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The main focus of this morning's training was transition speed. Ball movement was the main focus. There was very little contested work except for a one-on-one marking drill and a two-man ball contest. Player 1 would mark the ball and immediately look left and right to handball to player 2 running by. Player 2 would then kick 20-30m, either laterally or straight ahead, to player 3. The kicking and handball skills were outstanding given the speed the players were travelling and the slippery conditions of the ground. Chocco took this drill and was quiet for the whole duration—a give-away that he was most pleased. Having said this, the players were not yet fatigued, as it was in the first half hour of training. Next, there was a lot of running around the centre square, then running between 50m mark to 50m mark. Standouts were Sharp and Brown. Clarry and Tracc at the back. Aiden J in the middle and not out of place. Last major exercise was a transition drill from one end of the ground to the other with players at high speed connecting with handball and kicking. While it was performed at a high level, it was obvious the players were more fatigued and targets were missed. Not many mind you. Player watch: Jefferson - is a very confident man now and looks imposing. Didn't put a foot wrong in the drills. Fullerton - impressed with his ground ball skills. McAdam - on the rowing machine. Not sure whether he is injured or is just underdone still. Fritsch - running laps. appears to be quad related. Rivers - no sign of him. Langford - similar height to JVR. We are going to love him. Mentha - struggling with fitness which is understandable. Does have some size about him. Kentfield - foot skills a bit iffy. Johnson - does everything pretty well without being exceptional. He is pretty fit. Clarry - certainly does not look like an athlete, but great to see him out there and happy. Lever, Spargo, Lindsay, Campbell - rehab. Finished training with the team signing autographs and having photos taken with over 100 kids. They were off then to Bright.

Horse replaced by Big Cox in a like for like transition.

To be fair he should have resigned during the 3rd quarter of the granny.

Up and about in Mansfield.

And yet we were all in a very dark place.

Tasmania

Numbers announced at training this morning in Mansfield. I only heard Lindsay #20 & Langford #19.

I'm conflicted on what I think about Coaches losing GFs Part of me thinks a coach's job is to get a team in finals and in a position to win a flag which he has done many times. On the day, I put a lot of the blame has to go on the players for not showing up like they did the last 2 GFs. Sure the coach has a big role but what can he really say or do that he hadn't said all throughout the year/s? For the blow-outs, I put the blame firmly on the players for choking

I wish Richmond that same sort of success

Announced at Mansfield today 19 Langford 20 Lindsay

His win rate is less than 1 game per season better than Goodwin and for finals they are equal. Goodwin has only ever coached one finals blow-out, in his first ever finals campaign with a young team with barely a player who had finals experience. Longmire has literally never coached a team with less finals experience than the Demon's have now! Anyway, Longmire is a very good coach who fell short of greatness despite everything in his favour. I'm really just throwing down the gauntlet to any of the Goodwin-hating numbnuts out there who also want to pump Longmire's tyres.

Longmire has been an incredible coach and his consistency across his 14 years puts him right up there with the best coaches. Missing the finals only twice in 14 years in a system that has a salary cap and draft is something that should be celebrated

Does all of this ‘McAdam to retire’ talk stem from one DL poster who also made some Kossie predictions in the off-season that didn’t eventuate? Or am I missing something?

I really really hope he doesn’t read Demonland

Oh to be a club that doesn't leak. This has probably been a conversation with Dean Cox for a couple of months. You can guarantee Cox would have been having significant input into trade and draft conversations with this transition in mind. I have mixed feelings about Longmire's legacy. Zero doubt he is a very good coach, but I cringe when people describe him as great or one of the best. In the end, with a lot of favours going his way (coaching a club in solid form with ideal facilities and established culture, significant home ground advantage, which had already played finals almost continuously for 15 years, and which wasn't subject to the 'natural cycle' thanks to academy pick top-ups) his coaching record is roughly on par with Simon Goodwin.

Well this is and isn't a shock I suspect he has reflected on his past 4 GFs and come to the conclusion that he is not the person to take them to the next step. He was gutted by the capitulation after a stellar year and I can understand why he would say, enough Of course the Board may have come to the same conclusion and he was pushed.....

Took longer then I expected but the Genius that is “Chris from Camberwell” finally called Dwayne to ask why Melbourne wouldn’t consider Longmire

Copped a decent corkie at training last Friday

Crisis at the Swans. Bad culture going all the way back to Dr. Edelsten and Warwick Capper.

Saw the Swans draft another bunch of flankers and decided to pull the plug

West Coast be like..

Xavier Lindsay will wear #20

I can confirm that he will definitely retire, just not sure when

Longmire might be many things, but I doubt he's a cannibal!

Harvey Langford will wear #19

No. With the exception of a possible Category B spot for international players or players from other sports (not considered particularly likely), there are no vacancies on the club’s lists.

Kossie has slimmed down quite a bit.

YouTube his highlights and you'll see a human highlights reel (albeit a lot of his goals were from the goal square) Despite the fact that he couldn't kick more than 30 metres out in his 3 AFL appearances this year, I've seen him (in 2023?) kick a set shot goal down at GMHBA where the 50 metre line meets the boundary line. Basically the toughest set shot in footy. I refuse to believe that a player can lose his talent and ability to play AFL over night. Until he's off the list, there's a still a possibility that he features for us next year. Attending camp is a start.

Magic!

I'm not criticising his record but he's had the living in Sydney allowance for some of it and first dibs on players like Heeney, Mills and Gulden for starters. Given the thrashings in their last two GF's I'm not surprised. As usual the Swans very professional.

5 GFs in 14 years One dimensional and inflexible might be the way to go (I know they lost 4 of 5)

Good to see they gave the Brayden Maynard look alike the cold shoulder.

He would be an outstanding footy manager if we decide to part ways with Richo at the end of 2025.

we could have taken cripps, hodge, judd and pendlebury with that draft and they would have been spuds as we couldnt develop a photograph at the time.

Spoke to two Swans mates and both are ecstatic. Say he is very one dimensional and inflexible. Sounds familiar

I blame the Swanettes.

As soon as Dean Cox ruled himself out of WC job..this was def on the cards. Not bad timing..Cox will effectively be there for the preseason of the whole team. The coaches under pressure next season will be a tad nervous with Longmire in the background…

Would love John Longmire as an assistant coach at the Demons. But I suspect he will take a year or two off coaching and then wait for a coaching opportunity at another AFL Club.

Our contested possessions need a bit of work. IMG_8112.mov

I sincerely hope that his surname doesn't rhyme with "cough".

The Melbourne Football Club has gone bush to a magnificent part of Central Victoria. The boys were photographed today at various locations around Yea - at Sacred Heart Primary School and at Yea High School. Tomorrow, it’s off to Mansfield for Open Training at the Mansfield Recreation Reserve (9am - 10am) followed by a Player Signing Session (10am - 10.15am). If you’re in the area, please report in!

I have a long memory.....

I wondered after the GF how he could summon the energy to front up again after losing four GFs on the trot. No surprise and an honourable departure.

We will find out the reasons at some stage. Certainly hope it is not health related for him or his family. I think it may be, got this offer from Tasmania, love the swans but want a commitment past 2025. Swans sorry John we will review mid year, ok then see ya later.

Maybe he just has had enough? Its a long time in the pressure seat. From what I have seen at the Swans is he probably goes out on his own terms rather than some sort of board coup (of course I could be very wrong).

he looked exhausted post-grand final probably not a huge surprise

No real surprise. Sydney had clearly earmarked a transfer at some stage from Longmire to Cox. Implementing the succession plan now might always have been planned, but just not been made public. It's how stable clubs should operate.

A 15 year old skinny 200cm stripling struggled against 18 and 19 year olds? Hardly a shock…

Looks in reasonable nick. Hope he has a blinder and proves the doubters wrong!