I've heard people on Demonland complain that it's hard to get decent parking anywhere near Gosch's so I've just been down to check it out for myself.

Good news people!  I've discovered a perfect spot right outside the ground and, what's more, there's HEAPS of spare spaces if anybody's still looking.

Let's make this our little secret and keep it to ourselves, hey? 

The road to look for is Bus Lane.

 

Positive reports on Spargo from a few observers. I still believe we are a better team with him in it.

  On 31/01/2024 at 02:30, 12345_54321 said:

Club have said just a bad cork. 

Must be true then ! 

  On 31/01/2024 at 00:44, Demonland said:

Bit concerned with Petty. He rocked up to training in the white Jumper indicating  he was in one of the teams (Blue vs White jumpers). He had boots in hand but then didn’t train. Another uneducated guess but I get the feeling he was intending to train but then had a niggle or awareness and didn’t train. He didn’t do any running like the other rehabbers and just watched on the sidelines. He just walked back to the rooms with a trainer and whilst wasn’t exactly limping his walking did look hampered. Watch this space. 

My biggest concern going into the new season. Not encouraging so far. We need some consistency and stability in our forward set up. Harry is a big heavy guy not twinkle toes. A big worry. Club should target mid season not before then.

Richo mentioned that this week is a down week for Petty and that they were monitoring his loads closely to see how he progresses. So maybe nothing to be concerned with at this stage but Hunter may not be ready for round zero.

  On 31/01/2024 at 03:01, Dee Zephyr said:

Positive reports on Spargo from a few observers. I still believe we are a better team with him in it.

At training in the free flowing Match SIMs (which really is just end to end circle work and is only approx. 13 on 13 and not really a substitute for the actual pressure of a match) Spargo is utilised as a link up through the middle. He gets a lot of the footy and uses it really well. I can't see him being used as a mid on match day and as a forward pocket or even high half forward we don't get to see enough on match day of what I have witnessed at trainings with him. That said I still think he is best 22.

  On 31/01/2024 at 03:19, hemingway said:

My biggest concern going into the new season. Not encouraging so far. We need some consistency and stability in our forward set up. Harry is a big heavy guy not twinkle toes. A big worry. Club should target mid season not before then.

I have been saying for a long time (on the podcast) that my problem with Petty is that he is very injury prone. I can only recall one full season (2021) and I believe he had an interrupted preseason that year.

Is it possible that with all these minor (?) injuries at this time of the year that we might be having all our bad injury luck now, not when it matters later in the year.

Is it also possible that Richo's comment mentioned above (managing training loads) is a real thing and we might have less to worry about (although it might negate my comment immediately above)?

Who knows? Why waste time and effort speculating? Let's get on with the season and deal with these setbacks if they occur.

GO DEES

I was going for my afternoon walk to Ghoshs Paddock and saw Mark Williams conducting what looked like a goal kicking drill with several players. The players included Gawn, Trac, Brayshaw, Spargo, and Laurie. Some ladies from Korea were watching and all the players had a photo taken with the ladies after the drill finished. Mark Williams was then had a good talk with the Korean ladies. 

  On 31/01/2024 at 03:43, Ditcha said:

I was going for my afternoon walk to Ghoshs Paddock and saw Mark Williams conducting what looked like a goal kicking drill with several players. The players included Gawn, Trac, Brayshaw, Spargo, and Laurie. Some ladies from Korea were watching and all the players had a photo taken with the ladies after the drill finished. Mark Williams was then had a good talk with the Korean ladies. 

Wholesome.

  On 31/01/2024 at 03:36, tiers said:

Is it possible that with all these minor (?) injuries at this time of the year that we might be having all our bad injury luck now, not when it matters later in the year.

Is it also possible that Richo's comment mentioned above (managing training loads) is a real thing and we might have less to worry about (although it might negate my comment immediately above)?

Who knows? Why waste time and effort speculating? Let's get on with the season and deal with these setbacks if they occur.

GO DEES

The counter to that is that some of those players might not be getting a good fitness base into them but if the option is full team round 1 (or 0) or full team on GF Day then you know what I'm going to pick.

  On 31/01/2024 at 02:55, Demonstone said:

I've heard people on Demonland complain that it's hard to get decent parking anywhere near Gosch's so I've just been down to check it out for myself.

Good news people!  I've discovered a perfect spot right outside the ground and, what's more, there's HEAPS of spare spaces if anybody's still looking.

Let's make this our little secret and keep it to ourselves, hey? 

The road to look for is Bus Lane.

 

Parking on the grass, right in the middle of Olympic Park Oval also a good option.
 

Advise locking your doors though as the space is often used as an exercise yard for local inmates.

  On 31/01/2024 at 04:06, The Jackson FIX said:

Parking on the grass, right in the middle of Olympic Park Oval also a good option.
 

Advise locking your doors though as the space is often used as an exercise yard for local inmates.

Doubt you'd get that far - Maynard will run you off the road.

Edited January 31, 20241 yr by Gawndy the Great

For me it is a short train ride to training.

It feels like you have enough time to eat a Burger with the Lot whilst waiting for the Punt Rd lights to change.

Clarrie!!!! - lifted my spirits; still has that same boyish grin and his preferred method of greeting seems to be a wrestle.  Light duties, lots of running, some dodging and don't quote me but has magnificent hips.  Couldnt lay a tackle on him in a phone box.  Had more sunscreen on than the combined U9s cricket team. Looked in excellent spirits. Lots of media in attendance

Chin and Spargs train like they are competing for the same spot.

Salo Hore and McAdam runing some laps.  I dont think Salo would raise a puff blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.  McAdam fitness work in progress.

BBB made an appearance on the boundary line, handballing.  What a head of hair - to think mine started to clog the vacuum cleaner from 15....

TMcs hair coming back to normal.

Petty - light duties, feeding handballs into a drill

May doesnt tackle lightly

No matter where I stand on the fence  it always seem to be happening on the other side....grass is always greener.....

Go Dees

  On 31/01/2024 at 01:15, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Hope not.

Surely other clubs are copping niggles every other training session.

A corky is a relief for Viney. 

May is injured every pre season 

Petty is however a concern for the early rounds given he's still not in full training.

Hopefully Hunter gets himself right. He was good in the Carlton final. 

 

At least Mays not [censored]

I know i'm projecting, but richo's body language in the preseason update is super defensive

petty sounds like he's in and out based upon loads on a per week basis

https://youtu.be/tM2D03nWfUo

TRAINING GALLERY FROM 31/1/24

  On 31/01/2024 at 03:43, Ditcha said:

I was going for my afternoon walk to Ghoshs Paddock and saw Mark Williams conducting what looked like a goal kicking drill with several players. The players included Gawn, Trac, Brayshaw, Spargo, and Laurie. Some ladies from Korea were watching and all the players had a photo taken with the ladies after the drill finished. Mark Williams was then had a good talk with the Korean ladies. 

Red & Blue are prominent colours in the flags of both Koreas, South and North 🇰🇷🇰🇵😊

Also, in traditional Korean folk culture Demons are called Dokkaebi 도깨비

Dokkaebi don't have the negative connotations of Demons as in some other Asian cultures. The Dokkaebi can have supernatural powers, sometimes used in positive ways, sometimes not ...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dokkaebi#:~:text=Dokkaebi (Korean%3A 도깨비) are,and at times helping them.

Edited January 31, 20241 yr by No. 31

  On 31/01/2024 at 05:55, whatwhat say what said:

I know i'm projecting, but richo's body language in the preseason update is super defensive

petty sounds like he's in and out based upon loads on a per week basis

https://youtu.be/tM2D03nWfUo

Thought that myself wwsw the arms folded always trigger that response in me, still we have been on the back foot since seasons end.

Having just come back from hols in Phuket I've realised who Tommy Mac reminds me of - an inmate in a Siberian gulag - because that is what Phuket has become - a very outer suburb of Moscow.

  On 31/01/2024 at 05:55, whatwhat say what said:

I know i'm projecting, but richo's body language in the preseason update is super defensive

petty sounds like he's in and out based upon loads on a per week basis

https://youtu.be/tM2D03nWfUo

Thought that myself wwsw the arms folded always trigger that response in me, still we have been on the back foot since seasons end.

What a great way to start the training Report Demonland set the heart beating with the Clayton news and followed up with a comprehensive report, thanks also to Kev Martin, DEESPENCER, WayneWussell and Jontee for great reports, insights and observations. Also thanks to all posters another great Training day.😁

Thanks to all the training reports.

Much appreciated. 

  On 30/01/2024 at 23:10, Demonland said:

Salem back training with the main group. Looks to be in exceptional nick. 

He’s the one for me, that if back to absolute 2021 GF best, makes us very hard to beat 

  On 31/01/2024 at 07:10, Longsufferingnomore said:

Having just come back from hols in Phuket I've realised who Tommy Mac reminds me of - an inmate in a Siberian gulag - because that is what Phuket has become - a very outer suburb of Moscow.

As a resident, I can confirm this is accurate.

Of Phuket I mean, not a Siberian gulag...