thirty-one

I was thinking about why I like going to training, and it really comes down to being able to see the players as people. I've been overseas or interstate for most of 20 years. I've not seen a game in person since either 2010 (maybe) or 2007 (definitely). The players became somehow abstract, figures I saw on the tv. Now at training I see them stuffing up or doing something well and always busting a gut, trying to be/do better. They are just people. Well paid men, men with elite fitness and skills but still people.

Something I noticed today during the match sim was Reg (Xavier Lindsay) being coached on where to stand against his man and when/how to move to defend, and Kalani being encouraged to chase, at which point he chased a bit late and ran halfway across the ground chasing one player after another. Both are still only kids as far as AFL goes and are still developing. Reg looks somewhat closer than Kalani. Maysie was leading Tom Couch (who has definitely not missed leg day) on the first of the sprints around the oval but after a bit was lagging. He's doing heaps of running and doing some of the drills.

Look who is here and having a little kick to kick! Bowser

He seems to be integrating well. He's hard to spot because he's in the thick of things and he isn't flashy.

Zero Hanger says that he's contracted with Casey for this year.

I keep seeing Kentfield brought up as an example of someone who hasn't lived up to the hype (because this is what Cranky's post suggests). He's only been with us since the mid-season (rookie) draft of 24, so about 18 months. There's no way he would've been at AFL levels of fitness and strength at that point. Six months later (a year ago) he was starting to recover from a bout of pneumonia that put him in hospital. This is his first proper pre-season. We'll see how he goes this year. AMW would have played AFL last year without that ACL injury. Kolt and Jeffo do have to level up at this point.

quoted from Zero Hanger. Heard lots of questions about who the train on players were. The blonde lad has a good jump on him.

Yeah, he had a cap on. It was obvious at the end when we could get close up but before that I took a photo that shows it's a cap.

If you were there, you'd know Lever was out there. It seemed like he never shut up!

Well I guess next week will give me the chance to throw off this cold or hay fever or whatever it is. That is good? Good. Of course it would be Wednesday when training happens at Gosch's otherwise I'd be doing breakfast with family.... Yes it IS all about me!

They still have the odd clanger but there's an emphasis on moving the ball fast - lots of quick handballs and switches from one side of the ground to the other - and that can come with risk. Most of the time it works, sometimes it doesn't. They are still learning a new style. Some exercises look like keepings off. And as F&T said, they are really tackling - not gentle things but the real deal. Without having access to instant replays and given there's often two or three different things happening on the oval at once, it's hard to remember clangers and see what should've happened. (I guess that is what the drone is for - take footage that can be analysed later.)

Tommy was having a bit of fun on Monday. He was getting to kick the footy, and do an activity that involved taking the ball and handpassing it on whilst being harassed (or being the harasser). One person stood in front and tried to take the ball whilst someone standing right behind them hit and grabbed at their arms. He looked pretty happy to be doing something other than running.

But not #22, dunno how he would've managed it.... Guess he wouldn't pay any frees at all!

Uh, a bunch of pagans might say the same thing about Christmas....

I will try to be there both days, though if training starts at 8:45 I've not a hope of getting there at the start of it. If it is sunny, I'll also be wearing my dicky flower hat. I'd just feed everyone GF sausages. The Coles ones used to be GF, didn't look this time around to see, might not be the best bangers but still good for a feed.

Looking forward to it! Tie dye tee and probably my indigenous guernsey for me! I should be no longer jetlagged by then. Can't get to training on Wednesday (hafta go look at a shed!) but Friday should be good. Pity pre-Christmas training ends so soon. PS @Ghostwriter , are the bangers gluten and dairy free? I can bring some me-safe bread. Been ages since I had a sausage sizzle.

It seems to be an injury that takes a couple of years to get back to your best from.

Pretty sure Tassie ran the Toyworld in Ringwood. Mum used to take me there quite a lot. I think she was trying to set me up with his son. I have no idea how many Cabbage Patch dolls we bought from them but it was a heap of them, literally. Sounds like he was a very good footballer.

Woot, not going to lie, reading training reports is keeping me going through what is a horrendously difficult move. We've been settled in the US for some time - been here 14 years this round - and wow, accumulated stuff and made friends and now we are ripping ourselves up and relocating back to Melbourne (area). Gave away the cat today, totally gutted over that. Selling my car on Wednesday, flying out on Friday. Saying goodbye is amazingly hard, even when we have good reasons for the move. Training reports remind me of things to look forward to. Can't wait to rock up to Gosch's, see folks and all the team, including the new boys.

He's only a kid yet, lanky ones take a while to come into their own. I hope he gets some good folks around him here (team) to reinforce that. His dad was the same. He might never bulk up a lot - I don't think he's going to look like the Moose for example - but now without the need to wrestle for position if he rucks, it isn't as big an issue. Scrawn often beats brawn anyway. We've seen how some of the guys have gotten themselves over-muscled and slowed down as a result. And if he's a key position player, he can learn not to get muscled off the ball to some extent plus his reach will make up for a lot. At least he doesn't look like BBB when he runs - like a newborn giraffe, not quite sure where all its limbs are. 😂 Glob I loved seeing BBB running around on the G.

Thanks for the pics, @Six6Six The shot of Max with the ball is hilarious.

Hassa! The noobs will wonder who the old fossil is. That'll be one of our premiership heroes from back when we were a force to be reckoned with, the truly mighty Demons!

That's right, the socials showed him grabbing at his thigh/quads.

Ah, my glory days at training 30 uh 40 years ago. I swatted Gerard Healy (twice) because he pushed me off a pole I'd finally managed to balance on after weeks of trying. Glad it was at Junction Oval. Nice and soft landing. I left a helluva hole in the muck when I landed (on my feet). He thought it was hilarious.

Dang, I'm not back until the week after. Our farm is halfway to Bright from Melbourne. If we already had possession of it and I was there, I'd be all in for a little trip to Bright....