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i wonder if essendon are still waiting for dustin fletcher to bulk up??

I know he's not everyone's favourite player, but my initial reaction was disappointment. He's known as one of the club's hardest workers and by all reports is an individual of the highest quality, so I guess from a personal point of view I was hoping he'd beat this problem. All the best Clint.

I guess many of us saw it coming, none the least Bartram himself. Many thanks for your untiring courageous efforts, but look after your future. I am sure any contribution or presence at our club will always be welcomed.

For what it's worth... I had a chat to Neil Craig, and we've all heard already that we're in better shape than last year, but he seemed genuinely enthusiastic about it and emphasized that we are in much better shape now than this time last year.

He's*

I wandered down for a squiz, saw all of the running session. They ran 4, 3 minute laps in 4 groups. About a 1 minute break in between the 1st and 2nd runs, then a bit longer break in the last 2. Not a lot to report different from all of the other training reports. McDonald and Nicholson still lead every time in the top group. Nicho is very vocal, very supportive, switched on. Trengove is at the back of the top group most times, and a couple of times didn't look happy about it. Howe had a lot of tape on his lower back, sat out the last run, possibly the 3rd and was getting the lower back massaged. Blease trailed the last group, every time, by a fair distance. Every coach was encouraging him at every opportunity, same with Watts. Everyone got encouragement, but those two in particular frequently. At the start of the last run in Blease's group the coaches wanted him to get out fast, and there was some niggling between him and Sellar, then Frawley got stuck into him a bit as they took off. Nothing in it other than to fire him up, it was just interesting. Rodan, Byrnes and Gillies seemed to run what I think were repetitive 200's. The Geelong boys were sucking them in hard, Rodan looks like he could do it all day. Jamar, Fitzy and Dawes were running laps at a reasonable pace when it all started, Dawes is huge and fit. Bandage on the right knee. He later ran laps on his own, not sure how many, but a couple at a good pace, he was jogging at walking speed by the end. Fitzy and Jamar resumed laps towards the end, they were like a couple of race horses. Mitch was kicking a footy around for a while, and was chatting to his new gorilla side kick for a bit, warmed my heart it did. Davey wasn't there. Jones and Tappy were over the other side, doing ball work I think, not sure if Viney was with them too, but I didn't see much of them.

Disagree. Jack Watts is Jack Watts. Think we need to get over the whole he's the next Riewoldt/Cloke/J.Brown/Whoever else thing that the media have tried to push on him since draft day.

Common misconception... MacDonald actually had a pretty good year with the ball, and he's exactly the type Neeld loves. Was amongst our best in a few games this year and I find it ridiculous when 'Landers call for his sacking. What a joke. They talk up these players from other teams we've gone after this offseason as hard bodies, contested players, etc but fail to recognize the same qualities in one of our own.

I think a more pertinent question is: is it school holidays already..?

Some of the boys got confused, got told it was a Cross Training Session

I think the real question is: Why is there an umlaut above the 'o' in the thread title?

That's his shoulder.

Well played Clint. Those injury woes surfaced at the end of his first season which was exceptional. I don't think Clint ever got the chance to play at his best after that but he soldiered on until his body couldn't carry on at this level any longer. Did the #3 proud.

So, sorry to go off topic, but does anyone have anything to report on how Dawes was looking at his first session with the club?

"Its no skin off my back." - Olisik, Nov 14th Training thread. Missed the apostrophe too

It's a pretty simple correction, you can either take it on board and apply it in the future, or get all defensive about and continue to post like an uneducated dunce. Do you spell 'he's' correctly in private but not in public? Somehow I don't think so.

Alex Perry rates up there with Caroline Wilson in my "not much liked" list

I think they'll keep him relatively lean as his role will, for the forseeable future, be the sweeping QB defender with perhaps even a bit of time on the ball. Makes sense i reckon as one his key strengths is his athleticism and running, might as well take full advantage of it.

I was at training this morning. I am from the bush and was quite excited being there for the first time. Had a good chat to Theo from this board. From what I saw, Watts looks very fit. Davey was there for a while with Jordie Mac and two others, doing close in handball on the net. Col Sylvia was there as well, doing some end to end kicking with a trainer. Pedersen is a big unit. He was quite vocal in the drills and Rodan was yelling encouragement and is fitting in nicely by the looks. Some of the drills were pretty full on and pretty much at full pace. As mentioned previously Jamar was in pretty good nick. One of the fittest I saw was Lynden Dunn, He is really looking good, dunno if he has lost weight or what but he looked toned and ready to go. Saw Dawes early on running laps, didn't see him much after that and I had to go shortly before the press conference. Quite a bit to like about our team going in to 2013. I really enjoyed seeing the team train.

Osilik i largely ignore your posts as i can't be bothered with the [censored] for tat stuff you seem to relish. But comments like the one above are bordering on trolling - winding people up for the sake of it. The comments in this thread about Watts in this thread were of a positive nature dealing with his current build and potential playing positions. You are the one who introduced the idea of his worth as a number 1 selection - a topic that has been done to death, has its own thread (bump it if you want to reignite it) and has nothing at all to do with what was being discussed. Again troll like behvaiour Yes i hear you - if i don't like it don't read it yada yada. But TBO it is tiresome, particularly when it occurs in one of the rare positive threads on Demonland. I mean really who need another negative out of context comment?

4 pages so far and I can count the amount of posts about the actual training session on one hand. Standard.

If he can get back to the form of 2011, and help win us a premiership, I'd be willing to give him 69.

In a sense they all keep each and many others honest. Competition for places is good

If that bothers you then don't look at the inappropriate and over zealous use of diacritics in his favourite player(s) list.

Instead of seeing what Neeld has done with the baby as a minus, i'll give you this quote. W. L. Bateman - If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got. No baby, no bathwater just a recognition that we needed big change to what we have previously accepted and done.

Outside class is only revealed as the grunt that get them the footy allow them to flourish. Go and get the footy. Get the footy out of the middle and then worry about the skills on the other end. We need mids who win the football. It's as simple as that.

But it'll be pick 2 out of more or less the same pool of players, minus those taken after 53 in the ND. I reckon 53 is too early to be passing in favour of the PSD.

I'd agree with you except that hiring Finklestein is not about going to court. It's about getting a forensic legal mind to assess and unpick the bs case being compiled by the investigators, putting it in context eg: there is equal evidence against Carlton if Caro's standard is taken into account, yet no action taken. Getting Finklestein is a shot across the bows intended to avoid anything in a courtroom which would be an absolute last resort. That is not how the AFL works. They like their own kangaroo court, thanks very much. As to the investigators threatening witnesses - or reminding them of their obligations - that's pretty standard conduct. I don't think that undermines their case necessarily, unless witnesses can be shown to have made admissions under duress. But then if those admissions are confirmed elsewhere they are on strong ground. It's the lack of evidence, the reliance on four year old memory and general lack of specific actions that shows the flimsiness of their case. But being judge jury and executioner, the AFL can still do as it pleases. Does it feel it must be seen to do something because of the toxic environment The Age has created? That's the big unknown.

Last night I re-watched some of the Under 18 championships games and they confirmed my belief that Wines is the likely selection for Melbourne given what we know of Mark Neeld's preferences of the type of player he wants at the club's work face. I think Wines over O'Rourke would be considered in terms of the fact that the former is ready made and could slot into AFL football early and his chances of succeeding in the long run would be slightly better. That said, my own preference would be for a Toumpas or O'Rourke to give us better variety in the midfield. The other thing that amazes me however, is the thought that Grundy might not be in GWS's top three players given their list. If the HUN article is right and Grundy goes to Port Adelaide at 7 then they have the bargain of this year's draft (aside from us getting Jack Viney @ 27 of course).

True, but how much outside class does Sydney have ? The Hawks have Smith and Savage, who was border-line, but how many more ? The Dees will have Blease and hopefully Barry, but I don't reckon teams can carry too much outside class and win finals. When Geelong were at their best the ball moved liked lightening, but they weren't overly quick. Leg speed or quality contested ball winners ? Good inside mids spread well anyway. I agree we need leg speed, but I'd rather a contested ball winner first and foremost.

That's what we said last year

Really really devastating news. He must be gutted. From personal experience there is nothing worse than having an injury that won't go away. Can't imagine how it must feel to a young athlete who was making strides in his career. His leadership, his hardness and his courage will be sorely missed. All the very best of luck Barts!

Anyone else notice Neeld during the interview... sat there like an ALL-Knowing -Yoda. Finally heading in the right direction, Melbourne is. Herh herh herh. not just because of Dawes, but as result of trades and drafts ( and picks to come ). The big picture is clearing Our way at last, on. Hmmmmmm.!!!

When he was on the footy field at least you know he would always give 100% which was more than could be said of some of his team mates Interesting the article says "He later described the weight gain process as the most difficult thing he had endured." He should have given me a call, I have weight gain completely sussed

Barty had that essential ingredient that all true Demon players must have moving forward ... heart.

Knowing Clint Bartam quite well personally this is sad. Yes he wasn't blessed with skills as good as some others but what he was blessed with was a huge ticker, bravery, commitment, professionalism, loyalty and the ability to constantly give 110%. If some at our club only had half of these things then we would be finals bound. All the best to you Barty, hope you stick around the club in someway as there is a lot the players can learn from you. Look forward to sharing a beer with you soon! Oh and also, to play devils advocate here, perhaps Hogan to take Lyons #3?

Very sad to hear. A true competitor and great role model. All the best Barty with your future endeavours. p.s. I think Barty would make a great addition to the FD.

Yes, they both have hair and bi-pedal function and play football. Tynan was a ND50+ pick and isn't talked about the way one talks about a top 5 pick.

I think a fundamental difference is that many of our mature players on the last few years have merely been struggling on or fluctuating in form, rather than solidly contributing year after year after year. And I don't just mean in comparison to Matthew Pavlich or Adam Goodes, I mean the stalwarts who keep producing solid, 'best 22' games year in year out and are consistently in the mix for B&F placings. I'm hoping that guys like Nathan Jones, Mitch Clark, James Frawley and of course the captains can be the beginning of that kind of core group of professional, consistent, high-performing players who keep a club competitive through the twists of AFL seasons. Personally I think it takes at least half the players in the best 22 to be of that standard before you can seriously expect to contend at the very top levels.

Does his comment go into the mixed metaphor thread? I thought it was 'skin off one's nose' and 'shirt off one's back'?

I was an ology poster and it took me about 2 years before I posted here for the first but was an avid reader.

Monthly contracts for Dunn?

So he should be, he's just come back from his honeymoon...

Took over from EQ for this one. Probably because it is an ACTUAL STORY. You know with the evidence, and the nefarious dealings, and the imminent punishment and all that crap that makes it relevant to write about.

That isn't a mixed metaphor.

I assumed the Scully comparisons were all tongue in cheek, but if people are genuinely afraid that Hogan is going to leave at first opportunity then they have serious abandonment issues.

Now we're only nine players short of a team!

Something something something darkside Something something something complete

Mitch Clark loves the Dees. Relevantly he has also played at another AFL club, and has otherwise been in the system for a while. He has expressed his strong desire to spend the rest of his career at the club, which I've no doubt he will. Hogan is 17 years old. He is literally still a kid. I expect he would still be quite impressionable. With Clark as a mentor to him at such an early/pivotal age, I don't expect Hogan would ever want to leave the club. He should hopefully be programmed perfectly over the next couple of years - in fact, I expect he would dream of lining up next to Clark in big finals with the club in the years to come. Does not strike me as a Scully situation here. Not even remotely.