DemonWheels

Managed to make it down to training as well, beautiful day for it. Not a huge amount to report but here are a few of my observations: – No players appeared to be in rehab, although Bowey did appear to spend a bit of time away from the main group during the bigger drills (if I recall correctly). – Jefferson certainly looks a bit stronger, nothing too dramatic but just looks to have filled out a bit across the shoulders and arms. Reckon he'd measure about 2 inches taller if he wasn't so hunched. – The running drills were in groups with the first and fastest featuring only Chandler, McVee and Windsor. – The tall players were all in the last 2 groups and while they were only doing 200m sprints no one really looked too off the pace which was pleasing. Kentfield, Verrall, Adams, Jefferson etc all keeping up. – Was great to see Jonesy back out there, this time in the sky blue coaches t-shirt. He was high-fiving and getting around all the players like he was still one of them. – Great to see the older heads of TMac and Viney out there leading the way. – Fox News was down with their cameras so might have been wanting to catch a glimpse of Trac or Clarry if they had turned up. – Personally I hoped to see McAdam as I'm keen to see a fit version of him pre-Xmas but hopefully he'll appear in the next few sessions. – McVee, Windsor and Turner probably the players that caught my eye the most.

Always surprised to see him listed at 195cm as he moves much more dynamically / sharper / intensely than others of his height, and he therefore appears as though he’s a smaller player than he is. Get the ball into his hands more often and we’ll be better off. Lots to like. Keep building Disco.

Assume all of us as supporters are probably feeling like the dumb boyfriend whose done something wrong but can’t quite figure out what it was we did and exactly how to mend that bridge but just hope to hell their love and feelings for us (as well as their contract) entice / coerce / motivate Christian to stay and continue to see a future together. Hope the understanding between the club and Christian are much clearer, clarified and understood - or we’ll only see him in red and blue for one more season.

Already looking forward to your training reports @kev martin

Hopefully if GWS manage to get Stringer to head up to them it will allow Derksen to move. Stringer would be yet another player ahead of Derksen in that GWS forward line

All just a bit sad really. Sad that our club is in the headlines and that we appear to be somewhat rudderless, sad that we've reached this point with one of our best players (ever), sad that we won't be compensated properly for the trade, sad that the team we're trading to will only get stronger, sad that we only get weaker. Can it be saved from here? Certainly keen to hear exactly whats changed in the last week as Clarry was very happy on the podcast to get stuck into preseason as early as possible and re-join the club/team mates. And all seemed okay in terms of club messaging. All we can do is wait (and click refresh).

Listening to snippets of that podcast Clarry comes across as quite immature - the way he defends or explains our culture as a non-issue because ‘we all have a laugh and eat lunch together’. Maybe the higher-ups have just had enough of dealing with all the issues and still don’t see this young man really growing and maturing into what they thought he could become. Maybe they think it’s time to cut their losses and move forward.

Super happy for Brisbane, Fagan, even Zorko has proved himself a formidable player changing position and taking a spot in the AA team. Lots of great stories coming out of the Lions and you can see they have a big mix of player types which is a huge strength, diversity. Big question marks for Sydney and Longmire - not sure how you keep doing what you’ve done and expect it to get you over the line next time. Find them very vanilla outside of their stars.

Wowsers. I’m currently in Kirra/Coolangatta and am amazed at the traffic and amount of time it takes to go from one end of the Gold Coast to the other, let alone from Byron to Brissie. Not sure of his family / partner situation but if you’re earning good coin and will do for only a few more years, suck it up and live closer by.

Definitely agree this is over-the-top. BUT, in saying that, my very limited experiences with true bulldogs is that they really do struggle to breathe and any sort of over stimulation and exercise seems like a real struggle for them. Not something I’ve thought about for a long time and I’m not a campaigner by any sense, just an opinion formed from someone who loves dogs.

Think I heard on the radio he’s requested a trade to the Sainters

Just heard on SEN we’re sounding out Wade Derksen from GWS - don’t know much about him but they suggested he’s been the leading VFL goal kicker and keen to move back to Melbourne.

Actually saw him at the shops a month or two ago and was struck by how much he just didn't look like an AFL footballer. Well aware he's had his injuries over his whole career but I'd expect to see someone in ripping nick, toned leg muscles and decent shoulders – if he'd been eating well and doing the amount of gym you'd expect of an AFL footballer, particularly one that has spent lots of time on the sidelines. But he just looked kind of meek.

Let’s get a scoreless half, that would be amazing 🙏🤞

Just haven’t seen any real fight back or period of ascendency from the Doggies. This game isn’t much different to last night really. In saying that the scoreboard still says if the Dogs can ignite something then they can create an opportunity for themselves.

Breaking news: Appears a large number of players have been robbed of their sideburns

The Fox Footy Panel needs to understand they’re all talking into microphones, the things they’re all holding, in their hands. You don’t need to yell!

I’m watching on channel 7 but listening via SEN and Kane Cornes is commentating - he’s as hard on them as he is with any other team, maybe even more so. Saying it’s a massive story how poor they are and they are hugely vulnerable now to go out in straight sets.

She’s not sounding good to be honest. Shouldn’t be doing the interview. Not saying anything except sounding like she doesn’t know enough.

This is awesome, up by 100 before half time

100% agree And I was there too*. (Had to leave at half time to visit ‘The Royal’ for a quick pot, but still home by end of the game)

Totally agree he’s been a massive loss but if his absence is the cause of our demise then there must be a huge weakness in all the connecting parts of our club. For one person to leave to have such a dramatic and negative impact is an indictment on the other leaders. He was pivotal in our premiership and in the grand final game itself - he turned the game or at least kept us in it when it was getting away. There’s some corporate rule about relying too heavily on key staff (can’t recall exactly what it is) and maybe that’s what we’ve experienced. Whole thing is just sad, for us all.

Anyone need some tickets for tonight? I’ve got 4 x Medallion Club seats - Level 1, M20, Row DD. Can’t guarantee you’re out of the elements but they’re smack on Centre Wing. PM me if you want them, free to a good home.

Our handballing is disgusting. Clearly no priority put on the simplest of basic skills in the game, it’s where we fall down in most chains whether it be back / mid / forward. So many times today we were out and clean, but then a bumbling and half-hit and I’ll-timed and too-high and most commonly a too-short handball that bounces and doesn’t allow the receiver to keep moving handball completely ruins the chain and then we turn it over (meanwhile team mates have run forward and were exposed out the back).

Understand they’ve got a few important players out but their starting 18 still looks threatening, albeit dropping away in quality on the interchange. Based on our last 5 weeks I see no reason for any confidence whatsoever. Just hope we turn up and silence their likely dominant crowd early on, and build into the game from there.