rjay

Same here. ...and you're right it did put too much of a burden on him. Hopefully he can develop from here, he had a lot of promise a few years back.

Travis Cloke!

It also tells him he's got another contract past this one and it is not critical to his premiership dream to move just yet.

I hope you don't mean Hogan is leaving. The only time I want to see that match up is in an intraclub, saw it last year at Casey.

I think he is irreplaceable and there is no one in the wings set to be a star fullback. Frawley will be pushing for AA honour again this season given an injury free run and a better midfield. We really can't afford to lose players of this quality.

Sounds like we just had it.

None of us know for sure but I would be surprised if it was the case of a convenient excuse. Things are still a little unsettled at the club, not knowing who the next coach will be after the talk of the players having a settled future knowing what's ahead of them. And not knowing the CEO. If Roos and Jackson commit to 2016 then things will be a lot more settled. As for the journos it might be a cheap way to make something sound shocking but it doesn't change the fact that it has been shocking...

Probably redundant but I think Michie has enough going for him to make a good AFL mid. However as the coach said yesterday lets see when the games come around, coaches and witches hats are pretty easy opposition. Agree, he might have some shortcomings but playing like Jane isn't one of them.

Agreed, I think we need him past 2014. He still has a job to do.

Mahoney said Frawley had only indicated he wanted to wait before discussing contracts and had not said he wanted to wait until the end of the season. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/defender-james-frawley-puts-contract-talks-with-melbourne-demons-on-hold-20140130-31pq5.html#ixzz2rtAUqVlL So which part of reading do you have a problem with???? or should I say comprehension??? If I was James that's what I would do, there have been so many false promises at the MFC that it makes sense to wait and see. I reckon we will head in the right direction and he will sign before the half way mark of the season.

I hope you are right 'Rhino', he certainly gives the indication that he will be around for a while.

I would hope he stays on, he has secured Roos for the next 2 to 3 years and I would hope we have Jackson with him. In fact I would be surprised if Roos signed without some guarantee that Jackson was around at least for a couple of years to help set things up.

Tyson's a steal.

I don't think that's the case at all. I do think he attacks the ball with little regard for his body a bit like his old teammate Johnno Brown and that opens him up to injury. I still have the image of him falling on his head at the 'G'.

You never really know what the expectation was but maybe there was another big story expected to blow by the end of the week. Better to get the news out earlier.

Probably only showed the spin coming out of the club at the time and nothing more. The spinners are gone thankfully.

They also have a few senior players in Boyd, Murphy and Gia...needed to balance their list and helped us as we don't have those senior players.

I'm not sure anyone thinks it will be a strength just yet but it should at least be competitive which is streets ahead of where it has been over the last few seasons.

When he was up close I was surprised at how strong he was through the legs. His body won't stop him from game time this year but as you say the tank may. They seem to be managing his workloads (as they are with all) so as not to push him too hard from the sessions I've seen.

Great shots again '666'.

Whilst he wasn't in the main training group he was running freely so yeah it will be good to see him playing at the start of the season.

With you there 'stuie', it really looks light on without Garland.

He's a big unit 'master' and he doesn't mind throwing his weight around.

Others have given a pretty good rundown of the session so just a few observations. I like the interaction with the players and coaches, noticed Roos & Stone in discussion with Trengove and Jones then Jones at another time, I'm guessing about the mid set ups as that was what they were previously working on. The communication appears to be good so I think players will be in no doubt about what they are required to do. We now have more than a couple of players who can kick the ball well, hopefully this translates to match day but bringing in Tyson, Michie & Vince with the recruiting of Salem added to Watts, Strauss, Barry and Toumpas the forwards will get some ball to advantage. We need to thank the Doggies for giving us Cross, the guy is a natural on ground leader and sets a great example at training. Adding him with Vince to our midfield along with Tyson and Michie as young guns and hopefully the emergence of Watts and Trengove the opposition should have more than Jones to worry about this year. Terlich seemed to pick up a minor injury in one of the drills where he was tackled pretty hard. Did a few light run throughs then went in. Over all I know some have asked about the game plan. If trainings anything to go by then it's nothing startling. Win the hard contested ball and spread, switch & share the ball and run hard both ways. No evidence of the down the line Malthouse/Neeld approach.

Not always though 'steve', the older I get the more I think my opinions expand because I like to look at what is and what has been and also realise that everything is fluid. Opinions and ideas change the more experience and information I get. I know this is not everyone. I've found many young and old with very fixed opinions but I did get where you were coming from. Yes and happy birthday to Steve a great exponent of his craft.