Friday, November 20, 0945 hours

Pretty big day for this individual. First of all, my one and only exam was completed yesterday, and secondly, today I find out whether I’ve been nominated for AFL Victoria’s Community Media Awards for the second year in succession, which at the age of 22 I see as a massive achievement. Anyway, I get here missing part of the warmups, as is almost customary for me nowadays, I couldn’t explain properly why that is the case. Anyway as I get here the boys are doing the same drill that they normally do when they start off with their drills for the morning, the handball drill where there’s a defender putting pressure on. In the middle there’s a different drill, where the boys are asked to kick to players in the same team until called to kick to the other team. I’ll probably try to better explain – there’s two teams of about four or five players, one wearing vests and one not wearing vests, plus a couple of players wearing orange for that matter as well, and the coach calls out which colour kicks to whom. If that makes sense.

In the meantime, as I walk through to Gosch’s, Terlich finishes up early and walks by me; Smith and ANB are doing some running and I can’t really explain why, and Trengove makes a very welcome appearance. Not entirely sure what he is doing at this point. Vandenberg is having a run around the joint as well. Meantime checking out the personalities around the place Mahoney is hearing watching, as well as King Jackson who’s made himself a dead set legend yesterday by signing on for a couple more years. Top bloke.

Next drill is a full grounder drill, two full teams, boys are going hard at it. Brayshaw is crashing into blokes and in one case manages to bring down Maxy Gawn. It’s not quite the full monty yet until everybody else joins the party anyway. In the meantime Kenty is still moving very well considering he hasn’t played for a few months, and Tommy Mc is still showing his versatility whenever the ball goes nearby. Having said that there’s quite a few slip and sliding around due to the wet conditions experienced after last night’s awesome storm.

Speaking of storms, an early look at a possible game plan sees the boys storming forward whenever they get the chance to do that. The ball movement at this early stage is noticeably faster and there’s more of an emphasis on players moving positively whenever the chance is there to do so. There is still a bit of an emphasis on switching play – as most coaches probably would. Having said that despite all the positivity, there are still a few disappointing errors by foot. Some of these errors come about as a result of risky kicks, but there are also errors which come about due to poor kicks.

Another bloke who’s moving around really well is Dom Tyson. This bloke’s going to be an interesting case in 2016. I think all Melbourne supporters agree that 2015 was disappointing for him but I think we also all agree that we knew he was somewhat affected by injury. Anyway, on the track at the moment, he’s moving around like he’s finding the 2014 silky-smooth movement again, even though that there is still a bit of tape around his knee, which is really good to see. I’m therefore looking forward to seeing what he does when he’s fully fit. More on the drill – the skills have improved markedly since I commented that they left a lot to be desired.

Also it seems that there is a lot more confidence about with many players. Probably none more so than Jayden Hunt. He seems to be backing his speed a lot more and he’s also getting the chance to find a lot more space, which is really encouraging. I think 2016 is the year we’ll finally see him get games, and we’ll finally get to see the great #29 grace the field for the first time since the great days of Michael “Juice” Newton.

Drill stops and the move to the other side of the ground to do some form of a defensive drill. On the near side of the ground where I am it’s good to see Dunny here a bit early like he normally is, having a bit of fun and having set shots… hold on, he’s a defender isn’t he? On the other side of the ground, it’s really good to see JKH all over this defensive drill, and intercepting a couple of kicks, which is exactly what I want to see. Just hoping that this year was just the classic case of second year blues. The drill stops for a period before the roles are reversed – the team with the vests are attacking and the team without them are defending… but that’s a loose term. Good moment comes when a kick opens up big Maxy 15 metres in the clear, Maxy gets there… but only just. One quintessentially classic panic handball later, the vest team are able to kick a goal having broken open the defensive structure that the plain team tried to implement too easily in the end. This is the same deal when the defensive structure is tried again, with a kick down the corridor breaking open the play way too easily, which is either good or bad depending on which team you want to focus on.

After a short micro-break the boys go at it again… and again it’s basically the same deal without the result this time around. I’m looking around trying to work out whether it’s just that the team with the vests have more numbers or that there is a weak link which is hurting the plain structure. At the moment, it appears to be a case of the former. On closer inspection, there’s the same amount of numbers on both sides.

Bit of a break, Frost is running laps around the oval, Hogan has seemingly appeared out of nowhere given I hadn’t seen him during the drills (not sure if I haven’t paid enough attention for that one TBH) and is having a few sprints just over a patch of the oval with Viney. There’s clearly a bit of friendly rivalry when they run around – think it’s almost like they have to start line astern with an alternate leader and then they have to make sure that they stay in front.

Bit of a similar drill to what’s been going on basically all morning after a short break which is another pressure-based drill with game simulation. Again JKH is performing well when applying pressure, laying another couple of tackles. Really been impressed with his application this morning. As they have another chat all you can hear is the solid BEEP BEEP BEEP noise that the Storm are doing. It’s not entirely a beep test, but (BEEP) it’s (BEEP)in annoying. Thankfully the boys get back into it, coupled with the beeping noise stopping, so that I can focus entirely on the drill at hand and see who’s doing what. With Hogan, Viney and a few others sitting out of main group training for the time being it’s two groups of nine on nine… ahem, AFL 9s.

The drill restarts and immediately there is an orgy of players all over the footy. Again, JKH doesn’t give an inch whenever anyone gets the footy, laying yet another tackle, this time on Harmes. Mind you there was about 15 or 16 players within two metres of the footy this time round so laying a tackle was straightforward.

There was a bit of solid banter during the drill when Tom McDonald gets the footy and tries kicking it to King… only to have his brother intercept it! During the same passage of play, Hogan (who’s running on the oval) cracks the shits when he has players interrupt his run (as I said before, it’s a friendly rivalry with Viney that he has and he’s trying to better Jack’s efforts). The next time they go about it Harmes gathers from half back and goes for an electrifying run that last until about 20m from goal before he gives out a Joe the Goose to a teammate. I am a bit disappointed he didn’t take the initiative and kick the goal himself because that was every bit as good a run as Phil Manassa’s (albeit this is in training and not in a Grand Final with the game on the line).

After that there’s more of a handball drill this time around. It’s similar to the kicking drill except it covers a much smaller patch of ground than the kicking drill which was basically a full grounder. It’s more of a five on five drill than the nine on nine we’ve become accustomed to, with all players basically starting side on.

The boys then stop for a bit, have a casual kick to kick and then change into their running shoes. As ever they come with instructions – Press B to run like the wind! (points if you get the reference). Okey-dokes. The running. There’s two groups and one quasi-group which I’m not sure just starts slowly or is part of the other group, I don’t have a clue. First bit of running sees the boys go from the back pocket to the goal posts. Either side. Pleasingly for those who likes seeing epic running battles, Tom and Oscar McDonald are in the same group, which will make for good viewing when everybody else invariably slows down. Pleasingly, for the time being, Dom is up the front. Kennedy, by the looks of things, is up the front of the other group. Mind you, that group has Gawn, Frost, Kent and King in it, so it’s the same running group as when I was last here last Friday. For the time being though I’m really pleased that Dom looks back to his injury-free best, staying up the front the whole time.

After a leisurely walk around the oval the boys head off for a spot of lunch, which is what I also do.

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Wow...some read...great read

Thanks and good luck

Thanks for the report. Was Trengove just watching? Did he take part in any drills?

Was there also Tas

Great report

I spoke to Trenners and wished him well. He appears to be moving and running very easily looks pretty fit for this stage of his recovery. Also Jones was with the rehab group and looked to be moving and participating in kicking and marking without problems.

The whole group seemed to be in great spirits and lots of banter could be heard. Hogan is such a competitor its scary!

Thanks for the report. Was Trengove just watching? Did he take part in any drills?

Trenners ran full and half laps at various speeds, as said before he looks good and running easily

Much appreciated tasmanlvr!!!

Read somewhere on the MFC site the other day that Trenners is doing all the running with the team on Monday.

Great stuff, especially for interstaters who can't get to training. Thanks Tas and jacaub.

Read somewhere on the MFC site the other day that Trenners is doing all the running with the team on Monday.

The actual quote from Misson

Jack Trengove is going really well. Hes kept his work right up through the off-season and hell be doing a run with the group on Monday morning, as will Nathan Jones,

Petracca

The actual quote from Misson

Jack Trengove is going really well. Hes kept his work right up through the off-season and hell be doing a run with the group on Monday morning, as will Nathan Jones,

...as well as Petracca.

As ever they come with instructions – Press B to run like the wind! (points if you get the reference).

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Gotta catch em all?

Well done Tasman on your nomination. Keep up the good work - much appreciated.

Petracca

...as well as Petracca.

Have you considered changing your sig? What we have learnt is the two players you've mentioned now play for other clubs.

That and the fact Frawley is a better backman, and Howe is now under more scrutiny than ever.

Well done Tasman on your nomination. Keep up the good work - much appreciated.

Not yet! Nervously waiting at the moment

Gotta catch em all?

Bang on.

It would nearly make me shed a tear to see Trenners back on the ground and playing like it was 2011 again. When I say that, I refer to his specific form and not that of the team!
The poor kid has gone through so much. I watched a few videos of our 2011 season on YouTube and it was just amazing to see the player he was in 2011 compared to what he became in 2012/2013.
If anyone deserves some luck it's him.

Thanks for the efforts Tas

and

Good luck with the nomination.

Is Mernda country these days?

Where are you plying your trade other than here and the facebook site?

Thanks for the efforts Tas

and

Good luck with the nomination.

Is Mernda country these days?

Where are you plying your trade other than here and the facebook site?

Cheers man, it's been delayed due to amount of nominations! Mernda is more semi-rural. As for plying my trade I've been writing for the Northern Footy League the last three years and I'm Mernda's media manager in 2016.

Tyson - Mate of mine spoke with him at the B&F. He got a knock on his knee in the R4 game against Richmond. Played through pain for the remainder of the season.

Trengove - Has been doing distance running only to see if the injury can sustain the workload. All good so far. From what I have heard the about the amount of running he is doing no wonder he looks fit.

We're the boys excited on the impending joining of Clayton after next week?

We're the boys excited on the impending joining of Clayton after next week?

If we don't pick him is that a Clayton's pick?

It would nearly make me shed a tear to see Trenners back on the ground and playing like it was 2011 again. When I say that, I refer to his specific form and not that of the team!

The poor kid has gone through so much. I watched a few videos of our 2011 season on YouTube and it was just amazing to see the player he was in 2011 compared to what he became in 2012/2013.

If anyone deserves some luck it's him.

I would definitely shed a tear if he was ripping it up over at the Tigers.

If we don't pick him is that a Clayton's pick?

That would definitely be a Claytons pick

Cheers Tassie!

Quick question saw a recent image of Trengove recently and his upper body looked quite huge. Obviously its all that time spent in the gym but in person does he look like he has built up a bit?

Well done on the nomination.

Will Trengove and Petracca be in rehab group or are they beyond that already?

Tyson is 5th year right? Good to see if getting the extra sessions in.