1 hour ago, Bendigo_Demon2 said:

At the end of Sunday’s game, my mate noticed that Fritta pulled up short after kicking the sealer, and on the replay I notice it looks like he was stretching his groin. Can anybody please give me an update as to how he trained?

Fritta did not seem to be impaired in any way today.

2 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Moose is also fine with this. Of course, he’d love to be in the 1s, but he said he’s happy to be given a chance with us and the coaches are very good with explaining the reasons behind decisions.

Whilst I’m not saying their choice to leave him behind is a good/bad decision, I’d be curious to know what their plan to slowly bring Moose in and transition to him the main ruck by either season end if this is Maxy last year or the year after.

I think Moose should be given a run and take some of the load off Maxy, but again I don’t know their plan.

Has Moose said what they’re trying to implement moving forward?

11 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

I think Moose should be given a run and take some of the load off Maxy, but again I don’t know their plan.

Has Moose said what they’re trying to implement moving forward?

With Kentfield putting up his hand in a few weeks time it might be hard for Heath to get a run.

Like many I thought he would have at least been an emergency and on the flight to Perth.

King surprised many by giving Petty a few centre bounces and JVR took a few forward. I suspect we will see an amalgam second ruck made up of these two and Kentfield.

Bill Laurie seems in good form - may be chance if Langdon is scratched.

19 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Bill Laurie seems in good form - may be chance if Langdon is scratched.

I really hope Bill gets / takes a chance. I often think he must look at Bowey's career and think 'we were one draft pick apart'.

However, if you're at Stawell, Langdon's off scratch and Bill is + 30 yards. Slight pace difference.

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

With Kentfield putting up his hand in a few weeks time it might be hard for Heath to get a run.

Like many I thought he would have at least been an emergency and on the flight to Perth.

King surprised many by giving Petty a few centre bounces and JVR took a few forward. I suspect we will see an amalgam second ruck made up of these two and Kentfield.

I can understand a tall forward taking hit outs deep forward, and yes occasional stints in the middle, but using a tall defender makes no sense (Petty did do a great job at centre ball ups) as it leaves us one tall defender short so one opponent free.

Has anyone seen any “forward craft” from the other Max?

Luker does seem (from what I have read) a more versatile option to maybe play off the 5 man bench.

Interesting dilemmas.

A big thanks to Ghostwriter, Ditcha, Fritta and Turner, Harvey Wallbanger, Kev, all posters and special comments. Greatly appreciated, I am also a bit surprised that Moose didn’t make the journey but a full game at Casey beats being an emergency.

3 hours ago, Olgreybeard49 said:

That's Eric Mangini, also a Fox Sport commentator. You just met what passes for royalty in the States.

That makes sense because I chatted with him when I thought he was a curious overseas visitor; he showed me photos of his front and back yards to show how heavy the snow is in Ohio where he’s from and we talked about his son, Zach. But then I noticed Kingy, Chappy, Richo, a couple of our physios and others were individually approaching him and introducing themselves so I realised he wasn’t just a curious overseas visitor.

Edited Thursday at 07:412 days by Ghostwriter

4 hours ago, Bendigo_Demon2 said:

At the end of Sunday’s game, my mate noticed that Fritta pulled up short after kicking the sealer, and on the replay I notice it looks like he was stretching his groin. Can anybody please give me an update as to how he trained?

It was just cramping. He trained as normal today.

3 hours ago, Longsufferingnomore said:

Annie sign him up

Well he told me he’s now a Demons fan but maybe that’s because of how I framed the question… “So Eric, which team are you gonna jump onboard with? Lie to me if you have to.”

He’s going to tonight’s match by the end of which he might be a Swans or Hawks fan.

When I arrived at training the drill happening in front of me was quite interesting. There were about 20 involved in 2 sides utilising less than half of the ground. Basically the sides had to move the ball in traffic by hand or foot to a coach at each end. If you were in space you looked for handball or occasionally a kicking target but the interesting aspect was the obvious instruction to when in congestion, not to take possession but to slap the ball forward or to an outside teammate. So I saw a lot of slapping the ball when it’s on the ground and a lot of palming the ball to a team mate if it was in the air in a contest. It worked a treat in a training drill. I will be watching Saturday to see if they use this technique to clear congestion to our advantage. These tactics I think work if the inside ball getters know there will always a runner on the outside to receive. Hopefully King is developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

26 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Hopefully King is developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

Hopefully the coaches are developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

Fixed if for you.

17 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Hopefully the coaches are developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

Fixed if for you.

Que?

2 hours ago, bing181 said:

Hopefully the coaches are developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

Fixed IT for you.

Fixed it for you 😉

3 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

When I arrived at training the drill happening in front of me was quite interesting. There were about 20 involved in 2 sides utilising less than half of the ground. Basically the sides had to move the ball in traffic by hand or foot to a coach at each end. If you were in space you looked for handball or occasionally a kicking target but the interesting aspect was the obvious instruction to when in congestion, not to take possession but to slap the ball forward or to an outside teammate. So I saw a lot of slapping the ball when it’s on the ground and a lot of palming the ball to a team mate if it was in the air in a contest. It worked a treat in a training drill. I will be watching Saturday to see if they use this technique to clear congestion to our advantage. These tactics I think work if the inside ball getters know there will always a runner on the outside to receive. Hopefully King is developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

Swans dud heaps of those sort of taps etc in tonight's game - Hawks too, albeit to a lesser extent.

The Swana also used lots of long forward handballs and overlap run.

Very similar game plan to ours.

4 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

a lot of palming the ball to a team mate if it was in the air in a contest.

Used to have a coach who banned this...it was his number one team rule.

Grab the ball & use it properly was his instruction.

How times have changed.

1 hour ago, binman said:

Swans dud heaps of those sort of taps etc in tonight's game - Hawks too, albeit to a lesser extent.

The Swana also used lots of long forward handballs and overlap run.

Very similar game plan to ours.

Late in the game on Sunday, Sharp trapped the ball, was being heavily tackled and tapped the ball out which was swooped on by Fritta who goaled. It was excellent play by Sharp.

Worth mentioning is the play by Tholstrop to spot and then deliver the ball perfectly to Latrelle which resulted in Latrelle's spectacular finish and goal. I think this has largely been lost in the excitement of the actual goal. Great vision and execution by Koltyn.

" Thanks trackwatchers extraordinaire" for sharing our team with us ...I love it this close from so far. Its bloody pouring here in Cairns but I would hate to be right close in Coen or even Cooktown. I reckon that area will be flattened. On the Weipa side as well. Pretty serious there. 300 km winds.

1 hour ago, binman said:

The Swana also used lots of long forward handballs and overlap run.

Very similar game plan to ours.

Hmm. What could Melbourne and the Swans have in common I wonder. Think think think.

3 hours ago, bing181 said:

Hmm. What could Melbourne and the Swans have in common I wonder. Think think think.

James Jordon is the only thing that comes to mind!

16 hours ago, Olgreybeard49 said:

That's Eric Mangini, also a Fox Sport commentator. You just met what passes for royalty in the States.

16 hours ago, Olgreybeard49 said:

That’s him. But he’s dropped a lot of weight

Wow…you met an absolute legend! He’s fantastic on a show ‘first things first’ and an all time coach…

Was he there knowing that training was on? Or was he just passing through?

15 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

Fritta did not seem to be impaired in any way today.

God, you’d hope he wasn’t impaired, it was only 9AM!

14 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

When I arrived at training the drill happening in front of me was quite interesting. There were about 20 involved in 2 sides utilising less than half of the ground. Basically the sides had to move the ball in traffic by hand or foot to a coach at each end. If you were in space you looked for handball or occasionally a kicking target but the interesting aspect was the obvious instruction to when in congestion, not to take possession but to slap the ball forward or to an outside teammate. So I saw a lot of slapping the ball when it’s on the ground and a lot of palming the ball to a team mate if it was in the air in a contest. It worked a treat in a training drill. I will be watching Saturday to see if they use this technique to clear congestion to our advantage. These tactics I think work if the inside ball getters know there will always a runner on the outside to receive. Hopefully King is developing this system and the confidence for players to keep doing it.

I reckon Tholstrup used this tactic more than once last Sunday.

19 hours ago, monoccular said:

I can understand a tall forward taking hit outs deep forward, and yes occasional stints in the middle, but using a tall defender makes no sense (Petty did do a great job at centre ball ups) as it leaves us one tall defender short so one opponent free.

Has anyone seen any “forward craft” from the other Max?

Luker does seem (from what I have read) a more versatile option to maybe play off the 5 man bench.

Interesting dilemmas.

I thought it made a lot of sense given the oppisitions backup ruckman was one of their forwards.

7 hours ago, adonski said:

James Jordon is the only thing that comes to mind!