1 hour ago, stinga said:

Thanks for the training reports. They seem to reinforce the idea of quick transition and changed my way of thinking about positional football. Apart from the centre bounce with 6x6x6 the emphasis is on speed between the arcs (unless you want to control the tempo). We went from half forward to high half forward to both half forwards being high and generally playing as extra wingmen. This in turn mean your half backs were going with them, also like wingmen. Certainly our centre bounce 3 will be much quicker with a combination of pickett, windsor and Rivers at least some of the time. Excluding the ruckman, we've gone from 3 midfielders on the ground and 2 on the bench to 9 on the ground and 4 on the bench. With JVR so much less weight and more mobile it seems that we will play the extra ruckman with Heath 40% ruck, 20% forward and 40% bench. Max 60% ruck, 20% forward and 20% bench. With so much marking targets up forward, its hard to see how other sides will intercept mark against us. Love to know if this fits in with match Sims at training or going too far.

That's an extremely finely detailed analysis considering we have no idea of the new coach's game plan or even which players he has in mind for various roles

@Ghostwriter or anyone else. Does anyone know why CJ is on a modified program. I assume he's injured or his pre preseason wasn't good enough to start with the players. Any idea anyone. Thanks in advance

2 minutes ago, Its Time Again said:

@Ghostwriter or anyone else. Does anyone know why CJ is on a modified program. I assume he's injured or his pre preseason wasn't good enough to start with the players. Any idea anyone. Thanks in advance

When I was down at training in the first week someone mentioned a soft tissue injury of some kind. I have no other information and it was second or third hand.

6 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

It’s not like he’s simply not training in any capacity. Wheels said he’s keeping up with what’s demanded of him. If anyone has a problem with him not being here (remember- he’s not yet required to be here) and their issue is it’s not a good look, then maybe they need to speak with Wheels or Kingy or AMW or Ricky M or Selwyn before they judge him. And by judge I mean disparage.

Nope - have to disagree here. He has been on our list for 2 years and barely played a game. Doesnt mean he doesnt try hard, it doesnt even mean he has to train. Given the turmoil the club has been under, its not a massive ask to show your face once a week and have a kick with the boys. In his defence, he maybe doing this already in the background i.e. weights room etc. I'd say this for any player that has had similar luck with getting a game. He falls firmly into the basket of prooving his worth and the investment MFC made which in my book means going above and beyond. Might be an antiquated perspective, but it is what it is.

5 minutes ago, Its Time Again said:

@Ghostwriter or anyone else. Does anyone know why CJ is on a modified program. I assume he's injured or his pre preseason wasn't good enough to start with the players. Any idea anyone. Thanks in advance

He and Checkers came to us with injuries sustained last season.

2 hours ago, Kev said:

The training squad continues to get bigger.

First look, there was Max Gawn and right beside him was Max Heath (he matched up well against our captain in the sims). Gawn pushed himself in the runs.

Steven May looking in good nik, abdominal muscles are tight. Spent quite a bit of time after drills, encouraging and instructing others on an individual level. Got burnt by Caleb Windsor, but who hasn't when trying to corral.

Jake Melksham had the biggest smile all through the session. I think he missed them all. Still a smart player, stepping, selling the candy, moving well.

CJ continues to rehab, plenty of running, the same with Jack Henderson.

AMW participated in some drills, first group action for quite some time, then went to light duties.

No Brody Mihocek.

Jack Steele has joined the main group.

They had them running again. It looked like they went through a few of the mental and physical barriers.

Harry Sharp has them all chasing him.

Drills had them in a keeping-off handball game with heavier tackling. Another was two kicking games. The object of one was to find the loose player with either a small hit up or getting it over the back of the defense (out numbered 9 to 5) within a 50 by 25m area. The other had them spread from outside the fifty and finish with a shot on goal. The defense did well if they could slow the offence down.

The talls had a one on one contest for the high mark. By the end they were marking, as earlier the contest regularly became halved.

Jed Adams is looking good.

Steven King has a soft spot for CJ, often talking to him. Tom Sparrow is in the same boat. King is an observer of the training. If they muck up the structure or get caught out from the plan, he will immediately pull them in and explain the situation (very proactive).

Rivers ran the sims today.

The sims were less frantic. Plenty of hugging the boundary, and then hitting the forwards on leads.

Most of the players played in the positions as expected.

Matt Jefferson and JvR doing well, leading directly at the kicker.

TMac looked good, moving well and making the right decisions down back.

Christian Salem who “slows time” when he has the ball, very clean and smooth.

Harvey Langford continues to get even better.

Koltyn Tholstrup notices all the players. The rest were drinking when Heath was left out there to finish set shot during a sim. He made his way to tap him when he goaled. Leadership written all over him.

Jake Bowey, Xavier Lindsay and Bailey Laurie are going about it well. All very humble personalities.

Harrison Petty will be a big improver, he is training well.

Ricky Mentha Junior needs Kossie with him. Appeared a little low in energy and couldn't get into “it”.

Kade Chandler looked good, fit, strong and boisterous.

AJ is going about it well, using his strength and is putting his learnings in place.

Still a few more to join in, they are looking professional and the buzz is on.

I reckon Mentha has a bit of an injury. He looked constrained on Monday and wasnt running freely...

5 minutes ago, Its Time Again said:

@Ghostwriter or anyone else. Does anyone know why CJ is on a modified program. I assume he's injured or his pre preseason wasn't good enough to start with the players. Any idea anyone. Thanks in advance

It may also be a workload based reason due to the hawks playing a month later in the season compared to our boys.

He is entitled to another month off (plus 2 weeks as he is not a 1-4 year player).

Shows great commitment that he is out there!

Is Petty training with the Backs or the Forwards?

3 hours ago, waynewussell said:

If Culley has been given #13, I suggest that is an indication of how the club values him!

And just on this it says PLENTY about the club and its opinion of Clarry!! An all time great of the club but rather than retire the number for the year out of respect, we just hand it over. Appalling to say the least!

6 hours ago, Dee Boys said:

Absolutely mate. Just think that he's a rung or two below the best role players at the very top clubs.

He may be, or he may not. How about we give him a go to see what he can do in 2026 and not pre-judge him as inferior to anyone.

15 minutes ago, picket fence said:

And just on this it says PLENTY about the club and its opinion of Clarry!! An all time great of the club but rather than retire the number for the year out of respect, we just hand it over. Appalling to say the least!

"What do I like about Collingwood? Well, they are better than Melbourne, that's for sure"

Dead to me

6 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

I’m not at patting bum level with any of the players. I’ve come this far without an intervention order being taken out against me, I’m not gonna ruin it now. 😄

Ah, my glory days at training 30 uh 40 years ago. I swatted Gerard Healy (twice) because he pushed me off a pole I'd finally managed to balance on after weeks of trying. Glad it was at Junction Oval. Nice and soft landing. I left a helluva hole in the muck when I landed (on my feet). He thought it was hilarious.

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by thirty-one
English

1 hour ago, GS_1905 said:

I reckon Mentha has a bit of an injury. He looked constrained on Monday and wasnt running freely...

That's right, the socials showed him grabbing at his thigh/quads.

4 hours ago, waynewussell said:

If Culley has been given #13, I suggest that is an indication of how the club values him!

This is what I told him after training. He said the point is not lost on him. Similar to what Disco said when he was given #10

8 hours ago, Dee Boys said:

Interesting all the love on here for Culley. I think he's shown a couple of decent signs, and probably shoudn't have been delisted by West Coast, but I'd be very surprised if he's in our best 22 when we're challenging again.

The list is going to look a hell of a lot different by the time we are challenging again, in my opinion.

1 hour ago, JTR said:

"What do I like about Collingwood? Well, they are better than Melbourne, that's for sure"

Dead to me

Yeah well we treated him at the end like sheeeeit. yeah dead to you, but you LOVED HIM FOR 8 YEARS!

I know who the Traitor is please... peeeeez off!

Edited 9 hours ago9 hr by picket fence

1 hour ago, Vagg said:

Is Petty training with the Backs or the Forwards?

Harrison's in the backline during sims.

5 minutes ago, Kev said:

Harrison's in the backline during sims.

THANK FRIGGEN CAAARYST GOODWIN... NO IDEA!

I am not a big one on bagging players on our list at any time.

This pre-season in particular I cannot really understand knocking a player for what they might/may have done or not done. We have a new senior coach and a restructured coaching team, a new president and a new administration. Significant changes at all levels of the club including big changes to the playing list.

As far as I am concerned, everyone starts with a clean sheet. Across the board.

I will judge them by their actions and results as a team and as individuals.

I will be excited to see what some of the lesser lights bring to the table during the pre-season. The likes of AJ, Laurie, Jefferson, Culley and Adams.

Add to that the excitement of a few new names added through the draft and we have a lot to look forward to in 26.

3 hours ago, picket fence said:

And just on this it says PLENTY about the club and its opinion of Clarry!! An all time great of the club but rather than retire the number for the year out of respect, we just hand it over. Appalling to say the least!

Who cares it's a number only he's not dead, so there is no need to retire a number.

11 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

I’m not at patting bum level with any of the players. I’ve come this far without an intervention order being taken out against me, I’m not gonna ruin it now. 😄

What about stalking. I'm sure it was you outside Melky's house. It was the sheet that gave you away😁