Kev

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).

The match sim will consist of four 25-minute quarters, plus game-specific simulations at the end of the second and fourth quarters. What does the highlighted part mean for the sim against North? Are they going to change scores, start play from specific areas of the ground, set the time, bring on and off players before they start a set, interesting words. An example could be, we will they ask North to go 3 points ahead with 60 seconds of play left, or vice versa.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams/training-times Posted Gosch's Paddock 📅 Friday, February 28 📍 Gosch's Paddock ⏰ 9:15 AM - 11:00 AM I wonder where the captain's run prior to the Match Sim versus North will be?

Beautiful morning at The Paddock. Windless with a few less spectators than usual. There was a group of young, probably academy players in MFC gear on the sidelines as well. Goody throwing the positions around, at one stage he spent 5 minutes on the board organising them. Spargo had some time on the wing as did Chandler. Langdon had some time off halfback and pushed really high. Fritsch continues to play a high forward role. Brown and Lindsay matched up against each other, either as half's or on the wing. They broke even, as Brown finds space with arcs and separation, and Lindsay makes straight line breaks with quick steps, and finishes very well. Sestan still off the backline and playing well, also showing structural leadership as he instruct others to position. Most of the sim sets started from a throw in from the back point post. We cleared well and found lots of space up forward. The backline couldn't get to the contest numerous times. Trac has brought lots of poise to the midfield. Clayton was in good form, shrugging tackles with hip movement, and beating the scramble and congested packs. Lever is doing well, as they play plenty of switches from one boundary to the other, a few times they went central. H. Langford missed a few hit ups and made a couple of poor decisions, though getting plenty of the ball. Billings is playing strong and wants the ball off the wing. Laurie is doing everything right as a mid. Woey has a bit of pain through his shoulder, but continues to do most drills and sims. They are happy and boisterous.

There is the marketing, and why they pay for the rights to broadcast it.

No free to air broadcast. A free kick to the NRL Indigenous/Maori game on channel 9. Why are the AFL pandering to the division in society, of the haves and the nots, and the bars selling that drug.

How was Ed Langdon? Did he play as an onballer?

I was there, saw Judd go down, spasm, crawl, got up, hopped, then walked with pain and discomfort for about 20 meters till the trainers met him. Given his will power, I'd guess he would have made it to the boundary by himself. Ghost could have seen the first part and made the opinion that at least he was able to move by his own and concluded it may not be too bad, being a more glass full kinda person. Her observations weren't wrong, just not a complete commentary. They also underpinned the opinion about the extent of the injury, which is more of a concern to me. Our thinking, it was not too bad, given he made his way towards the boundary by himself, before being assisted. We were hoping it was only cramp.

A hot day down at Gosch's Paddock. They are working the squad hard, plenty of running and for a longer time of exertion than early preseason runs. A few suffered brain fades in the heat. The overall skin folds are minimal, their bodies are top light, they are ready to run. Great to see Spargo with the squad, he participated in the non-contact drills, the same for Tracc, who ran numerous laps, when they did sims. Fullarton is now in full training as is Lever, and McAdam. No shows, included Viney, Windsor, Bowey, Salem, Tholstrup and Kentfield. Goody and Chaplin were very vocal, mainly about the structural forms. The sims were dedicated to last few minutes, perhaps 10 sets were performed. The team in front, played behind the ball. The lead changed numerous times. They finished with the 30-second board being shown from the boundary, the ones in front protected the ball and the defensive had to match up. The ones in front managed easily. Langdon is flourishing as an on baller. Plenty of touches, a few inside the forward 50. Lindsay and Billings on one wing with Woewodin and Sharp the other side. They were making lots of connections boundary side for the back to the forwards. Chandler and Sparrow in the half-forward area, though not much involvement. Petty running the full ground from back to forward area, with Hore in tow. Jefferson started down back, fluffed a couple of easy marks, they moved him forward and he did much better. Sestan off halfback is doing well and Verrall had a good session up forward. AMW has poise and making good decisions with the ball. Kossie is looking good, ripping through the traffic with turns and bluffs. Campbell is giving Gawn some resistance in ruck and around the field, he is competing well against him. Gawn is doing more leadership now, vocal and supportive to the others. Actually, most of them are getting into the encouragement and congratulations. Poor Juddy, when he did 'it', he started crawling off to the boundary, team first attitude, get out of the way of others, while spasms and pain hit him.