Training - Wednesday 27th November, 2013

[hardtack 10,127]

Saw him on Monday. Always in a hat. Tyson the same. Anyway moves well and kicks the ball very well. Balance and has penetration. Partnered up in a lot of drills with Nath Jones. I think Jones is missing his buddy Magner and also keen to show off his new midfield mate Vince in the hope he'll get some help out there this year.

I haven't seen him run in any of the fitness based work but he was toward the front at Adelaide I believe so I expect the same here. Otherwise he's in the main group and training well.

It was nice to see Jimmy Magner's tweet today to Jesse Hogan:

"I am looking forward to watching @melbournefc next year! I wish the club nothing but the best! Cannot wait to see big bad @jesseBhogan"

He could so easily have had bad feelings toward the club, but instead has opted to show his support.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

Jesus, Tapscott is a massive unit, almost a caricature . The Incredibles(?) come to mind....lol

Ed: sp

I thought it was the mascot. Luke Mascot.

Not the ideal rig for AFL these days...

[What 18,810]

Six6Six you magnificent bastard!!!

[Dee Dee 1,046]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me how Dominic Barry's travelling?

I haven't heard much about him, now into his second year so should be starting to develop a bit!

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

It was nice to see Jimmy Magner's tweet today to Jesse Hogan:

"I am looking forward to watching @melbournefc next year! I wish the club nothing but the best! Cannot wait to see big bad @jesseBhogan"

He could so easily have had bad feelings toward the club, but instead has opted to show his support.

is this a statement about how all delisted players could have bad feelings towards a club?

or just because he was judged to not be up to AFL standard and not offered a spot on the list he should have ill will towards a club that granted him the oppourtunity to fulfill his dream of playing 2 seasons of football at the highest level!

did he get picked up by another team? i guess other teams saw the limitations that were seen by not only Paul Roos but also the previous coaching staff.

Interesting to see how Toumpas goes next year, i read a statement somewhere talking about how players who average less than 30% contested ball in their junior football struggle to get drafted/make it at afl level. James Aish, Toumpas and also Cale Morton fit into this category or are borderline. I doubt he will see too much senior time especially early on with the increased competition through the midfield, and Roos preference for mature bodies through there. But if he can keep the form he showed at Casey last year when he did play, it will be hard to keep him out of the side.

It would be interesting to find out when actual time trials are going on and how our new midfield crop are able to compete with Tom Mac and Trenners

[Hannibal 5,814]

Interesting to see how Toumpas goes next year, i read a statement somewhere talking about how players who average less than 30% contested ball in their junior football struggle to get drafted/make it at afl level. James Aish, Toumpas and also Cale Morton fit into this category or are borderline. I doubt he will see too much senior time especially early on with the increased competition through the midfield...

It's a fair concern you raise and an area of his game that needs to drastically improve. Recruiters use 30% contested possessions as their minimum benchmark and I was told recently Toumpas was at 22, which is obviously the article you're referencing.

Toumpas was strongly hyped as a top 5 draft pick, but I doubt all clubs rated him there due to his poor contested possession rate.

I look forward to seeing his progress in 2014.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

I reckon Toumpas will win a Rising Star nomination this year.

In fact, I have no doubts about Toumpas at all. Never have.

[nutbean 8,837]

It was nice to see Jimmy Magner's tweet today to Jesse Hogan:

"I am looking forward to watching @melbournefc next year! I wish the club nothing but the best! Cannot wait to see big bad @jesseBhogan"

He could so easily have had bad feelings toward the club, but instead has opted to show his support.

Thankfully he has differentiated between "the club" being the players who he trained with, sweated with and went to battle with and "the club" being the coaching panel last year, who have now departed and didn't cover themselves in glory regarding communication.

Those who have read Magner's parting shot - his main gripe was the missing clear lines of communications within the coaching structure - one coach telling him to keep on doing what he was doing so well and then being told by another almost the opposite.

[drdrake 3,045]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me how Dominic Barry's travelling?

I haven't heard much about him, now into his second year so should be starting to develop a bit!

He moves really well and seems to have good skills. I think he will always look good in sessions like yesterday not much contested stuff it was more about ball movement and run. We will get to see him through pre-season and I expect him to play a hand full of games next year.

[nutbean 8,837]

It's a fair concern you raise and an area of his game that needs to drastically improve. Recruiters use 30% contested possessions as their minimum benchmark and I was told recently Toumpas was at 22, which is obviously the article you're referencing.

Toumpas was strongly hyped as a top 5 draft pick, but I doubt all clubs rated him there due to his poor contested possession rate.

I look forward to seeing his progress in 2014.

No problem with "outside footballers" - unfortunately the last two years we haven't had anyone inside to get the ball outside ! I look forward to his progress and note that he will either have to get more of his own ball or hope like hell that our recruitment this year of "in and unders" bears fruit.

[Hannibal 5,814]

No problem with "outside footballers" - unfortunately the last two years we haven't had anyone inside to get the ball outside ! I look forward to his progress and note that he will either have to get more of his own ball or hope like hell that our recruitment this year of "in and unders" bears fruit.

Elite midfielders are not confined to being outside, they must win their own footy; and at junior level Jimmy's contested ball winning rate was very poor for a top 5 draft pick. It needs to improve.

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

Thankfully he has differentiated between "the club" being the players who he trained with, sweated with and went to battle with and "the club" being the coaching panel last year, who have now departed and didn't cover themselves in glory regarding communication.

Those who have read Magner's parting shot - his main gripe was the missing clear lines of communications within the coaching structure - one coach telling him to keep on doing what he was doing so well and then being told by another almost the opposite.

Whilst the lack of communication may be true, i also feel that magner was exaggerating a situation in order to poorly represent the MFC coaching panel and provide himself with his best oppourtunity to play at another club.

Just because he was praised by a line coach for providing defensive pressure in a game, does not mean that it was not still the issue with what he needed to improve and why he stayed at casey for so long.

No problem with "outside footballers" - unfortunately the last two years we haven't had anyone inside to get the ball outside ! I look forward to his progress and note that he will either have to get more of his own ball or hope like hell that our recruitment this year of "in and unders" bears fruit.

i disagree, there needs to be a mix of both, obviously skill on the outside is vital, but the days were players are able to roam outside packs and wait for the handball recieve are over. Gut running in order to re recieve after clearing is a vital skill midfielders need and is highlighted through players like Trent Cotchin, Patrick Dangerfield and even Marc Murphy

[Satyriconhome 9,986]

It's a fair concern you raise and an area of his game that needs to drastically improve. Recruiters use 30% contested possessions as their minimum benchmark and I was told recently Toumpas was at 22, which is obviously the article you're referencing.

Toumpas was strongly hyped as a top 5 draft pick, but I doubt all clubs rated him there due to his poor contested possession rate.

I look forward to seeing his progress in 2014.

EVERYBODY had Toumpas in the top 5, that's how he was 'hyped' into there

Just wondering if anyone can tell me how Dominic Barry's travelling?

I haven't heard much about him, now into his second year so should be starting to develop a bit!

Barry is doing what he should be doing at training, head down bum up.....working hard

Has anyone noticed how Bernie Vince has been training? I'm very interested to see what impact he has for us next year

Above everything else, including the article yesterday, Vince is a professional with a few pre seasons under his belt, he is doing exactly what is required this year

I would like to see his 2009 standard impact us this year

[hardtack 10,127]

is this a statement about how all delisted players could have bad feelings towards a club?

or just because he was judged to not be up to AFL standard and not offered a spot on the list he should have ill will towards a club that granted him the oppourtunity to fulfill his dream of playing 2 seasons of football at the highest level!

did he get picked up by another team? i guess other teams saw the limitations that were seen by not only Paul Roos but also the previous coaching staff.

Interesting to see how Toumpas goes next year, i read a statement somewhere talking about how players who average less than 30% contested ball in their junior football struggle to get drafted/make it at afl level. James Aish, Toumpas and also Cale Morton fit into this category or are borderline. I doubt he will see too much senior time especially early on with the increased competition through the midfield, and Roos preference for mature bodies through there. But if he can keep the form he showed at Casey last year when he did play, it will be hard to keep him out of the side.

It would be interesting to find out when actual time trials are going on and how our new midfield crop are able to compete with Tom Mac and Trenners

I think you're reading far too much into my comment.

Magner had been performing exceptionally well at Casey while our midfield at AFL level were performing dismally. Supposedly players who were performing consistently well at Casey were to be rewarded with a run in the main team if the opportunity arose, however Magner was overlooked time and time again despite the fact that we were in desperate need of more grunt in the midfield. Regardless of whether he was up to AFL standard or not, he should have at least been given the chance to prove the naysayers wrong and at the very least rewarded for his effort, particularly when he would probably have out performed a number of mids who were retained in the senior side. What did they have to lose by giving him a place that he had patently earned?

He had every right to feel aggrieved, but he chose not to be. I thought it was pretty obvious that my comment would not have applied to all of our delisted players.

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

I think you're reading far too much into my comment.

Magner had been performing exceptionally well at Casey while our midfield at AFL level were performing dismally. Supposedly players who were performing consistently well at Casey were to be rewarded with a run in the main team if the opportunity arose, however Magner was overlooked time and time again despite the fact that we were in desperate need of more grunt in the midfield. Regardless of whether he was up to AFL standard or not, he should have at least been given the chance to prove the naysayers wrong and at the very least rewarded for his effort, particularly when he would probably have out performed a number of mids who were retained in the senior side. What did they have to lose by giving him a place that he had patently earned?

He had every right to feel aggrieved, but he chose not to be. I thought it was pretty obvious that my comment would not have applied to all of our delisted players.

Understandable, but the old coaching and board are still nothing to do with the set up we have at the moment.

but i also think it is clear through the draft this year that no other club was willing to take him highlights why he wasnt playing afl games. if we dropped a player like toumpas or matt jones or jordie mckenzie they would most definitely be sought out by other clubs and that is why he didnt get a game.

i still dont agree that a player should feel aggrieved due to the coaching staff not thinking he was ticking all the right boxes to get a game at a club?

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,481]

is this a statement about how all delisted players could have bad feelings towards a club?

or just because he was judged to not be up to AFL standard and not offered a spot on the list he should have ill will towards a club that granted him the oppourtunity to fulfill his dream of playing 2 seasons of football at the highest level!

did he get picked up by another team? i guess other teams saw the limitations that were seen by not only Paul Roos but also the previous coaching staff.

Interesting to see how Toumpas goes next year, i read a statement somewhere talking about how players who average less than 30% contested ball in their junior football struggle to get drafted/make it at afl level. James Aish, Toumpas and also Cale Morton fit into this category or are borderline. I doubt he will see too much senior time especially early on with the increased competition through the midfield, and Roos preference for mature bodies through there. But if he can keep the form he showed at Casey last year when he did play, it will be hard to keep him out of the side.

It would be interesting to find out when actual time trials are going on and how our new midfield crop are able to compete with Tom Mac and Trenners

At what levels of junior football would contested ball stats be kept? Does anyone know?

[rjay 23,939]

By the look of the pix Barry has put on a bit more weight. Can anyone who's been to training confirm that?

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

At what levels of junior football would contested ball stats be kept? Does anyone know?

TAC cup level and also the carnival will keep all the stats, possibly even rep level from 16s

[The Chazz 4,077]

Great pics, although it has dampend my optimism sligjhtly. There is a photo of the forward line group, and Ro Bail is in it. Please don't tell me they are going to try him as the small forward? His kicking is in the Top 3 of being the worst on the list - how the bloody hell will he kick crumbing goals for us? Give me Byrnes any day.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,481]

TAC cup level and also the carnival will keep all the stats, possibly even rep level from 16s

Thanks

[Satyriconhome 9,986]

By the look of the pix Barry has put on a bit more weight. Can anyone who's been to training confirm that?

He is bigger across the shoulders, would expect that with the weight training, haven't had chance to ask him yet, very young still as well, assume he is still growing

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

When you've got a team with the worst midfield in the comp, (us last year) a player like Toumpas in his first year will clearly standout for his lack of contested ball winning ability. Especially when you're drafted at the same time as Jack Viney.

Toumpas is never going to need to become a contested ball winning machine, as it's his outside game that will tear teams apart. The fact is, we've had a [censored] midfield with Jones the only real capable inside mid. It's obviously Viney's strength and now we've added Cross, Tyson and Michie. Put Trengove back in there and it looks like we've got a handful of solid ball winners.

Next season will be a huge improvement because we will have enough talent and depth to compete well in close.

Bradley Hill for hawthorn is never going to need to become a contested ball winning machine, because Hawthorn are sorted for ball winners and Hill's outside game compliments that engine room. The same will apply for Jimmy when we become competent in the middle. Winning a one on one situations will need to improve obviously but Toumpas is a give to player, a streamliner and an elite kick.

Edited November 27, 2013 by stevethemanjordan

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

He is bigger across the shoulders, would expect that with the weight training, haven't had chance to ask him yet, very young still as well, assume he is still growing

Can you please take a set of scales and a tape measure with you to training, thanks.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Clint Bizkit

[rjay 23,939]

He is bigger across the shoulders, would expect that with the weight training, haven't had chance to ask him yet, very young still as well, assume he is still growing

Thanks 'Sat', he looks to be naturally quite broad across the shoulders and unlike a lot of the skinny kids of the past could be a pretty strong unit going forward. Be interested to watch his development this year.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Who are Hawthorn's outside mids?