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What I dearly hope to see some day In: Sanity Out: BS health and safety protocols

Spoiler alert - the book ends with his mysterious disappearance at quarter time down Casey way last weekend. Can't wait to the sequel.

This why Goodwin placed a premium from the start on "goers" and why guys like ANB & Harmes kept getting games even when not setting the world on fire, and guys like Watts and Hogan were shipped out without a second thought. You can' t fake it, and other clubs can up their fitness levels and so on, but they can't catch up on that drive to contest until they recruit for it and turn over their lists. Adelaide won their first flag like that and I wonder if it was a formative experience for the young Goodwin.

Jack Viney is a huge loss. His form has been fantastic and complements Trac and Clarrie perfectly. It will be interesting to see how they adjust.

Amazing. I had a look at the back page and it goes:- I felt rather light-headed early in the game at Casey Fields against Coburg so I sauntered off to the forward line where I managed to attract the football and some good fortune in the stiffening breeze. The umpire paid me two free kicks in a row. I kicked them through the goals both times and as I ran near the crowd the second time, I noticed one of the young fans who I knew by the name of Dorothy, clapping her hands excitedly until a moment later, the wind strengthened and a heavy shadow fell on our part of the ground. I realised we were in the eye of a tornado which lifted us up and dropped us on an unknown land. I must have passed out because when I came to, I was with Dorothy, a man dressed as a Lion who I figured was the mascot for the Coburg Lions, a ragged looking bum dressed like a Scarecrow and a strange character who called himself “Tin Man”. One of the local little league teams, “The Munchkins”, were also hanging around looking strange. One of them said, “We’re in the land of Oz”, and I replied, “Yeah, I know that but how do we get back to Casey Fields? The team needs me!” And that’s it … the rest is blank pages.

I love watching goal celebrations now where the focus is on rewarding and congratulating the players that did the effort/work rate/1%/unselfish acts as well as celebrating with whoever kicks the goal. The Sparrow effort leading to the Fritta goal was a great example of this. It's also good when the crowd gets in on this. The reception for May after some of his efforts in the third quarter by the MCC was perfect. Our supporters are now growing in awareness of the efforts that are leading to our success and showing their appreciation. A stark contrast to the groans that used to echo around the 'G after a turnover.

Mostly because the game is on Sunday

A lot of intelligent posts here. As mentioned an amazing turnaround in team fitness and attitude. I was one of thousands of Dees supporters that groaned in the stands as we watched players stand and watch their opponents run away with the ball. Lacking fitness, application and attitude. Even teams like the Giants would brush our players aside and run away. Now we have gone past all other sides like a Formula One race car. What has happened ? Great coaching. Not just in coaching application but in building a great culture. Great recruiting with a focus on experienced players and youngsters that fill a roll. Not just look for the best, but look for players that play a role. Building a team based skill set. A total commitment from coaches and players to effort, to the contest, to improving skills, to playing team first football. A total commitment to individual and team goals. Individual and team effort are indivisible. Training, training and more training. Training with purpose, but training in an intelligent and consistent manner. Importantly training as you play so it seems perfectly normal to transfer this method of training to match day. You turn up and play exactly as you train. Understanding that success can only be maintained by singleminded effort day after day , year after year. If you get complacent or tired then someone will knock you off. Reaching a point where the individual player and the team have confidence that their fitness, skills and game plan are the best in the competition. Understanding that continued success means that these things need to be maintained. A win at all costs attitude. Strong bodies and strong belief. In this regard, I recommend a read of Kevin Sheedys book on Aust sporting icons. It tells you everything about application, attitude and effort. An understanding that the development of these things take years not weeks or months. There is where you need to pick the right people and support them in times of disappointment and failure. In many cases, coaches become great coaches when they have been supported in the bad times. Likewise players. So you need a strong united Board with the same goals and without ego or pursuit of opportunistic outcomes. Goodwin understands all this. Even after losses, he talked about building not just a great side but building a great club with a great culture. Clearly, it’s not just Goody but everyone in the club. There is an alignment of purpose and application. Hopefully, all these things will be remembered when challenged and threatened after a bad loss or string of losses.

While we notice work rate when it results in goals or directly stopping an opponents goals, it's the seemingly unrewarded work rate which should get a special mention. That's the wingers and half forwards running back to help the defenders. Players like Spargo and Neal-Bullen who end up deep in the back half when they are nominally forwards. Or like Langdon, Jordon and Harmes (when on the wing) who continually run back and forward to create options, even if they're not being used. Effort after effort.

The recruitment of Ed Langdon has, in my opinion, been the most significant adjustment in our game plan that has brought us a flag and continued success in 2022. His up and down running has forced the whole team to adopt a "wave" pattern attack on the game like a reciprocating piston. The whole team moves up and then back as required to ensure solid coverage in all parts of the ground. Superior fitness and outstanding discipline are the keys. GO GOODY GO DEES

Melbourne has been very good with its communications lately but there seems to be a bit of a blind spot in some areas of reporting. When Mitch Brown was forced off the ground after a behind the play incident in the Casey v Essendon game, we heard very little about what really happened, whether the injury (did it turn out to be a concussion?) was investigated or a report was lodged. On the weekend, Majak Daw, selected as usual in the ruck for the Casey Demons, took his place on the forward line, kicked two goals early (both from free kicks) and wasn’t to be seen again after quarter time. Someone said that he had a fitness test but his name didn’t come up in the injury report so we are all none the wiser as to his disappearance so early in the game. So what’s the mystery? Is the story somehow protected by the Official Secrets Act or is there nothing in it? Postscript: On a recent holiday, I found Majak’s biography on a shelf in a bookstore and I bought it. I’m just about to start reading it so hopefully I’ll have more insight into Majak soon enough.

1. Melbourne Wing Duo: Ed Langdon and James Jordon It was only ever going to be one team at the top spot with Ed Langdon being the premier wingman of the competition. In previous seasons, it was Angus Brayshaw and Langdon who would dominate the wide areas and play their role to perfection, which was crucial to their drought-breaking premiership win last season. However, Brayshaw has found himself slotting into the backline at the Dees, leaving emerging gun James Jordon to take his position on the wing - and what a job he has done in 2022. After making his debut last year, Jordon is averaging 21 disposals and three marks in his second season, with his pressure and hard-running making him an important player in the Melbourne 22. The 21-year-old looks set for big midfield minutes for the reigning premiers and will take his game to a new level. Langdon has started 2022 in typical Ed Langdon fashion, averaging 24.8 disposals and 4.8 marks a game as well as spending 100% time on the ground in the opening three rounds. Langdon's endurance and ability to always be an option for transitional football is the reason he is the best in the competition. Not only individually, but Melbourne's usage of their wings sets them apart from any other team in the competition and is a big reason for their premiership success last season.

Clarry hit his straps with his first game at the club & has been a star ever since 3 time b&f, 2021Coaches player of the year etc etc & he’s only 24 Get him signed for the next 6 years

I just watched our goals again from last week on the website. Tom Sparrow comes from behind the centre square and sprints to the forward pocket to tap the ball in for a goal. Kozzie runs from well behind the centre square and kicks it to a contest where he runs into it himself and kicks a goal. The week before Jordon sprinted from our forward line all the way too their goal square just to get a touch on it. I haven't even mentioned Oliver, Petracca or Gawn We look like a team of millionaires at the moment but it is our work rate that sets us apart

I suspect Tom Sparrow will be chomping at the bit to take the opportunity to fill Jack Vineys role.

....and the reason it will be mid-year because that is when the new AFLPA bargaining agreement is expected to be signed. At the moment Clubs and players don't know how much money is in the pot. It has to be signed sometime between June and end of October. Once it is then the pie can be divvied up.

This thread title could be a Harry Potter book title. Harry Potter and the Mystery of the Majak Daw

Not as convinced as you about this mate. I'm starting to wonder if the way he's talking about Weid since the post-match presser is more giving him encouragement as they prepare him for the blow of being dropped for Brown. Possibly also a little bit for supporters too given how much attention Weid seems to get.

I have for years called for umpires to operate as a team, match those who read the game similar. I have done sports umpiring and if doing with same umpire you learn their interpretation and umpire same way - it leads to consistency. On the topic of umpiring I still shake my head in disbelief at how badly we adjudicate the advantage rule, why can’t we do what works in other sports, raise an arm for a free, give it 5-10 seconds, see if the advantage is there, if so lower arm, if not blow whistle and give free

I'm Eddie I am still here, can everyone hear me. Hello, hello do you hear me........please answer, hello.

Why not mate, we’ve been doing it for days already! 😂

I reckon in the past 18 months this team has taught me more about what it takes to be a great football team than anything I learnt from any other team anywhere since 1964. We seem to be in the eye of a perfect storm that has taken since the end of 2007 to realise. There are so many parts to the equation that without any one part you don't end up being where we are now. I didn't know half those parts until recently. Roosy said before he took the job that the key elements to a successful team were :- - list management/recruiting, - development/conditioning, - coaching. It's fair to say we've learnt the lesson the hard way that list management/recruiting is meaningless without the right development built around it. Cale Morton & Jack Grimes in '07, Watts '08, Scully Trengove '09 were generally regarded in the industry as the players that should have gone at those picks. Who knows what the first 3 might have achieved under the development and culture we now have. There were some nasty misses in the recruiting other than them which cost us many years of development but hindsight doesn't help. In '07 Dangerfield went 10 but 5 other teams didn't take him either. Cyril Rioli went 12 but 10 other teams didn't pick him either. In '08 I'd still have taken Watts over Nic Nat especially given we ended up with Maxy shortly after and Watts ended up being Fritsch. Blease at 17 was a bit nasty when Luke Shuey went the next pick and Jamie Bennell at 35 when we had told Rory Sloane 44, we were taking him at that pick. In '09 Dusty went the pick after Trengove but I doubt he would be the player he is today if he'd gone to us and probably would have left years ago like he nearly did at the Tigers to go to GWS on big bucks and be with his father. Gysberts at 11 was a bit nasty with Daniel Talia 13 & Lewis Jetta 14 (although Melksham 10 has made up for that) Tapscott 18 when Nat Fyfe went 20. When Bails was appointed at the end of 2007 the first thing he said is that it generally takes five years of a group of players playing together to become a contender. I believe this still holds true. Unfortunately that led to his first major mistake which was the philosophy of getting rid of any player that wasn't going to be there in 5 years. It's taken until probably the past 18 months to recover from the vacuum of leadership and experience that created. It's also 5 years of being taught and executing the same evolving gameplan, so you obviously need the same coach. (If it hadn't have been for Pert's review at the end of 2020 and the Board resisting Bartlett's efforts to remove the coach who knows where we would be now but it wouldn't be Premiers that's for sure.) I believe it takes 5 years for players to reach their full physical development so they have the stamina to be able to match or outrun their opponents and the strength to compete against the best. I think we've learnt over the past 18 months that the player driven culture has a lot to do with training standards. Obviously all of this has now come together. Some outstanding recruiting and list management supported with the right development and enough players who have been around long enough to be at the top end of work rate and game style. Goody from day one defined his gameplan philosophy as hard at the contest, attack from defence and holding the ball in the forward line. That's what we've ultimately seen. But it was interesting hearing one of the players saying last year that Chappie had been "banging on" about the defensive structure for years and they had finally got it. One of the things I've picked up the most over the past few years is how important setting up off the ball is. We were still pretty clueless about this in 2020 but there was a major transformation in this over the preseason leading in to 2021 and we are now one of the best at it in the comp which has got a lot to do with how well we are going. There's so much more to it but work rate is also a product of knowing where to be and where to get to a lot of which is off the ball. Go Dees

hahaha this thread just rockets along and becomes a huge echo chamber i keep getting sucked in every time i see a new post has been entered

Hmm, can't say I agree. Sam gets his hands to quite a few but then drops the mark. Sometimes he is the only one with his hands on the ball. He really needs to do better ... he has been on the list for at least 6 years. Jacko drops a few too, but he has improved considerably, and will keep doing so. (Not at all concerned about him.)

No chance McDonald will be dropped

I can't wait to see both Lachie Neale and Patrick Dangerfield named as this year's All Australian wingman.

I’ve subscribed to this YouTuber. Reckon he’ll get great mileage out of essington this year

I would have thought that such matters would be handled in private by the players' managers.

This is why Essendon are at the bottom. No work rate

The reason I clicked on this thread is because I thought . . . Eddie Betts's thoughts would be worth reading. Instead . . . I've puked all over a perfectly good Apple Mac keyboard.

eddie is becoming a parody of eddie

Royal Melbourne isn’t in Perth.

Not a fan of Dunstan getting a run. I would rather move Brayshaw into the middle, keep Jordon and Langdon on the wings, and move Bedford onto the bench. It just looks unresloved and messy with that many names on the board.

They can change this by the Final team listing tomorrow can't they? Also well done Jayden on 100 games.

At least the boys aren't injured, Lever especially had me worried

Would be quite happy to offer Clarry 7-8 years to take him to 32 or so.

getting any working definition of anything from the afl would be a first

They may be next level down now Picket, but perhaps not in 2-5 years. Not applicable to Jacko but Trac and Clarry are hitting their straps after a few years in the system. We have a number of kids that have heaps of talent and could be great players in a few years. Concern yourself with the present but always with an eye to the future.

I want Jackson and Oliver for life! Tracc is signed for a long time! Anyone else is next level down, so not as much concerned.

Weid can't mark. He is a two grabber. Its his fatal flaw. maybe its confidence, maybe he just can't do it. It is what it is. And BB comes back in. His marks and gut running are gold. Oh and he kicks straight too..

This is the difference between this team and Melbourne teams of 10 years ago. Even if the player running to receive the ball or fill a gap is not used or does not directly impact the the play 90% of the time, they will still keep doing it without dropping their heads because they know what they're doing is contributing to the team's success. Sit back and enjoy, friends. This is going to be a long and successful ride !!!

Probably because the coaching didn't/couldn't understand his strengths. Goody and the coaching team did. Perhaps also Goody sought him out for this role even through he wasn't playing this way at Freo. Speaks of good intuition, planning and development.

Ed Langdon has changed the way this side plays. he wasn’t this good at Freo, was he? I only saw him play a few times in Perth and he didn’t jump out But he has given the MFC a completely different game plan that other sides just cannot match Mr Ed is a Legend

Having that buy in and work rate obviously doesn't just happen over night. It's every game, every training session, every moment on the job. The attitude is set from the coaching and you make it a lifestyle. And like La Dee-vina said it's the willingness to work to get back and keep our defensive shape that forms the basis of why we are so successful.

Though I'm past one hundred thousand miles I'm feeling very still And I think my spaceship knows which way to go Tell my wife I love her very much she knows Ground Control to Major Eddie Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong Can you hear me, Major Eddie? Can you hear me, Major Eddie? Can you hear me, Major Eddie? Can you "Here am I floating 'round my tin can Far above the moon Planet Earth is blue And there's nothing I can do"

I just listened to it, and there was nothing to suggest that there is any lure to return to WA. Gus said that he's getting a kick (playing well), and reading between the lines, I took that to mean that he's entitled to a decent contract. But he said that Dogga will get his, which I took as Jackson's the no.1 priority for the club, and Gus' contract is secondary. Gus then reiterated how much he loved the guys he's playing with. I don't think you can draw any conclusions from the podcast.

work rate has a lot (but not only) to do with fitness and we owe a big thanks to burgess for raising the bar

Yes, it is something else at the moment. When we put the foot down in the GF all I remember is Libba chasing our mids with his tongue hanging out. After Sparrow’s effort last weekend to get us a goal there were several GWS players hunched over gasping for air while ours still had the energy to sprint to Sparrow and recognise his effort. I was absolutely blown away by our running capacity last Saturday night.

Yes Wrecker, our work rate is quite incredible It wasn't so long ago that we had a few players (in leadership roles) explaining that we needed to buy-in to the game plan!! We've come a long way from those days to a point where, as you correctly mentioned, we have not only totally bought into the game plan but we are doing the extra's These are the sorts of threads that we should see more of too. Our game plan being analysed correctly with selfless individual acts being highlighted Of the ones you mentioned the Sparrow effort was amazing. Tom is really coming on as a player. With so many top players in the team we have now got everyone getting in on the act. Pressure for spots improves a team It's out of our hands on how we keep everyone together and under the salary cap. That's for the list managers and bean-counters to figure out Big bright future It's good being a Demon supporter!