DeeSpencer

They spend most of summer training at Deakin. Success (which is hugely boosted by having a home ground, regardless of how much they train on it), lifestyle and strong local business ties (with the afl the strongest tie of the lot) is why they win. They could move training to a new (5 star) oval in Armstrong Creek and do just as well. In fact I shouldn’t suggest it because they probably will.

The new changerooms at Casey Fields, which received $5 million in funding from the State Government, feature personalised lockers, aquatic recovery pool, team address room, warm up space and a massage area. A new canteen has also been installed so supporters can have a more enjoyable experience as they watch the Demons play. Opening later this year will be a new state of the art gymnasium and indoor training facility at Casey Fields to complement the new changerooms. They upgraded the change rooms with recovery pools before the big upgrade which also contains a purpose built gym. The indoor area is plenty big enough for craft work and warm ups. Training should be outdoors unless there’s lightning or freak weather events. Casey has everything you need for training, as does AAMI really, it’s just cramped and shared. Of course we should try to get the entire club together in one purpose built venue. Although many jobs working in admin for an AFL clubs are perfectly suited to partial if not nearly full work from home jobs. A bunch of spare rooms in the southern stand isn’t ideal. But the idea that afl clubs will need huge office spaces isn’t true and some clubs are probably now stuck with a bunch of desks they won’t use. You’d probably cut half the office space if you’re building now compared with 2019.

The only insight here is why Eddie is so against Port Power wearing black and white. He thinks all teams that wear the same colours are the same! Port Melbourne would have absolutely no interest in merging with us, even if they were down to their last dollar. That rules out North Port. I doubt the City of Port Phillip have the funds nor the desire to spend mega bucks on Murphy Reserve. There's no strategic reason why that complex is any different to any number of potential suburban grounds, none of whom are all that interested handing themselves over to an AFL team. The Fishermens Bend project is City of Melbourne. It does represent an opportunity in a lot of development money coming to an area. But I can't see them willing to carve out a footy oval. It's too valuable, and super expensive and time consuming to turn old industrial land to a footy oval too. Watch for them to build gardens and some astro turf. And even if they did go with a natural oval they would probably want it all for the new residents. The idea that going there would capture a bunch of new supporters don't seem logical to me either. The area will be a bunch of people moving from other suburbs who already have teams and plenty of people from overseas or interstate who already have sporting interests too. The idea that you can recreate the 1950's and just capture a new audience doesn't mesh with modern realities.

Less than previous. Less numbers had it more open. I have no qualms with the intensity and physicality in periods, I have an issue when it’s bought about by sloppy skills and lazy off ball running

Now more convinced than ever if T Mc and BBB are fit we won't see JVR in round 1

Pretty willing session from what I saw between 10:05 and 11:20. One big full ground drill that seemed to be a mix between 3 cone kicking, some defenders involved and hit up kicks. I couldn’t work out who went where so good on the players getting this one sorted. Otherwise periods of match sim for about 10 minutes at a time mixed in with some high tempo small handball drills. Standouts: Fritsch, playing as a lead up target on team white and just racking it up in the corridor and facilitating nicely. Sparrow, showed an exceptional turn of speed to take the game on and used it well. Tracked back in defence hard. Looks ready for more midfield time Oliver was Oliver. Gawn dominated the air early. Grundy got involved at ground level, he links up in traffic very naturally. Liked the work of JJ on one wing, and Langdon had the better of Hunter on the other. From the young guys Jefferson was really good. You can see the way he reads the play and times his leads. Even showed the ability to push back in to a defender then hit up. Only one mark that I’d even remotely call contested but plenty of others with natural extension towards the ball. Then he makes calm decisions with the ball. Kyah also had a good day. He’s a proper tall ruck so can make an impact at marking contests even if he’s still learning positioning and timing, then he has the athleticism to get back on to the ground ball first. It will be 5 years until we know for sure if he’s any good but early signs are he has the tools. Schache has moments were his tank to present to space really looks the goods and his skills are solid. But he got worried out of a chest mark when 3m clear on a lead and he had a one on one with Gus that was halved but they were side by side competing. Not sure his fatal flaw has improved. Deak Smith had some willing contests but didn’t stand out. McVee throws in some classy moments with a cheeky underground handball and the likes.

Not sure if it was the defensive pressure dropping off but they just finished a much sharper period with far more corridor play.

Very very messy period of match sim. Honestly I would’ve called it off and given them a bake. No doubt they’re running on fumes down rotations but there’s a lack of off ball running to create switches and corridor looks. You can’t beat a zone purely by accurate kicks, you need guys moving in and out of gaps. Not sure why the coaches are so keen to keep practicing JVR and Petty crunching in to each other over and over again.

Good stint in that drill from Jeffo, finding space on Disco by timing his leads and leaps.

Messy low intensity start to this sim. Adams now doing sprints with Hibbo, AMW, BBB who have been pulled out

No. Yogging with Verrell

He was filling in on a wing and I think JJ had 15 touches on him, but when he did get around the contest he looked handy. He’s wearing bigger shorts than Eddie Betts

Blue team are dominant forward of centre (having BBB, T Mc, Tracc and Pickett) but being held inside d50 at times leading to long bombs. The lack of May and Salem is showing. White a bit the same, but Sparrow long to JVR seems an effective match up.

Kyah banana! Young fella kept involved running down the flank, Nibbler kick missed JVR, Kyah pounced, stepped through traffic and nailed the snap from 40 out. Exciting

And jogging back to position. The pig lives!

Nasty clash between Hibbo and Hunter after a Tracc marking contest. Hibbo in a bad way He’s up and gingerly walking it off.

K Turner switch to JJ. JJ hits corridor kick to Max. Gets the handball, hits Jeffo on the wing, he rolls to Spargo. Spargo plays on, bounces, hits up Dunstan 35 out filling in from midfield. That’s the game plan.

Lovely spoil by K Turner on jvr, then recovery and handball out infront of Langdon. AMW closed quickly and disrupted the handball though. More of that from Turner and he’ll get the last list spot

Lot of quality in the blue team. Chandler, Dunstan, McVee the only non best 22 starters. Jeffo rolling in too. White has Oliver, Grundy, Hib, JVR but otherwise seems the lesser side and Fritsch

Pert, Lamb, Richo, Kelly OD..good crop of admin here on the outer wing Lot of quality in the blue team. Chandler, Dunstan, McVee the only non best 22 starters. Jeffo rolling in too. White has Oliver, Grundy, Hib, JVR but otherwise seems the lesser side and Fritsch Lovely spoil by K Turner on JVR, then recovery and handball out infront of Langdon. AMW closed quickly and disrupted the handball though. More of that from Turner and he’ll get the last list spot K Turner switch to JJ. JJ hits corridor kick to Max. Gets the handball, hits Jeffo on the wing, he rolls to Spargo. Spargo plays on, bounces, hits up Dunstan 35 out filling in from midfield. That’s the game plan. Nasty clash between Hibbo and Hunter after a Tracc marking contest. Hibbo in a bad way He’s up and gingerly walking it off. And jogging back to position. The pig lives! Kyah banana! Young fella kept involved running down the flank, Nibbler kick missed JVR, Kyah pounced, stepped through traffic and nailed the snap from 40 out. Exciting Blue team are dominant forward of centre (having BBB, TMac, Tracc and Pickett) but being held inside d50 at times leading to long bombs. The lack of May and Salem is showing. White a bit the same, but Sparrow long to JVR seems an effective match up. Andy Moniz-Wakefield was filling in on a wing and I think JJ had 15 touches on him, but when he did get around the contest he looked handy. He’s wearing bigger shorts than Eddie Betts Messy low intensity start to this sim. Adams now doing sprints with Hibbo, AMW, BBB who have been pulled out Good stint in that drill from Jeffo, finding space on Disco by timing his leads and leaps. Very very messy period of match sim. Honestly I would’ve called it off and given them a bake. No doubt they’re running on fumes down rotations but there’s a lack of off ball running to create switches and corridor looks. You can’t beat a zone purely by accurate kicks, you need guys moving in and out of gaps. Not sure why the coaches are so keen to keep practicing JVR and Petty crunching in to each other over and over again. Not sure if it was the defensive pressure dropping off but they just finished a much sharper period with far more corridor play. Pretty willing session from what I saw between 10:05 and 11:20. One big full ground drill that seemed to be a mix between 3 cone kicking, some defenders involved and hit up kicks. I couldn’t work out who went where so good on the players getting this one sorted. Otherwise periods of match sim for about 10 minutes at a time mixed in with some high tempo small handball drills. Standouts: Fritsch, playing as a lead up target on team white and just racking it up in the corridor and facilitating nicely. Sparrow, showed an exceptional turn of speed to take the game on and used it well. Tracked back in defence hard. Looks ready for more midfield time Oliver was Oliver. Gawn dominated the air early. Grundy got involved at ground level, he links up in traffic very naturally. Liked the work of JJ on one wing, and Langdon had the better of Hunter on the other. From the young guys Jefferson was really good. You can see the way he reads the play and times his leads. Even showed the ability to push back in to a defender then hit up. Only one mark that I’d even remotely call contested but plenty of others with natural extension towards the ball. Then he makes calm decisions with the ball. Kyah also had a good day. He’s a proper tall ruck so can make an impact at marking contests even if he’s still learning positioning and timing, then he has the athleticism to get back on to the ground ball first. It will be 5 years until we know for sure if he’s any good but early signs are he has the tools. Schache has moments were his tank to present to space really looks the goods and his skills are solid. But he got worried out of a chest mark when 3m clear on a lead and he had a one on one with Gus that was halved but they were side by side competing. Not sure his fatal flaw has improved. Deak Smith had some willing contests but didn’t stand out. McVee throws in some classy moments with a cheeky underground handball and the likes. SLARTIBARTFAST'S TRAINING REPORT JOEBOY'S TRAINING REPORT KEV MARTIN'S TRAINING REPORT

Trained today, still listed as training on Wednesday. If that’s the case then surely anyone expecting anything more than a captains run will surely be disappointed

Comes in to consideration down back a bit more if Salem is out, but I only really want him down back if Lever is out. Intercepting is what he does well down back, manning a zippy half forward opponent or fast ball use are certainly not strengths. In general I’d have Gus as the 3rd winger and 4th or 5th on baller. He’ll be needed as a tall winger or tagger at times.

I’m inclined to agree, but Tommy at his best is so important to our ball movement as a link man, and BBB is a proven goal kicker. JVR in theory cover both roles and give more defensively but if he isn’t nearly as effective in attack that won’t really matter. I’d like to know how we think we can get more out of Grundy and Fritsch if we go with the older less mobile talls. Can Grundy truly swap on ball as a big mid allowing both rucks to play midfield as the same time? Can Fritter play high half forward and defend to a reasonable level. One or both of those things would make it far easier for the big talls to do their thing without being exposed defensively.

Not good news but obviously better now than in the middle of the season. Would be pretty miserable trying to complete full training sessions with an overactive thyroid. Hopefully it settles quickly and he’s able to keep good fitness. If he’s not right for round 1 do we go with Brayshaw down back like last year OR do we go for a more like for like replacement in Salem’s mop up and quick short kicking game and go with Hunter at half back? I’d be experimenting with both options in the match sim/ practice games.

Half back Brayshaw makes me feel a little bit ill. Get Bowey and Rivers in. We need speed and flair from half back. Harmes, Sparrow, ANB, Spargo and even Gus and Hunter competing for one less spot in the 22. Left over is the sub. Similarly it’s too tall and JVR, Brown, T Mc and even Grundy are competing for 3 spots. JVR had a great start to summer. Tommy moving well. BBB apparently very up and about in the recent match sim. Grundy settling in. It will be a good battle for spots.