DeeSpencer

If he spent all summer training with the Tigers the indication is he'd have played for the rookie minimum. Skills are good but he just hasn't proven to be an AFL athlete with the endurance to play midfield. Tigers stripped 8kg off him to get him in to a running flanker and still didn't end up going with him. Probably as he'd be small and not pacey enough to be a flanker either.

Onballers: Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Pickett, Sparrow. Wings: Langdon, Hunter, JJ/Gus Not sure where Harmes fits, played a bit forward when he was making his way back from rehab in the green hat. Haven’t seen enough match sim since Apart from JVR, Sparrow has probably been the standout improver, possibly on par with Pickett, whom from what I’ve seen can’t be limited to a cameo mid.

The thing I like most about him is I think he can be developed in to pretty much every backline role aside from manning the tallest monster forwards or being the pure rebounding back flanker. 194cm tall, he's already running in the 2nd to top group so he has a strong endurance base and he seems to have some very good speed and agility. So there's a lot to work with physically. He's sharp in handball drills and solid without being spectacular or pretty in his kicking and seems prepared to lower his eyes. It's hard to see him getting games as a genuine tall back in the short term with May, Petty, Lever, a healthy Tommo and Disco Turner. But we didn't replace Hunt who played 20 games, we had Hibbo play 12 and Joel Smith played 7 and might be going forward if rumours are true. There's every chance to be opportunities for a back pocket or even a hard running more defensive back flank ala Hunt the last 2 years. I expect both Turners to push to fill those games.

Kye should get someone from the crowd to read over them first 😂

JVR is just about a lock given a full year of health. McVee, Deak Smith and Woey are our small defensive depth right now. Almost by default at least one of them might get a go. McVee stood out early in preseason and I’m sticking with him. Deak Smith has a chance to be the primary back up to Hibbo. Taj will put his name forward with form. All could be 50:50 to get a go. Howes might need a bit of luck. He’s still pretty raw to my eye. But he has the tricks to really take off. I’d have him just slightly below 50:50. Laurie and AMW are our small forward depth after Chandler and rotating mids. Both should impress at VFL but they aren’t quite physically ready. I’d be pleasantly surprised by either. Jefferson would also be a surprise but I don’t think he’s a giant long shot either. He was giving Disco Turner a bit of grief the other day. If he stays healthy I’d expect him to put a couple of good VFL games together at some stage (with a lot of inconsistency). We know Brown and T Mc are both injury risks. If it gets to a stage where we’ve got a vacancy in the side and a bit of a free hit kind of game then throwing Jeffo a debut rather than a random Schache came could be on the cards. Adams, Verrell, KFW, Sestan would be shocks.

I haven’t seen good or bad with Burgoyne. He’s built in to his time and had more chances once back in full training and match sim. But I really haven’t seen enough of anything. Pressure, skill or ability to find the ball. I don’t know what others have seen with Kye Turner but I think he’s been fairly consistent. At times he gets beat, other times he’s marked or spoiled. He shows very good recovery once the ball hits the deck. His kicking doesn’t look great but isn’t terrible. Does he read the ball in the air or hit the contest hard enough for afl footy - I’m not sure. But I think he’s pretty close and and might be only one good training away from locking it up. We are deep with tall defenders but light on for mediums and lock down players. Particularly if Joel Smith trains as a forward

We should’ve got the paperwork to him over the weekend and poached him before St Kilda had a chance. For nothing else but to mess with them. Ross Lyon would appreciate that. I was a fan of Hudson O’Keefe too, but we made our picks of young rucks already

Hmm, would've liked to have taken Eagles 1-6 but I got to mix it up from JV7. I love Mahomes so much, but I'm just feeling the Philly feeling. Eagles 31 - Chiefs 23

Rivers on ball is interesting. I'm not sure his tank is yet at the level where it's anything like a permanent change, and I've seen him at half back all summer so there's no suggestion of that. As a rotational move it could be good for him and the side. But unlike Collingwood who moved Pendles back to get some Daicos or Maynard rotations we don't have a clear cut on baller who would do the same. Obviously Gus could be he's already shaping as more of a defender if Salem is out. Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Sparrow, Pickett, Harmes aren't going to swap to half back. As for Rivers he has been solid but he hasn't taken a huge leap to my eye. I thought this could be the summer where he consistently trains at a high level and stands out. I'd suggest it's probably just mixing things up so they've got another option if needed, but maybe it's to give Riv a bit of encouragement too. I'm hoping he has a big season no matter the role.

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.