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Wandered down to Gosh’s to watch the captains run, the rehabbers were out on the ground. Schache, Woewodin, Kossie (not injured), two Casey players (1, 28) and White (Casey) doing individual work. The MFC squad then came out as one. Melksham and TMac in the squad. The vibe was low-key. It didn't help that it was cold, and the ground was wet, they didn't really start chirping until well into the drills. Seemed like they're a bit off with timing and the handling the ball. They were happy and relaxed. The morning consisted of about 5 to 6 drills. They worked on ball movement from off halfback, and off the wing, with delivery into the leading forwards. Interestingly, they had Petty forward for a few entries. Near the end, the centre mids were practising slowly for the centre stoppages. Grundy patting down to, Oliver, Tracc, Viney, Sparrow and JJ. The rest kicking goals (Petty included) or taking high marks (particularly JVR). Choco was also helping refine JVR's set goal kicking. May looked fine in drills, no strapping, but did have a slight limp when walking. At the end, he did a full 30-meter sprint and had a talk to 4 support staff (physio and trainers). After the MFC squad left, the Casey team came out. Laurie and Tomlinson were with them, I didn't see Dunstan. Go Dees.

Ignoring the reason for the outs, the thing I like is we have/are rewarding 3 players in JVR, Hibberd and Jordon who were excellent in the VFL last week and deserving of promotion. They will also be hellbent on taking their chance and cementing a spot in the 22. Best of luck to each of them.

This is a must win . I feel a statement performance coming on. Two teams I really want to beat this year are Swans and Collingwood . We owe them both and we owe it to ourselves Im not too worried about Brisbane or Geelong , I reckon we will account for those teams at the pointy end, but I don’t want to hear that Collingwood chant on Kings birthday.

I genuinely don’t like to wish injury upon anyone, but if Cox’s rib injury was due to a knee to the chest then I feel he was hit by the karma bus.

The Field Marshall confirming May WILL play tomorrow. Good to go.

Trump gets indicted! April Fools. Wait a minute, that actually happened! Or as The Donald wrote on his tawrdy Twitter knock off, Truth Social, he has been INDICATED

#IStandWithWhitfield. Terrible non-decision followed-up by a terrible decision.

Love seeing Hoges up and firing

In the last 15 mins the team has been working on a turnover drill. Team with the ball would link up a few times with handballs to the wing, coach would yell turnover and the defending team would now rebound with a switch to the corridor then inside 50 to a leading player. May is moving unrestricted to me.

The Pies are so damaging because they have 2 qualities which are too often under-rated: They have a lot of natural footballers who understand the game, where the ball is going, where to run to, what to do in close etc... It is much better to impose fitness on natural footballers, than it is to try and upskill athletes. Moore, Pendlebury, De Goey, 2 x Daicos, Elliot etc... The most appealing football is played by natural footballers. I am not sure how kicking efficiency is measured, but their kicking skills look as good as I have seen. Likewise their handballs. It feels like they rarely miss targets. However, with their manic running in waves through the middle of the ground, I am convinced that they will have significant periods of exhaustion throughout the year, including the finals.

Boys are having a run at Goschs. May is out there. Out of the emergencies, T Mac and Melksham are also there. On the other side of the field a few Casey boys training with Kozzie and Schache.

??? rubbish game??? Cameron, who I saw as his opponent, had a pretty average game by his standards. So, how did you come to that conclusion ?

I'd be a whole lot happier ( and confident ) if Kozzie was in that side. [censored] me.... I hope he's learnt his lesson and there are no more brain fades

pathetic free kick for dissent. Ump should be ashamed.

Love your work Kev, thanks for your reports.

TMac gives us fair bit of postional flexibility given he can go back or forward.

Harmesy was a Demon fan in the darkest of dark times and 10 years later was one the 23 immortals. Hard to not respect the man.

From BomberBlitz.... Where’s the emotion in the box? Ran out of petrol. mate we didn’t even fill up the car. why are 4 defenders nowhere near the 1 forward ERIC BANA CAN GO AND GET ■■■■■■ Darcy Parish is soft as ■■■■ Our defence has been such poo poo the hell is going on? i thought all clubs capitulated on their 150th anniversary? Weed is an ashtray on a motorbike

I still don’t understand how our game isn’t a Saturday night. It’s two teams in contention. What I’m watching tonight is two teams who will be lucky to get a whiff of the 8.

In a nice touch GWS appear to have named the top deck of the outer wing stand after both their members, Martin and Angus. No sign of either of them in there though. At the outer end it looks like the penny has dropped though and they've started replacing seats with garden landscaping.

All I can say Clarry is that Rob Flower would absolutely have loved playing alongside you and as the 2 Best Dees in my lifetime what a pleasure it has been watching you. Best wishes tommorrow and for rest of your career. Love ur work chooch P.F

I'll open a decent shiraz if GWS knock off the paper baggers !

Cats ‘managing’ Stanley and Rowan after 2 rounds?? hope it blows up in their face cmon suns, show some fight!!!

i was seriously going to go with clarry has done his knee but i figured i’d get a lifetime ban and potentially hunted down and brutally murdered

That’s not my snort of choice

Agree but definately would have retained Tomlinson

They'll need to do loading this time round.

Looks like those hard fought wins against umm, Hawthorn and Gold Coast have taken their toll on the Bombers. Happy that the Saints get to celebrate being rubbish for 145 of their 150 years.

Enjoying this IMMENSELY.

Its hard to see it clearly from this angle. Sometimes there’s a really long ladder that I climb to take a pic but it wasn’t there on Thursday night so this will have to do… I’ll post pics of the complete banner tomorrow 👍🏽 It doesn’t look very impressive from this position but I’m sure it’ll look fantastic from the stands.

What I hate about him speaking is his delivery. He says every single comment like it’s THE MOST profound gem of wisdom we’re ever gonna have the honour of hearing. He must think we’re all hanging on his every word.

Very intriguing about Petty May is hopefully right to go. But Tmac has to be sub. With May just back from a calf, and JVR on debut, it’s just so risky not taking a tall in who can play ruck, forward or back. Whereas if we lose a mid we have a plethora of options to cover them, including Gus, Rivers and ANB.

A magnificent footballer we are lucky to call ours

Really amazing news about Gawn too. If you listened to the Selwyn podcast he said the next 1-2 weeks is sort of crucial to tick off some markers to be able to run and train again. That he’s doing that a week post injury is awesome.

I just snorted coffee for nothing 😠

The eternal optimist in me hopes Schache becomes a key forward for us if Brown and TMac both can't play

There’s not enough mongrel in modern day AFL. Not anything illegal or thuggish, but just genuine physical aggression. Daicos keeps being left along at half back to do what he wants. Collingwood would send Maynard to him and rough him and make him earn it, so why doesn’t anyone else? It’s odd to me. Throw them off, go after him. Rattle them a bit. It’s all way too nice.

TBH if it’s correct that we are after him and that he is going to get a fortune, I would keep well away. We have JVR and Jefferson and possibly Petty if needed and when Max is back, a ruck going forward. Also we have good draft picks and I would rather another good kid to complement the two we have.

Was about to post this in the pre game thread Kev. Looks like Gus might stay back and JJ to the guts after seeing that little exercise.

Because Brown is to rucking what i am to marathon running. JVR spent afair bit of tme in the ruck in the second half of last year's VFL season and was the back up ruck in orund one of this year's season. Plenty of pratice rucking against men. I'd be more worried for the oppoents he is going to launch into.

A day too Early ??? After AA Defender Steven May gets hold of him tomorrow. Good one Deeman.!

he'd still get 30 touches in a wheelchair

That’s why we did 30 minutes of running after the St.Kilda practice match. We have to find it. I honestly think MaCrae has watched and studied the ‘21 GF. It is all out attack all over the ground, what we did in The ‘GF 3rd Quarter was run in lines, with Back up ON BOTH SIDES, Left and Right options. That 2nd Quarter from the Filth was extraordinary, apart from the Scoring aspect. We ran in Waves in that 3rd Quarter and Footscray did not touch the ball. The Filth are doing the same, including the Backline. The only way to beat them is to take them on. Keep possession of the Ball and run with Left and Right options. Good on MaCrae. This is the absolute opposite of Ross Lyon/Paul Roos Lockdown footy We have the midfield to do it. I hope we play this way against Sydney Take them on

Wishing James Harmes all the best with his personal leave. Hope to see you back soon Harmesy!

If he's struggling enough with his foot to not be in the 22 then he shouldn't be the sub either.

RE: King, i dont think either of them have really had performances to warrant such money. They both seem to be injury prone and tend to go out for long periods of time. I wouldn't waste our picks on them tbh as it would be a bit of a gamble.. yes there is absolutely plenty of upside, but id focus on keeping Kozzy and the two KPF we already have.

Which is some way off now since I just got the results of my mammo and I’m so happy and relieved that the cancer hasn’t returned! And just like this time last year I’m telling DL before telling even my own sons!😆 Maybe I shouldn’t spend so much time on DL 🤔 Yeah nah. 💜