Summary
* Fitness is spot on. Thanked the fitness guys at the club. He had an ankle impinge which has been annoying over the past couple of weeks but fitness guys have got him right and ready to go for this last NAB Challenge game and for round 1.
* He played a half in Shepparton. We showed some good signs and some terrible signs. The important thing is getting improvement in the young guys.
* What were the terrible signs?
Silly mistakes. Things you wouldn't expect us to make. Hawthorn's pressure was very good. Skill errors let us down at times. We are working hard on them and putting things in place so we don't make them. Both foot and hand mistakes. Too eager to have a crack at kicks inside which can cost you with turnovers. Just little mistakes which get annoying after a while.
* Missing on the weekend was Jack, Newy, Moore (hip) and McGuane was knocked out by some loopy handball to the head and missed the last half. Sam Mitchell smothered the ball and it deflected and got Lukey in the head.
* Vickery has showed some really good signs. Hopes he has turned the corner. Kicked 5 against Port in the second half and could have kicked 7-8 and he conked a few against the Hawks. He's shown some good sign and hopefully provided another focal point for us. Get Jack and we know what he is capable of. Opposition know what Jack is about so if Ty can do something special it'll be really good. He's definitely got the tricks to do it.
* Miller has been terrific. Brought that additional experience across. Level head and works really hard. They are super impressed with how he has fitted in.
* Cotch has had an injury free preseason. Fitness staff look after him and get him right. He's going to be superstar. His lateral movement is .... like Shane Edwards. Can turn on a dime.
* Foley is injury free and it's now about getting games under his belt. Hardly played at all last so he's still learning our game style. He's going quite well.
* Aim in 2011? Is making the Finals unrealistic?
It's not unrealistic and he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to play finals but the old cliche is we are looking for continued improvement out of our whole list and for the young guys to gain experience then that will hold us in good stead.
* Is your place in the side at half-back or a more prominent role in the midfield?
Don't know. Action seems to be around the half-back and midfield anyway. Teams want to capture the turnover at half-back and get it in inside 50. So you're always in the action unless your at the bookends. McGuane said the counter-argument with Collingwood they hold the ball inside their forward 50. Don't know but Dimma said he wants Lids to play half-back and perhaps some time in the midfield. It's up for discussion.
* Happy about this week's game being played in Melbourne at Visy Park.
* Amazing we haven't played a game and are already up to 35k members. Hopes everyone gets on board and signs up. The Fighting Tiger fund is also a great initiative so we can invest in the club. Any donation will help.
* We are definitely more advance than this time last year going into round 1. Last year we spent all summer just learning Dimma's gameplan but this time around we've learnt it and have been tinkering around with it and hopefully implementing it much better.
