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Media typo. Dislocate the patella, not its tendon. A patella dislocation tears the tissue on the inside part of the knee as a result of the kneecap moving laterally (to the outside). There's also the potential risk of damage to the articulate surface of the kneecap (the underside). If all is well, he should make an uncomplicated recovery. Weightbearing load needs to be managed so as not to create irritability at the kneecap or potential instability. He'll be doing lots of bike and upper body work.

McCartney list update on Hunt from MFC site. "He returned from the off-season break far from satisfied from a real breakout year. Jayden made it pretty clear to us that he wanted to actually ‘go again’ and improve again. He has done that so far in training. Jayden has a real appetite to be successful and a real appetite to play in a great team."

Enjoy ==> https://six6six.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=Z69Wbr&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&speed=4&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=2&clickable=1 A further look at Mondays training. Enjoy ==> https://six6six.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=LGwbtW&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&speed=4&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=2&clickable=1 I wasn't there today as it was a closed session. I like to respect the clubs wishes so here are some more from Monday ==>https://six6six.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=q9qfZP&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&speed=3&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=2&clickable=1

A few photos here: and here:

I had a good chat to JKH at training yesterday Has had a miserable run with injury but Macca and others think there is something there, he showed something playing in the middle in last couple of games for Casey So they have started again and rebuilt him from the ground up, particular attention to his core, reckons he has done thousands of those leg weight pushes, not sure of technical term Once they get him on the field, they want him to stay on, bit like Hunt Ran his fastest time ever over 3k the other day and was fast lapping with ANB who is known for his running Also on Monday they were doing those beep test short runs, Watts ANB and others were doing 4 3 and 4 4, JKH was doing 3 3 and 3 4 so assume a full second faster, Watts was impressed and encouraging him He is still very upbeat just wants a crack at it

Very good session today, I thought. Fast ball movement, run and spread seemed to be the emphasis. The work was mostly crisp and clean, with very good intensity and pressure around the ball. As soon as there was any hint of relaxation or a player lost concentration for a split second, he was promptly reminded to maintain "match day intensity". I must have heard one or other of the coaches bellowing this instruction half a dozen times, as well as the players continually urging eachother to greater heights. Great stuff! Regardless of how we fare this year, l'm 100% confident that we will have a very 'honest' team playing for us every week. Anything less and they'll be at Casey. A few individual highlights from my observations: - Jesse is in superb physical nick. Stronger than ever, and extremely quick and agile for a kpp, as shown in a forward entry / ball movement drill. Would love to have seen him have some set shots, but I don't think he had one all session. Can't wait to see him when the real stuff starts! I reckon he'll have a 'blinder'. - Tracc also looks to be in great shape, and has definitely shed a few kgs. His ability to clunk a mark at its highest point is exceptional, as he showed on several occasions today. Endurance is still a work in progress, but I was pleased to see him spend some time working with the mids. He also did maybe 20 mins one-on-one specialist tackling work at the end of the session. - Trenners also spent some time with the mids, as did Vanders. Both looked good. - I thought Frosty's short kicking and reaction time in some intensive drills were pretty good. Let's wait and see how he goes under match conditions, but I saw enough today to be encouraged. - Harmesy was again amongst the front runners, both in sprints and endurance work. - Clarrie and Salem were the last two to leave the track, working on in-tight ground ball control, with Crossy tossing and kicking hard balls in their direction from close range. For the most part they were very sure of hand, but they got very shitty on themselves after even the slightest fumble.

I'll ask a couple if questiions: Is the longest thread title ever on dl? Is it one of the most obtuse thread titles ever on dl?

Power clubs - think Cats, Dorks and, quite a few years ago, Brisbane, had players in the 22 - 30 best range who would have walked into most other teams. They mostly managed to keep these players. This is the type of culture we must develop to become a success.

This comment reminds me of a mate who when I said "Sad to see Grimesy go" said "he was no f'ing good". I called him a jerk, not because he was wrong but because he said it.

Good session from what I saw today. Certainly an emphasis on spreading the field in the full ground stuff. The ball will often travel diagonally from one flank to the other. Certainly corridor play is encouraged but getting the ball to space seems to be the main aim. Everyone is encouraged to take the game on and take on the man on the mark after a switch or change of angle kick. The Weed had a nice play out of the back pocket kicking a long diagonal switch and then as the ball came back (the drill moves the ball from one end to the other then back) got deepest and got on the end of a lobbed up kick from the skipper to run in to open goal. He's not perfect by foot but is a good user for a tall and runs good patterns without the ball. Pat McKenna was training with the backs when they split in to positional groups. There seems to be a bit of man love between Rooke and Clarry, I expect those 2 will work closely. Joel Smith was up in the midfield group taking an outside position. Probably just to even up the numbers as well as when half backs take position off the back of stoppages.

Went to training today and agree with previous reports. ANB and JKH running fast laps. Heard Watta say "if only I could run like that" as they powered around. ANB doesn't look to be injured to me and in fact the five in rehab didn't look inconvenienced at all. Was standing right near Trenners and Misso as Trenners was being put through what looked like "burst from a standing start" drill. He did this drill in straight lines and then breaking both left and right. He had one of our blokes hold him back with a exercise band making it harder to burst. Good to see they are working on his specific weaknesses. In general practice he looked good but of course it wasn't contested crowded situations. Unlike Saty I didn't think Hogan was a standout and actually thought he was blowing a bit of dust out after missing last week. No real standouts for me today other than perhaps Stretch but really they all looked pretty good. What really pleased me was when they were running 220's in pairs Harmes was leading Jones in the front pair and AVB and Melksham were really powering just behind. Hogan and Petracca were jogging behind so I don't know what the story was there. Oliver didn't seem out of place in the running which is pleasing and Salem did the full session despite reports of a head knock before Christmas at the camp. The only disappointment for me was Petracca's kicking which missed the mark a bit but he might just have been having an off day. Apparently they had a gruelling session on Saturday which finished with 3 x 1km runs. Trac was so exhausted he caught the cart back to AAMI! All in all they looked really good today but of course it's just training. Good to see so many on the park. Edit: the other one who impressed today was Nev Jetta. His kicking was very good indeed in all the drills and he was heavily involved.

Well, I'll nibble at the bait. There's an interesting conundrum to our list at the moment, with the presence of so many players who can genuinely deserve a place on an AFL field, but who aren't ever going to be the premium types who secure a stable spot. It's a natural part of being a successful team, to have a certain portion of your players who, with all best wishes from the club, have to move on for better opportunities. Ideally, they then get overrated somewhere else and bring in a handy draft pick. But I think it is a bit premature, and maybe tasteless, to be deciding who will be 'pushed out' in that gap between regular playing and being delisted. There's an obvious cluster of young players who are competent but not first picked. It'll be interesting, and hopefully exciting, to see how it all plays out.

This thread is great, if for no other reason that some posters who you thought were bitter and twisted old men, are in fact revealed to be in their 20s - and others, who converse and carry on like children, were old enough to do Vic-Kick with your father. (For the under 30s, VicKick=AusKick)

Remember you never have the entire best 22 on the park at the same time, so just because you're #23 you wouldn't ask for a trade. If your team is travelling well and you're just on the periphery, you should be pushing to crack in. I guess the aim is to make that periphery as wide as possible, so lots of players believe they have what it takes to get into the side when the opportunity presents itself.

hey..up until this thread, I thought an ottoman was something I put my feet on. Then they got renamed in Australia to "poofs" then they got renamed back to ottomans for reasons unclear to me.

Well done on nailing your info once again TK. Building up a good strike rate.

And here is one for all the Jayden fans Me "Jayden, you know you will be more of a marked man this season, opposition teams will try and rough you up" Jayden "they can try, a couple of them tried it last year, looking forward to it"

Selfish.

From the Vault. My how the team has changed. ==> https://six6six.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=Dpc52t&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&speed=2&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=2&clickable=1

Back on topic. A further look at Monday's training session ==> https://six6six.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=LGwbtW&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&speed=3&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=2&clickable=1

Any reports on Tim Smith? Big fan of the Bull but haven't seen his name come up much. Please and Thank You

John Lord Ron Barassi Allen Jakovich Jim Stynes Robbie Flower Frank Adams Max Gawn Jeff Farmer David Schwartz Big Bob Johnson

What's important is for the club to excel at trading if we find ourselves in a strong position with regards to trading ... so, if we do have a fringe player or 2 who has real currency, we'd hopefully be in a great position to win-out on any trade. Real depth should ultimately make a club stronger. If we're top-notch at trading, we shouldn't therefore be too concerned about losing players who can't get a regular game (despite those players being decent footballers) The real concern would be losing a player or 2 who could be classed as being amongst our best players in a team that wins more than it loses ... however, if we're great at trading we can turn a situation like that into a win as well. If we start playing finals other clubs will come at our better players. If they come at the fringe players, make them overpay. .

The FD have a big opinion of JKH.

I'll bite, Salem if fit is starting 22. His skill is sorely missed when he isn't in the team. Give him a year or two of no illness or injury to build a tank and he could be great (without wanting to put the Sylvia curse on him)

From memory we kind of tried to do that a few years back. It wasn't as official as them being part of our club but more our 'sister' club. I think we should go all out and have a netball and basketball team playing under the name Melbourne and in Red and Blue. Take over the whole 'Melbourne' brand. Hell even through in a soccer and cricket team as well!

Spencer, ANB and Trenners I think will all stuggle to find spots long term. ANB I believe is the biggest chance to want out if he has another year like 2016. He cant quite get it right at AFL level and he is already down the list a bit. If I was a bottom 4 team looking for competitors id go after him. His VFL form justifies a chance. Despite limited oppertunities i dont think the club will let him go without a fight Spencer will demand sneaky bit value from a team who desperatly needs a ruckman, esspecially if we play hard ball on a trade claiming him as our only backup. I want him for another 2/3 years because i rate him as a solid compeditive backup to the Beard but if I was him I'd take any offer if it meant i could play AFL. Trenner's injury history that will scare any prospective buyers. But i also doubt he will play much if at all. If he survives the whole year at Casey and someone offers it to him he might jump ship for one last shot at it. Note on JKH given he has been mentioned already: I think he has a huge upside i really liked him when he was in. He is still young and had a horrid run last year if he gets a solid injury free start to the year i think he is a smokey to take a spot should we decide to play 3 small forwards. That and I'd like them to trial him on a wing at Casey. We need a skillfull wingman on the other side of Stretch. Could also be good to rotate with Kent and Garlett during a game having 3 small forwards taking turns buzzing around the middle of the ground as well as forward of the ball.

Why Salo? I reckon he's in our 22 if he can stay healthy.

I think you find your first point is right, the club is or was closed from around the 20/12 and either returned yesterday or next Monday. Each year the office closes for 3 weeks over Christmas

Thought I would dig up the video of Jayden from 2016 B&F. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2016-09-08/best-young-player-jayden-hunt The first minute, Macca's preamble to the best young player award, is really worth listening to again - Glowing (and well deserved) praise. Similar to the quote b_r_f_e refers above, in the video Macca says Jayden will stop at nothing to be his best! Interesting Jayden signals Jack Grimes as one who spurred him into action to stay on the list in 2015. Grimsey will look back with great pride as Jayden stars over the coming years. Jayden is a very impressive young man and will be a great credit to our club.

it's a 5 minute job to update the web site count

What's a worry is we thought we were on a winner back then, but it's different this time. It's not like.the other 12 times...

Better than me. I cant get past or over 1 - 9 - 6 - 4

As WJ has alluded to, MFC's previous experiences with so called "saviours" has hardly been fruitful. Poor old Jim tried to be, but to the detriment of his well-being. Gutnick came along and headed the anti-merger group, but if it wasn't for the Dorks and their supporters' voting against it, it would have happened. The closest we've had to a saviour in recent times is by far and away PJ, whilst Roos also got us back on track. But both have made a considerable effort to not be seen as "saviours". It's more that they are/were one piece of the jigsaw, to get things going in the right direction and that it takes more than one person to keep a football club on the straight and narrow. One thing is for sure though, i'm extremely pleased that we have PJ locked in until at least the end of 2018.

Hey, I've seen abacus users out perform people on calculators doing extremely complex mathematical calculations!

Aaron Davey could kick them from well outside 50m and he'd have to be at least 30kgs lighter. I think it has more to do with twitch fibres and timing than weight.

Good effort HT Loved the pic of Cross from the first bunch. Looked like you were getting the eff off death stare.

Great photos. I'm pleased to see Oliver looking a bit more sinewy!

Fine let him come from a long way back, don't rush and have a rubbish season. Take an extra however many weeks need to get to as close to full fitness before playing, if that is week 5 then so be it. I don't get the need to rush for round 1, it's a bloody long season at AFL level.

He is being coached as a mid, there was a little group at the end with Lewis, Clarry, Stretch, Salem and Viney all doing a bit extra when everybody else had left

Watts concussion from knock to jaw Hibberd knee grumbling just managing it ANB and JKH hope to be main group Friday, ANB knee and JKH been building his core, ran fastest time ever last week in testing Tyson and Kent early walking laps Hogan the standout today along with Birthday Boy Brayshaw

Please, don't go! I'm begging you to stay

From Brendan McCartney's preseason player update: "He’s been a standout – and credit to him. Jesse came back to training from the off-season in incredible shape and he’s dealing with every drill very well. Whatever drill he’s been in, he’s getting to the stage where he is pivotal in it, which is a sure sign that his overall game is growing. He’s a competitive young man and has a drive to take this club forward". Again Jesse's commitment and drive shine through. The Full Backs of the AFL should start getting worried

Yes but nobody gives a flying fark how he kicks them at training, it's what he does on game day that counts.

Is that one of the myriad of sessions when they are, iter alia, told about their personal responsibilities regarding what they ingest? The session that apparently the Essendon 34 (or however many it was) either ignored or thought did not apply to them. Must be true if it is on 7️⃣?

Tyson will be coming from a long way back as a result of this, which is a big blow as his second half of 2016 was as good as any mid we had I thought. Saying that, as others have said, it opens an opportunity for other mids to step up - be it Brayshaw, Oliver, Salem, Trengove, or a surprise kid coming through. Tyson is a goal kicker, and we will miss the way he's able to impact the scoreboard if he's not up to full fitness by the start of the season.

Doubt anyone is lying. You can disrupt a quad muscle / quad muscle tendon after a knee dislocation. Particularly if he's had soreness before. So whilst he injured his knee he is now recovering from a quad injury. I'm actually expecting a long rehab on this one unfortunately.

Not sure what the true story is now, but concerned with the lack of strapping of any sort if he did the patella, did a couple of kicks as he was walking around so put all the weight on the right leg as he kicked with the left, ANB had the strapping on for nearly a month

It's all academic now but it was an over-confident call by McCarthy and not needed. Going for it is an artform ... only Belichick gets it right most of the time. But he's the master. Obviously ecstatic about the win though ... we should be able to cover for Nelson if he's done.