DeeSpencer

Stef Martin, Will Minson, Mike Pyke. All types can be a ruckman.

Our resident brother of might give us an update as they are starting him off as a defender but I think Dec Keilty has to be a chance in the back up ruck role. He's more athletic than Pedda and stronger than Watts or the Weed. I enjoy Watts in the back up ruck role but don't think it's sustainable long term. So early in the year it will come down to Weed or Pedda as the best forward, but later in the year they might look for the best ruck to free Watts up.

Viney: 60% on ball, 5% wing 20% forward Tyson: 55% on ball, 10% wing, 20% forward Jones: 55% on ball, 15% wing, 15% back Oliver: 45% on ball, 30% forward Brayshaw: 30% on ball, 15% wing, 40% forward Salem: 20% on ball, 20% wing, 50% back Lewis: 15% on ball, 50% wing, 10% forward, 10% back Petracca: 10% on ball, 70% forward Vince: 10% on ball, 45% back, 30% wing Stretch: 65% wing, 20% forward Gawn, 6 defenders, 5 forwards. Just rough figures and you can move them around but that's the kind of rotation I'd be hoping for. Viney, Tyson, Jones and Oliver I think are 4 that are used best when in at the clearances. Then we rotate a deeper line up through the forwards, backs and outside spots.

It's a public place, so the notion of any closed training for Melbourne is a bit of a silly one. But I believe there's an understanding between clubs to respect sessions that are deemed closed. I guess that doesn't extend to the AFL's PR arm.

Without making too much of a fuss I am a little insulted that they announce the end of the year for fans and suggest further trainings are closed only to have an AFL.com.au writer do a report. Rude.

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I'm not a huge fan of Casey but we do become the team of the East/Outer East whilst Collingwood are based at Olympic Park, Carlton at Carlton and the Dogs in the West. So much of Hawthorn's transition from minnow to power club has been on the back of the booming Eastern suburbs. I wasn't alive at the time but I'm sure the early travellers to Waverley felt the same way I do going to Casey now. I'm not convinced on the membership numbers in the short term. The women play either 3 or 4 home games at a busy time of the year. I'm not sure people will be buying memberships rapidly. Nor will buying women's memberships lead to men's memberships in the short term. But we do have a chance to get thousands of young girls from Melbourne's Eastern suburbs seeing AFLW in red and blue and hopefully overriding their dads or brothers and sticking with them. We might get the long term presence in the area that I doubt our current VFL and irregular trainings have achieved.

Betts is stronger in the air and one on one than Jeff is. Garlett is more like Eddie's team mate Charlie Cameron. The other forwards share a lot of the blame but the reason I ride Garlett hard is because he's one who can do it. He's laid some great tackles and done some really sharp pressuring work and impressed me a lot with that stuff in 2015, I just hope he gets back to that standard.

Agree Hunt's kicking has improved but it was coming from a low base technically and still has a way to go. Everything else he's doing is first rate. I've been watching Jeffy closely and critically. I know full well my bias for the way he played in 2016 is influencing my opinion. The run and kick through the middle was a beauty. Didn't see the tackle. I just think his decision making with and without the ball went way off last year and I've been looking for it to come back or even go to another level. I wonder if he lost confidence and then lost focus. I get your point about the ball out the back but that wasn't the situation that I reported and I think forward pressure is a massive part of a small forwards job. So without knowing the full details on when + how coaches give feedback on training I'd be drilling Jeff constantly to get to the right spots.

A mix of mids, forwards and in the rehab group. Decision making and skills aren't quite there yet but he cracks in and seems at least decent athletically. Wait and see until games.

Kicking will hold Hunt back but that's about it. Had a set shot on goal that went sideways and a running shot that went end over end and maybe it about 30m of the 50 required. Oscar's had some good moments. He's another who is moving faster and hitting targets with more confidence. I haven't seen him one on one with forwards very often, but in terms of his zoning off and disposal under pressure he's looked good. He's a nice size now as well. Porter they call him. When they yell Oscar at training it's in reference to the AFL Academy kid Oscar who is also a rangy tall defender and from what I've seen so far I think he'll go top 30 in the draft. Does a lot of things right for a kid mixing it with AFL players.

I think they have a 2 week break over xmas/new years which isn't really all that unusual, it just falls early this year. Unlike most of us they can't spend it boozing and eating. The long break from September (for non finalists) all the way to mid November is a different issue but if they want to play well they better work in that time. And who really cares how long they get off, the 22 weekends from March to September is when they earn their money regardless of if they trained 365 days a year or had 20 weeks off.

No Kent, no ANB as far as I saw. Rehab: Hannan, Wagner, JKH, King, Flippers, Melksham. Pedda and McDonald for some. Joel Smith and Mitch White did runs throughs instead of the final drills. Lots of full ground ball movement v opposition after some lighter drills earlier. Observations: - Frost is a hard one. Half the list couldn't get near tackling him today, not even close. But his disposal is a worry. - Oliver was certainly training hard. Sprinting passed team mates in drills on the spread. - Garlett's lack of brains with forward pressure continues to annoy me and he's not the only one who seems to switch off as a forward or not quite get the zoning right as a defender. They are working on them and some get it better than others. - Hibberd seems very good across half back at reading the play. - Lewis looks well versed at where to go as a mid. He'll often just sit inside and infront of a target down the line. Today was the most impressed I've been by him. Super sharp quick decisions and kicked well. - Vanders back up forward makes a difference to the work rate both ways, his skills might not be perfect but he works hard - All of the first year draftees were held out of the final match sim but Tim Smith impressed earlier, the tempo doesn't look too fast for him and Keilty took a nice grab and kicked well - Viney makes a noticeable difference to the pressure around the midfield. Players just know they can't run around or through him. Frost was running passed everyone but stopped with Viney. - Brayshaw was heavily involved in several of the drills. His ability to intercept and burst was really noticeable. Some of his kicks were picked off but other times his direct style of play led to getting out the back - Tyson is just better. Faster. Smoother on both feet.

Not sure what to make of the whole Casey thing. Probably the most practical option at the end of the day. We just don't have the cash or pull to somehow find our own training or playing base somewhere in the heartland (or even out in somewhere like Dingley like the Hawks). So the best option is to continue training at Gosch's which works really well for the players and to then have our VFL and women's teams based at Casey. So as part of that we invest in the alignment. Home for the MFC will always be the MCG anyway, even if I feel like a consolidated base for training, VFL and women's would be a really nice thing to have. I wonder if we should just up and move the entire club to Casey and to really commit to it but I think that's a risky move and we'd probably be like St Kilda and hating it.

Cranbourne have a team in the Women's VFL, they could possibly be co-opted. But at the moment Geelong and other teams who didn't get an AFL license are working on fielding VFL teams. I think it's a while off AFL teams having VFL reserves like the men's system. Especially when the AFL season will be a novelty short season before the women return to their VFL or local clubs for the rest of the year.

Nope sorry he was injured in this drill. Just copped a ball right on the end of a finger. Couldn't tell if it was dislocated or just jarred but as he went back to AAMI after it I assume he managed to dislocate it.

I'd just be guessing but I'm kind of hoping the theory is: 1. We'll never kick (or run) as well as Hawthorn so we can't recreate their ball movement. 2. Pressure is going up and up with each year to the extent that having clean skills is becoming nearly impossible - even the Hawks have fallen back 3. Our list is strongest in ball winning and competitive ability of our players so pin point accuracy isn't required That's if it's to become a major part of the game plan. If not, it might just be a subtle tweet to get some basic competency out of some players whilst encouraging those who can use both sides to keep doing that. I can't imagine it's a major factor but given these guys work in small percentages I'd imagine the sports science staff would like more balance between using both sides. It's got to be good for the back and hammies to work both sides in a long training session.

The highlight of the short bit of training I watched today was Petracca marking with a group of forwards. He'd take up front spot and a kick would come in and he'd go head to head with some of the other tall forwards, with the winner staying on. Tracc used his strength and athleticism to mark 3 in a row against Hulett, Watts and Weid (I think). There was a lot of cheering and hollering. Then he went against Gawn who had too much strength and reach and out marked him. Garlett was too strong/clever for Ben Ken and JKH.

Just got here to see JKH sprain a finger and walk back to AAMI. Then ANB got caught up with Lewis diving for a loose ball in a beach flags type drill and immediately grabbed his knee and looked very upset. Walked off unaided back to AAMI. I wonder if his patella popped in and out again. No Jetta or Brayshaw here since I've been here

If we aren't in full contact we are pretty close. They are bumping, tackling, spoiling, crashing in on loose balls. It wouldn't surprise me if after Monday they pull back and focus on skills and running for the next 2 sessions to get through til the end of year break then ramp up the competitive stuff again. Then again, they are trying to train at high intensity and under pressure so they'll probably just keep it going.

He was definitely sore and feeling his ankle after clashing with Stretch. Not sure it's major but it's not just blisters. Brayshaw had me more worried but I was happy to see back on his feet and do some run throughs.

Max had a lovely kick for a big guy but his body didn't come on at all and he was often in the rehab group. Mitch looks more solid this year after the year off, but he's in the rehab group so it's hard to judge. Macca was getting in to him after he dropped a mark on the lead to just keep attacking the ball hard and he was doing that. His kick is decent and leaps ahead of Spencer and probably ahead of Gawn for the same age. There's not a lot more to report until he gets back in to full training and games. They are doing a lot of fast paced handballing under pressure including handballing over the shoulder and even underground handballs in some drills. Not sure it's at the Dogs level of throwing it but I guess the coaches are working on the theory of practising handballing legally and hoping the umps clamp down on the Dogs. Athleticism and holding his marks are my concerns with the Weid but I agree he's slowly filling out a very solid frame and he does have a lot of class with the way he can gather and kick. I think he leads to all the right spots as well. Totally agree about the Spencil. Although he still managed to falcon one throw in. He just looks stronger, faster and far more coordinated at the moment than he has before. I really like DJ's kicking on both sides and he doesn't panic with the ball in decision making drills. I doubt he'll play much in year 1 but long term I think he'll be groomed to play forward and midfield rather than as a forward pocket specialist.

Got there at 12, stayed for 45 minutes. It was very warm! Robbo was hosting a touring group, presumably the draftees families. Rehab: Tom Mc, Pedda, Wagner, King, Hannan, Flippers Not sighted: JKH, the prince. Garland had some tape on a knee but was moving fine. Ben Ken had his forearm padded. Viney, Trengove and Vanders were back in the main group. They seem to be training more in position groups now. When I got there mids were doing stoppage drills competing in 2 teams focusing on spread from the stoppage. Clarry won one of his trade mark beast mode and fast hands clearances and then burst forwards to receive the ball away from the stoppage and got on the end of it out in front of Stretch. That had Jones and a lot of the others cheering. For all the negative chat of late it was a reminder that he's a super talent. Bugg impressed me in this drill as well just with his smarts and pace to spread, he was racking up touches. Backs and forwards were working on kicking to or stopping leads. They main group then split in to 2 groups working in half a ground each between the arcs just keepings off 7 on 5. They what pretty fast and decent movement up and down the area. Unfortunately someone sailed a kick high and Jetta punched it away from Stretch's reach and seemed to injure his left ankle. He was up walking off shortly thereafter but I don't think he returned to training. Hopefully it's minor. Over the other side someone kicked towards Viney near the boundary who backed back and went to mark and ran in to the fence with a crunch. It looked really dangerous and momentarily I was worried about Viney but he grabbed the fence and flipped his weight to avoid injury and I really should've been more worried about the fence. After that they went in to 2/3rds of the ground shirts v bibs with the shirts having 2 extra in the midfield group but bibs having an extra down back and zoning. Highlights included a nice long switch from Melksham to open the ground up to then bring it in to the corridor. A kick wide from Vanders to Garlett, in to the corridor to spot up Oliver then a quick handball to get Salem running in on goal. And a nice piece of play with Brayshaw to McKenna to Gawn along the boundary line before handballing inside to a runner and in to open space. Brayshaw came off limping and had trouble with an ankle or even a foot. It had me worried about his foot, but they seemed to tape him up and then have him run up and down the boundary. Another one to watch. Tyson impressed me today with his movement and kicking. He's not fast by any means but he just looks a bit sharper to me and to have found a nice rhythm to his kicking. I don't think he's done a full preseason yet in his career. Salem had an impressive moment when he ran forward inside 50, the kick went to him but defenders closed in, so he spoiled or dropped the mark in front of him, kept his feet running on to the ball and very nonchalantly gathered and snapped a goal. The Weid got on the end of a couple of kicks but he did run up and down on the spot when he was chasing, was very warm though and we do have some defenders who can run now.

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Viney has better inside stats - clearances, tackles, contested possessions. He's far better in the air as well. A lot of Treloar's possessions are give and get handballs that rack up stats but aren't all that dangerous. He is a bit quicker and smoother running with the ball than Viney and get 2 more kicks per game, but that only balances him up with Jack's inside dominance. I don't think Treloar works nearly as hard defensively nor do I think he knows how to be a balanced contributor at clearances working as a unit. Collingwood's midfield leaked like a sieve all year giving up huge games to opposition mids. There's a reason why Pendlebury won the Pies B+F this year when so many thought Treloar would. Pendlebury is a proper elite player. There's more of a gap between him and Treloar than there is - if there is - between Treloar and Viney.