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As usual the early bird gets the worm. Advertised to start at 10.30 training started shortly before 9.30 and to retain consistency I was straight over to the rehab group. In attendance were Hannan, Smith, Melksham, Brayshaw and Chandler. All did full rehab which includes agility, kicking, marking, goal practice, and multiple runs along the boundary at full pace. Interestingly though Smith was only kicking with his left so I'd imagine a small issue with his right foot but nothing major given his rehab program. All these guys will be good when over known issues and Melk and Smith look fine. Gawn and Spargo were doing slow runs along the boundary. We know Max's situation but Spargo has obviously got an issue. There was no indication what it might be but he is in the initial stages of rehab so I think he's weeks away. Bennell turned up later to do his usual program which hasn't changed since he's been at the club. These are based on slow half paced runs along the boundary. He clearly got bored as he grabbed a ball and was bouncing it as he ran but to mix it up a bit he'd bounce it with one hand and catch it with the other. He never used two hands. The guy is a freak. There was no sign of May, Petty (who watched for a while), Cory Wagner and KK and all others did full training. To cut to the chase let's talk Hibbo and AVB. I was standing about 20 metres from where he can off and the issue was with his right foot. He was limping quite noticeably. Shoe and sock off and he seemed to be looking at the ball of his foot. The trainer/physio spent quite some time taping the bottom of the foot but there was little or no "pushing and prodding" to identify sore areas. Boots back on and a small jog but to no avail and Vanders was off for the day. For my untrained eye I think is more blister related than structural and I'm not overly worried at this stage. While all this was going on Hibbo appeared to twist and ankle. He hobbled to the boundary behind the goals and seemed in some trouble but after a physio went to look at him he was back into the match sims and appeared okay but he too left training early. It doesn't seem a big issue. Preussy also left training early with what looked like a kick on the calf but his info was from Saty, I didn't see it happen or see him leave. So the good was to see Hannan and Melk look close and Maxy running. The bad was injuries to AVB, Hibbo and Preuss and the mystery of May and Petty. And the ugly was Harmes horror training session where everything (bar injury) that could go wrong pretty much did. He's been a star on the track this preseason but not today. Even kicks to him in match sim were cut off and I think he should ditch the new yellow boots he was sporting. As for the session itself it was pretty standard fare. Warm ups, kicking, handball drills, individual training for Weid who was practicing his marking and match sims. They mix it all up. There will usually be two or three three quarter ground match sims mixed in with a whole range of different drill usually involving about 10 to 12 players in 3 different groups rotating through the set. Of note today in the first match sim particularly was Oscar Baker. He was in everything, his kicking was really good and he outpointed Tomlinson for quite some time. But he faded as the session went on and was utterly spent at the finish and could hardly raise a gallop. So much for being "ready to go" when you get out of rehab. Of the rest of the players it was an even performance with nobody really standing out and everyone having a moment or two. Perhaps the other standout was Jones who looks in great nick. Let's hope for the best with AVB, we might not know for a while as he usually doesn't do Wednesday sessions. And news on May would also be good. ? SATYRICONHOME'S TRAINING REPORT ? MITCH CLEARY'S TRAINING REPORT ⚕️ STEVEN MAY INJURY UPDATE ? DEESPICABLE'S TRAINING REPORT

OK, Baghdad Bob has most things covered but from what I saw: Vanders - had looked in great nick until he stretched for an errant Kossie handball. It looked to me like he stubbed his toe chasing the handball down, but he was clearly a bit sore, and laughed off the first trainer before finishing early. It could be as simple as a blister, but anything to do with the feet for him worries all of us. Hibberd - backed into a pack and flying Fritter caught him around the hip region - as mentioned on website a corky is likely. Did resume some training before heading off early. Nice to see Tomlinson and Baker do full sessions and Hannan did more running and kicking than I've seen for quite a while - looks close to resuming. Melky did a lot of rehab with him - nor sure why, probably still sore from his wedding night. Smith and Brayshaw did 15 sets of 100,80,60m and I reckon Angus will be having an afternoon nap now. But I reckon his effort to stick with our No.1 athlete for almost every sprint was the best performance of the day. If Gussie keeps this up, he'll be an absolute livewire this season. As for Smithy, he looks in super shape for his matchup with Jack Darling in Rd 1. As to his left-foot kicking, he reckons he was just giving his right-foot a rest and judging by his balldrop, he does need to keep practising his lefties. Others to catch my eye: ANB: I keep going on about him, but today he even nailed a set shot in front of the group from 45-50m out. He is constantly intercepting and tackling. Yep he has to do it in a game, but his pre-season work has been unbelievable. Trac: The club reckons he'll play forward and mid and I'm sure he will, but he is everywhere at the moment. His effort dispatching three opponents in a tackling drill was the stuff of Rene Kink. The club has to figure out whether they can afford to have two pods chasing the tap in the middle at the one time or whether Olly and him just keep rotating through there. T.Mac - Yes I know he's not fashionable either, but his hands are vice like and he looks a tad quicker when presenting. Obviously the real test will come when opponents get serious, but he now looks like an arrogant key forward, which is what we want him to be. Jay Lockhart - Really love what he's done pre-season. He's just so nimble and evasive and his kicking is really sound. Whether he gets a game will depend on injury, but he's a very classy defender and my smoky for the Liston Trophy. Main worry: No May again and no Petty.

Please stay away from training in future.

? BAGHDAD BOB'S TRAINING REPORT ? SATYRICONHOME'S TRAINING REPORT ? MITCH CLEARY'S TRAINING REPORT ⚕️ STEVEN MAY INJURY UPDATE ? DEESPICABLE'S TRAINING REPORT A sight to hopfeully unite Dees fans who seem a bit edgy at the moment.

The medicos didn't look overly concerned with Vanders, after a looksee and discussion Hibbo just walked past me in Edwina with a pressure bandage on his calf/knee, again doesn't look major Preuss went off as well, again nothing major Hannan is really close, my lady who got to training, was impressed when he was chasing a loose ball and 'hopped' over the fence He was doing all the ability work without an issue ? MITCH CLEARY'S TRAINING REPORT ⚕️ STEVEN MAY INJURY UPDATE ? DEESPICABLE'S TRAINING REPORT

I'd be very suprised if AVB's injury was anything serious. There was a lot of laughing and joking going on between him and the trainers. I heard the corcky mentioned with Hibberd, fingers crossed that's the case.

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would tbh. And my 7 year old is absolutely pumped for footy season. Straight after watching it, the footy was out and he wanted to watch highlights of the 2018 finals wins. For that reason alone, anybody saying it’s a bad idea is just straight up wrong.

I enjoyed the first segment but believe it could have done with more nudity.

So after watching it, i dont get why anyone would be critical. Some genuine insider stuff there, without any rose coloured glasses or spin. 8 mins of going over how bad we were last year, and just touching on the clubs plan to get better. Look forward to seeing the rest of it already. Might even convince me to renew my membership.................................................. Anyone critical of that is a sourpuss.

amazing how fast the love disappears for players near the end of their careers! Jonesy was never a star of the game but he well may have been at least pushing that tag if he was playing w a finals team, where he wasn’t always expected to be the main battering ram . He sacrificed a lot to lead and stay w us...in the darkest of dark times. I still feel big gratitude to him.

May has fluid in the knee, I am lead to believe, as a result of the clean-up op. He will be off training for the next week. I am no Dr, so can't elaborate, but having had knee issues myself, know that this is a pretty normal part of post-surgery. Not ideal though. Admin Edit: CONFIRMED ? DEESPICABLE'S TRAINING REPORT

For some silly reason my only issue going in was the Title. In fact I still think a more accurate but certainly less catchy and hashtaggable title would be The Road Back from Hell or simply The Road Back ... No matter what the actual meaning of the Title is and refers to it will always be misconstrued to us prematurely coming back and will be used as a weapon to ridicule and judge the team like the cancelled preseason camp would have been had we failed to make the finals that year. The truth will be lost in the narrative that those that wan't to bring us down want to advance. Sometimes those inside the nest are the biggest culprits.

Do people ever just watch something with no expectations ? Enjoyed.

I loved getting to see something we've virtually never been shown before. The coach's first address to the players to set up the pre season and the next season. Followed by the new head of conditioning setting out the plan. It wasn't what they said it was the fact that we got to see them saying it. Personally I"ve never seen that before. I love it. Best thing I've seen the Club do. For those of you who don't want to hear anything from the Club until there's results from games why are you even commenting about this. You're in the wrong place. Go back into hiding till round 1.

Based on the last line from Jonesy, he has felt the burden of the disappointment of 2019 and the disappointment of the Decade! This is insightful to me because it shows that Chunk has the self awareness to realise he was carrying too much and it was time to step back and allow himself to enjoy the time he has left in the game. The fact that he mentioned the 'Decade' shows to me how much he felt he has let down the supporters and most likely, himself as player and captain. If you can't see that, DS, or don't want to see it, that can't be helped. Also, the speeches appear to be in the lunch/break out room where most of the players probably gather and socialise at the club. I enjoyed the insight into the club but also realise it's only the set up for the rest of the series. I will be interested in what is to come leading into the season proper.

Must say I liked Goodies line about enjoying our footy - hopefully that goes for supporters too. Fair enough for Jonesy to be tired of bearing the brunt of the leadership burden too. I'd forgotten that Viney now has 112 games under his belt and I recon it's time that a bunch of blokes like Harmes, Trac, Brayshaw, Oliver, Samlem, Freitch, Lever, Oscar to step up and assume the mantle of leaders at the club in their own ways. They are not kids anymore and I have the potential to lift the team to that next level if they can lead the way. Not a chip on them at all, just the next evolution in theirs and the teams development to start behaving and playing like a mature football club.

agreed.....getting good training reports this year

On the title as i have previously posted i wonder if the wording was a deliberate choice to create some of the confected huff puffery that played out on SEN. Trolling if you will. #anynewsisgoodnews The other day i was driving at around 3pm and listening to SEN (which i never usually listen to during the day as i'm at work). I'm not sure who was/is on but he was banging on about the doc and in particular the title. He then played the cornes palaver in full, some more comments from him and then played Garry Lyon's response from the day after Cornes (in short pull your head in ****knuckle). And finished with some more of his own comments. About 10 minutes of free publicity for an in house video that had yet to be aired. In addition to all of the previous on air discussion and social media. Gold I listen to RSN sports breakfast and the they were all talking it up this morning. They may not have even known about if not for cornes' comments.

Felt for him. Spent years leading us when we were awful. Got a taste of success only to have it all go to [censored] again. Last year broke many of us. Imagine how much worse it would have been for the captain.

If you have a look through other forums, groups, comments sections, you'll see that Nathan Jones is the most respected player Melbourne has, and has had for a long time. Other supporters, from the outside looking in, have witnessed him being bashed around by their clubs for a decade and have a lot of respect for him. His best years as a footballer were our worst years as a club, and I believe that he is looked down upon as a player and has unfairly and inaccurately been labelled as purely blue collar. He was good through the Neeld years and excellent with Roos, when Cross, Vince and Tyson came into the team. If he was drafted by the Cats or Hawks, he'd have 3 or 4 flags. He has dropped off in his later years, as all players do, but that shouldn't change the player that he was. Round 1 spot is his to lose at this stage.

Aah, the self anointed 'expert' film critics that feel a need to be critical... just like the 'real' film critics... always an opinion, never realising that they are not representative of the wider audience. I never take any notice of the 'real' film critics... I see a movie that I am interested in and make up my own mind. Enjoyed this insight into the mind-set of our football team. There was a time when supporters would grab the Saturday evening Sporting Globe on the way home which would have a report on the first half of the game you just viewed in first person... The Herald would have the final scores, printed in red (I think) on the back page of the early evening edition. When you got home from the match you might have had a half hour replay (if your team was playing one of the big 4) on Saturday night... then WOS on Sunday morning for 'expert' analysis. Now we have the good fortune to view a very well constructed review of pre-season, a narrative from the inner sanctum, and we have the drop-kick media critics here claiming it was below par! Get a life! Bring on episode two!

I'll indulge this for a moment. While what we're doing is a longer version than most, every club does this over pre-season. Look at the Hawks website - an interview with Gunston about how he is still passionate about being a leader, Mitchell's 'off field growth' coming to fruition and so forth. Every single club does puff pieces over the summer. You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

Jones was a star in our team with zero support. The only bloke that would crack in every game. Jones’s development was hindered because he was drafted by the MFC and not a professional outfit during the peak of Jones’s career. I would have loved to see him in Geelongs team in Lieu of Selwood. You have called Jones an ordinary footballer far to often mate.

Nothing episode. Goody - lets train hard Burgo - be fit Some players ran some laps A snipped of Nath Jones giving a largely uninspiring speech in some kind of foyer which seems to be how we do most things these days - shades of Lewis' retirement with no one paying attention. Bennell, Vanders, new recruits - trade and draft, maybe even some snippets of a coaching meeting. There's a few more interesting stories that hopefully we get to see but it wasn't tonight.

Positional Rankings are in and as expected the Dees have slid down the list.

This is a concept that I am very guilty of harping on about. There’s a good little clip here of his highlights playing the small forward role... https://www.reddit.com/r/melbournefc/comments/defpnf/crystal_ballin_with_his_first_preseason_at_the/ There are some very classy, instinctive passages of play here (with the kind of results you want), and to think he was only settling in without a helluva lot of game-conditioning behind him, it’s gotta be an option worth exploring.

Geez Louise... there's a lot more to worry about than the title of a promo video

You assume that the title refers to team performance. I think it probably refers to the players (and Club's) feelings and mindset indicating that whilst they were in hell last year, and understandably so, this year they have done the work and are fit and feel confident they can perform, hence "back". Of course I might be wrong, but so might you, the difference being you've gone off hald cocked without knowing the facts, most haven't.

Was very consistent until falling through a windows...devastating blow but that was our luck in the mid 90s.

He played 162 games.

One of the most pleasing things about the whole concept of this series is that it is effectively removing all excuses. It's not a safe message. The media and general public will hammer the club for this if we have a bad season and I think those responsible for the series know it. Our collective balls are on the line.

This smells likes 2019 all over again.

Players I spoke to at Maroochy said if they feel any sort of little niggle they need to inform the staff and get off for a check so hopefully only minor and await the reports later.

@Baghdad Bob @Satyriconhome @george_on_the_outer - Other trackwatchers? Any confirmation of this?

Go Maxi baby...

Jones deserves a send off similar to what the Hawks gave Crawford. I truely hope he gets it.

Wow, now I'm really impressed. This was my first reaction.

Nice house Chunk. That’s about it.

I was also extremely disappointed at the end of 2017 and seriously thought we had missed our chance. Jonesy is a part of that, but so was Max, T Mac and Viney (coming back too early from his foot injury) etc. They stood up in 2018 and finally got it right towards the end of the year, but in 2019 the likes of Max, Viney and Jones had to stand up while the rest of the team fell down around them. Trac, Harmes, Clarry were exceptions. Rather than derailing another thread, I will simply say you have your view, DS and I have mine. Jones may not be the player he once was but he is a champion person. Nno matter what happens in the next year (or two), the way he spoke shows to me he will do his best to ensure he plays his role as a player in his twilight years, to try to set the club up for success he will likely not be an active part of.

I must say this was not what I expected. In a very good way. I'm not sold on the title but the message so far is on point and as others have mentioned it was a great insight into the inner workings of the preseason. Having said that all the words and platitudes mean nothing if it's not back up. Proof will be in the pudding. Bring on Round 1.

Was great! A really interesting insight. Looking forward to the Bennell and Vanders stuff next week.

I don’t believe Chunk was ever going to give up the chance to reach 300.

He was very ordinary last year. Loyalty aside. i am hoping he finds it hard to get a game in 2020

People invest in the women’s game for a few reasons. For some just the presence of a MFC jumper is enough; personally for me I just think it’s important that the competition succeeds for the good of the game. The one thing the batshit boring “world game” has had over us for years is that girls can play too. Once invested, you see the spectacle in a different light. The standard in my son’s year 4 basketball team is pretty low compared to the NBA, but I’m invested so when the games are tight and tense I stress, barrack and feel all the same things I do during a tight MFC game. I don’t sit there thinking “man the standard is low, I’m bored.” Of course people who aren’t invested are going to be bored watching it.

I saw RDB play a fair bit of footy first with us then with Carlton who were very often televised in the mid to late 60s, then at Port Melbourne. He was my favorite player as a kid and because I really didn't understand the reasons he left MFC until much later, it hurt to see him play at other clubs. Much as I wanted to have his endeavour and spirit and attitude (and a little did rub off), as a footballer he was not quite in the talent class of Darly Bulldock, Kevin Murray or Ted Whitten his peers of the day. RDB was guts and determination and he pushed himself to his limits. As a player who was able to read the play to find the ball, miraculously create time where no time for decision making existed and then to CONSISTENTLY execute the required skill, by hand or foot, in my view Robert Flower was without peer. His slim physique should have been an impairment to his durability as a player, but it wasn't. Rob could carry injury and fans were often not aware of it, such was his graceful ability and timing to get the ball and avoid being tackled by the opposition. There are plenty of other players who had a bigger impact for us, but they played in a different time or could not last the journey of a full career. Rob played when we were rubbish. He was the only reason I went to the G for a decade to see us get flogged. In his interview with Mike Sheahan he said he always felt we had a chance, that was hard for me to understand as a spectator but easy for me to understand as an observer of a player who lived and breathed red & blue. He could see nothing else but the spirit that was the club at that time, knocking back money and finals to be true to himself and his club mates. May he rest in peace and from a good place, soon see his club finally secure his football life's dream.

At one point Goody mentions that our poor 2019 gifted us a "golden ticket" the first part of which was the extra time they had to work on their fitness and game prior to next year... I was wondering what the other elements of the "golden ticket" are, so figured I'd list them. Golden ticket parts Additional Pre-season time to prepare (recover from surgery, etc...), Access to higher draft picks (Jackson, Picket), Improved draw, Hunger driven from humiliation at 2019, at individual and team levels, Distillation of what works from what does not work, across the club, and renewed focus on what works. One of the things Part 1 reminded me is that aside from (or as a result of) our crap onfield performance in 2019, we have been aggressively moving well to take full advantage of the "Golden ticket" with the appointment of Burgess, focused and successful trade and draft, and early pre-season intent and healthy hours at high level being pumped into the team... Jones call out to his team mates to stand up and take on more leadership (interesting to note who the camera identified as he said this i.e. Trac, Brayshaw ... Bring on Part 2... Go Demons.

Felt sorry for Billy Stretch being at the rev up from Goody and Burgess and then goes and gets delisted...

Go the Dees! We won yesterday! A superb victorious effort by the AFLW Demons with a 2 point win over North! Go you good things - such a good start to the season! For all those who are confused about the AFLW season (which Melbourne has started brilliantly) I did some research: I was unaware of the conference system, the crossover games, the 8 week fixture and the 3 week finals. My summaries are attached (hopefully) FYI.AFLW 2020 explained.pdf GO DEES!