Went down to the Trevor Barker Beach Road Oval at Sandringham today on the off chance that I might catch the Melbourne Football Club by surprise on account of the fact that the club has declared all training sessions other than the ones held on Wednesdays as closed sessions and off limits to the public.

Well, guess what?

There was not a single soul around although I was able to take some snaps and bring you these exclusive photos of the vacant ground with the old concrete perimeter fence on Beach Road now missing. As you can see, the demise of the old fence has made it difficult for the club to hide their players and keep tactics and strategies secret as the ground is open for all and sundry to look inside. That probably explains why nobody was there when I arrived.

I can say that among the notable absentees from today's training (wherever and whenever it took place) were Travis Johnstone, Nathan Brown, Daniel Ward, Byron Pickett, Clint Bizzell, Ryan Ferguson and Heath Neville.

As I was driving off however, I caught a glimpse of someone wearing a red top and a freakish looking blond haircut hovering around the tea trees and dense brush between the ground and the beach. I can't say for sure but he looked a bit like Nathan Carroll.

Now I wonder ...

MELBOURNEfc's next open training session will be held at Trinity Oval on Wednesday 30 January at 10:00am but please note: Training times and venues are subject to change without notice.

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That fence was becoming a hazard so the council knocked it down, but it's a curious replacement isn't it.

Very very odd... Certainly makes it easy for those who prefer not to pay for entry and just have a squizz through the fence.

As an architect, I can safely say this was designed by someone who didn't have any understanding of the site and the required functionality.

Its embarassing and annoying really that they leave this up to second-rate amatuers.

Very very odd... Certainly makes it easy for those who prefer not to pay for entry and just have a squizz through the fence.

Thought the same thing myself. Can't see the current fence remaining during the footy season, as we will have more people on the footpath than inside the ground.

Thought the same thing myself. Can't see the current fence remaining during the footy season, as we will have more people on the footpath than inside the ground.

Can anyone see Joffa and the Collingwood push forking out their 10 bucks when they can watch the game and abuse the maggots from the footpath on Beach Road?

Great report Deeman, very indepth discussion into where the players are at this time of year. Great work

Thanks Deeman - I felt like I was there.

Very very odd... Certainly makes it easy for those who prefer not to pay for entry and just have a squizz through the fence.

I reckon a see-through permanent fence wouldn't be the worst thing. I always felt like a big stone wall wasn't the best advertising for the club. With a game on, I reckon it would be much more inviting, and footy would be more of a presence on Beach Road. While I'm sure Joffa and his ferals would most likely be kept out (this is bad, why?) they're not exactly asking for a huge sum of money at the gate. And they usually open it up after the start of the last quarter.

As an architect, I can safely say this was designed by someone who didn't have any understanding of the site and the required functionality.

Its embarassing and annoying really that they leave this up to second-rate amatuers.

More curious is that they left parts of the old fence. I wonder how I would go if I asked Bayside Council if I could demolish part of my heritage listed property and build something new and unsympathetic?