La Dee-vina Comedia

In addition, wouldn't all the medical staff (docs, physios, etc) also be at the camp? If so, his recovery may be better managed if he's where the support staff are.

Way back on page 1, this used to be an interesting thread about present players doing their training. Pity that another otherwise excellent training thread has been derailed.

Is there anything stopping another club with a free list spot (if there are any) offering Bennell a contract now? I'm not suggesting that there is one out there ready to pounce. I'm just curious about how the sysem works.

Having a place in the finals locked up before the end of July. And pretty much every other suggestion in this excellent thread.

Is it too much to ask for these two to debut together in a winning team just so the Herald Sun can use the headline "Baptism of Fire"?

Most exciting part about this was reading Viney was kicking on his right! (Great reporting, by the way)

It's a long way to get to Hell, Michigan and back.

Not sure if you realise that facts aren't welcome on social networks in this post-truth world. Consider yourself admonished.

Past performance is the evidence. I hope I'm wrong, but if 'Weideman' was a TV program, it would have been cancelled because of poor ratings. I accept that footballers, like TV shows, sometimes need more time to prove their worth. And like some TV shows, after poor starts they eventually fire. I hope Weideman is like one of those.

I think it means people who object to apostrophes being used when they're not needed, particularly when used to pluralise words such as tattoo and mantra.

And on a slight tangent, if I recall correctly, one year under Bailey I believe we had only three players on the list who had previously been on the list of another AFL club. Brent Moloney would have been one; I can't recall the others. I suspect Bailey had the idea that a homegrown list is better than a Foreign Legion.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/553620/training-gallery-dees-go-indoors (Trying desperately to keep the thread on track...)

Most derailed thread. Ever. Just to get back on topic, it seems training was not "postponed" at all. Rather it was moved indoors. And away from Saty's prying camera, they were prepared to do some competitive work with "shirts on" versus "shirts off". I'm tipping if the club announces a Gosch's paddock training day with half the team with their shirts off, there'll be a larger crowd of spectators in attendance than normal.

I'm curious...would you play White and Ditterich in the same side or not play White? If you play both, would you do so as two ruckmen or have one play in a different position? For what it's worth, when they played with us, I think White was the better ruckman but could not play any other position. I can't recall Ditterich playing anywhere with us other than as a ruckman. I would only pick one ruckman, so I would choose White. Peter Moore can provide the back-up.

And then there's scum. Please be careful everyone.

I hope that also applies to the crew.

I was always confused by Jesse Hogan's set shot kicking action. It always looked to me that he was holding the ball as if to kick it on his left (ie, non-preferred) foot. Nevertheless, it seemed to work (mostly) for him. It just made me more nervous than necessary each time he was running in to kick. And a question for those who understand the mechanics of kicking. Why is it that natural left-foot kickers invariably seem worse on their right foot than right-footers are on their left?

I wonder whether it's safer to train outdoors in Melbourne today or travel on that boat (first class or not)!

I doubt anyone will object if we remove Alistair Clarkson from the team...and make him non-playing coach instead.

I like the concept. I'd like it even more if we dreamt of what might have been if each of the players mentioned played their best football with us. If that were the case, Crosswell would be a certain starter. Conversely, if Crosswell isn't good enough to get a game based on his performance with us, I'm not sure Templeton is either.

I would have thought there is plenty clubs can do as part of their pre-season which doesn't involve outdoor activity. It could be indoor gym or swimming, those lectures (for want of a better term) explaining the game plan that players always seem to complain about or simply some fun activities which help bonding such as playing table tennis. I believe it's an unnecessary risk to pursue outdoor training before the smoke clears.

I wonder what impact, if any, the smoke has had on the training program? Has the club modified the program? Are players who might be more susceptible to asthma given lighter loads, etc? As a professional organisation I would expect the club to have consulted with its medical team on how to handle these conditions.

I assume the first is misinformation.

Trying to blend in with the rehab crew?

I think our club has been missing an opportunity for years by not making Melbourne v Sydney a blockbuster game.The nation's two largest cities, already in friendly and sometimes not so friendly competition, is a natural. Involving the Lord Mayors of each city plus everyone from the top end of town down should give an annual game significant traction. It should rotate from the MCG to the SCG each year with the city able to claim bragging rights if its club wins. Appropriately marketed it has the opportunity to get residents of greater Melbourne, whether MFC supporters or not, supporting us and may as a consequence generate a few additional long-term supporters as well. If it's successful, it could be extended to Melbourne v Brisbane and Melbourne v Adelaide. If that were to happen, it would replace State of Origin and make Melbourne the de facto team for all Victorians for these particular matches.