Caligula's cohort

Exactly, Fritsch is an undersized key forward like Membrey from the Saints. Mitch Brown is a mobile key forward that provides another marking option and can be a foil for McDonald and Jackson as a 3rd tall. Some people just don't understand how forwards structures work and the roles players play.

Keeping to our structures Petty and M.Brown are the logical choices to come in. Goody just needs to back his system in and the players will perform. Changing the structures by adding a Bedford or Chandler to the forward mix makes us too short on marking and lead up type forward options. As for Petty we just need to get games into him to see what he's made of, otherwise what's the point in keeping these guys? I'd love to see Hibbered in for Nev as I still think he's our weakest link in defence.

Unsung heroes tonight were Jetta, Hunt and Jordon. They played their role and kept the dangerous small forwards at bay. Jordon with 9 tackles and 20 disposals a good effort for a second gamer. The backline is gelling so well and loved Rivers dash. As Paul Roos said "Defence win Premierships".

Saints will be up for it this week as they honour the late Danny Frawley. This could be a very close contest indeed.

IN: Viney, Hibberd OUT: Sparrow SUB: Hunt (can play several positions)

I'm not so sure about that. They're missing Ryder, Marshall, Geary, Hannebery and Crouch all of whom are easily in their best side. If we can nullify King who is missing round 1 due to concussion, I don't see where St Kilda will get their goals? Mason Wood? Membrey? McKerenan? the only real danger men are King, Butler and Higgins.

Happy with the win but gee-wiz we looked pretty rusty out there today. We can't afford to be that sloppy against the Saints next week if we want to beat them. Clarry gets the chocolates for his 100th and Jordon impressed with his neat skills and classy goal. Hopefully we get Viney, Melksham and Hibberd next week. We'll need them.

Ironic how Goody had 4 years to develop Omac and we got barely anything out of him except for an impressive 2018 season, and yet 3 months with another club and Omac showed more in one game than I ever saw at the MFC. He was hard tonight, tackled and chased and presented as a good tall forward who didn't look all that slow IMO whilst kicking two snags. Goodwin's days (games) are numbered and just making finals is not good enough. He has an elite list, if he can't do something with them, then we need someone who can.

One can only dream!

Premier: Melbourne Runner-up: Port Adelaide Wooden spoon: Hawthorn Moving up: GWS Set to fall: Collingwood Brownlow Medal: Petracca Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron NAB AFL Rising Star: Matt Rowell Best new Demon: Brown Demon All Australian: Petracca, Gawn, May, Oliver, Langdon, Lever Demon B&F: Petracca Big call: Nathan Jones to surpass David Neitz games record for Melbourne and play on next year. Ladder prediction: 1. Geelong 2. Port Adelaide 3. Melbourne 4. Brisbane 5. Richmond 6. Western Bulldogs 7. West Coast 8. St. Kilda

I'm happy with the signings. I saw Smith at training during the pre-season and he stood out to me. He's lightly framed, but he moves really well and has Rosman like fitness/endurance. He can play Wing and Half Back like Bowey... perhaps we will see a changing of the guard by mid season with Nev and Hibbo nearing the end. On Daw, going by the 2018 highlights he looks really good to help out in the forward line if needed. But I mainly see him as a back up if Gawn goes down. We can't leave it all up to Jackson to carry the ruck duties, we needed a senior body and he'll be more than serviceable when called upon.

I hope they give Sparrow, Jordon and Harmes good minutes in the midfield tomorrow. Clarry has virtually had no body contact all pre-season due to his shoulder ops, and we need him cherry ripe for round 1. It'll definitely be a second tier starting midfield with Brayshaw and Viney to miss and Oliver will be in limited game time.

I quite like having Brayshaw. I see him as a back up, if one of Petracca or Oliver requests a trade in the near future. As mentioned last year, Carlton and Essendon have shown strong interest in Oliver and will have another crack at him this year. Brayshaw may not be a star like the other two, but when playing as an inside mid he is very good.

This is a training thread gents... not a new rule changes thread. Let's keep on track yea?

@george_on_the_outer was Harmes at training today? and if so, did you see what group he was training with? thanks.

Kobe wasn't noticeably different to Kossie and Spargo he's definitely 170+ when I saw them all standing next to each other. I have to say though... as much as I love the fairytale of a Farmer dominating our forward line. I just can't see it in Kobe. He just doesn't have elite attributes for a player his size. He was very tentative at training. If he has any chance at landing a spot on our list he needs to give it all his got.

Hello dworship, I could tell he was a demonlander tragic like myself. I'm pictured here with the red cap by jeff's elbow. Hopefully i'll get to know some of you die hard supporters like myself in the future.

He wasn't doing anything up forward last year so he probably needs to go back to the midfield to reinvent himself, even though we're already stacked in the midfield with players of his size and ability.

Unfortunately I have to head back up to the border today so it will be up to others to continue with the reporting. But from what i've seen Tmac will play forward, Petty down back, Hunt I didn't see which group he was training with but he looks in really good shape I think he'll be a regular this year. Harmes was unsighted but I presume he will be a mix of forward and mid. AVB was training with the mids and Jackson was everywhere playing forward, back and doing stints with the mids Jacko could be anything... such a versatile player. In terms of positional changes I noticed Melksham with the mids and Jones and Chandler with the forwards.

Mainly with the Backs. But he played forward on occasion. I think he'll be our Mr. fix it if we are down on key talls.

I arrived down at Casey (God's Country) around 9.15am and stayed until 11.30am. The players began with forward 50 entries, they were about 60 out and delivering it to leads near the goal square and forward pocket focusing on low bullet entries and then switched play to kicking out of forward line. Chocco was leading these drills and lead most of the drills all morning for the main group. Rehab we had Hibberd, Pickett, Brayshaw and Lockhart. Hibberd did the least of the group so he seems a fair way off, whatever his injury may be. Vanders and May joined the rehab group later in the session and conducted individual programs. Mostly repeat running. As mentioned by Tough Kent Petty is fully training with the main group which is encouraging. From what I've seen with the new recruits, Rosman is training with the mids, Bowey with defenders and Laurie with forwards. Rosman was the standout for me of the new recruits. He is fast, athletic and runs all day. Bowey is lighter than I expected he definitely needs a few pre seasons in the gym but I loved his kicking. Laurie has strong legs but small upper body and shoulders he also impressed me with his repeat running and endurance which was conducted towards the end of the session. The second drill it was a keepings off scenario 8 (yellow bibs) vs 6 (no bibs) starting from the back 50 and using handball receive to clear space and then go through the corridor with run and carry and hitting up a free player inside the 50. The third drill, forwards and backs were playing on each other while the mids played on each other. Lewis and Yze were coaching the midfield group. From what I saw Sparrow, Jordon, Nietschke, Vanders, Melksham all training with the mids. Viney and Trac the standouts for me and Clarry also sharp. I also made my way across the other side of the ground and Ben Gibson came over to me and told me to vacate back to the entrance area due to Covid precautions. I had a brief chat with him and I voiced the issue with him that not enough content is being put on the MFC website and encouraged him to do more interviews and podcasts to which he said they'll bring out a podcast tomorrow. But IMO I believe MFC should be doing a lot more to provide content for their supporters. They finished the session with interval training i.e run 50 metres, jog 30 metres and walk 10 metres and repeat continually around the boundary for about 10 - 15 minutes. Rosman and the new kid Smith were the standouts. They just ran all day basically lapping players. Poor Ben Brown was in a world of pain, i'm sure he would be thanking Burgess later for that session. Jeff Farmer was in attendance and chatted away with Matty Whelan the entire time. Yze and Goody came over later and had a good 30 minute chat with them. Farmer was impressed with training and mentioned it was like nothing they did back in the day. Farmer has lost a lot of weight and credits it to being off the booze... he's sitting on about 85kgs. I got some very good information that Lachie Ash (Pick 4 from 2019 draft) won't be renewing his contract from GWS and wants to be back in Victoria. His preferences are Melbourne and Geelong. My source said he heard it from two of people. That's about all the news I have for today. I hope you all appreciate the report. Cheers!

At long last... a training report! Thank you for making your way down to "god's country" LH, and a good first up training report. Hopefully many more to come! I'm thinking of heading down on Monday to see the boys in action and take a few pics for us die hard supporters.

This must be Vanders first pre-season in about 4 years not starting in the rehab group. Hopefully he and Nietschke will have uninterrupted pre-seasons this time around.

I've been doing pre season reports for the past 5 years and it's usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday... starting at 9am but usually the players are out there by 8.45am getting taped, applying sunscreen, warming up.

Lazy journalism... this article was done last year with minor updates. They couldn't even be bothered to update the games played with Jones. I believe he's currently sitting on 294 and Oliver is on 99 games not 82 as mentioned in the article.