pitmaster

Cannot speak for the other but Salem played the second half of 2018 with broken thumbs. He was one of the many surgeries of the 2019 pre-season. At a guess the strapping is to offer extra support to his healed injuries. Not meh. Understandable.

Source.

I like to think we have moved beyond where this report places the Collingwood crew. Melbourne was one of the first clubs - Essendon might have beaten us to it - to have an indigenous premiership player: Eddie Jackson in 1948. But I know there were some regrettable slurs thrown at Aboriginal players at the MFC during the 1980s and 1990s, all so-called "good humour" that would be seen as shameful today. None of us is immune. Let's hope Bartlett and Goodwin are on to it. As for the Pies, Eddie is clearly a big part of the problem, a boofhead who thinks he can joke his way out of anything. Seeing this report he might just be tempted to try to stay on to repair his reputation and enhance the legacy.

Next time any of you are in the vicinity of the Percy Beames bar in the MCC members check out the cricket honour board high on the wall. His stats are amazing. I remember him as a lovely old bloke on TV footy shows with none of the bs so common now. It was wonderful to read that had the NS medal existed then, Percy would have won three of them, which is pretty extraordinary given that Smith kicked an absolute bag (7 goals) in the 1940 GF.

And thirsty.

Not exactly. Smith at the time said he offered to step aside for Ron. RDB for his part was persuaded (by Carlton) that if he remained at Melbourne while Smith was there as, say, chairman of selectors, anything he achieved as a coach would be seen as Smith's achievement also. Ron had also seen Smith have a falling out with his COS, Checker Hughes and did not want to risk the same with Smith. In the end, after RDB decided to leave Smith backed his decision, telling the board to let him go. (As a kid I like you thought Smith was happy for Ron to go as it secured Smith's position, but I did some digging and discovered that I was wrong.)

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/01/25/hawks-midfielder-steps-away-from-football/ I see the unloved Tom Scully has withdrawn from training for a fortnight to focus on a personal issue. While not wishing him any non-football ill will, if this is how it ends for him how do demonlanders think he will be remembered, not just by Melbourne supporters, but in general? For mine he will always be an unfulfilled and over-rated talent who succumbed to Kevin Sheedy's BS and financial lust. Otherwise he is entirely forgettable for his contribution to the game.

Seemed to struggle in the repeat running routine. I think he still has some work to do on his fitness base, but that's without any real study, just a casual observation. Too soon to judge him.

Looks very fit. As I mentioned a nice contested grab and a measured-for-the-wind goal from about 40m. Seemed to be in a lot of action and was singled out for special instruction with Stafford (thanks Tim). Moved nicely in the handball drill. The only spill/miss was one of Stafford's.

My first visit to Casey since the Saints preseason game maybe three years ago. The place has changed enormously, all for the good. Match simulation was well underway when I arrived at 10.30 (Note to self, arrive by 9.45 if possible).It’s not easy watching since the arena is sealed off and a grassy knoll, yes one of them, obscures vision at certain points. I cannot claim to have gained much from the match sim witnessed except Gawn and TMac were opposed in marking duels: TMac as a forward and Gawn defending. Of the five or so contests witnessed they broke even, both marking strongly and both spoiling well. There was a clear emphasis on smaller players on hand for spillages and handpasses. The intensity was high with repeat contests coming in rapid order. TMac looks trim. Langdon and Hunt both busy as was ANB. Max then went off to ruck duelling with one of the coaches. Big dude in a T-shirt. Others might have a name. The emphasis seemed to be on Max protecting the ball drop from his heavier opponent. I note what TK said above about rehabbers but I thought it included May who looked proppy walking but then did some run throughs, and Kozzy who was taking potshots at goal where the match sim was not active and did some jogging away from the main group. While this was going on they went into a drill - yellow bibs V Demon gear - where the gig was moving the ball out of defence in a controlled fashion. A coach kicked the ball into a defensive pocket to a yellow bib (couldn’t swear who) who then had to find a target upfield. Most moves were successful with three or four possessions before the forwards were able to win it back. There was no red mist. It was very deliberate and players were taking all their allowed time to make a decision. Forwards did apply good pressure. There was only one rank turnover at the start of the drill and as it was on the far side from me I couldn’t see who it was. Nibbler kicked a sweet scrambled pressure goal and seemed to enjoy that as much as a game day goal. Weid marked strongly and kicked truly after allowing nicely for the Casey wind. Ditto Fritter. The main group went into a low intensity fartlek sequence of laps: walking for 30 metres or so, then sprinting at maybe 80% intensity for 15 metres, then walking, sprinting again and so on and completed a few laps like this. Groups included Brown and Weideman; Melksham and Sparrow; Nietschke and Jordan; Bedford, Hunt, Langdon & Tomlinson; Fritsch, Spargo & Brown; May, Petracca, Laurie; TMac, Hunt maybe Hore together; Jackson, Lever, Bradtke. I have no idea if their groupings mean anything. Then the most interesting stuff happened. Mark Williams took Jones and Rivers as one pair, Oliver and Petty as another and had them simultaneously turning and short passing across their bodies to one another, then gradually increasing the passing distance and finally kicking to goal. He was clearly instructing them about balance, showing how to take short steadying steps before kicking, how to hold their heads over the ball, having a line through their body to the kicking leg. At one point Williams was walking alongside Jones, gesturing to his head and then kicking leg as though talking about where Jones was looking as he moved in to kick. It was clear some fundamentals were being taught. He grabbed Oliver and did this short stepping shuffle before the kicking action, possibly talking about balance. This went on for some time until the group enlarged to include Petracca, Chandler, Salem, Farmer, Lever, Bedford, Hunt and Jetta. Williams was telling them stuff (wish I had him bugged) about their kicking and then they started a drill when the ball was passed maybe 30 metres to one player who was then marked by his opponent who gave him a light shove in the chest. The player with the ball pushed away and kicked quickly to an opposing pair who did the mark-pushoff-quick-kick thing again. Over and over. It was about quickly being in position to make a decision, so despite the slow moves from the back pocket there’s an urgency otherwise. Elsewhere the big dude who duelled with Max was now down near the goals instructing Tomlinson and Weideman about positioning their bodies. A defender and a forward together. Hmmm, economy of instruction. He then took Weideman away, firing short five metre passes at either side of his body, forcing Weid to handpass returns from both sides of his body. This pair worked their way around to the wing with this rapid fire routine. Finally there was some goal kicking practice. Brown with his long run walks back as far as Dennis Lillee but kicks straight. ANB was practicing goal front snaps under pressure as was Rosman. That’s all I have.

If it were left to Kennett and the Hawthorn club, the deciding factor I think would be how his rehab was going, how positive his preparation was and how much future on-field value they saw in him. But with Clarko, I tend to agree with you that he would let his standards rule. JP must be very nervous waiting to see how the allegations stand up.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/hawthorn/more-women-accuse-hawks-star-jonathon-patton-of-sending-lewd-pictures/news-story/f5e586aaf8746a886bcc78b2aaa7f005 They are only allegations which the Hun is levelling against Jon Patton and I have absolutely no idea of the truth or otherwise, so innocent until proven and all that. But I am not above some schadenfreude at the expense of the Family Club. Any pain for the Hawks is good for the soul. The pity is they did not give up much to get him.

No, you're on your own there. I received my pack pre-Christmas, but I paid separately. Paid the MCC in October and the MFC in November, in case that makes a difference. (I prefer to give my money direct to the club.)

It was a special designation for the Covid Test. The ground was divided into 7 (I think) seating zones - spectators were confined to their one zone and could not move out of it. All I know beyond that is that zone 5 was in the Southern Stand.

Never had a game plan under Goodwin? Never? You really must back that up or it goes into the special catalogue of Ridiculous Statements That Make demonland So Addictive.

Twelve of those behinds were not shots at goal but Hawthorn carrying the ball over to minimise risk and regain possession I seem to remember. Smart tactically and no longer allowed.

Yep, the self-regard of some members is simply astounding. I find myself asking (rhetorically) where do they get off?

Simply having them out there will do it for me.That and a win. Besides, the opening round usually throws up some surprises.

Yep. You need to know your history to think of the sons that excelled. Both Bob Johnsons rated, maybe junior was better; Barassi certainly bigger than his dad; John Lord the second was the superior player records suggest. Jack Viney developing nicely but it's time we had another second generation to excell or at least match his high achieving Dad..

Amazing punctuation. Thought you were writing a haiku. Agree with the sentiments.

Yeah migrants never play our game...err, Yze, Barassi, Petracca, Coniglio, Silvagni, Van der Haar, Camporeale, Montagna, La Fontaine, Mueller, Ditterich, Houli, Daw...shall I stop now?

Good, since I recommitted to them last month, as one does. BTW have recently sampled the Fuchsia Gin put out by our gin sponsor. Very good, distinctive, with floral undertones. Suggest you G&T fans give it a crack.

No progress evident on the home base notwithstanding Pert doing some work on it "every day". Sorry to report learnings have appeared twice now.

Given the hand-wringing over Geelong jumping in on Holmes what are the chances Rosman was our target all along and we simply let the Holmes talk run. Three other clubs were linked to Holmes as well. Was Rosman our smokie that we protected with a Holmes screen? I know, a very un-Demonland thought but while they do share similarities Rosman looks to have the more mature build.

I was simply intending to "like" this post like so many others but I have to say, Ron, thank you very much for sharing this. It's very informative especially to another who, like you, thought "tool" in 2004.