Melbourne 2016 pre-season

[Purple 77]

Kinda wanted to get a glimpse of Hulett  :-\ or even Weideman. Just goes to show how the latter is especially not ready yet I guess.

[Big Mac]

Also wanted to see Huleff :(

[Purple 77]

I know it's only NAB, but our issues of last year still persist according to this game against the Dogs VFL team, and look to have not been remedied whatsoever in regards to transitioning, exploiting turnovers, missing targets... and not finishing/winning games that we are supposed to.

But, hopefully we are a much better team in real AFL conditions.

[Purple 77]

But gee, Clayton Oliver has been impressive  8)

[tbagrocks]

Seriously, how good is Jack Viney? :o

He'll win the B & F and could even win Charlie :o

[Purple 77]

B&F I reckon, Charlie is in my dreams :P

But yeah, his form over these 2 NAB games haven't been a surprise to us, he was building something special over the summer  8)

[Barra13]

Seriously, how good is Jack Viney? :o

He'll win the B & F and could even win Charlie :o

He is an out and out beast. He almost won the B&F last year after missing games with a broken leg. Lost by 2 points I think it was to Vince. He also captained the first NAB game.

[tbagrocks]

Seriously, how good is Jack Viney? :o

He'll win the B & F and could even win Charlie :o

He is an out and out beast. He almost won the B&F last year after missing games with a broken leg. Lost by 2 points I think it was to Vince. He also captained the first NAB game.

Been wondering for months just how long it will be before Jones hands over the Captaincy full time. Not that Jones isn't a great leader but surely in the next year or two Viney will be grabbing every bull by it's horns

[Barra13]

No sign of Dunn, Vanders, Brayshaw, Newton, Dawes, Spencer, Terlich, ANB, Weed, Hulett, King, King or White by the time I arrived.

Maybe a separate Casey training group this week? Everyone else who was on track was involved fully as far as I could tell. Including Petracca and Trengove.

Usual group drills focussing on quick hands, spread and kicking.

Then more positional drills. Talls doing marking. A group of backs doing kicking. Midfielders practising quick handballs up with pressure approaching.

The forwards had to lead up for a mark with token defensive pressure before doubling back in an arc and leaping for a mark on top of the speccy bag. Petracca had a hell of a ride pretty much sitting on top of the poor coach with the bag which had everyone laughing. High fives all around for the poor coach who was squished. Was the highlight of the session aside from seeing Bernie Vince sail a drop punt goal through from about 60 on his left.

8 or so players finished with session with boxing.

Hogan, Lumumba and Wagner went with Rawlings for a drill where they led in to space either side of the 50. Was more to get Lumumba and Hogan some extra work I think.

Kent did goal kicking with Brett Allison. Very much a focus on keeping balance and a straight line through the ball. The first few was rusty but after that he seemed to find his confidence.

Tyson, Jetta and Ben Ken did a series of 200m sprints. Kennedy led them out early before Tyson took over as the repeat efforts continued but Jetta and Kennedy weren't too far behind.

Oscar Mc and then later his brother were doing extra kicking practise. A focus on fast feet getting some agility around cones before steadying and kicking low to a target. Oscar struggled, not sure why he's kicking is down, but then got better. Tom was kicking fine, it's just not the same pressure as game day.

Gawn spent most of the session just with Stafford doing ruckwork before Frost and Pedo joined him a bit.

[Purple 77]

The day Trenners plays AFL at senior level again, will be a day I can tolerate losing I think *against a top 10 side*

[Barra13]

Our 2016 leadership group is Nathan Jones (c), Colin Garland, Max Gawn, Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince and Jack Viney.

There will be no Vice Captain.

[Big Mac]

would have thought Dunn would be in there over Garland

[Purple 77]

would have thought Dunn would be in there over Garland

Agreed. I personally liked him as our VC tbh, felt suitable at the time.

I just think its crazy that, Jones aside, everyone from last year isn't in there this year. I reckon I'd value leadership groups that largely stay intact over many years, but whatevs.

[Barra13]

MELBOURNE has named key forward Jesse Hogan for its third and final NAB Challenge clash against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium at 4.10pm on Sunday.

Hogan, who was rested last week, has been included in the 27-man squad, along with defenders Oscar McDonald and Dean Terlich.

But Melbourne has lost hard-nut Aaron vandenBerg (ankle) and key defender Lynden Dunn (groin) through injury.

Elite performance manager Dave Misson told Dee TV: “Aaron rolled his ankle in the third quarter [last weekend]. It was a little bit sore after the game but [it’s] nothing structural and there’s no serious damage there.”

“Lynden had a tight groin in the middle of the second quarter [last weekend] and it’s something that we didn’t really want to risk.

“He’s someone who really doesn’t miss training and plays high game minutes so we felt it’s an opportunity to unload him.”

Hogan played in Melbourne’s opening NAB Challenge match against Port Adelaide at Elizabeth, when the red and blue won by 19 points.

McDonald also played in the win over the Power, but was an emergency in Melbourne’s 12-point victory against the Western Bulldogs at Craigieburn last Sunday.

Terlich has been an emergency for Melbourne’s opening two NAB Challenge matches.

Melbourne’s clash against St Kilda will be the first of three encounters between the two sides at Docklands this year, with the other two matches to be played in round six and round 17.

Melbourne squad

1. Jesse Hogan

2. Nathan Jones

3. Christian Salem

4. Jack Watts

7. Jack Viney

11. Max Gawn

12. Dom Tyson

13. Clayton Oliver

15. Billy Stretch

16. Dean Kent

17. Sam Frost

20. Colin Garland

21. Cameron Pedersen

22. Viv Michie

23. Bernie Vince

25. Tom McDonald

28. Oscar McDonald

29. Jayden Hunt

31. Jack Grimes

32. Tomas Bugg

35. Ben Kennedy

36. Jeff Garlett

39. Neville Jetta

42. Josh Wagner

43. James Harmes

45. Matt Jones

46. Dean Terlich 

[Purple 77]

Am still curious about Dean Terlich. Take this as me giving him half a chance to drastically improve :P