TRAINING: Monday 15th December 2025

A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's Paddock for the penultimate preseason training session of 2025 before the boys take their end of year break.

DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

PRESENT:

1. Steven May

2. Jacob van Rooyen

3. Christian Salem

6. Caleb Windsor

8. Jake Lever

9. Jack Steele

12. Koltyn Tholstrup

13. Jai Culley

16. Bailey Laurie

19. Xavier Taylor 

21. Matt Jefferson

22. Blake Howes

24. Trent Rivers

25. Tom McDonald

26. Jed Adams

27. Max Heath

28. Brody Mihocek

29. Tom Campbell

30. Harry Sharp

31. Bayley Fritsch

32. Tom Sparrow

33. Latrelle Sumner-Pickett

34. Kalani White

35. Harry Petty

36. Kysaiah Pickett

37. Kade Chandler

38. Oscar Berry

39. Ricky Mentha Jr

40. Riley Onley

42. Aidan Johnson 

44. Luker Kentfield

REHAB:

4. Harvey Langford (Concussion)

10. Daniel Turner (Hamstring)

11. Max Gawn (Hamstring)

14. Changkuoth Jiath (?)

15. Ed Langdon (Concussion)

18. Jake Melksham (?)

23. Shane McAdam (Achilles)

45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield (ACL)

ABSENT (All Absent Players Arrived 1/2 way through the session but did not participate in anything other than handballing to each other while I was at training):

7. Jack Viney (?)

5. Xavier Lindsay (Foot)

17. Jake Bowey (Foot)

20. Thomas Matthews (PCL)

43. Jack Henderson (Groin)

Max (Hamstring) & AMW (ACL) are participating in the first 4 drills.

Langdon is present and participating in these drills as is Langford. Both were in concussion protocols last week.

Melksham and Tuner (Hamstring) playing kick to kick.

McAdam (Achilles) & CJ running laps.

Split into 4 groups for 4 separate rotating drills

1. 1 vs 1 marking drill with ball kicked high in the air

2. 7 vs 6 keepings off drill in the 50m arc with kicking and a lot more space to run into. Goal is to get the ball to your goal

3. 6 vs 4 keepings off handball drill up the wing. Goal is for the 6 to handball the ball around quickly up the wing usually ending with a long kick to one of the 6 who is by himself further up the wing.

4. 4 vs 4 close quarters keepings off hand ball drill.

Langdon and Langford in the fluorescent yellow no contact hats.

Max, Melksham and Turner running laps. They’ve finished that and have joined Langford and Langdon and AMW in a separate drill with one of the rehab trainers.

Split into 2 separate groups at either ends of the ground.

7 vs 8 with play starting on the half forward with the goal of working the ball to goal. The drill then starts from a kick out of the goal to work the ball out of defense.

Players constantly changing the bibs for whether they are on the team defending or attacking.

Rehabbers doing a smaller version of this with 2 trainers as the opposition providing pressure.

All the rehabbers (Max, Melskham, Turner, Langford, Langdon & AMW) appeared to be moving well.

Viney, Lindsay, Henderson & Matthews have arrived and are handballing to each other.

Not sure what is wrong with Lindsay but whatever it is he obviously can’t run. Watch this space.

FRITTA AND TURNER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

When i arrived at 9.30 the regular rehabers plus May and TMc were out doing their special drills.

No sign of Viney, Henderson, Lindsay and Tom Mathews though they did turn up late.

Langford and Langdon wearing concussion caps and must be very close to joining in regular drills. Max and J Rivers wearing bucket hats.

I got to thinking Have i watched too much footy? as I could identify Scarlett by the way he walked.

Chin was in good voice.

And yes they do call XT Reg. (Only the third Xavier to play for the MFC).

Running the line was not as intensive as previous sessions but Shane and Reece gave it a go.

May came off to change from boots to runners.

Some of the younger players seemed very competitive in the drills as they know spots are up for grabs.

And yes, most of the drills seem to be fast movement of the ball by hand or foot.

TMcs family and others were in attendance which is always nice to see.

GHOSTWRITER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

My first mission today is to give Jack Steele a birthday cupcake which I bought this morning because I accidentally ate his Demon Army cupcake on Saturday. He’d forgotten to come pick it up and I had no choice but to eat it

Langers not out of concussion protocols yet. Max said he won’t be until January which is technically true since this Wednesday is the last session but Max thought saying January was hilarious. Gotta admire someone who heartily laughs at his own ‘jokes’

Poor Ricky Mentha Not only did he have gastro last week but he also had the flu. This is why JVR came back to training earlier than him. He’s well over it now though

Xavier Lindsay said he’s all good and gave a thumbs up. I shall investigate further.

I investigated further. X had a mishap at training last week and complained of a sore foot. Scans etc. showed no damage, everything is fine, and he trained as usual on Friday. This morning his foot was sore again (same foot) so they decided to put him in rehab until the soreness is completely gone. He likely won’t be running on Wednesday either.

17 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

So about a 1/3 of our best 22 not main training? Great…

This doesn’t mean 1/3 of our best 22 are injured. Some of them are being monitored, some have a minor niggle, some are almost right to go having come back from injury but they’re waiting until the new year before putting them back in the main group. Two of them are in concussion protocols.

An example: Shane is tracking really well and will be in full training in January. He says that right now they’re concentrating on getting him sprinting and changing direction suddenly. He’s ticked all the other boxes.

Today I met Matty Scarlett. He’s a lovely person. I thanked him for coming to work with us and he said it was his pleasure because our club is run so well and he’s happy to be part of a club that’s looking likely to succeed next season.

Kingy asked me if I’ve met David, our new psych, which I have. Then Kingy told me David’s a former professional basketball player who played for several sides in the NBL, boasting six championships, which is the league record for most championships for an individual player. Kingy said, “Google him, he’s very accomplished.” And he is, the six championships were with three different teams, including a three-peat with the Sydney Kings. Early in his career he spent three years playing college basketball in the U.S. for the Boston Terriers. Then he returned to Australia to begin his record haul of championships.

Kingy said he likes having a wide range of talents from various backgrounds and David is yet another example of this.