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They are out for a run just as it starts raining. It didn't last long, ended up a reasonable session weather wise. Light duties, BBB, rehab Farris-White, Melky, Salem and Spargo, all with private trainers. They are all playing soccer, huge amount of noise. 36-40 (difficult to get a count) in the main squad, biggest I've seen it in ages. Choco is barking out the orders. Goody has intense body language as he observes. Bowey in a lime green cap, and in the sims. Oliver is ball handling, required some re-taping after the first drill. McVee, McAdam, and AMW step away from the main squad, and are now with the trainers (light duries, goal kicking and easy laps). Melky joins the main squad. They are now into full field drills. Precise kicking, hard calls, drive the ball through the centre, and run. They rotate through the whole area, goal to goal, and both wings. Structured sims now. 9 against 18. Woey in the backline. Sims finish, and McVee, McAdam, AMW, join the group again. Salem, Spargo do easy, repetitive 200 metres runs. McQualter has them in the middle, chatting away, Chaplin then does some demonstrations. May and Goody chip in. They appear to be getting into the nitty gritty. They break, some continue talking, some off to kick goals (16 of them), others leave the field, the low ball getters as well (Laurie, Vines, River, Howes, Sestan, Woey, Hore). Goody one on one talk with Langdon. Choco with the goal kickers, mainly Fullaton. Then Tracc goes over for some tips but Choco stays with Tom. Oliver on the boundary by himself, sprinting. Now hard running laps. Choco now with Sparrow for some 45 metre goal kicking. Last out there is Petty and over walks Choco to help with his goal style kicking. Takes them from all the angles. Hits most of them. Just noticed Viney, still working with a trainer, as well as Melky and Salem. Oliver still lapping.

This is great. It's only a small thing, but it shows how far Clarry has come. Last year he was arguing with the fitness staff, now he is helping pick up the equipment after training. Doing all the team things. Well done to him!

Oliver after laps, he did some sprints, and more laps. Ended up on his haunches, gathering wind, a trainer comes over and they do a slap handshake. He finishes by picking up the equipment with the crew. It is nearly all packed up, except Salem still running laps. Had a chat to to one of the crew, reckons McVee is fine, just light duties, and they have a main session Sunday out at Casey. Salem and Oliver walk off together.

Brand new attitude. He's not the first or last to have to make some self evaluations. It's still a road back but he's putting in some decent yards.

The intel I have is that Clarry won't be risked next week!

It's not coincidental that both Melbourne and St Kilda looked exhausted from the first quarter of their third match after consecutive 6 and 5 day gaps. That's accumulative fatigue playing out right there. Not heart, not effort, not game plan, not coaching, not personnel.

Not sure where you got that info from. Adelaide did have picks 11 and 15 at one stage but traded them (and a future 2nd round) to GWS for picks 8 and 17. The only report I saw that mentioned picks was from SA reporter Theo Doropoulos who said pick 14 and McAdam had been offered by the Crows. IMO Petty will leave at the end of this year and we'll be lucky to get a late first round pick. Petty's never going to be a KPP - forward or back.

Salem being able to run just over a week after doing a hamstring is a good sign.

If Brisbane is going to claim Fitzroy’s flags they can sit top of this table with 933.

Players have got to have their lives too. I doubt a cooking demo does anything but make him happy.

What a great report, from the writing to the content. Thanks as ever Kev

Great report.Thank you.

The pain of Scotty Thompson gone missing? He was an absolute champion in the making.

Put 2021 instead!

You can't look at that in isolation. Compare the team we played against, who were coming off a bye and then playing a dead rubber against North. We had back to back away games, both very tough contested games that went down to the wire. Brisbane had a week off, and then played a game that was over at quarter time. In a competition as even as ours, that is a massive advantage!

I am happy with that. Hope they give Laurie a full go in the midfield.

Not taking a pot shot at you BBP, but your post highlights a real bug bear of mine. As even occasional dl posters would know, I'm of the view that the impact of fatigue (what ever its causes may be) on performance is routinely ignored. And if it is ignored, any subsequent assessment or analysis is fundamentally flawed. My bug bear is this perspective (not mine specifically, but in the general sense) is often misrepresented. The suggestion or implication being that fatigue is used as an excuse and that other factors (eg coaching, tactics, flaws in method, strength of opponent etc etc) are ignored or given short shrift. A related bug bear is the conflation of reasons for poor performance with excuses for poor performance. Saying fatigue was a factor in our loss to the lions is not making an excuse, it is suggesting a possible causal factor. So, for example, there are a number of posters, me included, who have suggested fatgue was a factor in our performance against the lions. But I have not read a single post that solely or mostly blamed our recent schedule for our loss to Brisbane. Personally I'm of the view it was a significant factor, but of course far from the only factor. I'm probably an outlier, but I also think it was the most significant factor - because pretty much any other factor is exacerbated by fatigue. For example, in the simplest terms we lost because the lions were much harder at it than us, as evidenced by being smashed for cps, pressure and tackles. No argument there. But logically, tackling, applying elite pressure and winning contested possessions is a real challeng if across the board players are fatgued. On the saints performance I 100% think fatigue was a significant factor in, and one of the reasons for, their performance. I would argue if someone doesn’t, then, to be completely frank, they do not understand AFL football circa 2024. But is fatigue an excuse for their performance? No. And in fact, if you accept fatigue was a factor in both ours and the saints performance, there is another data point to consider. Playing a team at their level, the saints were completely and utterly woeful. Beaten in every quarter, never in the game, they were ultimately smashed by 10 goals and despite being one of the most defensive teams in the AFL conceded a crazy 124 points. Shocking performance, for which there is no excuse. Coming of our 5 day break, we were able to beat crows on their home deck despite completely hitting the wall in the last quarter. Impressive. We then play the lions, and whilst we had a seven day break, we were clearly feeling the impact of 4 games in 19 days and were obviously fatigued. Like the saints, we also played a team at our level, one that was up and about and as evidenced by their numbers, not fatigued. Despite that we kept one of the best offences to 82 points and only lost by 22 points. Sure, we played poorly, but analysed through that lens, suddenly the performance does not look so bad.

The AFL just needs to get better than this. It’s a real reason why teams just can’t get up for a game. It’s not a good advertisement for The game watching 2 completely one sided games last 2 Thursdays that really should have been neck and neck talent wise.

The Dees podcast all over the impact of the five day break. Saints were really lethargic reinforces why Dee’s were so flat. Five day break really warp the competition.

I feel like I've been to every one of those 764 floggings.

Just realised I am a year behind @Demonland Put 2023, instead of 2024 in the title.

Sensible decision - he can be relied upon to get himself 'match fit', working through injuries and related negativities to his form. On several occasions, I have seen him training (and he has done so at far greater effort, concentration and work rate than any other team member), so we should have confidence in his training philosophy and method(s). It is also time for Trac to slow down his external commitments and appearances; from his recent Adelaide adventures, he must have been 'almost' exhausted, as suspected during the Brizzy game, giving public addresses and forums, cooking demonstrations, travel to and from locations, preparations for the public domain whilst still meeting Club/Team commitments and preparations.

Laurie was doing plenty of structured positioning in the stoppages during sims.

Let’s not get carried away now. 😅

What I got from that is that Jacob is a great kid. He's got the right attitude and the raw talent that, with time and development, will see him become one of the best KPF's in the game. It's great that he'd love to play with Petty, but I have a feeling he will make it work with whoever he partners up forward in the years ahead.

I was dubious about Petty's desire to return to SA until I read an interview with his sister Hannah who is captain of the Adelaide Thunderbirds. Hannah mentioned that the family was very tight. She said that Harrison was keen to return to SA. I do think the MFC will trade him at the end of this season whilst there a chance of getting something of value. IMO the best chance of him staying is if we make it to the GF (and Crows finish down the ladder).

I like to track JVR’s progress with Tom Hawkins. TH debuted a year younger but their stat comparison for their first two seasons are quite interesting. Both similar specimens at comparable age and development. Games, TH-19, JVR-26. Disposals-TH-196, JVR-227. Goals, TH-25, JVR-36. Contested marks, TH-23, JVR-22. Tackles, TH-24, JVR-57. There is a significant divergence in contested marks and tackles but these numbers reflects more how the game was played then and now. I can understand why the club has given JVR a long contract extension. His upside is huge.

I’ll say it again, there’s no way known we were going to get picks 11 and 15 for Petty. He’s played 5 and a bit years, averaging 12 games per year and 8.5 disposals per game.

It’s almost as if The AFL as an entity can’t see/refuse to see the link between player health and thus the best exponent of their ‘product’ in display. Or at least are happy to wear the cost of disregarding it in favour of tv rights 🤑. I’ll never forget Andrew Dimitrous condescending comments around High Performance Managers being ‘phys-Eders’ in the public domain. Granted that comment was about other happenings in another context, but I wonder whether it’s a pervasive way of thinking, detached from the the realities of the game

hore francis

Saints are pretenders, a pretty B grade list overall. Dogs had the heat on all week, were gonna come out firing, glad I backed them (and didn't make the mistake of flipping last minute like I did last week when I initially backed the Bombers 🤬) Dogs aren't going anywhere either mind you, two really vanilla teams who put on a snooze fest. Compromising the fixture with 5 day breaks so we can put on games like this no one wants to watch?

lol we werent even allowed to call an *EXPERT* witness for kozzie last week, let alone 2 character witnesses. [censored] is rigged.

Every year we have a shared banner with Richmond for ANZAC eve. We also make the banner with them. Last year we made it at our location, but because it’s their home game this year, they’re hosting us at Punt Rd (tonight). The Richmond folk hand-paint their banners. (Bless them 🥹) Apparently this can take (and has taken) up to eight hours. EIGHT HOURS. 😳 I expect to leave banner-making covered in paint (coz clumsy) but it sure as hell won’t be at 1am! Both MFC and RFC agree on the content, with AFL approval, but the ‘home’ banner-makers choose the design and construction methods. Not bragging (except bragging so much it legit hurts) but it won’t be nearly as impressive as last year’s. 😉

Jessy Hogan also says hi.

I'm not so sure. Your argument is sound enough and along with Dee Dee on the previous page you cover well the reasons the ground isn't open for training. the other one being the grounds people would prefer as little traffic as possible on the surface, but I still maintain it is very doable and it's your negative attitude that is the same as those in charge and the reason it doesn't happen. As with most things in life, things generally don't happen when there is no financial benefit to the people in charge. Just open one gate and keep people in one area. Security could be covered mainly by cameras that are already in place and staffing wouldn't need to be a lot. I agree a lot of the training sessions wouldn't attract a lot of people but the lead in to Anzac Day and finals would and it is an iconic stadium, a chance to see players training there would be a very positive attraction for the game.

Scott Thompson? I read an analysis last year that actually highlighted how rare any "return from Victoria to interstate" trades were, especially for first round picks. Jackson is a genuine outlyer. Most are lower draft picks who don't make it at their original club and get shuffled home for a second chance (like Jimmy Toumpas).

I particularly liked... "Well at least we’ve kept Ugle-Hagen goalless."

offer came way too late we would've wanted to turn that into something else, and wouldn't have had the time to work a deal typical crom

Too bad it wasn’t Darcy Fogarty and pick 14 we just may have jumped at it. I’m still hopeful that Petty will stay, we don’t have to trade him until the end of ‘25 unless the offer is too good to turn down. He’s a Premiership backman 197cm a good mark and kick who loves body contact and can go forward and kick a goal or six. Be patient let Harrison find his fitness and form he will come good (barring injury) and straighten us up in the forward line. It is a long long season.!!

Joel Selwood explaining how players should avoid playing for high free kicks. Comedy gold!

Disappointing crowd, but BT will only say that if Melbourne are involved

almost like playing two minnow clubs at a carpark on a thursday nite is a terrible idea

The footage of him turning the bloke on the mark inside out and kicking a goal suggests he knows he’s too good for VFL now.

Dees NEED to win BIG Tigers are undermanned and vulnerable. We have copped plenty of thrashings from the Tigers. We need to give some payback and win by 8-9 goals plus.

I think we'll see Disco Turner in the side if not this week then very soon. Highly rated internally as one of the standout pre season performers before getting injured and had a nice game for Casey on the weekend. Was even tried up forward where he kicked a goal and presented well. Could be any one of Fullerton, Disco, N.Brown or Laurie to come in (besides Kozzy of course). Its going to depend on matchups and covering for roles. Salem going down last week really mucked us up down back as one less midfield rotation. Unfortunately its not an easy role to fill. For mine, Disco in for Salem with Kozzy and Rivers to cover his midfield rotations. Fullarton in for B.Brown. I feel uneasy about this one but if Fullarton can do enough playing the second ruck role it would be great to get him building some chemistry with the main squad to build upon for the season. IN: Turner, Fullarton OUT: Salem, B.Brown Sub: Tholstrup

Fully agree. My favourite game of the season. So much emotion and I always end up getting teary. Even my husband admits the atmosphere is so much better than the Anzac Day game.

I am devastated to be missing this game, if you can go, even if you can't get a decent seat, go. I've been to every single one of these and it is an absolutely brilliant experience, plus I think we will win!

Rather have Kolt than Billings

They will sack Bevo before they let the Bont walk out. Take that to the bank.

Now how about we get a proper forward line coach to teach the kid how to use his body and positioning to help him to become a better forward.