The Ox just said on SEN that they are starting training this Monday.

Is this pre season, or post season? and when did we start training last year?

Pretty sure we started on Mon 13th last year, the corresponding Monday of last year.

Pretty sure we started on Mon 13th last year, the corresponding Monday of last year.

It's not like they don't need it.

I'm tipping there will be a heavy focus on gym work for many of them.

Yeah it's the same time as last year. It is very early, but I believe the players voted to have it like this, so that their holidays are dispersed throughout the pre-season, rather than starting in three weeks and not having any long weekends etc.. This way, they are basically training for 6 months but they get holidays within that time. But it is pretty crazy to think that they'll have had nearly three months under the belt come January 1!

Be interested if the following injured players will be training:

Bruce

Green

Warnock

Meeson

Garland (I think he's in moon boot so no)

Woneamirri

Grimes

Strauss

Blease

Maric

The early start might flush out luke balls decision fairly soon as you would expect him to start training with us after his two week break if thats his choice.

The early start might flush out luke balls decision fairly soon as you would expect him to start training with us after his two week break if thats his choice.

Not necessarily - due to playing in a GF he played an extra month longer than any MFC player, so he would be given extra time off.

There's no point burning out your new recruit by not giving him a proper break

Be interested if the following injured players will be training:

Bruce

Green

Warnock

Meeson

Garland (I think he's in moon boot so no)

Woneamirri

Grimes

Strauss

Blease

Maric

Those are the ones I'm most interested in. Bruce, Green and Warnock we know a lot about. Meesen, Blease and Strauss we don't. I really hope Wonna's there from the start as well.

I like the way we time 'pre'season training.

The early start is balanced by some extra breaks during the program, particularly christmas, based on the observation that you don't lose too much condition in a shorter break, whereas a four or six week lay-off can really set a player back if they aren't very disciplined.

Obviously it'll need a little re-jigging once we're late into september every year , but by coincidence that will also be when we only have a couple of totally raw kids coming in each year and most of the list has a few preseasons already under their belt.

................................ Obviously it'll need a little re-jigging once we're late into september every year , but by coincidence that will also be when we only have a couple of totally raw kids coming in each year and most of the list has a few preseasons already under their belt.

Love it!

Hoping Watts puts some muscle on in training,cant wait til 2010

Hoping Watts puts some muscle on in training,cant wait til 2010

I wouldn't have thought he would be doing too much until mid November, given he will have year 12 exams.

I'm pretty sure senior players start back 2 weeks after the others. I'm not sure who qualifies as a senior player though - McDonald, Bruce, Green would be about it! Maybe Riv, Warnock, Moloney, Jamar, Miller, Davey can have a bit more rest.

I just hope we get some good numbers on the track and minimalise injuries. Hopefully as many as possible can have full preseasons, and we get some good improvers similar to Frawley.

I would expect Watts to be training sporadically until the end of his exams, and then crank it up towards December, likewise with Blease. I'd like to Watts just go from private school boy to strong young tall. I'm not expecting him to look like Riewoldt but if he starts to get a frame that looks like a young man with a physical presence it would be nice.

As for big improvers - Martin, Bate, Petterd, Morton and Maric are my tips to go from boys to men over the summer.

Hopefully some of the skinnier fella's like Jetta, Bennell, Watts, Blease and Morton put on some more weight.

Who's doing the report?

yay it starts on my birthday lol

Not necessarily - due to playing in a GF he played an extra month longer than any MFC player, so he would be given extra time off.

There's no point burning out your new recruit by not giving him a proper break

He is also managing his body given his history with OP. No use flogging him on the track.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...73/default.aspx

Bottom of this article says only 8 players began preseason today.

Could be for a multitude of reasons. Not worth reading anything into it.

For those tragics interested in who was at preseason training, the video on the Hun website showed Grimes, Spencer and Cheney doing strides.

Not sure who the others were - possibly Strauss...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...73/default.aspx

Bottom of this article says only 8 players began preseason today.

Could be for a multitude of reasons. Not worth reading anything into it.

According to Cam Schwabs Twitter page (http://twitter.com/CamSchwab), 25 players trained.

Wandered down to training to catch up with the footy guys. Around 25 of the lads start the most important preseason of their lives.

Why are we starting at the Junction Oval.? We're hardly in a position to impress Ball if he has to meet us down there!

I thought Casey was the go for pre-season training.....

From Bailey says Dees are ready to rise:

Cale Morton, Jack Grimes, Stef Martin, Jake Spencer, Kyle Cheney, Jordie McKenzie and Shane Valenti were part of the first group that returned. Two more groups of 10 to 12 will return later in the day. More experienced players will return on October 19.

On Blease: Bailey said young midfielder Sam Blease, who broke his leg early in the 2009 season, would be gradually included into the main training sessions.

"Sammy is doing some running and jogging, because he's a lot more advanced than probably where we thought, considering the nature of the injury that he had," he said.

"He's going to have a very controlled program up until Christmas, Sam, so we won't be rushing him at all. But the young fella is really keen to get going, but we've just got to try and control him, because he hasn't done a lot in the last six months.

"He's done everything we've asked of him, so he's really keen, because he's missed a whole year of football – it doesn't happen often in a young man's career."

And on Watts: At the moment he is 88 to 89 kgs. He is expected to enter next season at a playing weight of 92 or 93 kgs. The plan is to have him play at 94 or 95 kgs in 2011.

And the HUN has some photos, for those like me who are interested:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/gall...85748284?page=1

Cheney, McKenzie, Spencer, Grimes, Martin all in Photo no. 1, being coached by Scott West. Good signs for Cheney and Spencer?

Grimes looks bigger, good to see him out there running around. Hope he can stay like that for at least the next 11 months.

Grimes looks bigger, good to see him out there running around. Hope he can stay like that for at least the next 11 months.

Anyone would look a little bigger when standing alongside Cale.