Jump to content

2024 Preseason Training Thread

WERRIDEE
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

On 08/01/2024 at 18:27, 58er said:

Results however will tell the tale of Casey being the major training ground with about 20 advantages over Goschs In our drought breaking 2021 premiership. 

The facilities at Casey recently only upgraded are second to none for professional footballers and not just a field made out of open space like Casey.

And the size of the ground and its surface plus dimensions of the MCG which no doubt assists our AFL boys adjust to training and moves on the same size. 

About the only advantage of Goschs is location which some Club supporters allow to blinker judgement on Casey for any little event that is played or held let alone the historic playing home ground advantage to both the AFL and VFL teams.

An hours drive into the country was the privilege of our immortal 2021  heroes and could well be again in 2024 if we lift the flag again. 

Yes it would be nicer if we could actually gain admission to the ground to watch our heroes on occasions. Mr Picket excluded also unfortunately. 
 

 

 

Watching training at Casey is much better than Gosh's as far as seeing goes when they open the gates (maybe I should say if ever).   It's banked all the way around and a small grandstand, so you can see both sides of the ground.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     
    1 hour ago, binman said:

    I reckon he could.

    Sestan has some real x factor about him and like Mcvee, who is another Taylor special, his point of different is his foot skills. But like Mcvee needs an AFL tank and body - which he looks like he is working on.  

    Sestan has the ability to kick those across the body on the 45 kicks that players like Daniel, Miers, Guthrie, Crisp and Nick Daicos are so good at hitting.

    With all teams employing zones and and all team defence having players with that skill has become increasingly important to cut through congestion and find free players. 

    He's clearly giving himself an opportunity to succeed. It'd be a great story if he debuted this year. 

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    On 02/01/2024 at 22:57, WalkingCivilWar said:

    Training resumes on Monday, January 15th at Gosch’s. 

    I was just told training won’t be at Gosch’s until after the Aus Open ends. Sorry for the misinformation. ☹️

  • Quote
    •  
    9 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

    I was just told training won’t be at Gosch’s until after the Aus Open ends. Sorry for the misinformation. ☹️

    Bummer!! eh MCW.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    34 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

    I was just told training won’t be at Gosch’s until after the Aus Open ends. Sorry for the misinformation. ☹️

    Then I hope they are going to open up Casey for some sessions.

    ...it's the least they can do.

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    1 hour ago, 58er said:

    Bummer!! eh MCW.

    Huge bummer. Casey sucks. 

  • Quote

    On a cheerful note on this otherwise gloomy morning. Any folk walking their dogs around a cyclone fence at a distant suburban ground this morning?

  • Quote
    • Haha 5

    No Clarry according to Xander McGuire on Twitter. Probably planned he wasn't there.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     

    Some photos on the club website 

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    1 hour ago, Tarax Club said:

    On a cheerful note on this otherwise gloomy morning. Any folk walking their dogs around a cyclone fence at a distant suburban ground this morning?

    A friend of mine was there and said there’s a grand total of seven spectators. 

  • Quote
    59 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

    No Clarry according to Xander McGuire on Twitter. Probably planned he wasn't there.

    Clarry on extended leave. I think we need to plan around him not being in the team for quite a while, I hope this is not too extended, but I'm not that hopeful🤯

    Edited by picket fence

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    19 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

    Huge bummer. Casey sucks. 

    IYO.

    Fantastic  facility and just because it’s not near your BACK DOOR you can’t be bothered with it. 

  • Quote
    • Sad 1
    1 hour ago, 640MD said:

    Some photos on the club website 

    yeah, they really went overboard. 7 photos.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Haha 4

    1 hour ago, 58er said:

    IYO.

    Fantastic  facility and just because it’s not near your BACK DOOR you can’t be bothered with it. 

    It’s got absolutely nothing to do with its proximity to mine. I’ve done the six-hour round trip on public transport numerous times and would be happy to *continue doing so if it was a good ground FOR SPECTATORS, but it’s not. There’s seating for only 300 people, and that’s in the sole stand which is reserved for players’ families and friends. So effectively, zero seating. There’s no protection from the gale force winds. There’s not a nearby train station. There’s no shops and/or pubs, eateries nearby. And the biggest problem is that spectators can’t get close enough to watch training. Therefore, for spectators… it sucks.

    *that said, I’ll continue to make the trek there for our W matches, especially since the girls hate playing there and would sooner play at Ikon. Having a decent crowd makes it less sh!ttty for them. 

  • Quote
    23 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

    It’s got absolutely nothing to do with its proximity to mine. I’ve done the six-hour round trip on public transport numerous times and would be happy to *continue doing so if it was a good ground FOR SPECTATORS, but it’s not. There’s seating for only 300 people, and that’s in the sole stand which is reserved for players’ families and friends. So effectively, zero seating. There’s no protection from the gale force winds. There’s not a nearby train station. There’s no shops and/or pubs, eateries nearby. And the biggest problem is that spectators can’t get close enough to watch training. Therefore, for spectators… it sucks.

    *that said, I’ll continue to make the trek there for our W matches, especially since the girls hate playing there and would sooner play at Ikon. Having a decent crowd makes it less sh!ttty for them. 

    I tend to agree... Its actually only a 45 min drive for me coming from the other direction...a good 60K...  Tbh....I'm never tempted to spend the petrol on it...   Not to peer through cyclone etc...thats just pox really  . Theyre' decent enough facilities for professional sports....  don't get too fooled anyone in thinking this is the Bees knees  or ideal.  You want that...look to what the Lions have etc...  and we too maybe one day.

    It's ahhh....  fairly agricultural at Casey..

    Edited by beelzebub

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    On 10/01/2024 at 15:06, Roost it far said:

    He's clearly giving himself an opportunity to succeed. It'd be a great story if he debuted this year. 

    Goody has track record of some left field selection of young, unheralded players. Bowser and Mcveee being two such examples (none other immediately come to mind, but i feel like i'm missing some).

    So, Sestan will know that if he does the work he has shot. And personally i think a good one because we could really do with his kicking skills an general smarts. 

    Probably not really left field but i reckon Howes and Woey are both massive chances to be in the round one team.

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
    2 hours ago, sue said:

    https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/our-primary-focus-is-clayton-s-overall-wellbeing-oliver-still-on-leave-20240111-p5ewgt.html

    This is good, and i think well over due - ie the club coming out and putting Clarry 'on extended leave to deal with his ongoing health issues'. 

    Without getting into the specifics of his issues and what is happening for Clarry the absolute right approach by the club is taking a health focused approach - for Clarry, the team and fans. 

    Making it clear he is on extended leave takes some of the pressure off, allows fans to recalibrate and come to terms with the likelihood we won't see him in the team for a while.

    But perhaps even more importantly it means the rest of the team can focus on their own preparation without some of the fugazi.

    Easy to forget i reckon how stressful and unhelpful this has all been on his teammates, particularly those who have been long term mates such as tracc and Salo.  

    Personally i'm approaching the situation like Clarry had an ACL last season. He's out, he's not coming anytime soon and it's not clear how long it will be before he does come back. 

    I'm sending positive vibes Clarry's way and wish him nothing but the best. 

  • Quote
    • Like 15
    • Love 1

    4 minutes ago, Demonland said:

     

    Looks like TMac may have lost a bet over the chrissy break...

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 4

    I'm trying to work out whether Tom McDonald's hair has gone grey or bleached blonde - both of which are decent grounds for the crew cut. On the other hand, he does appear to my unprofessional eye to have slimmed down around the hips.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    4 minutes ago, Vipercrunch said:

    Looks like TMac may have lost a bet over the chrissy break...

    He's a different cat. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Haha 1
     
    30 minutes ago, Demonland said:

     

    Salo looks in ripping nick. 

    A fit and firing Salem will be a huge fillip. 

  • Quote
    • Like 13

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • PREVIEW: West Coast

      It was bad enough that the Melbourne Football Club created yet another humiliating scenario inside its wretched season at Marvel Stadium last Sunday, but the final insult is that it has been commanded to return to the scene of the crime to inflict further punishment on its fans this week. Incidentally, if this match preview, of a game that promises to be one of the most unattractive fixtures in the history of the game, happens to cut out of your computer screen three quarters of the way through, it’s no coincidence. I’ll be mirroring the Demons’ lacklustre effort against St Kilda from last Sunday when they conceded the largest last quarter turnaround for victory in the history of the game.

        • Haha
        • Like
      • 5 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: St. Kilda

      When looking back at the disastrous end to the game, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

      • 9 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Sandringham

      The Casey Demons rebounded from a sluggish start to manufacture a decisive win against Sandringham in the final showdown, culminating a quarter century of intense rivalry between the fluctuating alignments of teams affiliated with AFL clubs Melbourne and St Kilda, as the Saints and the Zebras prepare to forge independent paths in 2026. After conceding three of the first four goals of the match, the Demons went on a goal kicking rampage instigated by the winning ruck combination of Tom Campbell with 26 hitouts, 26 disposals and 13 clearances and his apprentice Will Verrall who contributed 20 hitouts. This gave first use of the ball to the likes of Jack Billings, Bayley Laurie, Riley Bonner and Koltyn Tholstrup who was impressive early. By the first break they had added seven goals and took a strong grip on the game. The Demons were well served up forward early by Mitch Hardie and, as the game progressed, Harry Sharp proved a menace with a five goal performance. Emerging young forwards Matthew Jefferson and Luker Kentfield kicked two each but the former let himself down with some poor kicking for goal.
      Young draft talent Will Duursma showed the depth of his talent and looks well out of reach for Melbourne this year. Kalani White was used sparingly and had a brief but uneventful stint in the ruck.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: West Coast

      The Demons return to the scene of the crime on Saturday to face the wooden spooners the Eagles at the Docklands. Who comes in and who goes out? Like moving deck chairs on the Titanic.

        • Sad
        • Like
      • 330 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: St. Kilda

      This season cannot end soon enough. Disgraceful.

        • Sad
        • Clap
        • Like
      • 484 replies
      Demonland

    • VOTES: St. Kilda

      Captain Max Gawn still has a massive lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Christian Petracca, Kozzy Pickett, Jake Bowey & Clayton Oliver. Your votes please; 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

        • Clap
      • 27 replies
      Demonland
    View All