Kev

Beautiful morning for it. They are getting to the stage where there is plenty of push. The drills and sims were done with intensity and voice. There was an extra sim's session, making 4/5 in total for 6 minutes each, with hardly a rest during, as the ball kept moving. Goody was encouraging them to all run the transition hard. Most had to push hard up the field. At times, it looked like our backs ran so hard they were playing as forwards. They were often getting their passes over the backs to the forwards leads. Seems like they are working on creating an open forward line. Some defensive structure to hold the ball in the forward area worked well. By the end, many ended up on the haunches. They have stepped up the tackling in the handball games, they were also encouraging them to break the tackles with fends and steps away from the defender. A bit different from last year, in that they don't separate into their lines (forward, back, mid) very often. Thought Burgoyne did well, got plenty of it by running hard and getting separation, also used his shimmy/step to find clear air. K.Turner was always chasing and couldn't get in it. D.Smith was looking good, beat his opponent a few times and laced the ball to the next player. Moniz-wakefield missed a few hit ups, wasn't alone, as a few of the 1 to 3 year players did the same early in the sims. Jefferson has amazing long arms and his hand are gold. Needs to bulk up, but is looking like a potential. Spargo was in everything. Petracca getting lots of intercepts. Oliver and Kossie the stand outs. Tmac is looking powerful and getting some good acceleration. Lever left early and with no May there, our lack of backline structures made it easy for the forward thrusts. Petty up one end and Tomlinson the other didn’t get much support from the others, especially with the forward push, they were frequently isolated without the usual zoned area. Not sure if the cohesion between the group of best 30 and the rest is great. At one stage, Lever asked judd McVee what his name was in a drill. Hoping it was tongue in cheek. Hunter got hit in the collision with Hibbo who corked his thigh, got it strapped and was running it out. Lachie then smothered a ball off Max's boot with his head. He didn't appear dizzy, but that was the end of the session for him. Maybe getting the concussion tests. Our intensity is causing many niggles early on in our preseason. Talked to a volunteer, he tells me the practice match out at Casey will be curtain raised by the, Casey Demons team versus Richmond VFL.

Yes, according to clubs website https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times Date: Wednesday 8th February Time: 9:30am Location: Gosch's Paddock

In the sims he usually has space and moves around as a mid. I have seen him intercept but have not seen him play either one on one, or in the defensive zoning area. That's not to say that he hasn't or can't.

I see Kye as the better option. Just an opinion. At times he drops off, but some of the things he does, have a bit of X-factor. I think with a few years in the system he will get his confidence and consistency. Burgoyne is a steady player, but can be left out of the play. For a small he needs to get either, in and under (not sure if he has it in him), or demand the ball as an outside runner. He has plenty of composure, seems to be able to set up plays and makes great decisions. As Kossie"s mate maybe they will list him and he could be what Bedford could have been, creating magic on the field as they look for each other. I believe Burgoyne needs a feeder.

Port had an interclub match at Gosch's last Friday and we regularly use their ground for closed training's. Someone on Demonland said that Port is definitely, NOT interested in combining with us.

Down at Gosch's now. The rehabber's are having a run. JVR doing laps and sprints with his own personal trainer. Melky on a running program. Lever, Gawn, Adams, Jefferson, k.Turner, Moniz-wakefield, Farris-white all in it together. Full activity, sprinting, running, obstacle running, kicking drills. They can't be far off. They are now doing a full field running and kicking drill and JVR has joined in (20 min simulation without opponents). Max is looking good. Up and down the field, running unrestricted and in everything. All supervised by Yze.

They usually go for around 2 hrs.

I thought Jupiter was aligned with the bull. Cox may have got to Cameron. Mason was looking big today, he is going to be difficult to move when he has position.

Le Derrière By Entrecôte 119 Park St, South Yarra VIC 3141 Uh oh

Usually not, but the storm were on the rugby field so the rebels had to go somewhere (looked like less than half their squad). I have seen them use it before.

A spectator from this morning did call. They told us training will still be at Gosch's. Seemed only a few knew.

Collingwood looked fast, and the angles they run, very nice. Lots of repitions. Strong dependence on those wingers leading down the 50 meter line for the switch. Though all without a defender.

No media at Gosch's, though they were over at the glasshouse (Collingwood).

Disappointment at the paddock. A few with kids and prams, some of the brain trust, a man who hobbled across from the Yarra using two walking sticks. Got there and ask some others what they thought. They said " we rang the club and were told, the training was still on". Many of us waited another 45 minutes, till it dawned on us. Anyway, had a walk on the paddock. The surface is quite cut up and feels firm under foot. Looks great from a distance. They need someone to fill in a few divots with some sand. Wandered over to the glasshouse. Collingwood have a great set up. They were moving the ball with a switch from the defensive boundary, with leads down the rails and a lead into, and with angles to a forward. We seem to be training with our mind on competing, they are doing the fast ball and player movement, using the angles to open up the spaces. Addit: Storms training, so not a complete loss. Had a chat to a groundsman, he tells me there are two type of grasses growing on the paddock and they are waiting for the second type to take hold. That type will make it more spongy. They don't have enough staff to do the finer parts to turf care.

It appears some are trying to get the central corridors into play with more aggressive kicks. The ones that were turned over came from players trying to "thread the needle" or were a bit slow in making the decision, allowing for the defender, sometimes defenders to pick of the pass. I noticed that at the same time our flankers gave them options. Great they are going for it, and hoping they learn when and how. The best plays of yesterday came about when the backs switched and overlaps were created. There were plenty of long kicks into the forward area. It appears they are trying to get the ball over the back of the defenders. Turn them and allow the lead towards the goal. The leads to the pockets were mainly when the forwards got separation and had a straight lead. The kick to packs happened a few times, but it was not necessarily into a pocket area. Come game time, I can still see them resorting to the pocket (hold the ball in there), unless we get a dominate tall forward, that they can rely on.

He started doing a little ball work (a small group of 4 or 5 handballing), but is still mainly on a running and gym program.

A bit of a hot day, very little wind, great time to get the conditioning up. They worked hard all session. Finishing with running the fartlek program. They were pushing hard. The training's have a pattern about them now. They start with some goal kicking before the 9.30 official start, some are still making their way down from AAMI. Today the emphasis was on snaps. 5 mannequins in an arc, that a player moves from one to the next for a repeat of 5 snaps on the move. Sestan and Bailey thrived, Chandler did alright as well. Sparrow's kicking them from the boundary as Langdon attempts to keep up. Into the warm-up, then some small movement handballs along the lines to a central coach, then below the knee pick-ups. Kicking drill of 8 groups and about 6 balls. White group drill with white, and blue drills with blue. Appears chaotic, highly skilled, and makes them pick out their own team. They then expand the area. The next one, is the 3× line, run throughs, 3 balls and a player rotating the central position. Plenty of switches, short and long passes, handballs, bounces, and communication. Some have a bib on and seem to be defensive and/or swinging. No tackling practice this time, they made up for that in the sims. The scoreboard remained nil all. It started scoring as they went into the handball games. A group playing with goals at each end of a rectangle (20×45 meters). The other a game with goals near the handball contest and a leading forward 50 meters away. Blue got a jump on white, but was quickly negated when the sims started, as white got off to a flyer, then blue came back at them. The result of the session went down to the wire. The timer was on and three scores in the last 4 minutes (blue once, white twice), left white one kick from taking the day. Liked the way Hunter plays, runs the rails and keeps wide, reliable, hands, kicks, and decisions. Sparrow's working hard and powerfully., Viney’s everywhere, Jefferson gets to the right places, Verrall showed a bit, has agility and able to stay in the contest when the ball hits the ground, Schache made some good leads, Fritch working hard on his defensive forward role, May is getting stronger and appeared to captain the whites, Kossie looks to be doing the midfield work, Sestan is a smart player, though I haven't seen his defensive game yet. A few players were burnt when the ball mover decided to go down the central corridor, instead of to a player near the boundary. We locked the ball in the forward area a few times, which had Goody and Yze calling out with support. Some of our quick ball movement was a thing of beauty. A good crowd down there to watch them (more than 100), plenty of the players signed autographs. NUDGE'S TRAINING REPORT

According to the website, MFC, training is at Gosch’s on Wednesday https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times AFL Training Sessions Date: Wednesday 25 January Time: 9:30am Location: Gosch's Paddock

No, don't encourage this. Why put me outside the fence. Already the price of finals tickets are leaving holes in my budget. A training ticket, why? Elitist and their envy of each other. Why do you want this kind of world and the associated gaps amongst us? I am for equalising us, not dividing. I guess you like operating behind closed doors, so you feel closer to the inner circle, oh "you are the special one's". Help the growth of the middle class, don't use them to fund a lifestyle of those holding the assets. Footy clubs are about community and not a company. If we need funding then get it from the asset hoaders, tax evaders, the traders and financier's, companies both public and private. Stop living on the back of the workers. Make footy and all forms of entertainment more accessible, not less. If not accessible, then the public funding of our sports and arts program becomes welfare for those who have plenty already.

Yes, cameras are attached to the new poles that hold up a net at each end of the paddock, and on a couple of light towers. The drone has not been used much this preseason but it is brought out occasionally. There were 4/5 assistant hovering around the computer screens under the awnings on Wednesday. The same ones that collect the gps tracking mechanisms attached to the players.

Didn't notice him do much yesterday. Other times, when I had seen him he has been going well. His composure with ball in hand has been great. Has developed a good side step,schimmy and back peddle, and finds space when doing it. He is also looking stronger in body but not much bigger. I sense, his head is well in the game as he develops as a smart footballer and does the preparation with a professional attitude.

At one stage in the handball game, Clarrie performed a tackle, and came off second best clutching his hand. I got the tingle, after he grimaced, held his hand and moved away from the area. it appeared to be just a middle or index finger issue. He got on with it pretty quickly. Bit nerve wracking, when the contest is eager, and they have been at each other this preseason.

The coach may have been talking about the field structures and corridors. Tight on the "attacking side" would be sensible, as the defensive play would be unstructured if a turnover occurs, allowing for a quick counter attack. I imagine an attacking area/side would have space, one on ones, attacking type of players and opposition players chasing the leads.

I'm not as critical about his session today as some. I thought Grundy did some good things, especially later in the sim when others were tiring. I was on the far side of the paddock, so maybe had a different view of the proceedings.

In some of the starts, he was in the centre, playing a mid/follower type position. Also spent some time at half-back, doing the leadership type stuff of organising the position and zoned area.