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They were still doing a gruelling running session at Gosch's paddock when I got there. By the end of it a lot of players were struggling. They'd run in pairs around the boundary to various designated posts over differing distances before running back. They changed the distances they had to run quite often. There wasn't much time given to them during intervals. The standout was Nicholson again. He was paired with Bail at the front. His usual partner Tom McDonald didn't participate, but rather was practising his kicking with Evans on the oval. Just on that, I was really surprised how well he was passing and kicking for goal. I thought Trengove ran hard and well. I might be trying to convince myself, but I reckon he's getting his zip back. He was teamed with Jones and had his measure. Bail had excessive chundering by the end of the session. Jones was trying to. And Watts went behind the equipment van, as a polite private school boy would. In fact Watts was quite unwell and wasn't able to continue training. He slowly walked to the green toilets before slowly coming back, talking to club officials and collecting his gear. When Neeld, Craig and a couple of others saw him walking into the toilets some distance away they had smiles on their faces. It was clearly amusing to them. Davey is always last and by some way. Viney's fitness ranks him a bit better than half-way and he's already quite vocal at training. There was more of the circle work type drills that I mentioned at the last session, but the skill level today was noticeably inferior. Plenty of balls were hitting the ground and it just wasn't as crisp, but I put that down to the gruelling running session, which didn't take place at the previous sessions - or nowhere to the same degree. They also had man-on-man drills. Three groups of 6 players wearing different coloured vests where two of the three groups would participate while the other left the field and practised quick handballs. This drill mainly entailed starting at full-back and quickly working the ball into the forward-line. As I said, it was very man-on-man. They were trying to spot up targets, but if they couldn't they tried to put the ball into the best position for their teammate to run onto. The highlight was Spencer taking the ball on the forward 50 metre line at pace and goaling on the run much to the delight of his fellow orange vested teammates. Once again Jamar ran some laps and practised handball drills with Dunn, Tapscott and one other. Tapscott participated in most of the football drills, but didn't join in the man-on-man stuff. Sylvia is yet to join the main group and was running laps, as was Blease. Blease has done everything I've been at, but they clearly have individualised programs. Grimes didn't train with the main group either. I didn't see Clark or Dawes, but they may have been there earlier. I briefly saw Hogan, Still no Barry. Noticeable onlookers included Mick McGuane and Daniel Ward arrived half-way through the session. Finally Jamar noticed him and went over and had a brief chat. They were still training when I left at 11.40am.

He was drafted into a weak culture, now that it's getting stronger and better, so will he.

Full game =2 x 20 min Quarters : Midweek games (night games only) . 4 Weekend Games (late start- Day / and Night games) How can you have two twenty minute quarters?

I voted Toumpas purely because I like saying the word "toumpas" Toumpas...Toumpas... I've got a sore toumpas. I got kicked in the toumpas and it hurt like hades. I dont give a flying toumpas. Fun to say and versatile.

in the 2030 - Col sylvia still retained on the veterans list - if he can get a decent preseason under his belt he could be anything

Ned Kelly, Al Capone, Chopper, The Kray brothers, NWA, Neville bloody Bartos, Pablo Escobar, Ben Cousins etc...

Thanks for an informative report. The bit I've quoted intrigues me. I know Craig Bellamy is big on the Storm practicing their skills at the end of training when they're buggered as he believes it stands them in good stead, particularly towards the end of games Not sure that AFL clubs do the same as often they are focussed on injury prevention but I think it's a terrific idea & well worth the risk. It's one thing to be able to pinpoint a pass when you are fresh but to do it with legs full of lactic acid requires a far greater degree of skill & concentration. I would think that the more you practice skill execution under that sort of duress, the better off you'd be in the course of a game. Just another of those 1 percent differences that can win you a game.

I thought he got delisted a while ago

How about we draft who we think will be the best allround midfielder available and not complicate it with other factors that have no proven correlation. Toumpas is more outside and Wines more inside but neither is mutually exclusive.It has already been shown we used one and two last time on a home town boy and one from SA and look how that turned out. I will be happy with either but would prefer Toumpas over Wines.

Who says??

in her latest article Tippett legal demand to be set free, Wilson has the following to say regarding Chris Judd and Visy:- "There has been no suggestion that Carlton wrote to Visy to set up the deal." For someone who is meant to be an investigative journalist she is shocking at missing the obvious - which is that Carlton's president at the time, Richard Pratt, was also in charge of Visy and that even now, Mrs. Pratt is the Vice President. Surely, Wilson can add 2+2?

I'm not sure what to be more disappointed in - the obviousness of the 'strategy' or the fact that it was published as a news story.

Imagine being an AFL player and finding yourself being written about for no reason, other than to generate some pathetic excuse of AFL news for a paper that has become as rubbish as its other rival. The only crime in that photo is WTF Moloney has on his face. Worst. Glasses. Ever.

We are flying RobbieF You know we have not lost a game for eleven weeks. Our form is so good I reckon we could end up with 21 weeks without a loss. Imagine that!

been postponed to 2030

I spent about an hour down at training this morning, and witnessed 30 minutes of light stretching followed by 30 minutes of intense boundary line running over varying distances (usually between 200-400m). Players were paired up and ran in the following order: Nicholson/Bail - Nicholson was machine-like, and clearly the fittest guy running today. Bail was gradually worked over, but not for want of trying. Spewed up post run Magner/Howe - Good contest. Howe shaded Magner early, but Magner kept going at a constant rate and ended up in front. Howe pulled out of the last 3 or 4 runs. No obvious injury Trengove/Jones - Even battle, with JT gradually gaining ascendancy. JT looked sprightly McKenzie/Watts - McKenzie slowly but surely pulled away from Watts. Watts tried hard, and avoided getting overtaken from behind (until a little fella got him on the final run) Burns/Rodan - Burns comfortably. Rodan started struggling about halfway through Strauss/Viney - Even for the first half of the session. During the final part of the session, Viney ended up eclipsing Strauss. Then Rodan. Then Burns. Then Watts. It was a super effort. Davis/Frawley - Davis ended up ahead of Frawley. There were various other groups after this, but I was more focused on the lead groups so didn't pay much attention. From what I did see: Pedo/Gillies - Ran together towards the back end of the group. Spencer - Fittest of the big men Davey - Clearly the worst performer Taggert - Clearly the second worst performer Tapp - In one of the end groups, but was better than that. Encouraged the otehr boys well. Looked for leaner and glided across the ground. Jamar/Dunn/Fitzpatrick - Did a lower volume of running compared to the others. Fitz, with his Forest Gump running style, was the stand-out. Jamar eclipsed Dunn. Grimes/Barry/Blease/Tynan - Did laps with each other. All moved nicely. Barry is whippet-like and easily kept up with Grimes. Tom MacDonald - Worked one-on-one with various coaches completing kicking and ball-gathering drills. Sylvia - Light skill work on the other oval. Gawn/Hogan - Walked laps then disappeared. Clark - Didn't see him today. Last week he appeared to be walking with a slight limp (for what it's worth).

Lets get the whole Hakawi tribe.

Great photos SD thanks

I want Okeefe. Apparently bit of a wild one

My expectation is that he'll become the Andrew Mackie of our backline. Is that what I want from a #1 pick? Not on yr life! Will I take it? You bet.

Here comes another 1300 thread count. [shoulda taken NikNat etc ...yawn....BTW if we had lost the Kruezer cup we would have had NikNat as well as Watts...]

good. Then i got the pH just right !!!

I reckon this kid will kick some arse! He's still only 21. He has sublime skills. He is a good decision maker. He came to the club with ridiculous expectations but with some big body support around him he has the chance to shine. BTW I believe Neeld has already stated that Watts will play back.

Leach , like the majority of the rest of the hacking lot feel a mandate to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds to suit. You an spot this type for they seek the higher moral ground when in reality theyre just scrambling out of the tar-pits. Theres a much more commonly understood name for these types....Hypocrites !!

They have an in-house Chemist who does al their testing and.....

did they drug test Whoosher?

2030: Dee-luded has given the game away. Now runs a video clip site in competition with youtube RangRover has his own polling company. Current poll is "should CS be sacked by the Dee's" Demonology is still waiting to get a rewrite, allow new members and get the correct time

Don't know about Jonathan O'Rourke, he reminds me of Cale Morten. We don't want another one of them.

Thanks for the detailed report, BH. Also thanks to Steamin' Demon for the photos! Much appreciated by those who don't live in Melbourne.

Tapscott tried to leave, but just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in.

Jnrmac may have been forward in his assessment of Col - but he is the most frustrating player on our list because in my opinion he is undoubtedly the most talented yet has only ever given us glimpses. We cant keep using excuses of "a full preseason" or " a decent midfield around him". Every year we hear the same thing - this could be Colins year - to date there hasnt been a "Colins year" and I wont put money on this being one coming up either as i have been burned too many times

Anyone who cites 'go home factor' is defeatist and raising the white flag before a shot is fired in anger. If you can't back yourself to retain your best players regardless of where they're from, you've got no hope in a national competition.

just to correct bens post a little... i did see Barry there earlier on.. he wasnt training with the main group but was running laps with blease and grimes

Hopefully the nappies are available as "official AFL merchandise". If so, you could get your carer to buy the Collingwood ones and happily shite in them.

1 player. A decade ago. *yawn*

From what I have read Toumpas is the more polished player. But on the other hand Neeld is on a mission to fix the culture of the playing group, it's been broken for a long time. I feel pretty confident Viney is going to bring some of that intangible culture which will be never say die attack no matter what the scoreboard, whether we are in front or behind. We have clearly been missing this type of culture and leadership for a long time now. James McDonald wasn't a player who had the capability to turn a game like I'm pretty sure Viney will. I get the impression Wines attitude to how he plays and his long association with the Vineys means he will bring the same intangible culture to the club. Having two players in that mould who know each other so well, might bring something the sum of which is greater than Toumpas being a better footballer. Toumpas has had injury problems already, however, on the other hand will bring elite outside speed and skill which in the overall balance of the list is something we look like we are in desperate need for more than another hard at it inside midfielder. Who know's. I'll leave that to Neeld & the FD. So happy either way.

In the end the medical people and recruiting people will have to evaluate Toumpas. If he's a good as he has been touted and medically ok then there is no better choice at number 4. For us to evaluate someone from clips is poor because they always show only his best performances not what he does when he's having a off day.

PRAVDAFL

I agree with you monoccular A few days back I wrote "Under the new free agency rules I find it hard to believe that CS will be at the MFC in 2014. If he has a good year in 2013 the offers will come in from the other clubs who see they can get a good player for free. If he has his usual year under the new FD they will not want to offer a contract at the same amount as he currently gets. He will thIen seek another club who again can get him for nothing besides his payments. IMO the only way CS will be at the Dees in 2014 is if the team improves considerably and he wants to stay and enjoy the possibility of finals in 2014."

We got one pick right. Grimes was one we did consider at 4, so thank god he was there at 14. The others we looked at for pick 4 were Jarrad Grant and Rhys Palmer. The two out and out guns that were around after pick 4 weren't even on our radar at that pick, and in hindsight 2007 has been fairly light on in terms of high end talent (no doubt about Cotchin, Dangerfield and Rioli). I don't think anyone had Dangerfield or Rioli as being ranked in the top 5, and even Adelaide were seen to have reached for him (great work Matty Rendell). We were considering him for pick 14. It's one thing to slam the recruiters, but you do also have to take into account the quality of the draft pool. It really is a tough business to make a call on a career when there really is such little exposed form (relatively) on and off field. Who knows what Dayle Garletts going to be in 10 years time, but a lot of recruiters have made some calls on him already. Time will tell, unfortunately for us, it's been a harsh judge.

Its difficult to argue that there is nothing wrong with bagging your players from the other side of the fence - yet most of us do it from time to time. I know I am guilty of bagging Clint Bartram - and recent disclosures about Clint's knee problems have demonstrated just how unfair I was. Col has been such a frustrating player - because he has the talent to win us games of football - yet so often fails to deliver. I think he has probably suffered more from injury than we realize - but that doesn't make his ordinary performances any less frustrating I just reckon we all ought to wipe the slate clean and start again ( yes I know we do it every year!) Perhaps it will be ninth time lucky!!

I don't know who Fan is - or indeed who anyone is on this site ........ so I don't relate to these discussions about hidden agendas. I do know that individuals get hurt in the cutthroat world of AFL football - and that it is human nature to try exact some form of retribution against those who have hurt us. But at the end of the day the club is bigger than the individual - and I would expect that all of us on this site would want to see us climb the on-field and financial ladders as soon as possible. The facts are that our club - at the instigation of a disgruntled former player - is currently the subject of an unprecedented investigation - and that a prominent journalist s using it to try to trash our brand. Whether or not we alone committed a crime in placing long-term needs ahead of short-term needs is problematical at best - yet we face penalties which could destroy the hopes of all of us. We should all be putting aside our personal animosities and shouting from the rooftops the one incontrovertible fact in play here - that the future success of our club is under threat because the AFL is considering using a scapegoat to justify the fact that it built a process designed to encourage clubs to bottom out. Do you want Wilson to be able to say in her next article that a number of Melbourne supporters agree with her, Do you agree that we should be that scapegoat? We are the ONLY club being investigated at the moment - we should ALL be protesting

Theres a recruiter from GWS who writes fantastic notes on all the kids but they are often smeared with tomato sauce, gravy , jam , pies,cakes etc so we have to go by Emma Quayle.

If there's one thing this is not about it's the idea of sparing the club and its officials from scrutiny for their actions. You're quite right in pointing out that a strong club needs to be able to respond in those circumstances but, in this case (because of the legal ramifications) it can't even do that at this point in time. However, the core of what this is about is the practice of engaging in a McCarthyist witch hunt against one AFL club and its officials using ad hominem attacks based on rumour and innuendo, without proof and with the aim of trashing the club's brand and affecting people's livelihoods. To extend this to the giving of succor and legitimacy to the perpetrator of those attacks is what I find totally unacceptable but it should be noted that nobody (as far as I'm aware) has been prevented from expressing that point of view on this thread.

+1 for the I'd never heard of him brigade. The only disappointment for me is Tapscott's choice of company.

this is conclusive and irrefutible evidence that we tanked in 2009.

Prendergast is gone, mate. The days of the club making stupid decisions are also gone. If Toumpas is available at pick 4 I don't believe Melbourne would overlook him. It would be sheer madness.

This has to be the best time of year for Demon fans. We're upbeat because the players look good on the track and many are training the proverbial house down. It's well and good to say that they appear to be training harder and looking better but it's a pity that you can't measure what we're doing as against other clubs. Just watching our performances deteriorate earlier this year after beating Collingwood in the NAB Cup has made me a little bit of a sceptic as far as the favourable early pre season stuff is concerned. Is there anyone out there who can convince me otherwise?

I managed to pop over to Gosch's Paddock. Twas a good session. Lots of stoppage work with an AFL field umpire and boundary umpire joining in part of the session. Players in orange vests defending and those in blue vests hunting the ball. Trengove, Jones, Rodan, McKenzie in blue, which indicated their likely status in the pecking order and Viney joined them by switching over halfway through. Rodan was the stand out. His inside work was exceptional. A staff member stood near the contests and taped these drills and did the odd playback to a coach or player. There were around the ground throw-ups, boundary throw-ins and centre square ball-ups. It was a full-ground simulation with forwards and backs, but they stopped each drill as soon as it was cleared, so the forwards and backs were more for structure/placement. Also had long kicking drills where the ball was constantly switched across ground and back inside before hitting the diagonal flanks. Lots of talk and lots of running at high speed. There was urgency and the players were encouraged to run at full tilt once ball was in possession. There would be two or three footballs constantly in play as the drill rotated around the ground. In the main the skills were good. Today's sessions encompassed stoppage work, ruckwork with Spencer and Sellar, hard running with spread, tackling/evasion, teamwork handballs, switching of play, and kicking skills. There's a tangibly different feel to training this year. It's hard to describe, but there's a buoyancy. Training is very professional and everything seems to be timed to the minute. There were also other shorter drills that involved quick handballs and evasive techniques to avoid tackles in smaller groups. The main group finished by walking over to the tan. Those that I saw, but didn't do the main session included Grimes, Gawn, Sylvia, Evans, Hogan, Clark, Jamar, Fitzpatrick, Tynan. I didn't see Dawes or Barry.