Training - Monday, 9th March, 2015

[Lucifers Hero 39,727]

How many families who take their kids to training aren't already members?

Going to your clubs training session isn't really just a 'normal' thing to do. I've never met a single person in real life who does it (not just for the Dees, for any club). It's only the really keen fans who do it, and they're likely already members.

Delayed training isn't going to suddenly give us thousands less members. No-one will care or remember about this a week from now.

Given that our players have recently visited a lot of schools in the 'traditional heartland' we are trying to reclaim, there probably were a hell of a lot who are not members!!!

It is never good for a club to disappoint kids members or not!! If we didn't lose the kids today we may have lost the parents who take the kids to the footy and who pay for the memberships.

[Coup Cooper 610]

I went down today and was inpressed by the siza and movements of Vandenberg!

This bloke could be anything!! Also newton looks good and by gee Stretch looks lively!

Grimes looks to be kicking better!

And big Dawes is looking a million bucks!

Watched him repeat lead on the wing for 10 mins 1 grabbing everything!

I hope he gets back to his 2010 form!

[whatwhat say what 22,732]

the organisational ineptitude is hardly surprising.

good to hear some positive training reports however, particularly that watts is back on the track.

[Outside fifty 967]

How many families who take their kids to training aren't already members? It's only the really keen fans who do it, and they're likely already members.

Delayed training isn't going to suddenly give us thousands less members. No-one will care or remember about this a week from now.

Are you seriously suggesting that it's ok for the Club to treat it's most loyal and committed supporters / customers with contempt. I was there today and it was a shambles.

[rhaz 342]

No, i'm just saying that a few people are taking a delayed training run a little bit too seriously.

This is the same forum where people said Garlett shouldn't be punished for missing his court appearance.

[beelzebub 23,329]

No, i'm just saying that a few people are taking a delayed training run a little bit too seriously.

This is the same forum where people said Garlett shouldn't be punished for missing his court appearance.

no so much a delayed training session as a totally ballzed up PR exercise.

When youre coming from a long way back, you dont plss ppl off

[What 18,810]

I went down today and was inpressed by the siza and movements of Vandenberg!

This bloke could be anything!! Also newton looks good and by gee Stretch looks lively!

Grimes looks to be kicking better!

And big Dawes is looking a million bucks!

Watched him repeat lead on the wing for 10 mins 1 grabbing everything!

Thais it, I am putting money on us to make top 4.

[rjay 24,916]

It must be a coach's instruction, because it's something I've noticed at training as well. Only player I've seen regularly kick the ball on his non-preferred foot is Garlett.

For a long time now coaches have discouraged players kicking on their no preferred foot. The reasoning is that no matter how much time they do practicing on the non preferred foot apart from freaks like Mitchell they will more than likely turn the ball over.

This goes back at least to Alan Jeans at Hawthorn.

[Outside fifty 967]

No, i'm just saying that a few people are taking a delayed training run a little bit too seriously.

This is the same forum where people said Garlett shouldn't be punished for missing his court appearance.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to be P'D off by todays efforts. Waiting around for an hour and half for your team to turn up is just poor public relations. In a highly competitive market like the AFL it is imperative to look after your supporter base. Today the club dramatically failed to do this. On the training side of things I couldn't help be impressed with Toumpas. Didn't miss a target all day and looks quick. Salem may just be the best kick in the side alongside Watts. I was also super impressed with The Prince whose intensity during all the drills was outstanding. I thought Max King had a good session today, for a big guy he's a beautiful kick.

[beelzebub 23,329]

Thais it , I am putting money on us to make top 4.

so am I...top 4 of the bottom 8

[Emerald 1,744]

Out of curiosity was there a mechandise /membership tent set up ? just asking:)

No merch or membership there,shame for MFC as I went there with a pocketful of cash and came home with a pocketful of cash.

[beelzebub 23,329]

No merch or membership there,shame for MFC as I went there with a pocketful of cash and came home with a pocketful of cash.

unbelievably stupid.

The filth would have

I know the kangas show up anywhere they can with a promotions tent etc

just to mention 2

but hey...we have a shop hidden away like a 'vault'

fmd...

rant over

good to hear some up and comers moving along nicely.

should make for a little pressure for spots come round 1

and thats what you want

[Emerald 1,744]

Biggest + for me was the enthusiasm of the new recruits,Brayshaw is hypo,the Prince was intense,another Stretch on the team,even Petracca there on the sidelines keeping interested with a smile on his face.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

No membership tent?

The more we think things are changing the less they are.

Unbelievable (but not surprising!)

[Deeoldfart 8,016]

I wonder how many Demonland attendees have taken the time to have a shot the Club, but haven't taken the time to provide the rest of us with a few comments on the actual training.

[jimcor 212]

Surely the point is DF that all the conditions that surrounded this event on the Monday of Moomba are known.

Large crowds, difficult to get there and Park etc.

The Club set this up as a day for fans to come along.

Then at the last minute the time is changed from Morning to afternoon and then run late for the afternoon session.

No they did not start with the intention to mess up.

But they still seem to have achieved it.

We are still a long way off the the league leaders.

Just emailed the club as follows:

"Hello there

Why did the club not send someone out to Gosch's at 12 o'clock to explain why the time had changed? Why can we not get the basics right? Many families were already there & waiting by the time I got there at 12.30 and this sort of disrespect may be indicative of continuing shortcomings in our (mal)administration. Thank you for wasting my time.

Regards Jim C"

Not sure if it has any impact but I would hate them to think that I'm happy with this incompetence.

[beelzebub 23,329]

I like that Dawes is holding his marks. Am hoping/expecting a big year from this bloke. He and Harry I think will really impact the team ( in a good way )

[Webber 10,465]

I just got back from the training. I stayed until about 3pm and enjoyed myself but I have to admit it was a messy and clumsy PR exercise.

Step 1. Heavily promote 35K members by round 1

Step 2. Promote and advertise open training session on a public holiday.

Step 3. Change the time by an hour but provide information only to Twitter people with no information about the time change on the official website

Step 4. Attract heaps of members and their kids (and there were a heap of kids) and leave them doing kick-to-kick for 1.5 hours. Many leave before players arrive.

Very poor business and promotional effort MFC - I thought that carp was behind us.

Anyway, to the training...

This was the first training I was able to get to this pre-season, but also probably the sharpest training session by MFC I have seen in a long time. I came away feeling positive about quite a few things.

There was some standard warming up followed by short sharp kicking drills.

The first drill was hitting targets in a full ground drill, hitting up a forward who was running toward goal, and then actual goal scoring on the run.

The main focus was definitely ball movement off half-back. Starting on the HB flank with 5 defenders on 3 forwards, so it was simulating when we get more numbers to a contest than the opposition. A handball pattern getting it free, a kick to a loose player, and then a further kick at 45 degrees across to the other HF flank amid heaps of players spreading everywhere, and then to goal. I remember Michael Voss talking about spreading forward at 45 degrees being the best way to spread an opposition defence, and it did look effective.

HighlightsBrayshaw is simply a beautiful mover. Takes the ball at the highest point, has a long loping running style but covers a lot of ground. Great to watch. However, at this early stage his kicking is definitely a liability.

Toumpas, Watts and Salem - their kicking on the run is sublime. All three sprinted hard and could still hit targets.

Salem. Quickly becoming my favourite current player.

Lamumba is seriously focused when training. Strong vocally, and trains like it is a game. I came away very impressed and can see why Roos went for him.

Garlett might just be one of the recruit of the year. On the run at full flight beautiful to watch.

We have a heap of players to rotate through the midfield, all of similar size, but with a variety of body shape and skill set. From huge bodies like Jones, Kent and Vandenberg through to outside runners like Bail, Hunt, Stretch, and everything in between. Our issue this year will be getting the ball and keeping it: Once we have it I reckon we are looking OK with our midfield mix.. A real fight on for for midfield positions

Lowlights

Both McDonald boys can't kick.

JKH was probably the worst on the track from where I was today. It just wasn't coming together for him. Lots of errors.

I would love to see some competitive marking drills. Most of the aerial work today was very easy and low pressure, not helping Dawes, Fitz, [Pedersen] the practice.

No Hogan. A friend next to me asked about Hogan and was told he was left in Perth to catch up with family after NAB round 1.

Howe and Vince still doing rehab.

That's about it

Saw 90 minutes of training (after the Vince/Howe show), and saw Oscar McDonald nail 3 successive set shots from close to the boundary all between 40-50 metres out. Beautiful relaxed economical kicking style. Watched Angus Brayshaw nail all but one of his foot passes, and I still don't know which is his dominant foot. Thought JKH moved and handled the ball beautifully, with a couple of understandable fumbles. For me, his movement and reading of the ball stand out.

Seems other opinions are available

[Moonshadow 17,676]

How many families who take their kids to training aren't already members? It's only the really keen fans who do it, and they're likely already members.

Delayed training isn't going to suddenly give us thousands less members. No-one will care or remember about this a week from now.

Given that I went today and left disappointed just after 1pm with my young child, I'd have to say that your post is perhaps the stupidest thing I've read on Demonland. I've been a club member for nearly 20 years and my kid has just started taking an interest in footy. I'd hoped to sign up the young one as a member and maybe get a photo or two with the players. Unfortunately we will be away when the Luna Park family day is on. The praccy game at Casey the other week was too far for us to travel, and there was no membership tent there, so it proved to be moot, as it was today. MFC has missed another opportunity to sign up a young fan and gain considerable merchandise sales. Will do my best to keep it in the family, but after today's effort, I'm not sure and definitely not impressed. The club will get an email from me.

I care rhaz and I will remember this for a lot longer than a week.

[The Devil Inside 2,147]

Not sure what all the heartburn is about, we turned up at 12, even after bumping into Nev Jetta on Swan St who told us (myself, my lady and a friend from interstate) that the team wasn't going to be training till at least 1pm, I hadn't checked Twitter

It seemed common knowledge when we arrived, that there would be a delay, from what I can gather it was a footy dept decision to change the time

A lot of the kids were enjoying a kick to kick beforehand, and the sausage sandwiches were delicious, there was coffee and it was a nice sunny day, didn't see many supporters leaving before the training started

We sat on the grass and relaxed for an hour, chatting to other supporters, that being said, reckon they should have had somebody from club announce what was going on

As for training, it was another good session, lots of ball movement again

Spoke to Dom Tyson after training, asked my opinion of his game against Freo, told him he got better as the game went on, told him some of his disposals were a bit ordinary but was a good sign that he had picked up from last year and was getting plenty of the ball, he agreed said all the kicking practice at training doesn't necessarily transfer to games and Freo was first opportunity to get the ball movement Roos wants into practice, and shake off the rust. Said team was disappointed that they sat back on their laurels in the second quarter and after a 'few good words' from Roos came out in the 3rd and 4th to prove they could compete with Freo, a really good chat

Fitzy was really crook picked up a vicious virus and spent a week in bed, totally [censored] off, he had done really good pre season and found another way to miss games, back to full fitness, told him to stay away from mirrors and ladders

They are being cautious with both Ben Newton who has a beautifully coloured right eye and Nev Jetta, after the head knocks, pulled them out of any drill where there might be contact, both said they were ok

[m'kaaay 152]

I wonder how many Demonland attendees have taken the time to have a shot the Club, but haven't taken the time to provide the rest of us with a few comments on the actual training.

I'll have a shot old fart.

How about you get your 11 and 8 year old up, run to the shops to buy them a sharpie texta each, rummage around til you can find 2 clean footys, last years scarves and the knowledge that I'm going to make their day by buying them a membership each; drive to the train station and discover that you need to buy 2 mykis plus fares for even the 8 year old; get there early coz the kids are pumped to see players in the flesh; put up with the unprofessional, amateur, disrespectful treatment by MFC of myself and my childrens' time then pull the pin because the 8 year old has lost all interest and they are starting to bicker; get back home to have the wife ask the kids how many signatures they got on their footys to have both kids reply they don't barrack for us now and don't want to go this year.

My kids and all the others there are the club's future. I only went as I got a club email and pumped my kids up about it last night - wouldn't have happened at Hawthorn training I can guarantee you that

Sorry, but I don't give a stuff about today's training report...

[The Devil Inside 2,147]

Spoke to Christian Petracca, said he is ok, thought Roos' comment in his presser about him not playing again this year after doctor had told him he might, was hilarious

The only missing today as far as I could see were Trengove and of course Hogan

Also spoke to Jeff Garlett, found it hard to get into the game against Freo, just getting used to playing with the team, concentrated on defensive pressure

[The Devil Inside 2,147]

Are you seriously suggesting that it's ok for the Club to treat it's most loyal and committed supporters / customers with contempt. I was there today and it was a shambles.

If you think it was a shambles, which is your choice, then make sure you express this opinion to the Club, everybody who was unhappy with the situation should

[DeeSpencer 25,653]

Ok I started a new thread for the other stuff. If it's combined so be it. But I thought others would want to focus on the actual training!

Somewhat in between timing stuff ups and actual training had me thinking about how the players arrive for training.

They come out in dribs and drabs and then proceed with a slow walk around the oval with or without a footy before some light stretching and then some kick to kick to warm up the legs. When I played local footy I hated the way some coaches mandated group warm ups, but at the same time I do think there might be some method to the madness. It's a team game, warm up and get stuck in to training as a team. Just food for thought.

From there it was in to the standard kicking drill they do that involves the ball going cone to cone in a diamond shape. A middle group takes one of two options. Generally solid kicking.

The drills opened up from there. Lots of 5 v 7 ball movement from defence to attack that was very messy at times. The good news I guess is we can zone off and defend pretty well. The bad news is still too many lack confidence and flair when getting the ball out to the open man then up the field. A Brayshaw kick diagonally back in to the centre was a highlight.

The speed of ball movement was mixed. Love watching some like Garlett, Kent and Salem when they link and run.

It was in to different drills but the same emphasis, getting the ball going forward quickly. Toumpy had some clean moments and trained well. Roh Bail knows how to run as does Lumumba.

Had a good look at van den Berg, there's a certain flow to the way he moves that just looks like a natural football. Dane Swan waddles his way to a browlow and van den Berg probably has a fair way to go on fitness and repeat speed, so who knows what it means. Ah I don't know, there was just a few moments, it might all count for nothing.

Benny Matthews took Maxy King to fake hit outs to a group of Jones, Cross, Michie, Salem, JKH a couple of others. The rest were split in groups doing a midfield drill or having a bit of goal kicking. Garland, Gawn and White did some extra running. White is a solidly built lad.

Brendan McCartney finished the session with most of those who didn't play in the NAB 1 plus the 2 subs (V'berg and McKenzie) as well as Gawn and Pedersen getting some extra running through a tough ball movement drill with a smaller group working hard.

Overall most of the better players looked in solid nick. The skills started ok but the lesser types felt the pressure. It wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. Maybe a 6/10 for execution probably dragged down by some senior players making early mistakes that looked like they are ready for more games but probably an 8/10 for doing the correct drills with decent intensity and in good numbers.

[dazzledavey36 54,822]

Mark Stevens just tweeted Hogan was training indoors as he has pulled up sore.. might not play this week.