DirtyDees DDC

He had a poor pre-season last year due the foot injury against North in 2023. The good news - he completed the full session yesterday. We may have a very handy swingman in 2025.

He was doing some boundary runs with Tom Campbell, and at one stage was doubled over, sucking in air. But at least he's out there; and probably fitter than this time last year.

Clarry back to the rooms at 11.18. Not injured. Just looked cooked.

Is it true that Hogan wanted to be traded back to Melbourne after the 2020 season, but Goodwin said No?

Anyone know when the next training session is held at Gosch's? And did Barry Jones give the correct answer on Bob Dyer's 'Pick a Box' when he said that Earl Mountbattin was the Viceroy of India as at 1947?

We lost 12 of 24 last quarters this season, including the final quarter in all 8 defeats. Be easy to say it's due to a lack of fitness, but our game plan, based on moving the ball around the boundary line through repeat contested possessions, must take it's toll physically and mentally. We got beaten so often by teams that took the quick route...moving the ball quickly through the corridor. We didn't lose 8 games; we lost one game 8 times.

Nice to see JVR train with the senior group. I don't think he'll be picked for the finals, but he's got a good build for a 1st year lad.

Hibberd?

He was part of our terrific start to the season in 1971...when we won 8 of the first nine games. What a great pair of hands. We also lost Jon Lord and Bluey Adams recently too. A apart from Barass, Hassa and Dixon...are there any other survivors from the 1964 team?

Wonderful team. Wonderful club. They didn't choke (unlike this sad pathetic demons supporter who walked out of the TV room at half time. Too much MFCSS). Yesterday I was one of a very small group on this planet who remembered where they stood on that day we last won the flag. I was 8 years old, stuck in a kitchen in Surrey Hills, gutted when Gabelich put the dreaded Pies in front, then stunned when we hit the front and held on (thank you Neil Crompton). Today, I'm just one of millions around the world who have lived the dream. To misquote Kevin Costner from Field of Dreams...'This isn't Iowa. This is heaven.'

I went. Got to Gosch's paddock for a few minutes on Friday. It's been a while too. I was sitting in Hisense arena at the Tennis- and realised the boys had switched their training ground. Great news...but there was a catch. They give you leave passes at Hisense but they only last for a max of 30 minutes. I said to my girl friend ...would you like a coffee? I'll go and get one for you." Very noble of me. So I took off...ran across Olympic Boulevard past the 'pies and past the soccer stuff...arriving at Gosch's approx 11am. I only had a few minutes to watch. The rain had stopped and they were running match practice (Melbourne jumpers vs yellow jackets) where just about everyone was parked in the Melbourne jumpers' forward line, apart from 3-4 melbourne jumper defenders and a couple of yellow jacket forwards in an arc across midfield. It seemed like a good idea for a drill - trying to keep the ball in the forward zone and find targets despite a packed defence. The first drill i see started from midfield. The ball gets kicked back into the Melbourne jumpers' defensive zone and Tommy Mac is running backwards with the flight of the ball. It looks routine..but no...Tom drops the mark. They are keen to keep it moving...so he handballs to Frost (also in a Melbourne jumper) who does a deadeye 10 metre pass...straight to someone in yellow. Back to the centre for another try. This time Trengove is running into the Melbourne forward zone, but struggles to maintain control. The ball comes out, and the Melbourne jumpers had 3-4 attempts at finding targets or finding goals. None were particularly successful. Handballs were clumsy; passes missed targets (although Petracca did a great half-volley pickup, and then lost possession) and no one scored anything. My last memory was Viney (aggressive little bugger) kicking from the right forward flank to the goals. The ball went sailing over their heads of everyone and bounced across the boundary line to the left of the posts. My 10 minutes was up and i had to run back to the tennis. My initial reaction was 'Oh god. What a comedy of errors'. But I can be a glass half-empty person and it was a wet morning. Then I thought about the last time I watched a MFC match practice. Cast your mind back to Feb 2012 at Casey - Neeld in charge. I watched in horror as they struggled to win the ball from one contest, then kicked the ball along the boundary line - straight back to another contest!! And on it went. No-one made space. No-one looked for a target, and don't dare to centre the ball. Gruesome. At least they moved the ball quickly yesterday. At least they are showing more zip and flair. They attacked down both wings and used Salem and Lewis as backmen to start the attacks. I wish I'd seen more. We had a lot of guys on the park, and still can't believe that Jordan Lewis was there yesterday in Melbourne colours, and we got him for pick 48. I like what we are trying to do with the game plan. Hey I'm not expecting miracles this year, but if they want to take chances - take the game on - then i will dust off my Kaspersky Demons cap and give them a go.

Agree. Not one of our better PR days. I works shifts and travelled from Eltham. I have a 3pm start time for my shift so the advertised time on the MFC website (still listed as 12 noon start) was ideal. Or so i thought. I had to leave for work at 1.50 so i saw approx 15-20 minutes of players walking laps, doing stretches, and having pings at the goals. There was a good crowd today...it could have been so much better. At least I got to watch poor Bernie Vince run repeat sessions around flat cones. He looked buggered at the end, but still had enough air to acknowledge the fans on the fence for watching him. It was one of the few highlights of the day.

I rang. it's a closed session.

Just wondering if the training tomorrow is an open session. The MFC website hasn't been updated - it still has Wed 28th Jan at Gosch's Paddock as the upcoming session. I have tomorrow off - the first time in two years that I can watch a training session. I hope it's open - Gosch's or Casey.