Loving these few quotes from Christian in an interview with the HS today. Amazing to think of how much he has grown the last few years.

“Someone sent me a tweet that someone had posted: ‘Petracca already back in the gym.’

“That’s our job, that’s what I get paid to do."

“I don’t get paid to sit on my [censored], I get paid to train and get better for next year.”

 

And this little bit was pretty wholesome too. Can't help but feel there's a lot of Max in this vibe but the whole club have really taken it on:

“When we were out of lockdown and started to go out a bit, you’d see Melbourne fans, the smiles on their faces, and you realised what you’ve actually done in terms of breaking this curse, ending a 57-year drought,” Petracca says.

“The person we bought our house off was a massive Melbourne supporter. The mum was an elderly lady, she gave me a massive hug, which was really, really cool. I couldn’t stop smiling.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/footy22-magazine-get-your-2022-afl-season-guide/news-story/dcacc42db654ef8a434dc71dd19f1db4

 

Just now, Lord Nev said:

Loving these few quotes from Christian in an interview with the HS today. Amazing to think of how much he has grown the last few years.

“Someone sent me a tweet that someone had posted: ‘Petracca already back in the gym.’

“That’s our job, that’s what I get paid to do."

“I don’t get paid to sit on my [censored], I get paid to train and get better for next year.”

 

 

Would be great if other players around the comp took the same approach. You're not paid for 22 games + finals you're paid year round to maintain your body in peak physical condition for those games.

Definitely a future captain in my eyes. His maturity in the past 18 months has been through the roof.

I'm also a big Jake Lever fan in terms of being a future captain.

A few years ago I thought Christian was too lazy to fulfil his amazing potential. More to the point, that his two way running was inadequate. He did not have a tank. 

However, in some sportsmen’s lives there comes a moment in time when they get it. Some are born with, some never get it, and others like CP develop it. 

All athletes have ability. The ones at the top have more than the rest. However, to take that big step forward takes a lot more. It means being fully committed every day, completely goal orientated and sacrificing all manner of things. In particular social life and other distractions. The best athletes are single minded and focussed. They may be  modest but they have enormous self confidence and ambition. Never taking half measures and always seeking to improve. 

There are a lot of people that have contributed to CPs improvement but at the end of the day it has to come from within. 

Hats off to him. A future Captain no doubt. But this guy will go a long way in life due to his attitude and strength of personality. 

And he has a few mates in the red and blue. 

I love the new attitude at the MFC with most players realising the success comes with sacrifice and as Gary Player once said "the harder I practice, the luckier I get" is applicable to 2021 season where players did 'train the house down all season' and the 4th quarter of the grand final showed the results.

Petracca has realised he just cannot expect that potential without sacrifice will be just potential thru out your career rather than stardom, it is pity players like Colin Sylvia and Jack Watts did not embrace this philosophy.

As far as being the Captain of the MFC there are several players who could be the next captain including Viney, Lever, Salem, Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw and one from left field Jackson

40 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Would be great if other players around the comp took the same approach. You're not paid for 22 games + finals you're paid year round to maintain your body in peak physical condition for those games.

I'd be happy if no opposition players did so!

Trac has definitely matured and shows great leadership .traits.

But if selecting a successor to Max I'd be looking at Jake Lever.

I bang on about NHL a lot but those guys, and not just the top top guys are nuts when it comes to understanding they're body is there meal ticket. They are elite athletes so I need to train and eat like one. Couple of articles about one of my fav players in Nathan MacKinnon, he is nuts about his training and food intake, the second article on how he gets on team mates about a proper diet and had the team change what is served to all of the players... 

https://www.gq.com/story/real-life-diet-nathan-mackinnon

https://www.bardown.com/former-avalanche-player-revealed-nathan-mackinnon-s-dietary-habits-and-the-memes-are-out-of-control-1.1677888

"“He’s crazy like that, he eats well. He doesn’t drink either. He only drinks water,” Zadorov said. “Two years ago in Colorado, he got rid of all the desserts he could. He also removed them from the locker room and pre-game meals. He had the white sauce (carbonara) removed from the menu when eating pasta. He even replaced regular pasta with chickpea pasta so we would eat more protein.”

“He would say, “Guys, if you want to eat this sh*t, you have the off-season to do it. When you step in here, there won’t be any more of that, because we’re winning the Cup this year.” Zadorov also explained that it worked. “All the kids on the team see him do it,” he continued, ” they look up to him and want to do their part.”

 

Liverpool and EPL clubs spend up big on it as well - https://www.goal.com/en/news/klopps-best-signing-how-liverpool-found-the-recipe-for/119dx07fkpe6j1vgd987pavnf1

Great to see Tracc and the boys embracing being a professional.

 

Remember when we struggled to find someone suitable to be captain? Now we have options. That may mean Petracca and a whole lot of others worthy of the honour miss out.

My view has always been that the best player isn't necessarily the obvious choice for captain. I also strongly believe the role shouldn't be seen purely in game day terms. The captain has to do so much more than just play well, with most of it done behind the scenes. It's therefore impossible for supporters to know who should be captain.

Yep. Relax when you retire. 
I am so happy this Attitude has finally infiltrated the Great Melbourne Football Club

i banged on about it for years, and honestly thought it wouldn’t happen 

We must be loud and proud. 
 

More Cups on The MCG

What a gun. He will get better now that he has the ultimate confidence in himself and the team

i dont see him as a Captain though. Gawn, Viney, Lever. He is the star of the team and the X factor. That’s enough to focus on

4 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Definitely a future captain in my eyes. His maturity in the past 18 months has been through the roof.

I'm also a big Jake Lever fan in terms of being a future captain.

I agree, but there's no question that Trac is by far the most marketable player at our club besides Gawn.

That matters, especially when you're not a massive club rolling in cash.

I think the 3 for me are Lever, Trac and Brayshaw. 

Gus i think would be a great captain, he's a team player through and through

But geez Levers voice, direction and leadership on game day, and at training is as good as i think i've seen, so he'd be my bet. 

 

Steven May and Jake Lever as co-captains of the future. There will be no slacking. 

Can definitely see Lever and Trac as the 2 obvious contenders for captains, but as they're the same age I suspect only one of these 2 will be the long term captain after Max relinquishes the gig and the other misses out.

One of the key criteria of a captain is their communication skills through the media and the public and how they represent the club.

That's why I couldn't believe D Martin was a supposed contender to captain Richmond and why Oliver would probably never captain our club. Being a captain is more than leading by example on the field. 

Both Lever and Trac handle themselves brilliantly and are natural public speakers.

  

8 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Definitely a future captain in my eyes. His maturity in the past 18 months has been through the roof.

I'm also a big Jake Lever fan in terms of being a future captain.

I can see Rivers getting the nod after one of them.

10 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

I can see Rivers getting the nod after one of them.

To see how far we've come, Jack Trengove was 20 years and 181 days when appointed captain. Today, Rivers is 20 years and 209 days old. There are clearly many more choices available today than when Trengove was appointed.

20 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Can definitely see Lever and Trac as the 2 obvious contenders for captains, but as they're the same age I suspect only one of these 2 will be the long term captain after Max relinquishes the gig and the other misses out.

One of the key criteria of a captain is their communication skills through the media and the public and how they represent the club.

That's why I couldn't believe D Martin was a supposed contender to captain Richmond and why Oliver would probably never captain our club. Being a captain is more than leading by example on the field. 

Both Lever and Trac handle themselves brilliantly and are natural public speakers.

  

We can have co captains no law against it. 

Tracc has come a long way, but I think there are others are ahead of him in the MFC leadership stakes.

Jake Lever will be our next captain IMO.

3 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

I agree, but there's no question that Trac is by far the most marketable player at our club besides Gawn.

That matters, especially when you're not a massive club rolling in cash.

Doesnt the $23 mill count for the Bentleigh Club? 
Never been more financial  in our 125 years We have about $30 mill in cash and other financial assets . 

FORGOT to Mention C.P 5 Today, but he was "brilliant, influential, architectural and manifestly incorporate of everything a prospective captain should be!

I'm enjoying the way Christians progressing but my votes with J.Lever as well. The guy wants to punch himself in the head for dropping a mark even the games already won. I Love that. 

5 hours ago, Dwight Schrute said:

I think the 3 for me are Lever, Trac and Brayshaw. 

Gus i think would be a great captain, he's a team player through and through

But geez Levers voice, direction and leadership on game day, and at training is as good as i think i've seen, so he'd be my bet. 

 

Hodge like.

I am a Lever-like leader - but when your best player is as dedicated as Track is - there is no competition. 

CP5 for next captain.

We’ve got, comfortably 5 ‘ leaders ‘ on the field at any moment in this team… and not just the ones that stick out like a sore thumb. 
Look at Sparrow getting between Viney and a couple of Cats players and easing him out of the danger zone in the Preliminary final or Neal Bullen coming into a group of celebrating forwards after the second goal of the last quarter in the Grand Final, telling them to focus. That’s where leadership is appearing in our team now!!!