kev martin

Was Oliver or Hunter at training?

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times The club has posted training at Casey on Friday 13th and Monday 16th, at 9.30 am.

Thought Jordan was looking good. He has developed poise, with some of his side steps/shimmy's, and then making great decisions. Usually, finding a player down the central corridors and creating attacking ball movement. Sparrow is standing up in tackles, power's through his hips and with a shrug or two, they slip off. Still not as strong as Tracc in that respect but, gee if their tackles aren't strong he will escape. Has courage to burn as well. Kossie is our gem. Wow, hoping for some magic between him and Oliver. He has so much explosive pace, and turns like a whirlwind is pushing him around in sharp arcs. They can't touch him. No-one is taking the aerial superiority as yet. Hoping the big boys are just biding their time. I think he is doing fine. Often, only going at 80%. Getting a full preseason into himself. Not standing out, but taking a professional approach. Still has his skills, poise and decision making.

I think he will be a tall mid. Saw him working with Viney and a coach. In the sim, he popped up more in the central area. Would love for us to have a tall winger.

Didn't get much of an opportunity as couldn't get hands on ball. Competed a few times for the mark and got out back at least once for an easy goal. He appeared confident out there.

Yes Was really encouraging their competitive juices. Called out the scores in the competitive drills and wanted them to go hard, especially during transitions after turnovers.

I thought the same. Bulked up, even looking taller. His running group appeared to be the second one (probably top 8). They ran hard. Taking on some leadership/giving directions down back in the sims, and reading the play well.

The volunteer told me that Friday is for training at Casey. So I assume the schedule for preseason training is: Monday and Wednesday at Gosch's 9.30am and Friday's at Casey.

Into the warm-ups, which seem to be the same as usual. A scoreboard is out. My guess is that they use it to simulate time left, scores and quarter, so they can perform particular scenarios. They go into kicking drills, not the kick to kick type, but with players set at 4 points and at angles. It creates more chaos and gets them concentrating. A day that seems to be getting them into competitive mode. They do some handball games. Two stations are about 7 on 7, and one station is larger, then they rotate through them. Back to kicking drills, 3 stations, one hitting up the leader going sideways, another with the leader going away from the kicker and the kicker having to put a full range hit, can't remember what the other one was, they rotate through them. Full sims, tackling and competitive. Sparrow put his body on the line numerous times, I saw him body whacked 4 or 5 times. It was at a frenetic pace and got heavier as it continued. Worried a couple of times, Bailey got a hit, Tracc went down, Farris-white came off head hit (great leadership by Brayshaw as he escorted him), Impressed with Pickett, sharp turning, untouchable with ball, beautiful disposals, closes down space so quickly. Schache has a good lead, gets separation. Lever and Viney (holding back from tackling) keeping up the standards, Howes looking good as was Woewodin who has the same composure as Salem. No-one can keep up with Chandler. JVR is ready. Spargo getting to the drop of the ball. Tomlinson was playing too high, let attacking players get space behind him. Brodie still finding his feet. Some of our ball movement from back to forward was quick, delightful, and deliberate. Good structures already. Bowey did some great intercepts. They didn't do any stoppage plays, so Grundy, Max didn't go up against each other. After the sims into some goal kicking for mids and forwards, with the back-line hanging together in a warm down, talk it over kind of gathering with the ball moving between them. They were whistled, the runners are put on and away they go. Gruelling lap sprinting and fartlek running. They will sleep well tonight. Tracc was still on the paddock doing set shot kicking after everyone had left. Interesting that Hunter is not at training, not a good sign as these ones seem really team building. Talked to Richardson. Burgoyne(#33), they haven't decided yet. He will play for Casey if not listed. Lives with Pickett. I also asked about J.Smith. He tells me they still rate him and is not far off from completing rehab. Talked to J.Smith, told me he got an infection. Must have been post minor surgery. Talked to the volunteer, tells me Friday is for Casey. So I assume Monday, Wednesday 9.30 am at Gosch's and Friday at Casey, will be the schedule. GEORGE ON THE OUTER'S TRAINING REPORT DEESPICABLE'S TRAINING REPORT OLD DEE'S TRAINING REPORT

The scoreboard is out, and they are in either blue or red jumpers. Maybe a morning for an extensive sim/trial match. Gawn v Grundy.

@Tucker, looks like the Training is at Gosch’s, enjoy the morning if you get there.

Agree, I think McVee, Turner, Howes, JVR and even Jefferson and Woewodin. Chandler looks like he will do just about anything to get a run. With so many ready to go recruits, Schache, Grundy, Hunter plus a few experienced (Melksham was looking good) and 2 to 4 year players on the periphery, there will be plenty of pressure for positions. Still think we will blood a few this season. We ran out of steam last year. Hoping we rest the not quite right players.

He was one who was a bit fumbly, though he was getting to the right places in sims. He was also looking stronger and heavier, maybe more muscularity. Was able to break tackles with straighter running. I can see him doing more in and under work.

I think we have to reclaim the MCG as our fortress. We make ourselves unbeatable there, and we will be close this season. The session was pretty good. Only a few had the fumbles, though most of the drills were done in a fairly low key manner (80% effort). May be a while till they go hard.

I can see him improving even more. His capacity to lead to unusual spaces, his snaps are getting better and he is primed as one of the first picked, is durable and has some swagger going on. I predict this will be his year. William's is working hard on them getting their set shots right. If Tracc, Vines and Oliver become "dead eyes", watch out, as taking our opportunities will hurt the oppositions. Some appear to flourish under the tutelage of Choco.

A volunteer told me that they will train Wednesday 11th Jan at Gosch's, probably at 9.30 am. He didn't mention today, so I remain sceptical, as he could have been talking about when he is on the track with them. Could easily be at Casey, though I hope not. Today's training was mentioned on the Facebook page. You could give the club a phone call.

Plenty of spectators and supporters there today. Great atmosphere for the first of 2023. Hoping the club informs us of future trainings. They posted on Facebook but not on the website, about this mornings session.

Totally agree, Gawny had to really work to get to the rights spots when in marking duels today, and visa versa for Grundy. Really interesting to watch, the way they would try different tactics such as, make body contact early and push, or hang back a few steps so the other couldn't see them, or dance around from one side to the other, hoping for the advantage. I find all the work that many of the players are doing with each other, is inspiring. Many are passing on knowledge, I can see them talking extensively between drills. We really have a great culture that way. There is also plenty of banter and pseudo aggression as they gee each other up. Support, encouragement and competitiveness. Addit: Seems JVR is learning Fritch's leading patterns (always finding a step ahead, and led into lovely pockets of space with different angles). Both looking very good. Some of Bailey's snaps today were beautiful.

Woewo was doing alright. His kicking still needs some work and I think needs to "do" a bit quicker. A run in the AFL would be useful for him, to see what is required. Jefferson has a good kick on him, some of his goal sense is amazing. Even some of the others are looking, and seeing consistency. Schache seems to be holding his own, as well as keeping low key. Took some nice marks.

He was in rehab prior to Christmas. Mainly working with the rowing machine. Good to see him running.

Howes was getting lots of support and encouragement from the others. There's a good size about him, has excellent disposal skills and gets involved.

Time trial day. Tough day for it given the heat and dryness. Tomlinson killed it, looked like ANB might burn him after he passed him 400 out, Adam was having nothing of it. Jack Viney the other stand out, also got around his players afterwards, and supported Verral who really struggled. Ben Brown was running very well, almost caught Gawny. Grundy was a bit slower than what I expected. A few absentees, Petty, Oliver, Pickett, and Hunter. I wasn't sure if Burgoyne (43) was there. A run on a player with 33 on his back looks like him. Light duties included, May, Harmes, D.Smith and Brayshaw. Poor old J.Smithy, in rehab mainly by himself. Appeared to be lower back/left hip problems. Moniz-wakefield also rehabbing. No kick to Kick, to start, but into drills where they have cross angles and move around each other. First with handballs, then with kicking. They use a variety of movement, with the last formation being schimmys and movement to four points with some defensive pressure. They're into sims with two groups, not much tackling First group start with a scramble kick out of the backline and a coach brings the ball to ground, and they swoop outside the 50 and create a delivery inside the 50. The other group kicks a long ball out of the backline, to the talls competing, which then gets moved back to the forwards. A few of the players rotated through the different styles. Into two groups talls and smalls. The talls do one on one marking, and the smalls tackling each other. The tackiling had some competitive vibe added to it. The goal kicking drills were performed in a completely different way. The alley is formed between the stakes and a body model that is kicked over. One on each side of goal at about 35°. Williams stands behind the model and gives them immediate feedback. Mainly about the ball drop, how straight it is and where the foot contacts the ball. He knew if the kick was goaled or not, even without looking. It was the most accurate kicking I have seen at training. Keep it up Chocco. After the goal kicking, they went to 8 repetitions of about 150 meter runs. The last three to leave were, Tracc, Viney and BBB, using the Williams method and with his feedback to get the set goal kicking right. Good start to 2023, they looked sharp and the noise volume was encouraging. Appeared happy to be back into "it'. Addit: I didn't see Hibbo get attention. My thought was he was back to full training. Hope it is not that niggling calf/achilles. Tough Kent's Training Report

The 11th January is a Wednesday. Monday is the 9th January.

Time is going slow for me, or I want another go at 2022 holidays. Oops A run at Gosch's, 11th January, according to a volunteer.

Gidday old Dee. A volunteer to the MFC training group, told me they will have a "run at Gosch's on the 11th Dec". "Picket fence" told the demonlanders on "training without track watcher's" thread, that the squad is back on the 9th Dec, informed by a channel 7 report. Guesses and trust, as the club does not seem to be very proactive in this area.