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At the coaches talk I went to the other night as soon as it got to questions Richo spoke up and said he'd preempt the question they get at every one of these talks and address the home base issue. He said they don't have much to do with it and they have no idea on any progress but just said they'd like to see it done, wherever. They all agreed that the boys don't mind travelling to Casey because it's a quality facility. Other clubs like Essendon and Hawthorn have moved away from traditional areas to have a world class facility, they don't care so much where it is but rather how good the facilities are. Got the distinct impression they couldn't care less about being in the MCG precinct.

That’s future category b rookie, Tiernan Stynes…

I get the feeling that I shouldn’t bother listening to this podcast.

What’s with this ‘a home base for us all!!’ Nonsense? It is an effing training and admin co-location. It’s not going to be a social club that you can have a $3 beer at like you may have thought you did in the 70s. That is not happening. So it is really about having control of a training base near Brunton Ave that we have this predisposition to ascertain. Meanwhile we have two sets of elite facilities, one of which is going to continue to have money poured into it 45 mins out at Casey. In a growth corridor where actual people live - if we care about that. So we have our priorities right - having a competitive team to, you know, do the raison d’être of being a football club; WINNING FLAGS. Our current facilities allow us to take time getting this decision oh so right - and we won’t have to rush into a decision to get our admin and FD into the same building closer to Brunton Ave to not talk to each other…

"I haven't made my mind up about the Dees yet" so incisive

Full marks for this post...for saying that Jefferson marks the ball at HIS highest point. Drives me mad when the bozos say that player X Marks the ball at ITS highest point which implies some otherworldly space jam giant grabbing the ball at the top of it's arc

Good luck to him for at least giving it a go. Wish him the best.

Confirmed today that Tiernan Stynes has chosen basketball ahead of footy. Stynes has been playing well at Nunawading’s NBL1 senior team this season. He’s been working under 400-game NBL legend and former Boomer Adam Gibson.

I genuinely think that Hunter will be seen as our best recruit (if not the whole league). Not to say that Grundy won't be great, I just think having two genuine wingers operating on their preferred side, both who are very fit will be such a challenge for opposition teams to counter. Last year teams would tag Langdon (Hawthorn early in the season) and it would definitely make our run and carry more stifled. Now we can just push that traffic down Hunters wing and negate that strategy. I get the feeling that at least one of them will get 25+ possessions every game. He also helps in one area we lack in - accurate kicking inside 50.

Looks more Halfback to me drifting into the middle of the ground.

They really phoned that one in didn't they? Where are the dees at? Haven't made my mind up Gawn, Grundy how is that going to work. Don't know. Forward line could be an issue. Might be fine. Dees fans excited about JVR. Off field issues last year. i'm sure they have been sorted Straight sets losses last year in finals. Will that leave scars? Probably not.

One day of the year hardly justifies having a social club facility. I have a number of friends who are long term members of clubs i.e Richmond and Collingwood who never go to the social clubs they are a hang over from the 1970's. They are way more concerned about maintaining their seats on game day, too many members is their problem.

Too right rpfc. The days of having a social club are well behind us. AFL clubs are far too big nowadays to solely represent a singular community like they used to. We dont need a specific facility for the fans, we'll turn up to whatever they build for the club's base.

In the later SIMs Howes was in the gym with Woey, Lever, Melksham and Viney.

Yep, I thought the exact same thing as I read it. Drives me crazy too

Further evidence that you should always proofread your posts before hitting "SNED".

I would seriously hope that the days of "bomb it long forward" have passed, and that considered passing to a marking forward or even to space will supersede this tactic.

As soon as one level changes its mind the project fails. I am glad I am not trying the get this up.

It is low effort content, but there's a very simple part of my brain that releases dopamine's when I listen to or read MFC related news, regardless of quality! 🤪

No. Melksham and Howes, like a few others in the rehab group (BBB, AMW, Adams & later Hibberd), did not participate in any contact drills. They did participate in some of the non-contact or goal kicking drills or were in a separate non-contact version like with the keepings off drill. When they weren't participating in drills there were receiving 1 on 1 instruction with strength or cardio work from the trainers. Salem was the only exception for obvious reasons and even he was walking laps at the beginning of the session.

Melky was still on a running type rehab program. Howes was in with the main group. He was mainly on the wing in the sims. I thought he struggled to have involvement.

Don't agree Short stints of Maxy in the forward line yes please but don't clog up the movement if BBB is on fire and Tmac performing. JVR will be ok either way.

I'm feeling very confident about our chances to get to the GF this year. I agree with the assessment, on paper we look very good. Of the new recruits I'm more excited about Hunter than anyone else. He will provide an excellent counter to Langdon and make it even harder on teams to run with us

Oh, don't mind me @58er. I've just been waiting for a chance to slip in that "SNED" gag.

So you're the mythical Rhino Richards. I was tempted to facepalm your post to get you back for all the facepalms you've given me 😁

Beautiful morning for it. They are getting to the stage where there is plenty of push. The drills and sims were done with intensity and voice. There was an extra sim's session, making 4/5 in total for 6 minutes each, with hardly a rest during, as the ball kept moving. Goody was encouraging them to all run the transition hard. Most had to push hard up the field. At times, it looked like our backs ran so hard they were playing as forwards. They were often getting their passes over the backs to the forwards leads. Seems like they are working on creating an open forward line. Some defensive structure to hold the ball in the forward area worked well. By the end, many ended up on the haunches. They have stepped up the tackling in the handball games, they were also encouraging them to break the tackles with fends and steps away from the defender. A bit different from last year, in that they don't separate into their lines (forward, back, mid) very often. Thought Burgoyne did well, got plenty of it by running hard and getting separation, also used his shimmy/step to find clear air. K.Turner was always chasing and couldn't get in it. D.Smith was looking good, beat his opponent a few times and laced the ball to the next player. Moniz-wakefield missed a few hit ups, wasn't alone, as a few of the 1 to 3 year players did the same early in the sims. Jefferson has amazing long arms and his hand are gold. Needs to bulk up, but is looking like a potential. Spargo was in everything. Petracca getting lots of intercepts. Oliver and Kossie the stand outs. Tmac is looking powerful and getting some good acceleration. Lever left early and with no May there, our lack of backline structures made it easy for the forward thrusts. Petty up one end and Tomlinson the other didn’t get much support from the others, especially with the forward push, they were frequently isolated without the usual zoned area. Not sure if the cohesion between the group of best 30 and the rest is great. At one stage, Lever asked judd McVee what his name was in a drill. Hoping it was tongue in cheek. Hunter got hit in the collision with Hibbo who corked his thigh, got it strapped and was running it out. Lachie then smothered a ball off Max's boot with his head. He didn't appear dizzy, but that was the end of the session for him. Maybe getting the concussion tests. Our intensity is causing many niggles early on in our preseason. Talked to a volunteer, he tells me the practice match out at Casey will be curtain raised by the, Casey Demons team versus Richmond VFL.

olympic park wasn't offered initially. it was goschs paddock/glass house offered. we declined, pies accepted olympic park came about later after some very dubious mcquire treachery

And hopefully streamed on the MFC website.

Yeah one of the media releases mentioned that the entire list will be rotated to play some game time (if fit). I’ll be going as I can’t wait another 5 weeks to watch a game 😂

I think we are lucky to be in this position. The down side is players leave if they cannot get senior games e.g. Bedford.

Nailed it on jordan vs hunter. I seem to remember Jordans first game i think was round 1 in 2021. Jordan started in the middle and seemed roght at home there. Huntets arrival allows james to get back to his strengths.

He is currently a part of the rehab group. I'm not sure what exactly his injury is but he did participate in the non-contact parts of training and was doing some work in the makeshift gym they have in the shed adjacent to the oval. From what I have seen of him previous to this session there is a lot to like and whilst I don't think he will be a Round 1 smokey I think he will play this year as long as the powers that be are prepared to play some kids this season.

The way he acted when he came off seems to me that he does feel like while training and it’s annoying him. Hopefully doesn’t get any worse during the season

Just more journalistic twaddle.

Where the Frankerfurter is Fankhouser reserve??? Penslyvania?😂

I think the practice games will give Lachie the opportunity to show how good a winger and link player he is and his footy smarts and experience will add another dimension to our mid field forays to the forward line. I would also expect that despite the wings that they will play on it would be possible to switch them during a game if need be, or if the MCC members "requested" Lingers to showcase his skills on the members side of the ground if we are 10 goals up or more.

Agree Stinga good point. JVR won't be left behind or too much in the air as his ground work as displayed at Casey last season was a real strength. His ability to gather ground ball gets and forward them on by deft touches handballs plus his snaps for goal from some of those situations will surprise ( and thrill and delight us all ). This forward line beast can be all things to all forward contests and is never out of the game. With two mates in Fritta and Kossie skilled similarly he will add another dimension to our attack on any conditions as a further bonus. Goody please bring him on sooner rather than later. He is AFL ready both in mind and body and the MCG is ready to provide him with his playground and friends to come and play.

Gawn, perhaps the best contested mark in the game has to be at full-forward. A mark, tap to advantage or 50-50 ground ball to Kossi/Fritta has to be high odds. Especially if there are no obvious targets, just bomb it into Max. Grundy is the ruck.

I think it was on tissue paper that then got caught in the rain.

Going by some of your reports it's not worth turning up this year to watch it's all over.......

The only insight here is why Eddie is so against Port Power wearing black and white. He thinks all teams that wear the same colours are the same! Port Melbourne would have absolutely no interest in merging with us, even if they were down to their last dollar. That rules out North Port. I doubt the City of Port Phillip have the funds nor the desire to spend mega bucks on Murphy Reserve. There's no strategic reason why that complex is any different to any number of potential suburban grounds, none of whom are all that interested handing themselves over to an AFL team. The Fishermens Bend project is City of Melbourne. It does represent an opportunity in a lot of development money coming to an area. But I can't see them willing to carve out a footy oval. It's too valuable, and super expensive and time consuming to turn old industrial land to a footy oval too. Watch for them to build gardens and some astro turf. And even if they did go with a natural oval they would probably want it all for the new residents. The idea that going there would capture a bunch of new supporters don't seem logical to me either. The area will be a bunch of people moving from other suburbs who already have teams and plenty of people from overseas or interstate who already have sporting interests too. The idea that you can recreate the 1950's and just capture a new audience doesn't mesh with modern realities.

Just before the 2013 kicked off, I remember being super excited as I thought we had the best team on paper.

Think Lachie is more finished and JJ is still improving. Both could be in our best 23.

I've been to 3 sessions this preseason and I think they've all been very physical. Today was indeed very physical. This year is definitely more physical than previous seasons.

It sounds like you have never dealt with Government before. There are three levels of government that would be involved plus planning and environmental departments of each. Its herding cats cubed and an unenviable task. And just when you think you may have it nailed, governments change or decision makers change etc.

Just back from training and having read the posts by others there isn't a lot to add. I've not noticed Jefferson much to date but he was very good today. He marks the ball at his highest point timing his jump really well. He was a lot more involved in the match sims and disposed of it well. It's the first time I've really thought he's shown something in the match sims but I think he'll be good. Schache was disappointing for mine today. I noticed a few skill errors under little pressure and he just seemed a bit off. For mine he's well behind BBB, TMac and JVR. Deakyn Smith didn't do much but he's only just got back into the match sims and like most of the younger players he just wasn't involved. When you report on training sessions it almost goes without saying that blokes like Clarrie, Gus, Trac and the other mature players do well. So I tend to concentrate on the younger players or those who I think might push for selection. The two standouts for me today were Kade Chandler and JJ. Kade was so clean with the ball, I didn't see him fumble once and his disposal by hand or foot was pretty good although like everyone he missed the odd target. JJ was in everything and got leather poisoning. I think I'm like many who really like him but struggle to see exactly where he fits in but on his performance to date during PS he is best 22 and my observation is his best position is midfield. He's clean with the ball, he's brave, he gets it and he makes good quick decisions by hand. I just wonder if we should start to spread the load on Viney, Clarrie and Trac and start to give kids like JJ and Tommy S a bit more prime time mid roles. It would give the top boys a bit of a cop out and it would make the opposition concentrate on more than the big three. Others to impress today were Bowser who I thought was very good, Riv who looks in good form, JVR who continued his good form and for a bit of a smokie, JFW who I reckon is well ahead of where they thought he would be. He's nowhere near senior level but for a young kid who hasn't played any real footy he shows quite a bit, and encouragingly plenty when the ball hits the ground. My boy Olie Sestan did some nice things too but his fitness needs some real development. And for Dazzle, Joel Smith started to do more than just running the boundary with some gentle agility work. The match sims today weren't a fierce as some others I've seen and it was more ball movement today. Players were not finishing forward plays with shots for goal and the tackling wasn't as intense. It was a solid session going for well over 2 hours. JOEBOY'S TRAINING REPORT KEV MARTIN'S TRAINING REPORT

Great info furious. Enjoyed your summary with its insights. The feedback I got from the folks in the area was overwhelmingly positive. The players and coaches were engaged with the kids and enjoying the moment. Not all Dees fans either. The goodwill created by the community engagement is enormous. You realise that we have a quality group of players. Talented and with great values. All leaders in their own way. Obviously Max, BBB, Vines, Mayzie and Trac standout but they all seem impressive in the way they present and the behaviours they exhibit. Hopefully we will win another flag in the next year or two but if not I will still get enormous satisfaction in supporting such a strong club that is doing everything right in its quest for success. We have great people on board. We have come a long way baby.

This home base stuff is doing my head in. We were slack back in the days when we got turfed out of the MCG and have been nomads ever since. I've just turned 70 and pay for my twin 16 year old grand sons membership albeit as a interstate one but I only hope they get to see us have a home base before they turn 70 !!.