy field. My first 3 or 4 steps were good, but after that my dash away speed wasn't the same as running in spikes. It's almost like an acquired talent, I used to run with James Strauss years back too, and he was an incredible 200 and 400m runner but you wouldn't really notice it now.

Think JKH is the perfect example of the opposite, his 20m sprint wasn't great but on the field he looks like noone will catch him! Will keep an eye on both from now on.

Interesting you should say that about Strauss. He was running repeat 150m sprints with mark jamar today, and looked a very impressive runner. I agree he doesnt always use it on game day. I think with him it is more about intensity and for mine, I don't think he is a very smart footballer - always seems to make silly decisions somehow.

I hope he matures out of it because obviously is a player with talent.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Public service announcement number 1: If you're a 50 year old dude wearing a lycra top and shorts then at least make them fit. No one wants to see lycra

The guy on the Punt Road side in the shade in the black lycra (?) pants and red top that had half his gut showing would have been arrested if he was standing outside a school.

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

The guy on the Punt Road side in the shade in the black lycra (?) pants and red top that had half his gut showing would have been arrested if he was standing outside a school.

Glad I'm not the only one who had the misfortune of seeing him. Keep him away from the newly drafted kids!

[Pipefitter 2,159]

It's refreshing to hear that theres a real footy focus at training now. All we kept hearing the last few years was about different variations of running drills.

[Return to Glory 8,441]

Just left and the boys were still going. Due to a considerable night with a certain Mountain Goat last night I will keep this short because it's hurting to concentrate this much.

Firstly, Clark looked great and participated in every drill I watched with the main group. Jumping, twisting and turning and kicking without trouble IMO.

I arrived pretty early and spent some time watching the new draftees who were involved in basic short kicking and handballing exercises. They all looked good but I was particularly impressed with JKH. His ball handling just looked classy and would be at home jagging goals out of nothing. Salem has a lovely kick on him.

Hogan has it all. Bring on next year!

Repeat 300m sprints were dominated by Tom Mc who was running them by himself but you could tell is was sigificantly faster and more steady than the others. At one stage, Jack Viney tried to take the [censored] out of Tom for a laugh and tom just did not see the funny side of it. Deadly serious young man is Tom.

Tyson hammy heavily strapped but running okay. Did not attempt to kick with that right leg though.

Roos observed a lot. Only got involved with the main group for the last few exercises but he does get very animated when in there. You can see the boys are loving him as coach already.

Overall I thought the skills were pretty sloppy but maybe I was expecting too much. Nicho was the main offender with lots dropping short or sailing over heads.

Happy to take questions.

Are you in love with the goat?

[daisycutter 29,616]

The guy on the Punt Road side in the shade in the black lycra (?) pants and red top that had half his gut showing would have been arrested if he was standing outside a school.

i don't think bbo will take to your comments very kindly

[Satyriconhome 10,878]

Heard at least three people complain about lack of toilet facilities, either early drinkers or incontinence, remember when you were young and going on a car trip, go before..

anyway back to Tapscott, got nothing when I asked him if there was an issue...didn't want to push it

I prefer to use sponsor money on footy dept not signage around a public easy access oval...graffiti?

Gee Master, glad I am still trim

Edited November 25, 2013 by Satyriconhome

[Roost It 1,434]

We may even win a game or three with this lot

[Redleg 40,925]

MFC service announcement number 1: Get a public toilet located next to our oval. I'm all for urinating in public but it has to be out of sight, as there isn't such thing around an oval we need to get a toilet. At the same time you could post some signs on the toilet facing punt road side instructing passers by of MFC's presence and the membership number. I know we don't own Gosch's paddock but surely we are entitled to some signage especially if we paid for the toilet in which case we could do it as a trade off.

The little green building near Swan street is a toilet.

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

Heard at least three people complain about lack of toilet facilities, either early drinkers or incontinence, remember when you were young and going on a car trip, go before..

anyway back to Tapscott, got nothing when I asked him if there was an issue...didn't want to push it

I prefer to use sponsor money on footy dept not signage around a public easy access oval...graffiti?

Gee Master, glad I am still trim

It is footy department spending. Count the number of coaches (?7), other football department, sports science/medical (close to 10) and therefore how much each training session costs and tell me it's not a good idea to have a toilet for the players to be able to go relieve themselves in so they are out of the way of the public and other staff. Not to mention media. It's not a good look when a player comes off the track and looks around before deciding to urinate up against the MFC equipment van.

Obviously most can go before or after but the other thing is players have to hydrate heavily before and during sessions and being fit young men have very healthy kidneys.

Sense when would sponsorship signage for the Melbourne football club be considering graffiti? The signage was a proposal to help justify the cost of the toilets. Alternatively we could just do what the pies did and have sponsor boards along the fence. Either way we should try to get some recognition around the venue that it is our training facility. We can do that and still keep it a public facility as well.

[Tex 68]

We may even win a game or three with this lot

Can't believe no one has mentioned Jeremy Howe at training today in the sprints at the end of training.

Looked to be 200m sprints. He was by far and away the fastest.

He was in the first (fastest) group of him Cross and Grimes and consistently won by a healthy margin.

The other surprise packet in the 2nd fastest group for me was Toumpas who was touching up Nathan Jones.

Very happy with that.

[Young Dee 1,303]

MFC service announcement number 1: Get a public toilet located next to our oval. I'm all for urinating in public but it has to be out of sight, as there isn't such thing around an oval we need to get a toilet. At the same time you could post some signs on the toilet facing punt road side instructing passers by of MFC's presence and the membership number. I know we don't own Gosch's paddock but surely we are entitled to some signage especially if we paid for the toilet in which case we could do it as a trade off.

Isn't there this one on Olympic Boulevard?

Edited November 25, 2013 by Young Dee

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

The little green building near Swan street is a toilet.

Yes which the players often use when training on the multi purpose oval but now we are back on the proper oval they find the approx 500m round trip to and from that toilet too time consuming and relieve themselves in public instead. Which is probably what I'd do because I doubt the coaches want you to miss the start of a drill going the loo.

I just see a potential issue with crazy PC types that could probably be solved reasonably inexpensively.

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

Isn't there this one on Olympic Boulevard?

Swan St please! I'd recognize Olympic boulevard if they didn't role to Collingwood and give them Olympic park (even if it has helped us). But yes there is but fat lot of good it does if the players wont use it.

Edited November 25, 2013 by the master

[Young Dee 1,303]

Yes which the players often use when training on the multi purpose oval but now we are back on the proper oval they find the approx 500m round trip to and from that toilet too time consuming and relieve themselves in public instead. Which is probably what I'd do because I doubt the coaches want you to miss the start of a drill going the loo.

I just see a potential issue with crazy PC types that could probably be solved reasonably inexpensively.

Rather they spend the money on the football department.

If the fans/players can't be bothered walking a few metres (depending on which oval) then they need to toughen up.

Sounds like a couple of the fans could have done with the exercise anyway.

Thanks for the report.