Demonland

DAZZLEDAVEY'S TRAINING REPORT Great day all round. It was a low key kind of session which I suppose makes sense from yesterday full match sim. The boys are seriously looking fit and they know. To see the boys up close and see the likes of JVR who really is a beast for his age is something to be excited about this year. @Deemania since 56 is right 100%. There was no stand out particular just the team cruising along ticking the boxes. Very jovial out there with Maxy, Melksham, Lever, Petracca the ones always vocal and keeping the group up beat. Realistically it wasn't so much a full footy type training but more groups of about 10? rotating through to each drills with some doing stationary kicking drill, and some doing some keepings off down the far wing. Short and sharp and was enough to draw a crowd. They still would have worked up quiet a sweat considering was fairly hot. Was great to catch up with a few local boys such as Spargo, Turner, Schache and Oliver from MB days and James Jordon who's a close friend with my little brother from Yarrawonga. Once they picked me out of the crowd they came and shook hands and was happy to take photos with my young lad. Was great to catch up with these lads and not even a change of ego or arrogance in them since being in the system.. Still the same country kids as when i knew them back when they were 16 year olds coming through the ranks. Was blown away with how incredibly fit Turner is compared to when was a fat chubby kid coming through the system. Was blown away also with how trimmed Schache is. Leaving no stone unturned and wouldn't surprise if on training form he plays round 1. Got carried away talking to Oliver just talking life in general and about few mutual friends we knew that I completely forgot to ask about his hand 🤦‍♂️ Maxy Gawn is a genuine rock star. Everywhere he went the kids were following him around and hassling the poor kid (in a fun way). Very good with the kids and we're incredibly lucky to have him as our skipper. Few notes on players. Howes: Smooth mover and quite tall then i thought. He was standing next to Turner during the initial warm up and I thought he was a smidge taller? Turner is listed at 194cm. JVR: Has a presence already. Just a big strong lad who'll command that forward 50 in the next few years. I knew he was a big boy but didn't realise how physically imposing he already is. You can certainly build a forward line around this kid. Jefferson: Didn't really see much of him to be honest. Jed Adams: Interesting kicking action but didn't seem to trouble him, in fact he's got a pretty good kick on him with a bit of penetrative to go with. Got a few positive feedback from choco. Deakyn Smith: Very interesting player. He's a smooth mover who's well balanced and is clean below his knees. Quiet poised in the kicking drills and was happy. No idea what position the coaches have in mind for him but he'll be a player of interest for me. Sparrow: A big ball of muscle. Trains at a real intensity and look pretty focused and ready to go. Hoping he takes that next step. Burgoyne: In the stationary kicking near me he didn't even miss a target. Was composed and just neat with his disposal. I think he was a bit surprised that I called him out for a photo and signature for my lad. Asked him abut his chances getting on the list and in his own words.. "Yeah nah should be pretty easy to get a gig." Grundy and Hunter do train at high intensity. Can tell they have come from clubs that demand high performance and these blokes are certainly bringing that to the club. You can't have enough of these guys because it certainly rubs onto the young players. Guys like Lever, Melksham and Rivers are looking incredibly fit. Ball in hand all 3 barely missed a target. Competition for spots will be heating up! Good luck to Goody and the coaches picking round 1 side because there is some genuine talent on display today that will miss out unfortunately. Players mingled with supporters and went out of their own way to take photos with the kids etc. DAZZLEDAVEY'S NOTES FROM THE TRAINING THREAD: Have arrived and boys doing a circut on the netball courts. Some ridiculous fit dudes here. Circut still going on. JVR is one big unit. It's ridiculous a bloke that's 19 is already that size. Onto the oval where you'll struggle to find a green blade of grass. Seston with a bandaged left hammy Still doing some walking lunges and side skips as a warm up. Broken up into small groups with most of it compiled of stationary kicking. See today's sessions as more of a captains run. Disposal is clean, crisp and moving fluently. There's a group down the other end doing some keeping off. No bandage on Oliver's hand. But i presume as its a light session there will be no contact today. Lever is moving and kicking well. Doesn't at all seem hindered. Groups have no rotated. Near me is Choco Williams with the kicking group. Barking orders and wanting to keep it low and hard. Kye Turner has an unusual kicking style but is effective so far. Kozzie, Rivers and May are so efficient with their kicking style. Rivers looks extremely fit. Would love to see him spend midfield minutes if an opportunity came across. Trent Burgoyne really showcasing his poise and clean kicking skills in the group near me. AMW is another who kicks it flat and hard. Mark Williams would still make a good senior coach. He barks orders but also gives good constructive feedback and demands 100% in all aspects. Benny Brown moving well also. I haven't spotted TMac either. And that's a wrap. Will try and give a bit of a summary when I'm home. You can read the entire training thread here: https://demonland.com/forums/topic/54827-training-tuesday-7th-february-2023/

Amongst the team or amongst the spectators?

Was that Jefferson or Faris-White?

Jefferson has been in the rehab group for the past few sessions. The reason for this has not been stated by the club nor ascertained by the trackwatchers.

He had been in full training but over the past few sessions I recall reading that he was a part of the rehab group. Based on @Slartibartfast'S report he was still listed in the rehab group. Not sure what the injury is.

Caulfield Racecourse is actually in the Federal Seat of Macnamara and is currently held by Labor and the member is Josh Burns.

Here is an article from June 2016 when Salem was edging closer to a return from a thyroid issue. The article refers to him going back on medications he took in 2014 when a similar problem surfaced. I assume the club and his doctors are on top of it. https://www.afl.com.au/news/40227/return-edges-closer-for-ill-demon-christian-salem

Here is an article from June 2016 when Salem was edging closer to a return from a thyroid issue. The article refers to him going back on medications he took in 2014 when a similar problem surfaced. I assume the club and his doctors are on top of it. https://www.afl.com.au/news/40227/return-edges-closer-for-ill-demon-christian-salem

Both have been in rehab of late. I thought Deakyn had returned to full training so I assume the Smith referred to here is Joel. @Slartibartfast will no doubt confirm.

SLARTIBARTFAST'S TRAINING REPORT I arrived at 9.15am to find the match sims well underway and I imagine they started early to allow them time to get organized for the community camp at Yea. On the rugby oval adjacent to Gosch's a few are the boys were doing some gentle drills. Clarrie, Nibbler, AMW, Jefferson and Melk were doing a bit of keeping off, handball drills and some running. I only watched as I made my way to the main oval. Smith and Verrell were doing running around the boundary and as far as I could tell the only no shows were Salo and Lingers. All the rest were involved in the match sims including Gawny and Jake Lever. Goody would throw the ball in on the wing and the white and blue team would contest from there. Brodie got a lesson from Max over the journey but Brodie was good around the ground and did some good ruck work on the odd occasion when he got the better of Max. JJ was playing inside mid in the absence of Clarrie and was doing very well. He was very clean and won a number of clearances. Kyah Farris-White was playing as a KPF with Brown and TMac and really didn't get into it but it's interesting that they see a bit of KPF in him. May was in everything and a real standout on the day and Max was marking very well around the ground. JVR continues to impress. On one occasion he was involved in a marking contest at FF with the ball bouncing away to another player who was 15 metres away but he then pressured and tackled the defender drawing applause from Goody and the players. He's very competitive when the ball hits the ground and I'd hate to be the match committee selecting the KPF if all the boys are fit. In another piece of play the ball was cleared from the centre wing throw in and was kicked forward. JVR took the bouncing ball at full pace and instantly handballed to Spargs who kicked beautifully to Fritta. It was a fantastic piece of play again drawing applause from Goody and the staff. After match sims they broke into three groups and did craft training. One was marking practice and on one occasion Kossie sat on his opponent's head and took a screamer. When he landed he jarred his knee and went to get some medical attention but returned and completed the running at the end of the session. The session finished at about 10.40 and the players all headed off together. I imagine it will be a pretty relaxed skills session at Yea tomorrow with a lot of meet and greet particularly if the advertised training session is on again at Gosch's on Wednesday. You can read the entire training thread here: https://demonland.com/forums/topic/54828-training-monday-6th-february-2023/

So Clarry is officially on the injury list. And so is Nibbler it seems. Good to note that Max, Lever and Spargs have returned to full training.

Thanks @Slartibartfast. I thought the team was off to do Community Service today? This means training today, tomorrow (Yea) and the Open Session at Gosch's on Wednesday. I hope the Wednesday's Advertised Open Session isn't moved or cancelled again.

Do you agree with this side? Who comes in and who goes out?

On the plus side it is very close to Demonland HQ.

Melbourne has expressed interest in building its new training base at Caulfield Racecourse as part of its long-held plan to bring the club under one roof. News Corp can reveal the Demons have held talks about shifting their headquarters — including a training oval and gym facilities — to the racecourse as part of plans to redevelop the site. But the move remains a longshot as it would require significant state government funding to create a community and elite sporting hub tipped to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Discussions have centred on training ovals being constructed in the middle of the racecourse and linked by an underground tunnel to buildings outside the track. The site would be an ideal solution for the Demons as Caulfield Racecourse is only 12km and roughly a 20-minute drive from the MCG. Importantly there is a significant amount of public land available to develop in conjunction with the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust in the heart of the eastern suburbs. But the Demons also remain engaged in talks with the AFL and the Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust about redeveloping the area adjoining AAMI Park. Car Parks E and F could be used to build a multi-story complex which would give the Demons more room for their own facilities which they currently share with Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory. The Demons have labelled their training facilities the worst in the AFL amid a string of setbacks surrounding plans to build a new inner-city home. It has been a frustration for the club which is currently split between the MCG (administration), AAMI Park (football department), Gosch’s Paddock and Casey Fields. The training base headache will be one of the top items on the agenda at the club’s annual general meeting on Monday, February 20 when president Kate Roffey and chief executive Gary Pert update members.