PRESEASON TRAINING: Wednesday 11 December 2024

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

Someone was wondering if Tom Couch is still involved with coaching in tennis. He is but he’s scaled it right back. He’s got the AO but as for other events he doesn’t travel anymore. 

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,755]

  On 10/12/2024 at 23:33, Ghostwriter said:

Someone was wondering if Tom Couch is still involved with coaching in tennis. He is but he’s scaled it right back. He’s got the AO but as for other events he doesn’t travel anymore. 

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Is Kolt out there today?

Also, do we know what Melks issue was on Monday?

Edited December 10, 2024 by DistrACTION Jackson

[BLWNBA 1,483]

  On 10/12/2024 at 23:40, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Is Kolt out there today?

Also, do we know what Melks issue was on Monday?

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*correction; Kolt is training with the main group. 
 

Melksham running laps. 

Edited December 10, 2024 by BLWNBA

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

  On 10/12/2024 at 23:40, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Is Kolt out there today?

Also, do we know what Melks issue was on Monday?

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Kolt is out there training with the others. He looks fine. I don’t know what Melk’s issue is but he doesn’t look happy. 

[BLWNBA 1,483]

Viney limping and looks done for the day. Moved from Gosch’s to AAMI. 

[Demons11 7,152]

  On 10/12/2024 at 23:57, BLWNBA said:

Viney limping and looks done for the day. Moved from Gosch’s to AAMI. 

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Does it look serious? 

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

Claz just tackled Fritta, slammed him hard into the ground. Before he got up off Fritta he kissed him. 😂

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,137]

  On 10/12/2024 at 23:57, BLWNBA said:

Viney limping and looks done for the day. Moved from Gosch’s to AAMI. 

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  On 11/12/2024 at 00:20, Ghostwriter said:

Claz just tackled Fritta, slammed him hard into the ground. Before he got up off Fritta he kissed him. 😂

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It's bad enough worrying about injuries which cause players to limp, but now we have to worry about boy germs, too.

[BLWNBA 1,483]

  On 11/12/2024 at 00:07, Demons11 said:

Does it look serious? 

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Didn’t see the incident, so a little difficult to determine. Just inferring from his body language but he didn’t look too pleased and seemed in some discomfort. 
 

Left the ground with one trainer, but was able to walk back (albeit, with a limp). 
 

I’d likely think precautionary, but that’s just a ‘gut feel’. 

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

Maysie got a good night’s sleep last night. He had the 8pm-1am shift during which Millie slept the entire time. He maybe shouldn’t have told us that since he’s likely jinxed himself… again. 😅

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

No worries whatsoever with Vines. He’s “crook in the guts” according to Richo and Lamby. Apparently he was eating a pizza last night and he ate a prawn knowing the poop shute hadn’t been removed. Richo said if I post on Demonland I’m to tell you all that “silly Jack ate something he should’ve known would make him sick.” As for the limping, they both said there’s nothing in it. Not even a niggle. 

[Ditcha 707]

I attended some of the training session this morning. A lot of ball movement exercises, with Nathan Basset giving a lot of instructions to defenders. Rehab group including Melt, McAdam, and  Seston doing some ball movement. 

[Demonland 74,522]

 

[Demonland 74,522]

Jake Bowey's dancing feet 🦶 #DemonSpirit pic.twitter.com/NbAcdD7Ow1

— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) December 11, 2024

[Demonland 74,522]

Kalani White putting in work.#DemonSpirit pic.twitter.com/WdpbouBqAy

— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) December 11, 2024

[Demonland 74,522]

Koltyn Tholstrup showing some power 💪#DemonSpirit pic.twitter.com/MGiNpzM9nT

— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) December 11, 2024

[Demonland 74,522]

Harvey Langford putting the sessions together.#DemonSpirit pic.twitter.com/wB5jpxa3kV

— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) December 11, 2024

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,755]

  On 11/12/2024 at 01:13, Demonland said:

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Kalani is obviously a string bean atm, But he looks like he will fill out nicely with a big frame.

[Demonland 74,522]

  On 11/12/2024 at 01:15, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Kalani is obviously a string bean atm, But he looks like he will fill out nicely with a big frame.

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Couple of Preseasons in the gym and a good nutrition plan and he'll be right to go.

[Demonland 74,522]

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

  On 11/12/2024 at 01:17, Demonland said:

Couple of Preseasons in the gym and a good nutrition plan and he'll be right to go.

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And that gym will be in Victoria 😜

Kalani’s girlfriend is QLD born and bred but wouldn’t have a problem with relocating to Melbourne. She likes warm weather but likes cold weather just as much since she lurves her a warm tracksuit, in particular, warm tracky daks. Melbourne ticks all those boxes 😂

He signs his name with #34 as a “recent addition” Will it be a permanent addition? We’ll have to wait and see. But a smile and a wink speaks volumes, to me anyways.

edit: Kalani is staying at Geoff Porz’s house with Luker and Kolt, although Kolt stays at his girlfriend’s place often. Kalani is happy and comfortable living there. He likes that the other two boys live there as well. 

Edited December 11, 2024 by Ghostwriter

[Roost it far 10,210]

If the kid is signing his name with #34 then it’s pretty clear where he sees himself.

[Hunt29 297]

  On 11/12/2024 at 01:43, Roost it far said:

If the kid is signing his name with #34 then it’s pretty clear where he sees himself.

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Unless he’s gong to politely ask Ben King to vacate the number. 

[Ghostwriter 5,517]

Petts is happy to be a swing man. He likes that he’s useful in both areas of the ground. He has no lingering issues with his foot, it’s totally healed and healed well.

He mentioned SpargiPants’s progress. He said “Charles” (that’s what the boys call him) is running at pace and is on a tailored program. Tomorrow is his running day (every Thursday) and so far he’s pulled up well after each session. Petts talked about foot/ankle injuries taking the longest recovery time with (in his opinion) achilles injuries being the “trickiest.” He said Charles is further along in his recovery than we think from just watching him on these whole-team training sessions. 

[BLWNBA 1,483]

A few observations from this morning (noting I wasn’t there for the whole session).

I arrived at around 1015 and the squad was already out on the track. The rehab group consisted of XL, McAdam, Melksham, Spargo and Sestan. Lever was also on restricted duties and appeared to be in runners. 

The main group was doing end-to-end transition work in a simulated match situation. Ball movement was focused on moving the ball from a kick in, into the forward line, with focus on kicking to the advantage of a forward. In this drill it appeared Petty was playing as a forward alongside Luka and Turner, while TMac was a defender. I was unable to really see down the other end from where I was positioned, but Pickett also played as a forward linking player, along side Ricky. Ricky Mentha does some nice things, though there were a few times he was caught as a result of not taking the first option, or getting corralled on the boundary line as a result of attempting to use his pace and quicksteps to get around a defending player.  For this exercise it seemed as though Trac was designated as a ‘no-contact’ player and had the high-vis vest adorned. 

I will say, the intensity was there. But, I thought the ball movement for the most part left a lot to be desired, particularly with the linking possession from the D50 into the centre or onto a wing. There were multiple turnovers, or failure to hit a target, which resulted in an ‘opposition’ score. FWIW, I’m not saying this is a doom and gloom worst preseason ever type of scenario, but I am calling it on the body of work I saw. 

Similarly, there were numerous kicks into the attacking F50 that went straight to a defender, including several uncontested efforts. 

In terms of some ‘positives’, Petracca does look very, very fit. His lateral movement was amazing at times, and he was extremely vocal. I‘m not going to make a judgement on what this means for anything post 2025, but undoubtedly his professionalism will get him through next season whatever the outcome. He looks raring to go. 

Turner did some nice things up forward, including a very nice roving goal from spilt contested mark. I think he’ll be a very handy addition up forward and will continue to impact. Chocco was also issuing some very vocal encouragement to Kenterfield (who, is absolutely massive). 

Hore could, in all likelihood, easily fulfil a depth role. He had some great moments including a goal saving spoil and fitted in seamlessly next to TMac as a defender.

Langford is definitely a big boy. I’m beyond excited to see what he can do. In the full ground exercise he contested multiple marking contests and although he probably should’ve stuck a couple of the marks, he was at least able to ensure that the ball was brought to ground, rather than allowing his opponent to make a contested mark. He seemed to be playing as a marking half-forward and in a few of the plays I saw, seemed to be used as a marking runner from a kick-in. 

In terms of an early bolter for next year, I think we may see a big uptick in output from Kolt. Geez, he’s got some wheels on him and I was really surprised by his pace and ability to transition the ball. He’s a lot quicker than he looks on tv, and he’s got an uncanny ability to pick up the ball and roll with it. I was somewhat reticent on him, but I was very impressed from what I saw. 

The second exercise saw the group split into two and move into another contested ball movement exercise. Essentially the ball was brought in from one end of the ‘centre square’ (the exercise only utilised approx 25 x 10 in terms of a simulated centre square), by a ‘random’ player, and then a series of quick handballs were made in attempt to bring the ball to a coach on the other side of the ‘square’. Goodwin and Jones were the two ‘linesman’ for the group I observed. Petracca fully participated in this exercise, including contact, and was extremely vocal. He chased energetically, and once again his lateral movement was on full display. Several times the players were vocally reminded to ‘hunt the ball’ by Goodwin. 

I left not long after this exercise concluded. I’ll add more if anything pops into my mind, though I acknowledge this lacks a lot of depth like we see from our usual track watches. 

Edited December 11, 2024 by BLWNBA