kev martin

Lovely morning for a run, overcast, no wind, cool temperature. It's a captain's run of 23 players strutting their stuff. It looks like Kossie will be able to play. Interestingly they are giving some first yearers, new and young ones a go at it, Verall, K.brown, Laurie, Windsor, Howes, Chandler, Billings, Schache. They appear switched on in the drills. Goody has implemented a few different scenarios in the no contact sims. Once he called a “power play”. Pushes a backmen forward of the stoppage, gets the wingers to be wide ('will only work if you are very wide') and they take the ball straight down the middle from a backline stoppage. Another drill had them receiving the ball on the inside corridor and hitting into the forward area. I can see us playing with a more open forward area this season, or at least at times and using a bit more strategy during the game, as we change the styles up. Keep them guessing Dee's. Forgot to mention that Brayshaw was also a no show, as well as no, Spargo, Petty and Turner Great to see all the rehab do some sprinting drills and were included in the team drills with the seconds (except McAdam's and Jefferson). Woey wearing the yellow concussion protocol hat. Oliver made his way to most of the Casey players. Those Casey appeared a bit star stuck and Clarry introduced himself, shook hands and encouraged them. Nothing highfalutin about him. The Casey players did the drills well, looks like most of the younger ones. I'm impressed with Tyler Williams, Ryan Valentine, Charlie Muley

No shows. Turner, Spargo, Petty. McAdam's doing own program.

Looks that way. Oliver is with the second group, as is a few Casey players. The seconds are in red or blue guernseys. Red is what the captain's runners are wearing. In red in the seconds are, Oliver, Farris-White, Jefferson, Salem, Sestan, Hore, Tholstrup, Adams. Seems Casey are in the blue.

Looks a a dress rehearsal Captain's run. 23 out doing drills. Included is, Verall, K. brown, Laurie, Windsor, Howes, Tomlinson, Chandler, Billings, Schache, Rehab include BBB, Fullaton, TMac, AMW, Woey. No Oliver, Salem, Spargo, Brayshaw, McAdams, Jefferson, Adams, Hore, Petty, Tholstrup, Turner or Farris-White. The seconds have now turned up.

Melbourne Rebels look to be going down the gurgler. (AAMI Park occupant.) https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/melbourne-rebels-move-closer-to-folding-with-staff-including-the-ceo-sacked/news-story/4643f8ba6b9e7f4506390a08bf498cad Huge debts, no supporters, board collapsing and in administration. They have a team this season, but require a Government bailout ( $20 million in debt, no funds) to keep going next season. Does this give the MFC some capacity to move our administration staff over to AAMI Park if Rebels collapse? I think they should look at it, as any better facilities seem a way off. At least puts everyone associated with running the club under one roof, for the short term. The move may also help with getting Olympic Park developments, if we go down that path. We would lose any association with the MCC/MCG other than game day arrangements. If we move to a home away from MCG, then that would happen anyway. I reckon it is a good opportunity, at the expense of the Rebels, to take over their offices.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times Melbourne will be away on Community Camp from Monday February 12 to Wednesday February 14. Training information will be updated following the camp. Gosch's Paddock Saturday 17 February 9:30am onwards Tuesday 27 February 8:30am onwards Casey Fields Demon Family Series Sunday 18 February 9:30am onwards Friday February 23 Timing TBC

McQualter is much louder. Alot of what he says is about geeing them up. There is some strategic emphasis and he gets them having an intention/purpose, which he constantly calls them to act on, during drills. Yze was 'quietly' going about his business.

Very nice morning for a run around, not too much wind and temperature is perfect. Looks to be about 32 to 34 in full training. The drills were done with skill and precision. Mainly controlled by Taylor Whitford (VFL coach) The occasional reference to the super-bowl appeared. Our new young players lead the way with their skill sets. Windsor, K. Brown, rarely miss, Tholstrup if he slips up, the next action is perfect and the effort he makes is great. Setting great standards. Jefferson has worked well on his tackling, he brought a few down in the sims, taking some marks and getting separation. Sestan doesn't have a defensive game, will need to improve himself through Casey, I reckon. They continue to rotate quite a few through the mids during sims. They split into the lines at one stage, mids (McQualter) had Gus, Viney, Tracc, Windsor, Spargo, K.Brown, Langdon, Laurie, Max, KFW, Sparrow, Taj, Verral. Backs (Chaplin), May, Lever, Adams, McVee, Rivers, Hore, Howes, Bowey, Tomlinson. Forwards (Stafford), JVR, Fritta, Kossie, Billings, Jefferson, ANB, Chandler, Sestan, Tholstrup, Schache. Loved K.Brown's (untouchable), Sparrow's, (field kicking) Viney's (making links), Adam's (holding JVR), May's, (intercepts) and Max's (marking), during the sims today. Sims were run by Goody.

Pickets got some Authorship licence going. Tough act to follow.

They'll get there, be nice. They need our support, it is not a competition. Grateful for any input. Thanks for conveying your mates observations.

Just my observation as the players entered the field, on Wednesday. I am not going to write stuff that fits an agenda. Others watchers at training could have responded to the question about the players group interactions with him, from the Jackson FIX. How is Clarry interacting with the players? An observation is easy to understand, or perhaps I missed stuff. Oliver was one of the first ones out there, and none made a beeline towards him other than Goody. My guess is they wanted his return to be low key, or/and welcomes were done in the sheds.

I thought they were quite subdued. Appeared to be giving him plenty of space. Perhaps they said welcome back, in the sheds. There were some individual chats going on with him. As he was running with Salem they were chatting away.

Hope the hospital visit was not too difficult and the outcome is positive.

Plenty out early, Rucks all drilling together, a few of the smalls drilling fast steps and shimmies around mannequins. Many are goal kicking. Tomlinson and TMac drilling together. No Sparrow. Rehab include, Petty doing mainly bike work, Melksham strolling around, Fullaton exercising with a trainer, BBB and Hunter very light duties. Jefferson training with an assistant. Starting numbers of full training was about 31 players, no run-ons (Yze, Mentha). We ended with about 27, 28 fully fit players. A bit of a worry given we are 5 weeks out. Viney was tackled between a player and the ground, shorts were ripped on one side, and he was limping. Kept playing, then left for some run throughs but couldn't complete them. Cork to the hip, I reckon. May ran some laps, as did Salem, who partnered Clarry in numerous laps. McAdam had some laps, though returned to the sim. Hore ran laps before the end of sims. Verral seems to have a running program going, fitness I reckon. Warms ups were the same as usual, 3 stations, one funny walk, the other handballs and third was short kicks. They then do some run throughs, Tholstrup putting in more than the others. They then go to more dynamic kicking drills, one precision, one lead to long kick to behind the player. A third was also used, (didn't observe well). They were boisterous, and playfully in the approach to each other. Off to the handball games, which became interspersed with the sims. They were still running many players through the on-ballers, Spargo, Billings, Bowey, Laurie, Viney, Gus, Tracc. The wings had some young players, K.Brown, Windsor, Woey, as well as Langdon there. At one stage they put Tholstrup down back up against Rivers who was forward. Jed Adams was looking good. Spargo ran the legs off the others, Kossie was playing a little selfish, Howes kicking was elite a few times. McAdams loves getting out the back for a goal. JVR holding some marks and getting on the lead. Fritta is back.

Clayton Oliver is down at training! He is out early with Gawn doing some simple centre work drills. Now he is drilling with McQualter, as Goody looks on. During a break Goody comes over to him and they embrace. What I would love to see, is him joining the main group when the whistle for collecting together goes off. They have collected and Oliver is doing his own program.

The mids/on-ballers were very interesting today. They restarted the sims about 5 or 6 times, each time having a different and surprising addition or two. Langdon had a go (ran the legs off Tracc), also Laurie, Spargo, Gus, Hunter, ANB, Billings, Bowey, and of course, Tracc and Vines. Another poster said Kozzy and Rivers also played through the centre. Sparrow didn't play in the sims. They really are trying to find the best and variable fit. The kicking drills used today emphasised the ball being kicked in front of the leading player. Some still missed this simple instruction. I think it is not so much of not having a forward strategy, but more of, some not being able to execute the right action. They continue to learn.

Hot morning, minimal wind, general impression is they are working well as a unit, and the intensity was there. Most were out early, teaming up in various groups. Some goal kicking, others running and direction changing carrying water filled bottles, rucks were drilling together. Rehab, Lever (later on the bike with Melky) in runners, not really training, but helping Jefferson out. Melky still doing leg exercises to strengthen the injured area. AMW running with Mentha. BBB down for a short run, Salem working very hard by running extensively. Sparrow did everything except the sims. The scoreboard is up and running. Whistle goes and they are into it with minimal warm-ups. They are into 3 stations, exercise, handball, and short kicking with good execution. Competitiveness starts with 2 handball games. Some have yellow bibs and start out of bounds, they then run on into the game, and attempt to break lines. Mcqualter runs one group. He appears to love them winning at what they do, really encourages them to win and be hyper-competitive. When they had a break it was Woey who did a fair bit of talking, McQualter took a back step. The sims were next. The attackers were very good at first, but as they tired, the defenders started to dominate. We look good when we spread, and when they get the overlap with smart play and good timing. Interestingly, they ran a few through the on-ball position, Langdon, Laurie, Spargo, Gus, Hunter, ANB, Billings, Rivers, Kozzy and Bowey and the usual players. They ran on the wings, Hunter, Langdon, Windsor, K.Brown, and Woey. May dominated with his reading of the play. Max is looking fit. Spargo missed a few easy passes, but his excellent tackling made up for it. Fritsch was tackling well and seems to be honing his defensive game. JVR creates competitiveness when the ball is forwrad, also taking a few marks and creating separation on some leads. Chandler getting front and centre. McAdams in the forward area and doing well, had a head clash which seemed to have slowed him down. Then into goal kicking. Williams moved the mannequins out near the 50 to challenge them with longer kicks, not too successful. Finished with running. At one stage in the goal kicking Tracc was dry retching, later during the running he left the field for the sheds (unusual) escorted by training staff. Couldn't tell if it's a soft tissue injury, as his gait is always a bit funny. I expect he was suffering exhaustion, due to the training load and the heat.

Some of the training remarks are opinions backed by observations, some are purely observations. Though some of what I say is opinion with more of a positive empathise. I was suggesting that this is a training thread and found your opinions a little left field, but you graciously replied with some reasonable rebukes. The on-ballers still have Tracc and Viney to lead them. Tracc can turn a game with his plays and Viney can do the same with his will. We have lots of options to join them and I can see plenty in the mix, Kossie, Rivers, Gus, Sparrow. Our contested footy stands up with the best of them. I reckon you're right about the forward line, and may I add our ability to kick to the forwards advantage is shaky. We also need some smalls to kick goals and get the ball front and centre, especially if Kossie plays mid. I believe the coaches know this and have been working hard to create a well oiled machine, that will also scramble with the koas ball and work hard to get multiple entries. We'll see. The other worry I have is the wing. Hunter (I reckon) has seen his best, and I wonder if we have a player with the understanding and engine needed for that position.

I guess I have a different opinion. Injury list is good, mainly getting some transfered players into shape. BBB has always had is own program, Hunter is a worry, old man niggles, Fritta is back, as is Petty, and Melky not too far to go I reckon. I think the culture stuff has been blown out of proportion. Oliver only knows footy and being sidelined for 'weeks' last year, hasn't done him any favours. I believe he will play well when he is ready. The opinion of doom just doesn't fit well with me. In my opinion I see us as a dangerous side. Opposition teams will fear us. I was expecting a training dialogue not an opinion piece, though thanks for the reply and am happy to engage.

His training has been good. Getting better as he matures. A practice match doesn't really play to his strengths of, gut running, getting to the contest when others tire, his heart must be like Pharlap, I can even see him as a future captain, he always has something to say to the group. I am sure he is not undervalued at the club. There was a period a few years ago where he was on the periphery, and in and out of the team. More recently he has it cemented and I cannot see that changing.

Did you go to training, or are you responding to a training issue?

McAdams has been doing work with the fitness department lately. From memory of earlier runs, it was Lever, as they had him playing deep in the forward area.

Bowser at training is a very good goal kicker, especially his snaps. Composed and always a smile. He loves kicking them.

Could have been the wet conditions, playing within himself, and being conscientious when in the play (less fumbling). He has bulked up, looking solid, that may also slow down that explosiveness. Thought he was Sparrow at one stage. Thanks for those numbers.

I reckon they will put Kossie into the midfield.