TRAINING: Wednesday 22nd January 2025

[Demonland 73,265]

Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force for training at Gosch's Paddock on Wednesday morning for the MFC's School Holidays Open Training Session.

DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

REHAB: TMac, Chandler, McVee, Tholstrup, Brown, Spargo

Brown might have passed his fitness test as he’s back out with the main group. 

Sparrow not present.

Kozzy not present either. 

Mini Rehab group has broken off from the match sim (contact) group: Max, Trac, Lever, Fullarton, Woey, Jefferson

Petty playing in defense in the match sim. 

WAYNE WUSSELL'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Chin out if sling. Just a bandage high on right arm, doing boundary runs at half pace, not able to swing that right arm.

Jefferson back from protocols.

Tholstrup doing short passes to trainer on the lead.

38 players in main group, 3 train ons, haven’t seen Kossie.

Rick Lever in main group.

Up till now, two groups ball movement, low pressure, constant motion. Key forwards leading patterns, no opponents.

Fritta playing more mid in full ground sim, wearing yellow vest which seems to indicate he can kick either way. Sestan nice spoil on Bowey, gathers ball and snaps truly.

Clayton and Caleb involved in multiple link up chains, scorched Earth! 

Great tackle on Viney by Bill. Campbell takes screamer over Verrall, Howes marking well on intercept. McAdam caught by Hore, holding the ball!

40, 33, 11, 5, 21 & 8 running laps at pace

Great mark by Hore in big pack. JVR finds McAdam in lead. Ollie in 40+ form, running riot! 

Goody gives Ollie a pat on the back for his efforts during a short break.

Gigantic hit by Adams on Disco (I think) in a pack knocked the stuffing out of him. He was struggling to recover for 10 minutes.

Some other thoughts about training today.

Melksham and JVR were the most effective forwards. Both seem set for a bright 2025. Fritsch was also good but played further from goal much of the time... still managed to snag 2 or 3!

Billings and Short spent a lot of time on each other (on the wing I presume, although they roamed far and wide). I thought Billings had the better of the duel.

Roy G was more involved today. Ricky Mentha was impressive in run and carry

Jed Adams has definitely improved and is having more impact as a key back.

Jack V is running with the ball more than previously, but his opponents know that they can catch him and did so on more than the odd occasion.

The stand outs for me in match sim were Clayton & Caleb, closely followed by Rivers, Fritsch and Melksham.

 McAdam was offering good leads and took several marks in front of opponent.

Bill Bailey is also having more input than previously.

Tom Campbell is the dominant ruck with Max being on lighter duties.

Langford and Lindsay did well with ball in hand but were not prolific (Clayton, Caleb and Rivers were)

FRITTA AND TURNER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Happy New Year everyone.

A slight cool wind but after the last days heat a welcome relief.

GhostWriter putting in a solid performance at the sausage sizzle. Dominated at the till.

Players out on the track at 9.30.

Didnt see Sparrow, Kozzie and Kentfield.

Kynan doing rehab then joined in with the main group.

Chin has a troublesome right arm/shoulder but can still run

Spargo, TMc, McVee, Kolt in rehab doing handball drills. After, Kolt ran with Chin.

Max aint getting any quicker.

Jeffo trained like he thought he belonged. Confidence is up.

To me some players at training seem to be invisible but today I give a nod to Adams, Sesso and Howes.

May has an incredible physical presence. Intimidating.

Mentha and George looked good, quick to turn the other way.

Fritta trained in a yellow vest.

Kids love Tracca and lots of them were there.

Obviously we are looking for quick ball movement with one of the drills being to move the ball on in 3 seconds.

If the vibe of the group is anything to go by then some of last years issues have dissipated.

Steven Smith in attendance.

I ate 2 sausages. 

DITCHA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

I attended some of the training session this morning. Very impressed with with turnout of fans watching, including a reporter from the Herald sun. Bill Laurie was very impressive in match sim with some great efforts. Clarrie looks very fit, and keen to have a great season. Howes did some very good work in defence during match sim. Ghostwriter's sausage sizzle seemed to be always very busy. 

SLARTIBARTFAST'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Just back from training, I left before they'd finished.

I didn't take much out of today other than Pup did the whole session after an initial fitness test.  Chin did a mountain of running but didn't move his right arm and then did some gentle ball work not using his right arm.

Tmac was there initially but didn't do any of the training that I saw but didn't look to have any injury. Sparrow and Kossie were no shows. I didn't see Knuckles either.  Kolt didn't participate in any of the training drills that I saw but did a lot of running and showed no discomfort.

The full ground drills were 14 v 14 and there was lots of open space. As in other training sessions Clarrie and Duke impressed, Howes was involved and made very few mistakes and the usual suspects did well.  AJ also hasn't put a foot out of place this preseason and will be an interesting watch.

Trac, Gawny, Fullarton, Woey, Lever and Jeffo ran laps.  Langford, Mentha and Lindsay didn't participate in full ground drills but did a far bit of boundary sprinting while the drills were on.

I reckon there was a lot of management of players going on today after a big session on Monday in high heat. The only players who look a way off are Spargs who just ran and did agility exercises and Chin.  Lever still hasn't been involved in much and given that he is a player who needs games to find form could also be a question mark for the start of the season if all the other talls are fit.

As already stated Disco copped a big hit in a marking contest but nobody went to him as he recovered on the boundary line and there didn't appear to be any long term damage.

WHISPERING JACK'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

I reckon Clarry's career is going to blossom from here. We know that he was severely restricted by circumstance for the last season and a half and his body shape last year was never quite right after his interrupted preseason, but it's clear that he's worked hard to get back to his superstar self and that will pay handsome dividends in 2025.

BITTER BUT OPTIMISTIC'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Just a couple of observations.

Tmac. In rehab but geez I reckon he’s shed a few kegs.

Clarrie. Also looked in terrific condition and moved really smartly in both match sims and other drills. I reckon he’s back !

JVR. Was very clean with his hands. Admittedly he wasn’t under real pressure but I’m hoping he’s developing into a one grab man. Was also moving very well and exuded confidence in everything he was doing. Big year coming up?

Trac. Looked ripped as ever and, perhaps more importantly, looked at ease with the world.

Tom Campbell. First time I’ve seen this bloke. He’s a big bastard. Looks a real head beater!

Harvey Langford. Saw him do a bit. He  seems very comfortable in the group and demonstrated good kicking skills. He will be a good size when he adds a bit of upper body muscle.

KEV MARTIN'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Really confused about our squad today, wasn't sure who was out there.

When I first arrived I only saw Chandler and Koltyn in rehab. Chin was running the boundary, strapped left shoulder, heard him say the injury was in the  joint of the shoulder area and could be 3 to 4 weeks. Koltyn did an agility test in boots (failed the test) then into runners and doing some boundary sets. He is looking bigger bodied this time out.

The other rehabbers, Tracc, Gawn, Woewodin, Lever, Fullarton, and Jefferson, participated in the warm-up and some non-contact drills, then ran laps when the sims started, and drilled in rehab group. I think Jefferson had a run in the sims.

Tmac and McVee in runners on the bike early and then Judd did some jogging away from Gosh's.  

Spargo still doing his own program.

I saw Mentha early on, but couldn't see him later on.

Sparrow was in casual gear, and hanging around the tent. 

No Kentfield or Kossie.

Turner was getting some sim time. Had a big collision with Jed Adams, looked in pain spending a couple of minutes on the deck. Walked off to the boundary, waved the trainers away, then the sims finished. Looked like no injury was sustained.

Sims were done with fewer turnovers through the middle today. The backs with Adams are Howes did well. Plenty of pressure, spoils and good decisions. 

Clarrie looking fit, he got very creative out there, taking them on, keeping them guessing and with plenty of involvement. 

McAdam found space and separation many times, in the forward area.

Some of our ball movement was fast, often finding the central corridor after moving the ball around in the arc of the backline.

JVR getting his mojo going, attempting pack marks, and demanding the ball with his presence.

Fritsch has been working on his defensive skills, saw him attack the ball carriers one after another. 

Sharp is a difficult match up as he runs hard and can switch up the pace. Just wish he would get more disposals. 

Langdon was getting a few balls in the forward 50 as he ran the rails.

Melksham is doing well, in lots of contests and winning enough of them.

Windsor is also running well off the halfback. Love when the ball is in his hands. 

AMW is playing good consistent footy.

Sestan is chasing everyone, again one that doesn't get enough of the ball.

Verral needs some confidence, only saw him do a couple of good things. A little more time at Casey I reckon.

We were short of numbers today, some run-ons including Noah Yze were with us.

Plenty of fans and fun.

BC_1718_DC PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Sparrow sat out training after a heavy hit on Monday with a laceration on his cheek that needed multiple stitches. (Unsure if he’s officially in concussion protocols but not taking any risks) Chandler has a slight ac joint injury, not a serious one. Club isn’t too concerned.

Kynan Brown escaped the “syndesmosis” with his ankle injury (from Monday’s session) which is great news.

HERALD SUN PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

• Kozzy Pickett’s absence - The Demons have confirmed that Pickett was back in Melbourne on Wednesday, after missing Monday’s session to head home to WA for personal reasons. However, he missed midweek training due to an infection in his leg.

• Harrison Petty was in the backline in match simulation. Alan Richardson quoted: [Petty’s] “versatility can be a real weapon for us” and the plan was for him to spend time at both ends. 

• Players “ripping it up” included ~

* a leaner Clayton Oliver prominent in match simulation, showing clean hands and involved in many chains working up and down the field,

* “smooth-moving runner Caleb Windsor in everything, finding the footy on the outside,

• Blake Howes, Bailey Laurie caught the eye and Jake Melksham and Bayley Fritsch lively in attack and Shane McAdam taking some nice marks on the lead. 

• New faces Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay managed in a lighter session, taking part in warm-up drills before doing some work on their own, along with rookie Ricky Mentha Jr who also impressed. Ruckman Tom Campbell dominated as Max Gawn sat out and athletic mature-age forward Aidan Johnson impressed as a target in attack.

• taking it easy. Captain Gawn (larynx) and star midfielder Christian Petracca (ribs) are in non-contact training and did some warm-up drills before joining the rehab group which includes Jake Lever, Tom Fullarton, Matthew Jefferson and Kynan Brown who later joined the main group. Koltyn Tholstrup completed his own light training, mostly running laps while defenders Tom McDonald and Judd McVee spent time on exercise bikes before leaving training. 

• wounded soldiers - Tom Sparrow was in civvies and sporting sandals a nasty bruise and cut on his cheek that needed stitches. Charlie Spargo (achilles tendon surgery last July) did some light running on one side of the ground and Kade Chandler ran laps for most of the session with strapping high on his right arm. Late in the match simulation session, Daniel Turner was winded in a marking contest.