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Not an easy thing to deal with, especially an athlete. Still his 2021 grand final game was epic. His intercept marking an off ball pressure went un-talked but but was nearly best on ground.

Every Melbourne player was highly aware when they returned to pre-season training that deafening “noise” – a term AFL clubs prefer to controversy – had dominated and defined the Demons’ off-season. A litany of incidents, ranging from Steven May’s post-season claim at the club’s best and fairest that they were “a better team” than premiers Collingwood and they “should have smoked them”, to lawsuits involving the board, to Joel Smith’s positive drug test, to confusion about what the Demons were trying to achieve with star Clayton Oliver during the trade period, had fans and the public asking, “What is happening at Melbourne?” “We addressed it. We wanted to make sure that we are united as a club,” Melbourne midfielder Tom Sparrow told The Age this week. “Then it was, how do we focus on ourselves now to make sure that, you know, it doesn’t happen again.” For Sparrow, 23, a premiership player who has played 67 of the past 73 games to become a key, if understated part of Melbourne’s engine room, “it” encompasses everything on and off the field, the places where reputations are won and lost. “It’s not just saying it,” Sparrow said. “[It’s] how we act on and off the field as people, how we respect the game, the opposition and the discipline stuff. That’s how we act … that will give us a true measure of how we’re going based on being accountable to what we say we’re going to do.” Seeing that in action is part of the reason that selected media were invited into Melbourne’s inner sanctum on the final day of their pre-season camp in Lorne, sitting in a team meeting, listening to what was said on the track, and having lunch with the group, minus Oliver, who had returned home, and Smith, who is provisionally suspended, at the Mantra Lorne, where they were staying. Confident in their culture, they understand their reputation has taken a hit. With the dust having cleared after the trade period, and a bit of space from the club’s shattering straight-sets exit from the finals, the Demons now concede that amid the complexities that made some issues harder to handle than others, there have been many instances where they did not hit the mark in 2023. And it wasn’t just their entries inside 50 during those fateful finals losses to Collingwood and Carlton that missed the target. Clayton Oliver has been forced to leave Melbourne's pre-season camp early due to a fresh health scare Sparrow puts his hand up as one of the players who lost discipline during the tense finals when everything was on the line, and they could hardly hear themselves think as successive crowds exceeding 90,000 people roared in the MCG cauldron. He can still recall the moment he gave away an unnecessary free kick to Carlton’s Sam Walsh with Melbourne holding a three-point lead in the semi-final, with less than five minutes remaining. There were pressure-relieving 50-metre penalties conceded, too, at inopportune times. “That’s probably not how we want to be as a club in terms of our character. We want to be disciplined and play the right way, so there’s definitely elements in that game where we could have been better,” Sparrow said. “We’ve already started working on that this pre-season. It’s about controlling the controllables, making sure you stay disciplined under pressure, under fatigue, when you can’t hear anything out of the ground.” Coach Simon Goodwin also understands how post-match comments he made at times were interpreted as not respecting the opposition. He did not intend that to be the case, with his intent always about protecting his players, but he also accepts perception is reality in his caper. Sparrow admits the leadership group have become more frustrated than younger players such as himself at the talk surrounding the club’s culture because they feel it reflects on them, but he says they also understand that complaining won’t achieve much. His faith in the direction that skipper Max Gawn, former captain Jack Viney, Alex Neal-Bullen, Christian Petracca and Jake Lever, among others, drive the emerging group is total. The club’s faith in Sparrow was also evident when he was awarded the James McDonald Trophy at year’s end for best living the club’s values on and off the field. “Deep down for me, it’s like, I know how we operate,” Sparrow said. He says the club has been open with the players about the situations Smith and Oliver are managing, and their increased awareness helps guide their responses. “It means the playing group is across it, and it’s now ‘OK, we know it’s going on, let’s just get around him.’ We love him as a teammate,” Sparrow said. “Not only are they your teammates, but they are your friends away from the club as well. We have such great support. We wrap our arms around each other. “Obviously, you have to address things that might not be going the way everyone wants them to go, but it’s about ‘How we do help them? How do we move forward? What’s the best way to go about it?’” Sparrow trusts the leadership but knows every player plays a part in supporting their teammates regardless of what is happening. “What else can we do other than say, ‘We are here for you mate, and we will get you through and be better’,” Sparrow said. Being better is all Sparrow wants to do in 2024. He hopes to have greater impact on games, aware his team-focused approach is beneficial, but that he has more to give. “[I want to be] a bit of a pain for the opposition as well, right. Instead of just being a good teammate, a bit of both,” Sparrow said. It’s not dissimilar to the team who believe their defensive foundations are rock solid, but their method of attack needs to shift slightly as they attempt to build a premiership forward line. The young talent keeps arriving with Blake Howes and Bailey Laurie chasing a place in the seniors after a few years of VFL, talented youngsters Caleb Windsor and Koltyn Tholstrup pushing for first-round selection and veterans Ben Brown – who is running well – and Adam Tomlinson adding depth. Shane McAdam will also provide forward smarts and Harrison Petty did not attract a huge offer from Adelaide without merit. The question Sparrow posed is, how do we maintain the strong foundations but also add a couple of elements? And the question the club has asked itself is how do we restore the reputation that has taken a hammering since the siren sounded on their 2023 campaign with a two-point loss to Carlton on September 15? “It’s got to be addressed. It is all people are talking about,” Sparrow said. “For us now it’s about 2024, and how do we perform? There is a lot of pressure on us as a club. We know that, and I mean, what an opportunity. I am so excited. Steven May described the Dees’ list as ‘unbelievable’. But is it? “We’re doing it right. Let’s just go out there and show them how hard we work.” The unrelenting clangour surrounding the club this spring, and the desolation experienced when the semi-final siren sounded has not diminished Sparrow’s love for the sport and anticipation for what lies ahead. “Playing footy, it is the best thing ever. Far out, we have the best job. I feel super lucky to be in this position,” Sparrow said.

Thanks everyone for all the respectful conversation here. It's great to see so many passionate supporters and for us to be able to engage like this. I've really enjoyed it. Great thread too. Go Dees.

methinks you forgot someone...

Don't the tiges already have another facility? ...but both have been caught napping. Having a facility close to the MCG is yesterdays story. I'm happy we have finally moved on... Took us way too long.

So for those that don't make it through the Hun paywall, is there an upshot to the article? Has Salo found an approach to managing his health issues that should set him up for career best form in 2024?

Jack has been bloody awsome for the MFC. The passion and heart and soul that he pours into his role is second to none. Chip off the old block in terms of hardness and professionalism to training. I think that's the real value in father son's, that loyalty and belonging that they have growing up around the club like Jack and the ethos being passed down from their parents. See the same things going on with Woey, Brown and White. Even though Billy and Wiz Jnr didn't ultimately make it, I feel there was alot of respect shown in hosting them at the club. Billy in particular was credited by many as leading the way in his professional approach to training and positively influencing our culture in that way.

Great. Now do it.

It means your computer is averse to Herald/Sun lies bulldust and propaganda. You have a good computer.

If not for standout games from Fritta, Trac and maybe Bont could’ve jagged the Norm Smith. Players have done less in GF and got one.

Well actually he said none of those things. Roger Daltrey who got his directions mixed up, Mick Jagger who spoke about the hurricane and Peter Noone who liked Mrs. Brown’s daughter, all are in favour of the Dees new base at Caulfield Racecourse.

Hmmm yes, but Lennon also said that the north side of his town faced east and the east was facing south. Also that he was born in a crossfire hurricane. Also that Mrs Brown has got a lovely daughter. Not the most reliable witness!

I wonder what it costs us while we were locked into trying to achieve the impossible?

They used to have one at Craigieburn, but ran out of money/interest long ago and so they left.

still only one oval to accommodate four playing squads do they have another training campus?

If you told me at the time we recruited Schache that we would subsequently go into a game without Petty, JVR, Melksham and BBB (with T Mac grossly out of form) and yet we still couldn’t find room for him in a depleted forward line, you’d probably wonder what the point of his recruitment was. His decent accuracy would be a welcome boost to our forward line but I’m not sure what else he brings to the table. Would be fighting with Fullerton for that potential back up ruck role next year.

needs to become a genuine midfielder at afl level, much as he plays at casey, where he wins a heap of football and uses it well, because as an anb-alike player he doesn't seem to run hard enough nor put on enough defensive pressure

He is a lanky kid who needs 23/24 and 24/25 preseasons to build size and endurance before he can be assessed. So far though he has shown signs of taking one grab marks at the highest point and making the most of opportunities. Not easy to kick bags in a 2023 VFL forward line which had him at different times competing with Brown, Schache, TMac, Grundy. A 2024 at Casey as more of a focal point where he kicks some bags but is inconsistent in output and likely tapers as the season finishes is what I would expect.

In the 2 finals Casey played in 2023, winning the first by 100 odd points, Jefferson averaged 3 disposals, no goals and 0.5 tackles. One disposal of 3 metres his only stat in second final. Will probably need to add to that to warrant promotion.

I've got limited knowledge here too but yes I expect Sestan and Kolt to be competing for the same spot, at least initially. Sestan is a lovely kick off the football, and absolutely knows where the goals are. I'm not sure he'd have the tank to play high half forward or push into the midfield at AFL level, but that can be worked on. Sestan said in an interview earlier this year his preference has been to play as a deeper forward, I interpreted that as a small/medium close to goal forward where he could use his strength and skill to kick goals, but that we'd been making him play high half forward at Casey and running/working harder. From what I've seen of Kolt has a mix of strength in the contest, explosive movement (lateral around and through traffic rather than pure burst speed) but his endurance running allows him to comfortably play up the field. He seems to have some versatility: in his junior teams I think he was allowed to play with more freedom, get outside, use the ball and kick goals, whereas in his senior teams he played a role less forward and more mid. I think we think his ceiling is a Petracca type player, maybe Trac/ANB hybrid. Both are taller than Tapscott was. I suspect much better skilled as well.

As the MELBOURNE Football Club I’d be very happy for us to have a training / administration base at Caulfield, with a satellite base at Casey, and afl games played at the MCG, aflw at princes park and Casey, and vfl and vflw at Casey Representation all over the city!

This proposal at Caulfield is for an Administration and Training facility. How many people on here have visited ( out of the 70K members ) who have actually visited the MCG offices, the AAMI offices or even attended a training session during the year? Not just at finals time. It is not for the fans,....... it is for the club, the players and the administration. And if it is to be in Caulfield, Port Melbourne or Timbuktu, it has to serve that purpose alone. MCG precinct is DEAD. It was never an option because no matter what site was proposed, there just isn't enough land available.

Date of Birth: 26 October 2003 Height: 182cm Weight: 71kg Games CDFC 2023: 19 Goals CDFC 2023: 20 The club’s Next Generation Academy selection from the NT Thunder has great agility and some excellent skill sets. Showed steady improvement after playing in the Casey Demons’ VFL premiership team last year and signed a new contract in August. Retains his place on the rookie list for next season.

Adam is to good for VFL but needs to show he is next in line for his old spot will have stiff competition from Daniel Turner. Provides great depth as well.

I hope it's OK to post this article here. It dovetails with the training camp and hopefully largely avoids any taboo content. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/it-s-all-people-are-talking-about-inside-the-demons-plan-to-regain-respect-20231221-p5eswx.html

Lever = next MFC captain.

Caulfield is looking better and better, 54 hectares and us without a home.👌🤘👍✅💕

I really hope you're referring to Allen Jakovich and not Mark Jackson. I'd even accept Ricky Jackson.

Was he 3rd in the 2km time trial ? Wasn't aware he was that quick over distance. Seems to have a few evasive tricks up his sleeve, Can see him bedding down a spot if he gets some confidence . Has always looked a bit nervous with ball in hand. He was recruited with Bowey as one of the two best kicks in the draft. We haven't really seen that from him yet. Bailey if your reading this, the time is NOW.

that acl seems to have robbed him of a lot of mobility - he's not quite at chris lamb level turning circles, but he's unfortunately not that far off it the amount of instruction he needs to be given from lever and may also tends to indicate that he might be a fantastic athlete but he's not a 'smart' footballer, and our entire gameplan is built around our backline and them making good decisions with and without the ball

Criminally underused by Goodwin. Even gets dropped after a career best performance.

After the passion has cooled, we did pretty well given all our fwd line injuries.

I don’t think many first year players are flying at the end of their first season. Let’s hope he has a huge pre season and sees the year out better in 24. You’d hope he’d be in selection talks by 2nd half of season.

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/club/punt-road-oval-redevelopment

I really do think the Duke will be a tremendous player for the Dees. Classy mover and a fair bit of upside.

Engagement!

Has a bit of mongrel in him. I say yes.

It will be very interesting who out of Collingwood and Richmond end up getting Gosch’s in the year 2050 when we finally move out.

We are more the MCCFC due to our inception.

Im sure the club could arrange for @picket fence & @WalkingCivilWar to have personal parking spaces inside the racetrack, after all, it’d be for providing a huge community service………. the Demonland community!

I'll put this here...congratulations Goldie and David https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=794878449345693&set=a.605499274950279

I'm a 20 plus year member, I live in the NW and if the board think this is the best available place for our home for the next 100 years then im all for it, there is no reason to not back there decision given the incredible turn around our club has made in the last 10 years. I cant wait to make the trip down for family day and enjoy the premiership memorabilia in a proper home for our club.

Supporters finding any and every reason to complain, dump their own issues on the club, and panic at everything. You are right, it really is business as usual.

Port Melbourne is a bastard to get to, by any means, from anywhere.

Yep. The club’s social media is by far the worst in the league. Social media doesn’t move the needle for everyone (understandably) but for the people who do enjoy regular updates, the lack of content and quality of it is rubbish. Minimal photos, next to no training footage, the interviews with players and coaches are just over 1 minute if we are lucky and we are one of the only clubs who doesn’t do press conferences in pre season. Billings, Tholsturp, Brown we still haven’t heard from. Would’ve loved to have heard more from McQualter also. Wish the club would try to improve in this area however they clearly do not care in the slightest since Ben Gibson left.