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Harmes always has that look of a kid pinching himself about where he's landed in life. I reckon he's living the dream 95% of us had growing up - running around in red and blue after spending a life time barracking for them. Love it.

Mr Demonland sir, pics on my Insta account if you want to bring them across Good news today, Jones, Lever, Mitch King and Flip in main group Missing in action Weed, McKenna, Hannan, Baker, Viney

For the first time I can remember I went into this draft not really caring about it. We no longer need saviours and we had late picks anyway. But I have this funny feeling we have nailed it and am really excited by all of them.

I asked Max how much weight he has dropped, 9kgs, still skinny at 105kgs Tim Smith is tracking really well in his rehab and is more powerfully built than last year Standouts in the wet today Hogan, Maynard, Brayshaw Rehab today was Kent, Smith x 2, Garlett, Spargo, Hibberd, Tommy Mc

Strangely enough we're not statistically any older than the 2017 list, but that list included a number of veteran player who never really took the field (Lumumba, Garland, Spencer, come to mind). Based on this article from the AFL website, in December 2016, our figures were; Age: 23 yrs, 233days (so approx 100 days difference) Games: 58 (meaning we've actually gone down by this measure very slightly) I do think that this is also one of the situations where simple averages are very low value. For example, Vince and Lewis together have played 500 games, or 20% of our total. Either one of them retiring would have put us on the bottom of the experience ladder. But the same could be said for many clubs. You can do something similar with age, though not as dramatic because the count ranges from 18 to 35, not zero to 400! But with age there is also the question of how to interpret mature rookies like Smith (26) and Maynard (26) and and late bloomers like VanDenBerg (25) and Wagner (23). Again it will be a subtlety affecting many clubs. If I were writing an article comparing age and experience of AFL teams, I'd look at 'players who should be in their prime' (100 games +) and players for whom age is beginning to work against them (say, 28+). You could then throw in a look at the next generation, by assessing 'players with less than 100 games who are already confirmed AFL-quality', and finally just a quick count of 'untested kids in the system' Those four points together would give you an idea of what is actually going on at each club. The averages are pretty meaningless.

CHANGES 2017 by The Oracle PART TWO: INTO THE MIX The 18 AFL club lists were lodged during the week, ending the post season trade and draft period for 2017. For the Melbourne Football Club, it was a quiet ending to a spring season that opened in spectacular fashion when the club secured Adelaide defender Jake Lever in its early days, followed by the trading of Fremantle's Harley Balic for a low draft pick as a late exchange and the departure of Jack Watts to Port Adelaide. All that was now left for the club was to complete its set of changes with the selection of four draftees, mostly in the second round. The process was aptly described as a case of fine-tuning the list as the Demons prepare for what hopefully will be a long-awaited and successful return to finals football. The four players picked were a nice mix and the pundits generally hailed the selections as promising. Here are their pen pictures from Inside Football's November edition:- Oskar Baker DOB: 25-05-98 181.9cm, 75.6kg Apsley QLD “Oskar was cut from the Lions academy in January and made his way to Apsley as a rookie, but due to a raft of injuries he got his opportunity early in the year and never looked back. His ability to take the game on is his strength - even against the AFL-aligned reserves he looked to tuck the ball under his arm and run. He has skill, is good overhead and is mentally strong. One of the better state league prospects.” - Apsley football operations manager Mark Perkins Bayley Fritsch DOB: 06-12-96 186.9cm, 80.1kg Casey Demons “After two years tailed by injury, the left foot forward from Coldstream enjoyed a full season and was so impressive he elevated himself more into a draft certainty than a hopeful. Often spectacular in the air, deceptively quick, a penetrating kick, and crafty at ground level, the 20-year-old represented the VFL, topped Casey’s goalkicking with 44, made the VFL team of the year and received the Fothergill-Round Medal as the league’s best young player (always a reliable guide to a player’s AFL prospects). It won’t be a surprise to see him nabbed in the national draft.” - VFL expert Paul Amy Harrison Petty DOB: 12-11-99 195.3cm 82.0kg Norwood SA "He was the big mover in our group over the pre-season and the start of 2017. Originally thought to be a forward, Harry moved to defence early in the season and didn't look back. Reads the game well and his intercept marking is elite. Kicking is better all the time. Hasn't missed a beat in our program. A boarder at Rostrevor College." - Norwood Talent Manager Rick Shrowder. Charlie Spargo DOB: 25-11-99 171.6cm 70.2kg Murray Bushrangers "Charlie didn't play a game this year because of a shoulder injury after a handful of games last year. A really clever small forward, he would have developed in the midfield this year but because of the injury that didn’t happen. Certainly a draftable player and while the injury means he’ll slide I’m pretty sure he’ll get taken.” - Murray Bushrangers coach Leon Higgins. With Joel Smith's promotion to the senior list and that of Corey Maynard to the status of Category A rookie, there were no vacancies allowing participation in the pre season or rookie drafts and the club did not name any Category B rookies. The Melbourne lists going into 2018 are therefore:- PRIMARY LIST: Oskar Baker Harley Balic Angus Brayshaw Tomas Bugg Bayley Fritsch Sam Frost Jeff Garlett Max Gawn Mitch Hannan James Harmes Michael Hibberd Jesse Hogan Jayden Hunt Neville Jetta Dion Johnstone Nathan Jones Jay Kennedy-Harris Dean Kent Mitch King Jake Lever Jordan Lewis Oscar McDonald Tom McDonald Pat McKenna Jake Melksham Alex Neal-Bullen Clayton Oliver Cameron Pedersen Christian Petracca Harrison Petty Christian Salem Charlie Spargo Joel Smith Billy Stretch Dom Tyson Aaron vandenBerg Bernie Vince Jack Viney Josh Wagner Sam Weideman ROOKIE LIST: CATEGORY A Lachlan Filipovic Declan Keilty Corey Maynard Tim Smith

Hah - @Demonlandis the smooth host with a voice for radio, I'm the yammering nerd who blows in occasionally when they don't have a better guest! (Just jokes - was invited to participate in this one too but life got in the way) The fact that we're both named Andrew probably doesn't help with the confusion ?

Especially when the journey starts so young. I'm 34, so at the age now where I'd likely have been out of the system for a couple of years now if I'd been a good player in the AFL. I'm at the stage of my life where I am established in my career and financially stable and comfortable, but it took a decade of slog, stress, sacrifice and mental breakdown or two in my twenties to get here. I'm a lot stronger and better placed to deal with life's difficulties thanks to having had to go through the hard way. I can't imagine what it would be like trying to basically start from scratch at this stage now. I realise that for people like Colin much of the struggle is of their own doing for not setting themselves up when they could have, but to me that doesn't dull the empathy for the situation. Most young adults aren't going to appreciate the stress of every day adult life if they're not exposed to it, so I don't blame him or any of them for missing that boat. Psychologically it would now be a struggle. That said, I have no sympathy at all for some of his alleged behaviour. Nothing justifies his reported treatment of his partner for example. He has to own that, and fix it pronto.

All times AEST. Friday, June 15: Russia v Saudi Arabia, Moscow (Luzhniki) (1am) Egypt v Uruguay, Yekaterinburg (10pm) Saturday, June 16: Morocco v Iran, Saint Petersburg (1am) Portugal v Spain, Sochi (4am) Australia v France Kazan (8pm) Argentina v Iceland, Moscow (Spartak) (11pm). Sunday, June 17: Peru v Denmark, Saransk (2am) Croatia v Nigeria, Kaliningrad (5am) Costa Rica v Serbia, Samara (10pm) Monday, June 18: Germany v Mexico, Moscow (Luzhniki) (1am) Brazil v Switzerland, Rostov-on-Don (4am) Sweden v South Korea, Nizhni Novgorod (10pm). Tuesday, June 19: Belgium v Panama, Sochi (1am) Tunisia v England, Volgograd (4am) Poland v Senegal, Moscow (Spartak) (10pm). Wednesday, June 20: Colombia v Japan, Saransk (1am) Russia v Egypt, Saint Petersburg (4am) Portugal v Morocco, Moscow (Luzhniki) (10pm) Thursday, June 21: Uruguay v Saudi Arabia, Rostov-on-Don (1am) Iran v Spain, Kazan (4am) France v Peru, Yekaterinburg (10pm) Friday, June 22: Australia v Denmark Samara (1am) Argentina v Croatia, Nizhni Novgorod (4am) Brazil v Costa Rica, Saint Petersburg (10pm). Saturday, June 23: Nigeria v Iceland, Volgograd (1am) Serbia v Switzerland, Kaliningrad (4am) Belgium v Tunisia, Moscow (Spartak) (10pm). Sunday, June 24: Germany v Sweden, Sochi (1am) South Korea v Mexico, Rostov-on-Don (4am) England v Panama, Nizhni Novgorod (10pm). Monday, June 25: Japan v Senegal, Yekaterinburg (1am) Poland v Colombia, Kazan (4am). Tuesday, June 26: Saudi Arabia v Egypt, Volgograd (midnight) Uruguay v Russia, Samara (midnight) Spain v Morocco, Kaliningrad (4am) Iran v Portugal, Saransk (4am). Wednesday, June 27: Denmark v France, Moscow (Luzhniki) (midnight) Australia v Peru Sochi (Midnight) Nigeria v Argentina, Saint Petersburg (4am) Iceland v Croatia, Rostov-on-Don (4am). Thursday, June 28: South Korea v Germany, Kazan (midnight) Mexico v Sweden, Yekaterinburg (midnight) Serbia v Brazil, Moscow (Spartak) (4am) Switzerland v Costa Rica, Nizhni Novgorod (4am). Friday, June 29: Japan v Poland, Volgograd (midnight) Senegal v Colombia, Samara (midnight) England v Belgium, Kaliningrad (4am) Panama v Tunisia, Saransk (4am). Sunday, July 1 Round of 16: Group C winners v Group D runners-up, Kazan (R1) (midnight) Group A winners v Group B runners-up, Sochi (R2) (4am). Monday, July 2 Round of 16: Group B winners v Group A runners-up, Moscow (Luzhniki) (R5) (midnight) Group D winners v Group C runners-up, Nizhni Novgorod (R6) (4am). Tuesday, July 3 Round of 16: Group E winners v Group F runners-up, Samara (R3) (midnight) Group G winners v Group H runners-up, Rostov-on-Don (R4) (4am). Wednesday, July 4 Round of 16: Group F winners v Group E runners-up, Saint Petersburg (R7) (midnight) Group H winners v Group G runners-up, Moscow (Spartak) (R8) (4am). Saturday, July 7 Quarter-finals: Winner of R1 v Winner of R2, Nizhni Novgorod (Q1) (midnight) Winner of R3 v Winner of R4, Kazan (Q2) (4am) Sunday, July 8 Quarter-finals: Winner of R7 v Winner of R8, Samara (Q3) (midnight) Winner of R5 v Winner of R6, Sochi (Q4) (4am) Semifinal 1: Saint Petersburg Stadium, 4am, Wednesday, July 11 Semifinal 2: Luzhiniki Stadium, 4am, Thursday, July 12 Third place playoff Sunday, July 15: Saint Petersburg (midnight) FINAL Monday, July 16: Moscow (Luzhniki) (1am)

In Giro's respect, what goes around comes around. Apologies.

I've always liked vanders and when fit I rate him as a guy who can snag a couple of goals per game. The problem is he is also one of those guys who always seems to be injured. We've had a lot of very talented injury prone guys over the last 30 years. Best of luck to vanders. I hope he can make it on to the park more in the 2018.

I also agree with Little Goffy in his post when he says averages are pretty meaningless. Make it the average of your top 25 players and FND's analysis goes some way to showing that we still would have one of the youngest list that gets on the park each week. To back up Tiers assessment, the actual stats are included here: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-01/senior-citizens-who-will-be-the-oldest-in-2018 If you look at the club list for 100+ game players, you will see that only Carlton and Gold Coast with 7, have fewer "experienced" players on their list than we do with only 8. Another out take from that list is which teams made finals. Except for Essendon, the top 8 sides tended to have the highest number of those 100+ game players. Hawthorn stands as an outlier, but the injuries to Rioli, Stratton, Frawley, Hodge, Gunston, Birchall and Gibson during the season with Vickery a no show, would drop their number considerably and explains why they didn't make it.

Part of the discussion with him, he is stronger, acknowledged the days of the 115 - 120kg ruckman are gone, Sandilands excepted There has been a focus on building stronger bodies, Harmes, Billy Stretch, Maynard, Gus all look more powerful than last year

The thread for injuries in season 2018 starting with a pre season update: Dave Misson’s November pre-season update from melbournefc.com.au Lochie Filipovic: Lochie is pretty close to running flat out, coming back into the group [after a hip flexor injury suffered in the 2017 season]. Dean Kent: Kenty, with his shoulder, has been able to do a fair bit of running work, but still needs to improve that strength and range in his shoulder. Tom McDonald: He did some agility work on Tuesday, so he’s probably likely to join in the football program before Christmas, which would be good. Touch wood, he’s looking really good [after having surgery on both ankles on separate occasions]. Pat McKenna: Patty’s going well. He’s up to 90 per cent. He’s still working in and around some things on his hamstring. Joel Smith: Joel is doing some really good work, on and off the track. He’s improved his strength work, in and around that knee. Tim Smith: He had his first run out on the grass on Monday, so he’s done a fair bit of work with that foot and a fair bit of work on the AlterG treadmill. He’ll run again Friday. He’s pulled up well, so we’re pretty excited that the rehab is going according to plan. Hopefully he’ll be out towards the end of January, early February training with the group. Aaron vandenBerg: Vanders has been a little bit slow since that [heel] surgery. We’re just trying to improve his range in that ankle and get his calf strength up. He’s started running on the AlterG treadmill on Monday. Jack Viney: Jack’s away at the moment. He came in last week and did a little bit of work. He’s still got to work on getting his range in that ankle back. We’re not going to rush him back into football work. We’ve got plenty of time and we just want to make sure we get it right and get some miles into his legs before he starts football.

"Only one stat matter, games won" Tell that to Adelaide. And I mean that in more than just the 'ha ha they lost the final' sense. Their premiership years of 97/98 each featured just 13 wins in the home and away season. They've equaled or passed that mark ten times since then, including two minor premierships. St Kilda might also point out they had a 20-2 home and away record in 2009... and only lost 1 final. And now Nick Reiwoldt is just a regular retired great, instead of being the greatest hero in St Kilda's history. Even Geelong might pull a stool over and pour a beer to tell you about the 1990s, or indeed, the one that got away, when they won 23 games and only lost two for the whole of 2009... and now instead of them, Hawthorn is considered the greatest team of this century. I suppose I am just echoing a point that Paul Roos made an awful lot of times - there's no point climbing up the ladder a bit if you haven't laid the foundations of a team ethos that will win under pressure and will follow the plan first, last and always. Again, Geelong will tell you the difference between getting good wins and looking impressive (to, say 2006) and forming a hardened culture that is determined to do the things it takes to really win when it counts.

Think the point is more that you can't win *without* considerable experience in the side - and shared experience at that. Not only are the key players at Richmond all (very) experienced and talented, they've played their whole careers together. If that's in place sure, play kids, honest grafters, other clubs' rejects etc. etc.

Lever's lightness on his feet might be what makes him such a good interceptor and good in traffic but I wonder if he needs to be taught to literally dig his heels in.

I was checking into a hotel the other week. At the counter, a guy in front of me said abruptly to the receptionist, "I hope the porn channel is disabled." Unbelievable what some people are into.

I hope they are not on the same schedule as they MFC.

Following Pike's runners has widespread appeal judging by the odds of his early runners! But as you said Wadda, the place dividend's probably won't offer a lot of value. As a consequence, I've done a few parlays in the later races but threw in a bit of value as well as a couple of Pike's other runners - a bit of both. The only horse I do like to win is State Solicitor and I'm crossing my fingers that the other picks can get into the finish with a winner or 2 amongst those other picks.

Dave Misson’s December pre-season update “Nathan Jones: Nathan is back in the main group, after he just had a minor calf. It wasn’t quite a strain, but we’re pretty precautionary in pre-season, but he joined in [with the main group] on Friday. Dean Kent: Kenty had that shoulder [injury] after the Darwin game [against the Adelaide Crows in round 17, this year]. He’s pretty close to starting some contact. He’s done a lot of running and is pretty fit. Tom McDonald: He had surgery on each ankle and is going very well. He’s done a lot of running and is starting to get into some pretty intense agility work, and football work. He’ll probably jump into the main group after Christmas, but he’s going well. Harrison Petty: Ten days ago, Harrison fractured his elbow, tripping over a wire fence, so both of those guys have got a little bit of time in rehab. Bayley and Oskar are going pretty well and they’ve come in and they’re pretty sharp. Joel Smith: Joel’s towards the end of his rehab, with that fracture he had with his knee. He’s looking like the Joel Smith of old – really athletic and dynamic, so [we’re] pretty pleased with how he’s going. Tim Smith: Tim had that navicular stress fracture. He’s done a couple of weeks of running outside and is going really well. He’s started to do run throughs and a little bit of agility. Charlie Spargo: Charlie had a shoulder reconstruction during the year and he’s not far away from getting into some contact. Aaron vandenBerg: Vanders has been a little bit slow, just with that foot [injury], but he’s probably had his best week in rehab this week. We’re really hopeful that he can start to progress a little bit quicker. Jack Viney: Jack’s going pretty well, as expected with the [foot] injury that he had. He’s starting to do more, and more on his legs, and being Jack, he’s working really, really hard off legs and in the gym. Sam Weideman: Weids had ankle surgery in the off-season, so he’s progressing really well. He’s doing some good running on the AlterG [Anti-Gravity] Treadmill and he’ll start running outside next week.” As long as we don’t get them between March and September.

Fantastic. Brought back memories of the below classic meme from 2012.

Yes well Macca, there you have it. A bit hard to overlook the dominant Pike in a race like this. If you think he can get beaten, then perhaps quinella him with something else. Fuhryk is an interesting runner. This horse had a few problems and the trainers said they couldn't get him right......then they said theyd fixed the problem and well....it came out and smashed them at Caulfield over 1100. But then it went to Flemington in a Grp 3 and failed. But Oliver is on board here and maybe it might come good again. Rock Magic can go ok i think, dont know much about the rest of the field, so ill be sticking with W Pike and also for the rest of the day. How did you go in your form searches? Actually, looking through Pykes rides, the first 3 runners are all under 2/1 for the win, so wont pay anything for the place.....next ride is 3.30 but is the horses 2nd start, the next one is a 14/1 donkey and State Soliciter seems his best odds for a place so....it wont quite be the ATM of last weekend im afraid....still ill take something into something im sure.

5

Richmond key players Martin, Rance, Riewoldt & Cotchin all sit in over 26yo bracket plus, over 100 games, and hardly missed a game for the season! That’s why they won the flag!

Gotta a feeling dion might come on quickly this year. Looks ripped

Great work, Saty. That picture of Billy Stretch at full stretch is outstanding, by the way.

And still struggled massively for big parts of last season. No first round pick 2016 & 2017. I really do hope that they are heading for a period of prolonged struggle like we have had.

I posted this a few months back and thought it worth revisiting particularly with some of the rubbish stats that have been appearing in the media today. If I'm reading his, Ben Darwin's "team work index" right then clubs like Port will really struggle in 2018. Bringing in so many players from other clubs particularly those that have been in the system for a while is a recipe for disaster. Players bring there own ways and those of the clubs they have left behind and it's hard to develop an integrated game plan in that situation. I think we have approached it well in picking off players like Lever and not taking the scattergun approach of Port and in the past Collingwood. It looks good in the media and looks like you are being really proactive, I mean mental giants in the media have Port up there as a big chance...but lets wait and see. This is a really interesting interview for anyone really interested in team sports and team building...well worth the time to have a listen.

Oliver is 20 and doesn't turn 21 until 3/4s of the way through the year.

It's the MFC Arts Club performing a re-enactment of Théodore Géricault's painting, "The Raft of the Medusa".

Guys, the Ox works in the media. It's the off season. He has to talk about something. There is so much demand for anything AFL related in Australia that the media cant keep our appetite sated. This is why the journalists are unhappy with the amount of access they have to the players. They are forced to come up with attention grabbing stories or squeeze a subject completely dry as there is not enough to talk about. In this case the Ox spoke about it for a couple of minutes and someone made an article about it. All he really said was that he was worried that we had a lot of injuries last year and that it could continue. He goes on to say that clubs with a good run do well. Not rocket science, and hardly worth writing an article about it either.

I do like the guy, but the Ox ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. Did he also say if Martin, Riewoldt and Rance were injured the Tigers may drop off a bit too? Hawkins, Selwood and Dangerfield could effect Geelong?

I'd say we had a few injuries to key players last year as well . . . AND . . . moved up the ladder.

I noticed we didn't have any really for last week and found these for Friday 24/11/17 on Big Footy by Proper Gander. Not much to go off but better than nothing. Without delving further into the interesting area of the relative merits of adding bulk v drinking beers while on holiday - here is my general impressions of training. Also Starc just got Jake Ball’s wicket, which is nice.Notable absentees were Jack Viney and Michael Hibberd (unless he was in the rehab group on the far side, and I never saw him, but I don’t think he was there).In his own group, doing the special older guy with 4 premierships routine was Jordan Lewis who was doing laps early on checking his time every now and again. I gave him a supportive smile every time he passed that he totally ignored, which pleased me no end. He left soon after 10 AM and wasn’t seen again.The rehab group being tortured by Crossey for the day consisted of Kent (shoulder), Jones (something), Filopovic (why not), Lever (post premiership loss related angst), Joel Smith (things), Tim Smith (other things), Weiderman (eating disorder), Wagner (who knows), TMac (surgery for things) Buggy (pest patrol) and anyone else who was in the rehab group that I have forgotten. I think Jeff didn’t join the main group today - I saw him running a bit with the rehab guys at one point but he seemed to have left the field by the second hour so he probably went to have beers with Jordan to talk about how to get 4 premierships. TBH this group started early, and were doing things with Crossey with music on the far side of the field next to Punt Road, so I never got that good a look at them unless they were running the perimeter.The main group rocked up at about 9:35 - 9:40. Tardy buggers.Now to add a further layer of complication to the who is big, who is small debate for Topkent to argue about, my body shape observations are that other than Kent who looks to me much as he ever has only with bandaged shoulder, everyone appears to have come back in decent shape with some looking very good indeed. Max Gawn, as reported elsewhere, is leaner. Stretchy is really hard looking - this was evident last off season too. He seems to have one of those body types that shows muscle definition clearly. The ripped award goes to Joel Smith who was running with TMac at one stage, both wearing those silly GPS bra things. He looks like one of those Olympic sprint swimmers - washboard belly with clear 6 pack - and makes Tommy look portly if that was ever possible. Wagner in great shape too, but when is he not? His concerns do not include skin folds, which is just as well because in my view he has other issues to contend with.Channel 7 reported Petracca as ‘lean’ a few weeks back, which to my mind is media puff because he looks much the same to me. He is a big lad who has borrowed May West’s thighs, after either winning or losing a bet depending on your POV. He trains really well and is generally smiling, except during running drills where he looks like a guy hefting around 90 plus kilos who still has endurance work to do. The coaches are all over him, and Mitch Hannah who also struggles with running drills, but Ancient said Trac has improved already from a few weeks back where he was struggling to keep up, so maybe he can spend the summer shadowing Ollie shadowing Stretch and create a kind of domino effect premiership side.Clayton Oliver looks like a different person to the guy we drafted. He’s lean and has muscles and stuff, and is very focussed and effective all through the session, and the big surprise is none other than Mitch King who really has gone from ‘LOL you’re kidding’ to the heights of an interesting theoretical possibility. Hogan looking good and has come back relatively lean, in a big forward type way, and Pedo looks heaps better than last year post surgery when he was puffing his way though hours of Crossey type punishment.Goodwin also absent, but I think the draft might be held in Sydney this year so he’s probably heading there.I am now going to make a cheese sandwich and will return with more once I’ve eaten it and can recall some drills and stuff. The cricket has gone to [censored] again, so I will continue.The main group warmed up on some silly drills. They played soccerish stuff with a round ball which everyone seemed to enjoy. Our best soccer player is head-and-shoulders James Harmes who was having a Beckham-like blinder, and Dom Tyson isn’t bad either. Welcome to the next International Rules match boys. Then they play cone dancing for a bit - kind of footspeed, balance drill with players in turn having to skitter inside a diamond of different colour cones towards the colour cone yelled by a coach. Everyone okay at this. Of course there is the routine hilarious moment where the coach yells “red!” And everyone falls over their feet because there is no red cone. Wacko. What with the soccer drill then the invisible cone dance this all looks to me like a super way to do an ankle. By now I take two paracaetamol because my temper has taken a sudden nose-dive for no good reason.Then some real drills in ball movement. Interestingly with a spot of light body work, so we’re ahead of the curve, but no full tackling, just some friendly nudges. The players have split into three rough groups which are the defenders, forwards and mids (loosely speaking). I was closest to the mids. Thinking back to preseason a few years back, we look a much sharper, more experienced and generally better unit then back then. Plus Dawes isn’t here which is a relief and works even better than the paracaetamol on my head. Harmes is killing it in the midfield for sharpness and intensity. I’m pleased about this. His best footy is really valuable - read 1st quarter against Saints last we played - but like a true demon his consistency hasn’t been great. But he looks the real deal ATM so I’m hoping for a big year. Also he has terrible tats and his hair is achieving new heights of dodgy so I’m thinking breakout, Dusty type Brownlow year for the Horse.I check out Balic’s work and thought he looked okay, certainly not out of place. He has a good size and body shape for midfield, though looks a bit softer than some of our returning players which is hardly surprising given he is pretty young and hasn’t had much of a run at AFL game time as yet. I will watch with interest. He has an awesome totally deadpan expression, like a police officer reading from his notebook in the Federal Magistrates. His flat affect will no doubt drive Bigfooty posters to extremes during the year and I’m looking forward to it. Given he was a low pick, injury riddled past, only a year contract, and isn’t best 22 yet he seems totally the perfect character for a Melbourne sponsorship. Whoever goes to the BBQ has exactly 1 hour to make him smile or pay everyone here $50 (photo or it didn’t happen).We also did some full team drills where the Simon Goodwin changing lanes special is on full display. Skills are pretty sharp overall, though as Sir Hugh pointed out Jesse did some real worm burners from time to time. I like to think it was intended to sharpen the ground ball skills of his teammates, such is his generosity. But on the whole we look like a functioning unit rather than a group of randoms who showed up for a spot of kick-to-kick which is encouraging. Petracca is loud and somewhat ADHD but a few more running sessions quieten him down eventually (his recovery is very good - he is a complete goose again before home time). Track also does his tongue out thing at seemingly random times, so I’m now convinced it is totally unconscious. I hope he doesn’t get a surprise tackle while like that. All in all, I think we can be reasonably confident that the change lanes thing should be executed well in 2018. Hopefully in the season we can add in the taking marks thing, the not spoiling each other thing, the kicking goals thing and not going missing during random quarters for no obvious reason thing.JKH is training well, though I should point out that every time I have been to training he is going well - he’s very focussed and generally upbeat in training. But full marks for effort even though I’m not convinced he will make it as an AFL player - he won’t die not knowing, so good for him. Harmes is the dynamo of the day though - he is completely on and wins the intensity award. Also smiles a fair bit; but his teeth are pretty big so it’s probably just more comfortable to display bits of them from time to time and give his lips a rest.Late in the session there is some goal practice. Jesse redeems himself with some excellent kicking in set shots from various angles. He is also putting a fair bit of time now and after the session in practicing snaps for goal, so maybe this year he has decided to shrink and become a crumbing forward in the hope of winning over Ando. Jake Melksham has paired up with Jesse and misses virtually everything. Someone needs to get in his head and tell him its neck and neck in the 4th. Christians 1 and 2 both look good. One quiet and one loud. I’ll leave it to you to decide which. Oliver goes about his business like a pro. There are some nice moments where everyone is lined up watching the goal kicker and generally sledging to put the man off his game. So its a general testosterone competition of gruff swearing and raucous HaHa-ing - passing dog walkers glance over thinking its international pirate day. Harmes hasn’t tailed off yet and his goal kicking is solid from all angles.With some more running just for fun, the last bit consists of some positional work in pairs. Max has taken Mitch King off to one end and they do some light contested stuff. Max wins mostly but Mitch doesn’t look utterly out of place any more which is a step in the right direction. Jesse is working hard on getting some distance on his man (OMac), pushing off or out-bodying. He looks great now, and OMac not doing a bad job. Close by Pedo and Keilty are doing similar work but with more comedic misses and general pointless running about, falling over, scrambling etc, but who knows what the coaches are asking for so whatever they are doing could be perfect for all I know. So lets say it is perfect and give both a big hand.Some other coaches are doing contested midfield work tapping it to players taking turns in offensive and defensive roles. This group are all travelling well, even Balic who looks like a footballer (but still hasn’t smiled or for that matter twitched). He is getting a fair bit of encouragement but that could have been to get his face to move.And so it ends. I head off towards a tram. I try to hang by Christian Salem and Melksham who are in conversation to find out what interesting things footy players chat about. What I found out is that Jake reckons sessions like that are the pits for changing shoes from spikes to runners. He’s right. They all should get a pay rise. I slope off when both become aware that they have attracted a third person to their conversation and give me some WTF looks.Overall the dynamic looks good and we will probably get a premiership this year

I'm excited that we can draft players and talk about about not seeing them play in round one next year! We can finally develop young draftees through the VFL with, perhaps the occasional taste of senior footy, to help in their education. In the past, Petty, Spargo and Baker would be penciled into the round one team with people placing absurd expectations on them. Let them build up their bodies and knowledge and then earn their place in the team further down the track.

2017* and there's some truth in this. The AFL app actually had Lewis as one of our hardest attacking runners so he was constantly working to get in to space, but clearly his defensive running was badly lacking. I like the idea of him setting up the defenders, especially if he's got 3 weapons in Lever, Hunt and Hibberd to work with across half back. It probably means Salem and Brayshaw in particular have to get super fit so they can play midfield and rotate forward if Lewis gets the half back role.

I read it more as Lewis is too slow for the midfield so will now just sit across half-back and get cheap kicks. That's a role he played for much of 2017 anyway so nothing is really changing.

Petty should have gone in the top 10. I know a player when i see one. No idea where the phantom draft 'experts' had him, but anywhere outside the top 10 is laughable. Great steal by Jason Taylor.

I see people are including Pedersen in their teams. If we're fit and healthy I'll be shocked highly surprised if Pedersen is playing AFL.

Alternatively, at only 1 hour and 4 minutes, that's a pretty short-term opinion on both of them !

At 5 foot 4 that's a pretty shortarsed opinion on both of them !

That's your opinion and whilst you may well end up being right, I hope you are wrong. I think both these guys have some potential and that it's the ability of coaches, medical staff and overall team culture to get more players to the point of producing the required level of output, whatever their inherent natural ability or past record. Being able to develop and grow the worst players on the list is a big part of what makes average teams good and good teams great. They are on our list for season 2018, so personally I'm not counting on any player being a lost cause until it's done and dusted. Last year our depth was severely tested in the middle to third quarter of the season. Just one of these guys had have been fit and available, it might have been the difference to us beating North or beating Carlton by a few more goals and we make finals last year, or perhaps hopefully the difference between finishing top four this year.

Vanders still concerns me a little. Doesn't sound like he is making the progress they had hoped he would at this stage in his recovery. There is a long way to go, so hopefully that turns around as the pre-season continues.

Good onyer, Kenty. Hope a full recovery is near.