Forget the Posted wishful thinking from Magpie fans who think their team can perform yet another miracle and somehow snatch a place in the 2024 finals series when their team takes on the Demons at the MCG on Friday night. It ain’t gunna happen. They can whistle Dixie through their non-existent front teeth but the fact of the matter is that both teams have run their race. The game is a dead rubber — for each of them, this will be the last dance of the season. 

Demonland Trackwatcher RedLeg23 journeyed to Casey Fields to provide firsthand insights from behind the fence at Saturday's match simulation in the lead up to our Round One clash with the Giants.

Demonland Trackwatchers beat the Friday heat to bring you their observations from this morning's Captain's Run out at Gosch's Paddock in the lead up to their first hit out in a Practice Match tomorrow against the Kangaroos.

Demonlander The Analyser was the sole Trackwatcher out at Casey Fields today to bring you the following observations from this mornings preseason training session.

Training  was at Casey today. It consisted of a match simulation for one half  and then a free choice activity time. Activities included kicking for goal,  aerial , contest work etc. I noticed the following players not in match simulation Jack Viney  running laps and looks fine for round one .

I think Kolt looks like he’s improving but many weeks still away. It was good to see Caleb Windsor. He ran laps. Difficult to see how close or if he will make round one.

In the probable team  I noticed the following players – Steven May,  JvR, Christian Salem, Trac, Jake Lever, Disco Turner, Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Ed Langdon, Jake Bowey, Harvey Langford, Blake Howes, Trent Rivers, Bayley Fritsch, Tom Sparrow, Harry Petty and Kade Chandler.

Then there seems to be a contest for the three wing spots out of these four players – Jack Billings, Harry Sharp, Xavier Lindsay and Woey. They constantly changed teams and I think one may be unlucky unless there’s another injury and the unlucky one will be the sub.

The defenders( as you can see from above ) seem set and with the seventh defender they are possibly waiting to see if Windsor will make it or not. Also the seventh forward is difficult to know at the moment and whether they decide to go tall or  short. In the match simulation both Jeffo and AJ played in the possible team only. I did notice Gawn at times was playing up forward so whether they decide to go for two ruckman I’m not sure. Bailey Laurie also did okay for the possibles and perhaps could be sub or unfortunately may just miss.

So overall it was a lighter Wednesday training than normal with just 1/2 a match simulation and the free choice activities and I guess they’re gearing up for the game on Saturday. It was nice to see Trac in full training even though he wore the hat as did a few others.

I was impressed by the speed of Langdon and Oliver also got heaps of the ball. Tom Campbell certainly keeping Gawny  on his toes, which is great.

Demonland Trackwatchers were on hand at Monday morning's preseason training at Gosch's Paddock to bring you their brief observations of the session.

I have been thinking a lot recently about the controversy surrounding the sport of breaking and the Aussie trailblazer Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn who became a viral sensation on social media for underachieving in that sport at the Paris Olympic Games.