Training today was at Trinity Playing Fields in Bulleen. I took some photos from the sidelines but most of the action was a fair distance away. You can click on the link below to see the photos -

Training Photos

Many thanks!!!

Click on the link below to see the photos - most of the photos were taken from very far away.

Training Photos

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I made some changes to the page and while it was uploading the whole page was unavailable. There are about 150 photos so wait a few minutes for them all to load. If you want to view the slideshow, click the link that says play slideshow and then wait a few minutes for it to start playing. If you have dial up then forget about it.

Cheers,

Andy

Can you give us a brief report as well? I'd like to know how are our rookies coping with the strong worload these days.

Conditions were perfect for both training (overcast, mild and a cloud cover) and spectating (no flies) at the Trinity Grammar fields today. They have a great set up over there and with their own lake and proximity to the Yarra, there's plenty of water to keep the grounds green and in good shape - certainly better than my front nature strip these days.

There was a small group on hand to watch which included Andy (Demonland), Deefan, Big Kev and myself. Former captain Garry Lyon was there watching intently as Dean Bailey put his charges through a tough two hour session. It's an amazing fact that between us we've played 223 AFL games and kicked 423 goals!

There's a bit of speculation as to whether Neita will take the skipper's gig but it seems that on logic, he will grab it for the club's 150th anniversary year. Interestingly, the last few captains at Melbourne have all been born outside Victoria. Neitz and Lyon in Tassie and Todd Viney in SA. On that basis, only Brad Green qualifies as a possible captaincy prospect if Neita dee-clines (sorry, couldn't help it) the offer to skipper the club!

I suppose you're waiting for me to tell you who's training the house down and who's bulked up etc but I promised myself after my last pre season training report from Australia Day last year that I wouldn't get carried away with any individuals or the team as a whole on first viewing - you tend to look at things at this time of year through rose coloured glasses and my last effort jinxed so many of the players and the team's 2007 effort so I'll keep a lid on it for a week or two at least and leave it to Big Kev or Fan to say something if they wish.

I will however, make some general observations and they are that the players were pretty hard at it in training and their skills looked good for this time of year. Perhaps it may be that some of those who have departed were not as skilful as is required at this standard with their disposal but the drills looked pretty clean to me. Perhaps there's a sense that with a new coach in place and an emphasis on developing the under 23's, the competition for spot in the side is going to be so much more intense for the start of the season. The players looked stronger of body than this time last year when they were all fining down but that's just on their appearance to me - I don't know whether they measure or weigh up that way.

A few players were just doing some light drills and these are obviously the players in rehab - Clint Bartram, Matthew Whelan and I think it was John Meesen (whoever he was, he was tall). Jack Grimes was also in this group - I believe he had stress fractures in his back so he's no doubt being eased through the pre-season. Clint had no knee bandages and seemed to be moving OK. One or two others joined them from time to time but that could have been planned. The main thing was that there didn't seem to be any major or disastrous injuries apparent and players like Jared Rivers, Brent Moloney, Colin Sylvia and Adem Yze who were missing with injury last year, were in the thick of things today. Yze looks really keen to make up for lost time.

Of the new players at the club I thought Ivan Maric looked very impressive, Cale Morton looks to have the skills but is very lightly built ATM and my old favourite from the Tiwi Islands (NT) Austin Wonaeamirri trained well for a rookie. [sorry dazzledavey36 but I really couldn't pick out the other rookies all that well but I'll look out for them next time].

Actually, they all looked good and … what the hell … we'll win the fl… er, no I'll just keep a lid on it for a while longer.

good to hear aussie training the house down!! its addam maric ya after lol and that jake spencer is a bloody beanpole!!

Thanks for the report.

Excellent news about Rivers resuming full training!

Any word on Bartram's progress?

Dont think I could see Wheatley in any of the photos

Nath Carroll's haircut is something to behold

Thanks for that lads - I bloody wish I could get down there one morning... how to get out of work is of course the question

good to hear aussie training the house down!! its addam maric ya after lol and that jake spencer is a bloody beanpole!!

Steady there. The report didn't say Aussie was training the house down. It said he "trained well for a rookie". Let's not put too high expectations on our younger players at this stage.

Dont think I could see Wheatley in any of the photos

Wheatley joined into the main group after doing some running on the far side of the oval (with Bate) while the others were doing their loosening up as the start.

Any word on Bartram's progress?

I would say the best person qualified to give you the information you want is his medico. On what I saw however, he seemed comfortable walking around and doing some simple handballing etc with the other rehab guys, there was no sign of any limp or other discomfort and, as I said above, nothing bandaged. The reports have been that he's on a slow path to recovery after some complex surgery and some setbacks last year. He's not yet 20 years old yet and we have to be patient but I have a feeling he'll be back playing soon.

Wheatley joined into the main group after doing some running on the far side of the oval (with Bate) while the others were doing their loosening up as the start.

Thanks for that comprehensive report Kev

It should be said for those who aren't familiar with the Trinity Fields that they are enormous which is ideal for training a large group of 44 players. They were generally doing drills in three or four different groups and it wasn't easy identifying the players, some were new, a lot were wearing caps etc. You certainly can't possibly notice everything that's going on. For instance, I noticed James Frawley doing a few kicks and his action looked more relaxed than last year and he was hitting targets every time. But he probably kicked the ball perhaps 50 times in the session so I have no idea what he was like the other 47 times. It's much easier to cover training on an enclosed ground like Sandringham but that venue is not the ideal for the entire list. Anyhow, that's my excuse for not being too specific about individual players. It will be interesting to see how they're going in a month's time by which time they will have a game under their belt against some good opposition.

I would say the best person qualified to give you the information you want is his medico. On what I saw however, he seemed comfortable walking around and doing some simple handballing etc with the other rehab guys, there was no sign of any limp or other discomfort and, as I said above, nothing bandaged. The reports have been that he's on a slow path to recovery after some complex surgery and some setbacks last year. He's not yet 20 years old yet and we have to be patient but I have a feeling he'll be back playing soon.

I am a man of a few words Jack.

I spoke to Clint last week after training (as previously stated in another post) and he said he had been given the all clear to start running and was very happy that things were finally progressing and was rapt to be getting back into it. He ran yesterday before I got there, when I got there he was wearing his knee bandage but took it off after about half an hour or so.

Training today was at Trinity Playing Fields in Bulleen. I took some photos from the sidelines but most of the action was a fair distance away. You can click on the link below to see the photos -

Training Photos

Good photos Andy, but I am sure that Ben would want some shirtless ones as well :D

I am a man of a few words Jack.

I spoke to Clint last week after training (as previously stated in another post) and he said he had been given the all clear to start running and was very happy that things were finally progressing and was rapt to be getting back into it. He ran yesterday before I got there, when I got there he was wearing his knee bandage but took it off after about half an hour or so.

One of the features of Bartram's debut season was the fact that he really had great endurance and kept running all of the time. Did he say whether he was doing other activities to keep his fitness up (e.g. bike riding, swimming) during the long period of time he was injured?

Training today was at Trinity Playing Fields in Bulleen. I took some photos from the sidelines but most of the action was a fair distance away. You can click on the link below to see the photos -

Training Photos

Thanks for the photos.

Can anyone confirm if this is Trent Zomer? (image2617)- If so, apart from being a P.J look-alike, he looks a likely type and I can see him adjusting to the physical rigours pretty well.

Does anyone know much about the physical side of his game?

Wheatley joined into the main group after doing some running on the far side of the oval (with Bate) while the others were doing their loosening up as the start.

cheers

Thanks for the photos.

Can anyone confirm if this is Trent Zomer? (image2617)- If so, apart from being a P.J look-alike, he looks a likely type and I can see him adjusting to the physical rigours pretty well.

Does anyone know much about the physical side of his game?

no thats paul johnson there..

no thats paul johnson there..

Perhaps your right there....maybe P.J has slimmed down a bit and that is what is fooling me.

If you are correct and it's not Zomer, does anyone have a clue if Zomer was in the photos at all? I'd appreciate some feedback

man cale morton is really skinny!! reminds me of a taller version of cam hunter

man cale morton is really skinny!! reminds me of a taller version of cam hunter

Or Steven Stretch perhaps?

Perhaps your right there....maybe P.J has slimmed down a bit and that is what is fooling me.

If you are correct and it's not Zomer, does anyone have a clue if Zomer was in the photos at all? I'd appreciate some feedback

He's the bloke wearing the hat backwards in these pictures. I'll give you a bit of a description about where he's standing

second from left

http://www.demonland.com/Training/Site/Mel...Training.html#3

basically dead centre

http://www.demonland.com/Training/Site/Mel...raining.html#71

lookin at the camera

http://www.demonland.com/Training/Site/Mel...raining.html#67

standing behind Morton (?)

http://www.demonland.com/Training/Site/Mel...aining.html#108

clutching his jumper

http://www.demonland.com/Training/Site/Mel...aining.html#124

middle

http://www.demonland.com/Training/Site/Mel...aining.html#126

He's the bloke wearing the hat backwards in these pictures. I'll give you a bit of a description about where he's standing

Thanks for that,

I don't know what inspired your answer two months after my question - but it was worth the look anyway, despite having now seen him play in our NAB Cup game at Geelong

Eastie Boyz??...any reference to the eastern suburbs? Perhaps you are actually Zomer himself

If that's the case, go well and I look forward to seeing you get a game at the "G"