CHF

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.

Read the club by club reviews of trading and some pertinent comments about different club's trading were made, However, when it came to MFC, the whole blurb was to do with the rubbish that had been going on the the last month or so. Nothing really about the fact that we have a couple of first round picks in the first 10. Also started reporting on what the situation might be in 12 months time with Pickett, Petracca and Oliver. That has very little to do with our performance in this trade period, except to say that we have done very well to retain these three players for next season, added a couple of depth players to cover holes and got two excellent first round picks in a deep draft.

I think that we are in a position that if he is not picked up in the next couple of days he could be picked up at a later stage as a UFA by any club. We could make him a contract offer at any time a I understand it.

If we do not get Derksen in this trade period I would keep Tomlinson.

Damn, it would be a hard gig on trade radio so far this trade period. Not sure what else to expect though. Not a lot of prospects in the market this year for trade, either buying or selling. A high quality draft crop and mid level talent on the trade table. All the teams want to get into the draft as early as possible and as often as possible. In my book that leads to high price tags on any that are traded. For the MFC I do not see us doing much in the trade week. ANB to Adelaide, Campbell in and maybe a couple of steak knives shuffles but I expect us to retain and use pick 5 and try to get into a position for a late first round selection. As to the Oliver situation I think it is as much a result of the lack of trades so far as anything else. I think he will line up for us next season along with Petracca. With not a lot else to talk about the AFL Media is driving this for all it is worth. Give me a break.... I read a headline that said Oliver has a dream of playing for Geelong.

Who is this 'Sam Manure' and why should I bother with him?

The "Dude" being Moore putting Petracca's life on the line.

It is as I thought. No definitive statement from either the player or the club until the talking is done and there is a resolution as such that looks to close the chapter. Keep in mind that the story has not been written or completed just the latest chapter. For a number of years now I have accepted that the AFL is a professional sport where the players have a limited time to maximise their earnings and set themselves up for their post playing lives. Accepting that I have to accept all that goes with it Including the last few weeks of discussion and conjecture about Petracca's future. It is the way it is. I also have to say that I support the MFC team and not just individual players. As with all of us, I have favorite players but it is the team I support. I think that there were faults on both sides of the table and in hindsight both sides would have handled it a bit differently. However, I take the statements from the club and the player at face value for the time being until words and actions tell me differently. I expect that the club and the player will act with professionalism from now, through the pre-season and into next season. No matter what Petracca might think or feel he will need to be ultra professional to get back to playing the standard of football he knows he is capable of. Either to get the MFC back into contention or to showcase his ability to potential suitors. I hope both sides take lessons from this and not 'learnings'. P.S. I would not be surprised to see Petracca spending more time operating out of the midfield next season than he did this last season.

Fair enough but I would still give him a run this week or next week to see how he reacts to the situation and to give him some clear incentive over the off season.

I would like to see Sestan given a run.

Melksham sub….. interesting call.

I am a supporter of Goodwin and think he has done a good job of developing the list and the players. Have all the trades worked out? No. Is Goodwin solely responsible for that? No. Looking at this season i do not see that the results are all his responsibility. A tough preseason with a couple of players injured and/or having issues, Brayshaw having the retire.... Critical injuries to critical players, It added up to a very tough year for the players and the coaching staff. I add to that an item that Goodwin and the coaching team are responsible for. I believe that they tried to adapt to the latest coaching/playing trends and on top of that, adjusted the game plan with what they thought was the next step in the development of those latest successful trends. It looks to me as if we are trying to control the ball movement much more than last season and this is leading to a much more static setup after a turnover. I think we might have coached the wrong structures this season. it may be that injuries have not helped the adoption of the new style of play that is required. I will be interested to see what is developed during the next preseason. In the last three games of this season I would like to see the team given more freedom to attack. Let them play a bit more instinctively. Still make them aware of the required fundamentals but give them licence to play with imagination and aggression. As for the players I would give Laurie a run for these last three games as well as getting a look at Jefferson and Sestan. We need to know what they could bring to the team.

Breakfast out of the way..... showered and shaved. Now waiting... waiting...waiting. I think we will give a good account of ourselves in this game but it will be close. Dees to just scrape home with a big finish in the last quarter. Go Dees!

None at all. It works well where I am in NW Europe.