50 minutes ago, dworship said:

Apologies for not contributing earlier, I've been having Optus internet issues and have had to revert to emergency Telstra dongle ( don't understand why, but I always feel a little dirty when I say that). I got down there today before any of the players appeared and spied a relatively young looking fella taking the shade under a tree at the City end. Turned out to be George on the Outer. Pretty much stayed in the same posi. till around 11 when most of the action dried up. During that time most of the brains trust turned up in Whispering, Urban Legend BB and D'land himself. Good  banter and opinion ensued during this time and I'm happy to report we are all a bit bullish for the year ahead. I think we all agreed that while we temper our expectations, as it is preseason, observing training at the moment has way more positives than negatives. I don't intend to revisit what other posters have said other than to agree with their comments.

The one thing I can add is that I stayed until the last player and coach departed. The last player was Petty and the last coach - Stafford.

At the end of the session JJ, Chandler, Viney, Clarey and Petty spent 15 to 20 mins on goal kicking. In the end Stafford was working one on one with Petty on his run up. It appeared Stafford had identified a flaw where Petty was making contact with the ball either to early or to late. For any of the other training watchers; I would be interested in future obs regarding A/ this as on ongoing coaching with other players and B/ any observable improvements in individual performance in this area.

I should have also mentioned I watched Langdon a fair amount and thought his disposal was much better today than on Monday. I also saw him celebrate this a few times to the amusement of his teammates. This shows he is very aware of his deficiencies  and is working on them

Having worked for them, I hate saying Telstra too.

Thanks for the report

2 hours ago, Webber said:

Pretty good thus far - it’s a relatively new intervention. This journal article suggests positive outcomes for elite athletes (skip to the ‘Results’ and ‘Discussion’).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5298419/

Thanks for that. One of my favourite pastimes is reading about midportion Achilles tendinopathy and this has just made my day.

I’m intrigued by this man mountain from the Academy. Do we take it that he plays for the Dandenong  Stingrays in 2020 and if he’s good enough then he could get drafted?

The club’s publicity machine needs to roll into action on this.

9 hours ago, Demonland said:

Here is an article from 2017 which welcomes a crop of Next Generation Academy players. Two Deakins (Deakyn) are listed.

• Kobi George (VIC)
• Cody Egan (VIC)
• Deakin Pereira (VIC)
• Ryan Koo Kwet Kim (VIC)
• Deakyn Smith (VIC)
• Declan Gould (VIC) - Pending
• Andrew Moniz-Wakefield (NT)
• Reggie Gallagher (NT)

I'm pretty sure the kid on the left is the unnamed tackler that I observed today.

I'm pretty sure that the tall kid on the left of these two photos is the other Deakin (Pereira). These photos are over two years old now and he has certainly filled out. A big unit.

Jeez puberty hit him like a freight train haha

2 hours ago, Satyriconhome said:

 

4 players going up to spoil. So they practice this now?

How Melbourne. No wonder we are good at doing it in games.

2 hours ago, dworship said:

Apologies for not contributing earlier, I've been having Optus internet issues and have had to revert to emergency Telstra dongle ( don't understand why, but I always feel a little dirty when I say that). I got down there today before any of the players appeared and spied a relatively young looking fella taking the shade under a tree at the City end. Turned out to be George on the Outer. Pretty much stayed in the same posi. till around 11 when most of the action dried up. During that time most of the brains trust turned up in Whispering, Urban Legend BB and D'land himself. Good  banter and opinion ensued during this time and I'm happy to report we are all a bit bullish for the year ahead. I think we all agreed that while we temper our expectations, as it is preseason, observing training at the moment has way more positives than negatives. I don't intend to revisit what other posters have said other than to agree with their comments.

The one thing I can add is that I stayed until the last player and coach departed. The last player was Petty and the last coach - Stafford.

At the end of the session JJ, Chandler, Viney, Clarey and Petty spent 15 to 20 mins on goal kicking. In the end Stafford was working one on one with Petty on his run up. It appeared Stafford had identified a flaw where Petty was making contact with the ball either to early or to late. For any of the other training watchers; I would be interested in future obs regarding A/ this as on ongoing coaching with other players and B/ any observable improvements in individual performance in this area.

I should have also mentioned I watched Langdon a fair amount and thought his disposal was much better today than on Monday. I also saw him celebrate this a few times to the amusement of his teammates. This shows he is very aware of his deficiencies  and is working on them

Wanted to like this post but you have exactly 666 likes. And i like the synergy with your posting name.

10 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

4 players going up to spoil. So they practice this now?

How Melbourne. No wonder we are good at doing it in games.

2 against 2 green bibs in attack so both fwds flew, besides which Marty Hore was out the back as sweeper

You will also find that is Bradtke and Jackson in the vests

 

 

From what I have been told, something big tomorrow to round off pre Xmas

So the"older' guys, Nev, Hibbo, May etc and anybody who is the 'recovery' Viney, AVB etc  did work inside

 

Could the mystery kid be one of:

Melbourne: Ollie Lord, Will Phillips

2020 eligible draftees training with Melbourne from an AFL article a couple weeks ago.

Lord is 195cm key forward and Phillips is a midfielder.

Almost at the Christmas break and no players have come close to drowning. We’re winning. 

Edited December 18, 20195 yr by Ethan Tremblay

On the Bennell hunched back thing, it reminds me of this bloke...

Edited December 18, 20195 yr by PaulRB

Does anybody know when the first training session of the new year is?

I was planning on taking my son to training today but I see that it is now a closed session and I promised to take him to fill up the autograph book and now I’m in the doghouse.

HELP!!!!

9 hours ago, jnrmac said:

4 players going up to spoil. So they practice this now?

How Melbourne. No wonder we are good at doing it in games.

You do realise that it's 2v2 and not 4 players all spoiling ?

?

1 hour ago, Lefty said:

Does anybody know when the first training session of the new year is?

I was planning on taking my son to training today but I see that it is now a closed session and I promised to take him to fill up the autograph book and now I’m in the doghouse.

HELP!!!!

Last year training resumed on Saturday 12th of January 2019 after the 2018 Christmas break.

@Satyriconhome might have a 2020 return date.

On bennels kicking one of those yweets from McGowan with the videos had 50 odd seconds of him kicking 49 metre kicks. Beautiful of both sides. Such a smooth, natural action. The coach barely had to move.

Watching that  clip reminded me of how few trult elite kicks we have had at the club in the last decade.

 

10 hours ago, binman said:

Wanted to like this post but you have exactly 666 likes. And i like the synergy with your posting name.

Damn and now it's ruined. Should have had the post taken down.

9 hours ago, MikeAlphaTango said:

Could the mystery kid be one of:

Melbourne: Ollie Lord, Will Phillips

2020 eligible draftees training with Melbourne from an AFL article a couple weeks ago.

Lord is 195cm key forward and Phillips is a midfielder.

Surely the AFL could give us these kids as compensation for long term suffering. (?!?)  Lord is a Tom Hawkins type key forward and Phillips is a gun young midfielder who should go in the top 10 picks in 2020. 

12 hours ago, Deeman said:

Thanks for that. One of my favourite pastimes is reading about midportion Achilles tendinopathy and this has just made my day.

I know, right? Just when you think the world’s gone to s**t, salvation arrives in the form of a fantastically niche medical journal article. It’s the little things. ??

How are our second year players tracking? Are any of Sparrow, Jordon or Bedford showing enough to suggest they will become bona fide AFL players? Are Dunkley, Lockhart or C Wagner looking like they might take a step forward? It sounds like none of these guys are likely to figure in Round 1 if everyone is fit.

The reports also sound like Petty has been a standout (even though he has been in rehab) but I think he showed more than a few glimpses last year.

From the 2 sessions I've been to Sparrow and Jordon have both been impressive. Bedford has potential but for mine is behind Pickett in X Factor. Another year in the system will tell us more.

Dunkley and Lockhart will benefit from having a first full preseason under their belts and more competition for spots.

1 hour ago, Fat Tony said:

How are our second year players tracking? Are any of Sparrow, Jordon or Bedford showing enough to suggest they will become bona fide AFL players? Are Dunkley, Lockhart or C Wagner looking like they might take a step forward? It sounds like none of these guys are likely to figure in Round 1 if everyone is fit.

The reports also sound like Petty has been a standout (even though he has been in rehab) but I think he showed more than a few glimpses last year.

From what I have seen at training, if we have a small forward or 2 for Rd 1, we have Chandler, C Wagner, Bedford and Pickett competing for the same spot, it is hard to judge Pickett as he has been pulled out of the full match sim, more often than he has been in it, Xfactor at junior level is not easily replicated at AFL level, but he shows flashes

To have 4 when we have struggled in that position lately, can only be a good thing

Same as the medium size, Melksham and Fritsch look a lock but Hunt is making every post a winner as well upto now and we have to fit ,Trac, ANB and Jones (according to Goody) up there as well

Think it will come down to the pre season games

Jordon and Sparrow are developing nicely but with Viney, Brayshaw, Oliver etc all looking like they will be fit, it wil take something exceptional to force their way in

Lockhart is being developed as a small defender, obviously as cover for Nev, but to give hime some competition as well

Dunkley is being groomed as a winger, obviously with the cloud over Tomlinson at the moment, there is a spot, he is one of the natural footballers we have on the list

Petty is going to be a star, knocking a fully fit May off the line of the ball  to take an uncontested mark, in your first match sim after rehab, is a good start

 

Forgot AVB as well, if they all stay fit, Casey is going to have quite a team

Edited December 19, 20195 yr by Satyriconhome

12 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Almost at the Christmas break and no players have come close to drowning. We’re winning. 

Someone had to put the motzer on it. Hope I"m not sitting next to you at our next GF if you're going to make rash calls early.

2 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Surely the AFL could give us these kids as compensation for long term suffering. (?!?)  Lord is a Tom Hawkins type key forward and Phillips is a gun young midfielder who should go in the top 10 picks in 2020. 

Not sure why you continue to peddle misinformation.  Ollie Lord, notwithstanding he spends most of his time playing in the attacking half of the ground and is a similar height, plays and physically looks nothing like Tom Hawkins, he is a tall, rangy, running key forward/second ruck in the mould of Eric Hipwood and not the predominantly one on one player Hawkins is and was at junior level

 

 

7 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

From what I have seen at training, if we have a small forward or 2 for Rd 1, we have Chandler, C Wagner, Bedford and Pickett competing for the same spot, it is hard to judge Pickett as he has been pulled out of the full match sim, more often than he has been in it, Xfactor at junior level is not easily replicated at AFL level, but he shows flashes

To have 4 when we have struggled in that position lately, can only be a good thing

Same as the medium size, Melksham and Fritsch look a lock but Hunt is making every post a winner as well upto now and we have to fit ,Trac, ANB and Jones (according to Goody) up there as well

Think it will come down to the pre season games

Jordon and Sparrow are developing nicely but with Viney, Brayshaw, Oliver etc all looking like they will be fit, it wil take something exceptional to force their way in

Lockhart is being developed as a small defender, obviously as cover for Nev, but to give hime some competition as well

Dunkley is being groomed as a winger, obviously with the cloud over Tomlinson at the moment, there is a spot, he is one of the natural footballers we have on the list

Petty is going to be a star, knocking a fully fit May off the line of the ball  to take an uncontested mark, in your first match sim after rehab, is a good start

Thanks Saty.

I would say Hunt is also competing for a spot versus the small brigade you mentioned plus Spargo. Personally, I would have Hunt in front of the pack without having a real understanding of Pickett's AFL qualities.

I could see Jetta being overtaken by Lockhart, who is quicker but does not kick the ball as well. I don't see them playing in the same backline, so it will be an interesting contest. Jetta will get the nod if he can keep up with his man.

I agree that Jordon and Sparrow have little chance of being picked in the midfield and IMO they will need to find another role to get into side. I am a bit surprised they haven't put Sparrow in the Jetta, Lockhart contest.

I think Dunkley will be a good footballer. I am not sure he has the tank to play wing though. I understand he was a mid-season draftee, but he was a long way off the fitness required after half time and wing would be the hardest running position in the game today.

I like Petty and hopefully he and/or Weid can stand up this year.

anyone manage to sneak into the 'closed' session today???

5 hours ago, PaulRB said:

On the Bennell hunched back thing, it reminds me of this bloke...

And this bloke?