Melbourne 2016 pre-season

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BERNIE VINCE â€" No.23

Date of birth: 2/10/1985 (20 years old)
Height: 186cm, Weight: 90kg
AFL debut: 2006, MFC debut: 2014
AFL games: 172 (Adelaide 129, Melbourne 43), AFL goals: 104 (Adelaide 80, Melbourne 24)
Position: Midfielder
Recruited: CMS Crows (SA)/Woodville-West Torrens (SA)/Adelaide
Drafted: 2005 NAB AFL Draft (No.32 â€" Adelaide), 2013 NAB AFL Draft traded by Adelaide for No.23 (Matt Crouch)
Honours: Adelaide Best and Fairest 2009; Melbourne Best and Fairest 2015; Melbourne Third Best and Fairest 2014; International Rules Series 2011; Michael Tuck Medal 2012; Adelaide pre-season premiership side 2012

“Bernie had a couple of niggling little things and was on track to run, but then he broke his finger, so he was put in plaster. That hasn’t affected his running and we know he’s a natural ball-winner and he’s really smart, so as long as he keeps his running up, he’ll join in post our pre-season camp.” â€" Paul Roos

JACK VINEY â€" No.7

Date of birth: 13/4/1994
Height: 178cm, Weight: 84kg
AFL debut: 2013
AFL games: 49, AFL goals: 11
Position: Midfielder
Recruited: Ashburton (Vic)/Carey Grammar (Vic)/Oakleigh Chargers (Vic)/Casey Scorpions (Vic)
Drafted: 2012 NAB AFL Draft (No.26 â€" father/son)
Honours: Second Best and Fairest 2015; NAB AFL Rising Star Nominee 2013

“Jack’s got the game in terms of his preparation. He really knows how to prepare for AFL football. He’s a real professional and he loves the game. Jack leaves no stone unturned and his training has been really consistent. He hasn’t missed many sessions and he’s running really well, so he’s setting himself up nicely for 2016.” â€" Paul Roos

JOSH WAGNER â€" No.42 (rookie â€" category A)

Date of birth: 24/6/1994 (21 years old)
Height: 189cm, Weight: 82kg
AFL debut: yet to debut
AFL games: 0, AFL goals: 0
Position: Half-back/midfielder
Recruited: Aspley (Qld)
Drafted: 2015/16 NAB AFL Rookie Draft (No.6)

“Josh has come to the club with a bigger body, given he is older than the other draftees. He’s still got a lot to learn, but at least he’s already got the body shape and size. Now it’s about refining the game plan and making sure he improves his running, but from the sessions so far, he’s a nice left-footer with good skills and he knows what he’s doing.” â€" Paul Roos

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JACK WATTS â€" No.4

Date of birth: 26/3/1991 (24 years old)
Height: 196cm, Weight: 92kg
AFL debut: 2009
AFL games: 115, AFL goals: 83
Position: Forward
Recruited: East Sandringham (Vic)/Brighton Grammar (Vic)/Sandringham Dragons (Vic)
Drafted: 2008 NAB AFL Draft (No.1)

“I’ve been really impressed with the way Wattsy has come back. Last year, he had a bit of an interrupted pre-season. He has slight injuries, including a groin, which held him out. He ran a really good three-km time-trial and has been training really well.” â€" Paul Roos

SAM WEIDEMAN â€" No.26

Date of birth: 26/6/1997 (18 years old)
Height: 195cm, Weight: 94kg
AFL debut: yet to debut
AFL games: 0, AFL goals: 0
Position: Key forward
Recruited: Vermont (Vic)/Xavier College (Vic)/Eastern Ranges (Vic)
Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Draft (No.9)

“Sam’s had a lot of injuries over the last few years and we knew that when we drafted him. He’s got a young body, because he hasn’t been able to do a lot of running or play a lot of footy or do a lot of weights. But when you see him out on the track, you see the level of talent he’s got. For us, the next two months is about making sure his body is in really good shape â€" in order to train as an AFL player and then hopefully he plays over the next couple of years. Again, there is no pressure on him like those other young guys.” â€" Paul Roos

MITCHELL WHITE â€" No.41

Date of birth: 10/4/1996 (19 years old)
Height: 188cm, Weight: 88kg
AFL debut: 2015
AFL games: 1, AFL goals: 0
Position: Defender
Recruited: Seaford (VIC)/Dandenong Stingrays (VIC)
Drafted: 2014/15 NAB AFL Rookie Draft (No.20)

“Now in his second season, Mitch has been training really well and has been doing all the sessions. He finished off the 2015 season well and played the last game in our win over GWS. He’s still got a lot to learn and still needs to evolve as a player, but he’s been good so far.” â€" Paul Roos

[Purple 77]

Weed isn't possibly 195cm by 94kg is he? He doesn't look it IMO

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Haha. Well I assume the MFC would have their stats right...

[Holz]

Weed isn't possibly 195cm by 94kg is he? He doesn't look it IMO

was going to say

"He’s got a young body"

94kg isnt what i would call a young body even if he is 194cm

[Big Mac]

94kg fuark surely not

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Some pics from Day 1 of the camp; Unfortunately, you will have to click the link. I can't steal the pics for some reason.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-15/preseason-camp-day-one-gallery

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Day 1: Friday, January 15

5:30am

“Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo

You’ve got your mother in a whirl …”

The iPod has kicked in and woken me up to David Bowie’s classic ‘Rebel Rebel’, which has started the morning on a high.

Bowie.

Where do we start?

I’ll touch on the legendary artist’s sudden and sad passing later. 

After listening to the classic 1974 tune, I spring (maybe stumble/fall) out of bed and jump under the shower in readiness for Melbourne’s pre-season camp to Maroochydore.

It’s the second year running that the red and blue will be visiting the Sunshine Coast, after a successful 12-day camp last January.

This time around, it’s for nine days.

I guess you could call it a sequel â€" rather than a prequel or reboot.

Cue dramatic movie music please!

Think Terminator 2 theme.

Or perhaps something more classical like Carl Orff’s O Fortuna from Carmina Burana.

Maybe Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Fanfare for the Common Man (you’ll know the song â€" it’s been a staple Channel 7 intro for almost 30 years) is the one to use.

Either way, ‘Melbourne’s return to Maroochydore’ promises to be another key part of the club’s pre-season campaign.

It’s certainly become the pre-season destination of choice for several AFL clubs this year, with the Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs (soon to arrive in late January/early February) having all conducted camps in south-east Queensland since late 2015.

7:30am

After picking up digital video producer Sam Laidlaw on the way, we arrive at Melbourne Airport and are â€" not surprisingly â€" greeted by property manager Anthony Brown and head trainer John Stanaway, who have once again arrived early to help ensure a smooth transition for the players and staff. 

Brown oversees at least 50 boxes/bags being sent up for the camp. And that’s not counting player and staff baggage. It’s a remarkable effort and his job is a critical one in the running of a football club.

And a big thumbs up to Imnaz from Virgin Australia, who makes the group check-in run smoothly, after a potential hiccup with a, shall we say, an over-excited non-Virgin Australia official.

The players are due to arrive from 8:45am, but most arrive much earlier.

Midfielder Matt Jones is the first player I catch a glimpse of arriving. Immediately behind him are recruits Ben Kennedy, Tom Bugg and the redrafted Viv Michie, along with senior assistant coach Simon Goodwin.

The McDonald brothers â€" Tom and Oscar â€" soon walk past with their golf bags over their shoulders. As keen golfers, they will remain up on the Sunshine Coast for an extra day or so after the players complete their nine days of training.

Rookie Josh Wagner, who is returning to his native state for the camp, has an eye on the waves, as he arrives at the airport with his surfboard.

9am

The team gathers in the Virgin Lounge before taking off. 

I bump into draftees Clayton Oliver and Mitch King, who are hovering around the breakfast buffet.

The two draftees are excited about the trip. Naturally, there is also a nervous smile and laugh, when we talk about the camp. They almost laugh in unison. They know it’s not going to be a walk in the park and there will be some serious training sessions.

Dean Kent then prepares his toasted sandwich and I have a good chat to him. He’s a really important part of Melbourne’s plans. He’s underrated by many outside of the club, but internally his raking left-foot and toughness isn’t.

Soon, it’s time to depart our 9.45am flight.

But not before spotting Melbourne music icon Mick Thomas of Weddings, Parties, Anything fame in the lounge!

11am

We’re close to landing when manager of consumer business Jane McGough receives a happy birthday message by the captain of the plane. It’s a nice touch for the super dedicated McGough, who plays a big role in the administration side of the club. It’s believed communications coordinator Matty Goodrope may have had a hand in organising it the birthday message!

I’m listening to Bowie when we arrive at Maroochydore.

In fact, I’m flicking through tracks trying to compile my favourite Bowie playlist. It’s a work in progress.

T.McDonald conducts an interview with Channel 7 upon arrival, near the luggage carousel.

Once the belongings are all gathered, we head to the impressive Grand Mercure apartments at Twin Waters.

Lunch and check-in follow before the players start their camp with a boxing session and a run at the hotel.

1:30pm

As expected, the humidity is high on the Sunshine Coast. And it’s hot! 

The players gather into two groups for the activities run by elite performance manager Dave Misson and strength and conditioning manager Rob Jackson.

Some of the boxing pairs include: Jack Trengove/Aaron vandenBerg, Sam Weideman/Heritier Lumumba, Lynden Dunn/Chris Dawes, Joel Smith/Mitch King and Bugg/Dom Tyson.

Several of the players are looking particularly ripped.

T.McDonald is one big man now. In fact, a picture taken by Goodrope and later placed on the Melbourne Instagram account shows the key defender looking enormous.

Christian Petracca, despite his toe injury, remains his usual chirpy self in the boxing session.

Jayden Hunt is one player whose body looks remarkably different since the end of last season. He has definitely matured and has put on genuine size.

Afterwards, the players have a Leading Teams session, which is facilitated by former Bulldog and Blue Jim Plunkett.

5:30pm

It’s off to the shops! Not for a late Boxing Day sale, but for food shopping.

This year, the players and staff will be preparing most meals.

The overnight shelf stackers at Mooloolaba Coles have been called in early after learning that the Melbourne players and staff are shopping for their weekly supplies. Pallets of stock are quickly moved in to compensate the empty shelves!

Not surprisingly, the choice cut steaks have been snapped up like a discounted item on Boxing Day, given the likes of Hogan, T.McDonald and Petracca are in the store.

Seeing a group of footballers in small groups wandering up and down the supermarket aisle was a sight to see. Some did it with the same urgency shown on the football ground. I’m sure some could’ve easily landed a gig on Supermarket Sweep if it ever gets up on TV again!

6:30pm

The players, coaches and staff gather for a group dinner, held in the Mudjimba Room at the Novotel, which is part of the Twin Waters complex and about a 10-minute walk from the apartments.

A ‘kick-in’ meeting, held by Simon Goodwin, takes place after dinner for some of the players, while physio and massage sessions are also held for other members of the squad.

It completes a fairly packed day one, allowing for travel.

It’s also been a sad day in football as news had filtered through earlier about the passing of 1983 Hawthorn premiership and former Hawk and West Coast coach Ken Judge.

Coach Paul Roos says: “Our hearts go out to the family and it’s a sad day for the footy community.”

Later on, we also learn that a former Melbourne player, Ken Osborne, passes away. He played 13 games for the club from 1966-69.

It really has been an incredible few weeks for several well-known figures and those who have contributed to pop culture â€" whether it’s from the sporting, music or film industry.

Of course, earlier in the day we also heard that much-loved actor Alan Rickman of Die Hard, Harry Potter and Love Actually fame had died aged 69.

Since December 27, locally and abroad, the music scene has lost diverse artists such as Stevie Wright (The Easybeats), John Bradbury (The Specials), Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead), Guru Josh and Natalie Cole.

And of course Bowie last Monday.

Remarkably, it was just last Friday that I rushed into JB Hi-Fi to purchase his new album Blackstar. It was released on his 69th birthday. Tragically, just three days later one of the all-time great artists was no longer with us. But his legacy is insurmountable.

It’s a timely reminder to reflect and pause. Make the most of it.

And that’s fairly apt as the club starts its pre-season camp.

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Day 2: Saturday, January 16

7:30am

The first full day on the Sunshine Coast has arrived. And so has the rain!

It’s absolutely bucketing down and it’s a far cry from yesterday!

This morning’s session is at the Maroochydore Multi-Sports Complex â€" home of the Maroochydore Australian Football Club. It’s the first main training of the pre-season camp.

Although it’s rainy, it’s far from cold.

Still, some of the crew opt for a lighter jumper â€" the new Melbourne apparel, of course! And it’s available from all good outlets … specifically The Demon Shop!  Ka-ching!

For Victorians travelling to Queensland, it does sound unfathomable to don a jumper in the middle of summer! But there is a slight chill in the air.

8:30am

Senior assistant coach Simon Goodwin takes the pre-training meeting after the players prepare for their session.

Goodwin, along with manager of development Brendan McCartney and defensive coach Jade Rawlings, highlight areas of the game plan to focus on.

The future Melbourne senior coach is impressive when he speaks to the players.

He’s measured, calm and clear in his delivery.

During his pre-training address, Goodwin praises several players on their recent effors.   

He mentions a group of players who performed particularly well in a recent three-km time-trial, held before the camp. He also acknowledges the few players who got their skinfolds down over the Christmas/New Year period. And he makes special mention of a few players who have been injured and completed their rehab with strong intent.

“There are lots of positives that we’re starting to see [as coaches],” Goodwin says.

“We’re watching everything,” he adds.

Coach Paul Roos listens and watches intently, before concluding with his own message.

Although Goodwin is being groomed for 2017 and beyond, Roos is still the main man for 2016 â€" even if the signs are that the transition is absolutely on track.

Before Roos finishes, he looks at the Maroochydore honours board and poses a question to the group â€" and then specifically to rookie and ‘local’ Queenslander Josh Wagner.

“Which premiership player won back-to-back best and fairests?”

It’s a little cryptic, but if you look at it carefully, the answer is Melbourne stoppage coach Ben Mathews, who played for Maroochydore after retiring as a premiership player with the Sydney Swans. For the record, Mathews won the B&Fs in 2010-11, before he started his coaching career in the AFL â€" firstly with Gold Coast, before joining Melbourne. 

9am

Training is underway and a strong crowd has turned out to watch Melbourne go through its paces.

It’s a willing hit-out. The boys genuinely have a crack and it’s noted by the many Melbourne supporters who turn up.

At one point, Christian Salem’s training top is ripped by Tom Bugg in a tackle.

During the session, Jack Viney shows his leadership skills, by pulling draftee and No.4 pick Clayton ‘Clarrie’ Oliver aside. The purpose is to encourage and give instruction. He gives the first-year player some genuine advice and it’s impressive to see.

It’s also promising to see Heritier Lumumba running laps after he had surgery on both ankles during the off-season.

And the players get right around Jay Kennedy-Harris, who is shining in the competitive handball drills.

The chat, bubble and purpose are high throughout.   

For Sam Weideman, drafted at No.9 in last year’s NAB AFL Draft, training in front of an estimated 350 people â€" albeit in slippery conditions and in unfamiliar surroundings â€" it’s a situation he laps up.

“The weather was a bit cooler than I expected and the rain bucketed down, but it was a good session,” he says.

“It’s a weird feeling, because we didn’t normally get anyone at training in the under 18s and now we’ve got a big crowd and the fans have come down.”

Full credit to the Queensland-based Melbourne supporters, who are out in force â€" they really are a loyal bunch of red and blue fans.

The Wagner fan club is also up and about, as they watch their local boy train with pride.

Despite the weather, they stick around and gather their autographs and pics with the Melbourne players.

Weideman even signs the arm of one man, who becomes particularly excited when he realises Sam is the grandson of Collingwood great Murray.

One Melbourne supporter, Jeremy Smith, is as one-eyed as they come.

To prove it, he’s just had the new Melbourne logo tattooed on his arm. In fact, he has several old red and blue emblems adorned on his body.

Smith says he got the new emblem a couple of weeks after it was released on November 12 last year.

And he wears it with pride!

12:30pm

With the session completed, elite performance manager Dave Misson sums it up in a most positive fashion.   

“We planned this as one of our big footy sessions for the camp and it turned out really well,” he says.

“We got a lot of solid work in for about 90 minutes and had a good numbers on the track.

“Rain didn’t really interrupt the session, even though it was a little bit wet, but the ground was immaculate and it gave us an opportunity to do a really good session on the big ground. Overall, the players’ energy was excellent.”

1:30pm

The squad heads to Kawana Sports Precinct in Bokarina, about 20 minutes from the apartments, for physio/massage, leg weights and education sessions.

The players are split into three groups and rotate between the activities for the rest of the afternoon.

Education focuses on the game plan, which is run by Goodwin and McCartney. During the session, players are also divided into small groups, as they dissect the intricacies of match scenarios.

Leg weights are conducted in Melbourne Storm’s gymnasium facility â€" yes, the same Storm that shares the AAMI Park facilities with the red and blue. For the record, the Storm has recently set up an academy on the Sunshine Coast.

The massage sessions are welcome for several players after a solid hit-out earlier in the day.

Weideman gets about three or four 30-minute massages each week and a few “flush” rubs for 15 minutes, before training sessions. In total, he has “four or five” massages a week.

He says it’s something he definitely looks forward to throughout the week.

“It refreshes your body and you feel good, so I love it,” he says.

Already Weideman is finding the benefits of being in a full-time AFL environment are significant.

“Recovery is pretty big and it’s crucial to get right,” he says.

“The training load has gone up from the under 18s, so we need that recovery â€" and you look forward to it.

“It’s a chance to refresh your body and you feel a lot better going into the next session. You’ve got to be very professional about how you go about things and it helps a lot.”

Imagine that? Four or five massages per week!

If you’re pondering a scenario that evokes sounds of dolphins, raindrops in a forest and incense wafting around the room, then switch your mind to masseurs/physios who have the ability to use their metal rod-like fingers to poke, prod and burst open spirit level bubbles!

They are that good!

It’s not that we don’t like the dolphin-raindrops-incense scenario â€" they’re awesome too! But the club’s physio team and trainers â€" including training services coordinator Peter W. Roberts and physiotherapy team Sam Pietsch, Steve Allan, Joel Ames and Jake Treacy â€" do a mighty job. For this trip, a handful of local physios are also on board.

It’s not easy work. But they are another key piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

5:30pm

With the day’s activities completed, it’s now up to each apartment to prepare their own meal for the evening.

The more mature members of the group might be inspired by the likes of Peter Russell-Clarke, Philip Paxton or Gabriel Gaté, while the younger brigade will surely turn to Matt Preston, George Calombaris or Gordon Ramsay for inspiration.

No doubt the meals will vary from party pies to baked beans to sardines on toast. 

Through to raw smoked wagyu, with horseradish soured cream, fermented crisps and raw funghi. Or slow braised quail, brioche, grains, hazelnuts and coco button mushrooms. Maybe even a seared duck breast with a Cognac infused apricot chutney?

We wait with interest!

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Day 3: Sunday, January 17

7:30am

I start the morning on the Simon Goodwin mini-bus, who takes his crew out to the Kawana Sports Precinct.

There are six mini-bus drivers on the camp, with coaches Daniel McPherson, Ben Mathews, Brett Allison, Jade Rawlings and player development manager Shannon Byrnes also the other steady drivers in heavy traffic.

Goodwin takes coach Paul Roos and wife Tami, manager of development Brendan McCartney, game analysis and education coordinator Craig Jennings, plus players Matt Jones, Dean Terlich, Mitch White and Joel Smith out to the complex.

Before we depart the Twin Waters complex, an early morning discussion centres on recent movies watched.

Roos gives Mission Impossible 5 a big pump up and fair enough too. I thought it was a pretty good blockbuster.

McCartney chimes in: “Have you seen the latest James Bond?”

My ears prick up. And it’s fair to say I get excited about the prospect of a Bond conversation.

Roos says he isn’t a big fan of the latest 007 flick.

McCartney is a huge fan of SPECTRE.

“I like to be entertained when I go to the movies,” he says.

As a Bond nut, I can understand why there are some questions about it. It appears to be one of the most divisive 007 films of all-time. Some either love it; others not so sure. I’m a big fan of it. But it took me the second viewing to put it in the top echelon. I rate it that highly.

As for the Day of the Dead pre-titles scene â€" it’s a corker.

If we were to talk about the latest Star Wars â€" The Force Awakens … well, the jury is still out for me.

8:45am

Preparation begins for this morning’s sessions, consisting of flexibility and meditation, upper body weights, education and craft on the ground.

Elite performance manager Dave Misson brings the group together with a piercing whistle. He could work on the farm!

Misson says it’s an important day for the players, emphasising that the work that’s put into today will prepare them strongly for Monday’s training session at Maroochydore Multi-Sports Complex.

“Get yourself up for tomorrow,” Misson says to the players.

The strong message out of all of this is that main training sessions are so critical in the life of an AFL player that preparing for them is akin to preparing for match day.

Before the players break off into the groups, Roos stresses to them that they must “crank it up” and get the best out of themselves. He urges them to find a way to lift their intensity and really concentrate on taking their efforts to the next level.

He concludes by saying: “Let’s have a really good day and get something out of it.”

The positivity around the group is genuinely noticeable.

9:30am

With the sessions under way, players disperse around the complex.

For roughly the next three hours, the groups rotate between the activities.

In the gym, draftee Clayton Oliver digs deep; Jesse Hogan works closely with McCartney in a craft session and Tom Bugg makes the most of each session.

Bugg reflects on a productive morning, particularly after he was “pretty stiff” following Saturday’s main training session.

“We’ve had a big focus on our preparation to be almost game-like going into training, so it’s been pretty good so far,” he says.

“I started in the weights group and we powered our way through it. When we finished that, we had education with Goody and Twig (Jade Rawlings). We did some defensive stuff with Twig and then then some offensive stuff with Goody.

“From there, we went into our craft session, which focused on our hands and stoppage work. After that, we did some meditation with Tami [Roos] and then finished off with a screening session, which included flexibility and mobility.”

Bugg can’t speak highly enough of the meditation sessions with Tami Roos.

It’s a new addition to his program since joining Melbourne from GWS, but he’s already noticed benefits.

“It gives you the chance to reset and it works for me. I’ve done a few times since I’ve been at the club, but I’ve already found it to be good,” he says.

With the session completed, players head back to Twin Waters for lunch and a breather.

2:30pm

Jim Plunkett, a facilitator from Leading Teams, oversees the session for the next two hours.

A tenacious and hard-working footballer, Plunkett played 47 AFL matches for the Western Bulldogs and Carlton from 1999-2003. He has since become a key member of Leading Teams.

Plunkett spends roughly a day a week at Melbourne throughout the year.

He says today’s session is all about “standards and behaviours”.

“It’s about setting up some really clear standards and behaviours around what it means to be a Melbourne player and put the jumper on and what we want to represent this year,” he says.

“There are some expectations of the playing group and of each other. The coaches are involved and they [add] what they want to see from a Melbourne player.

“From the session today and up here, it’s about leaving [the pre-season camp] with a really clear understanding and blueprint in terms of where we want to take the culture and the team’s behaviours.”

4:30pm

Physio and massages take place for the next two hours before it’s another choose your own adventure in the own cooking stakes. 

Hogan reveals that in his household â€" featuring Tom McDonald, Christian Petracca and Sam Weideman â€" that McDonald is the head chef.

McDonald’s Thai green chicken curry gets the thumbs up from the 2015 NAB AFL Rising Star winner, which he says is “very, very good” except for the “burnt rice”.

“I’m lucky enough to have Tommy Mac again [as a roommate]. I had him last year and I think he quite enjoys cooking. He’s quite good at it,” he says.

“Tommy, the big Weed and Track â€" it’s a pretty interesting group because we’re all young, but it’s been really good so far.

“Tommy’s a bit of a father figure for us, so we just listen to him and we do most of the cleaning and he does most of the cooking, but it’s been good.”

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http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-16/qld-preseason-camp-day-two-training

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-17/qld-preseason-camp-day-three-gallery

Interesting to see that Terlich I think it is lifting as much as Pedersen. Veins everywhere. :o

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I made the trek up to the training on Saturday from the GC to finally see the boys up here for the first time in three years. Most things have been covered pretty well but I thought I would share some things that I noticed as repayment for the many training reports I have sifted through.

I know everyone is always keen to hear about the new fellas so I'l start with them:

Oliver:

The kid has a massive frame and knows how to use it as evidenced by his crunching tackle on VDB (who looks like a bigger Viney at the moment having lost his excess fat), however, it looks like it will still take a while for him to look the part, happy with the aggression for now. He looked right at home during contested work and was really enthusiastic in defense as well when playing handball keeping's off early. He did look a little bit lost on the outside and knowing when to lead for a ball but he may just have been catching his breath. I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but he is one of the most energetic people I have ever seen when standing on the mark, this may be how he has increased his fitness.

Weidemann:

He's a pretty strong overhead mark and a fairly decent kick but it does seem that occasionally he loses focus and funnily enough it's the shorter kicks that go slightly astray, it looks a bit like his ball drop is still a bit high. He was a really great bloke and very happy to have a chat with the fans, he seems like he could be a potential leader at the club and a future replacement ambassador for Wattsy.

Hullett:

Everyone already knows he is a massive unit, he easily looks like 26 year old veteran entering his prime. Unfortunately, I didn't see a lot of him for some reason and i'm not sure if he was up the other end or doing other things.

King:

Still very skinny in the way that Oscar Mac was when he first started and needs to get up his fitness, one of the coaches kept on getting in his ear and the boys resting on the sideline were very encouraging while telling him where to run and when he put in the effort.

Wagner:

In my opinion he should get an upgrade at the start of the season, he reads the play quite well and had a pretty decent left boot. He was usually the centre of most drills and I found my eyes constantly being drawn to something he had done, not sure if it's just because of the blonde hair or not but he seemed a bit like the next VDB pick up with a bit less muscle and a bit more skill, he should cover for the loss of Melksham.

Smith:

I was really surprised when I saw this guy, from reports I expected a skinny kid who might look a little lost in training. He impressed me with his skills and seemed to be running really well. He has a good strength base to start from and his basketball background seems to have prepared him for football. He did not look at all out of place.

Bugg:

I'm pretty keen to this guy play, he was in all of the right places and found the ball easily. He did however take the completely wrong option out of defense at one stage kicking a long bomb to (i think) billy stretch on the sideline with big maxy 10 metres away who came thundering over with a massive spoil much to the fans pleasure, he completely crunched all in his path. He's very vocal on and off the ground and seems to have fit in very well pretty quickly.

Kennedy:

I think most people have covered it pretty well, his lateral evasive skills are excellent and his kicking wasn't nearly as bad as his 'highlight' reel made him out to be. Looks awful with the new shaven head but I can't hold that against him if he plays the way he trains.

Some other observations:

Maxy Gawn absolutely ragdolled Watts when he tried to run around him in the keepings off. Watts didn't seem happy and got up to push him back but I don't think Max noticed.

Vandenburg layed a few very strong tackles and a big bump on Tommy Mc which is no small feat.

I watched Trengrove pretty closely in the rehab group as I'm one of the many hoping he has a spectacular comeback. He looked very comfortable running and no longer looks like a sick cow during the sprints, while not the fastest, he certainly looks a lot quicker than he did pre-injury, more season debut Trengrove. I watched him do a bit of kicking too and seemed pretty comfortable but did not use his left. It was basically a kick to kick amongst the rehabbers and crossy, gawn? Hoges, spencil and King. He is also looking pretty big in the chunk style of body only taller. If I didn't know about his past injuries I wouldn't have thought he was that far away from a return to football, looks can be deceiving I guess.

Chunk and Gus are ultra competitive during a drill at the end of training, a trainer would throw up the ball for spencer to tap down to two competing players. Chunk and Gus were only interested in versing each other. Chunk came out on top 4 - 0 last I heard and absolutely let Gus know about it chanting '4 nil, 4 nil'. Salem and Garland were up against each other and Salem was unhappy about having his arms held while behind Garland, it seemed a fairly even contest.

Tommy Mcs kicking looks to have improved and he was switching the play really well, lets hope that translates to games.

Gus and Terlich got blasted by one of the coaches for 'not running [censored] hard enough'. A bit unfair on gus as he was still bitter about giving a free away on wagner.

A real stand out early on for me was JKH, he was really agressive in the drills and seemed constantly involved both defensively and offensively. Great hands in the hand ball drills.

Kent also looked great, during a two on two drill he was dominating the others and wrong footed JKH and burst past which didn't look like an easy thing to do.

Hoges left very early with the rehab group which included nibbler but both looked fine, might have just had a rest day. It was a bit of a shame I didn't get to see him but my sister ran him down in the car park and got a photo much to my annoyance.

I didn't see Max king anywhere but it was hard to tell the difference between some with the hats on.

Dom Tyson seemed to be on light duties and a fair few older supporters were asking me if I could see him out there, again, the hats didn't help.

Our training gear seemed pretty flimsy, Salem, Bugg, Kent all had big tears in their gear or needed new singlets. Could just be the aggression?

Let me know if you have any questions and i'll do what I can.

P.S. I did not check for spelling errors, couldn't be bothered.

[Barra13]

Notes I took from the session today -

Tracks out there early doing some handballing in the moon boot before heading back inside. That was him done for the day.

Daniel Cross headed over to the other field with the rehab group to do some running etc there. That group consistent of Dawes, Lumumba, Jetta, Frost, Trenners and Vince.

After doing a warm up the main group split. One group did some 4 on 4 contested work with an extra player who was constantly on the attacking team when the ball was turned over.
Down the other end the othe half were doing 2 on 2 contested work.
When this was happening Hogan, Weideman and Spencer went and joined the rehab group and didn't join in with this one which was interesting.

Then the main group went into some half court type training where the backline had to try and get it past the centre square. If it was turned over the forwards would try and kick the goal.
Skills were sloppy with this, even with the weather conditions the boys looked to be rushing and panicking under pressure. This did improve though as training went on.

Next was some full match play with the ball starting from the centre then it moving forward.
The forward set up had Weideman, Watts, Kent and Garlett up against both the McDonalds, Grimes and Wagner.
The other group was Dawes and Frost who came over to join in from the rehab group (good signs) along with Kent. The backs against those boys were Dunn, Garland and Terlich.

During this drill Ben Kennedy was working with the midfield group and didn't spend any time forward. Might be eyeing off a midfield position for him? Or that he may be spending some time in there anyway.
Salem was playing the sweeping role.
During this Drill Clayton Oliver laid a big big tackle on Vandenberg. It was great to see. This kid looks like he will be a player. Tackling machine!

After this drill most of the team went and did some goal kicking.
Watts was down the other end doing some contested marking against McDonald and Garland.

I noticed around this time that I hadn't seen Hogan since the first couple of drills, so he must have gone inside. Probably just a management thing with him.

Some key points and things I noticed during the session were -

Weidemen looks like he knows his stuff, but needs a pre season or two in the gym, so skinny! Although most of us already knew that.

There was lots of contact work and match play during training. In fact that was all that was done. Not a bad thing if you ask me.

Big Maxy Gawn is looking strong! He was holding his marks even in the wet conditions. Hopefully a big season ahead for him. Liked what I saw.

Wagner is smart. A good kick and moves well. He could be one to come in and have an impact. One thing I noticed, he hits a target under pressure moving out of the back half. Something we have struggled with in the past (Grimes). So good signs with him.

Brendon McCartney is such a valuable guy to have around the club. You can tell he has so much knowledge to give. Spending time individually with players after a certain play to say well done or what they could have done better that time. Really rapt we have him for 2016.

Gus Brayshaw is looking fit, confident and ready for a big second year. The difference in him this year to when I saw him last year at the pre season camp is huge. Confidence is a big thing and he is getting involved in drills a lot more. Can tell he loves the club.

Our captain was in and under as always. Always involved. You can see he is our leader and the young boys feed off him.

Jack Viney very vocal when waiting on the boundary for his group to go into the next drill. Talking to players saying what they should have as a group done better that last set up. Good to see.

Overall it was a good session and it got better as it went on. The intensity was high and the boys were up and about.
I tried to get as much as I could from the session, but if anyone has any questions and would like to know anything from the session. Fire away. I am happy to answer anything I can :)

[Big Mac]

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-16/qld-preseason-camp-day-two-training

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-01-17/qld-preseason-camp-day-three-gallery

Interesting to see that Terlich I think it is lifting as much as Pedersen. Veins everywhere. :o

I think Pedo has about 15kg more on the bar than Terlich

Weird that they use hex bars though - Anyone know if this is common practice?

[Barra13]

I was there for an hour or so this morning.

Intermittent rain meant things were a bit slippery but the boys will be thankful for the respite from the heat given more hot days are on the way.

Neal-Bullen, Stretch and Salem were three guys that really caught the eye with their stronger frames and increased intensity levels. All three look set for big seasons, particularly Salem who is morphing into an absolute beast. He was pick 9 in his draft year but I seem to remember Hawthorn rated him the third best player in that draft and you can see why. An absolute special.

Got my first look at young Clayton Oliver and I'm so glad we took him over the smaller-framed Parish. Did not look overawed and as Brady noted above was right in the thick of it today with some hard running and tackling. We will see him play senior footy fairly early on I reckon.

Weidemann was another I was excited to have a look at in the flesh and boy what a specimen he is. Obviously going to take a couple of years to fill out but he moves across the park like a big cat. Nice sticky hands and he seemed to enjoy a good rapport with Hogan and Watts who gave him plenty of encouragement, high fives etc.

Dom Tyson looks fit and I wouldn't be surprised to see him to find that 2014 form which saw him poll 11 votes in the Brownlow Medal. One of my favourite players ... I decided to shell out six bucks for a badge with his face on it and stick it on my MFC cap. C'mon Dom. Big season from you lad. No excuses.

Among the lesser lights I'm looking forward to seeing one or both of Harmes and Hunt playing regular senior footy this year. Both look in great nick and bring some pace, agility and x-factor to the table in terms of senior AFL attributes. We need guys like this to step up if we are to create something that we haven't had for many years at this club - depth.

The highlight of my morning though was seeing Sam Frost out participating in competitive ball drills with the rest of his team mates. He got stuck in, laid some tackles and took some hits so he can't be far away. I would HATE playing on this guy if I were an opposition key forward ... a one-two defensive combination of he and McDonald is going to hold us in good stead in the years to come.

Last but not least, I like the look of this Liam Hulett. Real wild card boom or bust type late draft pick ... but he's got a damn good build on him and I sense a bit of an aggressive streak, too. Definitely one to watch.