Lil_red_fire_engine

Photo gallery on MFC site from today's training has various pics of AMW, Salem, CJ, Petty and McAdam in some level of ball work in individual shots. Good to see they're all passed the point of just running laps and hopefully on the way to match practice shortly. Edit: And per social video Culley in some level of modified training.

Only based on match sim but it was noticeable to me the defensive workrate of Steele, Sparrow and Windsor in particular. A good watch point in the nth and Tigers games once Pickett and Rivers included as neither naturally have defensive traits as midfielders (even though Rivers has played most of his career in defence).

Unsure what the source is but looks out of sync with what we saw yesterday being Laurie, Mihocek, Kentfield, Matthews played. Salem, CJ and Petty are all watchpoints being they missed.

Windsor lived up to pre-season hype and Lindsay looked as accomplished at half back as I hoped. The two that surprised me most was Kolt off half back (offensively and defensively) and Howes where ever he was playing (was it wing). Sparrow got more than usual but turns back into traffic or dump kicks too much for my liking. JVR and Jeffo certainly had a spring in their step early. Jeffo looked a level or two improved until he came down after that mark (could not work out if he played much passed that point). We played with more freedom, handballed, switched and chipped more and took the game more forward via the square than the boundary. There was a lot of turnover and poor set shots but not surprising to me this time of year and with the amount of top Dees missing and Casey top up participation.

I agree. Though I am pretty sure the website templates are all telstra reskins for all afl clubs and are not our choice.

I like it though a touch long. It's great that we are daring to be different for us by owning the illusion of what others think of us Skiing, Red wine, Cheeseboards, MCC, Go Number x etc.. and what alot are thinking (angst at losing two club greats, we have good kids, not our year-but why not). Whether you like it (seems most) or not, it's well considered, well executed and certainly will be noticed. I do hope they have a shortened cut to use as online promo as well.

An article I read this morning said the highest any player has the ball in hand in total for a game is 60 seconds (that is removing dead time for kicking a set shot). So for the things that Melky is great at how often does he need the ball vs the things his body is no longer able to do well for the majority of time you dont have it in possession ie: pressure and cover the ground. I dont think you can play him and Mihocek and Fritter in a style where we want to push up the ground heavily, transition quickly and get out the back. I see the other two well ahead of him. Maybe the extra on bench allows for it but I cant see him playing more than a quality mature back up role where required.

Don't disagree but he struggles on the spread and his defensive pressure is below standard. This is before we get to the fact that he has hardly participated in actual preseason drills. He will likely play games at a point and maybe the extra benchspot brings flex but it's not the way I see it.

If Melksham plays 16+games we are in a load of trouble. I dont see how 2026 Melksham being up and going enough to fit the style of game we want to play. He is great when the ball is in his immediate contest area and he is a seriously good field kick but unfortunately age has caught him in every other way the game is played. With King wanting more speed on the game and us having more true smalls and more true talls needing and likely deserving of games I can only see him playing if Fritsch is not.

For the style we want to play unless he found a new role (difficult to adjust at age I suggest) I don't think he is in our best 23. Even if he was for us to progress he would be getting in the way of the mid time for others. If he cant get the injury right it may be good for us and him as he may be available in second half of the year fresh when the ground gets heavier and the kids getting mid time start to tire. As others have said though it made no sense to extend his contract to 2028.

The above made me laugh out loud.

On May I think the truth is somewhere between the two opinions. There was a sizeable gap between his best and worst games where historically he has been ultra consistent. His worst games came when he was manned on mid-sized leading forwards, something he has excelled at in the past but age has caught up with him. He now also struggles to bend and therefore his ground ball game which used to be serviceable has deserted him. May on the right match ups in 2026 will be a benefit but this might be a week to week proposition. If King is looking for the future and not the now then having others ahead of him in best 23 is likely.

MIhocek integrated back into full training this week and Petty trained with the non contact cap on. I assume both will be ready round 1.

Jake at his best is a great interceptor. However unless he has learnt to actually defend one on one and improve his agility at ground level I worry he will constantly get burnt when our new attacking game style gets spun in the opposition direction. To also not understand why he did not warrant games at the time he was dropped is also concerning to me. Whilst possibly due to no preseason and/pr mounting injuries his form at the time was putrid.

B: Lever Petty Jiath HB: Salem Disco Lindsay C: Langdon Steele Langford HF: Chandler JVR Laurie F: Fritsch Kentfield L.Pickett R: Gawn Culley K.Pickett I/C. Taylor Rivers Windsor Jefferson Sparrow Assumed not ready: Bowey, Viney, AMW, Mihocek, Campbell, Melksham, McAdam, Henderson