Ghostwriter

I have a feeling he had to tend to another matter unrelated to training because the admin staff seemed to be giving him a rundown so maybe it’s a media thing. 🤷‍♀️ Speaking of, Tom Campbell was being interviewed after training by a ch. 10 reporter named Nick Butler (who’s a former player, apparently). The focus of the interview is how he’s settling in with us. It’ll be on the 5pm news.

Petts has been training with the forwards for the entire session.

He asked for “the spray” and they bandaged his knee. Now he’s on the stationary bike and has been for quite a while. The bandage has been removed. He’s now heading back to the rooms.

That’s Mitch Hardy, a Casey player.

At Tracc’s first session back he was nervous and it showed. But that was then, now he’s yelling out encouragement and motivating everyone and not keeping a low profile. In particular, he’s very encouraging to Harvey. Tracc’s on the boundary watching Harvey and regularly calling out “that was great, Harvey!” The look of pride on Harvey’s face is priceless. Also, Tracc isn’t holding back one iota. He tackles hard and gets tackled just as hard. Honestly, you wouldn’t know at all what happened to him merely six months ago. Clarrie’s hand update: “it’s [censored] great!” He says it’s 100% back to pre-injury.

A small group of the boys ran a time trial before training while I was killing time up the road at Coles 😭 Maybe another track-watcher was here at the time?

Training this Weds and Friday and next Monday and Wednesday at Gosch’s at 10am. This is according to Clarrie but since you can’t believe everything a player tells a supporter 🙄 I asked my guy and he confirmed.

Will do, Kit Kat. I was told they resume at Gosch’s on January 9th but I’ll double check.

I never preface a report of a conversation with “He/she may not be telling me the truth but he/she said…” because I assume everyone already knows there’s a possibility that he/she isn’t telling the truth. In this instance Judd brought the subject up which leads me to believe he was 100% sincere, but as @bing181 said, I shouldn’t have to justify myself. edit: a former poster put up with this ‘til she couldn’t any longer. I don’t want a repeat of this.

I was told it’s Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Gosch’s at 10am with the final session on Wednesday 18th. But that was a fortnight ago so I’ll check with my guy this morning and post on here.

This is true. I can hardly post an entire 20-minute conversation verbatim, but I wanna share the general vibe which in this case was great. This kind of response is exactly what happened when I had a very similar conversation with Kozzie’s partner, and that situation’s turned out fine.

I didn’t bring up the subject of him going or staying, he did.

Relax y’all… I had an awesome chat with Judd’s girlfriend Lily at last night’s B&F about a range of things (hair and nails and makeup. You know, the important things) and there’s “absolutely no way he’s going back to WA.” Judd came over and we stopped talking but he guessed what we’d been discussing and he confirmed that he’s not interested at all in returning to WA.

Maybe it’s because our mothers told us if we can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. 🙃

Maddi was actually considering retiring at the end of last season. The fresh start at another club has clearly been a wise decision. I just wish it wasn’t Essendon 😂

We actually started frying the onions before folks arrived. The thing is, our marquee was set up in a silly position, the back was facing the gathering. Yes, people could smell the onions but I guess they need to see the actual inside of the marquee. All good though, I was tasked with periodically roaming the area trying to attract customers and was mildly successful. It’s amazing how threats can kickstart someone’s appetite 😁

Thank you OFan 💕 We actually really enjoy everything we do, even working bees which aren’t supposed to be fun but we make them fun. And tonight I get to enjoy the ‘fruits of my labour’ since I scored a free ticket to the Women’s B&F courtesy of a player sponsor who can’t attend. YAY! The W B&F is way more fun than the M. ❤️💙

They all turned up to the chats with sponsors part. Shane Mc and Marty were the only ones not there.

Then get ready to cop an eyeful… we had so many left over that me and my long-suffering teenager and our chooks will be eating nothing but sausages ‘til Xmas (again). Also brought eight loaves of bread home; seems sponsors don’t go crazy for a snag in bread like we expected. Most of the players also chose not to partake and those who did only had one which is pretty much like having none coz who the hell only has one, amirite?! edit: for the young boys this was their first taste of this type of event. They appeared to handle it well. Harvey looked a little out of his comfort zone at the beginning but soon looked relaxed talking to the sponsors. The sweetest thing though… Ricky literally didn’t leave Kozzie’s side. 🥹

The boys will be up and about early this morning. They have a running session followed by a chat to sponsors followed by a snag in bread (if they’re game). It’s a player sponsors’ event In recognition of The Jim Stynes Foundation (Loveya Jimmy) so the snags are on the house meaning I won’t be till-b!ttch and instead will be on the grill. I sure hope the fellahs and their sponsors loves them a snag burnt beyond recognition coz that’s what’s on the menu. 😁

… which further adds to his confidence level. It’s psychosomatic.

Exactly. It would be unfair (and potentially unwise) to write him off now when he’s working harder than he ever has and is fitter and more determined than he’s ever been.

Shane’s on an individual training schedule, totally separate from the others and has been since preseason began. It’s fitness-based. He said this has always been an issue for him and this is the furthest he’s come in terms of achieving peak fitness (and with that comes the other benefits in the form of increased confidence and faith in himself). This is exactly where he’s at. Therefore the fact that he wasn’t in attendance from the start with the 1 - 4 year players is a non-issue. He’s on a tailored program, so it hasn’t been necessary for him to be training at the same time and place as the others. Selwyn and Tom (Couch) and assistants have got him in the great condition he’s in by catering for his needs, so to speak. I don’t know the specifics and I’d never ask, but what I do know is that whatever they’re doing… it’s working. He’s also in a great place mentally as well. He admits he’s been down on himself in the past. He’s turned a corner and it shows in everything he does. I don’t need to ask him how he’s going, he’s keen to share and does so more and more with every session. Bottom line: He has been working just as hard and for just as long as the others.

Important news about Harvey Langford… He hasn’t been given a nickname yet. He’s always been Langers but knows he won’t be Langers now because Ed gets called Langers. He’d be happy with Harves. Told y’all it was important news. You’re welcome 😁

Shame you didn’t hang around for the presentation session out in the middle. Riveting stuff. 😜 Every year they give out awards for admin staff achievements, they did it today straight after training before the players even came off the ground. Poor bastards looked like they’d sooner be anywhere other than there. But they were rewarded with a Zooper Dooper each. Zooper Dooper fixes everything… they were like a bunch of kindergarten kids 🥹