kongwacker

LJ 5 before half time. Carrying a few kgs, still got some of his skills.

“we are lucky to have him“ Not luck, shrewd drafting accolades where and when they are due.

Now I am not disappointed the AFL has been suspended, actually I am thankful

It seems one part of the football dept. have got 90% of the list in good preseason shape. Now over to the brains trust part to introduce and implement a game plan that can be executed by the list. A plan that is not one dimensional and can be shut down by a studious and committed opposition. And a plan that can withstand the rigours of the marathon that is the AFL season so therefore one that is not all crash and bash and sees the talent on the list able to best display football skills to advantage the team. I hope to see a team that has matured to the point where it can change gears in a game and or switch to plan B, C or whatever number of alternative plans good coaching devises on the run to get and stay on top within the game. A slice of Northey years toughness and commitment from this list would be great to watch. I can dream.

“An insane record” put together by some well credentialed football people: From the top, Bert Chadwick, president Jim Cardwell, secretary (ceo) Ivor Warne-Smith, chairman of selectors Norm Smith, coach Captains variously, Noel McMahen, John Beckwith, Ron Barassi The first four mentioned are the greats of the club that assembled and managed an extraordinary range of football talent and the changing guard of captains through that period shows the talent that was coming through. Sustained success requires a well oiled group of above average talent off-field as well a great blend of on-field talent. I wonder how far off the right mix is together with a dose of good luck on a player injury front.

I agree with your points LT, particularly in reference to Oliver. With some structure around him and some confident footballers working to a game plan we could be seeing a very different game with perhaps better outcomes. This I think can be coached and I do believe this list contains the talent to build a team around Oliver’s unique skills. i do hope we see a refinement of the crash and bash game, one that allows our talent to be utilised to team advantage.

I have been watching a recording of the last game against the Lions in the cool and calm a few days after the disappointment. This year I have only seen the Bombers game live, in round 3 I think, and that too was a disappointment but I have watched most of our games on tv, so perhaps I am not ideally qualified to offer a valid critique. However without being inside the playing/coaching group can any of us really know what the instructions and expectations are from within. There are a number here calling for more talent on the list if not a rebuild. After rewatching a few games I think there is sufficient talent to be a lot better than we are. It goes without saying that we should continue to build and prune our talent and so will every other team, with varying degrees of success. I was taught to add value to your possessions not waste them. This is what stood out for me in this game, so many turnovers from our players not adding any value to the team effort from their possessions. Is this crash and bash style, mostly lacking in any football skill, being played under instruction or have we recruited collectively the dumbest group of athletes ever to call themselves a football team. I am hoping it is the former not the latter because the former is a relatively easy fix. I also hope we don’t have to witness a coaching upheaval to achieve the fix. I also think the chaos brand of football is responsible to some degree for a lot of our players missing through injury and not getting time on the ground together to gell as a team. This one tempo chaos football is taking its toll in many ways. The team lacks cohesion in all parts of the ground and the various skills of our players are not being utilised, ie, Too many players contesting the one possession instead of working together to win the ball, Kicking at teammates instead of allowing them to run onto the ball, Same thing, bombing the ball on SamW and Toms heads, Short handballs and kicks not clearing the contest, simply transferring the pressure to a teammate, Brayshaw giving more than half his possessions back to the opposition. I could go on, what we are seeing week after week is dumb football. Put value on your possessions mfc.

He should also take a good look at Isaac Smith. I did a compare the two on Telstra app, both career averages and this season. No surprise Isaac has him covered this year in most departments but Hunt career average metres gained pips Isaac. But Isaac is 4 kicks, 2 handballs, 4 defensive acts uncontested possessions ahead of Hunt on career averages. I feel if Hunt can learn to get into space the way Smith does all aspects of his game will improve. When I look at Smith he most times has that fraction of time to deliver a good kick to teammate or goal.

I am not often moved to comment on this site but this contribution of your’s big red fire engine(had to type your name in full because auto spell insisted you were Brie), but I think you have perfectly described the dynamics of both footballer and football team. Very well written.

It seemed to me that GWS went man on man in the second quarter, our coaching box didn't respond, nor did our 'on field leaders'. In the third GWS stayed with what was working and again we didn't respond. I haven't checked the stats but it seemed to me goals against us were scored on the rebound from our turnovers. I would much prefer to see us making attacking mistakes than possession/defensive mistakes when we have the ball. I hope our slow response to the change in the game that GWS brought to the second quarter is more about a young team still jelling together than a problem in the coaching box.

I too have been horrified by some of TMac's apparent brain fades over the years but today's game showed that when Tom has some good options in front of him he can deliver the ball beautifully and did so on many occasions in this game particularly in the last quarter when our forward line was open and on the move. I don't think he missed a target in the last half and his kicks were low and hard. Keep it up Tom.

Chip's old man said words to the same effect to me as we dined under the stars at Uluru a few nights after the Port game this year.

Good post Roger, all we have to arrange is a backline & midfield that will deliver like Hawthorn's and your prediction might be on the money

Prof, glad you mentioned Kelvin Clarke, a very good footballer and a real good bloke

Just "announced" on Offsiders that Mitch Clark has had a change of mind/heart and will go to MFC.

TtM9 I saw more of Tomlinson because he seemed to be on our side of the ground most of the game and yes he made a crucial mistake which cost that vital goal, but he did way more good stuff and I do like players who can kick the ball. I marked down 6-7 from each side with Greene, Tyson, Mascitti and Pearce amongst Oakleigh and some of Sandy's talls, Darrou and Richards as almost AFL ready and Fallon and Seccull as handy. What about the standard of skills and the pace of the game.

Travelled up from Gippsland today and met a friend who travelled almost as far from the other side of Melbourne at the TAC GF today. We were both pleasantly surprised at the high standard of skills on display by both teams, in particular the low penetrating kicks and the one grab marks under pressure. I havn't watched much junior footy of late and thought that the kicking had improved immeasurably over the last 3 years and my mate, a former Geelong player, now actively involved in junior and VCFL football agreed that what we saw in many cases today was superior to some AFL games in terms of low direct foot passing, kicking at pace and under pressure and the scoreboard tells us, accurate set shots for goal. Viney was a standout. His attack on the ball would be a lesson to many AFL players. He is listed at 178cms and 77 kgs, DOB 13 April 1994, making him one of the younger players on the ground. He thoroughly deserved his "BOG trophy" and along with Adam Tomlinson (192cms & 86kgs) impressed as two of the best Oakleigh Chargers. From the Sandy Dragons I liked the look of Jackson Paine(193kg & 87kgs), Alex Woodward(179cms & 79kgs) and Jackson Coleman(196cms & 91kgs). Loved the game and will make it a must see game each year to get a heads up on a few of the promising kids running around in junior grade. Would like to see other comments.

In match play drills he was playing defender and as i said earlier looks in ripping shape, was moving well and has a good hoof. I didn't see any reason why he would not be given a run.

While i don't follow the local comps closely, they seem to have the usual country footy club ups and downs, dependent mainly on good players moving around with employment etc. hard to keep a good group together for any period of time. i seem to recall they played finals last year. Their facilities are good enough and there was a very good turn out of locals at the ground yesterday.

Scully was mingling while the group were preparing for training but disappeared when the action started.

Jordie was there and training but i didn't see much of him

I don't think he will be up to Frawley's versatility but he has handled some very good opposition in the past and if he continues to improve with the rest of the group he should make our 22 Petterd was there, but did not stand out to me. For one of the last drills they split into 2 groups of 2 each group at opposite goal ends, I saw him pull on a green top for match play drills but did not notice him in my half of the ground.

G'day Demonlanders, just joined your ranks today after watching the Demons training at Inverloch yesterday. A few observations: this training/community camp is a huge travelling circus there does not appear to be 1 general in command but rather a number of dedicated support people who make this happen and come together seemlessly on time bailey does not adopt a large profile but is the centre of things some of the local kids/players invited to join in all but the match practice drills, and loving it of course, and not letting anyone down it must be said the whole session showed an emphasis on good clean kicking and ball handling with very few bloopers all players look finely tuned and well cut and are rearing to go, why wouldn't you be at this time of year wona is trying hard to catch up with the rest of the group running lap after lap at a punishing clip dunn and mac also running laps trengove did not join main group scully there early did not strip for training some impressive looking young kids who i did not recognise watts had a terrific session, involved in everything, vocal and in some drills marshalling his forward line with barks of instruction and encouragement tapscot looks fantastic, ready to go i would think, but can he play at this level?, we will know soon enough green setting the pace in run throughs maloney and jones solid but quiet blease being groomed for the backline warnock looks in great shape bartrum moving well and no kicking clangers grimes had a good session and was vocal martin looks fantastic but seemed troubled, no, annoyed with right hamstring jurrah seemed to cruise through the whole session, no critisism probably just the way thoroughbreds look in work bate trim and fast in drills sylvia looks a class above everyone else in everything he does The session began at 9.30am, I came away at 11am feeling very positive and from my observations 2010 to 2011 at this time of year it looks as though the whole group have risen from vfl to afl, bigger, harder, faster etc. Anxious for the real thing to start