During the pre-season, the good folk in the AFL social media team have been running ‘Ask the Coach’ sessions where senior coaches take over the @AFL Twitter handle to answer questions from the fans.

Here’s Mick Malthouse’s session:

@AFL Blues coach Mick Malthouse is here! Fire away

@Bluboy212 Hi Mick. Who’s impressing you this preseason?

@AFL Do I type my answer in this box?

@AFL Ok guys, sorry for the long delay. Mick’s come back. Fire away with your questions for Mick Malthouse.

@Bluboy212 errr, same question again Mick.

@AFL Well that's a really interesting question. As a coach, I tend to be looking for certain signs at this time of year. Character is always som

@NavyGrl36 You can only use 140 characters on Twitter Mick.

@AFL I don’t know what that sentence even means.

@NavyGrl36 Each tweet can only contain 140 characters. Letters, symbols, spaces etc.

@AFL That’s ridiculous. It makes no sense at all. Can we do this over the phone?

@Markh74 Mick how’s Dale’s ankle? All good for round one?

@AFL I mean, who can communicate in 140 characters bursts? Morons that’s who. This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever done including all the stupid m

@AFL edia conferences I have to sit through with those journalists who have never actually done anything with their lives.

@CFCfanatic1 Mick where do you think we’ll finish this year.

@AFL You know, my book The Ox is Slow but the Earth is Patient is 316 pages long. All I've learnt can’t be boiled down to fit into this tiny electronic Twitter machine.

@Steveoge1 Just wondering what sort of season you think Marc Murphy will have?

@AFL Also, why are you all on this web when it’s the middle of the day? Don’t you all have jobs? Seriously this is ridiculous.

@DThomas_39 Hi Mick, it’s Dale. Can you come back to the club? I've left my shoes on top of my locker and can’t reach them.

@AFL Do I have to turn this off? Is there a lever or button?

@AFL OK guys, Mick’s had to go a bit early but thanks for participating. Tomorrow is Paul Roos if his Wi-Fi in Hawaii is working.