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Suspect it's as basic as not paying for cleaning/opening of public toilets but I like the theory of secret plays better. Kick out to the left to Gawn is of course in the top secret drawer

Not sure if mentioned elsewhere but the entire team went and served food at a place for the homeless on Monday. Appears ‘operation humility’ is underway and I quite like that it hasn’t been widely reported and isn’t being leveraged as a PR exercise.

If I attend, I’ll be submitting the following questions: 1) what was the rationale and perceived competitive advantage behind playing one man less than our opponent in the semi final, on a warm September night. Bearing in mind that the opposition’s sub was instrumental in setting up the winning goal. 2) Why did we play one tall defender short against Collingwood in the qualifying final when McStay kicked 2 goals on smaller opponents and 2 goals was essentially the difference. We demonstrated in the Essendon, Fremantle and Carlton (rd 22) losses that playing just 2 tall defenders is a losing formula. 3) Why did we travel back to Melbourne between our West Coast game and Gather Round, rather than setting up camp in Adelaide prior to the Essendon game? A game that proved to be our most lethargic and poorest of the year. Where was the foresight and innovation that the Dogs showed when they went from Gather Round direct to Perth (rather than heading back home) and had a solid win over Freo? 4) How is the club addressing our gross inaccuracy in the finals series, and ensuring that next year we give ourselves every opportunity to win a final rather than lamenting miss after miss.

Love your second point Jim. In regards to your first point you would seriously hope not. A few supporters at training aren’t going to make that much of a mess. Memo to Melbourne FC. I am more accurate in front of the bowl than you are in front of goal.

Windsor looks like the sprinter of the two. Given Tholstrup is from WA, I'm hoping he's a 'stayer'. 😉

Agreed. I feel there is a primevil human motivation for vengeance and violence against Collingwood the next time we play them. The logical part of my brain says it may not be the right one, but the emotive part definitely feels that way. When I do think about it more deeply, what I think would satisfy this lust for blood is to categorically demolish Collingwood on the scoreboard every time we play them for the next decade, leaving their low life supporter group humiliated, depressed and bring home the flag next year in a totally dominant season from start to finish.

'Closed sessions' mean nothing to our intrepid Pulitzer Prize winning reporter @picket fence !!!

Thebarton and Dingley will be. We haven't even got to the West Lakes and Waverley stage.

I find it neither obvious nor reasonable. It has nothing to do with Melbourne Football Club.

Why is there so much attention being given to a player from another club?

Given what Todd has said, I wonder if some of those that are leaving might have had a less than positive end of season interview with the coaching/list staff. At the end of the 2020 season Elise O'Dea, Maddy Guerin, Harriet Cordner, Bianca Jakobsson and Alisha Newman (and one other I can't recall just now) all headed off to other clubs, and the talk was how we obviously had problems if such a list of departures was occurring. But my understanding was that most, if not all, of those losses were club initiated, with the players not fitting in with our future plans and them being informed it would be best for them to look elsewhere. Our three seasons after that we went 25-4 in H&A, and prelim, runners up, premiers. Maybe we are looking at a repeat in 2023. But perhaps not three seasons till the next flag. 🙂

Wow, this kind of exodus has been such a long time coming that I'm almost (almost!) relieved the other shoe has finally dropped. Most upset about Gay, who I have in my "top 10 players to please, please let us keep". On the fringes of that, but still. The one consolation is there were definitely questions about her durability (always have to find a silver lining - we could lose Hanks and I'd still find something to nitpick to make myself feel better!). As for reasons for leaving, I agree the "stick-together-ness" after the premiership that had such huge buy-in was always going to have an abrupt expiration date on it. Even if we had gone back to back, I suspect this would have played out to some extent. And who know what kinds of expectations were set in exit interviews regarding what 2023 might look like for these players... Of course, pay is probably the big one. The next few seasons in particular the pay raises could be the difference for some between being a year-round full-time athlete and not. Faced with that decision, with the opportunity to fulfill what was likely previously a pipedream for many? Well, the day I begrudge an AFLW player for moving for money hasn't arrived yet. Getting closer though.

Yes let’s hope so. Although my observations, admittedly from when I was a regular track watcher, say up to 2020, the training day game plan practised didn’t always resemble the game day plan executed! At practice at least when I was there, the ball movement is constant and players are taking every opportunity & risk to switch play to find the next target forward. It’s great to watch at practice and for a sublime period of time in the second half of 2021 it appeared in all its beauty on successive game days right up to the GF win! Since then it’s been long stretches in games of one dimensional down the line delivery, muscling it over the boundary then push slowly forward, bombing it in to a crowded forward line but I am sure they still move the ball sublimely at practice.

maybe not secret plays but id be disappointed if they arent practicing the game plan, which is hopefully new and updated.

Trying to keep you out, BUT, we know you…keep up your sensational, great work that we all appreciate with thanks.

Couldn’t agree more Earl. The only reason I can come up with is that they intend to do a lot of goal kicking practice so let’s keep it closed to the public.

I saw that bloke at Casey Fields the other day with that Green Bag wondering what he was up to🤯😵‍💫😵😱

I think it means that as opposed to Gosch's Paddock because Casey is surrounded by a high fence that we can actually lock people out, we will! Was thinking of taking a cruise up to Cranbourne tomorrow but not now. They certainly don’t go out of their way to encourage the fans. Not sure why I mean they won’t be practicing secret plays this early in preseason.

I was joking, but that said i'm a tad confused. On a publicly available podcast Taylor said the plan was for the Colt to go through the middle at some stage. He then said the same thing in an interview with a Herald Sun reporter. Are you suggesting Taylor was not being candid on the DL podcast or with the reporter when he said the plan was for the Colt to go through the middle at some stage? But he was being candid with you when in response to your question whether the plan was for the Colt to go through the middle at some stage he replied “yeah, maybe”? Apart from being a little more equivocal, how does that response contradict his public statements? I mean to say the Colt would play as a mid 'at some stage' is basically the same as saying that 'maybe' he will play as a mid at some stage. For what it's worth my view is that of course there's a chance he could run through the middle at times (just as Nibbla did this year) and/or become a permanent mid down the track. At different times the same thing has been suggested about Rivers and McVee (ie they could end up being mid fielders - despite, like the Colt, having limited experience in that role). In my opinion they recruited a player with excellent aerobic capacity who has played all his junior footy as a half forward, with occasional runs on the ball (ie not a specialist mid) to play the high half forward role on the other flank to Nibbla. To me that's clearly the plan, at least for the next few seasons. A good one too because the high half forward role has become critical in footy - as evidenced by the fact clubs are now trading (eg Bedford to the Giants) and drafting (eg the Colt) in players to play the high half forward role. A similar phenomena happened with the wing position - ie players being drafted or traded in specifically to play that role. There was a lag before the footy media and fans understood how critical the winger role had become and i suspect the same thing will happen with the high half forward role. Windsor looks like being a winger and they have been clear the Colt will play as a forward, at least in the early part of his career. Which suggests recruiting a pure mid was not high on their agenda and was not considered a key 'need' at this point in time. Which i think in part reflects a big shift in the game. When Roos came to the dees in 2013 (his first season as coach was 2014 but he was appointed prior to the 2013 draft) the orthodoxy across the league, in large part based on his team set up at the Swans, was teams couldn't have enough mids. Teams basically needed at least 8-10 midfield bulls who could run through the middle and as a result the forward and defensive flankers were often mids. Under Roos we duly loaded up on mids - Gus, Tracc, Oliver, Viney, Dyson, Vandenburg, Bugg, Balic and to a lesser extent Salo (he was a defender as junior but like the Colt there was the suggestion when we drafted him he might become a mid). But in the ten years since Roos joined the dees the game has significantly changed and there is a much, much greater emphasis on transition, all team defence, running, speed and spread. As a result of this change the athletic profile of players is changing. Sure teams still need some midfield bulls, but really no more than 3-4. Characteristics such as fitness, aerobic capacity, ability to cover the ground at speed and ability to do repeat sprints are now much more important attributes than a decade ago. Instead of needing 8-10 midfield bulls, teams now need 8-10 brilliant athletes on their list who can run between the arcs all game. Ideally these players are also excellent kicks. That hasn't always been the case with 'role' players like Nibbla an Cotterill being brilliant athletes but not necessarily highly skilled. I suspect the importance of such 'role' players (historically a pejorative - eg 'he's an athlete first, footballer second') has well and truly filtered down to the junior level and good athlete and good footballer are no longer mutually exclusive terms. In this context, drafting in the Duke and the Colt makes perfect sense. Both are apparently really good athletes who play specialised roles AND have excellent skills.

He does look stronger, with some growth in upper body. He seems to be enjoying his work, in sharp contrast to his body language in VFL final! He is taking some very good clean marks against very good opposition. He still double grabs at times, and doesn't go like a raging JVR to every contest... a bit of picking and choosing. Having said that, he is clever with his positioning and will be worthy of a game with the AFL team during 2024.

MFC Website Training Times AFL Training Sessions All AFL training sessions have moved to Casey Fields for the remainder of the year as Gosch's Paddock undergoes ground maintenance. Casey Fields sessions are all closed to the public due to the nature of the facility. More information will be advertised in the New Year about open training sessions. Of course if anybody happens to be walking by and happens to catch a glimpse of the session from behind the fence we'd of course love to hear/read your observations.

I think your onto something here..maybe Choco has come up with another kicking invention of sorts..and wants to keep it under wraps ( try out).

Blatantly obvious that that's what they were doing, all in the name of ensuring the AFL got their dream of a Collingwood premiership.

I don't get what the nature of the facility is?

Assuming we lose Sherriff, West, Gay, Wilson and Birch Veterans: Watt, Colvin, Paxy, Goldrick FB: Gillard Chaplin HB: Heath ***** Lampard C: B. Mackin Purcell McNamara HF: A. Mackin Harris Bannan FF: Zanker Hore Foll: Pearce ***** Hanks Int: Mithen Campbell Fitzsimon **** ***** E: Gall, Taylor CHB and a star on baller are both going to be major priorities.

Looks to me like players who would have left last year were convinced to keep the band together for another crack at a premiership. As we all know we flopped badly so these players have decided to take the coin elsewhere. Can't blame them. Brisbane lost some quality players but were able to regroup and win the flag. Maybe we can do the same. If we can add a high quality big bodied mid I'd still fancy our chances to win the flag next year.

It's interesting. Because as much as I condemn the whole violent episode, I'm secretly hanging out for the revenge game. In a completely fair and flattening event of course. Just Lots and lots of smothering. And maybe sometimes on the ball.

Very ungainly kicking style but boy, love her run and carry. Great attack at the contest too. I really liked her Dad as a footballer and had the pleasure of meeting him. She's from good stock.

I don’t think there is any reasonable person that could put hand-on-heart and say that the action was not a deliberate ploy to hurt Gus. He is a thug , deserved a long suspension and deserved to miss the grand final and that medal. That medal is now as tainted as Cripps’s Brownlow. However this thread is about Gus and I want to hear positives about how he is going both physically and mentally. I know that physically he is likely to be ok, but I worry about the lingering metal scars that act might have and how this will affect his play. I am however, really tired of posters bringing up and repeating the event over and over again. My thought is to let it rest and save the anger for our next game against the pies. None of us will forget this act that’s for sure.

Certainly can’t be bothered reading all that mate. I was being facetious too. All I was doing was passing on a direct conversation I’d had with Jason Taylor, thought people may be interested, no skin off my nose if they’re not or if they disagree with what he said. I’m merely a humble supporter, not an exalted Herald Sun journo or podcast contributor! And I do have a feeling Tholstrup will be a fantastic pickup for us.

Jemma Rigoni highlights

This. Stop making it out like they’re friends or that Maynard is anything but a dirty thug.