DV8

Support staff should be at radio hand... ready to come in, if required. Just no pooch pampering. that's all. Don't throw out the Bubs in the Bathwater. else it gets lapped up, in the rush. Now, how many people have been seriously maimed needing hospitalisation, from those elite courses ? No, I don't think there is anything wrong with doing these tough-man courses. Nor doing the Kokoda trail. or others like these. They have been done for generations, and have aided people competing against the odds to complete them. The Armed forces use tools like these to harden the soldiers mental edge, in preparation for the hostilities of battle. That's what its about. The mental edge. I put it to you that Jones & Viney would love doing these tests of mental & physical exertion. You mention the tigers winning last year having not done the course. But was it the Tigers who won the game, or was it the Crows who capitulated,,, under inside bad attitudes. What was the biggest influence last year? Very difficult to lose against poor opponents.

Injuries; a part of a physical game. Misson's December 2017 Pre Xmas Injury Update. December pre-season injury update Matt Burgan December 1, 2017 5:40 PM We’ll just have a standard run into Christmas. The boys have got two and a half weeks over the break, so they get a pretty structured program Dave Misson. ELITE performance manager Dave Misson says the players are “well and truly” into their pre-season program. Misson said the squad, including the four recruits from last Friday night’s NAB AFL Draft, had an important period leading up to the Christmas/New Year break. “It’s the end of week two since the five [year] plus guys have come back and [we’ve] got three weeks to go [until the break],” he told melbournefc.com.au. “We’ll just have a standard run into Christmas. The boys have got two and a half weeks off over the break, so they get a pretty structured program. “We come back after Christmas and we’ve got two or three weeks, and then we’re up to Maroochydore [for our pre-season camp], so it won’t be long until we’re talking about JLT [Community Series].” Misson said draftees Charlie Spargo (shoulder) and Harrison Petty (elbow) were being monitored after arriving at the club with injuries. Dave Misson’s December pre-season update Nathan Jones: Nathan is back in the main group, after he just had a minor calf. It wasn’t quite a strain, but we’re pretty precautionary in pre-season, but he joined in [with the main group] on Friday. Dean Kent: Kenty had that shoulder [injury] after the Darwin game [against the Adelaide Crows in round 17, this year]. He’s pretty close to starting some contact. He’s done a lot of running and is pretty fit. Tom McDonald: He had surgery on each ankle and is going very well. He’s done a lot of running and is starting to get into some pretty intense agility work, and football work. He’ll probably jump into the main group after Christmas, but he’s going well. Harrison Petty: Ten days ago, Harrison fractured his elbow, tripping over a wire fence, so both of those guys have got a little bit of time in rehab. Bayley and Oskar are going pretty well and they’ve come in and they’re pretty sharp. Joel Smith: Joel’s towards the end of his rehab, with that fracture he had with his knee. He’s looking like the Joel Smith of old – really athletic and dynamic, so [we’re] pretty pleased with how he’s going. Tim Smith: Tim had that navicular stress fracture. He’s done a couple of weeks of running outside and is going really well. He’s started to do run throughs and a little bit of agility. Charlie Spargo: Charlie had a shoulder reconstruction during the year and he’s not far away from getting into some contact. Aaron vandenBerg: Vanders has been a little bit slow, just with that foot [injury], but he’s probably had his best week in rehab this week. We’re really hopeful that he can start to progress a little bit quicker. Jack Viney: Jack’s going pretty well, as expected with the [foot] injury that he had. He’s starting to do more, and more on his legs, and being Jack, he’s working really, really hard off legs and in the gym. Sam Weideman: Weids had ankle surgery in the off-season, so he’s progressing really well. He’s doing some good running on the AlterG [Anti-Gravity] Treadmill and he’ll start running outside next week. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-12-01/december-preseason-injury-update So Harrison Petty had a fractured elbow whilst not training, and got a concussion in general practice match simulation. I think this guffaw about the elite training camp is a bit soft. We have to up the anti a bit, to make gains on the competition. Do the elite forces complain about this course when trying to become SAS troops, or SOGy's.

What, one player concusses himself, throwing on his backpack in a rush without thought ? hits his head with hard object. ruthless training regime. 2016/2017 preseason elite training camp. ========================= Throw to 2017/2018 Maroochydore training camp. FIRST-YEAR Melbourne defender Harrison Petty has suffered a concussion during match simulation at the Demons' training camp in Maroochydore. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-02/demon-petty-concussed-during-maroochydore-camp I don't see a hell of a lot of difference, maybe except for the toughness of the Elite camp. Maybe the players don't like to have their Ego's stripped back to bare honesty ? just a query.

Funny thing is we may be all the better for the wake-up call. it may help to setup our season from here on? Alternatively if we had won, we may have expected things to roll out in front of us. The safest bet is to make judgements in hindsight, one match at a time. this might help us maintain some sence of reality.

Clubs are still picking up high end draft picks, and draftees via trade. They are very desirable. for good reason. so lets not muddle the concept with the misleading facts. We botched the pickings, and the club wasn't a place to develop kids into men. We were a 'shambles'. And had been so off-field, for so long. It's represented itself into our genes & DNA strands. It takes some time, to change our own 'genes', to model,,, the new 'self'. They will copy the new 'self', but they play catch-up;,,, just as weathers temperature momentum does the same, changing sometime after the longest or shortest days.

1 season in AFL, he is, in AFL terms, a beginner. Just as a young guns are. They will develop. Given the chance and the direction.

I wonder if the AFL is chatting to clubs to try to get more open attacking game-styles into the competition. I wonder if clubs are trying to adhere? I wish the AFL would simply reduce rotations further, & then leave it alone to open up in its own way. Creating space via tired legs will add to the suspense of the games outcomes, and will bring back more spontaneity into this over-structured game we watch these days.

I agree, but all our team (on & off field) at least seemed to be, off their games ? Or were we experimenting? trying something out, testing?

Not concerned they'll fall off, But I'm concerned that they aren't in alignment. nor balanced. Time and weeks will show better. but sometimes things are just band-aided over. It takes discipline and dedication to the cause that makes great teams. Dedication to the team/club cause. Its not about 'We're all mates at Melbourne. That social-shyte can apply after retirement. not during playing careers.

hmmn, interesting. Maybe those old 'spots' are still there, but 'Grecian 2000'd' over.

I don't mind that, if they are all 35 to 45 out when the ball whistles over- top, and we have the speedy players to sprint at the footy for a foot race. I like the idea that we play lead-up high, with space in behind us for our quicker forwards to work-over. Pushing all our forwards up high, congesting the mid zone and half-backlines, I think might be a good thing ? I think it does, or they wouldn't have continued with it. Its not so much about Harry's personal stats, Re bags of goals, but rather how the team functions overall, within that structure. They had the players to balance their defence, and Harry was the best option forward to help out. I was always impressed with his efforts up forward. But I'm really not a Live stats man, preferring to check in hindsight, checking my own impressions of the play. I thought he was as good as I've seen, playing his role for them, away from his customary backline duties. But then I was also a fan of Brad Ottens following work, and Clark Keatings ruck work in the big games. I don't care for flashy sleek players, much preferring the crash bang pragmatic players who just get it done. Keating, Brown, Voss, Archer, Grinter, Lockett, Williams, Brereton, Ayers, O'Dwyer, et al.

you devil

I'm concerned to hear this year how the players back-door'd the club, Re the camp. And heard something on here about maybe some discontent of players? Also around the watts removal. Re the early sluggishness in Qtr1 , then the lapse in 2nd Qtr, with the other things in mind (I was listening while driving back up country), and losing the radio transmission a few times (frustrating), I must admit to feeling a bit concerned about whats in the players heads right then. The 2nd half fight back reassured some. But the doubt still lingers about 'the old tail wagging the dog' scenario, that has cursed this club over a long period of time. This is my biggest worry for us... much more than injuries, or players comings or goings.

Tight structures break, they're rigid and when under too much pressure they fracture. Whether in footy terms or skyscrapers. Better to be flexible, and have many players capable of playing a lot of differing roles. This also helps when playing top teams, because if plan 'A' isn't working well for us, we have a multi to choose between, to try to topple the leaders. It also helps us to keep structured defences off balance, because we can rotate too quickly for them to adjust. Creating a mismatch if at all possible. Harry Taylor has been a success at both ends for the Catters.

Getting him into the play, even if playing as follower for large parts, might be good for him to find his balance in the game. and hopefully confidence. I want to see him taking marks all over the ground, more-so than being stuck in front of goals. Get him where the ball is, and in the action. The main thing is to get him firing up.

ssshh ? they'll all want to. I don't mind that. If he Leverage has the legs ? Petracca in the goal square, leading up and roaming; but rotating with Hogan, R/R to F/F. If Frost is in the forward pocket as well, while TMc is injured, (defensive tall forward, stopping opposition marking) and 2nd efforts at ground level using his speed over the ground to get to contests,,, Petracca to lead up, and to rove the ball, use his power to break tackles and score. I wonder ?

It appears to be Veuve Click`quot bath-time again... get your Champagne Glasses ready to dip boys.

It's all over the ground, we are lacking generally in field play & perceived pressure, in all ways. we are just green. We lack offensive perceived pressure, cause we're green, Not dominant. We lack midfield pressure for same, and a bit of pace wouldn't hurt. but we are green. Similarly down back we have green holes, and make mistakes, cause of inexperience and players haven't played a hundred games together under the same footy plan. when we become a tight Unit down back that can rip sides with outr run from the back, then we will find we are using more perceived pressure against any opposition They will have to spend more of their thoughts worrying about us, and that will give us some more time. atmo we're All green. We are a young list on the UP, but maturing will take time. We will hopefully play finals this year, and get that kick along with it, but we will plateau I expect for a while, while we mature further. Which is all good, because we can still add further talent during any plateauing, from recruiting; and building from underneath. Sure as Hell all other clubs will keeping building from grass roots up, and we Must not stop doing this: see Saints under Lyon.

Not just uncontested, we need to be better in the air, generally. This is where I hoping 'Weide' comes into his own when he's ready to roll. This is why TMc & Pedo were so successful for us last year, it changed our attitude across the team,,, with those guys mobility thru the mid part of the ground; as well as forward. But the tall support thru the mid-ground is key to us feeling confident, & backing ourselves to run to receive. Its not just the height but the Bulk of the tall and the strength. Helping our runners out. Don't worry about the kicking, we have players who will come in when they're ready, who can kick; but need to learn to play the game in a suitable Devilish way... and we need to recruit more good kicks. Sloane? And then some kids strong overhead. I'm hoping 'Weide' man will be a wood'chip off the old DNA linage. Follow me?

Join in with the many, past and present

No, not trying to to turn him into a forward, he can be led to the high ball. The cats marking in our attack was an issue. This idea would be, in a circumstance like on the weekend, when we are bombing the ball high, and they are controlling that, that Frost could have been swung into attack as a Defender. Not trying to mark the ball, unless he finds himself alone inside 50. Frost's role in this circumstance, would be to provide a contest and stop the Cats from marking the high ball, creating a ground contest, and bringing our smaller forwardline players into the contest, or at least halving the contests. If the ball ends up in a stoppage that's fine. If the loose ball ends up with Garlett or Fritsch, even better. That's all I'm saying. If our tall forward players were too high, and the cats were just catching & running off. We want to be playing the game in our forward half of the ground. Not theirs.

Brisbane v D's Jetta OMac Hibbo Wags Lever Gus Melksh Hogan Lewis Fritsch Pedo Jones Garlett Trac Frost Gawn Clarry Salem ANB, Dom, Stretch, Spargo, Bugg, Inj: Vince,

He played youth early part of season last year? Is he doing the same again? The future? I'm OK with Salem, and Fritsch, but maybe Stretch fits in somewhere, if one misses out. Possibly for Hannan? I would like to see Brayshaw roaming near our defensive zone. I don't really want him in-under. We could have used Frosty last week, as much forward intercepting the ball to make a contest and bring the small players into the game, as down back.

Forward pocket, when Pedo on ball? Or rotating from bench?