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Let's cut to the chase - Gawn did the full session. Rehab - T Smith, Billy, Tom Sparrow, Melk. Billy was running laps and still looks a while away, Tommy and Melk doing some kicking and TSmith mainly running from what I saw but I was a little late. Unsighted: TMac, Hore, Neita, Walker, JSmith, AVB, KK, Garlett The rest all appeared to do the whole session. A real mix of drills, three quarter ground drills, centre clearance work, goal kicking for the forwards, specialist ruck, high marking for the talls, spoiling for Jetts, specie practice for Hannan. I had a good look at Dunkley and liked what I saw. Good by foot and clean hands. Other than that just a normal training session.

The rehab group (Jake Melksham, Billy Stretch, Tim Smith and Tom Sparrow) included some getting fitness test or light duties. Max Gawn, Steven May, Braydon Preuss, Christian Salem, Harrison Petty, Clayton Oliver and I think Neville Jetta, all joining the main squad at various times. After warm-ups the main squad separated to line coaches for some ball movement drills. Then they formed into balanced groups and continued the ball movement. The last drill, a 3/4 field positioning with a variety of finishes. I did not see a clanger. Simulations showed the same professional style. The coaches included competitions between groups. They also brought some lightness when the squad gathered in the centre, Still our mood appeared subdued though I sense some resolve. Finished with goal kicking then individual and small group development. Jake Lever looks certain into the backline. Nathan Jones with the backs. Harrison Petty did not participate in collision drills but did everything else. I expect he will play. James Jordan and Corey Maynard working with the mids pushing for selection, as was Oscar Mcdonald in the backs but I don't think they are in. The forwards had many crumbers in it including, Jay Kennedy-Harris and Oscar Baker, tough competition for places. The practice emphasised delivery from just outside the 50. Austin Bradke, dancing around with Max Gawn and Braydon Preuss in rucking drills.

I/C from: Petracca, O. McDonald, Neal-Bullen, Petty, C. Wagner, Lockhart, J. Wagner, Dunkley IN: Lever, Jetta, Gawn, O. McDonald, C. Wagner, J. Wagner OUT: Hore (injured), T. McDonald (injured) No surprises. Interesting interchange. Hopefully the final 4 are Petracca, Dunkley, Lockhart and .... Glad the Big Scary Man gets another gig. Finally we get our best back 6 on the park! For the first time it frees Salem or Fritsch to spend the whole game centre/forward.

Fritta did the full session training with the mids from memory. Rawlings was with the forwards as they did the goal kicking which consisted of boundary line snaps and kicking to the front of the goal square from 50 out on the boundary. May didn't train with the forwards. Jetts did the full session but as for playing AFL or VFL I've no idea. I'd play him AFL if he's fit enough but really I've no more idea on that or the other changes than anyone else.

Please make it ANB.

When all the talk about us being into May started up late last year I was a little underwhelmed. From the handful of times I watched the Suns play I just thought of him as an aggressive, hard at it defender. A gorilla tamer as some are referred to. Yes his introduction to the club was not ideal, and he acknowledged that. Many on here were quick to join in the witch-hunt. I had no idea how quick he is for a big man and also how good a kick he is. He is one of those players that I'm relaxed when the ball is in his hands. He will rarely lose one on one contests. I also felt he was a reluctant skipper at The Suns , basically the best available in an inexperienced team. He oozes leadership and I'm loving what I'm seeing from him in that department. I met Steven pre season before all the negative news hit the media. He's a very likeable, approachable bloke, very different to what I was expecting. He was as absolutely stoked to be at Melbourne. I reckon we've got a ripper on our hands. The thought of him, Lever and Jetta playing a full season together is tantalising and will go a long way in turning our fortunes around next year.

Jordon's put up some high disposal games since shifting from the backline to the midfeld/forward rotation at Casey, but I'm not sure that means he's anywhere near a debut. With a late December birth date, skinny frame and limited TAC exposure he'll probably be better off just playing the year out at Casey. He's not going to get midfield time in the AFL team and we might have enough backline options for the rest of the year. Maybe if they give Dunkley a couple more games and if he then goes back to the VFL you could give Jordon a go but too many young guys at once if they haven't really bashed the door down at VFL level is a recipe for failure.

ban yourself

Picking Ablett, Scarlett and Hawkins up in the 40s before the FS rules changed didn't hamper them either

I was thinking more along the lines of this Alf

Petracca, Petty, Lockhart and Dunkley for interchange.

Oscar named!!! I expect @picket fence will top himself before the night is out!

Lever May and Frost playing 22 games next year together will guarantee us finals. They need continuity and time to gel together. If May and Lever can do a full pre season then it goes a long way to getting our season back on track next year.

https://www.statsinsider.com.au/afl/shot-charting Given all the talk about our accuracy I thought this might interest some. Thanks to the ever wonderful place that is the internet. People have been compiling a shot chat since the start of 2018. For those interested in seeing who is shooting and from where. Here's a few of interest (Marty's is my favourite)

Damn! Beat me to it literally one click!

How can Jetta be fit?

Hore does make a ton of mistakes both at ground level and turning the ball over via foot. Has been impressive in his first year but I wouldn’t have as automatic best 22 next year.

I love what Frosty has done this year. Under Steven May's Tutelage I hope he develops some Mongrel as well! Yep he makes mistakes But they are lessening with every outing!! Remember a guy called Gary Cowton?? And our very own Rhino Richards?? Frosty is not unlike these guys and at some point in Crazy Horse's case they may win you at the business End of the season. My second favourite player behind Clarry Choo Choo is FROSTY!

?

I noticed yesterday at the jnr clinic that they have added an extra set of posts about 1m inside the normal goals posts I assume to help with goal kicking. Not sure how long they have been there as I haven't been to training since preseason. Just thought it was an interesting tool.

As much as I’d like to see Salem on a HBF, with the likes of May, Lever, Hore and Hibberd all being better than average kicks, we really need his class and disposal being used to deliver it into the forward line.

Full session. Looked good.

after watching our tall backs last few years, he has them convered in every department. very quick, very good one on one, good reader of the play and organises the defence. Hope to see May, Lever, Hibberd and Frost in for the rest of the year and see how that develops.

Hoping Hore's collarbone didn't keep him out too long, we could get a month to end the season with this 6 playing together

Jetta May Lever Hore Frost Hibberd

Bernie was finished at the end of 2017 He went 1 season too long. As shownlast year he was absolutely cooked.

In: Gawn, Lever, JKH Out: TMac, Hore, ANB I noticed in the Carlton game and (IIRC) the Freo game, ANB was on the bench at the end of both games. That tell's me that when both games were going down to the wire, with players fading fast; the player with the most run, who covers all the kms was on the bench (only one spot on the bench for the Carlton game). Speaks volumes to me.

Not this one ?

All good points Bin. There was a critical intercept contested play in the match against the Dockers back of the square also where Jones found a side step through traffic and busted the game open through the middle. Pretty sure it resulted in a goal and a slight cushion at the time for some breathing space. Weighted averages from the last 3 rounds also confirm your observation about recent form...up 3% on last season's average score. Might have found a bit of a niche at HB (allows Fritsch to go forward also?)... *Number in parenthesis denotes number of matches played in this block.

We were 3 short on the bench. With a game that has so many rotations I was not suprised Carlton came back. They did the same to Freo the previous week. Fortunantly we were able to muster up what was required in the end. A bit of luck doesn't hurt either. I took a lad from Spain to see his first game ever. He knew nothing about the game. Going home he didn't want to stop talking about what he just witnessed.

A code hopper like Israel Folau or Karmichael Hunt (only older).

To trade either Oliver or Brayshaw would be the height of stupidity. Goddard can go and eat ........

Apologies, I thought the sarcasm would be obvious....

I wasn't at the game but it looked like Lockhart put time into Simpson today from the replay I was watching & cut his effectiveness, Might be wrong but maybe someone who was at the ground would know????

Supreme Demon... "James McDonald could of played over 300 games for the Demons and certainly Adem Yze could of too. Cameron Bruce could of played well over 250 games for us and Brad Green could of played another season or two." If you had written "could have" instead of "could of", you'd have made a really good point. No offence. Just for credibility's sake.

You don't like the $3.00 bottles of chardonay and sav blanc at Dan Murphy's? Snob!

Last month says, he stays on for 1 more year. Lewis will be gone end of season and 2020 IMO will be Jones last year

Don’t say that until you see the quality of the booze that the lawyers come up with

Same article suggests we should target Bryce Gibbs. What are the odds of that happening?

Why stop at Clarry, why not have a garage sale and sell the whole place? Yes lets give up our good players to start yet another rebuild?

Not sure on the headline DL, what he actually says is: "It’s a longshot, but Gold Coast should make Clayton Oliver an offer he cannot refuse. He’s exactly what the Suns lack, a consistent, genuine A-grader who they can build the club around for the next decade. He’s a $1-million-a-year player in the making, at age 21." He does also mention the possibility of Gus to Freo, which could potentially combine with some supporter murmurs from both clubs and build, OR of course it could just dissipate.

Whether Braydon Pruess and Max can work in tandem? He suggested that Pruessy would always be behind Max and threw it out there that if so queried whether the club should / could entertain a trade if IF a Ruck Poor club came knocking and the deal was too good to refuse! He also was aware that he had a two year deal. Personally, I cannot see it happening but stranger things have happened! I for one have always believed that bot Max and Pruessy can play in same team. Interesting comments.

Well they shouldn’t

Could be on my own here, but I'm not sold on bringing Gawn back to play against a running team on a quick hard deck with his injury. IN: Lever, JKH, Baker OUT: TMac (inj), Petty (conc), Hore (inj)