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Your ace reporting team has just returned from training today at Marrara to the Daily Planet desk to file this demonland exclusive. Todd Viney Demon Kicking Coach! In what was a 'closed' training session Christian Petracca , Jack Viney and Mitch Hannan were practicing their goal kicks under the watchful eye of former demon's champ Todd Viney. Whilst conditions this morning were not conducive to practicing goal shooting, (wind gusts up to 43 km from a strong dry season sou' easterly accompanied by a delightfully balmy top end temperature of 26.4 degrees celsius were observed by the Bureau). Consequently many of the goal kicks missed the major opening. The kicking actions were recorded to mp4 or similar for later review. Meanwhile the rest of the team were involved in the usual training drill variations at the michael long centre end of the ground. Michael Hibberd appeared to have fully recovered from his recent collision injury, Mitch Hannan was moving freely and Christian Salem looked in great shape. Training was supervised by various line coaches including Max Rooke who cast an imposing figure. Ben Matthews briefly addressed the team and spoke about opening up space for forward fifty forays which he said was "critical" . We assume in reference to produce opportunities to kick a winning score. As training wound down most of the team practiced goal kicking, Tim Smith and Tom McDonald were the standouts able to adjust to the windy conditions with low trajectory drop punts. Overall impression team morale and to use a "Goodyism" cohesion appeared to be on the positive end of the spectrum. It was touching to see the camaraderie between Gus, Frosty and young Clarrie.

Apparently Jake Spencer was Todds assistant

Interviews with SA radio from club website below. Apologies for only posting the article link...don't have the expertise to post just the video link. Mahoney pre game Interview Chaplin pre game Interview Re Lewis, Mahoney says he needs to go back and play well at Casey and be ready to play later in the year. Not sure if that was a turn of phrase or he meant Lewis won't be in the seniors for a while. Re Goodwin's dizzy spell last week. They both said he had been working hard at his fitness training that morning and hadn't eaten and was fine in the afternoon. They said he is a very hard worker and Mahoney implied he may be working too hard. Mahoney said he Macca and others were helping Goodwin and he has some excellent mentors outside the club he turns to for advice. It occurred to me that Mahoney and Chaplin taking these interviews was a way of lessening the load for Goodwin. If so, a good move. Lessens the load and frees him to prepare for and focus on the game. On Brad Green, Mahoney said the club was getting around Brad in many ways. Also mentioned his mates had done so, some coming over from Perth, some taking days off work. Not surprising as Brad is such a good bloke but still heartening to hear. When asked about 'playing the kids' (Robbo had suggested it on AFL360) when we can't make finals, Mahoney said 'we can't get any younger can we'! He said we had played 35 different players. Great answer as Robbo had prefaced his suggestion with 'I won't use the word tanking'. It annoyed me as no-one in the media in recent years has use that word for other teams playing their kids. But its Melbourne, right? Well Mahoney has the perfect answer. We have to play them! Obvious for all to see. Chaplin surprised me when he said he had viewed vision of a Crows game the night before and would view another one today for ideas. Wouldn't that happen early in the week to incorporate ideas into training?

Spargo had 10 possessions last week. (To go with his 3 marks, 4 tackles and goal.) To put that in context, Lockhart had 8, Hunt 7 and Garlett 6, all of whom had fewer tackles than Spargo, and except for Lockhart, fewer marks. You see what you want to see.

It was very frustrating sitting at last weekend's game. The thing that both baffled and frustrated me most was the placement of players. For the majority of the first three quarters, we had no one, or at least Lockhart at full forward. The likes of Smith and T.McDonald were starting and leading from CHF (or close to). The current game plan is horrendously congested. The mentality behind it is to win the ball. The problem is getting it out. Far too often our players look to the right or left for a teammate immediately next to them. This wastes time and causes our forwards to run back into our open 50 (sh*t we saw in the Bailey years). If our forwards fail to get free the inefficient ball movement wastes crucial time resulting in a flooded forward 50. Now, as I said above the most frustrating thing was the starting positions at a stoppage. In contrast, GWS had Cameron leading from the square all day. They also had their half-forwards spread out wider. So when they won the ball they had more room to run and more room to lead and hit a target. YES, basic football. It wasn't until the start of the final quarter Tom McDonald started, and somewhat stayed, deeper at stoppage. This IMO was a major catalyst for our final quarter run on (exc. GWS knowing they had it in the bag). Why Goodwin waited all game to make this move is beyond me. Maybe it's the inner gambler thinking things will miraculously come good when down (that's a bit harsh). I've been harping on about our inefficient ball movement for years. But my word, is it too much to ask the team properly utilises the MCG's enormous space properly? On top of that, put faith in our ball winners such as Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, Jones, and Harmes, and let them clear it out to a man in space (preferably further than 15m).

Would it be possible for the commentators to speak about Cunnington without referring to him as a “hard nut”? We get it already.

Carlton supporters at work are telling me they want to lose so Bolton can get the sack. Essendon supporters would also prefer to lose so Worsfold is sacked. Tipping a draw for that one.

Spargo still in makes me suspect we have stopped trying to win, while Hannan in with no demonstrated form reeks of desperation. Spargo = bad form = stays in Hannan = No form = comes in I have given up trying to understand our selections this year. The club has lost the plot and become more and more desperate, whilst the team has shown no signs of improvement. God what a cluster-[censored] of a season. I picked a bad year to quit glue sniffing.

Rubbish kick.

Club said very clearly that #8 would take the week off from all football activities to get his ankle right. Sensible I would have thought.

I like Gleeson but I think some of his analysis around this is a bit lazy here; the gist being that, compared to Collingwood and Richmond, Melbourne has failed in 2019 despite its chronic injury setbacks. “The troubling thing for Melbourne is that as much as their injury run provides an explanation for their year, the ability of other top-four teams from last year – Richmond and (more recently) Collingwood – to defy injuries to elite players and remain in the hunt illustrates what the Dees have failed to do.” Taking the Age’s assessment of best 22 as given, whomever it happens to have included, shows the Demons having missed 89 games from these players and Richmond and Collingwood 56 and 48 respectively. It’s still a sizeable gap, but is narrowed from the total Melbourne games missed (113) against Collingwood (84) and Richmond (70). I don’t know how they calculate this latter figure, but that’s beside the point. Also, I’m ignoring GWS, which seems to always have a highly injured list but has been handed a significant rolling depth of talent from the AFL (career games average of the non-best 22-replacements would be a more important comparison in this respect). It’s when you consider the two figures together that you get a better view. Melbourne may have had a relatively smaller percentage of its best 22 out (although that’s not actually true), but, when factoring in the large overall tally, the MFC hasn’t had the luxury of replacing them with next in line – or say best 26/28, but rather the blokes after that once again. It’s not a reasonable comparison of depth between the teams. And that’s to say nothing about the spread of the missing. Richmond, as the example given by Gleeson, has lost a fair number of games from Rance, Riewoldt and Cotchin. Top players for sure, but it’s one from each line. Compare that to losing Lever, May, Jetta and Hibberd all at the same time. The large overall injury toll also has other obvious knock-on effects. Our players – a massive number who have had interrupted preseasons through injury/surgery (unlike Richmond and Collingwood) – haven’t been given time to fully recover, and others have been brought back in while still underdone, exacerbating the toll. That Gleeson chose this angle I suspect relates back to the interesting previous discussion around the culture in the AFL of not citing a chronic injury list in respect to poor form. I think this is just an extension of AFL culture in general (and Australia’s formerly prized egalitarian nature) – where courage and humility is given more weight than actual talent. While at the time I loved it, I cringed a little in the wash-up when Hibberd was given widespread plaudits for copping that (unnecessary) whack which led to his injury. I imagine nowadays in the NFL for example, such an act would be highly frowned upon by team management. Team lifting, but at what long-term cost – and just as he was finding form? This prevailing cultural attitude is clearly evident right here on Demonland, where a group of kids barely out of their teens who have played less than 50 times at an elite level can never lose due to simple inexperience, but must have been overconfident. Where a player can’t be down on form or fitness, or just not naturally highly skilled, but simply isn’t trying hard enough.

Does Ling know the rules? Any of them? He’s a [censored] moron.

Have you seen him play? Who cares what he looks like? When he was at Adelaide he was selected in the All Australian squad and was playing as an elite intercept defender...probably the best young defender in the competition...and you want to talk about his complexion. Maybe you prefer the Brent Moloney types, tanned and with big muscles. I for one cannot wait to have Jake back in the side. He is going to be a very good player for us for a very long time.

It's been a rookie amature coaching stint all year BBP. Too stubborn, too slow to react with game style/structure on game day, too slow to change up a high press that we could not enforce and bleeding goals out the back, playing slow players in postions that require speed and too many bog ordinary mind baffling selections. Spargo last week ahead of Pruess, then watching Spargo play at FF on Davis for a stint, was the tipping point for me.

I'm not one usually to get too discombobulated about selections but i'm bamboozled by Spargo getting a gig ahead of JKH. Flummoxed even. Was an emergency after struggling at VFL level, gets a late call up and puts in a stinker.

They should just do a straight swap.

Could be applied to any comment that infers a glimmer of hope surrounding any player or the MFC itself this season EO. A 'fits all' gif!

I must say though kicked the first goal of the 1987 final against North Melbourne from a tight angle deep in the pocket, As soon as it went through I thought this is going to be our day.

If it means eating more pasta then I'm on board 'Diamond-Jim'... Forget the pirates, I'm off to make up a good sauce.

Todd Viney was a shocking kick - most known for his handball.

I have to say the silence on this issue from the club since last year has been nothing short of disheartening. I haven't given this issue much thrift previously other than to thinj it would be good for the players to have better facilities. However I am now firmly of the view that the lack of a proper home is THE major issue facing us. Footy clubs are community hubs (not as in local community but for the players, coaches and admin). They provide the sense of history and identity for the players to feel connected and inspired by the past. I've been listening to the Kick To Kick podcast which is a must listen for anyone who loves the history of the game. The 3 guys are going through each VFL/AFL season since 1897 and currently up to 1927. The main thing that has stood out for me is the identities of successful clubs, the fact they are actual "clubs" and not just teams of players. This is something Smith fostered for us in the 50s and I assume something he inherited from Checker in the 30s. Most clubs these days have not just modern training facilities and home bases, but club museums proudly displaying their heritage. Where is ours? In the MCC? How accessible is this to our players (nevermind the supporters)? It is an indictment this has been allowed to go on for so long, the members need to agitate the board about this to make sure it is their number 1 priority. The longer we stand still the further back we go.

Crows in Doubt Pike says Lynch and others may be in doubt. Could be just 'mind games'. I reckon we can win this. Tex might be like angry ant after last weeks embarrassing shirking of a contest but he isn't going to turn on a blinder; hasn't done so in years. Harmes to Sloane. Hore or Hibberd to Eddie. Frost 'sacrifices' his game to run everywhere with Lynch, wear him like a glove to shut down his linking game. They don't have a De Boer to shut down Oliver Our midfield to finally hit its straps. Go Dees!

Kyle is wearing #61 at Casey. I'd like to see that number run out for Melbourne sometime

Excellent post suit, and I agree wholeheartedly with your criticism of Gleeson, who I rate as a journalist. He contradicts himself. For one the dees situation is not comparable Collingwood as as he points out himself those injuries are all recent and after they have got a good block of wins. And taking his numbers a 30 odd difference in games misses of best 22 between us and the tigers is huge. So we can't fairly be compared to the tigers either. And as you say his point about the quality of the three key players tigers have lost also is a strange one given we have also lost very talented players (albeit not as good) but we don't have the capacity to replace them that the tigers do. To his credit he notes our interrupted preseasons and tbat some players are obviously not fit. However he fails to mention two other interrelated key factors that need to be taken into consideration when comparing us with the tigers and pies in this context (ie capacity to play well despite big injury toll). The first is that it is simple fact we don't have as deep a list as either the pies or tigers. So we are obviously going to be hurt more by a large number of outs. Secondly both the pies and tigers have been been building their success for some time and had the same head coach for much longer than us. So the systems are well embedded, as is often pointed out about the tigers. So players coming in are supported by the system and can focus on their role in it. Goody is only in his third season. We had lots of injuries in his first, with maxy being a huge out in terms the of structure (watts rucked for a fair bit of that season). Last year was better and we were able to play a consistent brand and system. So we have one seaon to embed our system. The tigers and pies have has 7-8.

The main consequence for me is simply an absence of playing time *together*, compounded by a lack of consistency in who's actually playing. People asking how Spargo keeps his place ... maybe that's one of the reasons, that more than anything we need on-field stability.

The injury list thing is interesting, although of course not the entire picture. One thing that it doesn't mention and which I'd like to know is the number of best 22 players out. We've constantly had 5-10 best 22 players missing from any given team we've fielded. There's just too many missing players, IMO, for cohesion or continuity to build in our 22. I don't know if that's backed up by evidence, it's just a feeling. You're not allowed to bag Pert for our on-field performances unless you can suggest a rational reason why he might be influencing our on-field performances. He's the CEO. He's here to run the MFC business. If you have a suggestion as to what he's done that has impacted the on-field performance, go ahead.

Razor keeping the Tigers in the game I see. Is he a club member? Push in the back by Dusty, not paid, goal. Not Late bump paid for a goal, incorrect disposal on Cochin, not paid. Go Ray!

One has to ask sometimes if the AFL has it's match ticketing/promotions right. North home game tonight against a team that claims 100,000 members (perhaps 200,000 plus supporters) but there is barely half a stadium full (25,000). A team like North could make big money by promoting itself to the Tiges fans as a cheap way to see your team etc etc. Then again the cynic in me tells me that these membership numbers are perhaps flakey to say the least.

This I think is an important point. We were obviously underdone in our season opener - came out firing and then got overrun and dropped our heads. We've been under the pump ever since, and it's obvious our confidence - a fairly key factor in our playing style - took a hit. I've been impressed with Collingwood's ability to stamp it's authority when needed over the past few weeks. But it's had to do that in the last quarter against Sydney, St. Kilda and Carlton. They're not traveling particularly well with their injuries either - but had the chance to establish that winning confidence prior and have had less pressure on them to ensure the win.

Clayton Oliver trained. Our limited observation time did allow us the opportunity to ponder the flight path of his goal kicks. Up there in the 'stratosphere' comparative to others more measured efforts and not always homing in to target. Something to work on for 2020.

With a bit of luck he will come in for Spargo whose selection is a head scratcher! And, thanks for your great reports.

Really, there a few that couldn't play as worse as they did last week, Oliver finds a way to bounce back after a bad game, and that was a bad game. Brayshaw is struggling, but if he can find a bit of form, it makes us better. I though Jack Viney was one of our best last week, his year has been about continuity.. he is starting to get that. Hibberd, and Salem sure up defence and ball use, but most importantly Hannan moves around, he gets on his bike, he separates and opens up the fwd line.. that's what helps our usage going inside. Its no coincidence that without him our entries have been poor. Im not saying we win, but every role player we get back makes our other players better.

I agree if we were playing in France he would be known as L' espargot.

Not a lot of sun in Romsey

one of the best creators of prose on here. thanks for update. Can someone remind me, was Todd Viney any good a kick?

Scene: council offices. A football club CEO is paying obeisance. FC CEO: Please. You can't do this to us. All we want is a large oval to train on, a gym, a pool, change rooms, offices, space for functions, a social club, a shop, a museum .... not much really! And only a few trees have to come down. Council CEO: A football club. The epitome of competition and aggression. Ugh. You probably drive cars, too. FC CEO: No! Please! We don't have anywhere to go! We'll ride bikes. Promise! Council CEO: Get out of my site, you loathsome insect. (pulls lever, a trapdoor opens and FC CEO's chair falls into an underground compost pit) FC CEO: *aaaaaaaargh!* Council CEO: ... tree hater. And now scene 2: FC CEO: ... and so, for community purposes, and nothing to do with us, we want to upgrade our fac--- I mean, the public's facility. Council CEO: A football club. The epitome of comp-- FC CEO: imagine the number of people who will ride bikes to work when they can use our expanded gym, pool, bar, retail outlets, and club museum. Council CEO: our? FC CEO: No, yours. I mean ... yes, ours. The community's. We're part of the community. (When we want free money.) Look, WE couldn't care less about the upgrades! We will force ourselves with great reluctance to use them. We only care about the indigenous youth and single mums without anywhere to exercise! Council CEO: hmmm ... just how many extra people do you think will ride bikes as a result of this? FC CEO: we'll do a welcome to country ceremony every day and make it compulsory to give the middle finger to all motorists. Oh, hundreds of cyclists. Council CEO: only hundreds? FC CEO: did I say hundreds? I meant the entire population of every suburb in the district. Council CEO: this calls for soy lattes all round! We are nomads. We need a toehold to leverage into upgrades. Without toehold, we have nothing. It's an uphill battle (to say the least) to get any toehold in the inner suburbs. The only toehold we have anywhere is Casey. If our management can pull off this miracle, I will convert to Zoroastrianism.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10178925 Some things never change 1) Melbourne loses to the easybeats and wins the games you least expect 2) Umpires hate Melbourne

The team we belted in the finals last year.... While I'd say all agree we gave him 1 year to many, we had to get a player of his ilk into the club. He's let himself down a number of times and if the team was fully fit he'd be struggling for a game. Otherwise your post is over the top and nothing but negative as usual and your ego is hilarious Mr 2% pppfffttt.

Or we kick directly to an opposition backman on his own

Hore certainly was, asked him about the calf, said she'll be right.

He’s not a rookie, we took him with our second pick in the draft. He showed some promising signs in the JLT.

He cost us sweet [censored] all. The guy he pushed out? off the list? back in 2017? I wont even bother looking to see who it was. It was a spud. The guy who we would have drafted instead of him? With Pick 90? Good one. We had Nathan Jones as the only leadership in the whole team and had a guy who had played in 4 flags who wanted to come to the club. Watts? you bring up Watts? you think he could have played the plus 1 role? He played every [censored] position on the ground and he was a [censored] liability.

I don't think we coached it out of him. I think, instead, age caught up with him.

Well saved! I hope Gil doesn’t read this, he’ll love the Americanism of it and make everyone refer to all first year players as Rookies. Once Hibberd retires, Jordon should fill the hole left by him and play a similar role.

Go back one page and magically all your questions will be answered grasshopper. 89.

None of the kids in that article were even born last time we played off in a Grand Final.

I'd like to think the AFL would stop selling alcohol at the footy before they separate supporters. But you can Bet ya beer money they'd choose the latter.

Hmmmm, not so sure... Gibbs - dropped due to his poor defensive game Jenkins - very poor forward...has lead boots Lynch - good player, but someone like Hibbo can really sit on him And Preuss? No, not in those conditions It'll be close, but Crows are more settled

Why does Lever look like he just got out of a prisoner of war camp? Puny, pale, unwell-looking. His arms and legs look wasted. Why hasn’t he been in the gym building up his physique in the 12 months he’s been injured/in rehab?

He totally is. And there is 8 or so others