CBDees

interesting observation by both Peter Jackson and Paul Roos about the number of members at the AGM being much more than at their previous Clubs (viz. Essendon 100, Swans 10). Personally i felt the numbers were down on previous AGMs.

No hints on the sponsor at all. I was not quite sure on Roos. He is certainly not the 'fire-and-brimstone' motivational speaker and he spoke mainly on his coaching staff and introduced the three main midfield trades, Cross, Vince and Tyson. No talk whatsoever about the list that he inherited nor about the draft choices and his impression of them. Both he and the three players all spoke however about how hard the players are training and thier 'hunger' for the ball and success of the Club. He did however exude a quiet optimism about the improvement we might expect whilst keeping a lid on it.

Just home from the AGM. I must say that Peter Jackson is most impressive and instills people with confidence in the way he is re-structuring the Club. It gives me quiet optimism. One nice bit of news is that there will be another major sponsor announced this month. p.s. There is a practice match this coming Friday!

and Fitzy!

Adelaide - Good mates with some Adelaide supporters [who come over every year] so don't mind tham. Brisvegas - Admire their comeback after their dodgy start when all the other teams offloaded their rubbish on to them Carlton - Can't stand. Hate the arrogance of their supporters and the way that the AFL sanctioned their tanking and deal with Judd.. Collingwood - Don't like McGuire as an arrogant president, don't like the way they are the only team that does not have to wear a dodgy 'away jumper', don't like the way they never have to play at Etihad, don't like the way they always get the Friday night and other marquee time-spots, don't like the way they always get televised [free-to-air] and can't stand their bogan supporters.. Essendon - Can't stand. The deal with Hird was an absolute farce. Freo - I have a soft spot for Freo [only i wish that they had kept Schwab and Connolly].. Geelong - I cannot avoid an attachment to Geelong as my late mother supported them and my girlfriend is also from there. I wish we didn't have to play them at the Cattery however. Gold Coast - I wish them well though don't like the draft concessions that they got which compromised the draft [especially when they were in years that Melbourne was near the bottom and it caused as to miss out]. GWS - See Gold Coast comments [though I don't wish them well as we should have got a Priority Pick last year and snared Boyd]. Hawthorn - I could never like a team with the colours of wees and poos.. North Melb - They've had their chance over the last few decades now its our turn.. [Move them to Tassie or Canberra as well.] Saints- My great grandfather played for the Saints [and in 1898 was the first player ever reported at Princess Park]. I also went to school with a number of their past players such as Carl Dietrich so have always followed them. Swans - As the first interstate experiment I have admired the way they have gone about their business. Now i hope that Roos has the same impact on us! Tiges - My godfather was a Tigers man so always had a soft spot for them. Only wish that we never let them play home games at the MCG (which opened the flood gates to the Pies etc.)! Perhaps is they let us share the Punt Road oval for training and build a [red and blue] social room there I would offically make them my second team! GO DEES

I understand that you have not named Garland because of his recent operation, but why play Pederson (instead of Strauss or Clisby) in the back half when he has been training with the forwards? I also cannot see why we wouldn't name Salem on the interchange in the NAB Cup to at least see where his development is at!

Interesting 'rumour file' this morning, suggesting that Hird may return to Essendon as their CEO! Anyway should be an interesting AGM this evening for dees supporters.

Maybe the Manchester City trillionaire can buy us like he recently bought the Melbourne Heart? If he did, he would be sure to create merchandise as he would want to make us the greatest club in the code in return for his investment!

YOU ARE A HERO TASMAN! Don't bother going back to BigFooty as you have much more fans here!

Of course he'll stay! In one of his interviews late 2013 he claimed to 'bleed red and blue' for the Demons (see link below) and in the same month he stated that he wanted to remain in the leadership group going forward. Neither of these articles were emanating from a player who did not see his future with Melbourne. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-02/frawley-still-a-true-demon-in-dark-times DEFENDER James Frawley says he still bleeds red and blue, despite conceding that the past seven seasons - in particular from 2011-13 - have been extremely trying. Frawley, who was drafted at No. 12 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft (the year Melbourne last made the finals), said he was eager to help the Demons start the climb up the ladder next year under new coach Paul Roos. “Me and Garlo (Colin Garland) came to the club at the same time, and we’ve had some pretty lean years, but I love this place,” he told melbournefc.com.au. “Jade Rawlings says the old line ‘if you cut the vein, it’ll bleed red and blue’, which they probably are [in my case]. “I love this place, but all I want to do is see improvement in the group … hopefully we can improve next year and get a few wins.” Some assorted links below: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-06-11/frawley-keen-to-stay-loyal-to-demons http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-15/frawley-keen-to-stay-in-leadership-group http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-09/players-need-to-drive-change-frawley http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-08-25/we-wasted-our-chances-frawley

It doesn't matter when we announce our leadership team. It is when we are serious Premiership contenders is when we get all the publicity we want. A couple of Premierships under our belt and just watch the membership numbers skyrocket!

Tasnanlvr look forward to reading more of your reports on here [pasted personally] rather than having to jump between Demonland and BigFooty to get a comprehensive overview on how the team is training [or wait until Roger or myself cut/paste across]!.

Bloody good job I reckon for a 19yo. We could do a lot worse than have him onboard the administration. At least he gives comprehensive reports, which are easy to read and issued straight after the training session!

Best thing about Grimes is that we got him with our No. 14 pick obtained by swapping Travis to Brisbane. Great leadership group to lead us into the Finals this year!

I cannot follow your logic but if it comes to fruition then I look forward to following the Dees September campaign at the "G">

I am sure that they timed his operation to have him back 'cherry' for Round 1. Gratifying to read your positive comments on the midfield; if you and other posters are right, we may give a few teams a surprise this year!

Another BigFooty Report from Tasmanlvr (bolding is mine) It begins again. Another week at Gosch's. Alright, so I'm here now and it seems that they are doing their general stretches/runthroughs. Rehab: Hogan, Jamar, Clark, Fitzpatrick, Gawn, Riley. Dawes and Kent are on the track doing seperate exercises with Miller. Short kicks the order of the day. Split into three, four, five? Huh? One group doing short kicks, one group doing some weird activity with an occasional kick + contests when they do occur. One group doing upper body strength drills and one doing a quick kick or something along the lines. Some lower strength drills now. Pretty much they are doing some grappling/wrestling activities. What is this even. Two groups doing stoppage stuff. Nice. Tappy laying tackles in one group. Yes yes yes. You have blokes you don't expect throwing themselves around at training! Blease, Tapscott, Byrnes etc. I haven't seen this in far too long. Boys called in now. Should be interesting to see what they do now. Alright, split into two now. One group doing pick up/ride bump/handball like they always do and one group doing more stoppage drills. Okay... they seem to be doing this play-fighting thing and I can't even. What the hell. I was speechless for a solid couple of minutes. There is a great crowd here today! Full grounder now, standard switch drill and kick down the line culminating in a goal. They're doing an extension of this drill now. Rehab group doing activities on the sidelines. Fitzy doing work on the sideline with ruckwork, Hogan doing some sprints and the others watching on. Skills are up, a few missed targets here and there (Nicho missed one but in an extremely strong breeze this is impressive. Quick half lap, Grimes and Trenners at the front. Words I thought I'd never say - Tom McDonald at the BACK??? in a running drill??? Wut. A stoppage drill now. Two groups, one on the sideline, one participating. Of the first group, Christian Salem looks solid getting into space and finding the footy. Liking the fact that Chris Dawes is a designated forward. Of the second group, you still notice people using their bodies, people hitting targets. WHERE WAS THIS TWO YEARS AGO? Players are taking this fair dinkum srsly. Three groups now. Defenders/midfielders/forwards. Defenders doing a switch drill, midfielders doing stoppages, forwards doing lead-up work. Another full grounder now. Looks like the match simulation we had on Friday but a tad different. Now a proper full grounder match simulation drill. And there's huddles and spreads coming off the kick in. New recruits looking decent. JKH, Salem finding space; Tyson using the ball efficiently and getting it often Dom Barry using run and carry and then nails a long kick pn the run to the designated full forward whom I can't recognise up the other end. Another bloke who's looking solid is Byrnes. He's having a nice little patch here. Getting the ball and using it well. Somehow I think he'll benefit a bit under Roosy. What I'm liking is hearing Lynden Dunn's voice consistently. He sounds like he wants to be part of the leadership group. Some pushups/running combos. Here's a statement - during one run JKH smokes everyone in a run from the centre circle to the goalsquare and back. The bloke is picking himself for round one. Training finished after that. Wished I had a bit more info but the training sessions are starting to get a tad repetitive. See you Wednesday.

Any more reports from training?

I am sure that Cross will impress most Demonlanders in 2014 [even those who kept clambering for the Club to play Magner].

The reports from training today confirm these views. Most Demonland reporters had both Salem and Toumpas as elite.

Who is Jay Kennedy-Hunt? A lovechild of Jay Kennedy-Harris and Jayden Hunt perhaps?

I am confident that Roos will start Round 1 with the best midfielders at his disposal. possibly the best time to judge their relative worth is when they all play at Casey on the same day in the practice math[es] which has Box hill Hawks vs the Scorpions followed by the Dees vs the Hawks.

For example Scully went home to Boganville!

There is not only the opportunity to buy a drink at the MCC Member's Bar (which you walk through enroute to the Member's Dining Room), but you are able to drink there on the night without a jacket and tie, the normal dress code, de rigeur in both the Members Bar and Long Room throughout the footy season.

Nice to see that you weren't keen but have listed him as one of your 'favourite players' regardless! Although i have only watched video clips, the training reports suggests that he trains hard and is an elite user of the ball. I am hoping that he builds his frame a bit and can crack a game even as a sub. Only thing standing in that way however is that he is not the only midfielder that we recruited and the others seem more logical to slot in if fit, due to their mature bodies.