CHF

I did think about Lindsey as an option in the back 50 but I find it difficult to know where the coaches might begin his development as he has not really been a part of full training until recently. It could be logical to give him a run on a HBF but it could just as well be a wing or even, given our low stocks of small forwards, in the forward 50. He is reported as all class but it remains to be seen how we use him. we have a fair few options in defence so he could be slotted in elsewhere.

I have a good level of confidence about our ’25 season. I believe we will show great improvement over last season if we can avoid critical injuries during the season and continue to have a solid, relatively injury free pre-season. Having said that, I think our list is in much better shape depthwise than it was in ’24. If I can carve out the time, I will take a look at the different areas of our team and give my views on how we are set up. These are, of course, my opinions and I doubt that we all hold the same views. It is all open to discussion. I will start with our defence which has been one of our building blocks for success. I think we will have a transition season in defence with a couple of the senior players starting to get towards the end of their careers. May and McDonald are 33 and 32 respectively and while both have plenty of experience both have had injuries in the past season or two. After long careers, they will need time to recover for any niggles and are likely to lose half a pace off the mark as time goes on. A lot of people see Petty completing with McDonald for second ‘big’ defender, but I see it developing into a race of three as the season develops depending on May’s fitness. Injuries and player form will determine who plays where and when for those three. As backup in the ‘big defender’ department we have had Adams developing over the last few seasons and, from reports he has built a bit of muscle over the off-season and might be about time to present himself as an alternative. Will Turner swing back there if required? I think he is a last resort alternative as I like the way he is developing in the forwards. Personally I would have looked to keep Tomlinson around as ‘big’ cover rather than Hore as I think this might be a need that comes into play as the season develops. Out of the box thought…. Could Kentfield or Fullaton be given some time as a defender at Casey to see what might develop? Lever at 28yo has a lot of footy left in him and as long as he can avoid injury, will carry on his role as an intercepting tallish player and senior defensive director during the games. Back up to him is Hore, who is also 28 and Howes 21yo. Howes got some games under his belt last season, and I think he is going to step up another couple of rungs this year. Salem is the other senior member of the defenders club at 29yo. He has been a top quality player for us over the journey but, to my eyes, he had a patchy season in ’24. Not as clean as he has been with the ball and a bit slower with his decision making. I want to see him back to instinctive best and hitting targets. We have a good group of medium/small defenders who are all young and developing well. Rivers at 23yo is in transition from defender to midfield and I think this will continue with him working into a greater role in the midfield during this season. However, I also see him being critical in the defensive 50 at times while he can play the defensive role very well, he is difficult for an opponent to play on. He almost requires the opposition to play and defensive forward on him. He has pace and confidence with the ball in hand. Bowey and McVee at 22 and 21 are pretty damn special in my eyes. Both stepped into the team and looked confident and at home from their first touch. Windsor is being talked about as being in the mix as a defender after a debut season on the wing. He is another that stepped into the team and has looked all class. I can see the value in giving him time in defence to develop and I can see his running and quality delivery as a good asset out of the defensive 50. Maybe Sharp is looked at as the quality replacement on the wing to cover the move of Windsor. Depth cover at the moment looks to be Woewodin and Moniz-Wakefield. Both look to have a lot of qualities to develop. Having a mix of Rivers, McVee, Windsor and Bowey, ball in hand streaming out of defence and delivering forward is a vision I like to entertain. I do recall in ’21 one of the images that has stuck with me was the likes of Hunt and Salem linking with Langdon and Brayshaw positioned on the wings with layered running from defence and then pushing up field to provide options. It would have been an interesting listen when the footy department was reviewing the game plan development from last season. In my opinion, in defence we were too conservative and predictable with ball movement once we had won the ball. From training reports we look to be addressing this with faster decision making and ball movement and looking at opportunities in the corridor. I like this but it does require player skill and confidence. Mistakes are going to happen during a game, and I can accept that if it was the correct decision at the time. What I want to see is the confidence of the players and coaches to try and make the same or similar play again. This is a critical thing when coming out of defence to launch an attack. In summary, in my opinion we still have a quality defence and good structures and coaching. Add to that good depth and a good mix of experienced and developing players and I am confident that our defence will once again be a solid building block of our gameplan. I can see us taking a bit more risk coming out of defence this season. One other thing that is coming through from the training reports is that we look to be much fitter and stronger than we were at this time last season. Two of our critical building blocks of our ’21 premiership team were traded into the defence from other teams over consecutive years and I could see a similar scenario in the not too distant future if we do not find the development required within the list. I have looked at about 15 players above with the ability to play in defence, a third of the list that will allow for versatility and flexibility during the season, within that group of players there are a number that can play in other areas of the ground with Petty and Turner able to swing forward and McVee, Rivers and Windsor developing alternative roles. Early selection will be interesting as all except lever have had strong, injury free pre-seasons to date. ‘Big Defenders’: May, McDonald, Petty…Adams, Turner? (Kentfield/Fullaton?) Medium/Intercept Defenders Lever, Hore, Howes, Rivers Medium/small defenders McVee, Bowey, Moniz-Wakefield, Windsor, Woewodin

I enjoy watching Pickett play in the red and blue and hope I can watch him in our colours for a lot longer. However, this is professional sport and the players play for teams for all sorts of reasons. I, as a supporter, have followed the Demons ever since I can remember and will continue to do so no matter who is in the team or on the list. If Pickett, or any player choses to leave for another team, so be it. Swings and round-a-bouts. I support my team first and then the players. P.S. it will be interesting to watch the interaction of Kossie with the Freo players at the end of the game on the 15th Feb.

A big thank you to all of our training reporters. It all sounds very positive and as if there is a very good feeling from the players. If you set aside the poor season we had last season and the potential trading upsets that swirled around two of our best players and just concentrated on the way the player all look to have come back fit and ready, the additions to the list and the vibrancy of the training, I would assess our potential for '25 as very, very good. Positives: Oliver back fitter than he was at this time last year. More settled and looking at ease. Petracca attacking the pre-season fit as a fiddle, professional and not looking as if he is carrying any hangover from his injury. No long term serious injury recoveries carried through from the previous season to affect preparation. A good full pre-season into the young players such as Windsor, Tholstrup, Brown, Woewodin, Howes and JVR. Over all an improved list with a couple of first round draft picks to underline our potential to improve. Not a lot of Negatives to look at really: The loss of ANB I would list as a negative because he was one of the first picked each week and we all knew what we would get out of him. Have to say that I am not all that worried about our performance in '25. I think we will easily make the finals. TEAM: Defence: May, Lever and Petty or Tmac will make up the talls back there with Hore, Howes and Adams as depth/cover. Mid-size and smaller defenders We have a bit of class with Salem, Rivers, Bowey, McVee and Moniz-Wakefield. Possible that Windsor gets a bit of time back there as well but, i, would keep him on the wing for the time being. I think that defence with the structures and systems that they have been playing for the last few seasons will off a lot of variety and flexibility. Midfield: With Petracca and Oliver still on the list and Viney not looking as if he is slowing down we have a tough, experienced midfield core to hang our game on. I think we will see a lot more of Petracca in the midfield this season compared to last. We need to play as much as possible to our strengths and with him in the middle and at stoppages we are much more aggressive. Players like Rivers, Sparrow, Pickett will all get turns on the ball. The wings will have depth of cover with Langdon, Windsor, Woewodin and Sharp looking as the main players. Sparrow, Bowey and, to a lesser extent Billings mat get time there. Developing Midfield talent with Brown, Langford, Lindsay and Laurie will all be looking to put pressure for time in the starting 23. Max, Tom and Will as ruck cover and depth. Forwards: With a new line coach and some developing talent I look at this area of our team with a bit of confidence for the first time in a long time. JVR and Fritsch will be the senior pair in the forward 50 as I see it. Turner looks to be next in line as a tall and I do see him improving with this pre-season. He will have a bit of competition with Jefferson looking to step up this season and Johnson having a big crack as well. Kentfield and Fullarton as developing talls. Melksham in the mix as a medium forward as is McAdam. Then our fleet of smaller forwards, Pickett, Chandler, Spargo Sestan and Brown. We will also see some of the mids/wings rolling through there a required. Mentha is one to watch as he develops and I would not be surprised to see him get a run mid to late season. I do know that some will see me wearing rose coloured glasses but, I have been supporting this team as far back as I can remember and I see this a very strong list that can give it a good tilt in '25.

I fully understand that it is still very very early in the pre-season but I cannot help but compare it the the same time last year. The injuries were already stacking up and there were a multitude of negative stories re Oliver. I hope we continue the run through the pre-season in the way that we have started it. All very positive. big thank-you to all of the training reporters and photographers.

Do you qualify if you have spent a shed load of money with the legal profession over the years? Asking for the friend of Rumpole.

These bloody glasses can be looked at in three ways. optimist: the glass is half fulL. pessimist: the glass is half empty. realist: I need a refill.

Thank you all for the reports and pics. Beginning of winter where I am with FCW (....... the last two words are 'cold weather')... snow on the ground and a cutting breeze that does not bother to go around you. Warms my heart at least to read these posts. again, Thank you.

I don’t mind a pick like this. I have to believe that JT knows his business. Mature age, country boy and a bit rough around the edges that has finally been given a crack at the big time. I am sure he will give it everything and not die wondering. He plays for my team and good luck to him.

My thoughts as well. I am surprised that Allan dropped a bit. I do hope that we are keeping in touch with the ones that were interested in before the draft. Dropping players like Tauru, Hotton, Smith, Faull, Hynes and Armstrong an email or call to congratulate them and let them know were will be watching their development with interest.

I am hearing a couple of very quiet whispers, but not sure if it is really solid information or wishful thinking. * Very unlikely North will trade out of pick 2 unless they get a once in a generation deal and given the depth of the draft I think that is a long shot. * Consensus is that Lalor will be Richmond's first pick However would not surprise if Smith was the first named called. If they did go that way then I would expect Allen to be called at their pick 7. * Ashcroft to be bid on by either North or Carlton to keep Brisbane honest. * Believe that MFC rate Langford higher than Tauru. * If Allen is not there at MFC second pick I would not be surprised to hear us calling Hotton out. * Smillie may slide to mid teens. No idea why. Based on these unverifiable rumours I see a couple of different outcomes. Likely..... 1. Richmond: Lalor 2. North: Smith 3. Carlton: O'Sullivan 4. Adelaide: Draper 5. Melbourne: Langford 6. Richmond: Tauru 7. St Kilda: Allen 8. St Kilda: Travaglia 9. Melbourne: Lindsey/Reid/Hotton Possible... 1. Richmond: Smith 2. North:Lalor 3. Carlton: O'Sullivan 4. Adelaide: Draper 5. Melbourne: Langford 6. Richmond: Allen 7. St Kilda: Tauru 8. St Kilda: Travaglia 9. Melbourne: Lindsey/Reid/Hotton

Training reports..... Season fixture published..... a couple of steps towards the real thing. With regards the fixture, i do not have any problems with it. A good run for the first 9 rounds that give us a chance to be at the pointy end of the table and to get good exposure in the second half of the season. An interesting run with three interstate games in 4 weeks with the bye between the first and second of those games. I am sure the powers that be are working out how to tackle that. Last 7 rounds in Melbourne with the Pies last up. That ids not bad. My early prediction is that we make the 8 and push for the top 4. If we have a similar run of injuries in preseason and in the season as we had this last season then we, or any other team in a similar situation, is in trouble.

Ahhhhh a training report..... that can only mean that the real thing is a step closer.

I think we have to be realistic about what has been said in Green’s letter. He does say at the beginning that what follows is high level information and that some things need to be kept in confidence. As to finding out the results of the review, I think we will see responses to the detail of the review in the next couple of months. There will be an extensive redefining of roles and responsibilities within the football operations side of the club as well as the same thing happening on the administration side. Deciding to have these reviews is one thing, structuring and carrying them out properly is another element but the most important thing is understanding the information and outcomes and reacting in the best way.

IF... ....Damian Barrett has any integrity as an AFL journalist.... THEN... ...He would apologise for his biased reporting with regard to what has transpired at the MFC over the last few weeks.