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Culley also noted the improvement that came in his 20 metre sprint times: 3.3 seconds in 2021 compared to 3.1 seconds in 2022. Benson said he was technically already a very good runner, with the key to their training being capitalising on those strengths while making small changes - 16 May 2022 That's all I've been able to find on his speed. 3.1 is fine for a 194cm mid. According to Adam Simpson he also ran a 6.03 minutes for the 2km time trial, which is also decent.

It's Culley for me. In my opinion, he's just too good to not pick up.

I looked at Brand gazing into the empty little stand. He had a slight tear in his eye. I asked if he was OK. He said he was fine. Just had a little bit of sand in his eye.

I'm not great at estimating crowds, but I tried to do a bit of a head count yesterday and my guess is that 250 people would be generous. I was struggling to get past 150. There were sponsors tents, etc. and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the turnout. Clearly, the allocated time wasn't conducive to attendance.

In the second half they changed some of the players from Blue to White and vice versa. I think it’s more interesting as to who started in Blue and who started in White. Blue (probables): Gawn, Oliver, Rivers, Langdon, Lindsay, Langford, Sharp, Howes, Bowey, Salem, Billings, Petty, Lever, Sparrow, Fritsch, Chandler, Turner, van Rooyen, McAdam, McDonald White: (possibles): Campbell, Laurie, Culley, Brown, Adams, Jefferson, Sestan, Hore, Fullarton, Johnson, Woewodin, Moniz-Wakefield, Verrall, Adams, plus Casey top ups. No Mentha and George, or those who you already know about. It seems Petracca, Viney and Windsor will be back next week. So, while we do have injuries, I suspect we won’t be far off our best team soon. Jefferson: He started as a forward for White and was quiet. To get him involved they moved him into defence in the second quarter. He looked very comfortable behind the footy and got quite a lot of it. In the second half he swapped teams and played forward again, but was again quiet, although he took a nice contested mark in the last. Gawn: Campbell is a handful in the ruck contests. He competes hard against Max and manages to neutralize many of the hitouts, but Max worked his way nicely into the game. He took 6 or 7 marks and dropped a couple he’ll take in a few weeks. He got plenty of it. He won’t be falling away this year. Oliver: He’s moving really well and looks back to his best for mine, despite Goody saying supporters will need patience. He used it well, was clever, and wasn’t rushed like he seemed last year. In the votes. Langdon: He was in most centre bounces. He just gets a lot of it when he’s on ball and uses his quick feet to get out of trouble. Kicked a goal and missed a few other chances. Like all of the mids he made a couple of blues but he was in my best. Salem: Played in defence. He’s back to his best and moving like it’s 2021. Bowey: He too played in defence and racked it up. The odd mistake and sometimes I’d like him to move it on a bit quicker, but he looks a lock for the best 22 to me. Langford: He just looks comfortable at the level already and around the contest. His height will be a real asset around the ground and he makes good decisions. His one Achilles heel is he sometimes overruns ground-balls, but he looks a star in the making. Kicked a nice long goal. Lindsay: I thought he was good. He got it about as much as you’d expect playing a true wing role. Nice poise and competes/tackles well for a first year player. Some people think he’s skinny, but I look at the legs and his core looks great for an 18 year old. His upper body will obviously develop. Sharp: Not as noticeable today, but still did some nice things, including a smart front and square crumbing goal. Rivers: Played midfield all game and was good. In my best along with Oliver, Langdon, Fritsch, Salem, Bowey and Gawn. Fritsch: Involved, looked quicker than usual and seems set for a better year. Lever, etc: It was a pretty easy day for the defenders and they did what they had to. Not much to say. Chandler: Did some nice things and seems over his shoulder injury. Turner: Pretty quiet, but he did take a couple of good marks. Van Rooyen: Was the best key forward on the ground and we know he competes well. He still seems to drop an easy mark or chest mark every time I watch him, but he also clunked a couple and I reckon he’s ready to stamp himself on the competition. McAdam: He was playing deep forward and was having a good game before getting injured. A few for White. Moniz-Wakefield: I thought he was really good. Competed really hard, much to Salem’s annoyance at one stage. He played in defence and wouldn’t be out of place in the best 22. Brown: The boy was good. He played mainly on a wing and was one of the better players for White. His Dad was watching on. Sestan: I really like him down back. He was very involved and we know he usually kicks it well. There isn’t a spot for him, but I think he’d equip himself well. Johnson: Good early with a goal and a nice mark, but largely unsighted from then on. Fullarton: He’s such a great build. He did a couple of nice things, but on a whole was reasonably quiet. But I may have missed some stuff. Verrall: He did pretty well against the odds. He took a very good mark in the last and got involved. His kicking is problematic. Woewodin: Played wing and was one of White’s best. Used his pace through the centre in the last when he was switched to Blue. He and Lindsay were matched on a wing for a while. I’d say they’re going head to head for a spot in the 22. Hore: He was good. He looks a class above VFL level, but will have to bide his time. Culley: OK, he did a couple of sloppy kicks interspersed with quality left foot kicks, including a great goal on the run from 45. He was often head to head with Oliver, including the mandatory niggle. I have to say I really like this bloke. I haven’t seen enough to know what his pace is like, but in so many other facets he looks a fantastic prospect in the midfield. We probably have a greater need for a small forward, like George, who I also like, but gee, Culley is too good not to be on an AFL list.

It would be very easy for me to not make it humanely possible.

Leather poisoning. Played mainly on-ball. Saw him on the wing and half-forward, but 85% midfield. George and Mentha didn't play. Nor did Viney.

Yes, McAdam injured his leg and took no further part in the match. Rivers played on-ball all game. He didn't play in defence. Bowey played defence all game, despite his goal. If I get time I'll add some more thoughts.

I was hoping you'd have ''league average'' wing statistics to make the declaration you did, but seemingly not.

What's your metric ? What's the league ''average'' ?

What are you insinuating ? Is it with regards to the information that was rightly corrected ?

What an asinine comment.

The positional changes are really nothing more than starting points. In the match simulations I've seen Langdon has been everywhere, i.e. centre, back pocket, wing, forward pocket. He's been relishing the freedom to link up all over the ground. And he's been a revelation in this role. He and Pickett are providing some welcome fast feet around the ball. It's similar with Windsor. Plenty of attacking thrusts start across half-back and having Windsor in the thick of it and breaking lines is worth a try. He'll still be running through the wings and centre.

Jon Ralph has a training report online which I've read. From supposed reports from ''track watchers'' he lauds Aidan Johnson's performance and says he's pushing for round one. Johnson was very quiet. He also states that Mentha kicked 3 goals. He kicked one, but he did some nice things. The White team only kicked 5 goals. George kicked 2, Mentha 1, Yze 1 and Culley 1.

Langdon was terrific in an all purpose midfield role (mid/wing/half-forward). I can't remember more than one CBA clearance, but he may have had more and attended quite a few. He, Billings, Rivers, Salem, Bowey, and Oliver (after a slow start), got a heap of it. But so did Viney, McVee, Sharp and Howes. They spread it around and most of team Blue got plenty of touches. Sparrow played mainly forward. I did see him attend a CBA, but he wouldn't have had many. He kicked a nice long distance goal much to the delight of his Blue teammates. I didn't think he did a lot, but he did some typical Sparrow things without getting a heap of it. But you do miss stuff watching at Casey. Howes played as the third tall on Yze. Yze kicked a nice goal from just outside 50 after a Howes infringement. But Howes was good, especially early on.

He played off a wing and used it well. He's got quite a lot of competition for his outside mid role, but I think he'll be a player. Just has to do his apprenticeship.

1:32 is your clue.

Today’s MFC main session: Rehab: Lever and Spargo running laps. Lever was running short distances at a fast click as well as having kick to kick with a trainer. He seems unimpeded. Petracca, Chandler, McAdam and Fullarton doing non-contact kicking and handball drills on the adjacent oval. All moving freely at pace. I didn’t notice Windsor, Melksham, Verrall, Tholstrup or Kentfield, but it could have just been an oversight by me. Today’s main session comprised of 3 x 20 minute quarters of contested match simulation under the guidance of two AFL umpires (no boundary umpires). And it was very much a probables vs possibles for round one, which is why Pickett was with the possibles. So when you’re trying to drift off to sleep at night while picking your best team from the backline to the forwards keep the following in mind. Probables – Blue: May, Petty, Howes, Salem, Bowey, and McVee in defence; Gawn, Oliver, Rivers, Viney, Langford, Ed Langdon, Sharp, Billings, Sparrow, and Lindsay rotating in the mids, and van Rooyen, Turner, Jefferson, Fritsch as the main forwards. Ed Langdon, Lindsay and Billings all spent time on the wing. Langdon and Billings also occasionally rotated through a half-forward flank, while I noted Langdon attended a lot of CBAs. Lindsay was predominantly just wing. Along with Ed Langdon, Oliver, Viney, Rivers and Langford had the bulk of the CBAs. It was quite noticeable that Blue had a heap of left footers: Viney, Langford, Lindsay, Billings, Salem, May, Fritsch. Just need to get Chandler and Brown into the team. • I’m saying Ed Langdon, because a lot of posters are saying Langdon when they mean Langford Possibles – White: McDonald, Pickett, Brown, Adams, Laurie, Woewodin, Mentha, Campbell, Hore, Moniz-Wakefield, Johnson, Sestan, George, Yze, Culley, plus a few other Casey players White got off to a flyer with the first 3 goals. George kicked 2 (one lead and mark and the other a good crumbing goal) and Mentha one on the run from about 40 metres. Gradually Blue wrestled control and ran out 38 point winners (10 11 71 to 5 3 33). I don’t believe there were any injuries, although Viney copped a high one, which set him back in his tracks. I think he was fine. Lots of switching with short and long kicks before trying to spot up forward leads if possible, or long kicks when necessary. The game was a bit scrappy with some skill errors, including dropped chest marks (my pet hate), intermingled with some quality ball movement. Gawn and Campbell nullified each other. Gawn wasn’t able to take his trademark contested marks, but I never expect ruckmen to be marking at their best in early February. Ed Langdon was prolific. He was constantly an option and seemed to be relishing a bit more freedom through the midfield. I was surprised by how many centre bounces he attended. Lindsay didn’t get a lot of it and made a couple of errors but generally used it well. Langford was busy and contested as you’d expect. Took a nice mark and kicked a goal from a left foot snap 35 metres out. Billings was one of the busiest. He’s finding the footy with ease and was used a lot. Salem is also finding plenty of it. Bowey also got a heap of it. May was his intercepting self and uses Salem and Bowey as the outlet kick. McVee was also busy. Howes was good. He links up well with his fellow defenders. He seems to be having a very good preseason. Petty did what he had to do, which wasn’t much. Rivers and Oliver were the best mids for Blue. It’s great to see Oliver looking like he’s back to his best and Rivers looks a natural mid to me. Sharp was neat. Did a great spoli which became a mark deep in defence and 30 seconds later was hitting van Rooyen lace out in the forward pocket. The tall forwards were pretty quiet. Jefferson took a double grabber 35 metres out and converted. He also kicked one off the ground in the last. I thought he competed well. Van Rooyen kicked a nice goal from a difficult angle, and he also went up against Johnson in the ruck for a while. Turner was quiet. Fritsch was the most lively of Blue’s forwards. He also got on the scoreboard. I liked the look of Culley. A very tall mid, but looked good. Kicked a goal for White. Lastly, a special mention to the brothers. Pickett was fantastic despite getting caught by Langford. He played 90% in the midfield and was just so clean, quick and creative. His delivery was very good. He teamed up well with Mentha and George, who both looked likely. He’s got a touch of class Mentha and the more nuggety George also looks like he could belong at AFL level. They were up against it with a strong Blue backline and White had no key talls to crumb off, but both looked dangerous and had multiple shots at goal.

Why would you think I'm referring to Nick Riewoldt when I specifically referenced Jack Riewoldt (pick 13) ? The skinny King twins haven't lived up to their reputations due to their lack of physicality and contested ability. You do realise that's exactly the point I'm making ? Even then Ben played games in his first year and Max would have except for an ACL. If 2025 isn't important to you for Jefferson what year is ? There are mature aged key forwards who entered the system and succeeded, i.e. Podsiadly, Mihocek, Ben Brown, but how many were drafted at 18 and didn't play a game in their first two years and went on to be successful ?

May wasn't the same after two of his ribs were fractured early in the season. It's been reported he's in better shape this preseason than he has been for some time. I'm expecting a good year from May.

If he was good enough he could have played year one. Like a skinny Riewoldt did and like a skinny Amiss did. Jefferson is 21 before the start of the season. Jack Riewoldt kicked 78 goals as a 21 year old and Franklin kicked 108. Now I'm obviously not comparing him to those two players. My point is that some supporters spend their lives making excuses for players. Jefferson has no more excuses and he never really has. The skinny kid argument has always been BS.

This has been an excuse for this bloke for years, but in my opinion it's completely overblown. He's been physically capable of competing for most of his time at Melbourne. I don't buy into the ''skinny kid'' stuff. Jye Amiss was just as ''skinny'', if not more so, but was able to perform well as a teenager on his way to 41 goals in a season. What he does need is a mindset of yearning for the contest. You'll never make it as a key forward in the AFL unless you embrace the physicality of the contest. Caddy does and so does van Rooyen. Neither have more talent than Jefferson, especially Caddy, but they have the requisite desire to compete, to hurt, and to commit. Jefferson has the talent to make it and I'm sure we all hope he does. It's a big year for him to show that he's made inroads. Needless to say, I'm dubious.

You're off the mark here. Robertson kicked over 40 goals in a season six times. He also kicked 73 goals in a season. He won a best & fairest. He kicked 7 goals in a Queen's Birthday match and 7 goals on Matthew Scarlett in a stunning win at Kardinia Park.

Schwarz shouldn't be in the side. 59 games and 61 goals in the 2000s doesn't cut it. Rivers hasn't done enough. Howe ? Defintely no. He failed as a forward and was OK down back, but not enough to be in the best defence in the last 25 years. It's harder to say who should replace them, but unquestionably James McDonald makes the team.

I take a more hardline approach. He's going nowhere at the end of 2025 unless the club is satisfied in a trade, which is highly unlikely. It could well be different at the end of 2026 with only 12 months to go on his contract. The club may be more pragmatic then, but not at the end of this year.