DeeSpencer

No matter how quick or fit a guy is it takes really good delivery to take marks on the lead inside 50 these days. So if Watts is playing deep we will need to be moving the ball better. Also as the designated '3rd tall' he'll have to compete in the air much better than he has and take some contested marks. The possibility is there for guys like Watts and Petracca to work together to create mismatches on the mid sized defenders, with Watts using his pace and vision to get free from bigger opponents and Petracca using his size and power to outbody smaller opponents, it's just a matter of it coming together. I also think there's no way Watts should ever be used close to goal entirely, his best games are so often when he can float up the ground and get involved in play. He can be designated as the third tall but he's got to use all his tricks to his advantage. He's never going to be a traditional player.

I didn't see much of a sling action or a double action. He pinned the arms as that's exactly what is required to stop a player disposing of the ball. Good players only need 1 arm free to dispose of the ball, even average players can pretty much do as they like if no hands are pinned.. His mistake was to dump him too forcefully for a training situation, but if you think the AFL will be able to discern between what is and isn't a legal tackle then you've got more faith in them than I do. Sling tackles had to go. But crunching side on tackles will be very hard to police. You can't be penalising players for just being stronger and harder than others.

Let's see how the new tackle rule shapes up before we speculate too much. It was a silly tackle in that it risked hurting a team mate, in a similar way in which you wouldn't knee a team mate in the back in a marking contest at training. But for the last 100 or so years it would've been a great tackle on game day, just like the tackle on Ablett in round 1. How they will adjudicate tackles is a bit beyond me, but I think besides obvious slings they'll go on whether the player is concussed or not. Tommy Mc wasn't and it wasn't a slinging tackle, it was a dumping tackle with the arms pinged. If they call it a free kick or suspension I'd like to know just how they rule on it and not almost every other tackle that pins the arms and takes a player to ground.

He's been injured at the start of every year and played 12, 18 and 14 games in his 3 seasons at the MFC. Not great ones, but some decent games and patches of form. I'd be tempted to put him on the LTI list so there's absolutely no rush, but there's also a reality that his best value might be to get him back, get him playing and let him cover for young talls. I guess the question is what rehab program does he try now? Looking at him yesterday he really is top heavy, but he's not exactly carrying weight in the upper body just his legs are so lean. I'd send him away to do some completely different training and try and build the strength in his core and legs before he starts running again.

Gawn finally took over from Jamar after 5 years on the list. I'm not sure we have a 2nd key forward and/or a ruck forward in the same situation. Pedersen and Frost will be used, but I'm not convinced either will solve the problem long term and Max King/Mitch King/ Weideman/Hulett are a while off. I don't know what the future is for Dawes, it's still a long time before that has to be decided, but this could be more like Jamar 2012/2013 than last year when the replacement finally took over.

Even numbers makes it difficult to move the ball, only have to watch a Melbourne game to know that. Think of how many stoppages and turnovers there are in a standard game, or how many contests. Giving an extra number to the defensive team would be near on impossible to move the ball. You'd go man on man and have a spare floating a kick ahead. 9-7 gives a good chance to practice running to space and clean ball movement whilst making the 7 work hard and smart when defending. You have to zone when out numbered. If we are planning more zone on the back end of our defending this is good practice for it, and then come match day you'll have 2 extras at the contest. The point of the drill was to get fast ball movement up and transitioning back much more than it was to test it against even numbers, they do smaller drills, particularly by hand with even numbers, then train to run and spread and hopefully outnumber opponents in space.

Whilst most players stood on the sidelines waiting for their turn, Hoges found a nice seat on a pile of bump bags under a bit of shade. Macca had a few words for him that I don't exactly remember but it was rather entertaining. He's a character for sure.

Weideman is a nice size and shape, moves, marks and kicks smoothly but I haven't seen him involved much in the match simulation. Hulett is a bit the same, he did the 9-7 stuff and got involved a few times but not nearly as much as others, no mistakes. I think his issue will be his tank. I was impressed by both, and am still a White fan, although he was a bit fumbly today. I expect the half backs to be closer to a spot in the team than Viv, but if he's covering the ground well he could be picked. All 3 should be heavily involved in the NAB challenge. ANB covered the ground really well, he kicks nicely when clear in space, his main weakness at this stage would be bombing it when under pressure. I'm keen to see how his tackling and disposal holds up in match day situations. On work rate and reading the play I think he's well placed and he's got the physique to stand up at AFL level.

It doesn't have to become a big thing but I am of the view that the Viney tackle was over the line. It was arms pinned and slammed on a shoulder. Better to save those ones for game day. But I'm also of the opinion that Tom McDonald needs to sharpen up or he'll become a liability. He's still too indecisive with the ball and not up to scratch with his kicking. Maybe a few Viney tackles will sharpen him up. I loved the little push and shove they had after, which was quickly defused by team mates.

Interesting session. I watched from about 10:15 to 12:15 No Vince, Stretch, O Mc. Watts, Petracca, Newton, Smith, Lumumba, Max King doing boxing only Salem doing sprints and agility stuff ie. approx 50m timed runs and zig zag leading then marking. Nothing appeared taped or restricted. Oliver doing more distance/interval running and kick to kick with Crossy. He needs to work on his short kicking, the ball didn't come off his boot at all well today, maybe a combination of fatigue, technique changes etc. Trengove in the main group for some simple drills, then back having a kick and finally over to the paddock for some intensive drills with Crossy and another couple of staff members. All about getting him used to footy drills but without tackling/taking a tackle or other uncontrolled movement at this stage. He looked good. Weideman was part of the first full ground match simulation, before going over to the paddock and doing the same sort of stuff Trengove had been doing. Whilst Mitch King and Hulett sat out the first larger match simulation but took part in the second drill. The first match simulation was about 14 a side full ground match practice. Spencer or Gawn would be given the hit out and from there the play would flow. Both sides set up with a man behind the ball. Gawn, Brayshaw, Tyson, Viney, Kent all found a lot of it. Frost was used at both ends. Different talls were swapped. It was scratchy but willing. They then moved in to 3 groups - blue, white, green. With 9 guys coming out with the ball from the backline opposed to 7 defenders, working it up inside 50, receiving the ball back from a coach and going again back to score a goal at the other end. Really the point of this drill was to move the ball very quickly and to get out and spread on the rebound/defend on transition. They went for 20-30 minutes rotating the teams and some of the boys were pretty tired at the end. ANB impressed me with his work rate. Ben Kennedy with his ability to take off quickly and keep the ball moving. Brayshaw with his attacking running. Matt Jones did a few nice things. Frost gets separation on the lead and in space so easily, just has to hold his marks and work on his kicking. Michie was kicking long and in to space accurately and with nicely weighted kicks. Hulett handballs and works well with the ball through congestion. And as I said earlier Wagner was very impressive.

No Stretch or Vince today. They'd have a field day in this drill. Goal post padding coming down and the cones are out for the sprints

Salem was in rehab but doing a heap of work. Hulett the latest to cop one between the eyes. Brayshaw and Vanders had a nasty collision but seem fine. Im going to leave before we run out of players. 9-7 drills for a solid half hour. Good transition but so it should be.

Left calf strapped for Dawes. Matt Jones and Grimes both copped head knocks but seem fine. Brayshaw, Viney, Tyson, Kent finding plenty of the pill in the match sim. And Gawn. Watch Wagner closely in the NAB Challenge, if Salem isn't right to go, based on what I saw today he'd have to be considered for a rd 1 spot

That might be it for the big number 6's career

Most of the clubs spend about 20mil on footy department spending, with 'the gap' not really that big in the scheme of things now there's the cap. https://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl/a/27913568/afl-football-department-spending-figures-revealed/ I'd suggest Melbourne run the non football department staff pretty miserly. Other clubs are investing a lot more in their websites and social media presence. The bigger clubs no doubt spend more on advertising as well. Our challenge is definitely to try and grow revenue behind footy success over the next few years, starting with getting 10k more members. If we do that we will be able to keep touch with the big boys.

Meh, who cares, why does this have to be a thing. Class is shaking your opponents hand and saying well done. The media haven't done him any favours for most of his career, why does he have to give an expansive press conference.

Could do without the 'world', they haven't played the best teams from Victoria yet, but love the horses. I'd wear that

It's a mess. They need to cut back on the ground credentials, get rid of Hutchy and the 6000 photographers. Certainly the AFL model is better.

I tipped Denver 27, Carolina 24. I expected Denver's defense to be amazing, but surprised Carolina have the 2 turnovers and are so reliant on Newton. Why aren't they running it more with Steward? Draw the Denver defense up? I also expected Manning to throw at least 2 picks and be bad, with Denver's D and Special teams to bail them out. Which is happening. Probably thought they'd do a little better on offense though. The strip sack TD and the punt return have been the difference so far. Whoever can make the big plays in the 2nd half probably wins.

I'd limit some important and senior players to 1 of the first 2 games, probably splitting them between the 2 game half/half: Jones, Hogan, Vince, Viney, Gawn, Dunn, Garlett I'd probably play the next best 10 players for both games to get the core of the side really ready. And I doubt we will see Mitch King, Smith, Lumumba, Newton or Trengove in the NAB challenge. So that probably means there's another 10-20 who could be split between the 2 games to push their case. And then it comes together for a near best 22 for the 3rd game.

I'll temper expectations a bit. It's hard for mature age players in 2nd seasons because sometimes there isn't a lot of natural improvement left. His kicking and decision making need some work, he's very straight lined, which is a relief compared to so many of our past players but could be a weakness. I expect he'll have to get used to juggling time on the ball, wing and half forward as well. I'm super excited for his tackling, ball winning, bumps, and bursting runs, but elite might be a step too far. I'm hoping he can take more marks this year as well, both out in space and inside 50.

Meh, it's late night talk radio, save the conspiracies for the forums, no point discussing criticism of the AFL at 2am. I'd be more worried that the AFL isn't criticised by investigative journos at the big papers. In fact the way the peptides scandal broke in to Caro (AFL) and Robbo (Ess) was very disappointing.

I don't mind it if it's in control and routine, it helps open up the hips and kick through the ball. In pretty much any other kicking sport players run in on an arc around their dominant leg, it's really on Aussie Rules that I can think of (thinking soccer, rugby, NFL) where players run in straight.

Darren Parkin with special guest Daniel Cross. Not a bad listen if you've got 20 minutes. Starts with a best 22. Pretty standard team similar to most of the media ones floating around. Goes through some strengths and weaknesses and then Crossy gets on to talk Tracc and others. Overall Crossy seems positive about a lot of players, including Petracca, but cautions that he'll need a good block of preseason running before he plays.

Thanks for the great reports. We can't keep having injuries every time we have a big Friday session. Hope the guys are ok and that the trend doesn't continue.