Demonland

Fritsch walking doing leg raisers whilst the trainer is pulling a theraband which is around his waist. He looks to be in mild discomfort.

Salem now jogging laps. Trac noticed and clapped saying “Go Salo”.

Split into two groups. Mix of forwards, Mids and Defenders in each group. Ben Brown not training just having shots for goal from different angles and distances.

Dunstan slow/medium jogging along the boundary. Melksham doing the same at a slightly quicker pace.

Fritsch now walking knee raisers with arms raised in the air with the medicos. Now doing walking lunges whilst twisting side to side when lunging.

Mids Trac Max Langdon Clarry Verral Grundy Viney Sparrow Farris-White Howes Harmes Jordon Hunter

Yes warming up with the defenders.

Doing some hand balls with Salem. No visible strapping on legs. Doesn’t look like he is limping.

Split into 3 groups for wam ups. Mids, Backs and Forwards. No surprises except Kozzy & Smith with Forwards. Gus with defence.

Fritsch and Salem are not training at all. Salem for obvious reasons. Not sure about Fritsch.

Joel Smith looks like he is back training with the main group.

REHAB: Jake Melksham, Taj Woewodin, Luke Dunstan Everyone is in Blue Guernseys so I doubt there will be match SIMs. Probably just regular training considering preseason is officially over.

It’s a beautiful morning at Gosch’s Paddock. REHAB: Jake Melksham (?), Taj Woewodin (?), Luke Dunstan (Hamstring), Fritsch(hip/back??), Salem (Thyroid), Brown (managed) Everyone is in Blue Guernseys so I doubt there will be match SIMs. Probably just regular training considering preseason is officially over. Joel Smith looks like he is back training with the main group. Fritsch and Salem are not training at all. Salem for obvious reasons. Not sure about Fritsch. Split into 3 groups for wam ups. Mids, Backs and Forwards. No surprises except Kozzy & Smith with Forwards. Gus with defence. Mids Trac, Max, Langdon, Clarry, Verral, Grundy, Viney, Sparrow, Farris-White, Howes, Harmes, Jordon, Hunter Forwards TMac, Jefferson, Schache, Van Rooyen, Nibbler, Chandler, Spargo, Laurie, Joel Smith, Kozzy, Sestan, Brown Defenders May, Lever, Brayshaw, Hibberd, Bowey, Tomlinson, Rivers, Adams, Deakyn Smith, Petty, McVee, Daniel Turner, Kye Turner, Moniz-Wakefield Fritsch now walking knee raisers with arms raised in the air with the medicos. Now doing walking lunges whilst twisting side to side when lunging. Dunstan slow/medium jogging along the boundary. Melksham doing the same at a slightly quicker pace. Split into two groups. Mix of forwards, Mids and Defenders in each group. Ben Brown not training just having shots for goal from different angles and distances. Salem now jogging laps. Trac noticed and clapped saying “Go Salo”. Fritsch walking doing leg raisers whilst the trainer is pulling a theraband which is around his waist. He looks to be in mild discomfort. One of the groups is not doing a half ground match SIM sans contact. Players have reversible training jumpers and that are blue on one side and white on the other for easy changing. Fritsch doing side crab walks while the trainer pulls on the Theraband around his waist. The field has been divided length ways down the middle and there are two separate match SIMs ( for want of a better description) without contact with 2 players in yellow vests playing for both teams. Goal is keepings off down the length of the field to kick a goal. I will note that disposal has been very sharp. Trac’s long kicking is like a laser guided missile. In my non-medical opinion Fritsch may have a hip (flexor) issue. Any physios can you confirm that the exercises I poorly described could confirm this? Kye Turner is wearing number 33. New number perhaps? I’ll echo what other have said about Chandler over the preseason he is certainly putting his hand up for a call up. Trainer is throwing the footy at Fritsch to catch it in one hand whilst he is standing/balancing on one leg (the right one). Brown and Taj playing kick to kick on the boundary. Dunstan jogging between a set of cones set up in a zig zag pattern. Full length ground drill starts with a kick to a one on one contest. If the ball spills a player swoops in and 4 players run down the field almost in a line and kick to a contest at the other end and the drill begins again the other direction. Next drill also starts with a kick to a one on one contest deep in the forward line. When the ball spills 4 players run in from different directions (2 in white and 2 in blue). Whoever won the spill would have a quick snap for goal. Brown and Dunstan have hit the gym as has Taj. Boundary throw in simulation drill with small forwards like Spargo, Nibbler and Chandler also involved with the Mids and wingers. Verral getting a lesson in ruck craft from the Master Max. When the ball spills the ball is swooped on and kicked into a contest (forward on forward) in the forward line. Defenders doing a separate drill. Rivers is in the defenders group as is Brayshaw. Salem jogging laps with Reece Conca. Forwards/Mids/Wingers doing a drill with either the wingers kicking from half forward flank or a Mid kicking from CHF into the forward line to a lead again focusing on if the ball isn’t marked then it is swooped on and snapped for goal or a better option is kicked/handballed to. There is a lot of congestion and chaos built into the drill. Often the wingers will look for a better option at CHF first before kicking into the forward line. @george_on_the_outer noted that if a lead wasn't found we would be kicking higher and longer/deeper to a contest deep in the forward line than we normally do. He may be able to explain that better. Grundy is training with the forwards on that drill whilst Max, KFW & Verral have joined the defenders drill which appear to be a drill simulating taking the ball out of defence ending with a long kick into the forward line to a contest between Kyah Farris-White and Verral (who are just being used as a tall target to kick to). Max floating around as a tall marking option as the ball comes out of defence. Joel Smith & Jed Adams have joined the rehabbers probably as planned as there might be a contact drill coming up for the first time this session. Match SIM has begun with minimal contact though. Lot of loose players. Not really man on man. More of end to end circle work than a Match SIM. Only seen a few tackles. Todays session is more skill and tactical based without the emphasis on defence or pressure. I would assume that they need to learn some of the game plan without the pressure and then in other sessions bring in the pressure/tackling/defence so that they can practice what they've learned under intense conditions. That's my uneducated guess anyway. In case I’ve never mentioned this before Kozzy is just a magician. He scooped the ball up in a one on one ground contest, broke out of a tackle with a nice don’t argue, kicked beautifully into Chandler on a lead who was spoiled in a marking contest but got the spill and handballed to Kozzy who had continued to gut run down the field and had every right to have a shot for goal on a tight angle but he kicked it in board to a free Trac who snapped truly. I know that Ben Brown and TMac have been in great form and are almost undoubtedly around 1 starters but I can’t see how Van Rooyen doesn’t get a call up either. He is a natural forward with great hands and a superb ground ball game. Can we possibly trial 3 talls again? It didn’t work with Weid in the Mix but Van Rooyen is a different beast. Great conundrum to have. Howes is a very smart clean footballer. Was in trouble on the wing and thought his way out of the situation. Granted there is not really tackling but there was pressure in this drill and he had a player in front of him and to the side with another also coming at him from another direction and no options forward and managed to spot a player backwards and found the option. Got kudos from players and coaches around him. Some of the things that Clarry does just cannot be accurately described. Players now doing run throughs to cool down. They’ve been instructed to go slow and not reach their destination before 17 seconds. The way Schache has been training at every session I have been to and from anecdotal evidence from other trackwatchers and from talking to some players at the player sponsor event it is hard to see him not pushing for selection. Granted he will probably have to prove himself at Casey but I think we will definitely see him at some point in the season. He was targeted when Weid left as like for like but I like what I see from the Schack more than from what I saw from Weid and I had high hopes that Weid would eventually make it. I'm more confident with Schache. Just noticed that TMac has his left elbow strapped. Hasn’t appeared to hampered him. I have mentioned this before in my training observations but I really feel for Tomlinson. He trains his guts out and is always encouraging to the younger blokes and is very vocal on the track. Our defence is a hard one to crack into with the big 3 in May, Petty & Lever and I feel that both the Turners might be ahead of Thommo. I haven't seen enough of the new recruit Adams who has just started to join in to most drills but like Jefferson up forward he will do his apprenticeship this year at Casey. In any event our back stocks run deep. That’s a wrap from me. Oh and did I mention that we trained some very sturdy dwellings all the way down.

PLEASE STAY by Paddy Gosch Kozzy Pickett is one of the most promising young players in the league, and there has been much speculation about whether he will stay with the Melbourne Demons, or move interstate to another club. Last year the Demons went through this “Will he, Won’t he” situation with another one of their young guns in Luke Jackson. Subsequently Jackson shunned the Melbourne Football Club's offer and defected back to his home state. Whilst ultimately unhappy with his decision Dee’s fans will remain forever thankful for Jackson’s contribution in the third quarter of the 2021 Grand Final which helped secure the Demon’s their first Premiership in 57 years. Dees fans are once again faced with the prospect of another one of their young guns being lured away from the club. At the time of writing, it is not yet clear what Pickett's decision will be. However, there are a number of factors that could influence his choice. One of the main factors is the success of the Melbourne Football Club. In 2021, the Demons broke their premiership drought, and Pickett was instrumental in the team's finals campaign kicking 2 goals in the Qualifying victory against the Lions and 3 goals in the Preliminary Final against the Cats Despite the Demon's straight sets exit during the 2022 finals series they still finished the season in 2nd place after winning the first 10 games of the season. They are widely regarded as having one of the most talented lists in the league and are tipped by most pundits to finish in the Top 4 once again in 2023. Given Pickett's role in the team's success, it is likely that the Demons will do everything they can to keep him. However, there may be factors outside the club's control that could influence Pickett's decision. One such factor could be the lure of returning West to either his home state of WA or to South Australia where he played a lot of his junior footy. Pickett was born in WA but grew up in the Indigenous community of Ceduna in South Australia and played junior football for West Adelaide. If he were to move to Perth or Adelaide, he would be closer to his family and friends. Another factor that could influence Pickett's decision is the financial aspect of the deal. The Demons have a plethora of star players that they have had to lock away on long term deals and whilst Kozzy is an integral part of any future playing list the clubs out west may be able to offer him a more lucrative contract than the Demons, which could be a tempting proposition for any young player. In terms of what the Demons could expect in return, it is difficult to say. If Pickett were to move to say Port Adelaide, who by all reports are his main suitor, the Demons could potentially receive a trade or draft pick in exchange. The prospect of Port being able to offer adequate compensation is even more grim as they’ve already traded away their future first draft pick for 2023 as part of the Horne-Francis deal. Given Pickett's value to the Demons, it is likely that they would seek a trade that would be beneficial to both parties if he chose to leave. If Pickett were to leave the Demons, the club would undoubtedly miss his contributions. He is a dynamic and explosive player who has the ability to turn a game on its head. His speed, agility, and goal sense make him a valuable asset to any team. Demon fans are salivating at the prospect of Kozzy playing more midfield minutes in season 2023 and depending on the success of this change it could potentially increase his already high value to the Dees and any other prospective suitors. As for how Demons fans would feel if Pickett were to leave, there is no doubt that there would be a sense of disappointment & devastation. Kozzy has quickly become a fan favourite due to his electrifying style of play and his role in the team's premiership season. On the heals of Jackson's decision to leave the club that took a punt on drafting him, losing Kozzy would feel like a double blow. In time, fans would understand that players sometimes need to make decisions that are best for their careers and personal lives. However that does not make up for the sting of a star player leaving. As a Dees fan, I cannot begin to express the immense joy and pride I feel watching him play. His speed, agility, and skill on the field have been nothing short of phenomenal, and he has quickly become one of our most exciting players to watch. Hearing whispers that he may be considering leaving the Demons for another team, I feel like I have to make this passionate plea for him to stay on behalf of all Demon fans. Kozzy, you are more than just a player to us. Your presence on the field brings us joy. You have become a role model to young fans, showing them that hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude can help you achieve great successes. But more than anything, Kozzy, you have become an integral part of the Melbourne Demons family and a cherished member of our community. We have watched you grow and develop as a player, and we have celebrated your triumphs and supported you through your challenges. As a Demons fan, I can say with certainty that we want nothing more than to see you continue to grow and develop with our team. We want to see you raise the premiership cup again, hear you sing the team song, and watch you celebrate with your teammates and fans. So I am begging you, Kozzy, please stay with us. Stay with the team that has nurtured and supported you, the team that has become your home. Stay with the fans who have cheered you on through thick and thin, and who will continue to do so for many years to come. We need you, Kozzy. The Melbourne Football Club needs you. Please don't leave us. Please stay ...

So would opposition clubs I'm sure. Despite the fact that I love reports from training I have no problem with the club not giving away any intel too early to opposition clubs. They won't get much from reading our training reports and if the send out spies then good luck to em but as much as we all want to see the match sims we really shouldn't be providing them video footage on demand.

Kozzy Pickett is one of the most promising young players in the league, and there has been much speculation about whether he will stay with the Melbourne Demons, or move interstate to another club. Last year the Demons went through this “Will he, Won’t he” situation with another one of their young guns in Luke Jackson. Subsequently Jackson shunned the Melbourne Football Club's offer and defected back to his home state. Whilst ultimately unhappy with his decision Dee’s fans will remain forever thankful for Jackson’s contribution in the third quarter of the 2021 Grand Final which helped secure the Demon’s their first Premiership in 57 years. Dees fans are once again faced with the prospect of another one of their young guns being lured away from the club. At the time of writing, it is not yet clear what Pickett's decision will be. However, there are a number of factors that could influence his choice. One of the main factors is the success of the Melbourne Football Club. In 2021, the Demons broke their premiership drought, and Pickett was instrumental in the team's finals campaign kicking 2 goals in the Qualifying victory against the Lions and 3 goals in the Preliminary Final against the Cats Despite the Demon's straight sets exit during the 2022 finals series they still finished the season in 2nd place after winning the first 10 games of the season. They are widely regarded as having one of the most talented lists in the league and are tipped by most pundits to finish in the Top 4 once again in 2023. Given Pickett's role in the team's success, it is likely that the Demons will do everything they can to keep him. However, there may be factors outside the club's control that could influence Pickett's decision. One such factor could be the lure of returning West to either his home state of WA or to South Australia where he played a lot of his junior footy. Pickett was born in WA but grew up in the Indigenous community of Ceduna in South Australia and played junior football for West Adelaide. If he were to move to Perth or Adelaide, he would be closer to his family and friends. Another factor that could influence Pickett's decision is the financial aspect of the deal. The Demons have a plethora of star players that they have had to lock away on long term deals and whilst Kozzy is an integral part of any future playing list the clubs out west may be able to offer him a more lucrative contract than the Demons, which could be a tempting proposition for any young player. In terms of what the Demons could expect in return, it is difficult to say. If Pickett were to move to say Port Adelaide, who by all reports are his main suitor, the Demons could potentially receive a trade or draft pick in exchange. The prospect of Port being able to offer adequate compensation is even more grim as they’ve already traded away their future first draft pick for 2023 as part of the Horne-Francis deal. Given Pickett's value to the Demons, it is likely that they would seek a trade that would be beneficial to both parties if he chose to leave. If Pickett were to leave the Demons, the club would undoubtedly miss his contributions. He is a dynamic and explosive player who has the ability to turn a game on its head. His speed, agility, and goal sense make him a valuable asset to any team. Demon fans are salivating at the prospect of Kozzy playing more midfield minutes in season 2023 and depending on the success of this change it could potentially increase his already high value to the Dees and any other prospective suitors. As for how Demons fans would feel if Pickett were to leave, there is no doubt that there would be a sense of disappointment & devastation. Kozzy has quickly become a fan favourite due to his electrifying style of play and his role in the team's premiership season. On the heals of Jackson's decision to leave the club that took a punt on drafting him, losing Kozzy would feel like a double blow. In time, fans would understand that players sometimes need to make decisions that are best for their careers and personal lives. However that does not make up for the sting of a star player leaving. As a Dees fan, I cannot begin to express the immense joy and pride I feel watching him play. His speed, agility, and skill on the field have been nothing short of phenomenal, and he has quickly become one of our most exciting players to watch. Hearing whispers that he may be considering leaving the Demons for another team, I feel like I have to make this passionate plea for him to stay on behalf of all Demon fans. Kozzy, you are more than just a player to us. Your presence on the field brings us joy. You have become a role model to young fans, showing them that hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude can help you achieve great successes. But more than anything, Kozzy, you have become an integral part of the Melbourne Demons family and a cherished member of our community. We have watched you grow and develop as a player, and we have celebrated your triumphs and supported you through your challenges. As a Demons fan, I can say with certainty that we want nothing more than to see you continue to grow and develop with our team. We want to see you raise the premiership cup again, hear you sing the team song, and watch you celebrate with your teammates and fans. So I am begging you, Kozzy, please stay with us. Stay with the team that has nurtured and supported you, the team that has become your home. Stay with the fans who have cheered you on through thick and thin, and who will continue to do so for many years to come. We need you, Kozzy. The Melbourne Football Club needs you. Please don't leave us. Please stay ...