Righto, are we all going to gush or get a serious report done. You know who you are, you’ve got till 4 and make em comprehensive!

Something about playing Collingwood that gets me back in the zone. 😎

15 minutes ago, 640MD said:

That’s a sign of the times re our problems and finishing position

Shirley, goal kicking practise should be had a t the start of the year and middle of the year.

Like being fit, if your not fit at the end of the season you have not been pushing hard enough

Well it is a skill that should practised. When you see Melky or Tommy S totally relaxed with a smooth action and drilling them, or Chin on the boundary, with the ball heading for a behind, then bends in for a goal.....keep at it boys.

Then when Tracca kicks it looks like the balls been spat out of a washing machine. Not sure why he bothers as you can usually pick the score before he has kicked it.

Just now, 710 Asbury St said:

Interesting on that—I read the news of him leaving late last night and it was something with Kane Cornes. Cornes was effusively praising him and basically telling all clubs that Chocco has his phone on and is open to work. I know he coached him, but it felt weird to see all that coming from him… I’ve not been here when he was playing so all I’ve seen is his shock jock side.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2025/08/20/afl-2025-melbourne-head-of-development-mark-choco-williams-sacked

I asked Chocco if he’d heard what Cornes has said. He said he has, but shook his head and said “Nah” in a dismissive way. It was as if to say what Cornes said doesn’t make a difference.

Thanks @Ghostwriter for all your training reports.

Let's hope we smash Collingwood tomorrow

1 minute ago, Roost it far said:

Righto, are we all going to gush or get a serious report done. You know who you are, you’ve got till 4 and make em comprehensive!

Something about playing Collingwood that gets me back in the zone. 😎

So, you drop off the face of the earth weeks ago, now you’re back with your demanding ways? What a cheek!

Anyways, it’s gush all the way for me. Today there was an air of sadness and it was hard to concentrate on what the players were doing. Besides, I spent some time babysitting the property manager’s adorable little boy, and some time playing with Bellanie Pickett while chatting with Ardu, also a sad part of the session.

Incidentally, regardless of the recent events and how they impact him, Kozzie doesn’t regret re-signing.

Thank you so much for all the training reports from everyone throughout the year, but most especially @Ghostwriter and @Harvey Wallbanger

Your contribution to this site with fantastic reports week in week out, make visiting Demonland worthwhile, even when this place is losing its marbles.

4 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

So, you drop off the face of the earth weeks ago, now you’re back with your demanding ways? What a cheek!

Anyways, it’s gush all the way for me. Today there was an air of sadness and it was hard to concentrate on what the players were doing. Besides, I spent some time babysitting the property manager’s adorable little boy, and some time playing with Bellanie Pickett while chatting with Ardu, also a sad part of the session.

Incidentally, regardless of the recent events and how they impact him, Kozzie doesn’t regret re-signing.

I opted out of the frenzy and become a watcher and reader for awhile. Your enthusiasm needs to be commended and the report writers have been awesome.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by Roost it far

more power to you @Ghostwriter , @Harvey Wallbanger , and all who contribute to these training reports

Today I saw a side to Roo that I like.

I told him the idea of him as a defender has been brought up online. He said, “Yeah but we need forwards.” I said I personally don’t like seeing him in the ruck since he’ll be bashed and smashed every week. He said, “You’re right but I’ll continue to ruck because I’m really good at it.” He didn’t say it in a bigheaded way, it was more matter-of-factly.

The right amount of confidence is a good thing.

1 hour ago, Ghostwriter said:

I asked Chocco if he’d heard what Cornes has said. He said he has, but shook his head and said “Nah” in a dismissive way. It was as if to say what Cornes said doesn’t make a difference.

Sounds about right :)

11 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

Today I saw a side to Roo that I like.

I told him the idea of him as a defender has been brought up online. He said, “Yeah but we need forwards.” I said I personally don’t like seeing him in the ruck since he’ll be bashed and smashed every week. He said, “You’re right but I’ll continue to ruck because I’m really good at it.” He didn’t say it in a bigheaded way, it was more matter-of-factly.

The right amount of confidence is a good thing.

You should show him this

I always knew he was one of our most accurate kicks.

We must persist with him at FF.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by ElDiablo14

2 hours ago, Fritta and Turner said:

Jones 'trains' like he wants to play.

Totally! He really stood out today. He cuts an imposing figure.

AJ is the sweetest person off-field, he’s quiet and gentle-natured. I once asked him about the Jeckyll & Hyde thing and he said, “I don’t know, I just step onto the field and instantly get white line fever, every time.”

I thought white line fever was when a driver is kind of hypnotised by the lines on the road during a long period of driving, but clearly there’s a sports-related meaning as well 🤷‍♀️

3 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Final captain’s run for 2025.

Chocco is here. Right now he’s working one-on-one with Tracc goal-kicking. They had a big hug before they started 🥹

Well done Ghosty, keep up the good work.

6 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

You should show him this

I always knew he was one of our most accurate kicks.

We must persist with him at FF.

Did you read where I said he’s not bigheaded? This might tip him over on the bighead scale. 😅

7 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

I thought white line fever was when a driver is kind of hypnotised by the lines on the road during a long period of driving, but clearly there’s a sports-related meaning as well 🤷‍♀️

Seriously? It's a footy expression that's been in common usage for eons.

It refers to the state of mind when a player runs onto the field (crosses the white line) and instantly becomes more fired up and physically aggressive.

It can also relate to a non-football extracurricular activity (cough Bailey Smith cough)

Huge thanks to Ghostwriter, Harvey Wallbanger, Kev Martin and all posters, I always look forward to the training reports thread, all the snippets of info on our playing group and their families, plus the more detailed reports from Harvey and Kev. Hopefully see you all back on the Pre-season training threads.👍😁

2 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Seriously? It's a footy expression that's been in common usage for eons.

It refers to the state of mind when a player runs onto the field (crosses the white line) and instantly becomes more fired up and physically aggressive.

It can also relate to a non-football extracurricular activity (cough Bailey Smith cough)

I knew the driving-related meaning as well as the (cough Bailey Smith cough) meaning. Didn’t know the sports-related meaning, until now. Thanks, my good man.

33 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

I thought white line fever was when a driver is kind of hypnotised by the lines on the road during a long period of driving, but clearly there’s a sports-related meaning as well 🤷‍♀️

another white dash

4 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Final captain’s run for 2025.

Chocco is here. Right now he’s working one-on-one with Tracc goal-kicking. They had a big hug before they started 🥹

Started trying to correct Trac's ball drop? 😬

Best white line fever was Fowlers celebration back in the 90s

3 hours ago, poita said:

I'm sure I'm in a tiny minority here but, if we're about to delist Jack Billings, I'll be disappointed if he isn't given the respect of a final AFL game.

A 12 year AFL career is nothing to be sneezed at and, unlike Lachie Hunter, he has been highly professional and committed since he arrived at the club.

I'm sure he would offer more than Sharp tomorrow night, to name just one of many serial underperformers.

Token farewell games as for club legends, not AFL journeymen. St Kilda can honour him for 10 years on their list should they wish.

We've actually got something better to offer Billings which is a crack at a proper finals campaign all be it VFL. He certainly never had that at AFL level with the Saints and I doubt he did at VFL level either. I don't think any of the VFL guys who are finishing up at the end of the year would even want to have a farewell game, especially if it was as sub and put their finals prep at risk.

Please accept my thanks to Ghostwriter, Harvey Wallbanger, Kev Martin and all posters

Thanks to the track watchers esp ghosty who cops a lot of rubbish unnecessarily

I’d like to see AJ line up against Collingwood. We could do with his hard edge.

3 hours ago, Fritta and Turner said:

Well it is a skill that should practised. When you see Melky or Tommy S totally relaxed with a smooth action and drilling them, or Chin on the boundary, with the ball heading for a behind, then bends in for a goal.....keep at it boys.

Then when Tracca kicks it looks like the balls been spat out of a washing machine. Not sure why he bothers as you can usually pick the score before he has kicked it.

Trac drops it too high when he snaps them so it is skews left/right.