Bring-Back-Powell

Melksham certainly did not play for the “probables” blue team and if he did play yesterday it would’ve been for the whites.

If Chandler played yesterday it would’ve been for the “possibles” white team. He certainly didn’t play for the “probables” blue team.

ANB played in the blue team and was very busy rotating between small/medium forward and midfield, The thing I like about ANB is he can kick a goal out of nowhere. Will be right in the mix for round 1. I was probably harsh on Harmes as it was only a glorified training run, but he hasn’t looked crisp for a while and is probably down the pecking order in the midfield. Could we try him up forward? Is a true shot for goal and can take an overhead mark. He’s kicked bags of 4 and 3 on occasion.

Sparrow played in the blue side. Played in the mid - half forward area and kicked an easy goal on the run from 20 but didn’t notice much of him. I thought he looked ok mid season last year, particularly against Collingwood.

Yeah kinda forgot about that game.... What a year he had in 2000.

Terrible news for him and a blow for our defensive stocks, already a defender down before it’s all started.

Thanks mate. Sorry, I couldn’t keep up with the white team. They didn’t have numbers on their backs and most of them had caps on to make it even harder to tell. The only bit of Kobe I saw was a set shot from 30 that he just missed. Apparently kicked a goal from reports. Hopefully trackwatchers next week can keep an eye on him. His Dad was encouraging him from the sidelines.

Brown kicked beautifully today albeit missed one challenging set shot he could’ve got. If he plays 20 + games this year, I can’t see how he doesn’t kick at least 40 goals this year. He is such a professional goal kicker.

Thanks BB. Jordan was certainly in the blue team wearing the #23. As mentioned before, he was one of the more involved in the match sim. Can’t put my finger on it but he looks like a likely type at AFL level. We’ll see what happens. ANB was also very busy alternating between half forward and midfield.

That’s exactly what it looked like. The only regular blokes i recognised from the whites were Mitch Brown up forward, Jetta down back, possibly Viney and Baker as well as the draftees.

Nobody of note given Lever and Tomlinson were on the same side and May, Petty and Hore were sidelined. Having said that it was nice to see a full forward nailing set shots from 45 mtrs out on a tough angle. He kicked 2 goals on angles - one on his preferred and 1 on his non preferred. It’s rare for any of our players to be kicking goals on sharp angles. There was an instance today when Petracca took a mark close to the boundary line on his non preferred side, 45 mtrs out. Mark Williams was offering some very loud encouragement but he couldn’t nail the shot. BBB nailed the shot from almost the same spot a shot time later.

Kane Cornes did a top 10 of free agents this morning and Gawn landed at about 5 or 6. Bont and Cripps were top 2. Hopefully Salem re-signs. We’ve done well retaining our top 10 picks (aside from Hogan who technically wasn’t a top 10 pick and who technically we got rid of)

Yes they must have, although the Hore injury may have happened before I got there as I didn't see him out there. I saw Ben Brown bothered by his hand and began to panic. Hopefully all good there and he completed the session. Petracca looked a million bucks and didn't seem bothered by his shoulder. I didn't see the Viney/Weideman hit, and didn't even realise Viney played. He must have been in the no numbers white team.

That's a shame for him and our defensive depth. Below is a report from the professionals. Didn't realise Oliver missed the session as well. https://www.afl.com.au/news/542321/scans-for-dees-defender-after-knee-injury-big-forward-stars

It was near 50. His comfort zone. Anything closer and you can write your own ticket.

They were in the white jumpers with no numbers so barely noticed them and had my eye on the blue team. I think it was Rosman that shanked a kick 10 metres straight to the oppo and the neighboring suburbs apparently heard the expletive that was attached to the turnover. Laurie provided a nice field kick to someone (pleasingly of the same jumper) Didn't notice the Sam Blease look a like (forgotten his name)

Thanks LH. Yes, given the short pre season you'd have to think May has a niggle of some sort. Hopefully he gets back to main training ASAP as he clearly benefits from a healthy pre season. I watched from outside the cyclone fence (behind the Wiz who was inside) on the outer wing and could see most of the play. I didn't even try to get into the ground given that other posters have a had a few issues so far. I'm assuming COVID protocols essentially bans supporters from coming in??

Went down to Casey Fields for an hour this morning. A beautiful sunny and non windy morning (a rarity for Casey) for the lads to train in. Was a bit of a treat to watch some footy given the 17 games spent watching in the lounge room last year. I took my viewing position behind the fence in the pleb section and saw everyone's favorite mercurial small forward of the mid 1990's -early 2000's watching his son and the boys intently. I picked a great day for it as it was essentially an intra club game, for the 60 minutes I was there. They had the blue team with numbers on versus the white team with no numbers, and given the blue team won 9.5 to 3.1 you could probably imagine the blue boys had the much stronger line up! (More game simulation may have continued after I left at 11???) The standard looked OK but given I haven't been to a training session since a week before the infamous 2013 season started, I have nothing to compare. Notes for the blue team: Petracca - looked a million bucks rotating through midfield and forward and kind of looks a class above everyone else - not sure if that's a positive or a negative? His chizzling kicks and overhead marking is a thing of beauty. Hunt - played as a half back flanker circa 2016/2017. Looked ok. T Mac - Played wing in the first half of the session. Then as the third key/floating fwd in the second half. Looks fit, no issues. B Brown - Kicked 2 difficult set shots that essentially nobody at the club can drill. Very excited to have him at the club. Will probably kick a lot of goals via free kicks. Harmes - Played exclusively in the centre square and did not play well. Seems a distance away from 2018 and isn't excelling at any position at the moment (ie -since 2019) Tomlinson - Looks settled down back as a key defender, continuing on from his late season recovery after the wing failure. May was in rehab but I think Tomlinson will be there regardless come round 1. Jordon - Not sure if he'll make it but he was heavily involved today through the middle of the ground and featured in many transitions towards the forward 50. Moves well and I reckon he'll play games this year. Lockhart - Starting back pocket while Jetta was in the white side. Fritsch - Becoming one of my favs. 2 or 3 goals and adds some class to our forward line. Kicked a nice set shot today. Gawn - Nailed a nice set shot today. Spargo - I'll have to wash my mouth out with soap but Charles looked good at half forward, involved in a fair bit of play. The new draftees played for the white side. REHAB Boys: May, Brayshaw, Vanders, Pickett and Smith. I suspect May, Pickett and Smith are injured as this pre-season is too short for players to miss back to back sessions for no good reason. Jackson ran laps. Didn't see Hibberd or Melksham. Not sure if Viney was absent or playing for the white side. Hopefully there were other posters at Casey today who can add to the above, and provide a more ""footy technical" training report.

Geez that's concerning if true. I'd have hoped he's in rehab with a slight niggle, not because he can't keep up with the others. He's a well paid professional athlete FCS! And the COVID breach with his mate Charles was less than professional. His lack of fitness might explain some of his poor shots on goal last year. He really did miss some sitters that other small forwards eat up for breakfast. With respect to the Rioli comparison, I can see where he's coming from. Kozzie can def do some things that 99% of the league can't with his awareness and cleverness. But he obviously needs to start nailing the shots on goal that Cyril would kick in his sleep.

Jeff debuted as a 17 year old in round 1 1995 against Geelong where he kicked a goal on debut. He didn't do much in his debut season with 4 goals in 7 games. Presumably wasn't ready for the big time. However, in 1996 he went off like a rocket and kicked 37 goals as an 18/19 year old including a combined 9 over the last 2 games. He never looked back. Sadly I totally lost interest in him when he was traded to Freo for the 2002 season. The highlight of his career was kicking 8 goal in prelim final in 2000 - a small forward crumber kicking 8 goals in a prelim is absurd. It would take a special talent to have the career the wizard had, but fingers crossed he gets on the list and we have another small forward to partner up with Kozzie.

Thank you sir. There are certainly some names there held in high esteem and Demon royalty. Bishop, Grgic...the names rattle off the tongue!

I've had that feeling since 2019 that he might want a fresh start. Another say-so season and he'll be traded for sure IMO.

Hopefully he can do the famous number 48 and Kyle Dunkley (and whoever wore it before) justice....

Didn't Melksham play the majority of the last 2 games in the midfield in a run with role? Could be a midfield regular this year?

Too true. However the whole side has barely trained as a unit yet, so poor skills on a 'wintry' Melbourne day in January can be expected, especially at the wind affected Casey. If we can't hit a target on the Wednesday before the Freo game, then it's panic stations.