dworship

Anyone have the official return to training date?

On 12/29/2022 at 5:33 PM, tiers said:

It amazes me that we constantly seek to find a damaging small forward. Kozzie is one, Spargo another but the most damaging forward who plays like a small is Fritsch.

This is were I can see Sestan pressing for a spot.

2 minutes ago, demosaw said:

Oliver Sestan

If that's correct then that's a great sign.

Anyone know who is on BBB's left?

On 12/19/2022 at 12:57 PM, Lucifers Hero said:

My comment was solely about your reference to 'ask the AFL'. 

I didn't doubt the comment about the AFL data base and Ticketmaster etc.  MFC staff have 'read' access (as a minimum) to that data base.  They also have 'update' capability because they have updated my info while I'm on the phone.

I find the entire question/ comparison regarding "membership" numbers pointless. The only real factor that matters is revenue.

As an example; last year we contributed 2 x Redleg, 2 by 3 game and Silver sponsored a player. How many memberships is that equal to at Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood, Essendon etc? I don' know the answer and I don't care. The only thing I care about is that we are a strong, debt free, viable Club that doesn't rely on the AFL.

In a way I don't mind that we are portrayed as a "small" Club as that may help drive "membership". Ultimately however; it only matters that we remain strong financially. Yes, I understand that we still need to maintain a strong crowd at games but all things compared, would you rather 70000 members contributing $2million or 50000 members contributing $4 million?

9 hours ago, loges said:

No, Bartlett took advantage of the rules as they were then written. Current rules clearly state hands in the back should be penalised 

Sorry Loges but the "current rules" don't state that. The rules were modified (again!!) to allow players to hold their ground in a marking contest by placing the hands on the back of an opposition player. Essentially going back to the original rule where a "push" is what is penalised. If you look up the definition of "push" in a dictionary it says "to propel forward". I've seen Hawkins propel forward defenders by several metres and not be penalised. So perhaps it's the Umpires who are cheats or they are just incompetent, probably the latter. The way commentators, often former greats of the game, fawn over Hawkins with comments like; "a great show of strength in that contest" is sickening. I've also seen Hawkins take strong marks by holding his ground but he does get away with a lot of two handed shoves in the back.

From my training report on December 5;

Clarry also left the drills at one stage and was having some discomfort around the wrist and thumb area (hope that's not from the break last year).

It clearly hasn't settled, so great to see them being proactive with plenty of time for him to recover.

4 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

He's only human. He'll get fit faster than anyone now that he's back into training. Give him some room, he put in a terrific 2022 season for us and deserved a rewarding break; we know he'll go for another outstanding season as this short timeframe rolls by.

The Brayshaw Xmas 100 x 100 challenge should sort things out.

On 12/5/2022 at 8:47 AM, layzie said:

The one thing I really don't want to do when it comes to Clayton Oliver is take his career and his agility for granted. I echo all the sentiments here about him now being one of our very best and want to make sure I appreciated every minute of this greatness.

I'm actually thinking every one of us who renews our memberships each year should have to do a test on Oliver's brilliance and quiz us on his stats. We should also have to watch at least 10 mins of constant highlights (The process would be much like getting a learner's driving license) in order to renew our memberships. 

I'm surprised at you, I already have an endorsed license ( heavy truck).

12 hours ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

I traditionally go with Essendon friends to Dees v ESS every year
 

 

 

 

 

Sorry Pulp you lost me right there. Then 58er doubled down and suggested you spend a long weekend with them.

I say; you need to trade up to better friends. 😄

Looking at photo #8, that is a serious leap Farris White has.

On 12/5/2022 at 2:39 PM, jnrmac said:

Its irrelevant but I would say the club was actively trying to climb up the draft order because the players like Phillipou were significantly better.

I saw nothing in his highlights or other clips that demonstrated any aggression or physicality. He looks like a nice schoolboy player. And aggression and physicality IMO can't be taught or learned. A bit like Weid.

Cant think of one successful KPP that doesn't have it. So I would say the odds are against him being the one to do it.

I agree to an extent, you could see in JVR from day one, he loved running into people. Watching him at Casey he sometimes couldn't help himself and would have a momentary smile when he had crashed in and brought the ball to ground. With Jeffer I will have a much better idea when I've seen him play 10 games for Casey. It won't be career defining necessarily but I would like to see more JVR than Watts.

5 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Friggen love chocco.🥰

Brings in Kozzie's best mate, stroke of Genius.

This could really be great for both of them, Rivers isn't the slowest going around.

7 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Layzie is never inarticulate! Nor silly. Especially when he has anything SpongeBob related in his head. For SpongeBob holds all of life’s secrets. 😊

 BTW, why are we referring to you in the third person??? 🤔 

Wow, I always thought Layzie was female ( not a sexist comment )

3 hours ago, old dee said:

So what if you did? I have been buying/ reading the Hun for 65 years. Currently I have an electronic subscription $1 day seems a good deal to me. 

That explains a lot (sorry OD couldn't resist).

2 hours ago, adonski said:

I might need a helmet for the upcoming facepalms, but reckon free agent Darcy Parish could thrive in our midfield 

Happy to oblige, and he would have to unlearn the Essendon way, which would take some time.

32 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

You gotta love the pre-season. The only time of year an unknown recruit playing school and country footy becomes a Gary Ablett Jnr/Leigh Matthews clone in a matter of two or three posts. 
Thank you to Kev and all the posters for your brilliant training reports they are so appreciated! 

Remember you heard it here 1st!

To be fair, I was comparing body shapes and heights to those greats. Time will tell if Seston has the ability and application to make it.

Question for Kev Martin - did you see much of him? I'm really regretting not keeping an eye on him now but as we've said there was a lot going on.

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

Are they mates? 

Does anyone have any observations of these guys in action? Or if Burgoyne is over his injury run? 

This has Choco's fingerprints all over it.

23 minutes ago, Demonland said:

When talking about Sestan’s fitness it should be fair to note that he is not coming from an elite pathway program where the fitness base is already there. Also just because he came last in a 2km time trial against other draftees from pathway programs and AFL footballers who are on off season programs doesn’t mean he is “unfit”. It just means he doesn’t have the AFL base that is expected at this time of the year for players or elite draftees. It also does not mean that he cannot achieve this now that he will be given a fitness program to follow. 

Considering that training with an elite AFL club was probably not on his radar I think he can be cut some slack. 

Having seen him up close he has the big glutes and quads like Petracca had and to some extent still has. But he is built a bit lower to the ground and I'm reminded of 2 others with that look; Jason Akermanis and Gary Ablett Jnr both of whom were very hard to bring down and very dangerous around goals. Fitness we can fix.

53 minutes ago, kev martin said:

First time I've ever seen it. 

I thought about 10 players participated in kicking down the alley and being filmed. Gets them to really square the hips and shoulders to the goals, and makes for a very straight run up.

At one stage they were kicking very accurately and Williams put them another 10 metres out.

Be interesting to see if they continue with this, and if others do the program. Looks like another Williams creation.

Terrific that you got a photo so people can get more of an idea. I only get to a handful of sessions as we live in Ballarat. I don't know your situation but your reports have been tremendous, hope you can keep it up. A lot of pundits on here have bemoaned the lack of focus on goal kicking for years, so anything that helps identify and refine that is well worth the effort. Choco is a great educator but tools like this would be invaluable in getting the message across and reviewing the progress. I've been really taken with the work Australian cricketer Steve Smith has taken to modify his stance and movement and that has had an enormous effect on his return to form. I've heard some people say that kicking is something you learn in juniors and is really hard to change in later years. I think that Choco doesn't believe that for a second.

Just remembered something else. Towards the end of the session but before the sprints, a short laneway was set up with a lot of poles and they had a number of players go through and kick at goal. A camera on a tripod was set up in front of the lane to capture the kicking action. I can't remember who participated in this but it will be interesting to see if this is a whole of squad thing or just some targeted players. As Kev M was there last week perhaps he may have observed this then also?

A few other random observations,

BBB looked to be moving untroubled by his knee, although it was lightly taped. At one stage he was doing a lot of one on one twisting and turning with a trainer.

The funniest thing I saw was a drill that Grundy was supposed to be involved in but he was off with the fairies and Clarry had to yell at him and then take him through the drill he was supposed to do. It would have made him feel better a short time later when Choco introduced a couple of drills that were obviously new and everyone struggled. The drills were all about quick and sure ball movement and as soon as they all had got the idea Choco just started barking at them "faster, faster, faster"

On the injury front; Joel Smith appeared to be feeling his groin a lot but I've never watched him that close so maybe he has a habit. Clarry had to get the Ventolin puffer out at one stage so him leading his group in the trial is even more impressive. Clarry also left the drills at one stage and was having some discomfort around the wrist and thumb area (hope that's not from the break last year). He got it taped and went back out so should be good. Disco came off and had his left boot off and looked to have tape high on his heel but was more than likely for a blister. Of more concern to me was the the tape down the side of his foot and supporting his big toe. The trainer was manipulating the toe and asking him how it was but he did go back out. Finally, I'm not 100% sure that Pigs issue was the achillies as I saw him pointing to his calf. Could be both. Regardless he has a bit of time before the season start.

All in all I was pretty happy with what I saw for the first session back. For those of us who have been observing training for 20yrs, some of us would remember us not looking this good at the start of round one.

I almost forgot, during one of the avoiding/breaking tackle drills Melky tried to side step Grundy and Grundy rag dolled him. He put him down gently but it was great to see.

5 hours ago, Demonstone said:

 

 

Uncanny resemblance.