1 hour ago, dpositive said:

Thanks BB  read earlier and after seeing others didn't spot any mention of Dunkley? Is he still the invisible man you mentioned who has plenty of possession but not noticed or has he dropped off?

No, I didn’t see him.

Thanks BB, Deespicableand Saty for the training reports 

52 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Thanks BB, Deespicableand Saty for the training reports 

agreed.....getting good training reports this year

Can the track watchers tell me how Melksham is moving at the moment? 

18 hours ago, binman said:

Thanks for the report.

Its interesting you have Jay as defender (i assume that's who he has been training with?).

I can see him as small defender (but would have to get past Jetts) but i can also see him as a small forward.

This is a concept that I am very guilty of harping on about. There’s a good little clip here of his highlights playing the small forward role...

https://www.reddit.com/r/melbournefc/comments/defpnf/crystal_ballin_with_his_first_preseason_at_the/

There are some very classy, instinctive passages of play here (with the kind of results you want), and to think he was only settling in without a helluva lot of game-conditioning behind him, it’s gotta be an option worth exploring. 

1 hour ago, Leoncelli_36 said:

Can the track watchers tell me how Melksham is moving at the moment? 

Saw him in a rehab group on Friday at Gosch’s. Running multiple 100m sprints with TMac and Crossy. Looked to be moving freely. Later he did some free flowing ball work with TMac and Bedford and again looked to be moving well. Can’t be far off moving onto full training surely. Not sure what the issue is that is holding him back but glad they are taking things slowly. 

12 hours ago, dieter said:

Go Maxi baby...

Looking at this he is a LOOOOOONG WAY of it

11 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

This is a concept that I am very guilty of harping on about. There’s a good little clip here of his highlights playing the small forward role...

https://www.reddit.com/r/melbournefc/comments/defpnf/crystal_ballin_with_his_first_preseason_at_the/

There are some very classy, instinctive passages of play here (with the kind of results you want), and to think he was only settling in without a helluva lot of game-conditioning behind him, it’s gotta be an option worth exploring. 

Nar.. Kysiah has it all over this bloke IMO

17 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Nar.. Kysiah has it all over this bloke IMO

And that may very well be true, but are we expecting Kysaiah to play a full season in his first year? I’ve got my doubts that he’s got the tank for that just yet. And when he needs resting, we’d surely still like to have a SF option. But this could all be moot, as the word is Jay is being groomed as a defender (depth for Nev). Having him as depth in different areas of the ground could be an option though. I just feel like he shouldn’t linger in the background (I feel he’s a better option than Spargo, anyway). 

Edited February 10, 20205 yr by Mel Bourne

5 minutes ago, Mel Bourne said:

And that may very well be true, but are we expecting Kysaiah to play a full season in his first year? I’ve got my doubts that he’s got the tank for that just yet. And when he needs resting, we’d surely still like to have a SF option. But this could all be moot, as the word is Jay is being groomed as a defender (depth for Nev). Having him as depth in different areas of the ground could be an option though. I just feel like he shouldn’t linger in the background (I feel he’s a better option than Spargo, anyway). 

Hes gonna play Jeffies Role ... You don"t need a tank as Forward Pocket!!

And forget Spargo.... Not and never will be up to it!!

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Hes gonna play Jeffies Role ... You don"t need a tank as Forward Pocket!!

And forget Spargo.... Not and never will be up to it!!

Maybe not a tank per se, but if he plays 23 games in his first year I’ll be very surprised. He’s gonna get hit by some big blokes this year, and that’s gonna be tough on his developing frame. Resting will be required. 

7 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

Maybe not a tank per se, but if he plays 23 games in his first year I’ll be very surprised. He’s gonna get hit by some big blokes this year, and that’s gonna be tough on his developing frame. Resting will be required. 

And besides you can have two smalls up forward. The tigers have at least two at any one time.

2 minutes ago, binman said:

And besides you can have two smalls up forward. The tigers have at least two at any one time.

This ??

So what is with Petty Is it a bad injury?

 

8 hours ago, picket fence said:

Nar.. Kysiah has it all over this bloke IMO

Will be a back pocket by seasons end or small HB flanker with the run and line break we need 

18 hours ago, Deespicable said:

As for Smithy, he looks in super shape for his matchup with Jack Darling in Rd 1. 

Thanks for the report Deespicable, I found the above interesting only because I’m struggling to place Smith in the 22 let alone as a key back. 

A lot to play out until Rd 1 but he’s behind May, Lever and O Mac for mine in the talls department. He’s highly rated by a few on here due to his athleticism mainly, I just hope his body holds up long enough to put up a decent block of footy. 

12 hours ago, Leoncelli_36 said:

Can the track watchers tell me how Melksham is moving at the moment? 

Melk is in what I call the advanced rehab group along with Smith, Brayshaw and Hannan.

They were doing multiple 100m runs along the boundary at full pace, full pace agility work, kicking and marking (not Brayshaw).

I've seen players stay in this group for 2 weeks (Tomlinson, Baker) but Smith, Melk and Hannan look ready to go to me although I'd imagine Hannan will be held back for some time given his lack of preseason to date.  My guess is Melk has had a hammy twinge and that they will nurse him for a while to get him really right but if a final was tomorrow he'd play. 

13 minutes ago, Baghdad Bob said:

Melk is in what I call the advanced rehab group along with Smith, Brayshaw and Hannan.

They were doing multiple 100m runs along the boundary at full pace, full pace agility work, kicking and marking (not Brayshaw).

I've seen players stay in this group for 2 weeks (Tomlinson, Baker) but Smith, Melk and Hannan look ready to go to me although I'd imagine Hannan will be held back for some time given his lack of preseason to date.  My guess is Melk has had a hammy twinge and that they will nurse him for a while to get him really right but if a final was tomorrow he'd play. 

Great report BB!Very concise and insightful.

 

1 hour ago, Baghdad Bob said:

Melk is in what I call the advanced rehab group along with Smith, Brayshaw and Hannan.

They were doing multiple 100m runs along the boundary at full pace, full pace agility work, kicking and marking (not Brayshaw).

I've seen players stay in this group for 2 weeks (Tomlinson, Baker) but Smith, Melk and Hannan look ready to go to me although I'd imagine Hannan will be held back for some time given his lack of preseason to date.  My guess is Melk has had a hammy twinge and that they will nurse him for a while to get him really right but if a final was tomorrow he'd play. 

thanks BB. I have heard that Melky has a re-occurring hammy complain, which will be managed throughout the year. I appreciate your optimism, but do not expect him to feature in the early rounds, which is a huge blow. Particularly given the likelihood of Hannan being MIA for the first 5 rounds also. I suppose it opens the door for others. 

1 hour ago, Leoncelli_36 said:

thanks BB. I have heard that Melky has a re-occurring hammy complain, which will be managed throughout the year. I appreciate your optimism, but do not expect him to feature in the early rounds, which is a huge blow. Particularly given the likelihood of Hannan being MIA for the first 5 rounds also. I suppose it opens the door for others. 

I haven't heard anything so my opinion is purely on observation.  He's had hammy issues for a long time now so one wonders how they will handle it.  At some stage you've got to pull the trigger.  Perhaps they manage his time on ground but at this stage he's doing a lot of work in rehab. Can you "fix" his sort of hammy issues?  He did almost all the stuff before Christmasso they must have been happy with it then.

Yes I'd imagine Hannan will have to do a lot of work before he's available given he's missed a lot of the preseason.  My mail was that Chandler was expected to push very hard and his pre Christmas stuff was very good.  He can't be all that far away and when his wrist is "right" he'll be straight back into it.  But with Melk, Spargo, Hannan and Chandler all suffering injury the door is wide open for Kossie or even perhaps Bedford who hasn't put a foot wrong or missed any preseason. 

It will be interesting to see but like most it's disappointing to see the injury list growing at this stage.

21 hours ago, binman said:

Thanks for the report.

Its interesting you have Jay as defender (i assume that's who he has been training with?).

I can see him as small defender (but would have to get past Jetts) but i can also see him as a small forward.

Lockhart is the backup for Nev, something we lacked last season, learning off the best

Edited February 11, 20205 yr by Satyriconhome

13 hours ago, picket fence said:

Hes gonna play Jeffies Role ... You don"t need a tank as Forward Pocket!!

And forget Spargo.... Not and never will be up to it!!

Bedford is ahead of Kossie at the moment due to fitness, different type of player, expect Kossie to spend majority of the year at Casey

 

Uncle Nev nailing Kossie, he had seen the move before???