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Still unemployed, so was there again Another top session, only one missing today was Terlich Rehab group as such, Riley, Spencer, Kent, McKenzie, Trengove, Vandenberg, Stretch, Watts and Harmes Bernie Vince and Howe did bits of rehab but also the drills Spoke to Jack Trengove, next scan this week, jealous of the guys being able to train, but head in a good place, doing lots of work in the gym, did handball drills using his trike, , pic will be on my Twitter Demonpk, along with some others Chris Salem along with being devastated by Arsenal's loss at the weekend, tweaked his quad a bit at training but it is fine Asked Angus Brayshaw how he is going, he is feeling it, goes to bed no later than 8pm, already learning so much Spoke to PJ to get definitive answer on lack of advertising around the ground, it is not allowed in the lease, also tried for some of the Punt Rd edge but Vic Roads vetoed, also congratulated him on the profit for the year, his answer paraphrased "we have to get the supporters trust again" Big Pencil Spencer has a good mate diagnosed with Leukemia back in Nth Qld, so used his 'fame' and shaved his head to raise money for him, he raised $8000, the human face of footy Highlight in the full field drills today, Lumumba, Garlett, Tyson, Toumpas and N Jones For all the optimists, Jimmy Toumpas again killed them in the running drills, streeted his group by 30 metres, drill was start in goal square, run around to halfway, run across the field and back to goal square and then down to other end Any questions feel free.

I have no explanation as to why but I just really want Toumpas to make it. ( i want everyone to make it but this kid especially)

Jimmy Toumpas trained very well again this morning. His running is a real feature. He would receive a pass deep in the backline, kick it at full speed to a target, then run and run and receive it back at half forward. Not many players were so conspicuous. Obviously time will tell whether he can replicate this in a match. But if he is that fit he must be able to do it. Roos once again exhausted them with hard running followed by match simulated drills. Obviously with the intention of maintaining their disposal skills at the same efficiency when they are fatigued. Understandably the foot skills did drop off on some players, notably Nat Jones and Dunny. Garlett shanked a couple as well. That said, the standard was still high. Far different from this time last year. Lamumba moves beautifully. He was another standout in the end to end ball carry drill. He even addressed the whole group at one stage for a brief minute in between drills. The player I have been watching closely over the past week is Mitch White. Boy he has a raking left foot that can regularly cover distance over 60m. He doesn't miss a target at 30m. They have him working with the backline group where they are teaching him how to spoil. There was a big session on this today. Grimes was a standout. If White makes it he will be a dangerous customer if he can fire 50m passes to our half forward. It still a big IF.

Will people PLEASE stop cherry picking players taken 5, 10 or 50 picks later and saying "we could have had this guy"!? It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how player development works. NOBODY realised Rockliff was going to be any good, let alone a total ball magnet. It's like buying a lotto ticket and then saying "oh, I should have picked THOSE numbers" when your ticket loses. It makes absolutely no sense.

Maybe because he was a no.4 draft pick and we are all hoping and preying we haven't stuffed another top pick up. Otherwise because he looks like a great kid with the greatest smile and warm personality that endears him to everyone. Maybe because we desperately need a player who can play like he did as a junior. Any or all of the above.

To get a full understanding on how much the Lions realised how much of a gun Rockcliff was - these are the picks in the draft the Lions took BEFORE Rockcliff. Household names such as Keiran King, Bart McCullough and Aaron Cornelius. Brisbane passed on him in their last selection in the main draft and picked him up in the preseason draft ! Rory Sloan was Adelaides 3rd selection - they preferred Shaun McKernan before him. Point well made Autocol.

With Tappy not being re-rookied, thought this trio needed a farewell thread. They're somehow emblematic of our past 5+ years, and encompass the ups and downs ... mainly downs ... we've experienced along the way. Unfair to lump it all on them, or even to lump any of it on them, but through the Bailey and Neeld sackings, the Tanking, 186 and strings of horrible horrible defeats, they were the ever-present three, somehow rubbing our faces in how our drafting and/or development hadn't worked, how bleak our future looked, and how we'd become the laughing-stock of the competition. With their departure, it feels like a chapter of Demons history closes, the chapter that covers all the above, but equally takes us through the untimely deaths of Jimmy, Dean Bailey, Sean Wright and Robbie, as well as the Icarus-like fall of Liam Jurrah ... (to select just a few of our lowlights). Perhaps now, more than ever, we can move forward. Thanks for the memories guys. Amongst it all, there was the odd moment. Hope you have better luck at your next clubs.

Lumumba did stoppage clearance with a group that included Brayshaw, viney. jones, Salem, michie.Lumumba was great at the defensive aspect of stoppages, but viney was so brilliant at getting the ball, whether it was defensive or attacking. They did some drills taking the ball from the defence to the forward line, without the opposition touching the ball. The first few were really good, when someone got the ball, the team mates spread briliantly. As the drill went on the players slackened off. Rawlings called them in just to reinforce that they look a lot better when they spread. Toumpas is quick,but he does have an awkward action, high knee lift. It may suit him, it just looks funny. Brayshaw is a better trainer at this stage than Petracca. ANB looks really good, great tackler. Tommy Mac. Did some great passes coming out of defence to the wing and hit them on the chest. Garland looked slow. Harmed was given a couple of wake up shouts by ROOSY for doing something wrong. I didn't quite catch what it was for, I think it was for not taking the correct option.

How do I see the Mighty Dees in 2015 ?? like this of course .........

Re Garland, he has had (whoops) (edited) major issues with his feet and ankles, lost a lot of condition, he may finish at the back of the group, but he finishes, exactly where he should be at the moment, we asked for a more professional approach, this is what we are getting, Dawes did a lot more today, Gawn rucks yet starts in the rehab group As for Jnr Mc, Jamar disposed of him easily, but spent a bit of time showing him why, which I thought was good, Mitchell White did a spoil in the same drill and put the ball about five metres over the fence, as I said we have done ok there as well Toumpas - It doesn't matter whether he had real opposition. He was out to beat himself. He smashed them.....correct

Agree, number 13 is indeed a surprise.I didn't know he was so short though. 88cm... That's almost too short for the National Dwarf competition.

Preliminary final against the Hawks with a win after the siren when Frawley runs across the mark to give Jack Watts 50 meters and the goal from 35 meters out. F#%kers!

Actually OD, this was at the request of the AFLPA to protect the 34 players who haven't been named (apart from 14 whose names were leaked by Robbo months ago). In a perfect world, cases such as these should be open to the public for a number of reasons but our game doesn't operate in a perfect world. It operates in a world where a football club runs a 12 month long doping programme and injects substances into the bodies of its players which it subsequently can't identify because the records have gone missing. It's a world of Stephen Dank and his confidante Martin Hardie, of Shane Charters and the Weapon, of club doctors who are devoid of courage, of shady chemists and scheming, manipulative coaches and their ambitious wives. Everybody wants to see and hear what's going on. We are all voyeurs. Best to keep it all under wraps. We don't want the kiddies to know of this.

I don't get where you're going with this. The above couldn't be written about many players it was written about a gun junior footballer, one of the top 10 TAC cup players I've seen amongst thousands. The fact is Sylvia was a better TAC cup player and prospect than either Petracca or Brayshaw and a large part of the blame why he hasn't lived up to his potential is probably to do with his work rate and attitude and a fair portion is too do with injury. He has still put in a decent enough career and a fair bit better than that of Kane Tenace and Ryley Dunn who most on Demonland wanted us to draft. As far as I'm concerned you have just wasted 400 odd words and 5 minutes of my life I won't get back on a pointless drivel of a topic.

I'm not on the park just yet

People keep talking about Toump as a HBFer but I worry a bit about his man on man stuff. If his fitness is up then defensive mid playing/high half forward primarily between HB and FF is where I'd think he fits best. Go Toump..... love ya!

He wears the Ox's number, he deserves our love and FFS some one wearing the #5 needs a break injury wise.

For the most part, Roos settled on Pedersen as our 2nd ruck in 2014. As a general rule, I'd expect that scenario to happen again unless Gawn can improve his marking ability in a significant way (Spencer for the same reason) The story is nearly always the same when ruckmen (who are predominantly ruckmen) are competing for the one spot (especially in today's footy) ... supporters try and find a way to get 2 of them in the one side. As a general rule playing 2 ruckman who don't have 2 strings to their bow probably won't happen because it can effectively leave a team one player short and that it turn can effect rotations.

Unless we get another ruck who can play forward as well as if not better than Gawn. Then you can use them in a partnership. But Spencer certainly is only right for a 1 ruck team and the same with Jamar. I wish we could skip ahead a few years to see what Max King becomes. He's got the rare traits skill wise for a big guy to play both positions, but I have no idea about whether he can be effective as a forward or a ruck! Unless he somehow comes in quickly I think Pedersen maintains the edge for that forward/ruck relief role with competition from Fitzpatrick, who might be a little more dangerous forward but needs to show he can compete in the ruck as well as not make coach killer errors forward.

That's why he made the list. he will get so many 'around the necks' when tackled he will become a clearance king.

Coincidence that Tom Mc's #25 + Oscar Mc's #28 = 53?

If you want to stupidly broaden the topic, I wonder what the guy in Iraq or Afghanistan with a jack hammer, digging ditches 8 hours a day, having mortars fly up their arse would think of his counterpart in Australia. A little bit precious? A bit of perspective. Then I might listen

I think Strauss was the only one that we could have handled better. We drafted a wingman with an elite kick, so we tried to turn him into a defender, which he clearly never was. I was disappointed we didn't just try and let him be a midfielder at any stage. Blease was never fit enough after how many years on the list? Posters are right, talented but lazy. And Tappy just never quite got it all together unfortunately.

And unfortunately after that hit Hird dusted himself off, slowly got back into the match and pretty much won it for them As an footy supporter I always enjoyed watching Buckley, Voss and Hird play and the debate as to who was the best. Whatever we think of him now he was an out and out champion of that club. It is a shame his off-field activities have so irretrievably tarnished his own legacy

Watching TJ slot that goal after Matty Whelan ko-ed the cheat reminded me how enjoyable it was to watch Demons during the period from about 2000 to 2006 (except 2003). TJ had class. In spades. Anyone know what he's up to these days?

I think finally we have "decent" people working for the club. Whether they are ex players or not is immaterial to me. I just want the best people.

Fair chance.

Garbage, Blease was lazy plain and simple. I remember watching preseason our two young midfield stars Gysberts and Blease the last pair in the running and battling, you can go back through training reports would have been Gysberts 2nd or 3rd year and Bleases 3rd or 4th, a number of us expressed concern back then about these two, nothing to do with development it was them doing what they needed to do to get better, basic fitness. Bailey and co put up with is, Neeld didn't and Roos didn't, be interesting how Blease goes at another club, my money is like Gysberts he will be out of the AFL in a couple of years. Strauss and Tappy unfortunately just couldn't stay healthy. You need some luck with your body and these two got none. Strauss I still think could have been a decent AFL player, Tappy to me was extremely limited, couldn't run through the midfield to slow for that forward pocket role, to small for a hit up HFF, looked OK as a small defender but his pace would have been exposed so even if fit I don't know where he would fit.

I am confident the year in defence was part of his education. If he went missing as a forward in the past it might have something to do with the fact that there were few other effective targets. Give Dawes one Hulk Hogan as a foil and Garlett as a crumber then Howe starts to receive less attention and maybe missing less often. I see him going forward again and being pretty effective along with Watts playing as a wing - high forward to those other three who will be the nucleus of attack. Should be pretty interesting, really.

Disagree. As we know ASADA's case is circumstantial and requires following a chain of evidence. It would be easy for the gutter press to make mincemeat of that to a public which is not inclined to follow the details. But it could be convincing to a panel of intelligent people prepared to make the effort to understand the details. So if I was ASADA, I'd be keen to keep the press out so there is less public backlash to a conviction and take my chances with the leaks.

Fantastic info. But hope you get a job soon...after pre-season. Yes. I feel like we have won the premiership already! Hope is a wonderful thing at this time of year

I understand its early but Garland's reports are not inspiring for a player who had a very, very mediocre season

Maybe to make the Wines >>>>> Toumpas crowd eat a few words - stick it up them would be too crude an expression so I will not use it.

One interesting bit from training and I assume it is a decision made, they had Jayden Hunt training with the backs, assume they are looking at developing him coming out of the backline with speed As for Toumpas, he is just back to where he was when a junior, great burst speed but also endurance

We've got so many new players and so many up-and-comers that it's a difficult assignment coming up with a best 22. Unlike other, more recent seasons the coaches & FD know so much more than we do this time around ... what is almost certainly true is that a number of those players who played regularly last season won't be doing so next season. In order to bring in Hogan, Lumumba, Frost, Garlett et al, a number of others will need to make room. Then there's all the 18-20 year old's and how Roos will use them and for how many games. There are just too many variables but that's a good thing in my opinion ... in an ideal world there would be at least 6 players in any given week who are not picked who can count themselves unlucky. However, we still need at least 6-8 players to step it up to 'very good or better' in order for the team to start winning games on a consistent basis ... at this early stage, it does look as though we have far greater depth.

Am I the only one salivating over the prospect of Garlett following Dawes around all game? Sure, the combo of Dawes/Hogan excites, but I'm looking forward to the Dawes/Garlett combo equally, if not more, in 2015.

Really? His tongue is coming through his cheek. He is being hospitalised right now with a cheek puncture and you are standing next to the gurney, giving him an earful...

Well written article by Ablett. But my knock on this article is that Ablett hasn't had to live like an everyday Australian. Even to make AFL, Luke didn't have to train his ass off like the rest of draftees - he got there on his name. He trained hard when he got there, but he didn't just simply land at Sydney on hard work and dedication. When Lukes career is over he gets a leg up due to being a footballer - and having the last name Ablett. I find it hard to take this guy serious, he hasn't even been in the position of a battler. This guy has had a leg up in every aspect in his whole life - and now he wants to preach how hard the life of an AFL player is. Spend a week on a jack hammer, go dig ditches 8 hours a day, throw some bricks and mortar around for a summer - then I might listen. Precious.

There is a life outside the plush modgrass tennis courts of Borewood DC. Progressive thinkers flock to the city. Which means I belong somewhere near Mawson station. Anyyway,politically , I expect you may be able to rally some support in the Nursing homes ,Beasley style. Which is why you are needed for the sex party.

hopefully he does this again while hes there

wow, that means hird's future must be numbered for sure i wonder if little hired him to speed things up?

Being a tad unfair here. Ablett is telling you what you don't know, that he experienced. No vocation is like that of an athlete that is in a well known sport - it is not for everybody, it is not all that it promises to be, and it is still a pedestal on which we place these people and tell them to look happy being up there. I have seen teenagers cry at their first training, I have seen intimidation from 'senior' players at the club, I have heard awful vulgarities, I know that the 'Hollywood Blvd' exists at all clubs and that the life we think is the norm for an AFL is the life of maybe a quarter of those that our on the lists we dissect. I would have loved to have had a chance to give this life a go, but don't tell me they can't whinge. So if all you got from that was a whinge - then that is fine, but I got other insights from it.

ffs hh, it's only clark and landsberger, what did you expect, something informative?

Thanks for that. By that criterion, I don't have to waste my sympathy on anyone I know, or am ever likely to know.

Can anyone report on JKHs biceps for me? I need constant updates.

Beating Geelong at Geelong.

Or 'end of an error'

Bailey.

It's how I approach my working day

Good thing they left 32 open for Dangerfield. Forward thinkers...