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Im shattered I wont get there. I have to work on sundays, but I have Saturdays off so i'll be there for all of those. I'll be keeping my eye on my phone for the running updates on sunday though.

Have any of you watched it yet? I must say it was one hell of a speech. Lets hope the sooner than later part of his speech comes true

I believe this is a forum and a forum is based on opinions. The fact Watts was ranked number 1 in the AFL last year in multiple aspects (intercept mark, score involvements ect) for 6 weeks before he got injured suggests to me that another pre season under misson and time working on a set role means for me he will only become more consistent damaging player. If he could rank 1st in the AFL for a period last year when learning a role, why cant he go even better now hes learnt the role? btw: Kruzer was dominating the season he did his knee. Injury's are cruel, if he didn't do his knee we would be ranking him A lot higher. please note: opinion piece

Watts will be all Australian, a best and fairest player and top 5 brownlow in the next 2 years. (hopefully with Melbourne next year)

Just got home as I only could stay for the first half. Safe to say mitch will be better for the run but looked rusty. (understandable) Casey couldn't hit him on the chest if he was the onlyh plaer in the 50. I was standing behind the goals in the second quarter and his frustration at the lack of delivery was very obvious. even moving himself ono the wing for a center bounce just to get near the ball, and putting a 5foot nothing player in the goal square so he could play up the ground. Trenners took some nice strong grabs early but faded in the second, safe to say he will be sub at best next week. Blease seemed to be moving well and had some good runs, will go back in straight away id imagine. Viney got plenty of the ball and free kicks (hits the packs low so will get a lot of high tackles), butchers the ball a bit though but that's understandable again from a young kid. up the rest were so so, nothing to get excited about . Plenty of media there keeping a eye on the main 3. helicopter flying in and out. Now lucky enough I parked the car and as I looked up Misson was getting out of his car next to mine, he said hello to my young fella before I even made eye contact with him. had a 30sec chat to him as we walked to the gate. Said there is no reason why any of the players playing today would line up next week if form warranted it. Admitted Clarke could have played a few weeks ago but this game was the plan all along. What I gleamed from the convo was clark will play no matter what if he pulls up ok

I'll be leaving soon. (live bout a hour away) and the young fella will want to have a play at the play ground first

I personally will be a happy man if we win 8 games and never get beaten by 45 points. Last year it wasn't just we lost games it was the fact we got blown out of the water too often. I would think if we can get rid of the beltings that will be a good result.

ill be at the game today but wont be able to give you a running update. Ill give you a detailed update when I get home. I'll take the camera and hopefully get a good snap of Mitch kicking his 5h, Viney having his 30th possy and Trenners running people down from behind.

I remember listeing to the radio the week after the Brisbane game last year and Nick Maxwell said "hes never seen a teams year over at week 1 before but melbournes was". at the time I was really taken aback from that call but he was so right. I think Rd1 thus year is just as important. On paper we should beat Port at the G every day of the week. SO if we do the boys wll gain a lot of confidence as its been along time since we have won Rd1. but if we loose to port at the G confidence will hit the floor and along year ahead.

By the amount of Footy experts saying we will improve but still come last or below GC and GWS. I haven't heard one 'expert' say Melbourne will be big improvers and push up into 8 or 9 wins. This morning I heard on the radio 3 out of 4 experts say Melbourne will come last. Personally with all the reports and lack of beltings throughout the NAB cup I thought we were on track for a decent season and would be well and truly ahead of GC and GWS. I believe we will be not bad this year (not finals but compared to what we are used too). Does anyone think that maybe just maybe we have been fed the club line "massive improvement" and "boys are firing" but are still going to be uncompetitive.

I just saw a tweet reposted by Matt Jones that stated Mitch Clark will play next week in the VFL. Anyone else hearing this? very excited. Dare I say it they may play Dawes as well just so they can have a small amount of game time together,

would love to see a win but if we keep our normal record of never beating GC in the preseason but never loosing to them in the real season ill be happy

B: Gillies Frawley Garland HB: Watts McDonald Dunn C: Grimes Viney Roden HF: Toumpas Dawes Sylvia F: Howe, Pederson Byrnes Foll: Jamar N.Jones Mckenzie I/C: Tappscott, Mckenzie, Jetta Sub: Davey Em: Strauss, Nicholson, Trengrove That's my team for the firs week. Would have Trengrove and Clark in there but prob wont see them to rd 2 or 3.

it was reported the other day that DeeTV will be recording it and putting it up on the web later. so id assume by tomoz morning we will get to watch it

I guess the only way i'll keep up with the game today is via the AFL app that gives you updates of scores and possys atleast

Hopefully all this positive pre season talk from the boys isn't just spin and we do actually pull out the finger and improve. I think without question our forward line will be 100 times better this year. I got very excited when I saw. the photo of Clark taking a contested grab over Gillies at training the other day

it must have something to do with us not winning many games, the big increase in membership even in this time has to have a lot to do with the great Jim stynes and the big push he had for it. Now the big push has finished stopped. With the economy as it is, tanking investigation, loosing 90% of games and generally having a negative view within public. I Believe its very understandable why our membership is poor. If we start to win games and stay out of the press for negative reasons I think we will see a positive increase.

first post of hopefully many. Hopefully no hidden meaning when it comes to Dawes being out again. Would love to get down and watch but got to work. Casey fields is a great little location with lots of sporting ovals and a big play ground for the little one.