Goodvibes

Hannan was one that I struggled to get a read on to be honest. I'm not actually sure if he completed the whole session. Apologies. Tim Smith was great. It really does appear that we've got a three horse race for the third tall forward role. Pedersen never been fitter, Weideman developing nicely and Smith might be ahead of both of them. And as I said earlier, Hulett had a good session and impressed me with his clean hands in the air. I haven't had the pleasure of watching Tim Smith at Casey but was really encouraged by the way he moves, reads the play in game sim and as has been noted previously, has an uncomplicated and efficient shot for goal. Not sure if it's been mentioned earlier but Mitch White hurt his ankle in a JKH tackle and had to be rested. Garland hurt his ankle shortly after but was able to resume after some treatment. Also was going to mention that McDonald (Snr) and Pedersen both competed strongly in the air and it looks like there's no issues with their shoulders.

Apologies for the lateness of this effort. Really enjoyed yesterday morning's session. Much of what I observed confirmed what we've been consistently told by our track watchers over the past couple of months. I apologise in advance for the eclectic nature of what follows. Structurally, can I just say, I love the way the coaching staff divided the session into 4 quarters with the clock clearly simulating match conditions. This is not new but seems to be of increasing focus.The session was very much game sim driven and the large crowd appreciated that. The coaching staff really impress me. Transitions from drill to drill are sharp. Preparation was never found wanting. Feedback was delivered swiftly but they never lingered too long. Heart rates were always maintained. Crossy was fantatstic with the rehab group but this is news to nobody. The level of onfield leadership seems to have gone to another level. I love watching our senior leaders instructing small groups with line managing assistants watching on to ensure the appropriate messages are being delivered and then engaging only when necessary. The vibe in the team is excellent. They're driving each other, challenging each other. Viney and Gawn excelling in this area. The physicality is good. An occasional skirmish is a healthy sign. The gameplan is definitely being drilled into this team. As mentioned by the Melbourne-based reporters, the play on, quick ball movement is evident. The metronome app confirmed that the accompanying music was maintained between the 120 and 125 beats per minute range and the style of play seemed to mimic the tempo. I'd like to think our coaching staff are this switched on. Let's just pretend that this was indeed an intentional decision. Disappointing that five key members of our best 22 are in the rehab group. Hibberd, Jetta, Tyson, Brayshaw and Kent all look close to resuming and certainly got a solid workout in the hot and steamy conditions. Oscar McDonald and Sam Weideman are building nicely. Whilst still some way from AFL key position size they've both taken obvious and considerable steps towards adding the necessary kgs. More importantly both are attacking training in a really focused way. You sense they feel they belong and know that there are spots in our best 22 waiting for them to consolidate. Jay Kennedy-Harris was an absolute standout for me. He looks really fit and his one touch play was great to watch. His hands are beautiful and he brought a real energy to the session. Aaron vandenberg seemed to be everywhere. Only saw him turn it over once. One of the real positives of the session was the quality ball use I observed from players with a question mark in that area. vandenberg used it really well as did Harmes and Hunt. Hunt was the other highlight for me. He's been a favourite for some time but this session confirmed everything we outsiders have been hearing on Demonland. His linking player is critical and the team is clearly being coached to look for him. His line-breaking pace was electric as always but his disposal at the end of these runs was pleasingly efficient. Neal-Bullen made some mistakes unfortunately, as did some of our first and second year players. Billy Stretch will play round 1. Hogan looked great. His kicking routine, for me, however, is all over the place. At one stage, he was practicing his routine during a short break and his run up looked exactly like last year. 5 minutes later during game sim his routine looked completely different. What was consistent, however, was the outcome. He wasn't missing many today. I don't care what the routine looks like to be honest as long his efficiency returns to 2015 levels and we don't have to discuss it on here every second week when he misses a couple! Of the newcomers, Pat McKenna impressed me. He's a really good size and battled manfully against Pedersen in a really demanding contested/wrestling/leading/repeat effort drill. He looks almost as tall and almost as strong as Pedersen. We have some really options in defence now. Pedersen, as advertised, is noticeably fitter but still very broad and strong across the shoulders. It's great to see but also raises the question why it has taken this many pre-seasons at Melbourne to get to this point. Like others, Maynard just looks a player to me. It's like he's entering his seventh or eighth pre-season. Hulett took some nice grabs and the Casey graduates both looked at home. I was keen to isolate Jack Trengove to see if I could notice any discernable improvement in his speed and acceleration. As others have noted it's difficult in training to do so but at one point when he really put his foot down to find space it appear he did so with more ease than last season. Wishful thinking perhaps. The real highlight for me was a few tackles. Jack Watts received ample congratulations when he brought down the skipper trying to exit the defensive footy. The boys really do love him and Melksham brought down Hogan in impressive style earlier in the session. Pedersen pulled off a Watts and ran down Harmes when he was trying to clear the ball also. Great to see our key position players doing the less glamorous things at the tail end of a gruelling three hour session. At the end of the session Oscar McDonald and Billy Stretch seemed to be receiving some extra praise. Maybe they both received the Goody Fifty. Morale within the group was clear for all to see. Autograph signing and the mingling with the kids is always awesome. The kids and the families keep coming back and this part of the day must play a huge role. The Maroochydore camp and this open session is turning into a nice little tradition. Happy to respond to any questions about any individuals you might have.

Couldn't find a positive Red? The standard will improve and quickly. I think I said elsewhere that I would have gone with a 6 team structure. We don't have the talent yet to meet the high standards of the last three exhibitions games. Did you enjoy those games? That's where we'll be across 8 teams within a couple of seasons and then it will just get better and better. I'll repeat, the best talent in the country is still very young. The pathway has been in place for a few years now. The Auskickers are coming. I just hope people are patient. It was always going to be scrappy. Calling it rubbish, however, is a little disrespectful to the commitment of the girls involved in yesterday's game.

I'll be there too Ethan. Hopefully we can generate some footy talk around here.

I'm keen.

I had a lot of fun watching a couple of the recorded replays last night. Watching the Hawthorn game brought back a great memory. There was a moment late in the third quarter where Hawthorn had noticeably gone up a notch. The game was a its hottest and we soaked up the pressure and responded strongly. We were up for it. I told my parochial Hawthorn supporting nephew that we were going to win at that point. And we did. It really is one of my favourite parts of footy. When you're the underdog and you're in front and the favourite is mounting a charge and you find a way to meet the challenge and then go on with it. Sometimes that moment may only be 60 seconds of frenetic footy but if you take their best shot and then respond, you know you'll be ok. I had the same feeling at times during the Collingwood games and the Port Adelaide a week after the Hawthorn win. I'm slowly learning to trust my football team again. When they're on and playing well, like they were in these games, you can trust them to finish it off. Can't wait to see the new and improved model in 2017 with a couple of extra wise heads and the ongoing improvement of the 1 - 4 year players.

A little more knowledge than the average bear but like most prediction threads I'm having a bit of a stab in the dark. I'm a little disappointed with the drafting of Melbourne. WA footy is really strong and with the Victorian talent split 4 ways I think Freo are a clear favourite. Brisbane have a solid team with some exciting young talent. And sadly, I think Western Bulldogs and Carlton have drafted the best of the Victorian teams. I don't believe South Australia or NSW should have been given a team as their development and commitment to Female Footy has been significantly behind other states. I think they'll both struggle.

Ladder in order: 1. Fremantle 2. Western Bulldogs 3. Carlton 4. Brisbane 5. Collingwood 6. Melbourne 7. Adelaide 8. GWS

Yeah . . . but Collingwood.

It's almost there isn't it? An established second ruck would be great but unlike most, who talk of a ruck/forward, I think a ruck/defender would be a better fit. Jackson Trengove is a free agent in 12 months. As is David Zaharakis, who would obviously add the speed and outside run we might be lacking. Two targets that would just about complete the jigsaw. Just spit-balling.

Can someone invent a Harry Dear rumour? He'd be my focus right now.

So which club boasts an elite collection of left foot kicks? Lewis, Salem and Kent are all good kicks. Viney is improving and Tyson is an elite long kick and not so good over shorter distances. Add Brayshaw and Vince who are genuinely duel-sided and the point I'm making is that our midfield group has a unique quality.

Viney Tyson Salem Kent Bugg Kennedy Newton and now Lewis all left footers and soon Hibberd plus Watts Vince Brayshaw who are equally comfortable on their left peg. I like it.

Gloria threw up on the bus Monday?

Not quite that simple. Brisbane Lions, for example, will draft 4 or 5 girls from interstate.

Draft starts at 1pm AEDT. It's a big day for a heap of girls and their families. It's a humble beginning and the wages are minimal, the season is small and the standard might be patchy for a couple of years but the dream is about to become a reality. In 10 years we won't recognise the standard. Hope Melbourne drafts well and from a personal angle, hope I see a few familiar names finally have their dreams realized today.

I love a film called 'Almost Famous' and there's a beautiful scene at the end of the film when the central protagonist finally interviews the lead guitarist of the band he's been following across America and he opens the interview by asking, "What do you love about music?" And the response is, 'To begin with . . . . everything". Kind of sums up how I'd feel after a MFC Premiership too Red.

Please forgive the boozy nature of what follows. I can't remember the last time I started a thread and now seemed as good a time as any. Last week I spoke about the conflicting emotions of jealousy and hope that I was feeling post the Bulldogs Preliminary final win. I feel very similar now. The Bulldogs deserved everything that came their way today and I feel genuinely happy for their loyal members. But it's hard to escape the inescapable; it wasn't us. When the Swans broke through in 2005, I was hopeful but certainly not confident that one day it might be us. And over the horrendous decade that followed, I remained hopeful but far from convinced I'd ever witness what the Doggies faithful witnessed today. But as the final quarter ticked by today and the realisation emerged that a huge premiership drought was to be broken, I was overly jealous but instead excited. We have a young list that has premiership quality stamped all over it. We have a stable football department with a crystal clear vision of how we're going to rise to the top of the ladder. We have an administration that is equally stable and committed to providing the players with an elite environment and the funds necessary to compete with the best. We have a coach that appears to have won over the playing list and is respected within the industry. We're in for a hell of a ride. And if the playing group hang together and Goodwin lives up to the hype and we have a fair portion of luck then we'll be competing with the Western Bulldogs, GWS and Sydney for premierships in the very near future. So for the optimists and dreamers and the lovers of this club like me, I'd like to ask the simple question; what will you do? Fast forward 12 months, 2 years or 5 or 6 or how ever long it takes and picture Jonesy or Viney or Gus or someone we haven't met yet holding up the premiership cup and tell me what happens next. Where do we celebrate? How do we celebrate? Will the Demonland community come together in the wee hours of the night and share in the celebrations? What exactly will a modern day Melbourne premiership mean to you?

Thanks GNF. I love a good riddle. I was disappointed with my inability to decipher your riddles during the Dangerfield saga but I've been hard at work ever since tackling cryptic crosswords and my 6 year old daughter's 'Book of Riddles' and I think I'm ready. So I highlighted the clear clues you've left for the Demonland faithful and decided to use google to help filter through your obvious list of clue words. But then it dawned on me that it can't be that simple. Remembering that Hogan's Heroes was produced by Bing Crosby Productions back in 1967 I decided to overlook Google this time and head over to Bing. Without hesitation I entered the above words (pond cowgirl parallel "hear say") into my new favourite search engine of choice and BAM there it was! Screaming out to me only three sites down on the list of search responses was a massive indication of your real hidden message. I was being implored to download Adele's 'Someone Like You'. And the alarm bells were ringing. The last time I'd listened to that song was 5 years ago to this very day (haunting) when my Facebook feed was flooded by friends pricks who thought it would be funny to rip my heart open with reminders of Scully's defection. So there it is. He's gone and about to sign a 5 year deal. But with whom? So following the same approach I turned my attention back to google, entering the same 4 words. And again, three sites down on the list, incredibly, I found another music site, this time from Russia. And sure enough, there was the final clue. Enlisting the assistance of the ever reliable Google Translate, I confidently scrolled down to find a list of the most recently added lyrics and again staring out at me was 'Over the Couds I Meander'. Clearly a reference to Eagles and therefore the West Coast Eagles. It was a fun riddle-filled tryst GNF. Until next trade period.

Those scenes after the game were amazing. I was happy for the Dogs and their supporters, empathized with the conflicted feelings of Bob Murphy but my overwhelming emotions were a mixture of jealousy and hope. Our time is coming.

Yeah beating Geelong in Geelong again would be horrible.

ProDee's "liking" of Hannabal's post is quality. Just wanted to make sure you realized someone had noticed H!

D Be gentle everyone.

What are the chances of us increasing our percentage from 102 up to 108 by the end of the season? If we did, Roos could claim that we've double our percentage since he took over. Now that would be a legacy.

I don't want this thread to end. Having just watched the replay, I'd like to suggest I'm mature and level-headed enough to understand that this was just one game and it's dangerous to read too much into one performance. But maturity and level-headed shouldn't really be integral to the make-up of a passionate football fan so stuff that. We're going to be competing for premierships very very soon. We're going to destroy teams with our midfield. Jones and Vince deserve success at the tail end of their careers and all indications are that this young crop of budding stars will give them a taste. Viney, Tyson, Petracca, Oliver and Brayshaw are seriously going to monster other teams. The emergence of Gawn just gives us another dimension and the chemistry he already has with our younger mids is incredible. I love that our flankers and pockets continue the theme of hardness and aggression. Harmes, Vandenberg and Kent are strong at the contest and relish body contact. Even our outside cream seem to enjoy the physical side of the game. Hunt only knows one way and attacks each contest with the same venom as one of his now signature line-breaking run. Stretch should be our weakest player (given his size) but consistently puts his head over the ball. Frost and McDonald make their mistakes but they attack the body of the opposition and take the game on. They will get better and better and the mistakes will be minimized over time as they mature and play more footy together. And, of course, we boast the most intimidating young forward in the game. Hogan along with Watts, Weideman and Garlett give us such a potent and balanced attack. Maybe it's the footy coach in me, but I take equal amounts of pleasure in watching how hard our team works without the ball. So many times upon reflection, Hawthorn would reach the wing, commentators at the ready for a penetrating forward thrust and then they'd be forced to stop and move sideways. Our defensive running was first class. We're responding quickly and decisively to turn overs always getting players behind the ball through sheer will.To have developed that mindset in such a young group reflects very positively on our coaching staff and the mentality of young recruits over the past 3 years. At it also suggests that despite our tender years this is a very fit team. How many times do Hawthorn getting run over like that? If you were to throw Salem and Hogan into that team for Bugg and Pedersen you'd be hard pressed to find a more combative and skilled Melbourne combination for many many years. With Melksham, Neil-Bullen and Kennedy providing genuine depth, the future is bright. I'm not sure we need to spend big bucks on Hurley. I think the quality is there and our challenge will be keeping them together. I can't remember a time when I was more certain about our premiership prospects.