Grant Thomas: Hi all.
Grant Thomas: Everything going ok with you guys?
Spelly: Yes, great thanks.
noddy04: Pretty humid down there today?
Grant Thomas: No, the weather was ok - not as hot as it’s been.
saintjohn: GT, the latest report is showing us with niggling injuries, nothing to worry about?
Grant Thomas: Injuries are under check.
Grant Thomas: I'll hand over to Matt Rendell and Dean Wallis, and then I’ll answer questions at the end. Hope that’s ok with you all.
noddy04: When is Saints Union in again? I hope to recoup my losses. hahaha
Grant Thomas: So do I!
Spelly: Thanks Grant.
Matt Rendell: How is everyone going?
saintbrat: Have you been practicing your typing?
Matt Rendell: Hope I’m quicker this time!
Steve_the_Saint: Hey Matty, is the practice match at Moorabbin next Friday intra club, or against another side?
Matt Rendell: Intra club.
bakers_chic: Matt, what happened with Steve Lawrence?
Matt Rendell: Lawrence has chicken pox.
noddy04: Is that contagious?
Matt Rendell: Yes, it’s contagious.
saintjohn: You and Wally coaching?
Matt Rendell: Yes, we’ve both been doing our fair share.
is: Any major injuries happening, or just niggles?
Matt Rendell: Just niggles and management.
evertonfc: Matt, what does the Club hope to achieve from their trip to Tasmania? Are there any goals the Coaches and players have set while down South?
Matt Rendell: We revisited our vision and values, and went through our style of play.
noddy04: Are you cancelling the trials tomorrow Matt?
Matt Rendell: No, definitely playing one game, maybe two.
Steve_the_Saint: Matty, do you know if Shane Warne will be spending more time down at the Club now he is retiring from one dayer’s?
Matt Rendell: Warney will go to as many games as he can.
HarveysDeciple: Any fresh injury concerns from the practice matches Matty, and will Callaghan be the only player unavailable for the Wizard Cup?
Matt Rendell: Callaghan and Knobel probably.
saintjohn: Is Darren Berry running for you guys down there?
Matt Rendell: No, he couldn’t make it.
evertonfc: Matt, I hear that you have been working hard with Chris Oliver, how has his progress been, particularly in relation to where the Club has set its sights for him?
Matt Rendell: Ollie has had a very good pre-season and will be given every chance in the Wizard Cup.
noddy04: When do you guys go back to Melbourne Matt?
Matt Rendell: 7:30 pm Thursday.
HarveysDeciple: Do you know anything about whether it is possible to purchase old motivational videos from the Club?
Matt Rendell: Don’t know about the videos – please ring the Football Department.
Steve_the_Saint: Matt, on paper there seems to be a lack of experienced ruckmen (apart from injury-prone Capuano and Knobel) after Loewe and Spider left. Are there any alternatives?
Matt Rendell: Brooks has been very good, but he is only 19. We’re hoping to get the best out of the two you mentioned.
evertonfc: Is Allan Murray playing in the All-Star game?
Matt Rendell: Only X is playing.
bakers_chic: How's my boy Baker looking?
Matt Rendell: Bakes is back playing.
evertonfc: Matt, I trust Matthew Capuano, pending injuries, will be our first choice ruckman in 2003? Where does our new recruit Barry Brooks fit into the equation, in terms of finding some game time?
Matt Rendell: Brooks can also play forward.
HarveysDeciple: Will both Oliver and Brooks play in the Wizard Cup, and will you also play Capuano?
Matt Rendell: All three will play.
is: How is Harvs going?
Matt Rendell: Harvs is back playing as well.
saintbrat: Any questions for us Matt?
Matt Rendell: Who’s our best three midfielders?
Austinns_HONey: Aussie, Black, Harvey.
saintjohn: Lenny, Thomo, Harvey.
HarveysDeciple: Hayes, Harvey, Thompson.
evertonfc: Harvey, Hayes, Thompson.
saintbrat: Hayes, Harvey, Aussie.
SIC: Hayes, Harvey......ummmm......Black or Thomo.
boppa: Just read the diary down in Tassie. They all seem to be enjoying themselves.
Matt Rendell: It’s been hard, but good.
HarveysDeciple: How do you see Leigh Montagna going this year Matty, and what role could he play?
Matt Rendell: Monty will play on ball or small forward. He’s starting to get some fitness.
evertonfc: Matt, what about Fraser Gehrig? It seems that he is the most comfortable of our 'rotatable' big men to play up forward. Will he be looking to cement a role up forward, or continue down back?
Matt Rendell: Fraser wants to play forward, but he’s very flexible.
HarveysDeciple: What’s the mood of the players - are they confident about their finals’ prospects?
Matt Rendell: It is their highest priority.
is: Is Maguire still injured?
Matt Rendell: Matty has been off and on - not quite right.
saintjohn: Matt, where do you think our most vulnerable position on the ground is?
Matt Rendell: Ruck.
Becc|E: Matt, do the players feel comfortable at York Park?
Matt Rendell: Magnificent surface and great facilities.
is: What’s actually wrong with Maguire?
Matt Rendell: Calf.
evertonfc: Matt, is there any scope for looking at Xavier Clarke playing down back in a 'sweeper' type role? Like Robert Murphy or David Wirrpunda? He seems to lack composure on the ball up forward - over time do you foresee that he can handle a forward role?
Matt Rendell: Clarke has been playing down back, and going well.
boppa: How is Goddard going?
Matt Rendell: Goddard was good. He’s gone back to school.
boppa: Have many members signed up down in Tassie?
Matt Rendell: 1600 all up.
noddy04: How good was BJ Matt?
Matt Rendell: Very good.
noddy04: Does he remind you of anyone Matt?
Matt Rendell: Buckley.
saintbrat: I hope Wally is keeping track for you Matt.
Matt Rendell: Wally’s gone to bed!
saintjohn: So no spa parties then?
Matt Rendell: We wish.
saintbrat: Good to see the Saints got a jump on the other clubs with their trip.
Matt Rendell: We needed to do more work down here.
is: More clinics or what?
Matt Rendell: We’ve done heaps of clinics already.
saintjohn: Are the scouts looking for talent as well?
Matt Rendell: No, Bevo gets paid to do that.
Becc|E: Matt, are the boys doing some sight seeing as well, or is it all work?
Matt Rendell: No time for sight seeing.
noddy04: Matt, is this Tassie thing a better result for us than Warrnambool?
Matt Rendell: I liked Warrnambool better - more community work.
saintjohn: They ran up Mt Wellington didn't they, lovely views!
Matt Rendell: Only last four kilometres - great views, but freezing!
saintbrat: Matt, do the boys have a morning routine they need to get through?
Matt Rendell: We train every morning after breakfast.
saintbrat: Are there set diets, or just common sense?
Matt Rendell: Common sense.
saintbrat: Anyone on a specific regime?
Matt Rendell: Not really – no.
Steve_the_Saint: Matty, is the Club looking for a band?
Matt Rendell: Not that I know of.
noddy04: Is the captaincy going to be announced before you come back to the mainland?
Matt Rendell: Not before the Wizard Cup.
saintjohn: Matt, Harvs was on the radio and said the captaincy was between Hamill and Thomo, but couldn't be pinned down on one. How about you?
Matt Rendell: Thomo, Sammy, Lenny - any would be excellent.
is: When you play over there, in the home and aways, will you be staying overnight, or will you fly back the same night?
Matt Rendell: Fly over in the morning, straight back after the game.
saintjohn: Do you think the rotating captain is a good idea? GT isn't listening!
Matt Rendell: Yes it is, and that’s unbiased.
saintjohn: So you don't agree with Barry Richardson then (who said it downgrades the position)?
Matt Rendell: No, I don’t agree.
HarveysDeciple: Where will Craig Callaghan play when available? Milney seems to have taken his place as a goal sneak.
Matt Rendell: Callas will play mid year.
saintjohn: Did you see much of the Port rookies that we picked up when you were there?
Matt Rendell: Murray, not the others.
noddy04: How is he coming along Matt?
Matt Rendell: He’s had a calf problem, but shown enough.
Matt Rendell: Thomo’s about to come online. See ya everyone.
Spelly: Thanks Matt.
Spelly: Welcome back Grant.
Grant Thomas: How did that go?
Spelly: It was great, Matt answered a lot of questions, and everyone is appreciative of him coming on tonight.
saintbrat: We hear Wally’s piked out for the evening.
saintjohn: Good that you can delegate all your coaching duties. lol
Grant Thomas: I’m very fortunate to have two quality guys that I trust implicitly, as well as being very good at their craft.
is: Big few days hey Thomo.
noddy04: So are you satisfied that all your goals have been achieved down there Grant?
HarveysDeciple: Is it coming together nicely Grant, is everything going to plan?
Grant Thomas: Yes, similar to last year - the first couple of days on our values set the week up, and the "Brand" training is coming along nicely.
Austinns_HONey: GT, how is Troy going this pre-season?
Grant Thomas: #40 is toughening up appreciably, which is the area he needed to improve. He lacked confidence physically, and now believes in his ability to mix it in that area with the best.
HarveysDeciple: How about his brother Ben, is he up for promotion shortly?
Grant Thomas: Ben needs to walk down the same path as Troy - he is very skilled, but needs to improve his intensity. Allows the game to dictate the outcome of his performance, rather than dictating the game.
saintjohn: Hey GT, I hear Mike Sheahan was down there - that would have been fun! lol
Grant Thomas: Mike has joined the team today, and is with us 24 hours a day for the next two days getting an insight into how we do things, and he will be writing a report in the Herald Sun.
saintjohn: No breakfast cereals then!
Grant Thomas: I eat cornflakes in front of him on purpose! Mike is too professional to get mixed up in that stuff - he’s a pro and I respect him enormously.
Austinns_HONey: Is Kosi in full training now?
Grant Thomas: Kosi is edging along nicely - overcoming some mental scarring. He’ll be ok, and Bakes has had an interrupted pre-season, but is playing good footy, especially down back.
noddy04: Are you having a party for Burkey’s birthday on Thursday Grant?
Grant Thomas: Thanks for reminding me. I will announce it at brekky.
Grant Thomas: The players don’t even know this yet - as a matter of fact no-one does - we have a special guest joining us tomorrow to talk to the boys, and to discuss elite athletic performance - Daley Thompson!
Grant Thomas: A great coup for the Club.
Grant Thomas: Lenny will be on tomorrow evening, so I’ll leave now so I don’t take his thunder. Keep the faith, and I look forward to more chats soon. Regards and best wishes. Thomo.
