dpositive

I like a lot of the comments (more than I noted) AMW was great and I hope his injury doesnt set him back too far. The players we had out were our best 22 and it will be hard to get in the side but Langford was one obvious. The most influential factor was the wind, and it certainly affected the input of JVR, Disco and Jeffo and indeed all the talls. I was concerned all day that we did not structure up for the wind. When we had the wind In attack we had noone behind the pack and North were able to clear it often. In defence when they had the win we were too far forward. TMac was great and seemed to position himself aware of the wind. Jake also played his usual role. Kozzie was excellent in creating so many movements through the centre, it was obvious in the first two quarters and he really did keep us in the game. The last half was a bit of a walk away as all our players finished well. I liked Jeffo who did add a different aspect to the forward structure. but he will be competing with Fritta on todays performance. I would like JVR as dedicated forward with ruck duties only deep forward.

im in Just want to see as many of the new players as possible. Hope they all get a run and we show some revised systems from the bomb it long we adopted. With different skill sets the Jefferson, JVR, Turner , Fullarton, Lindsay , Langford, etc will show what is possible in attack. I reckon the defence is settled with May, Lever, Petty Tmac forming the tall base with big base and Hore, AMW, Salo, Bowey who knows as the smalls. Plenty of depth to cover peaks and injuries rest and recovery. Even without Max today will be great. See what Verrall and TC can do. Looking forward to meeting other Dland tragics. GO DEES

i would hope the coaches have a much better idea than me of how to balance the demand of playing and resting enough that bodies are primed for the significant match ups. This also assumes that the whole squad can be used for injury cover as well. it also assumes that opposition capabilities are known. Match ups can provide the rest for Max (insert any other player)and a game in the first 22 for Campbell (insert any player). Im doing my best to look at opposition teams capabilities to get those match ups right but again Im sure others especially coaches have greater time and contacts to gather this information. I am really confident that we have a great squad with great depth. WE need to both expose our developing players to the intensity of top level and rest players so that they are not over extended.

ill wait till i see them all play at Nth Melbourne. Hope they all get significant time on the ground.

last time I went to Arden st there was a young bloke no42 who impressed everyone. My mate said he would be a star. No one knew his name but a few supporters were worried that he might drink too much as they thought his nickname was ouzo. Well they were close and my mate was right it was Yze and his first appearance. Im hoping to get there for both matches with some Nh Melb supporting friends. Will hope to catch up with GW

the interview was a pretty good indication of a professional answer. Yep hes contracted. Its up to the club to keep him and all our players engaged and focused. Success will do that and keep him/them happy. His value to move is dependent upon him playing well and having success Personally I think if he was a premiership winner in the next 2 years Id be happy to let him go to WA if that would be best for him and his family. Of course a lot can happen in that time. That also allows us to develop someone to replace him

Does a session in seawater help avoid this sort of infection. Used to be a regular report of players shivering in the water as it helped muscle recovery or something (Help its obvious Im out of my pay grade here). Would a training base closer to the sea facilitate this. I was advised that Spas are the ideal site for spreading infections. (Hoping for someone with idea of reality)

Hey GW. Please dont let us remote watchers down. Keep up your reports as while we all have different perceptions and visions of your words its way, way, better than having to wait for the biased [censored] of the mass media, who only seem to report disaster for the dees. Its an interesting collective we are privileged to enjoy and all track watchers give their perception from different viewpoints and different times. I cannot thank you all enough. you provide great joy and enjoyment. I can even enjoy some of the almost sniping retorts as I see there is also some grudging admiration amongst you for those different approaches. Please enjoy each others company as remember to respect each other as we all do. GW, I and I am sure others really appreciate your often cute insights and you give me a great feeling of intimacy with the players that I would not be game to attempt. I am really happy that you can do that for me, and should I meet you I would be delighted to shout and enjoy a beverage of your choice with you to discuss your obvious passion and ability.

AUAUGH!!!! Can I claim plausible deniability???????

its part of the Churn tactic I have proposed for years. Hope the coaches have caught on. AND really hope it works.

Perhaps if Maysie needs a rest he could shepherd a few pies players into retirement while earning a suspension. All football related incidents of course. I believe he has been suspended when someone ran into him so those incidents occur.

It is a very significant component and why I have always emphasised the total squad use. Its complementary to your loading arguments and provides for team structures matched against opponents skills and structures to rest players as appropriate. Its pretty obvious that you dont play a tall side against a smaller opponent but it can be more nuanced than that in not overworking your burst players and keeping your best players and structures for certain opponents. Playing the whole squad method means every player can be replaced for injury or managed rest within a preferred structure.

Just coz you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you!

Just my thoughts with no elite playing experience. Training is where individual skills, fitness and muscle memory are identified, enhanced, altered. Intra club is where those features are coordinated or combined into structures, patterns etc and team cohesiveness is built. Inter club allows those structures to be practised and tested against opponents who have restricted knowledge of those aspects. This contest throws up other deficiencies in individuals and structures which may occur in a less controlled environment. It also allows experimentation to put different individual skills into different structures to unearth alternatives , particularly relevant against an unknown opponent. The real thing begins when this is no longer a practise and structures and skills are applied consistently. Sometimes the different structures can be used in the real time due to necessity. Intense opposition with different skills and patterns is why you need plans A, B, C etc. Its why you use the whole squad to build alternatives through those phases. My individual weakness at level 1 was enough to limit my progress but I have watched and use those phases to moderate successes. I envy and venerate those coaches who are at elite level and assume they know more than me, Im always looking for what that is. Its great.

while i understand coaches have preferred patterns or structures it is also really important to use the natural abilities or capacity of individual players. Peter Hudson was not a super aggressive grappling gorilla but did pretty well, Dunstan was the opposite of Hudson but both played well in Hawks success.

Would be a great reason for getting off the track and into the pool. Ive been doing the same myself, less percusive but still able to do resistance and flexibility development.

It aint that difficult. A good personnel/HR operative would talk with Kozzie establish the context and circumstances of the situation. Explain how he is valued and why he is contracted. The talks would require sensitivity and comparison. It may need further consideration with family and managers and may take some time. While these talks are ongoing the club should ensure Kozzie is given the complete support of coaches players and supporters to maintain and improve his playing performances.

Great photos. Looks like plenty of support. Doesnt look like a club imploding Tom Morris will be disappointed. Muscle definition seems better than previous years so that seems a positive. Clayton must be the whitest man on the squad. Did he use sun screen all over?

theres still plenty to watch. If you saw Vukic play Draper you would have seen not only the best tennis so far but the exploitation of skill and lack of. (Drapers backhand is seriously poor) Alcaraz then beat Draper but did show that he couldnt alter his game to exploit that weakness. Demon has plenty to work for to progress past him. (Unfortunately Alcaraz is such a dominant erratic player he has enough weapons of his own to beat most opponents ).With Sinner and Dojokavic both showing distractions from their tennis playing it is an interesting tournaments. There are no certainties unlike the years of the triumverate Roger, Raffa and Joker.

Ton is as mythical as his inspiration. I best cease my poor attempts to construct frivolous reportage.

Ton Norris reports Melbournes season is almost over as Christian Petracca is targeted by his teammates and suffers an other injury to the ribs he used to attack DArcy Moores knee. This would never happen at Collingwood he said, Brayden would have shepherded me through the sessionand ensured injuries are only suffered to opposition players. Meanwhile Clayton Oliver was seen at training building himself up for the expected trade to Geelong, it is recognised that his age does not suit the profile of the cats so he will undertake some aging process programs to ease his move. MAx Gawn of course is now falling apart from the jaw down and the ageing Christian Salem was again on restricted duties. While Melbourne could have some elite younger players it is likely they will all leave as they develop skills that will be ignored by the coach. Goodie looked resplendent in his wedding outfit but it frankly shocked the younger brigade who were disappointed not to have been consulted on the preferred wedding destination of BAli. Theres so much dysfunction at the club I dont even bother to go to their training sessions or speak to anyone where all my reporting acumen would be wasted says Ton.

i noticed on the random times I went to the footy that there was an innovative forward system where all players lined up in a line from the goal square to the centre. the players then rotated along that line each time a goal was scored. It seemed a random change depending on who was on the field. It meant each forward including Kozzie was in the square. This system did seem to frustrate opposition who were matched up on opponents and often ended up out of position or mis matched in the line . It also allowed players to flare in different directions singly or collectively from the line . Again this disrupted opposition defences. The tactic also squared up our attacks from midfield which could be directed more clearly down the centre in the first instance . I couldnt notice this on TV and dont know if it was a regular system. or maybe it was going to be a surprise tactic to use more regularly in the finals season. . I liked it as it worked well with a tactic I have advocated, the forward churn. this involved players constantly moving around the forward positions to create mismatches. Each player needed to be aware of where their teammates were to move in harmony to positions where they can create separation. I noted it was reported from training that coaches were telling forwards to keep moving.

Was there mention that while the AO is on theres no training at Goschs?

I always thought Fritta was natural right and drive my mates spare by pointing out how many times he was in the incorrect pocket. By that I mean he should be kicking from the left hand pocket to allow for the hook of a right side release. (Buddy used to exploit his hook and I have noticed MAX and a lot of our players run off the line to maximise their distance.) However he (Fritta) seems to be able to convert on either foot from either pocket so I am really confused. Dont know if anyone has any stat on which pocket, which foot. That said I recall Kelvin Templeton kicking at his home chimney and he eliminated the hook from his delivery. He was always accurate over a short distance. Re the above running off the line , I also reckon the umpires call play on to our players more quickly than other sides and this results in an off balance kick . (again this is an informal observation with no statistical evidence). Perhaps training correspondents could see how we are moving at training

Should add that I also hold the course record at Moonee Valley and Flemington having completed circuits of both courses. I never made it to Sandown but have no doubt I could have smashed it there too. However those heady days are gone and i now coudnt beat a wagon owed by a Shetland.