An impressive story to come out from the
Herald Sun this week. One of the newspapers column writers put together this piece - an insight into the 'new'
Melbourne Football Club. Even more reason to snap up a membership and be part of this exciting journey. Premiership glory is just around the corner...
THE clock is yet to tick past 7.30am as the Melbourne players start trudging in.
It's going to be another long, exhausting day at AAMI Park. Colin Sylvia is texting, Jared Rivers shuffles in yawning. Nearly every player sips water. The
Demons are about to be subjected to more pre-season torture by new
coach Mark Neeld and his beefed-up coaching crew and the Herald Sun has
been granted unfettered access to witness it. It is a captivating
insight to how the AFL's oldest club is trying to fight its way out of
the darkness.
Inside Melbourne's state-of-the-art
headquarters the physio room is a blur of movement as players prepare to
hit Gosch's Paddock in about an hour. Head trainer John Stanaway and
his team are in the middle of a busy morning taping, strapping and
massaging. The smell of liniment is almost overpowering.
"Some of them are high maintenance," Stanaway laughs. "But no, they're a very good bunch."
Around
the corner Matthew Bate and Jordan Gysberts change in the locker room.
Los Angeles street signs adorn the walls. "Rodeo Drive" hangs above
Brent Moloney's locker.
But there's little joking around. The players know what awaits them.
Down
the hall Neeld and strength and conditioning manager Rob Jackson sit in
an open plan kitchen and lounge area eating breakfast - Jim Stynes'
Jimbo Super Muesli - and flicking through the Herald Sun.
After
discovering football operations manager Craig Notman is on cleaning up
duty, Neeld "accidentally" spills his cereal dregs over the bowls and
plates sitting in the dishwasher. "He'll love that," Neeld chuckles.
AT
8am the coaches and football staff file into a meeting room to discuss
the day and week ahead. Eleven men - Neeld, Neil Craig, Brian Royal,
Jade Rawlings, Leigh Brown, Todd Viney, Josh Mahoney, Paul Satterley,
Aaron Greaves, Andrew Nichol and football analyst Luke Chambers - sit at
a large timber table scattered with coffee cups and laptops.
Football
manager Mahoney says AAMI Park co-tenant Melbourne Storm has written
the Demons an apology after the NRL club invited several Carlton players
and coaches into the building for a tackling session while the Demons
were training.
"Obviously it's no good for us having
other AFL clubs coming in here watching our sessions while we're in the
same facility, and they recognise that," Mahoney says.
Neeld then takes over. The words "defensive day" and "congestion goals" are on the projector screen.
The
coach goes over his basic attacking philosophy before Brown announces a
tweak to how the team wants to sweep the ball out of defence. Backline
coach Rawlings reinforces points for the "defensive grid".
"There's some real attention to detail we've been short on," he says.
Nothing is left to chance and it is all discussed in modern day AFL-speak - "grids", "boxes", "bumpers".
The meeting ends with applause for Brown, who will be awarded life membership at Collingwood's AGM on Wednesday night.
The room empties, but Neeld stays to fine tune with IT man Chambers.
The
coach pores over the wording, symbols and sizing of a defensive day
Powerpoint presentation that will be shown to the players soon. It
offers the first insight into his perfectionist nature.
"These need to be here, make this bigger, move this, take these out," Neeld says. "Now, what else do I need to change?"
IN
the huge gym the Dees share with Melbourne Storm and Victory, a group
of players including Jack Watts, Cale Morton and Sylvia are ticking
their legs over on the stationary bikes. They have a laugh at a rap
music video and watch Premier League soccer highlights.
Moments
later all players are summoned into the theatrette for a meeting. The
group is reminded of its obligations in an upcoming Christmas music
video shoot for members.
There are giggles as the
2008 version rolls up on the screen. It puts the team in a buoyant mood,
but Neeld gets the biggest laugh.
"Unfortunately
I'm double-booked so I can't make it. Work out between yourselves who is
wearing the Santa suit because it's sure as hell not going to be me,"
he says.
"But do it right or it will earn you a strike."
What can you tell us Aussies about Autoheart? How and where did it all begin? 
