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A brief look in today. Officially a closed session I think so no media around. Gawn back on the track look good. Lots of small group drills. Practising contested marking, forward line movement, tackling, ground balls, spoils, short kicks inside 50, long bombs deep inside 50. The lot. Different coaches doing different drills and getting to work. Probably the most interesting bit was the running. Bugg, Maynard, Joel Smith, McKenna all went back to AAMI. As did Tommy Mc, Melksham and JKH who were in the rehab group. A group of Gawn, Hunt, Weideman, Hulett, Kennedy, Frost were doing timed 200m runs down the Punt road wing. Gawn just keeps pounding as the got in to the repetitions. Frosty started to struggle. The others battled on well. Dean Kent and Nath Jones were doing the same on the city side wing. Kent stuck with Jones for a few. Then Jones sat out and Cross took over pacing Kenty, he was working hard. Meanwhile the midfielders who doing longer timed runs varying from half a lap to 1 lap to a few laps. ANB led out most of them with White towards the front. Brayshaw was really strong as they went longer with Jones especially encouraging him (and all the guys) to step it up. Wagner, Salem, Harmes, Stretch were all running well and not far from the front and mixing the order with the first few depending on the individual set. That's the good news. I guess the less positive news was that Oliver was dropped early in the quicker repeats and Petracca was gapped as well. I was impressed by Max Rooke who took it upon himself to run with Clarry and then Troy Chaplin joined in too for a few laps. They had a big long run to finish and Oliver tried pretty hard to stay up to the group and then Tracc was back behind him, they were probably 100m or so behind over the course of 3 or so laps. Both are just heavier in the legs than most of our players and they run like it. To take the glass half full approach it really was impressive what both boys did last year at AFL level coming off limited preseasons and fitness bases. They got plenty of encouragement from the coaches and both shared a high five when the running was done.

So went to my first training ever, was with my brother and my 16 month old kid, had an unexpected week back in Oz. I presumed there were some landers about but didn't have a clue to say hello too. We got there just as they were setting up. This is not exhaustive but the people we didn't see were Lumumba, Watts, Trengove, (Garland was doing the Tan), Pedersen, Gartlett and Lewis. Stayed till the end. Some additional comments about the running: Oliver looks like he has the most work of anyone to do fitness wise. It was a reminder that you are nude on the running track when the coaches are watching, there is no place to hide. He copped a very steady eyeball from Goodwin but was given some verbal encouragement at the end by everyone. Trac went out to hard early and was shot, when he finished last in the last lap he punched the ground and said 'I suck' he was not joking. There was love for him but you can tell he is driven, I do not expect him to be last for long, his thighs are amazing, he looks like he should be in a Marvel film. He wastes a huge amount of energy with his running style, being such a big unit I reckon he should cop some specialist coaching he will find speed from improved efficiency. Angus looks settled. Jones has the most perfect gait, he was torching Kent and he was running the wider track, is looking super fit. Kent is a solid unit, I really hope he can lift his defensive efforts this season, it is where I think he can really make a name for himself with his strength. Neal-Bullen is trying to be a small forward, (work in progress) his running is elite, he is not going to die wondering about his place, he is certainly trying to make the senior squad. Kennedy was 'clumsy' (this is by AFL standard) today, he seemed to have the yips when he was kicking for goal. He also is far from fit enough for the midfield at this stage. Melksham is a pretty ordinary kick, no better than McDonald, looks lean though. Hibbered was ok, the two category B rookies (names escape me Smith's son and the other one who were basketballers) both looked like they belong, could see them being players. Tom McDonald is a machine doing laps, fresh scar tissue on his shoulder on it is still angry from whenever it was done (I've never seen it without tape before). Coaches: Cross still looks like he should be playing and I'm sorry to say he is fitter than about 3/4 of the list. McCarthy was very verbal and chatting over the fence, unsolicited he offered that they were teaching them everything and made some quite negative comments about the Neeld era. He also mentioned that they are teaching the new coaches as well. I didn't get a read on Goodwin. I could see that he was taking the most interest in the contested drills. The culture was very positive in general I didn't see any sniping. Gawn has an amazing confidence and an even better desire to learn, no sign of hubris at all, very reassuring that his approach genuinely seems to be 'I will get better'. Stafford the ruck coach won a contest after McCarthy miskicked it, his words (first one in a hundered that I've won). Everything Gawn did he had a go, he was also doing some drills with Jetta who I rate highly but he was not going 100 % there were a few who seemed to be on various restrictions. Was a pleasure to see them using the footies, is funny I had always thought everyone would be a superstar in practise with the footy but you can see the decision makers from those that react and those that are natural kicks and those that are not mirror match play. Salem is the best kick we have, doesn't quite have the hoof of Bernie (and we are talking a shade of difference) but there is something about Salems hands, when he receives the ball there is this micro adjustment and the ball is perfectly centred in his hands (running or still) ready for the shortest ball drop of any we saw today. Has a very nice draw to his kick as well. While I was already a wrap for Salem, if he gets a tank he could be a more industrious Yze, didn't realise how much upside he had till i saw him kicking in person (my brother and I spent the afternoon trying to mimic his ball drop ) Hunt is bigger than I thought he would be. Hogan's stutter step isn't as bad in the flesh, he moves well but he really needs to go to a lab, he is still not kicking through the ball from a set shot, as soon as he does he will get another 15-20m distance. Still jet lagged, if I remember other stuff will write it up.

Just found the graphic artist's prototype design.

I sent them the following: Good Afternoon, While I am sure you have received a number of emails relating to the 2017 clash Guernsey, I felt it necessary to also provide some feedback. I do not expect an email back, however as a paying member of the Melbourne Football Club I felt it necessary to voice my opinion on what I think is a really poor effort in the production of the 2017 clash Guernsey. I understand that the AFL sets certain guidelines for the types of clash Guernsey’s required, but I feel that this years’ is an extremely lazy effort at constructing a clash strip. I actually don’t mind the idea of having different strips as it presents a great commercial opportunity to sell more merchandise to fans. However, I can honestly say this is one of the worst attempts I have seen from any club in the AFL (including the Hawks Power Rangers effort!). It seems as though someone has just taken a white Guernsey (because we have to) and just decided to slap the emblem on there as they couldn’t be bothered thinking of anything better to do. The only thing I can think of that resembles this would be a cheap knock off singlet you would buy on the streets of Bali! While I understand that you will be unable to change the strip for the 2017 season, I do have some recommendations for future seasons. 1. We should look at involving the members in decisions on the alternate strip (as we are the ones who will be buying them). This could be done with a ‘create the guernsey’ competition or you could provide 3 options and let people vote. 2. We should look at only have a red clash strip. The Bomber’s colours are not too dissimilar to ours and they are able to have a red clash strip so why not us? 3. I have attached a concept for clash strips produced by another MFC member that I think would be much better options. The main reason is that they would both contain the red ‘V’ which I feel is synonymous with the Melbourne Football Club brand. I appreciate you taking the time to read this email and I hope that it does not fall on deaf ears. As mentioned I do not expect an email back but I just hope that the club will accept the feedback from the people who pay money to this club and who purchase your merchandise.

My email to the club. I know i sound like a fool but i do not care. Hello Mighty Demons Isn’t it time to see logic and tell the AFL what to do with their ruling that we must wear a while clash jumper? What is wrong with the below? How does this clash with the clubs that we have to wear the strip for? All you need to do is look at our #1 fan forum, Demonland, and see what the fans are saying. Why can’t we the members have a say in decisions about what our team looks like when it runs out onto the field? That abomination that has been created by New Balance is about the worst piece of merchandise I have ever seen, please tell me that it is not in production yet and it can be changed. I do realise that sometimes teams request to wear a clash strip as some players have difficulty with the opposition colours. Clearly the below design would clash with no other team in the AFL, put it to them and ask them which one they would rather wear! I just find it ridiculous that the club would not ask us what we think before wasting money on something that very fell will like and purchase.

I decided to do a quick design. It's fairly similar to one of our recent away guernsey's, except for a bigger blue 'V' and also red sleeves. Thoughts?

I prefer this version by Bill Hicks. "Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the Weather"

The issue is not the white, myself and others here have mooted very suitable and well designed white clash jumpers. The issue is the lazy, putrid design effort the club has made in respect of the 2017 jumper. It's lazy and looks like a training singlet or one of those cheap knock offs you see on the streets in Bali. It is pathetic. Hawthorn had a putrid jumper and consulted their members. Port did the same. I cannot understand why the club decided to design a jumper without consultation with the fans. These are the issues I would like to see addressed.

If Essendon can wear all red, I see no reason why we should be able to as well, as in the middle example below (I know it's been posted multiple times). I really really like the middle one as a clash guernsey.

Bang! And that's it in a nutshell. In the cosy brotherhood of the AFL, the real crime of the EFC is to embarrass the league. But like a bunch of blokes on a buck's night out, or at the cricket club on pie night, nah, we're all mates here, no harm done eh! We'll look after you because we're all in it together and we look after each other. No hard feelings. But mate, for gawd's sake, don't do it again. ASADA has forced their way into the clubrooms ... the bloody wowsers ... and tried to shatter the protective shield around the sacred brotherhood. They are not cool. They are outsiders. They tried to send the strippers home. They told Dabba's missus what happened on the golf weekend! They're a bunch of dobbers. They are not one of Us. For that they cannot be forgiven.

You choose money over supplying us with training reports?! Filthy capitalist! Shame on you, Saty!

A quote from the pile of puss article. " With no pending cases hanging over their heads, that makes now the time for the respective bodies to get together and look at all aspects of the code and in particular, whether it applies to team sport." Really, so no Olympic sports are team sports then, not the hockey, the water polo, the soccer, the handball, the volleyball, etc etc etc. The AFL really are very very stupid, problem is so is much of the population who will not question the comments of the AFL and just go along with them without a critical thought in their head. Here is another one " There are those within football who would like to see the AFL totally disassociate itself from the entire WADA code. They say the willingness of the game and the players to embrace their voluntary illicit drugs policy is an indicator that they would just as rigidly self-police performance-enhancing drug use as well." Do they really think they strongly police their own illicit drug policy? hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Just saw that Jobe has got to keep his All Australian status from 2012. Why am I not surprised the AFl think he cheated enough to get banned, enough to lose the Brownlow, yet no quite enough to lose the AA selection. It makes no sense, he either cheated that year with PED's or he didn't. At least now we know the deal done to get him to give it up! Must go and see the shrink now, I clearly need it as I am expecting sense from the AFL!

And what about when we eventually host Essendon? Why is okay for them to wear a red clash strip against us, but we can't against them? That doesn't make sense. Did you notice that Gold Coast wore its red uniform against Essendon and St Kilda last season. Nothing was said about it.

balance what out ?...this speaks of a nonsense. A clash is relevant to the two teams playing on the day, that is all. What does it matter what other teams play in , or not at any other ground ?

Lets appreciate NB. Being an international gives us some assurance. Unlike the 6 AFL clubs who have BLK as their sponsor/supplier - which just went into liquidation 'external administration'. Its not long ago we had no sponsors. If people dont like NB products don't buy them. I applaud them for putting money into and backing our club when it was in it's knees. Edit: @Delusional demon 82 re your early post - BLK going into liquidation helps explains why the Bulldogs switched to ASIC...and possibly a better sponsorship offer. Edit: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-11-16/uniform-strife-as-supplier-goes-into-receivership

did you have that nice indian guy from microsoft on the phone fix up your computer?

Indeed. It's quite alright to BE stupid and corrupt, but to appear so is the cardinal sin AFL house.

I summarized the above as: If the club has the balls to tell the AFL to stick it and wear what ever jumper the club wants to wear, then the AFL rolls over. On that basis, the MFC needs to grow a pair on this issue and defy the AFL's general guidance and wear it's supporters preferred guernsey.

His chance to start round 1.

The club should see it as a big deal. The MFC is represented by the colours Red and Blue Stuffed if i want to see this club play finals in a white jumper after all the sh!t THE CLUB has put US through

The AFL is upset beccause they were made to look stupid and corrupt, and didn't get their own way.

Agree I think it looks great as far as alternate guernsey's go. Plus it keeps the traditional red 'V' which I also like.

He shows us exactly the type of person he is. Appalling behaviour and shows a complete lack of integrity or self awareness. Gil made me sick talking about how honourable and difficult it was for Watson! What a joke of a human being Gil is.Just so typical. A person of proper integrity would have gone in hard and used it as an opportunity to reinforce a zero tolerance to drug use Lost opportunity Gil make you look like the pissant you are!Its hard to agree with anything this AFL do.

It's amazing how many supporters still believe Jobe has done a brave and noble thing by handing the brownlow back, and those supporters are saying Jobe has more integrity than Cotchin or Mitchell. I still feel strongly if he was doing this by choice and looking to honor what the award stands for and all that he claimed he would have done this the day the appeal failed, not months later when talk is getting around that he's going to lose it anyway, it's pretty obvious in my opinion that the AFL have tipped him off and given him the opportunity to look good.

Spent much time in Belgium? It's the national dish. And deservedly so. Many's the night I've stood in a queue in the freezing cold for "frites mayo". Goes very well with a Belgian beer (just to pull the post back on topic, cough cough ...)

Agree about the judgement vs what it was like 'in our day'. I got away with some very risky stuff, but in hindsight it was just an unseen car / pedestrian away from disaster. What is really the yardstick is the norm for today, not a generation ago. My sons and daughters (now 21 - 26 yo) just don't drive if they have had a drink, or they plan ahead to get a lift if they are going to drink. It has become the societal standard of those who accept the societal rules. I don't want the book thrown at Clarrie. But however it happens, I want the lesson to be learned - and for that lesson to affect his future behaviour. For his sake, and those he could affect. I trust the club to make the right call and to achieve the right result.

I've written to the AFL about the inconsistent clash jumper policy because it's one of my biggest gripes in the current game. After repeated emails to a generic address I eventually got a response from Tessie McManus who is the Match Day Operations Manager at the AFL. Her email address is: [email protected] I'd encourage you to make your thoughts known because even though I appreciated the fact that she responded, she couldn't really provide a sufficient answer to my many queries. These included: 1.) Why did we have to wear a white clash jumper against Port when Adelaide wore it's predominately navy jumper in its away match against the Power? 2.) Why were Carlton and Essendon both permitted to wear their traditional uniforms when they met, yet we had to wear white in our away match against both clubs? 3.) Why did we have to wear hooped socks against Gold Coast at Metricon, yet in the return match at the MCG the Suns made no change to their uniform? 4.) Why is Brisbane allowed to wear its Fitzroy themed red, blue and yellow jumper against us, with predominantly red socks? These are just a handful of examples that I can draw upon which points to the confusion and inconsistency surrounding this issue. There are many more that I could point to.

I just had 18 cans, and am doing 175kph while replying to this. its not like anything can go

This wasn't the part of Luke Hodge that I wanted him to imitate.

They are just paving the way for him to be admitted to the Hall of Fame after he retires. After all he is such a good bloke and he saved them the trouble of stripping him of it... The AFL has not accepted he cheated. They would would say they did not ban him, nor take away the medal - its those nasty CAS people (and their stupid forfeiture rules) who have no idea about AFL and how things work down here. AFL would point to the AFL Tribunal findings exonerating the players therefore according to their logic, on matters to which CAS has no jurisdiction, they apply their Tribunal findings: Innocent!!. The AFL - a law unto themselves!

Yes there will be a new back of jumper sponsor. Not sure if it is locked away, but a bit going on apparently.

Yes Chris you are definitely in need of Professional help.

Report on MFC site said he and Hibberd will train in the rehab group until Xmas given they've had a year off and the club doesn't want to overload them too early.

That's right! Muck up this thread with a perfectly sensible suggestion! Stone him, I say!!

Deespencer is doing an EXCELLENT job, guns are out, thinking of hairstyles this year, seems to be an obsession for some on DL

This may be immaterial, but if Saty wasn't at training, did it really happen?

It is not simply a question of it being 'white', the overall design just stinks.

From this "old fart", I am grateful for the money they put into the club .............. or should we give it back, because they are "basically lower end"?

Ahhhhh, you may want to fact check that and look at what they actually said. I will paraphrase for you. They were asked what they thought of Trumps ideas around trade agreements and putting in place more protection for US workers, they said they backed Trump on this point. That is all, no more no less. So unless you are someone who thinks you have to agree with everything a politician says or none of it, and that there is no grey, there is no nuance, then I would say they don't back Trump, they support one of his policies which is directly related to the running of the business. Even Pauline Hanson occasionally comes out with the good idea or two, I may agree with those points but I will not back her as a whole in any way shape or form. By the way, Sanders and Clinton both held the same view on this as Trump and NB.

You completely misread the situation. You blew 0.00 but the suggestive smile was because you are a devilishly handsome brute.....

Stop wasting the club's time and contact the AFL if you feel so annoyed.

Yep, clearly sanctioned by the afl. They want things their own way, and are softening up The government must stay strong, and pull the pin on this. Simply disgusting.

Bah. The fact that this is on the AFL website is telling. They're positioning for a break. The biggest argument 'for' ASADA in that article is that it gets the AFL funding from the government. The AFL isn't some super special snowflake sporting organisation. It doesn't need different rules. What a [censored] joke article.

Sorry, CB, but I can't agree with you on this one. As much as I hate Collingwood, I have to concede their clash jumper is fine, being predominantly white, as distinct from their traditional, predominantly black jumper.

The punishment , for want of it , should not be footy orientated. He made a personal life faux pas. Let him visit a hospital, let himtalk to a family bereaved. Let him understand and grow. Yes, possibly in the great scheme of things it seems marginal but it points to a poor decision. He needs to understand that and change. Thats all Go Dees

I heard he was actually parked and just waiting for a mate.

Don't think that is needed. There are other punishments.