TRAINING: Monday 8th December 2025

Some of our dedicated Demonland Trackwatchers made their way down to Gosch’s Paddock on a magnificent Monday morning to kick off another week of preseason training coverage.

HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Absent: TMac, AMW and Bowey (surgery)

Serious Rehab: Viney (Foot), Henderson (Groin), McAdam (Achilles), Matthews (PCL)

Other Rehab: Langford, Turner (Hamstring), Gawn (Hamstring), Langdon, Melksham

What's the opposite to "training the house down"?

Let's see how many of the "other rehab" group participate on Wednesday.

Another mixed bag of training - small group doing 3/4 field match sim. The remainder doing other craft drills.

Max (Hamstring Awareness) was running unimpeded.

Whitford (Development coach) working with the draftees and Cat B's.

GHOSTWRITER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Harvery Langford is rehabbing. At Friday’s training he copped a knee to his temple and he’s now on concussion protocols.

Disco (Hamstring Awareness) is running really well.

Bowser is having surgery on his foot this afternoon. The injury is more serious than they thought. He has a torn ligament. He was running the week before last but they didn’t know then what they now know. If he wasn’t having the surgery, he would still be able to run at some point in the future but he wouldn’t be able to change direction at speed.

Speaking of an injury worse than what was first thought, Vines is another player who is taking longer to recover. He’s had the foot issue for six weeks and he should really be right by now. I’ve been promised an update next week.

Tommy Matthews is running!!!!! It’s so good to see. He’s been champing at the bit to start running and the joy shows on his face.

TMac is a no-show because he has a family engagement to attend.

Max (Hamstring Awareness) has “a niggle” and they’re exercising extreme caution.

According to the medics McAdam he’s tracking well, level with what’s expected.

According to the medical staff we’re not. Only Bowser and Vines are considered “long-term.” The worry and stress we experience on here is largely unwarranted. It’s a whole different outlook from the staff. he’s tracking well, level with what’s expected.

Saw Kalani take a run and jump grab on the boundary and you’d swear it was Jeff out there.

OLD55'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Here's my take on the injury front which I shared at training today ...

We're in development mode with a new coach and a young list (yes I know we are 2nd oldest by average but that's skewed by a handfull of veterans). We're not in contention and I expect a bottom 6 finish.

We need to cycle through the list and find out who's going to make it and where, and who's not.

Of the 44 listed players there's less than a handful that, if fit, wouldn't be ready to play AFL - White, Berry (needs to get his running up to AFL standard), maybe Onley - the rest look ready to go including Mentha, Kentfield, Taylor, LSP and Matthews. We need to find out what they've got. Some injuries open up opportunities.

MELBOURNE POTTER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

McAdam was doing laps at a reasonable pace and looked unimpeded. Hopefully he can step up from there.

JVR looked very good at training. He moved quick and took few good marks in the match sim.

BEELZEBUB'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

McAdam didn't look overly restricted. Just running the boundary though.

Max looked fine.... one test after another... all in his stride. Seemed very comfortable.

JVR incurred the wrath of Kingy at one point. Expletives were used.. lol. Roo might want to have a bit of a think. Others breathing down his neck.

Just now, Ghostwriter said:

But after training Kingy and Roo walked back to AAMI together and Kingy had his hand on Roo’s back and was talking to him in a gentle tone.

Roo wants to pay attention.

In the one on one drill Kingy was running, a defender versed a forward... the drill was not ( apparently) deemed finished til either the ball was kicked for score, or defender kicked it back to ( couldn’t tell )

Roos 2nd ( 3rd all but non existent) efforts were , well, lax. He was let known in no uncertain terms 😉

Just sayin' what was in front of me .

Others seemed... umm... more keen.

Just now, Ghostwriter said:

Oh, I was by no means disputing what you said. I just wanted to make a point of saying that the spray Rooey copped was followed by a more gentle explanation, if you will. I think this is great coaching.

I don't doubt it. 😉

What i took away from today is very few magnets are already on the board 😉

No one should take anything for granted.

And that's how it should be.

I liked the looks of Moose... Luker was in seemingly fine fiddle. Roo looked out of sorts at times.

Just my take.

OLD DEE'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Just on the way home after going to my first training run for the 2026 season. Among other things I took the binoculars so I could watch certain players of our tall forwards I thought Kentfield was the best. I watched Jefferson the most, believe me I am trying to be neutral in my opinion on today and it is still early December however I saw nothing to suggest he is about become a key forward at senior level. He looked casual today from what I saw. Turner is a lot bigger player up close than what you normally see from afar in a game at the G. There were a few I had to keep checking to find out who they were. The next best thing was the weather, a great day to watch a bit of training from under the trees. At one point I thought it was raining but know the sprinklers had come in field behind me.

HELLFIRE DUB'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Lovely morning at the Paddock.

The team vibe was good and seemed a lot happier than the few times I was there last year.

Maysie was doing some resistance training by running with the big elastic band because he said he was a bit tight and sore after the other day.

I didn't stay long due to the short attention span of a junior demon with me, but quite a few of the players signed the sherrin and posed for a picture.

MELBORN4VR'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

First time at training his morning. Took a bit of time to work out new recruits and numbers.

2 halves match simulation- Mihocek and Rooey look good. Rivers moves very well through midfield contests. Latrelle has some magic. Heard Kingy say- why wouldn’t you give it too him? Steele looks very solid.

One issue. I thought on set shots kicking to goal, often misses were associated with having to lean back because forwards were getting in too close to man on mark.

We have some talented players, and I was encouraged by more of an attempt to look for passes into the forwards, rather than the bombing in of the last few years. Hopefully this carries forward into the forthcoming season.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed with our new coaching team bringing some success!