Kev

Some ideas Kids and big kids, having a kick to kick with the selected emergency players at half time. Have some big kids kick the new balls around so as to wear them in for the game, pre game. Ballot some tickets to the pregame official functions, to the GA members, on an opt-in type system. Invite the board members of suburban and country clubs to a "week with the club". Practical knowledge that will help support these clubs. Some ideas: how to run clubs, financial acumen, creating elite pathways, modern coaching and training skills. Invite these suburban and country clubs to bring in their promising juniors for an orientation program and "what it takes" to make it as a professional. Catch the new immigrants and turn them into Demon supporters. Free tickets and merchandise, instructions on the rules and approaches to the game. Have a Demon radio program, that will broadcast the game on social media. Much more official social media presence. Keep the official MFC website up to date. Ask the coaches to write a spiel about their objectives and the implementation strategies. End of year summaries would also be welcome, including the system they were working on. More information from the inner sanctum. End of year player kit give aways and/or auctions. Get some kids to dress up in little Demon costumes and chase Checkers, Daisy, and Flash around pregame.

He has an upside, his enthusiasm for the contest is great, he has some mongrel as well, when infront he finds separation, if behind he will smash the pack. Works hard for the ground ball, gets it, but his snaps need some work. I believe his limitations are his hands, tends to have two bites at it, when he gets that right he will star. I would love to see him work hard on goal assists.

Me too, Bowey loves a goal at training, as a high forward he could put the ball on a six-pence for our leading forwards. Unfortunately, I haven't not seen them trial him in that position.

Maybe, they have an intra club the next day at Casey? I think they also have a run at Casey on Thursday, after the 3 day break.

Jeffo will get a go, does enough adequately. I believe there is a good possibility that he will blossom in the big league. A bit like AMW did. Looking bigger this year, playing the ground ball well, has confidence to take on multiple opponents. He is often free and lurking on the opponents blind side and always moving. Needs to demand the ball, looks for the easy boundary side get, appears a little slow when defending.

Disruptive with JVR going out early. The smalls are unreliable, using mids as half-forward is a bit, fill gap. We really need explosive smalls, get ball and go, stop quick exits and lock it in. We need natural readers of the play. Our clearances are much better when Tracc was on-ball. Viney calls for it when he is out-matched, needs to have more cognizance. I think they have made a mistake with Windsor off the backline (a few tackled got away from him), he loves a goal. Fritsch looks lost playing a high forward. We need the experience of Melky. Mentha could get a look. Chandler needs consistency, he can kick but just doesn't seem get to the right areas. Billings needs to put his head over the ball, look at it, then kick through. He appears to try a "feel" with the ball, that did not work in Mandurah. Will the thing through the posts. Great that we are getting good looks within the 50 arc.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times Gosch's Paddock 🗓️ Friday, March 7 ⏰ 9:15 am - 10:15am 🏟️ Gosch's Paddock

There will still be rain around the area and the possible clean up, until the low pressure moves. Probably less wind though. Postpone both games, as the spectators may have more on their plate then a game in sub-standard conditions. They would want to make sure accommodation and transport are on board with rescheduling or cancellations!

Aren't the Cats getting the extra bye round because they could've started a week earlier than the others. If their opening game is postponed and their early bye round is now a game week, they should still get the mid season byes.

I think it is good for us. Disruptive to the Cats, and if they have a bad start to season they won't be able to easily reset, or fine tune.

If the Geelong v Brisbane game is postponed, then there is a good chance they play in the bye week that both teams have, around 28 to 30th March. For us, it would mean that the Cat won't get a week off before they play us on the 4th of April.

There is a replay of the praccy match in Mandurah on the AFL site https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/7183

Rarely do they get one on one instruction, usually its the lot of them kicking at the goals. They do change it up regularly. That is, snaps, different angles, over or around mannequins, different distances. They also get together in small groups and kick from the improbable angle off the boundary, or try those inside out double movement off ball from sharp angles so as to amuse each other. Choco comes up with a variety of kicking drills and will spend some time with an individual during the mass kicking. He appears to be the field kicking and goal kicking coach. I also think they accept mediocrity, and don't push perfection. I would like to see a dedicated goal kicking coach, who looks at their style, studies the tapes, and helps optimize the craft, well away from that mass kicking drill and put a spotlight and solution on each individual.

Now talking about "21", after the spiel about last year. Our first real hit out with a new forward coach. Give us a chance before all this, pessimism. Wait until mid season, or at least after the first couple of H&A games. But, then you won't be able to say "I told you so"!

That is how they train, when the ball is in our backline. We hope for ball out the back, as we lead towards our goal. When a stoppage happens on the wing, we leave a tall near goal, one on one, the others a kick away, and with an extra defender. During centre bounces, we fill close to goal. Interesting forward structures to come. Chaplin is an innovator and a micro-manager. I think Deaver is wrong about this season. It is a newish bus with Chaplin and Goody putting their coaching skills into a mid and forward structure that will free up Turner and JVR with space, or if the smalls get to them allow for ground ball. We will be swarming again and going fast, and many suggest that that ball movement will help the conversion. Fritsch has attended nearly every preseason session, has a point to prove. Turner has been given the licence. Sparrow and Chandler have both taken more leadership roles. Billings is looking super fit. I am on the train, Choo Choo. Go Dee's.

Are there any demonlander's out at Casey? There is no media anywhere about this game. A brief run down and/or an on-going commentary would be appreciated

2025 Smithy's VFL practice match schedule Saturday, March 1 GWS Giants vs Southport Sharks (Vailo Community Centre, 11:15am) Casey Demons vs Sandringham (Casey Fields, 12:00pm) Port Melbourne vs Frankston (Mars Stadium, 10:30am) Coburg vs Williamstown (Mars Stadium, 1:30pm) Werribee vs Northern Bullants (Mars Stadium, 4:30pm)

I didn't see Sestan, Culley or Henderson with the squad that remained on the Paddock when the others left. Adams was training well today, had plenty of involvement and finished the run with those who I assume were off to Mandurah.

Yes Culley was with them, left the paddock with the, I assume are the Casey team.

Beautiful morning, not much wind, more than a couple of dozen spectators. The players were up and about, boisterous and having fun. One of their last drills were three teams competing in a hard at it, handball game in a small area. Goody was encouraging them in it and to win. He also took them aside a couple of times and talked to them, during the session. Halfway through training, those that are playing in the Casey game tomorrow left the area. Included were, Tmac, Tom Campbell, Bailey Laurie, Matt Jefferson, Ricky Mentha Jnr, Kynan Brown and Will Verrall. I didn't notice Tom Fullarton or Ollie Sestan. Jack Henderson was training but had no number, maybe he will get a run for Casey. Charlie Spargo was doing some short runs in runners, it was mentioned that he will play at Casey. Those who stayed with the main squad included, Blake Howes, Jed Adams, Xavier Lindsay, Harvey Langford, Caleb Windsor, Christian Salem, Daniel Turner, Harry Sharp, Taj Woewodin and Aidan Johnson. Jack Viney was running well and getting plenty in the sims (two 5 minute sets). Tom Sparrow looking strong and with good involvement. Wings had Jack Billings, Lindsay, Woewodin and Sharp in those positions. Kade Chandler running extensively up and down the field, off half-forward. Johnson struggled a bit keeping up with Max Gawn. At a couple of stages, Gawny was instructing Johnson on the ruck craft. Jake Lever intercepting well. Apart from him stopping our thrusts, we showed good overall skills, with fast ball movement and kicking to advantage. Adams was getting heavily involved and with good skills. Rivers is ready to go, looking very good, as is Jake Bowey. Tracc a little rusty, missed some hits when distributing. Clayton Oliver continues to push himself, working very hard. Windsor was running freely. They had cones ten metres in from the boundary line. Looks like that they want them to find corridors and not safety. I was told they are flying early tomorrow.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times 📅 Saturday, February 29 📍 Rushton Park ⏰ 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM 21 Dower St, Mandurah WA

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times Gosch's Paddock 📅 Friday, February 28 📍 Gosch's Paddock ⏰ 9:15 AM - 11:00 AM Rushton Park 📅 Saturday, February 29 📍 Rushton Park ⏰ 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM Rushton Park 21 Dower St, Mandurah WA 6210

One flew into the cuckoo's nest and catch 22.

Did we see any forward line adjustments? At one stage they structured 5 close to goal at a centre bounce. Three well back and spread, with two central about 10 meters beyond the kick ins outer line. They pushed really high, though both teams did, when the ball was in the back third. We made some straight line down the middle leads. There formed a few packs under the high ball, where everyone, or at least the talls, competed and JVR crashed them, bringing a few of the opposition players down. I thought we had plenty of snaps straight out front of the goals.

Gorgeous morning, right temperature, no wind, plenty of vibe around (excited, nervous, up), they are ready to hit and compete. The veterans of Trac, Spargo, Gawn, Viney, Langdon, May, Fritsch, Salem, and the new one Henderson, had their own program going. They did join in some main drills. Henderson looks OK, can run and covers the ground smoothly, also has a good kick on him. In a general drill where we hadn't dropped a ball until Henderson let one slip. Good learning curve for him. A few others missed after that. I think, starting in that group of leaders will be good for him. The veterans group did an excessive number of run throughs. The others were about 28 or so in numbers. Going to be an interesting hit out tomorrow in the sim against North. Goody controlled the training, mainly by himself. The sims had him structuring mostly infront of the ball. The contest weren't there as they kept distance and allowed each other space. Kossie heavily involved, as a small forward. Oliver, rotated with him in from the forward to the mid-area. JVR getting his hands on it, with Turner as his offsider. Jefferson and Johnson at the end that they weren't kicking too. Backline being led by Lever who got the intercepts. Sharp played high half-forward. Verral and Campbell rucking in different teams. H.Langford, looked nervous, fumbled a few. Hope he enjoys his first hit out with team tomorrow. Lindsay is going well, I like that he is quiet, absorbing all he can get, and plays with poise. Will be a good role player for Goody as he is a quick learner. They had some goal kicking at the end, Mentha has a good banana shape on his snaps. Brad Green was down at training, hanging out with the "brains trust", on the far side. (First time I have noticed him down at the Paddock).