Older demon

TDI did you see Kent? How was his eye and was there any comment on Shaw only getting 1 week for basically assaulting Kent, splitting him open and possibly concussing him??

The weather may influence selection as well. Hissing down in Sydney and canberra has been very damp. The ground may be heavy and the conditions may not suit too many calls by the weekend.

Than you TDI for all your efforts and reports pre season I always look forward to reading whats happening.

I like what PJ says Melbourne chief executive Peter Jackson has urged all those involved with the club to shed the sense of pessimism that has often gripped the Demons. Speaking at the club's launch on Monday night, Jackson drew on the example of No.2 draft pick Christian Petracca's season-ending injury as the type of incident that typically sends the Demons into a state of despair. "We still tend to have what I've coined our 'Petracca moments'," Jackson said. Maybe he does read this site. I think the culture change shouldn't be limited just to the club but the supporters as well. We have all endured so much that we have lost our positivity. Quick fixes don't work and PJ is re aligning the whole club and its culture as PJ says. "As I'm sure Roosy will say to you, we will lose games of football this year. Get over it. We're on the right path, and we need to believe we're on the right path. Those within the club certainly do." Go Dees

The blame for what? Trying to rebuild and turn around a basket case!! He has been there a season and a half please tell me just what is he supposed to have done in that time. win us a flag. We started from a long way back and our defensive skills poor. Some AFL coaches have spent their first 2 seasons just working on a sides defensive skills, drills and match play. They all start here and then build the offensive side and then you need the cattle. Please don't quote to me what the Kanga's Hawks and others do as they are light years ahead in their preparation and skill sets. If you want more goals and attacking style then build a goal kicking midfield and don't rely on the key forwards. When we went attacking late last season we scored goals but the opposition scored way more. Have a defence that launches attack after attack from deep in defence with precision play and foot skills. One cannot lament the poor disposal skills of some on the list and then blame the coach for not coaching a more attacking style. You build the style and while doing so adapt your game with the cattle you have. Tyson is in his 3rd season: Salem, JKH, Kent, are in their second season. Riley, Newton, Michie have played a hand full of games while Toumpas, Viney are only learning the caper. Then there are the new recruits Stretch, Neal-Bullen, Petracca and Bradshaw. I think the expectation is too high and quoting first year players that come in and dominate needs to be examined if they are coming into or should I say be eased into an established team with leaders and mentors to guide them. Praise the coach and his team for bringing in Vince, Lamumba and Cross who will mentor these young guys. Roos level of success will be measured in 5 years not 5 months and the long term strategy and team style is being built now. The good news is that Goodwin appears to favour a more attacking approach but he will achieve this only only if he has the right cattle. Grand finals are won by teams with the best defence.....

AS I have said before Frosty was a forward at Wesley and the under 18's and is a serious athlete as some are now finding out. Roos has stated that Freo have started this trend with 190 cm midfielders as do Sydney who even run Buddy in the midfield and Roughy is a sensational clearance player with the Hawks and Blicavs does a similar role at the cattery. Fitz to full back makes sense as we lack height down back against certain teams. last year GCS with Lynch, Day and Dixon all showed up teams with their marking power. This season the Kangas going with Petrie, Waite, Daw and Black will stretch any defence so a 200 cm full back is a good idea IMO. History is littered with struggling forwards who go down back and find the straight ahead line suits them and gives them confidence and some even return to the forward line.

Someone asked how many were there so I have posted some crowd photo's I took on Monday. The link is http://imgur.com/a/HEk6d#0a few taken at midday and then some taken once the players hit the track. There were some very healthy numbers there.

OK so here goes on imgur.com search for "MFC training 9/3/15" and I hope you can see the photos from training today, many thanks for the advice and let me know if it works.

I know this has been asked before but please humour me. I have some photo's from todays late session which I would like to post. Any suggestions for the best way to post these so members can have a look??

Quick note re Frosty. A Wesley old collegian who played as a key forwarding the juniors. Played front and back at GWS he is a genuine swing man and very athletic. No surprise to see him play up forward initially. Don't know of any quotes where Roos said he was recruited as a backman. If replacing Frawley, remember Frawley played up forward last season.

Smithy came to Melbourne from Ormond amateurs as a CHF and played his early days there. He had a lot of hamstring problems and I believe that led to his move down back where there was less twisting and turning. Turned into a great full back

Smithy is a demon true blue. I see him at all the MFC games and he wrote a beautiful eulogy for Robbie Flower. He has been the MFC delegate to the MCC in the past so this can only be good for the club. It is customary for the MCC president to attend the Ashes so I suspect he will miss a few games mid July. I ran into Smithy in 2013 at Lords as a guest of the other MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) and saw the out going president Paul Sheahan also there.

Trengove is assisting with the coaching for Old Collegians in premier div amateurs. Still on crutches I believe, so a long way of from doing any running, but keeping involved in footy and midfield coaching with the blessing of both clubs.

I read with interest the article written by David King titled "Melbourne Blueprint: Paul Roos’ legacy at Melbourne will be decided in 2015." He makes some good points and I like the way the stats graphic at the end is presented and that you can see the various bar graphs for each player by kicks, marks etc. but it is so obvious how uneven the workload is spread Who would believe that Pederson and Watts are the leading score assist men! Frawley easily the most marks and significant goal contribution ! Only 4 players with more than 60 clearances ouch! Statistically Bail had a very good year despite the constant criticism on here. I think I can safely say is that there is a lot of room for improvement.

No comparison between Neeld and Luke. One had no man management skills and Luke is brilliant at player management.

Saw them on the park this morning. Checked with a friend at the club who told me it was voluntary on the players part with first session starting next week for the younger players. Older blokes and rehab will start later. Forget AFLPA as this was voluntary and I applaud the players keen enough to start ball work so soon.

Will he fill the role left vacant by George Stones retirement??

Middle row second from the right Andrew Chisholm was also recruited to MFC form Ormond Amateurs along with Steven Smith (200 game player). Chis played Under 19's and Reserves in 1974 and 1975 but did not play a senior game and returned to Ormond in the amateurs after his time at Melbourne ended (DemonWiki). Another friend has a photo of her year 11 class at Murrumbeena high in 1972. It is easy to recognise the bespectacled Robbie Flower.

Lever missed the entire 2014 season recovering from an ACL repair must be a speculative pick at best for pick 10-12

If the Pies won't accept pick 5 and 25 because they want an established player to replace Beams what makes everyone think they will take 3 and 12? They loaded up on kids last season and so far in negotiations with Brisbane have been adamant that they want a quality player not more kids. Just as Roos has stated we wont be bringing in too many kids why throw away JT for pick 12 and another kid, not to mention giving up pick 23. Personally I hope we consider the offer for about 10 seconds and politely refuse and hope that JT doesn't take it too badly

Don't like it, and consider Trenners and 23 for pick 12 is overs. Good on Richmond for making and enquiry and to MFC for being upfront and not denying it. My next step would be a polite response of thanks but NO THANKS. If they want Trengove then offer pick 12 alone, we keep pick 23 and even then I don't like trading out a respected, experienced player coming back from injury for a kid.

From a friend that coached Frosty at Wesley note that Sam can play at both ends. He has played down back at GWS but is equally as comfortable up forward. I note in the "Potential trades" thread that many think we don't need another back man well Frosty is a potential swingman in the same way Frawley was this year.

Seeing the EPL got mentioned do not forget that player movement involves all of Europe in fact the world. EPL clubs gain and lose players to a variety of markets. AFL free trade is too limited to model on free trade in any of the overseas markets. This is where the AFPLA and AFL have got it wrong. What we are seeing is free gents choosing to go to successful clubs and big coin and we are seeing clubs de list players to make space. Nett effect is that only 4 clubs max will be in a premiership window and the top 10 players in these teams will take the lions share of the salary cap. Some of our younger players took front ended contracts so that we could pay 90% of the salary cap and free up salary cap space for new aquisitions. I hope offering Danger the once in a lifetime deal doesn't upset the internal pecking order or mean we shed others as the playing list improves...and it will improve.

A true champion and the most skilled player I have seen at the club. I was at Western Oval on June 4th 1973 and saw this skinny kid with huge black glasses on and thought gee he can play. A week later he debuted against Geelong still shy of his 18th birthday. I was in awe as he was 2 weeks younger than me playing for my beloved D's. I was constantly amazed at his skill and courage in such a frail looking frame and I hated Dipper for cleaning him up in his final game the only time I think he ever got cleaned up. I am so glad I had the joy of following his magnificent career. His record is a lesson for us all as he played in just 88 wins and 184 losses and was there in some very dark times. He only made a finals appearance in his final season, 1987. So fitting that the current wearer of the number 2 epitomises the spirit of Robbie. I am so sad at his passing and offer my condolences to his family R.I.P.

If Frosty comes to Melbourne, that will be another addition to the 21-22 y.o players Roos is trying to build. Sam was rookied in 2011 from the Sandy Dragons and played with Jarryd Lyons (taken pick 61 in 2010). He is a Wesley boy a year behind Viv Michie who came from the Oakleigh chargers in 2010. The Chargers in 2011 were an interesting group with Tyson were Tomlinson, Greene, Tom Curran (Kangas) and Daniel Pearce (Bulldogs). Maybe the plan is to reunite or build a solid group of 20 to 23 year olds.