extract from Russell interview, up on the site this week:

"In the pre-season I started on the wing, but couldn’t get anywhere near it. The Coach, Barry Mitchell, said ‘We’ll give you a job to do’ and he put me back in the pocket. My job was to take the small, darting forward pocket, and to attack. Once I started on my man, and won there, I could attack. It was the starting point of my year, and it was good for my footy; it stabilised my game.â€

I dont think we should read too much into bulking up pre season as something very tangible in most cases.
They build up this time of the year and it all starts melting off them during the season.
Core body strength work is more important and it takes a few seasons to develop in most cases.
They just have to keep working and working at toughening up their bodies and you cant expect a kid to play like a gladiator in their first couple of seasons.

Think of it as a journey....

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Absolutely true - Round 1 against Hawthorn in 1986 - Hanna did it in the first quarter as I recall on the Members side (VFL Park) Wellington Road end - leading out for a mark which I think he took but was unable to take his kick - it might have even been his first touch.

It was the same game that Carlton's big four recruits debuted as well:

- Kernahan
- Bradley
- Dorotich
- Motley

we ended up losing the game against Hawthorn as I recall - and lost to them in the GF after beating then in the Second Semi Final of that year - revenge was gained in 1987 Unfortunately without the onfield presence of Peter Motley - who provided huge off-field presence however (as did Des English).

After that it took a while for Hanna to gain a permanent spot in the side, and if any of you think that Houlihan is a turn over specialist then they should have look at a few videos of Hanna in his heyday who was affectionately called by a few of us "101 ways", being that Mil was able to document and execute at least 101 ways of turning the ball over.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Thanks Agro, much appreciated. Have added a little detail to Russell's article.

Hey, while you're at it, can you tell me what serious injury Peter Dean suffered over 1988 that stopped him playing for over a year? Is this where he hurt his arm?

Pretty sure it was knee injury - kept him out for a season.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Was there myself that day Agro when Mil went down.Hanna was another one i wrote off coz,as you suggest Agro,a bloody shocker of a kick.When he got onto 'em,they went a mile.But how many of those intended torps slew off the side of his boot.Another thing that put me off Mil in his early days that he was almost always beaten in one on one contests.As you can see,he didnt have much going for him in his early days.But with perseverance,and given a chance,anything can happen.Turned into a super player eventually.
As you say Agro,we copped a flogging.Shit,we had recruited half of Sth Oz.Funny thing is,Johnny Platten debuted for the Hawks that day and was easily BOG.I think John Elliot was quoted as saying that we had recruited half of Sth Oz,but the wrong half.Of course Kernahan and Bradley eventually turned the corner,and were magnificent for us,as was "The Rat" Johnny platten for the hawks.Worst part was that Platten originally signed with us,but the Hawks nabbed him from under our nose."If only"

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All my dangerous friends

Platten actually pocketed the $25,000 fee we gave him for originally signing on with us - for which I was eternally filthy on him . But Bradley apparently did the same to Essendon* as he originally signed with them for a similar fee.

So what goes around comes around.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Jordan Russell.

Another great feature.

http://carltonfc.com.au/default.asp?pg= ... eid=243706

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Round 1 1986 also saw the debut of Bernie Evans, who like Hanna, was injured in the opening minutes with a broken hand I think. Always looked the goods for the Swans but never quite cut it in the navy blue. He was always good for finishing off good work (by himself or others) with a point.

Mil had been killing them in the practice matches in the 86 pre season, I think he kicked 10 in one practice match, but alas did his knee while taking a pretty good mark early in the game.

As Agro says his kicking was awful, (I sometimes lament to my mates "remember when our only problem was Mil's kicking"). He should have been instructed to NEVER short pass, as it was a turnover every time. He could however kick it a long way, and in a forward line of Kernahan and Spalding he should have just kicked in their general direction. I wonder had he not done his knee whether he would have been a better kick.

He became a really good player in '92 when Parkin gave him defensive jobs, his athleticism meant he could compete with the Abletts, Winmars etc, and because he was in a defensive role, he didn't take many kicks.

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Get comfortable being uncomfortable

thanks for posting this BV and Cazz in the other thread.

Mike & Dan deliberately chose to do these pre-season 'get to know ya' articles a bit differently this year after some constructive comments last year. If you feel they are getting worse, or have noticed a difference, or have suggestions for next year, please PM me for consideration.

Not sure there will be any more as Kennedy & Murphy have had a lot of 'real' press (not the fake Contributor stuff) as have Betts & Blackwell.

M

I can't remember last years to compare, but this years have been excellent. Keep up the great work!