DeeSpencer

Pats 35 Chiefs 30 Rams 20 Saints 30

Colts 30 Chiefs 31 Cowboys 20 Rams 17 Chargers 21 Patriots 23 Eagles 13 Saints 34

Colts 30 Houston 34 Seattle 24 Dallas 20 Chargers 25 Baltimore 23 Philadelphia 24 Chicago 20

Cheers @Macca I wouldn't have won without your generous weekly notifications. And to be honest working some Sunday evenings had me checking demonland late before bed and doing my tips as Shefty was announcing the injuries that worked in my favour. Loving the wild card match ups this year, seems a really strong group of teams. An early play off prediction - the AFC is underrated and the NFC is a bit overrated. An early hope - Colts win so they go play the Chiefs, and the Ravens win and get the Pats match up.

Eagles, Chargers, Colts

Yarra Park hosted a music festival on Saturday called Petting Zoo. Typical drugged up singlet wearing idiots dancing in a big heap of mud to EDM. The idea that it's always a public park full of peaceful trees and people walking dogs is pretty false. It's a public space best used for public activities. A sporting oval available for the public would help a lot of those activities.

SeaHawks Saints Packers

Kupp is a massive loss and Cook never got the chance to stretch the field. That means it's also going to be tight throws or short stuff. More than anything though it seemed like the Rams O line just had a stinker, that can happen on the road. Fix the O line, the run gets going, Cook becomes a factor and things open up for Goff. Handing off to Gurley when he's going nowhere isn't necessarily smart given the Bears defensive line were monstering, but I was shocked he couldn't get the ball in space. Roquan Smith is a good rookie linebacker but Gurley is even faster than he is and way more powerful. Gurley only 3 completions on 7 targets but a 10 yard average. I'd be dropping it off to him on tosses, screens and short passes all day if he's not getting the yards up the middle. The shock of the game that tilted it in the Bears favour was the Bears being able to run the ball after failing to do so all year. I don't know what Wade is doing with Suh and Donald there shouldn't be anywhere to go!

Pats, Saints, Rams

It's certainly more than the average that we've had. Playing deep in to September and a lot of surgeries will do that. Players consistently in the rehab group last preseason (from what I can recall): Hannan, Weed, T Smith, J Smith, Garlett, Kent, one or both of the young rucks at times, McKenna + Vanders (both rarely sighted outside running), Viney.

Oskar Baker - did 2 hammies in the back end of last year, probably just a slow build up Angus Brayshaw - was in the main group last week but called for the physios a couple of times Mitch Hannan - think he's had knee problems in both years, had an op James Harmes - had a shoulder op, seems to be fine Marty Hore - unsure, but is doing a fair bit in rehab, paired up with Melk Jayden Hunt - had shoulder surgery, doing a fair bit on the track Neville Jetta - had knee and shoulder procedures Jake Lever - knee taking it's time according to Stevo's tweet Oscar McDonald - unsure? Jake Melksham - probably just the ankle he carried in the back end of last year, doing plenty Clayton Oliver - legs look good, obviously hasn't done upper body weights for a while Christian Petracca - had a knee op Tim Smith - unsure Billy Stretch - coming back from stress fracture Aaron vandenBerg - had a shoulder op, out running Jack Viney - had an ankle procedure, doing laps, I expect they'll take him slowly It's a long list and it's way too talented! Lever due to it being a long term injury and Vanders and Viney with their injury histories are the guys I'm worried about. Just a rough guess but I think Baker, Brayshaw, Hore, Hunt, Melksham should be good to go soon based on them doing more ball work from what I saw. Clarry seems fine, will just be a matter of when he can resume contact drills. Jetta and Petracca seem paired up and looked ok. It's not panic stations now but I think we need to have the list back in single figures asap after Christmas and have as many of these guys right to go for the preseason games. If they haven't done enough training to play in the preseason then they're likely playing catch up during the regular season which is a risk of further injuries.

Last report for the day. Tom McDonald had some beautiful salmon coloured boots on.

Tossing or turning whether to go with this in a report because I don't want to be premature, nor do I want to get others overly excited. But I guess it's December so even I can be positive. I'll also say that Josh Wagner is one of the best 5 kicks at training and even the worst kicks hit their targets more times than not in simple drills. That said, here's my big call - James Jordon might be the best kick on the list. He's balanced, has a simple action and has lovely penetration and shape on his kicks. The guys did a drill that required a kick from the wing to land up in front of a forward who was positioned 10m or so inside the boundary. The gusty wind took apart the guys with suspect techniques - Maynard and Tommy Mc kicked floaters and Frost was sending them everywhere, even some of the better kicks were missing short or long. Jordon's kicks were cutting through the breeze and landing in front of the eyes of the forwards.

I think I saw all but Lever, Vanders, Oscar do ball work. Melk and Hore who seem teamed up, as well as Hunt did kick to kick in a triangle. Others with some kick to kick and handball stuff.

They did some longer running. Then boots on to split in to 3 groups for some in tight ground ball and handball drills, then some kicking. A full squad longer kicking drill sorted out the good and bad kicks in swirly conditions. Sparrow kicks it low and hard, more hits than misses. Nietschke is just solid, gets it to where it needs to be. now it’s some gentle match sim. 3 of Weid, Keilty, J Smith/C Wag and T Mc as the forward vs 2 of May, Frost, Petty and Josh Wag. Zoning and leading patterns the aim of the game

Oskar Baker has given the day weights a fair go during his time off. Hasn’t found a good hairdresser yet

Line drills have finished for now and it’s in to some repeat sprints the new players split from the main group, a couple of academy kids joining in, both solid sized lads Bedford and Chandler have gone hat free. Sparrow the backwards visor. Jordon the regular visor. The rest with the white caps, Bradkte the only one going backwards . From the main group Spargo, Fritsch, Wagner, Hibberd and JoelSmith are backwards cap guys

The rehab group: Viney, Lever, Vanders, Tracc, Hannan, Hore, Baker, Melk, Harmes, Bull, Stretch, Hunt, Jetta, Oscar, Brayshaw, Clarry

The highly regarded Melbourne midfield group of games started tomorrow: Gawn, Preuss, Jones, Maynard, Swallow, Fritsch, KK, Bradtke

Consult your updated MFC players list and you’ll be fine

New assistant coach B Vince?!

44 and 45 training with the forwards. As is 40 16, 32 with the mids. And 31 23 and 27 starting life down back. 3 is with the backs. As is Guy Walker

C wags is in the 40 one of the academy kids is running laps with Hannan. I’d be lucky to find the other 2 yet alone know who is who

Denver, LaRams, Chiefs

Yarra Park is still the dream. Otherwise I remain convinced a partnership with one of the leading Private schools is worth exploring. High quality ovals - tick Inner/middle suburban or even ‘heartland’ location - tick Either existing or a desire for gym/pool/indoor facilities This press release from Xavier shows you how serious they are about strengthening and promoting their footy program. It’s obviously very important to the schools PR efforts. Surely one of the schools out there would welcome a partnership with an AFL club, giving them credibility and access to the elite environment. Id be calling Melbourne Grammar immediately and asking if they want to build a facility with us at their Port Melbourne training fields. Leverage Steve May and Toby Bedford for an Indigenous angle, that will get the AFL and Goverments involved. Tie it in with Fisherman’s Bend residential development. Easy!