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Melk has a right hamstring issue said he should be running in a few days. Word on KK is that he hasn’t had a solid period of feeling right and they need him to be good for a solid 2 weeks before progressing. Tomlinson said he should be back in the main group on Friday. Oskar has a niggling groin but hopes to join the main group towards the back end of the camp. May just waiting for his stitches to come out (Friday?) before returning to the main group.

No mate, by making this comment you've potted him again and tried to show what a good bloke you are by dressing it up as restraint. And you've done it twice so you've got double your money. Why don't you show some real restraint and shut up about him this season. If he fails then you were right and you can remind us again of your great wisdom. Not that we'll need reminding.

Apart from Naughton who looks like an absolute gun, other 22yo KPFs are in the Weideman ball-park: McKay, Curnow, Hipwood, McCartin, Ratugolea, Lewis. Call me when they are instrumental in winning a big final.

There are other photos on my Instagram account, I can't be arsed copying them across If a Mod wants to, feel free

He doesn't have a particular athletic advantage - stamina, size, strength, speed are all average or below. But he's certainly moving more freely and looking more confident and involved on the training track. How was he meant to beat a man if everyone he played on had more strength and healthy hips? After this summer he should be on par for fitness and strength with his opponent and moving better. He has the kicking (goal kicking a bit up and down but generally good, field kicking can be very good) and handballing skills (one of the best in the side at using both hands) to be a talent. Plus on the days where he lays a tackle he can get on a roll there. But it's a matter of whether he'll consistently find the ball and consistently hold his marks. He flies bravely at the ball but sometimes I think he's doing more to make a contest than to hold the marks. Half a season more up forward to see if he finally can hold his marks and get involved more and if it fails then time to try him down back where his opponent will take him to contests.

Thanks for the photos Saty

I nearly puked when I read this post. Maybe Petracca’s progress is evidence that we should be patient and let players develop at their own pace instead of heckling, abusing and carrying on like impatient, entitled twits.

Thanks to Saty and Liam (Hardtack) for the great shots. Most appreciated from my dingey little office!!

He was consistent in 2019.

A nice hairstyle finally

If the Dees improve as much as the quality of Demonland training reports this pre season, #17 to #1 will be a breeze in 2020. Thanks track watchers!

Concussion, broken jaws and a kick square to the nuts - the Brayshaw boys seem to get all the most unpleasant of blows dealt to them.

Just to repeat what others have said about the reports from the track watchers and the photographers. Love the photos but I love the varying comments and opinions from the watchers, non one it seems is putting out Club propaganda, rather their own opinion. Not sure how I will feel if we lose the first four games but I am thinking that the problems from 2019 have gone. and we will improve somewhat on 2019 win the first 3 and then lose to the saints Go Dees

I get that we've been burned before by certain players seemingly restricting their good seasons to contract years, but this post pretty much sums up the Petracca angst on here. He's damned if he plays well, damned if he plays poorly. Worth remembering that he was one of very few on our list to show improvement last year - it's not like he only plays well when we're 10 goals up. He does things that very few players in the league are capable of. We'd all like to see more consistency, but I don't think it's laziness holding him back.

I’d say yes and no. I think I’ve seen a greater desire to switch the ball. And move the ball around the forward arc. They also hit up the diagonal half forward switch in a drill the other week. Overall I’d expect better pressure and defensive efforts more than a complete change in ball movement. Yesterday I wasn’t overly happy with the decision making and skills. Even allowing for good pressure and tricky weather it was messy. For example in the side to side keepings off drill I thought Clarry was still messy and firing off suspect handballs when I’d like to see him using both hands and adding more stop and start. I don’t want us to be more like Hawthorn were, I want more like Richmond now which is high tempo but on the back of really great football smarts. They always keep their space and positioning and don’t overcommit to the contest. Not sure we’ve taken much of a stride there yet.

I spoke to Tomlinson after today’s training as we were waiting to cross Punt Rd (he was on his way to grab a coffee), and he told me he’s back training with the main group at this Friday’s closed session at Casey.

Had a quick chat over Christmas with a relative of mine that is closely tied to the Petracca clan (specifically the older brothers). Reckons the penny has dropped and he has taken massive strides forward in maturity and ownership of his career/goals/fitness and wants to leave no stone unturned to ensure he reaches his potential (also with a mention to this being the last year of his contract, not that he wants to move but wants to build on what he’s done). Broken up with the Mrs and been spending all summer committed to the cause and working bloody hard.

Yep love all the pictures and captions for here way up north, sort of homesick and itchy at the same time.Cannot say anyone's is better just the action and the quality then the commentary. Please keep it up because it is so appreciated.

I agree. But he does need to show serious form this year. we need him.

Some people just can't help themselves Pennant. Full of it

Frankly you would expect a few rumblings in the off field area after 2019. Their budgeted figures were massacred and it is not too much to think that their sponsor KPI's were far from maximised (ratings and finals just to mention two). The blame quite rightly fell on the coaching staff and in the main they are now gone save for number 1. Running a club with the downs and relatively occasional ups of the MFC must be hell.... (but of course the puff piece said we are now back from hell.) No one saw the possibility of 17th in 2019 nor did they see that the season would be effectively finished after so few rounds. Next time you are at a medium level MFC match count the number of super boxes that are open. We've a long way to go.

And very solid the following week against the hawks - 5 marks (2 contested); 2 goals; 4 tackles. Yes he has weaknesses, but he's got some nice traits as well. He tackles to hurt, has a great set of hands and is a beautiful kick of the footy. Until last year, he'd shown about as much as you could realistically hope for from a 21 YO key forward. He may or may not make it. But aside from a horror (and injury affected) 2019, he's shown enough for me to maintain hope.

Most of his goals have been scored from in play. His set shot percentage is much lower, was around 30% at one point last year. It seems mental for him, as his set shot percentage back in 2017 when under less expectation was close to 70% and one of the best in the league. The two seasons since has seen it plummet to one of the worst in the league. He has the skill, he needs to build the mental resilience and consistency for his set shots. Trac sounds like he’s maturing this offseason and taking more ownership of not only his own form, but the teams form. Sounds like he might become a leader with time. Hopefully he has a great year and builds off a solid 2019... and then re-signs a new contract with us!

Just a suggestion but if you load multiple photos in to the one instagram post you can then move them all across far more easily. You can tag the individual players in each photo rather than the caption.

Question for the track watchers, is there any signs towards a different game style that we might be employing next year? While I feel like we don't have a the patience and poise for the "keep away" footy that the Hawks were so good at for ages I do think our style (even in 2018) was too chaotic. It was high risk, high reward but last year showed that it leaves us very exposed so I'm hoping that we will be showing a little more patience and intelligence with the way we use the ball.

My son Liam took a bunch of shots today and as there are too many to post in here, this is a link to my Facebook where I created an album for his work; I’m proud of his work, and not just as a father of a kid who dreams becoming a sports photographer... https://m.facebook.com/tim.fleming.75/albums/2821236737911591/?ref=bookmarks

I like it and dont agree with the negativity around this stuff, i understand it, but a video shouldn't cause such angst. The club is a business, it has to engage and excite, i for one love teh prospect of where we could go this year, it was hell last year, not much worse than that. Now will it be heaven or will linger in purgatory or be anchored in hell remains to be seen. But if we are not thinking positive as a club then we are failing our members. The club must promote, its up to the p[layers to deliver.

I hate these fluff pieces. "I want to be a Hall of Famer" What a ridiculous thing to say..... I hope he has matured. We all know he has the tools. but so did Colin Sylvia. Trac needs 3 things IMO: 1. Endurance - reportedly he has vastly improved 2. Ball drop - Insane that this has not been rectified 3. Selfishness - I see a guy that is trying to please too many people and do the team things too much. Sometimes he just needs to grab the ball burst away and deliver like say, a de Goey We have seen a few times when he does this and it is very exciting. Other times his mind is swimming -'what do I do?' 'Don't stuff it up'. If ever there is a player that has a licence to break away from team rules it's Trac. More instinct and less robot for me.

I’m looking forward to seeing him without the yips in front of goal. Fix the ball drop too.

I thought this deserved its own thread. Thanks to @hardtack & son. TRAINING REPORTS FROM WEDNESDAY CAN BE FOUND HERE

So if you don't think he has the ability to succeed why would any full time recruiting/list manager at another club part with picks that will get us back into the first round of this years draft... ...not a cheap shot, it just doesn't add up.

This is a shot of Bedford putting every ounce of his strength into a kick that sent the ball full force into Brayshaw’s nuts! The ball rebounded straight back into Bedford’s face and then his hands and he played on... Brayshaw writhed around in agony on the ground for a couple of minutes (what must have seemed like a lifetime to him), before being assisted to the sidelines where he quickly recovered and rejoined the session.

I'm pretty obsolete this training session really as the other reports probably let you know the main issues. Smith and Petty were in and out of training but did the match sims so there's nothing much to see here. Brayshaw did the match sims but stood out some of the handball and running drills and I'd imagine they are just managing his work load. Tomlinson, Spargo and Baker continue with their rehab and look as good as fit to me and at one stage were doing some of the keepings off drills the main group do from time to time. Bennell is just quietly going about his business, he seems very popular amongst the group and it's hard to see him not being picked up at this stage. In the match sims Tommy Mac seems "back". His ball handling was excellent, he was selling candy when in general play and he looked confident and involved. Viney is also very impressive. I think we've forgotten how good he can be and he's having his best PS in years having hardly missed a session I've been to. He's in everything, his kicking seems to have more penetration and he's very clean with the ball. Oliver also is doing very well but we've come to expect that and Harmes continues his very impressive PS. Without wanting to go on about it too much I was again impressed with Jackson. He just seems to be able to get involved which is not something first year players find easy. His kicking is fine and he was surer with the ball today taking some good grabs. Kossie is also getting involved but the standout improver for mine (coming off a very low base) is Bedford. I doubted he's make it after his first year but he's really starting to look a chance now. He's got lots of good attributes other than finding the ball but he did that today. Gus got an awful knock where you don't want one today and I thought that might be it for him but after about a 10 minute rest he was back out there. He'll be a sore boy tonight if my experience is anything to go by! Overall, like DS, I thought the skills were really good today in difficult conditions. The ball handling was sharper and the kicking much improved from last week. It was a good session.

Too early to send out the Finals 2020 information to members?? *includes 20ml of bathwater for your enjoyment

I think ironically he has lacked self-confidence on field or has been trying too hard to be unselfish. That's been a good step in his development, nothing wrong with humility, but now I feel he's ready to take the game on and explode.