Its Time for Another

Merry Festivus to all DL’ers. Thanks to you all for the best place on the planet, actually probably the universe for Dees info and respectful debate.

I've just donated. Come on Demonlanders let's help. What a terrible thing to happen especially at this time of year.

Is that some sort of food fight.

From what I've heard Harvey is more mature than Tracc now.

Have to say I've never been happy with the Clapper. Edit. Not that I have ever had the Clapper mind you. But I wouldn't be if I did.

Does anyone know why McAdam is in rehab. Could someone find out tomorrow for us all. Thanks in advance. When I spoke to JT last week he said he’d been away but thought he might have picked something up at the camp but I haven’t heard anything anywhere.

He's noted for his pace. Looked very sharp, excuse the pun.

I made it down there yesterday but was flat out heading back Nth to write before now. I was planning a big one but there are so many excellent track reporters nowadays most of it's been covered. But here's a few comments. Poor old Jason Taylor had the misfortune of being identified by me. He was standing a bit away from the coaching section. So much for a nice quiet uninterrupted observation of training. I'm afraid I wasn't going to let Demonland down by letting him get away with that. In summary he laughed when I said it must be a bit like watching his babies run out on the field and strange so soon after just picking them. I asked him what expectations were there about when Lindsay might play. He said Oh well he's coming off a PCL and won't join in full training till mid Jan so it will be a while. I mentioned that Johnson seemed to be doing incredibly well at keeping up with the running especially as he's just come in. He said Yeh, he loves running and is a really good runner. Amazing for me given how most players who have come over from other clubs haven't been able to get close to the MFC running when they start in pre season and this guy's come in from only one season of VFL and is way more up to speed than any of them. He looks particularly agile and quick off his feet. Firstly I haven't managed to get to training since before Covid. The first thing I noticed is how much bigger they are now than I have seen in the past. A few years ago they had a real emphasis on running over strength and the squad had collectively trimmed down. It is noticeable they have bulked up again but I would say with more refined training practices nowadays they are probably running better than they did then. Secondly Viney's leadership really stood out. It's interesting that others picked up that Max was taking a bit of a back seat. But it's been interesting that Vines has turned up from day one of the 1st to 3rd years and has led them all the way. Today he was very noticeably leading all over the ground. When his group finished their 2km's he stayed on his feet when everyone else was collapsed and he walked around to every player in the group and patted them and gave them words of encouragement. His fitness was also right up there in the running. Thirdly. Clarry. I noticed in photos I've seen since they've started back that he's still got that bulkiness he had last year. Then in the 2km he was lagging off the back of his group. I was thinking this really isn't looking that great. But near the end of the session they did multiple 120m run throughs and he led his group in everyone of them and that's at the end of a very tough session. Sigh of relief. Don't worry about Clarry he's clearly done the work in the off season. Fourthly, I don't know why I'm numbering these points. Pointless. Oh well. Kossie blitzed his 2km group. He's really done the work this off season and I get the feeling he's realised he needs to make the most of his god given talent. I'm picking him to have a special season. Fourthly, others have mentioned Harry Sharp. His running was extraordinary. It wasn't just that he blitzed the group with his endurance but he's that very rare combination of speed and endurance. I have no doubt he will replace ANB's role and end up being an upgrade with better pace and skills. There's a lot to learn to get up to ANB's contribution though. I thought he was leading the B & F earlier in the season. Fifthly Jefferson has really bulked up since last season. He has a mature AFL footballers body now. A lot rests on him making it as a viable key forward. It's been such a long time since we've been able to develop one from the draft other than JVR. Windsor was surprisingly lagging back in the 2km but then again he's coming back from a long term injury but I thought he would have been up to speed by now. I can't believe he will be played anywhere than the wing. So few players know now to play that role and he's walked in from day one nailing it. No doubt in the off season players get moved around to play different positions to learn them. Wingers often play deep in defence and off half back in transition so it makes sense for him to be doing that. The role nowadays is all about transition now anyway. Kentfield took me a while to pick up. He didn't stand out so much in height and build. He's a very strange build. He's huge around the hips and [censored] and it's almost like his body which is much skinnier sits on top of his hips. It was interesting to see Selwyn Griffith walking around the boundary doing menial things like placing posts in the ground. It just shows you how they run on such short staffing nowadays. Its just appalling the AFL haven't lifted the coaching soft cap back up by now. Go Dees. I have to say that this time last year I was supper flat and pessimistic about the coming season. Mind you there was a lot of turmoil then. I feel very different this preseason. There's minimal injuries. There's clearly articulated recognition of the failings in the gameplan that is being addressed with changes in the coaching staff which didn't happen last season. I have a gut feeling that Jefferson is going to start performing in 2025. I'm picking Tholstrop to be a big improver. Kossie looks like he's done a power of work over the break. He had a pretty ordinary 2024 so hopefully he goes to next level. We have Maxy back up next year in Campbell. Langford will at the very least add desperately needed depth to the midfield that we didn't have this year. Onwards and upwards Dees.

I went to training yesterday. Watching Harry Sharp blitz everyone including Lingers with both endurance and speed. It's a no brainer for me he will fill the role and ultimately be an upgrade with his pace and skill. Having said that the way Nibbler played his role became pivotal to the whole ball movement. So it will take some time to get up to the ability to execute the role the way Nibbler did.

From memory the plan is for the Club to reach $15mill in funds and then raise a further $10mill through fund raising. Then the rest from everyone else, State & Fed Govt's, AFL maybe the Racing Club. If they did an Eddie they could sell naming rights and raise the required money that way. That's what he did at Olympic Park to fund it when we didn't have the funds to fund it. If only.

Where did you see that? Asking for a friend. 😉

The Footy Yarn nailed 2 of our 4 draft picks 8 months ago. Here they are together.

Cult hero written all over him. The next Fraser Gehrig. Everyone complains about our culture. We need to start a Go Fund Me for him for the next KB so he can make a cultural statement that should have been made this season and see to Maynard and Moore. We can fund the consequent loss of match payments.

Where did you see this. I haven't seen it anywhere

Bad signs here. Just more proof of the culture problems. I'm sure we'll be reading about it in the press.

You should have twenty of them by now based on training reports.

Good point Andy. Would explain why he's down there and not that it's a permanent change. I hope the outnumbered whites are the forwards not the backs. Makes a lot more sense to have to work harder to hit targets and alas is closer to our actual matches over the past few years.

I wouldn’t write off McAdam yet. His season was ruined by injury which ended up costing form. He’s a very good player at his best. That doesn’t just vanish forever. I hope

The soft cap still not being restored to pre Covid levels is an absolute shocker by the AFL. There has been plenty of press about the cost to the Assistants of this in terms of workloads and lack of appropriate remuneration. Needs to have been fixed several seasons ago.

The pacing is what I like so much about it. That'll either make it or break it for you. Funny how the memory plays tricks. I thought the cross country walking was a big part of the film but watching it now it was actually quite short.

This is without a doubt the most misplaced post I've ever made except for the one quoted above but anyway following on. I went to this last night. Forgot just how good this film is. Can't recommend it highly enough. Incredible script by Sam Shephard. Natasha Kinsky in her absolute prime. OMG. Changed Harry Dean Stanton's career. I think he did Repo Man next. Another classic.

I genuinely love Jonesy as a legend of the club. He stayed in our darkest hours when he so easily could have left. Will never ever forget that. Legend. And great maybe in a mentoring/leadership/culture role but head assistant coach. Hmmm. Why do you have this impression? I hope you are right. That would make a lot more sense. The midfield coach is the crucial one. It's mind boglingly complicated nowadays. The sophistication of stoppage strategies is way beyond my pay grade. I rely on @binman and others to work it out. And then there's the critical ball movement link up role the midfield plays. Most teams have the most experienced coaches doing this role. It will be a huge ask for someone who hasn't coached before if he is doing it as the head midfield coach. I didn't agree with a lot of his game analysis when he was commentating will be interesting to see how he steps up in the coaches box. I also wonder a bit about someone so close to Goody coming in irrespective of tensions in 2021. I would have thought someone more independent with a fresher set of eyes would have been more appropriate at this stage. He hasn't been in any other club's coaches box. Coaching kids hardly qualifies.

A fully restored version of Wim Wenders Paris Texas is being screened at The Classic in Melbourne and The Ritz in Sydney over the next couple of weeks. I'm planning on going tonight. Love that film. And the incredible sound track by Ry Cooder.

Actually your question should be why are we talking about Houston full stop. I would reply sorry you’re right. I got sucked in. Then I would say why are we talking in a Kozzie forum titled him wanting to go home when he hasn’t.

If you want to go around claiming you are quoting what was said then please get it right. Here is actually what he said. "My Manager said Melbourne are keen and I think we can get you home and we can keep it quiet. “I guess throughout the year there was a bit of unrest at Melbourne it seemed,” Houston told SEN’s The Run Home. “I let my manager know that it probably wasn’t the best thing for me – I’d probably rather not go there and that sort of opened everything right up and that’s when it opened things up for everyone else and I had to go through the whole process again.” What are you talking about when you say I recommend another listen. It's clear from this quote that he was on to go to Melbourne when his Manager said it but then throughout the year there was a bit of unrest and then he told his Manager it wasn't the best thing for him and that's when it opened things up for everyone else and he says I had to go through the whole process again.