I posted this in the Superbowl Halftime Show thread but it’s more relevant to this topic since it’s about training:

Speaking of music yesterday’s Gosch’s soundtrack was brought to us by CJ. He made the playlist specifically for training. At one point in warmups Reggie (XT) and CJ were kinda dancing, only for a few seconds but their timing/rhythm was super impressive. It got me thinking that perhaps dancing should be part of the training program. They already do yoga and pilates but dancing hones a different skill set.

23 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Thanks for your report.

The above view seems to be prevailing a little around here and I wonder if it's to do with his birth certificate.

However, I hope the club doesn't share this view, considering he's come off easily one of his best seasons.

He's in my opinion the second most skilled player at the club behind Kozzie.

He can kick long bomb goals, he's the best and smartest field kick at the club, he can takes the opposition's Harris Andrews, he can kick his 4 or 5 every and now and then.

In an off season where we've lost a heck of a lot of familiar faces and already lost a few senior players to injury, I believe Melksham should be a regular (i.e. 16 -18 games) in the side for a bit of stability and can guide the younger forwards such as JVR, Jeffo and Latrelle. Furthermore, the extra interchange spot should cater for him as he can play less minutes per game.

However, If he's fighting for a spot for Brodie, then Brodie will probably keep him out.

If it's 3 talls and Fritsch I do see Melky missing out a bit. Because JVR and Mihocek are hopefully regulars and we need to have a proper look at Jeffo, to use AJ to shield Max at times and to have a look at Kentfield if possible.

But there is a small chance with the extra bench spot we could go 3 talls, Fritsch and Melk if we can be creative with Fritsch and even Jeffo spending time on the wing to declutter the forward line.

A Mihocek, JVR, Jeffo line up is very mobile and if the young guys can follow the example set by Mihocek on how to pressure, chase and be accountable defensibly it should help us create more turnovers.

Melk has a great footy IQ when we're attacking/with the ball. Going the other way he's not so strong.

4 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

If it's 3 talls and Fritsch I do see Melky missing out a bit. Because JVR and Mihocek are hopefully regulars and we need to have a proper look at Jeffo, to use AJ to shield Max at times and to have a look at Kentfield if possible.

But there is a small chance with the extra bench spot we could go 3 talls, Fritsch and Melk if we can be creative with Fritsch and even Jeffo spending time on the wing to declutter the forward line.

A Mihocek, JVR, Jeffo line up is very mobile and if the young guys can follow the example set by Mihocek on how to pressure, chase and be accountable defensibly it should help us create more turnovers.

Melk has a great footy IQ when we're attacking/with the ball. Going the other way he's not so strong.

Agree 100%

I don’t think he plays round 1

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by BW511

3 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

If it's 3 talls and Fritsch I do see Melky missing out a bit. Because JVR and Mihocek are hopefully regulars and we need to have a proper look at Jeffo, to use AJ to shield Max at times and to have a look at Kentfield if possible.

But there is a small chance with the extra bench spot we could go 3 talls, Fritsch and Melk if we can be creative with Fritsch and even Jeffo spending time on the wing to declutter the forward line.

A Mihocek, JVR, Jeffo line up is very mobile and if the young guys can follow the example set by Mihocek on how to pressure, chase and be accountable defensibly it should help us create more turnovers.

Melk has a great footy IQ when we're attacking/with the ball. Going the other way he's not so strong.

Yes I get that Melk has his defensive flaws and is far from the perfect modern day player as others have pointed out, and there's no way he'll be playing 23 games this year.

However, it's hard to imagine King overlooking a player too often that rendered Mac Andrew (the AFL's current and next big thing) completely useless in a game last year, along the way to 11 scoring shots in the game.

Round 1 will obviously tell us where he stands in the pecking order as we assume he'll have some praccy matches under the belt.

On 11/02/2026 at 13:01, DeeZone said:

Thanks Fritta and Turner just looked it up 4-6 weeks but can drag on for up to 6 months lethargy if you cop a bad dose. Poor Kalani’s.

20 hours ago, monoccular said:

No just no contact… avoid exertion. So many teenagers even not in elite sports won’t rest, start running (and alcohol) too soon and end up with “chronic fatigue”

Yes it's very concerning! The risk of chronic fatigue is serious, and could lead to a premature end of his footy career if contracted. For many years, research into chronic fatigue has been little and underfunded... hopefully the research situation has improved, given they think the basis for long covid and chronic fatigue are similar.

Kalani is young and starting out - the club has no need to press him to recover quickly, given the risks. Fingers crossed he has an uncomplicated recovery!

1 hour ago, Ghostwriter said:

I posted this in the Superbowl Halftime Show thread but it’s more relevant to this topic since it’s about training:

Speaking of music yesterday’s Gosch’s soundtrack was brought to us by CJ. He made the playlist specifically for training. At one point in warmups Reggie (XT) and CJ were kinda dancing, only for a few seconds but their timing/rhythm was super impressive. It got me thinking that perhaps dancing should be part of the training program. They already do yoga and pilates but dancing hones a different skill set.

Actually it’s interesting that you say that… now, my memory is currently as dodgy as, but I seem to recall that a few decades ago, maybe in the Gutnik years, someone was brought into the club to conduct ballet oriented training, to develop their ability to leap, and I’m guessing, to work on their balance.

On 11/02/2026 at 12:55, Fritta and Turner said:

Yes. A younger persons stress illness. Comes with over doing it at training or study.

They call glandular fever the kissing disease because it’s transmitted through saliva. Americans call it Mono, an abbreviation of mononucleosis. I had it when I was in my 20s and it’s super debilitating. I was off work for six weeks and when I did return it was for one day per week then building up to two days, then three and so on. It takes forever to feel normal again.

1 hour ago, hardtack said:

Actually it’s interesting that you say that… now, my memory is currently as dodgy as, but I seem to recall that a few decades ago, maybe in the Gutnik years, someone was brought into the club to conduct ballet oriented training, to develop their ability to leap, and I’m guessing, to work on their balance.

Definitely ballet* for balance and poise and agility, but all forms of dance offer great benefits.

*ballet does NOT cure clumsiness. I’m living proof of that 😁

18 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

They call glandular fever the kissing disease because it’s transmitted through saliva. Americans call it Mono, an abbreviation of mononucleosis. I had it when I was in my 20s and it’s super debilitating. I was off work for six weeks and when I did return it was for one day per week then building up to two days, then three and so on. It takes forever to feel normal again.

Dashed my expectations of First 18 footy in high school. I still have dreams about that, 50+ years later.

😰

1 hour ago, Ghostwriter said:

They call glandular fever the kissing disease because it’s transmitted through saliva. Americans call it Mono, an abbreviation of mononucleosis. I had it when I was in my 20s and it’s super debilitating. I was off work for six weeks and when I did return it was for one day per week then building up to two days, then three and so on. It takes forever to feel normal again.

Maybe this belongs in the Lookalikes thread, but:

Marlon Neocleous Draft Profile - Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central (formerly AFL Draft Central)

I see a world where Fritsch plays on a wing/hf role, freeing up Melk or Jeffo to stay inside 50.

Especially with Culley's injury, that wing role is up for grabs.

5 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

I posted this in the Superbowl Halftime Show thread but it’s more relevant to this topic since it’s about training:

Speaking of music yesterday’s Gosch’s soundtrack was brought to us by CJ. He made the playlist specifically for training. At one point in warmups Reggie (XT) and CJ were kinda dancing, only for a few seconds but their timing/rhythm was super impressive. It got me thinking that perhaps dancing should be part of the training program. They already do yoga and pilates but dancing hones a different skill set.

..and you are hoping you might be called upon as a dance partner...???

15 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

I see a world where Fritsch plays on a wing/hf role, freeing up Melk or Jeffo to stay inside 50.

Especially with Culley's injury, that wing role is up for grabs.

Culley is a chance to be available for round 1, let alone the rest of the season…

On 11/02/2026 at 12:55, Fritta and Turner said:

Yes. A younger persons stress illness. Comes with over doing it at training or study.

I got glandular fever the last day of my first year of university and I can safely say it wasn’t from stress or over doing the study. It absolutely flawed me for months though.

On 11/02/2026 at 18:20, M_9 said:

Dees on nine news tonight (6:45pm) - "How King plans to turn things around".

What was the answer?

8 hours ago, poita said:

Absolutely agree. We're going nowhere as a club if we're playing more than one of Melksham, Mihocek and McAdam in the same side.

I'll be amazed if any of these guys are in our next finals side, and we need to be getting games into guys who will be.

Then it is Melk v Mihocek as McAdam is extremely unlikely to play at ll

7 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

I posted this in the Superbowl Halftime Show thread but it’s more relevant to this topic since it’s about training:

Speaking of music yesterday’s Gosch’s soundtrack was brought to us by CJ. He made the playlist specifically for training. At one point in warmups Reggie (XT) and CJ were kinda dancing, only for a few seconds but their timing/rhythm was super impressive. It got me thinking that perhaps dancing should be part of the training program. They already do yoga and pilates but dancing hones a different skill set.

I recall James Hird saying at one stage he did ballet at school - he certainly had balance and poise (as a player).

On 11/02/2026 at 11:14, Demonland said:

Campbell arrives still with neck brace.

At training 3 weeks ago l was told it was as neck muscle injury.By a trainer.

On 11/02/2026 at 10:01, Ghostwriter said:

Hendo’s sacrum is healing well but he won’t be in full training for a couple of months.

Luker says his face isn’t as bad as it sounds: a 4-cm crack from his eye socket down. He has no pain and his face looks normal. He’s swapped the no-contact hat for the mask.

Bowser in great spirits. He said his recovery is tracking well and is actually ahead of schedule, hence the high spirits.

Thanks Ghosty

On 11/02/2026 at 14:01, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Thanks for your report.

The above view seems to be prevailing a little around here and I wonder if it's to do with his birth certificate.

However, I hope the club doesn't share this view, considering he's come off easily one of his best seasons.

He's in my opinion the second most skilled player at the club behind Kozzie.

He can kick long bomb goals, he's the best and smartest field kick at the club, he can takes the opposition's Harris Andrews, he can kick his 4 or 5 every and now and then.

In an off season where we've lost a heck of a lot of familiar faces and already lost a few senior players to injury, I believe Melksham should be a regular (i.e. 16 -18 games) in the side for a bit of stability and can guide the younger forwards such as JVR, Jeffo and Latrelle. Furthermore, the extra interchange spot should cater for him as he can play less minutes per game.

However, If he's fighting for a spot for Brodie, then Brodie will probably keep him out.

Spot on