Harvey Wallbanger

Earl Spalding

I agree Kev, and physically he is looking much stronger - just a matter of where he fits in, particularly with Windsor likely to play off half-back, and Bowser and Salem fit, and so many wingers - perhaps the old ANB role for him as he has many similar attributes to Nibbler.

In my view Adams looks better this year - hard to judge by how much until we hit the serious stuff.....

Apparently 11 am on Saturday 23rd - four quarters, but nothing officially yet from the Club....

Before Christmas I was noticing some focus on very precise kicking into the forward line. By precise, they seemed to be focussing on shorter, sharper kicks to direct hit-up leads. Doesn't sound like rocket science, but does suggest a change of emphasis of some sorts. Today there was a clear emphasis on switches from the backline if the obvious 45 degree kick from defence was not on. That could be a strength of ours with the likes of Windsor, Langdon and Sharp. I noted that some times, once the switch was effected, the wingers would head back to Bowser or Windsor back in the corridor. Again - pretty obvious stuff - trying to avoid turnovers in dangerous areas until the corridor kick was safer.

The taller of the two was Noah Yze, and the smaller wasn't the "secret" F/S I was led to believe. I expect Culley, George and Yze all suit up for Casey and we see what happens mid-year, unless there are any developments before Feb 21, when teh final list must be lodged, as mentioned by DistrACTION Jackson.

So the simplest solution (if one was heading in that direction) is an agreed "retirement"?

Oh and Jed Adams got a huge group clap at one stage - we speculated that it may be a training award of some description?

Absent: Tholstrup, Verrall, Kosi, Woewodin and Kentfield. Intel - Kosi having family time. Rehab: Petracca, Lever, Spargo, Melksham, McAdam, Fullarton, Chandler Also present: Train-ons Jai Culley and Roy George plus two young academy/father/sons (sworn to secrecy re the latter) Activities of Chandler and Trac suggest they are very close to resuming full training - both wore the yellow caps when doing drills (no match sim for them). McAdam indicated to one of his teammates that it may be hamstring again - but he did a lot of full speed running, so perhaps precautionary today. Lever to'ed and fro'ed back to AAMI. Didn't do much at all! Spargs still doing straight lie running but indications of a little more movement than in the last two months. Melksham just lots of medium pace running. Low-key session with a bit of match sim in the middle. Petty and TMac still training back. Draftees continue to impress, i.e. Langdon and Lindsay, and don't forget AJ Johnson. Very involved in a lot of the action. Surely all three play against North on the 22nd. A lot of switching in the simulation - fascinated to see who joins Langdon and Windsor, with Sharp, Billings and Lindsay all playing wide roles on the switch. Hopefully the absentee numbers and rehabbers reduce over the next few weeks such that Spargo and Thosltrup are the only "medium-termers" with a question mark over Kentfield of course, due to his pneumonia.

Yes - Wardlaw has done a hamstring. We have the Roos Round 2 at Marvel. Kingy said "you don't want to face the Roos early in the season!"

McVee seemed unhindered in rehab - perhaps precautionary. Tholstrup also not limping or showing any other discomfort - just doing very little. Pure speculation, but perhaps concussion protocols, or illness, or management...not too worried about these two. Chandler's shoulder maybe a couple of weeks away and the timeline on Spargo is unknown...maybe we will get an official injury update this week, particularly with 7 or 8 not training today...

All in attendance today except Luker Kentfield - hasn't been seen for a while? Roy George, Mitch Hardie and (I think) Jai Culley "train-on" players. McVee, Trac, Spargo, Tholstrup, Sparrow, Fullarton, Chandler in rehab. Verrall seemed to be in and out of it. Viney threw his strapping away and joined the main group early. Petty continued to train down back, Disco up forward - interestingly they seem to be trying Sestan down back (and he looked OK). As per other comments, Clayton, Rivers and Windsor looking great through the mid-field in match sim. McAdam (very lively again), Johnson and JVR normally deepest with Fritter playing a lot more upfield - maybe just to get more work into him. Max back to full training and Campbell was making him work. Campbell looking like he will be a capable (if not like-for-like) replacement should he be needed. Still no sign of JVR or Johnson doing any secondary ruck-work (who will it be?). Lever back into the main group and he and May doing their usual thing - TMac also down back - does he fit in with Petty also back? Other random observations - Howes continues to look good, Adams seems to have discovered a bit of spark. Salem used a lot in the yellow vest (overlap) player in the match sim.

A short anecdote which sums up Neale and the Daniher family's efforts. It was around 2014 or 2105 shortly after Neale had been diagnosed with MND. A "Sacked Coaches"" event was held at the Reggio Calabria Club on Brunswick Road. I believe the special guest was Terry Wallace. Proceeds from the event went to the newly formed Fight MND and Neale came to our table and shared with a close friend of his that the cheque was for $2,000. Whilst obviously appreciative of the donation, he said "Gee it's going to be a long, hard road to raise any serious money at this rate". Whilst the beast has not been defeated the rest, as they say, is history. The leadership, effort and organisational skills he has shown are truly remarkable. Hats off Neale.

His handling....and his tackling at training has been fine. Both aspects looking back to normal. And yes, we all remember some of those occasions last year where he was clearly hampered by the hand injury - most obvious to me in his tackling.

The only public announcement is that Mt Scopus has signed an option to buy the land. I would expect another announcement when the actual acquisition occurs. Details of the option details were not made public. The only other public statement from the school referred to signing enrolments at the new campus in 2030. Might that be the MFC's timeline for completion too? We'll know more perhaps we see our next Strategic Plan?

He sprained an ankle just before Christmas. Haven't heard whether that is still the issue, but he still wasn't back with the main group doing match sim last Wednesday at Gosch's. He was running freely with the other rehabbers, so hopefully a cautious approach being taken at this stage. Not sure what he did last Friday at Casey?

As mentioned before you will probably still see Petty forward at training until Turner returns. Petts, the ultimate swingman - even at training.

Did you say 22, and not 23 deliberately? Sneak him in as the 23rd man? Or back in AJ for Round 1? - nobody seems to want JVR doing the relief ruck work....

The grab I saw from Albo's presser also indicated that the Federal commitment to the Tassie stadium was a fixed figure ($240 m) so (1) not a surprising comment and (2) throws a large issue back to the Tasmanian State government. Instructive for us as the Caulfield project develops - assuming there will be a sizeable (much smaller than Tassie of course) contribution from the Feds?

Could be, and Lever still "rehabbing" so might occur sooner than later. Petty played forward a lot today (and did well), but probably because of Turner's absence (also rehabbing), rather than the long term plan?

Interesting you ask - complete speculation but I reckon he has been told that he has to play back to make the best 23 - and therefore needs to win more of the "one-on-ones". He played a lot on JVR today in the match sim and we noted his aggression both at the man and the ball - perhaps he fills the role Tomlinson did last year. Versatile back, can play on tall or small?

Slick - quicker footed than Langford - related partly to different body shapes.

Re Lindsay yes - but then finished with moderate run-throughs. Not unusual for the first year's, controlling the loads and considering he had that PCL pre-Christmas. In match sims he seemed to line up on the wing and in the mids' contested stuff was positioned "outside". Building nicely, but Langford probably ahead of him as he has been able to do the full program so far. Let's hope they have years together in the engine room.

Might depend on what sort of peaking (or peeking) you will be doing behind that fence. 😀

Good to see we won the toss! I wasn't worrying about it - just straightening RiF up on the fact that access to our new building would not be the existing road tunnel that takes you to the infield... The players will either walk across the track from the planned building, or perhaps a pedestrian tunnel (more cost) under the race tracks - two tracks now of course since the new Caulfield Heath went in....