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At Tracc’s first session back he was nervous and it showed. But that was then, now he’s yelling out encouragement and motivating everyone and not keeping a low profile. In particular, he’s very encouraging to Harvey. Tracc’s on the boundary watching Harvey and regularly calling out “that was great, Harvey!” The look of pride on Harvey’s face is priceless. Also, Tracc isn’t holding back one iota. He tackles hard and gets tackled just as hard. Honestly, you wouldn’t know at all what happened to him merely six months ago. Clarrie’s hand update: “it’s [censored] great!” He says it’s 100% back to pre-injury.

I managed to get down to my first training session in a while today and really enjoyed it. I also got to meet Peter Lawrence, as I'm sure others did given he was having a chat to everyone watching. Seemed like a good guy and very passionate about the footy club, whether I agree with everything that has gone on is another thing but I did want to mention that. Here are some very basic notes I took while watching. Given I'm not a regular I don't really have anything to benchmark to and also don't understand a lot of the drills so it is fairly basic! When I first got there they were completing a drill in a diamond shape using the whole ground and running in twos. They were all running incredibly hard and really pushing each other, plus Choco really getting vocal. Seem to be Incorporating match day type running as opposed to just running laps to build fitness. Milkshake running laps and looks to be in some discomfort. Ended up on the bike so must have some type of niggle. Hand balling drill focused on shutting down ball movement once the whistle goes. Lots of celebration when it gets shutdown Watching Trac’s power from 10m away is incredible. He burst through three potential tacklers and gave a big cheer once through. Windsor grabbed at his calf after one of the drills…. Made me panic but seems ok and finished the rest of training. Lindsay just keeps running and running. Looks a highly likely type and can’t wait until he’s in full training mode. Kynan Brown also moved into running about halfway through and he just motored along at a decent click for ages. Langford is an absolute beast of a boy, but didn't get to see too much of him unfortunately. Bailey Laurie’s kicking is elite. Hoping he can have a breakout year… Petty playing as a forward in the match sim to start. Adams runs hard to get a handball from May and then hits his 30m kick. I am holding out hope he will eventually take over form May as a key defender. May get a game this year if desperately needed, but I think 2026 will be when he really starts to ramp up. Kozzy turns it over and Chappy was not happy. Chappy also giving some pretty stern words to Ricky Mentha. Chappy is very vocal and looked to be getting a bit [censored] off at times. Assuming the new game plan he is trying to implement is taking some time as would be expected. Scrappy kick from Langford and petty picks it off his bootlaces and snaps a goal. It’s pretty willing in the match sim. Some genuine slaps of the body happening out there. Skills have been so-so, would’ve liked a bit better but the defensive intensity is really good. Again, hard for me to tell given I don't get down very often. Kalani White showed great courage in getting across to make a spoil. Can imagine it would be intimidating for a 17 year old! He also slotted a few nice goals and looks really athletic. Don’t think Bowey missed a kick the whole session. Think he is ready for a big year. Good thing it’s a pretty full list out there. Really just Lever, Spargo, Lindsay, McAdam and Melk not in full training. Kolt finished training early… hopefully nothing too serious but he was walking back to AAMI park with a trainer as I was leaving. Trac was smiling a lot and very vocal ...

A few observations - Basset, and Jones (Goody observing) had a sim/structural drill going, tackling included, going in at about 60% commitment. It seemed to be about getting the ball out from a stoppage in the backline with kick, when the ball gets locked in by congestion. The other side of the field had Chaplin and, I think Whitford, doing something similar, with the emphasis being locking the ball in. Basset was very vocal, he emphasised that the corridor was sacrosanct, 'give them the boundary'. Langford struggled with the shorts kicks, and decision-making a couple of times. His long kicks were more successful. Campbell moved and handled the ball fairly well for a big man. Good fun watching Viney and Tracc compete against each other. They had some stoppages for the mids, taken by Jones. Two mids on one opposition, crumbing off the rucks, Gawn, Verrall and Campbell. One mid would block, as the other gets a free run to collect the tap. I am yet to see the tall forwards do any ruck work. The forwards all practised set kicking from about 45 metres out, taken by Choco. The backs, with Bassett, practised the basic releases. The full sims were done with plenty of skill, fast ball movement, and a sparse forward line. They had an extensive, intensive session, building well.

Obvious from watching training these early days; we are very fit and transferring the ball with speed (and often, but not always, precision). However, until they start real, full ground match sim, it's a bit like dancing with your sister! Apart from communicating who is not there, and who is in rehab, and who may have picked up a niggle, it's now difficult to be enlightening about projections regarding our progress in 2025. All I can say is that Langford plays round 1 and he improves us. Johnson is putting pressure on key Talls (forwards) with his intensity and athleticism. Tracc is back bigger than before, Clayton is on course to burst back into eye-catching, high disposal, mid-dominance. McDonald is fitter than he has been for a couple of years and Campbell is a legit, road-tested Max-back-up option!

I must admit I'm very excited about not only hearing how impressive Brown has been at training but also his potential going into next year. He's clearly made a statement with the condition he's come back in but also coming 2nd in the 2km time trial which is an impressive feat for a second year player. His form at Casey was underrated this year and I wouldn't be surprised if he's in our best 23 come the end of next year as a half forward midfielder. He is my pick to replace ANB. Tough and quick left footer that reminds me a lot of Kieren Jack who was also a tough and honest midfielder for Sydney.

Going well! Has put on bulk around the hips. Looks taller than last season. Getting involved in the sims. Listening to and executing the instructions. This morning he was working hard, getting off the blindside of defenders, and in constant movement. Didn't get many passes to him, continued to offer options. His handball and field kicking have also improved, has great hands. Has a reliable set shot. The tackling effort is still lacking, or it maybe that he cannot read defensiveness well. Starts a step behind and doesn't straight line with gusto, though can zone defend reasonably well. During drills he is as clean as anyone. Looking happy. Must be a chance to get a start this year.

I never preface a report of a conversation with “He/she may not be telling me the truth but he/she said…” because I assume everyone already knows there’s a possibility that he/she isn’t telling the truth. In this instance Judd brought the subject up which leads me to believe he was 100% sincere, but as @bing181 said, I shouldn’t have to justify myself. edit: a former poster put up with this ‘til she couldn’t any longer. I don’t want a repeat of this.

Big thanks to ww, dAJ, Ghost Writer, Kev Martin for your training reports and all posters for their observations and special comments. I am getting some real positive vibes about our group.😁

Spent about 45 mins there for the first time in many a season. Very impressed with the quality of training and ball movement - picking a starting 22 is going to be tough work on the selection committee Was surprised about the size of Lindsay - he is definitely bigger than I was expecting - ripped and should slot straight in

Definitely looks like Mitch Hardie. Racked up some massive numbers at VFL for the cats and was pretty stiff not to get a game at AFL level. If he's signed at Casey then that's a great get for our VFL team.

This is true. I can hardly post an entire 20-minute conversation verbatim, but I wanna share the general vibe which in this case was great. This kind of response is exactly what happened when I had a very similar conversation with Kozzie’s partner, and that situation’s turned out fine.

Relax y’all… I had an awesome chat with Judd’s girlfriend Lily at last night’s B&F about a range of things (hair and nails and makeup. You know, the important things) and there’s “absolutely no way he’s going back to WA.” Judd came over and we stopped talking but he guessed what we’d been discussing and he confirmed that he’s not interested at all in returning to WA.

Thanks to all the track watchers for their reports today and earlier this preseason! From far off Sydney, you've all had me singing in anticipation (much to my coworkers' distress). A taster of said singing (with apologies to Andy Williams...) 🎶🎵🏉🎄🏉🎵🎶 It's the most wonderful time of the year With the draft kids a tackling And everyone telling you "Clarry and Trac are now here" It's the most wonderful time of the year It's the hap-happiest pre-season of all With those houses trained down And happy meetings where players hunt for the ball It's the hap-happiest pre-season of all 🎶🎵🏉🎄🏉🎵🎶

Maysie trained well despite having the worst night in terms of disrupted sleep since Millie was born. He says it’s his own fault though because the night before (Saturday night) he had a great night’s sleep, the best by far, and he went around yesterday morning bragging to everyone about it and clearly jinxed himself. 😅

He’s doing a lot of agility and very structured short running for a shoulder. Might be knee related shoulder surgery

Match sim. Lovely mark on the lead by Dees CHF Harry Petty (they’re playing with a backline of Judd and Windsor most of the key backs are rolling through a forward line). Jed Adams nice run and receive on the next piece of play. Bad Harry Sharp turnover kicking to Bowser. Clarry and Tracc racking them up

We are also somewhat lucky that our nadir years 2019 and 2024 have coincided with years we haven’t traded our top draft pick the year before.

For a side with our record in 21-23, bringing in essentially 4 top 10 picks is great work. The list management and drafting team are terrific at identifying picks they want and dealing to get the draft capital they need. Its very hard to do when you have 17 other teams trying to do the same thing

I'm not saying Jeffo has no neck but I was singing Gladstone Gladstone Gladstone Small Gladstone Small Gladstone Small to myself when I saw this pic

Petts may be used as a swing man , depending on circumstances and opposition.

Kolt, Kalani and the new boys jogging laps. Main group just doing end to end lane work with 2 vests v 3 cones at each end and a 2v1 defenders in the middle to link up. Really simple but fundamental running and decision making. Now with 2 footies so it’s getting all multi ball

Noticing Nathan Bassett much more today. He is taking the main, full group ball movement activity, with Goody looking on. Bassett barking instructions constantly

If you have an ounce of sense, you know to take this with a grain of salt. What isn't necessary is sniping at people simply providing information.

You don't have to justify yourself. Thanks again for the great insights, which I'm sure the vast majority of us here really appreciate.

I was there this morning and don't have a heap to add except that Jeffo looks bigger and stronger than last year. He is a curious body shape, almost hunched making me wonder how tall he would be with a few Alexander technique classes. The most important thing I wanted to make was that he marks out in front of himself with fully extended arms which I love.

I have a feeling he had to tend to another matter unrelated to training because the admin staff seemed to be giving him a rundown so maybe it’s a media thing. 🤷‍♀️ Speaking of, Tom Campbell was being interviewed after training by a ch. 10 reporter named Nick Butler (who’s a former player, apparently). The focus of the interview is how he’s settling in with us. It’ll be on the 5pm news.

Petts has been training with the forwards for the entire session.

That’s Mitch Hardy, a Casey player.

It was reported that Rick had post season shoulder surgery.

Exactly. I don’t think Brisbane get enough credit for their flag with three genuine best 23 players out with ACL’s and then their gun ruckman missing a GF! imagine if we lost Gawn on GF day. Meanwhile Fremantle miss the finals after being 12-6-1 and their supporters simply blame injuries.

Yee of little faith. If you take last years result and add Petracca, Oliver, Langford, Lindsay, preseasons into Petty, Spargo, a fit Salem, Bowey and May and then add another preseason into Windsor, JVR, Kolt, Turner and add Rivers to the midfield what exactly aren’t you confident about?

Some stuff about Tracc, notes the guys in the rehab group, and the following ‘players who impressed’ Harvey Langford - The No. 6 pick looks ready made for the level. Already a good size, Langford found himself in the right position on multiple occasions with space and execution to deliver inside 50. Kozzy Pickett - Pickett, who will miss the first three games in 2025 due to suspension, was playing through the middle during the full-ground drill. He put his speed to good use and also delivered a few pinpoint passes going inside 50. Tom Campbell - Now at his 3rd AFL club, the 201cm ruck seems set to be the backup ruck for Premiership captain Max Gawn alongside Will Verrall. The experienced Campbell was clean at ground level and showed some good acceleration during the full-ground drill, also showcasing impressive skills for a big man. Kynan Brown - The father-son product, who played two games in his debut season, was speedy and was brushing off tacklers with relative ease. Featured in some drills but ran laps for the majority of the session. Also looked to have put on some muscle.

He stood out because he’s tall and was well-dressed and was wearing TV makeup.

I attended some of the training session. Very impressed with with the quick balling moving drill conducted by Choco. Choco was saying keep your eyes open at all times. Petty was training with forwards today, which suggests that he may be a swing man.

And we are lovers of the " general vibe" here on DL.

And ironically some of those who aren't are often the very same people who banged on about the club being in crisis because 'where's there's smoke there's fire' - you know, the general vibe.

They have been simming and drilling in very congested areas. A marked change from early last season. When they structure up with a crowded forward line, the instructions I have heard have been, 'look and kick it to where the leading forwrd wants it'. A few of the sims when crowded had them putting the ball infront of JVR who wanted it above the pack for a strong specky attempt, hit the pack, and have a front and centre ready. Big change is that the crumbers are being drilled, working together, and making sure that someone is there at the crumb (hard running). Chandler reads it well. Kossie's snaps are a beautiful thing to see, so very consistent. They haven't given up on the kind of bomb it in theory.

I really rate this kid as a high quality role player in the back half. Can lock down well whilst showing he has excellent rebounding skills with his sharp pace, good decision making and efficient kicking. Not a fan of seeing him in the midfield. Don't mind they gave it a crack late in the year with nothing to lose to see how he'd go, but he's far more valuable as an asset down back. I'd be amazed if West Coast and Fremantle weren't fair dinkum having a crack at this kid. That's just the price you pay for having good players at your club. Just like I'd be amazed if we weren't continually talking to every Victorian kid with talent who plays in SA, NSW, QLD or WA. I'm not a believer of him being a future All-Australian or anything like that - primarily as he's a defender who defends instead of zoning off getting 25 touches - but there is no reason he won't be a 200-250 gamer for the club and finish multiple Melbourne B&Fs in the top 10.

Parking meter beckons… chat later.

TBH I didn't think we'd have a good season the minute it was announced Gus was retiring, given how late it was in the season. Then when Trac got hurt that pretty much sealed the fate for us. Last summer was a sh*tstorm, which was very disabling for the team. This year I don't see that same climate. Clarry is in a much better headspace than he was last year, Trac has worked hard to get back to where he was before his injury, they've drafted well and the kids are developing nicely, and for me the biggest factor is the court case looming over Goody is gone, and he seems much happier and more focussed. I have optimism for next year.

Looks like very close to 100% attendance. Kelani is back. Same group in rehab.

Are we? Three weeks before the end of the season there was still a chance of making finals. We only finished 14 because it was such a close season. In 2021 GWS had exactly the same win/loss numbers as we did this year, and they finished 7th.

Agreed. Absolutely no need for this. If you disagree with what someone is saying just ignore it 🤯

Easier draw, a version of Clayton Oliver back that resembles that pre-2024 model, and the younger guys to hit the ground running and we'll play finals

Surprised this hasn't been highlighted more. For all the Tim Lamb criticism, he has done a stellar job in this, no doubt with input from others in the FD. I don't know about premierships, but we have the makings of a team that can remain competitive for the next decade.

Depleted list?? BRISBANE WON the G.F with 4 of their best players out! Dont EVER blame injuries! We had a shocking game plan masterminded by flawed coaching IMO!

Lay off.

I didn’t bring up the subject of him going or staying, he did.