waynewussell

One other thing I noticed today, we systematically refused to kick it short to the pocket after behinds were scored by opposition. On a number of occasions this would have been a safer option than the one taken. I have just watched McVee ignore May and Tomlinson when taking a kick out that landed almost on the wing but resulted in an immediate opposition surge back into their forward line (19 mins into P2)

Hello to Oliver, Brayshaw & Salem

Hello to Oliver, Brayshaw & Salem

Difficult to draw conclusions after that hit out. The 10 unanswered goals was an embarrassment, but the 5 goal opening burst and hanging in for a 4 goal loss (when main list was on the field minus Max & May after 2nd Qtr) was just OK. I would think you can add Salem, Oliver, Brayshaw, Spargo, Fullarton & Woewodin for Carlton match.

Will Verrall doing his running routine with a trainer now, obviously that’s it for Will. promising competitor in the ruck on the day

Both Spargo and Fullarton indicated that they would be ready to play next week

By the way, Salem is bog in this game at this stage

Ollie back on which is good

Can only see six listed players on the ground at this stage of 6th qtr

Jefferson down, could be bad

Max running laps at 1/2 time. Must be off for second half

Marley probably reads this site. Go easy with the humour... he may think it is representative of MFC supporters.

Nicholson

Brodie will play well for 4 or five rounds. The Media will hail his recruitment, and the Sydney brains trust, as a master stroke while they ridicule us for getting it wrong. Then things will turn sour as Brodie's weaknesses are exposed (just like they were for us). By the end of the season fans in general will be questioning how he is still getting a game.

Schache just needs to get a sustained run at it. To date, it's been a game here and half a game there. Invest in the Schache and he won't look back!

Having said what I said about round 0 forward line, I still think McAdam will get up! I also add Bill to the potential bench lineup

I think we have reached the point where MFC supporters will count their lucky stars that we have the likes of Schache and Tomlinson on our list! Our midfield is still amongst the best, most feared in the comp. Our backline is blessed for wealth and depth. Our forward line round zero, given injury concerns, should read as follows, HF: Spargo, JVR, Billings F: Fritsch, Schache, Tholstrup with ANB and Chandler off the bench

Step right up Matt Jefferson Step right up Daniel Turner Your time is here!

Got down there for 90mins. Clarrie was looking good and giving off good vibes. He said hello, I told him it was good to see him. He did some photos with a young bloke near me, who was stoked. He had affectionate interactions with BBB and Billings, then soft tackled AMW to the ground and held him down (in good humour). I'm reporting a future injury... whoever tackled Viney, tore his shorts half off and gave him a corky! Many impressions from the session have already been posted, so I only have a few observations to share. Fritta looks very fit and is in everything, more physical in the contest than I remember. Tom McDonald is very strong in the clinches and I now have him on a par with Tomlinson, with Disco very close behind them. Adams looks good on the burst, but doesn't yet have the strength of the other three. Adam's kicking is also a bit iffy target-wise. I watched Stafford's ruck group closely. Max is dominant, as you would expect, but he provides elite competition for the up-and-comers. On todays form, Schache is the closest to providing Max with any competition, followed by Verall, who seems quite a bit shorter (even though listed as 199) and Farris-White, who is clearly improving. I need to report a few well known negatives from today's end-to-end stuff. Lever still stuffs up the occasional short pass and Trac still murders a few passes and gets very grumpy with himself. Petty was on the sidelines for this activity, but he and Tomlinson were yelling a lot of advice to the youngsters about positioning. They were particularly vocal toward Kynan Brown, who seemed only moderately interested in what they were calling out. It's true, Caleb Winston is a talent. Quick, evasive and sure by foot. Glides around like a famous wingman who owned the members' wing!

Got down there for 90 minutes. Others have covered key moments very well, so I will put in a few observations that haven't already been reported. The full ground activity is non-stop running, a real stamina test. Players are called to play on if they pause for longer than three seconds. The intensity is sky high. The physicality is brutal at times. McAdam came off second 'beast' when trying to block a rampaging Rivers. He had to take time out for a short period with a saw jaw. Rivers was exceptional with strength on the burst, and ball carrying finesse. Fritsch slung Bowey roughly to the carpet (immediately apologised) but Bowey had bounced up like a rubber ball and tore through the middle with perfect delivery. Bowey's speed on the run from defence was sensational, time and time again. Howes and Windsor are putting tremendous pressure on the selectors at this early stage. Howes took an excellent high mark in defence, then ran back with the flight for a magnificent spoil in the very next rebound. He is taller than I thought. McDonald is fitter than he has been since 2021. He is match ready, wherever he plays. Spargo was another standout in the end-to-end match sim, making excellent position and displaying outstanding short kicking skills (nothing new there, but he is another that looks very fit). Was impressed with Fullarton again. We have a live one there! He is athletically gifted and shows the 'clevers' with ball in hand. Max was taking big clean marks down the line and dispersing with excellent foot skills. After each period of 'play' the teams (Blue and Grey) huddle together for evaluation and tactical discussion. I was near the Blue huddle and May, Petracca and Brayshaw did the (straight) talking. Other senior input I noticed... Lever tutoring Jefferson on marking technique and Melksham advising McAdam on positioning. I left feeling that we will play a very fast, very effective game style in 2024, with very good list depth and several emerging young guns on the rise!

I'm just wondering what an effective ANB game looks like. In the first 7 rounds of 2023, ANB averaged 15 possessions and kicked a goal in every one of those games. In the first 6 rounds of 2022 (he missed R7), ANB averaged 18 possessions.

Benny started pre-season looking like the competitive tall forward he always was. I note he was not doing the match sim in most recent training runs. Fullarton will definitely feature in forward / ruck plans, and he is very fit and willing. Will Verall is the big improver and may have an impact by mid-year.

Those critical of ANB are four years behind the times! What are you watching? ANB is one of the biggest improvers in the comp! He is very close to top 5 on our list. Enjoy what he brings instead of staring into your outdated rear-vision mirror.