PRESEASON TRAINING: Saturday 8th March 2025

[picket fence 18,186]

2 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

My buddy took this pic (with permission from the kids’ parents) this morning at Casey. These kids from a sports club stopped to watch the match sim. This is about the best you can get in terms of viewing at Casey…

 

All Pickett Fence needs is a leg-up from a dozen or so people and imagine the training report!

Would luuurve to play the pied piper and do interviews with these youngsters, what a hoot! Stuff like fav player, pre match ritual, rolled any jaffas down an aisle lately, coolest saying! And before some smarties play the  stranger danger card, yes I DO have my working with children check certification. Only one problem Ghosty is.. I know that spot and whilst its not SLITHERA CENTRAL , Ive seen the odd one there😵‍💫 finally onwards to Victor Harbour tommorrow with Mrs. Fence but I will RETURN in a few weeks and continue my training reports!😇

Edited Saturday at 06:22 by picket fence

[Supreme_Demon 4,141]

I am assuming Jai Culley is still in the precautionary moon boot and taking it easy?

Hopefully he is pumping those weights in the gym.

Curious to hear how Harvey "The Bison" Langford went today in the training match, did he get much of the ball?

 

[Ghostwriter 5,459]

33 minutes ago, Go Ds said:

Yeah, one should have toined left at Albuquoique and ended up at the Port Adelaide training session! 

Yeah, that'll 'loin' me. 🙂 BTW there's a thread on here as well as Melbourne's official website listing the numbers. It would be better just to read the names but still.

My buddy knows the players’ numbers but it’s quicker to write just the numbers and not the names. She doesn’t edit her notes, she just sends them straight to me. She doesn’t read DL but she knows there’s an impatient, demanding poster who expects detailed reports pronto. He knows who he is but if there’s any doubt at all his initials are Roost it Far. That’s ROOST IT FAR. 

@Roost it far !!!!!

[Ghostwriter 5,459]

36 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Would luuurve to play the pied piper and do interviews with these youngsters, what a hoot! Stuff like fav player, pre match ritual, rolled any jaffas down an aisle lately, coolest saying! And before some smarties play the  stranger danger card, yes I DO have my working with children check certification. Only one problem Ghosty is.. I know that spot and whilst its not SLITHERA CENTRAL , Ive seen the odd one there😵‍💫 finally onwards to Victor Harbour tommorrow with Mrs. Fence but I will RETURN in a few weeks and continue my training reports!😇

Geez you know you’re on the slide when PF drops the W-bomb 😅

[Ghostwriter 5,459]

1 hour ago, Go Ds said:

Kids are full of enthusiasm - often for sport - and it's nice to have them around. I'm not sure how a pic of silhouettes could backfire. But even for one's own kids it's best to err on the side of caution with pics and info.

It’s always prudent to get permission to take the pics as well as to post them publicly. I’m especially mindful of this since I tend to spend lot of time with kids in the DA, in particular, teenage girls. I have no less than 10 “footy daughters” and teenage girls spend most of their waking hours taking selfies, so that’s a truckload of pics floating around. 😂

[Go Ds 335]

1 hour ago, hardtack said:

Call me dumb, but I really did not understand any of that. I’m guessing it’s player numbers, in which case, not really being across most of our team’s numbers, I’m completely lost. I’ve got some serious studying to do in the next seven days!!  I hope that one day the AFL might see the benefit of putting the player's name on the back of the jersey.😵‍💫

Red 11 35 1 17 5 3 6 20 19 15 8 13 2( Rooey absolutely killing it) 31 37 26 21 disco( no number) 7 32

Gawn petty may bowey Tracc Salem Windsor Lindsay Langford Langdon Lever clarrie Jvr Fritsch Chandler Adams Jefferson Disco Viney Sparrow

 

VS

Mentha Petty (again?) Johnson Fullarton Verrall Sharp(too good) Spargo Johnson Campbell woewodin TMac Sestan howes Roy George Adams....

 

Grey 39 (forward) 35 42 33 28 30 (too good!!!) 9 42 29 40 25 38 22 Roy George 26 and someone I didn’t recognise probs Casey

[picket fence 18,186]

5 minutes ago, Go Ds said:

Red 11 35 1 17 5 3 6 20 19 15 8 13 2( Rooey absolutely killing it) 31 37 26 21 disco( no number) 7 32

Gawn petty may bowey Tracc Salem Windsor Lindsay Langford Langdon Lever clarrie Jvr Fritsch Chandler Adams Jefferson Disco Viney Sparrow

 

VS

Mentha Petty (again?) Johnson Fullarton Verrall Sharp(too good) Spargo Johnson Campbell woewodin TMac Sestan howes Roy George Adams....

 

Grey 39 (forward) 35 42 33 28 30 (too good!!!) 9 42 29 40 25 38 22 Roy George 26 and someone I didn’t recognise probs Casey

Hnmm interesting Jeffo ostensibly in the A team but did bugder all?? Hnmm interesting!

[Go Ds 335]

4 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

It’s always prudent to get permission to take the pics as well as to post them publicly. I’m especially mindful of this since I tend to spend lot of time with kids in the DA, in particular, teenage girls. I have no less than 10 “footy daughters” and teenage girls spend most of their waking hours taking selfies, so that’s a truckload of pics floating around. 😂

Indeed! Go back decades and me and others would have things we wanted to share with only close friends, if it all , even back then. No reasonable person wants to cause drama and having to deal with an angry parent , as one takes a sneaky pic, or their kids suffering needlessly later due to oversharing is not cool.

I'm still amazed what people share online. It's bad enough people announcing on Facebook they'll be away next week leaving an empty house - too bad if some of their Facebook 'friends' aren't trustworthy. (Some people add complete strangers, and good luck having the police go thru 100s of friends for a lead!) wow! A few days back some random FB asked ppl to share the names of their grandparents. Many did! 🙄

[RedLegs23 1,139]

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

@RedLegs23 fantastic write up mate.

Want to get your observations on a few players that interest me, especially heading into round 1.

Langford 

AJ

Henderson 

Woewodin 

Brown

Thanks once again.

No probs mate

Lego Langford was pretty quiet today. Couple turnovers by foot. Got better throughout the 2nd period which was good to see. Early in the 1st he was met with a fierce tackle which caught him high & his right knee got caught in a very awkward position… classic ACL looking stuff. Luckily the kid got up & got on with it. Still finding his feet but I think he plays round 1.

AJ wasn’t heavily involved Dazz, but you just know what you’re gonna get from him if its in his area - He’s going to compete & hustle & will his way to the contest. Direct opponent was May so it was a tough ask, though he did get a goal which he deserved. Don’t see how Jeffo gets a nod early. Gotta show so much more than today, so maybe AJ’s a chance?

Henderson is just what Jason Taylor said: clean with some toe & always looking to progress the game forward. Didn’t see a lot of it today but did a couple nice things. Smokey.

Woey was barely sited tbh, though i was on the other side of the ground so can’t comment too much. But from the previous hit outs, decision making / skills has lets him down a bit. Just not sure what position he plays if / when he gets a go at senior level. Two’s

Brown is high temp with some nice evasiveness. Sometimes he would hold on to it a little too long & get himself into trouble, but he has a go no question. Two’s

 

[dazzledavey36 56,334]

Legend @RedLegs23.

Appreciate the update.

It's also interesting the comparison between AJ and Jefferson. When it comes down to a big finals game where the pressure cooker and intensity is incredibly high, you take the guy that will compete and will himself to each contests non stop.

I'd have him round 1 considering it sounds like Turner didn't do much either.

Edited Saturday at 07:57 by dazzledavey36

[Roost it far 10,137]

6 hours ago, RedLegs23 said:

A stunning morning here @ Casey Fields & the vibes are well & truly up!

Rehab Running laps … laps & more laps - Hore, Kentfield, Kolt, McVee & Melk

The intraclub match sim is underway! 

[played in two periods]

PERIOD 1:

• Viney grubs one forward from the centre, Fritsch collects a bouncing ball in 50, hands off to Trac who hits Chandler lace out to the RHS pocket - converts from the set shot.

• Lever vocal barking directions down back

• Beautiful passage from Sharpy - Sestan across half back to Sharp who gets & runs. Couple bounces then hits Mentha top of the 50. Hands back to a running sharp who streams inside F50 for the whites first.

• Nice clunk in defence from Petty

• Trac looking focussed & composed with everything he does - just slots a set shot bomb from 50.

• Viney to Caleb to Trac to Oliver. Clarry kicks to the RHS pocket to Chandler who found space again - misses the shot

• Chandler involved in just about every forward entry so far - another set shot from the same RHS pocket. This time he converts!

• Lovely swoop & collect of a lose ball from Bowey deep in defence who then hits Langdon in the back pocket.

• Windsor with the run and carry streaming forward, kicks … misses.

• Kozzy getting busy. One-two through  the middle then a long bomb who hits AJ mid stride into the open goal.

• Stoppage half forward 50 - lose ball ends up with Max who hits it sweet from 40. Goal to the skip.

• Viney with the centre clearance hacks it inside 50. Chin gathers another lose ball who hits Rivers in space. Converts from 35.

A quick drinks break & score update:-

Blue 5.3.33

White 2.0.12

• Hendo finds space across half forward 50, back in board to Spargo who kicks in a loonggg ball (35mt) to Campbell marks deep in forward pocket. Misses the set shot

• Who’s chuck? Dark, curly hair &  built like a brick @ghostwriter

• Another contested mark in the LHS forward pocket from Campbell against Petty - this time he converts 

• Laurie looking the more composed from the Whites - gives off to Kozz who streams through the middle who hits up a leading Campbell again! Then chips to a free Fullarton who converts from 30

• Menth’s a smooth mover, evasive 

• Kozzy with Pace thru the middle who pumps one forward. AJ contests deep against two, gathers the ground ball out the back who goals on the line - 5 goal apiece now, Whites with the last 3.

Half time Scores:-

Blue 5. 4. 34

White 5. 1. 31

Period 1 Stand outs:

Trac, Clarry, Chandler, Kozz, Bowey, Windsor, Gawn, Campbell 

Roo, Turner & Jeffo barely sited up forward atm.

PERIOD 2:

• Charlie Spargo looking nice for the whites. Confidence is growing

• Beautiful transition work through the middle from Spaz on a couple of occasions. Hits up Roo who then chips one to Fritta 30m out who slots it

• Kozz & Spargo prominent for whites

• Turner looks down on confidence atm - great body work deep in F50 but then drops a sitter. Opportunity missed. 

• Not a lot of leading or movement from our forwards, plenty of pointing though.

Another quick drinks break & score update:-

Blue 6.5.41

White 5.2.32

• Our key F50 posts are still very young up forward aren’t we - Jefferson, Turner & Roo

• Lindsay kicks the ball with lovely touch & makes the right decisions

• Long ball in F50 - beautiful contested mark from Roo against many … misses from 35. But better.

• Hendo clean below his knees & with some dash & skill. Looks likely 

• Fritta with another set shot now. Better. At times getting be ball across the HB line & using it well.

• McDonald v Roo is a great match up right now - on queue Roo with another contested mark leading in front of Tmac - converts from 35. He’s rolling now & no signs of any back concerns

• Pup converts the set shot from close range

• Great tackle from Clarry on Kozzy - holding the ball• Jeffo nowhere near it atm - up against Adams

Full Time scores:-

Blue 9.8.62

White 7.3.45

PERIOD 2 Standouts:

JVR!

And that’s a wrap. Teams branched off for more running & drills. 

Feel free to ask any questions

🔴🔵

 

That’s what I’m talking about!

[dazzledavey36 56,334]

 

[KozzyCan 973]

6 hours ago, RedLegs23 said:

A stunning morning here @ Casey Fields & the vibes are well & truly up!

Rehab Running laps … laps & more laps - Hore, Kentfield, Kolt, McVee & Melk

The intraclub match sim is underway! 

[played in two periods]

PERIOD 1:

• Viney grubs one forward from the centre, Fritsch collects a bouncing ball in 50, hands off to Trac who hits Chandler lace out to the RHS pocket - converts from the set shot.

• Lever vocal barking directions down back

• Beautiful passage from Sharpy - Sestan across half back to Sharp who gets & runs. Couple bounces then hits Mentha top of the 50. Hands back to a running sharp who streams inside F50 for the whites first.

• Nice clunk in defence from Petty

• Trac looking focussed & composed with everything he does - just slots a set shot bomb from 50.

• Viney to Caleb to Trac to Oliver. Clarry kicks to the RHS pocket to Chandler who found space again - misses the shot

• Chandler involved in just about every forward entry so far - another set shot from the same RHS pocket. This time he converts!

• Lovely swoop & collect of a lose ball from Bowey deep in defence who then hits Langdon in the back pocket.

• Windsor with the run and carry streaming forward, kicks … misses.

• Kozzy getting busy. One-two through  the middle then a long bomb who hits AJ mid stride into the open goal.

• Stoppage half forward 50 - lose ball ends up with Max who hits it sweet from 40. Goal to the skip.

• Viney with the centre clearance hacks it inside 50. Chin gathers another lose ball who hits Rivers in space. Converts from 35.

A quick drinks break & score update:-

Blue 5.3.33

White 2.0.12

• Hendo finds space across half forward 50, back in board to Spargo who kicks in a loonggg ball (35mt) to Campbell marks deep in forward pocket. Misses the set shot

• Who’s chuck? Dark, curly hair &  built like a brick @ghostwriter

• Another contested mark in the LHS forward pocket from Campbell against Petty - this time he converts 

• Laurie looking the more composed from the Whites - gives off to Kozz who streams through the middle who hits up a leading Campbell again! Then chips to a free Fullarton who converts from 30

• Menth’s a smooth mover, evasive 

• Kozzy with Pace thru the middle who pumps one forward. AJ contests deep against two, gathers the ground ball out the back who goals on the line - 5 goal apiece now, Whites with the last 3.

Half time Scores:-

Blue 5. 4. 34

White 5. 1. 31

Period 1 Stand outs:

Trac, Clarry, Chandler, Kozz, Bowey, Windsor, Gawn, Campbell 

Roo, Turner & Jeffo barely sited up forward atm.

PERIOD 2:

• Charlie Spargo looking nice for the whites. Confidence is growing

• Beautiful transition work through the middle from Spaz on a couple of occasions. Hits up Roo who then chips one to Fritta 30m out who slots it

• Kozz & Spargo prominent for whites

• Turner looks down on confidence atm - great body work deep in F50 but then drops a sitter. Opportunity missed. 

• Not a lot of leading or movement from our forwards, plenty of pointing though.

Another quick drinks break & score update:-

Blue 6.5.41

White 5.2.32

• Our key F50 posts are still very young up forward aren’t we - Jefferson, Turner & Roo

• Lindsay kicks the ball with lovely touch & makes the right decisions

• Long ball in F50 - beautiful contested mark from Roo against many … misses from 35. But better.

• Hendo clean below his knees & with some dash & skill. Looks likely 

• Fritta with another set shot now. Better. At times getting be ball across the HB line & using it well.

• McDonald v Roo is a great match up right now - on queue Roo with another contested mark leading in front of Tmac - converts from 35. He’s rolling now & no signs of any back concerns

• Pup converts the set shot from close range

• Great tackle from Clarry on Kozzy - holding the ball• Jeffo nowhere near it atm - up against Adams

Full Time scores:-

Blue 9.8.62

White 7.3.45

PERIOD 2 Standouts:

JVR!

And that’s a wrap. Teams branched off for more running & drills. 

Feel free to ask any questions

🔴🔵

Fantastic write up. It's like I'm there!

[Roost it far 10,137]

6 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

From my buddy ...

Red 11 35 1 17 5 3 6 20 19 15 8 13 2( Rooey absolutely killing it) 31 37 26 21 disco( no number) 7 32

Grey 39 (forward) 35 42 33 28 30 (too good!!!) 9 42 29 40 25 38 22 Roy George 26 and someone I didn’t recognise probs Casey

Moved 39 into backline 2nd 1/4

End of first red 5 4 34 -62 (2nd)
Grey 4 1 25-45(2nd)

Intense match sim. Seriously intense.

Judd running faster than has been 1/2 pace
Kolt Milky Judd running laps

Never seen them so fast!

 

Apologies in advance @Roost it far she had to leave at halftime. But she rang me from her car and said what she saw today would make any Dees fan very excited. Normally levelheaded and staid, she was so excited she took a wrong exit off the highway. THAT’S how excited we should be 😅

She said at halftime the teams split up into two teams each and played against each other (half a side vs half a side). 

Solid effort

[DubDee 26,674]

JVR is one of very few that changes our team if he takes the next step. 

Playing 100% forward and kicking 50 with us having a consistent focal point would be huge. And AJ doing the ruck and bullocking work could really enable this 

[Greg Schneider 1,018]

Is there really a spot for Langford in the AFL side ? If we run with JVR Disco and Johnson, can’t really have another big 192 cm player plonked in the forward line, he would have to be getting midfield minutes. Curious to see how this plays out through the season 

[bing181 9,473]

12 minutes ago, DubDee said:

JVR is one of very few that changes our team if he takes the next step. 

Yes. Our problem is though that there's currently a big step down to the next player in line for that dominant forward role. Perhaps with a decent support cast (AJ, Turner ...?) one is enough, but feels kind of thin to me, especially if JVR gets injured.

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,730]

14 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

Is there really a spot for Langford in the AFL side ? If we run with JVR Disco and Johnson, can’t really have another big 192 cm player plonked in the forward line, he would have to be getting midfield minutes. Curious to see how this plays out through the season 

I think he will be there. Will play forward and some mid time

[Go Ds 335]

45 minutes ago, DubDee said:

JVR is one of very few that changes our team if he takes the next step. 

Playing 100% forward and kicking 50 with us having a consistent focal point would be huge. And AJ doing the ruck and bullocking work could really enable this 

Wouldn't any player improving significantly this year do this? Even if the improvement is just 4 more marks or kicks or clearances per game, but they still play in the same manner, this will improve the sum total of Melbourne's output/success, yes?

[KozzyCan 973]

47 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

Is there really a spot for Langford in the AFL side ? If we run with JVR Disco and Johnson, can’t really have another big 192 cm player plonked in the forward line, he would have to be getting midfield minutes. Curious to see how this plays out through the season 

Play him midfield and Viney as a defensive forward. We have very little defensive pressure in our forwardline and it's something Viney could really add there.

[Go Ds 335]

47 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

Is there really a spot for Langford in the AFL side ? If we run with JVR Disco and Johnson, can’t really have another big 192 cm player plonked in the forward line, he would have to be getting midfield minutes. Curious to see how this plays out through the season 

Remember that players all spend time on the bench. I guess at times he could replace players in the forward line, midfield, perhaps defence and maybe the wing.

[DeeZone 10,590]

9 minutes ago, Go Ds said:

Remember that players all spend time on the bench. I guess at times he could replace players in the forward line, midfield, perhaps defence and maybe the wing.

Langford, Windsor, Lindsay and Tholstrup are our future, I think Windsor and Langford are closer to the pin than XL and Kolt from a fitness point of view but I reckon the club have high expectations for these Four.

[Go Ds 335]

5 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Langford, Windsor, Lindsay and Tholstrup are our future, I think Windsor and Langford are closer to the pin than XL and Kolt from a fitness point of view but I reckon the club have high expectations for these Four.

Yep. It's no surprise that midfielders do so well in awards. They connect up either end of the ground , and if a team's midfield is being dominated by their counterparts it almost doesn't matter that their teammates are controlling the other zones. Such games would be played in the opposition's forward half and eventually the dam wall would break.

It's very exciting to dream about what these 4 will do. If in 10 years time we're saying that 3 of them are an even better midfield than Tracc , Clarrie and Viney (and maybe the 4th is the new Langdon or Salem) then wow!

[Bleasey as that 136]

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

 

Good to see Mitch reads demonland too!!

[M_9 2,216]

3 hours ago, DubDee said:

JVR is one of very few that changes our team if he takes the next step. 

Playing 100% forward and kicking 50 with us having a consistent focal point would be huge. ...

Zackery what I've been saying' for nigh on two years.