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I managed to get down to my first pre season training session for the year. Arrived roughly around 0940hrs and Hannan was already leaving the track so not sure what was happening there... As I walked to the boundary fence there was a hype of activity. Rehabbers doing all sorts drills with Crossy, the main squad doing what looked to be AFLX simulation, music was pumping, the Drone hovering and Bradtke doing some solo ruck work with the coaching staff and then a few guys running timed laps around the oval. Viney was running a few laps with good intensity and is looking a little leaner. Lever and Melksham were running with a staff member who looked to be pace setting. They would do two laps and then walk for a minute and repeat, about 10 laps in all at a good intensity. After Baker and Oliver had finished with their rehab duties they were running boundary laps 1 minute on 1 minute off. They both seem to be in good nick and will resume in contact work after the Christmas break. The main group went on to play 3/4 ground hot potato for 15 minutes or so. I was impressed with Sparrow and Bedfords ferocity, they laid quite a few good tackles and smothers to the applause of the Jade Rawlings, furthermore they are noticably quick. Joel Smith is in ripping shape, if he stays injury free, he will have a break out year... no doubt about it. Hibbo looking a little more cut and Garlett seem to be in a good place, he was displaying fantastic touch and footy nous, so i'll be keen to see how he travels next year. Following on from the Hot potato drill, the main group did some ground ball 3 on 1 drills which was a good laugh, especially seeing Spargo, Bedford and JKH trying to take down Gawn or Preuss. It took them a while but they finally got them down. Sparrow, Bedford and Garlett again impressed in these drills. Towards the end of the session, the main group were put through a fairly intense rotating circuit training where they would spend 30 seconds at each station and move on to the next. It consisted of Bag tackling, Machine rowers, straight arm Barbell plate sit ups, Speed ropes, Spin bikes and a few other interesting exercises which looked similar to Jiu Jitsu grappling which again got a lot of laughs from the spectators and media. Preuss basically just lied on top of Frost to catch a bit of respite not to Frosty's enjoyment. Finally to finish it off the main squad had to do full ground suicide runs. ANB, KK, C.Wagner and Jordon were the standouts here with C.Wagner crossing the line first followed by ANB who was 20 meters behind. Frost, May, Preuss and Weidemann were the last to cross. They all then jogged it back to the centre square for drinks and were sucking in the big ones with a few on all fours. Not too long after that the training session was finished around Noon.

Corey Wag is very fit and is running just as well as ANB. ANB had a bandaged knee and seemed a little off though. Tom Swollow was my standout today. Big session today, they all worked extremely hard. Going to training these days is so much more enjoyable with quality players and coaches doing their thing. Our footy IQ is incredibly high now. Merry Christmas to all. Go Dees in 2019

How about Prawn?

Team Prawn

Nibbler just tweaked, just checked and strapped it, no issue JKH just rolled his ankle Both finished the session

I only made it down for about 20 minutes as I have somewhere to be. For about 15 minutes of that time I got distracted and played with a Labrador puppy. Said G’day to Maxy, he said G’day back. The players look much bigger up close, ANB is a sensational runner.

thanks ethan, that was very informative. i have filed it in my gem file

Doing some match simulation stuff. About 20 on field. About 6 off the bench. Shortened oval with no real tackling or goal kicking. Seems more about running, decision making and ball movement. Of the 26 l counted roughly 8 that would be in our starting 22 which includes May. Doing circuit activities now eg weights, ropes, sprints, bags, short kicking, excercises etc. Looks like fun actually. Good energy around the group. Numbers training are a continuing concern though. 22 mfc staff ?

Still hard to tell who was happier with the trade

OT... you’re obviously not a member of the Biddles Bird Watchers Society if you can’t tell the difference between a Swallow and a Sparrow ?

Twin Towers

Looking sharp in a Demons jumper.

.... he's still putting icing on the gingerbread house. He'll be fine!

Preuss has got the devils peak happening ala Jamie Shanahan

Found it.

How old was the puppy? what was it’s name and how long until he is ready for the 1s?

Goal line to goal line sprints.Painful. ANB the winner

Just received an email from Australia Post saying that my package from MFC is due for delivery tomorrow. That means it will likely arrive around Australia Day.

Well done @Grapeviney ... that post of your trip was wonderful reading. Fabulous snaps and video clips. It was kinda like a bucket-list all on its own in a whirlwind tour - hard to top that one. I did something similar at the Sydney Olympics with Mrs Mac & Scout Mac. You'll have those memories forever GV - great stuff!

You're not alone Chook. Never has your avatar been more appropriate for a thread.

ANB and JKH according to 7. Looked like the knee that ANB had a few issues with dislocations with, but apparently he completed the session. JKH got a cheeky little push from Salem and looked like maybe an ankle in the footage but not reports of damage.

Mark Neeld has been appointed new CEO of Geelong Basketball and the Geelong Supercats. Titus O’Reily is perhaps not so impressed.

So jealous @Grapeviney, thanks heaps for sharing. Fantastic stuff mate.

I’m back from my European soccer adventure. 6 games in 3 cities taking in 3 competitions. It was everything I hoped it would be and more; some of Europe's best stadia, big crowds, intense atmosphere, and Spurs in good form for the most part. Game 1: Spurs v Inter @ Wembley This was an important game, not just for Tottenham but for me, because if Spurs had lost then the forthcoming fixture against Barca – to which I also had tickets – would have been a dead rubber, and I was hoping for a big crowd at the Camp Nou. Disappointing crowd at Wembley, just 55,000 in, and Spurs supporters I spoke to said they’re sick of Wembley and waiting for the new stadium to open. Good game but with few real opportunities for either side, until Eriksen hit the winner fairly late on. Spurs 1-0 Inter. Game 2: Arsenal v Spurs @ Emirates One of the craziest sporting experiences of my life. The fun began outside the stadium pre-match, where large groups of Gooners and Yids, separated by large number of cops, hurled abuse at one another and taunted each other with disparaging chants. Funnily enough, many of Spurs most wicked chants are still directed at Sol Campbell, even though it’s been close to 20 years since his defection from the Lane to Highbury, with Spurs supporters singing that they’re going to throw a massive party when he dies! The stadium was full and I’ve never heard noise like it. All game, there was just this constant din, louder than the 90,000 crowds we had at this year’s finals, and it escalated as each side surged forward in what was an electrifying contest. Arsenal scored inside 10mins thanks to a penalty, and could have had another 2 or 3 goals in the minutes soon after, as Tottenham looked all at sea in defence, and it was only thanks to some ripper saves from Lloris that the game wasn’t all over by the 20-minute mark. Tottenham then got 2 in quick succession against the run of play to take a half-time lead, but the Gunners were on song after the break and netted another 3 for a 4-2 win. Watching the other mob celebrate those second half goals was incredible; it’s not like kicking goals here, where everyone goes up for a second, cheers, and then sits back down. There they jump up and down for 2 or 3 minutes, waving their hands wildly in the air, and it’s just bedlam, an incredible expression of joy the likes of which I haven’t seen before, with smoke bombs going off, fans getting arrested, and a number of mini-melees on the pitch. To cap it all off, I was sitting in the Spurs section, and when we scored and led, our section was riotous. It was just crazy! All game there was just a deafening wall of sound, and the media commentary afterwards was that it was a classic North London derby that did justice to what is a long and bitter rivalry between these two sides. Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham. Here's Spurs fans in full voice after Eric Dier's first half goal to level the scores at 1-1 Wild scenes as the Gooners celebrate their second half comeback. Game 3: Spurs v Southampton @ Wembley After the intensity and energy of the Arsenal game, this midweek game with an 8pm kick-off was akin to playing Freo at 4.40 at Docklands on a Sunday arvo, and the struggling Saints had just sacked their coach that week. Spurs didn’t really have to get out of 2nd gear for this one, and the only blight on the game was our inability to keep a clean sheet, something which has been an issue all season. Stadium was less than half full, unfortunately. Tottenham 3-1 Southampton. Game 4: Espanyol v Barcelona @ Espanyol Stadium. This fixture was a late addition to my schedule, and one which I had high hopes for, as it’s the Catalan derby, and as the Espanyol stadium only holds 40,000, I expected it to be a sell-out. There’s no love lost between these two teams, as Barca are historically associated with the Catalan independence movement, while Espanyol are traditionally aligned with the Spanish state. But the Barca supporters section was completely empty! Part of the reason for this is that these sorts of games are beneath them – it’s one of the most lopsided derby records in European football – and also the supporters’ antipathy towards anything to do with the Spanish government carries over to their cross-town rivals. This sentiment was on show a few days later at the Camp Nou game against Spurs, where large numbers of supporters held up signs demanding independence and protesting the continued imprisonment of Catalan political leaders. Anyway, getting back to the match at hand, it was a night for Messi, who kicked two stunning free kick goals as Barca cantered to a 4-0 win. Espanyol 0-4 Barcelona Game 5: Barcelona v Tottenham @ Camp Nou A dream come true at football’s most famous cathedral, as Spurs scored an 85th minute equaliser to progress to the knockout stages of the CL. The official attendance was 70,000, but it felt and sounded like 85k+, mainly thanks to the thousands of Spurs supporters who made the trip over. The Barca fans were very much bemused by the antics of the opposition mob. Aside from a very noisy cheersquad-type section at one of the ground, the Spanish tend to be a lot more reserved in their support, whereas the English don’t stop chanting all game. Aside from conceding an early goal, Spurs dominated the match, as they should given that Barca was basically playing their second squad as they’d already sewn up top spot in the group. Messi started on the bench and didn’t have much of an impact when he came on, but the noise which greeted his arrival onto the pitch was incredible, and every time he gets the ball there’s just this immense anticipation that anything’s possible. You can almost feel the fear in the opposition defence as he runs towards goal. The noise of the Spurs fans in those final minutes after levelling the scores and then post-match was unbelievable. They were seated behind a wire fence at the very top of the outer stand, and the Barcelona police made them stay there for 30 minutes after the game while the local fans cleared the area. Even outside the ground and away from the arena, you could still hear them chanting non-stop in celebration inside the stadium. Spurs fans chanting the Dele Alli song before kick-off. Barca fans welcome the introduction of Messi in the second half. Game 6: Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano @ Santiago Bernabeu I had no real interest in this game other than to visit the stadium. Real have obviously gone to poo since Ronaldo’s departure, and so it proved in this fixture, which I think they won 10-2 last year. Not so this time around, and after scoring easily in the first 15 minutes, they never really looked like doing it again despite dominating possession for most of the game. Rayo actually almost equalised with the last play of the day, and the local supporters jeered for much of the second half as they expressed their displeasure at what was a half-hearted effort at best. The Bernabeu is an incredible stadium, though, and the stands are so steep they actually advise people who suffer from vertigo not to sit in the top tiers! Despite the home team’s fall from grace, there was still a good crowd in and the atmosphere was great. So all in all, it was another sensational few weeks on the road, and I don't regret forking out the money for premium seats at most of the games I attended. In fact the only thing I do regret is that I wasn't back at Emirates yesterday morning for Spurs 2-0 League Cup win over Arsenal, which had 2 classy goals from Son and Dele. Over the course of my two trips, I've seen 8 games for a total of 25 goals, so I've been blessed on that front too. Now comes the hardest part of the holiday - paying it off !!

Can’t see much booing of Kent happening. Supporter discontent scale of ex MFC player in another jumper (1-10) 10. Scully 5. Howe 1. Dunn 0. Trengove I’d rate both Kent and Tyson maybe a 2. Both chose to leave but you can absolutely understand why they did. Should be minimal booing aside from those who would boo anyone including their grandmothers for dud Xmas presents. I wasn’t around for when Barassi went to Carlton. Anyone remember what his first match in navy was like against the MFC? Imagine the build up the AFL would give that match today. Do you reckon they would have us playing Carlton twice next year!

There’s some cracking threads getting underway today.

Great report @Caligula's cohort. Thank you to all the track watchers. Demonland and all of it's members really appreciate your efforts. Can't wait to hear the report post Xmas and new year.

Have had this conversation elsewhere. Donald gets double or triple teamed on every play and still leads the sack numbers. QBs get protected by officials more than ever. Donald is the real MVP as far as I am concerned.

For that reason I'd hope the fans refrain from booing him next year when we play St Kilda. He was a key for us making finals (even though it was just one kick) and should be appreciated for that.

It was really more the recruitment of Preuss that sealed Pedo's fate. His value was as a backup fwd/ruck. I loved watching The Bear play, his willingness to run in straight lines and crunch packs in the air and on the ground was a pleasure to watch, a point of difference from many currently on our list and the size of his frame was an asset in this regard. His goal kicking was generally pretty much good, but not quite T Mac level great. His ball use whether by foot or a clever knock to position was somewhat underrated at times. There were games (paticularly during 2016) when I thought he should have played over Weid based on actual performance and capability at the time, but that is now water under the bridge and perhaps in retrospect the selection committee were right to get the Weid the exposure at senior level. On ballance, in retrospect as much as I thought there were big games when Pedo rose to the occasion, I'll accept there were also those where he went missing for too much of the game. I don't think it was a competition with T Smith, who I think plays a slightly different role. Though I have found T Smith somewhat underwhelming, I think he does compete hard and as Spencer somewhat points out he plays a role the coaches ask of him when he plays. I am somewhat surprised that someone like Gold Coast didn't chase the Bear, because I thought he could have been of value to them for a year, but I guess it might not have suited Pedo at this point in his life to be moving half way across the country on a short term prospect either and I heard that GC were chasing local boy big Jake 'Pencil' Spencer for ruck depth (don't know how that worked out). In the end as a fringe player, I think age became Pedersen's enemy at the MFC, but I think he seemed to accept his predicament with great grace and I wish him all the best for the future.

Max will struggle to get a game

I very much liked Pedersen but his mobility wasn't going to improve as he got older, time was up. Keilty now looks set to take that tall utility role. Someone went off with Bull Smith as the season went on last year, like he lost his confidence in his game. Previously good goal kicking became a horrible stretch of the yips. Otherwise, he was useful in the games he played at AFL level. His tackle pressure for a tall was excellent and he did the job in the ruck. He averaged 6 tackles a game and his games against the Blues and Crows - both big blow out wins - were excellent all round games. Even his Port game rated well. These ratings aren't always worth a lot but they can show players doing important things like applying pressure and tackles or halving contests.

Good luck to him and his family, he gave his all for us.

Nah, he was running ok the last session he was at

Pedo is playing for Phillip Island (Bulldogs) next year. I will definitely be following his progress as I live close to the footy ground. His family has moved there and Pedo and his wife are hopeful of securing teaching positions on the Island. One of my favourite demons.

It's the bold and in particular the underlined that I think is the biggest motivator for all parties as to why bring Preuss into the side. I don't think that would have been a serious prospect for Preuss at North in the foreseeable future. Limited risks otherwise for all players involved and I can only really see positives.

Hawkins does exactly the same thing whenever he feels he can't take the mark.

To paraphrase just enough: There’s a backline that features Jake Lever, Mitchell (er, Michael) Hibberd and Neville Jetta, as well as former Gold Coast co-captain Steven May (plus Christian Salem). The engine room is led by the game’s premier ruckman in Max Gawn, who consistently dishes out hits to advantage to the likes of Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, Jack Viney (and James Harmes and Christian Petracca). That'll do me: I'm the envy of every other past Demons' supporting incarnation of myself.