waynewussell

The whole club getting around Harley has positive outcomes that already make his selection a success!

Can't believe the posters who think Jackson looked ordinary... Take a closer look! He got pushed around in the first two or three ruck contests, but then adjusted. As the second half progressed he began to get his hands to the ball first and we started to take it away from the contests. His follow up work is elite and he wasn't afraid to tackle with vigour. If you think he will be playing at Casey for most of the year, you don't recognise 'star' quality when its right in front of you!

Brown was a bee's dic from a five goal game in his first outing for the Dees... still we have some here grumbling about his weaknesses!

Weid became more effective as the game wore on. He was good in the final qtr. The important point is that he rucked all day, and he negated their advantage. Credit where credit is due. Jackson showed that he can give a chop out. In the first half his ruck work was promising.

Aah, the self anointed 'expert' film critics that feel a need to be critical... just like the 'real' film critics... always an opinion, never realising that they are not representative of the wider audience. I never take any notice of the 'real' film critics... I see a movie that I am interested in and make up my own mind. Enjoyed this insight into the mind-set of our football team. There was a time when supporters would grab the Saturday evening Sporting Globe on the way home which would have a report on the first half of the game you just viewed in first person... The Herald would have the final scores, printed in red (I think) on the back page of the early evening edition. When you got home from the match you might have had a half hour replay (if your team was playing one of the big 4) on Saturday night... then WOS on Sunday morning for 'expert' analysis. Now we have the good fortune to view a very well constructed review of pre-season, a narrative from the inner sanctum, and we have the drop-kick media critics here claiming it was below par! Get a life! Bring on episode two!

Everyone, including the AFL admin, have to get over making scores happen in AFLW! Its not the same game! Low scores make for great contests... That's CONTESTS!!! Accept that the scores will be lower. The women are already limited by the time allowed and modified rules. Accept that if the men played under the same conditions, the scores would be considerably lower! Our women did extremely well today after kicking into a gale in the first Q, and having to field an inexperienced team due to injury. North were considered one of the power teams of the comp. Credit where credit is due... Great win Dees!

Great result for Dees! Great return for Daisy! With several players to return during the season... look out Dees!

Really disappointed in Fox commentators... haven't mentioned the gale having any effect on inside 50's... all over Nth in first Q... patronising garbage! Surprise, surprise… Dees hit back in second Q with the wind... no mention of that being a factor by lame-brain commentary. No mention of dubious first 50m penalty by female Ump (just plain wrong!) which led to a goal… no discussion of double 50 metre penalty which also resulted in a North goal... I expected the Dees to hit back well in second Q. They will have to work very hard to limit Nth in the 3rd or it's game over!

Peter Moore played 7 games in 1987... Cordner played 1

Unfortunately, Harley was back to watching others train from a brief appearance on the boundary line today!

If Harley cant get back he will be the first to admit it. He is leaving no stone unturned to get it right, and I admire that. He is now under the direct care and instruction of our fitness team and he is doing everything that has been advised. I believe this "set back' is minor given his long road to date. Get behind him... he is a rare talent and, if he ever gets on the field, he will bring the kind of razzle dazzle that we have rarely witnessed since our Golden Era.

I watched Harley closely on Wednesday, as reported in the Training thread. He trained for a long period and seemed to me to be developing confidence in his rehabilitation progress. I saw no sign of a set-back. If this report on SEN is about something that happened since Wednesday, well, so be it! But if it is a comment on a set back that happened before Wednesday I would say Harley is back on track!

I got there at 9:30 and left at 11:10. Didn't see KK, VDB, Chandler, Hannon, & Neita. I spent the first 40 minutes close to the rehab group, Bennell, May, Tomlinson, Baker, Smith, Petty, Spargo, Melksham, OMac. Bennell started quietly, but built up to 35/40 metre kicks off both feet, occasional runs, and several handball receives. He was out there for most of the time I was there. I think he will play before June. May ran a lot, but seems a few weeks from ramping it up. Tomlinson was working hard and can only be days away from joining main group. By the way, Tomlinson is big... bigger than May when side by side. Oscar did a big bunch of 150 runs and doesn't seem to have anything much wrong with him. Petty and Smith close to full training. Spargo also not far away. Melksham just did a long, strenuous boxing session. Observations of the main group... Langdon is an asset, very fit, running both ways & elusive. Pickett and Bedford very impressive. Picket's step is a thing of beauty. I expect both to play in early rounds. Jackson has all round ability! His kicking style is a little awkward but seems effective. I have him at least on a par with Weideman at this stage, as is Brown. The regulars are all where you would expect... Max might have even gone up a cog with his fitness. Jones is far from a spent force. Harmes and Hibberd worked very hard throughout, with the former a little off with decision making. Viney is as fit as he has been for quite some time. Jordan is developing quite well and Rivers is a handy pick up. Fritsch continues to impress with his marking and goal sense. Jetts is back! A couple of other observations... Sparrow worked extremely hard, chased and tackled with intent, however, I have others ahead of him at this stage. Bradke is improving but is light. Lockhard trained well, lots of dash and willing tackler.

Premiership teams have contained the odd solid journeyman over the ages!

1 and 1 is 2

I'm amused by the anxiety demonstrated by quite a few posters on May's general condition. He's here, he's training, he looks to be in reasonable nick. Some blokes put on a few kg's easier than others (eg Buddy... going back further "Wilson" Pickett). Its only injury that I worry about when it comes to blokes who have already had significant AFL careers. On track for a very good season is Mr May!

Your team will probably try to snare him during 2020

It’s a safe bet that any posters who feel impelled to be critical of a week one training report are not MFC supporters... Their posts, views, football intelligence, POV should be discarded and/or disregarded!

...and yet, Petty in, Frost out! Go figure....

Pruess is very effective in getting first hand to the ball in ruck contests. He also follows up, and second efforts are promising. Yes, he looks a little cumbersome at times... a little unsure... I think this is because he came to our game later than most. For this reason I see upside as he works with coaches (and Max) at the elite level. He kicks like a mule and is good for a goal or two when bursting out of secondary stoppages forward of the centre. He is also on the aggressive side with physicality in the clashes. I expect he will improve as time goes on.

Current forward options, round 1 2020 -> Melksham, Tom Mc, Fritsch, Weiderman, Petracca, Hannon, VDB, Hunt, Petty, Lockhart, J Smith

I was totally engaged in the streamed version of the Bluey. Seeing an 83yo Ronald Dale present his leadership trophy to Max was worth the wait. Yes, there were some technical issues but we've come a long way on that front since '64, even though we've seemed incapable of ever moving beyond that 12th premiership. It wasn't so long ago that supporters who didn't attend the B&F would have to rely on a one paragraph report in the Sun, or HS, the following morning. Another highlight was Jon's involvement in presenting James Harmes with the Ian Ridley Memorial Trophy. Max's acceptance speech was uplifting, and Clarrie showed he is developing his ability to present on formal occasions, which he seems destined to experience a multitude of times in future years. I have no problem with the players and officials celebrating together, even after a disappointing year. Its not the GF that signals the end of our year, its the B&F. Now the entire list and the coaches can move on with new resolve! It is no surprise that the internal voting of the coaching panel differs from popular opinion and/or the view of the umpires. It always does... The voting at a B&F gives an insight into what a club values... all place getters deserve respect... and the love that Max refers to!

Correct me if I am wrong... but the Bluey Truscott Trophy represents how a MFC player fares when compared to other MFC players throughout the season as judged by the coaching panel, right? Jayden Hunt was one goal from being our leading goalkicker and had the most goal assists... so he compares favourably with other MFC forwards... no big surprise that he finishes top 10!

Viney had a 'bad' year in 2019! 7th for disposals (5th for average disposals), 3rd for tackles, 4th for clearances, 5th for inside 50's... I expect a big improvement in 2020 as he bursts into the new year from a full pre-season.