Hello again,

Fortunately the boys were having a later than usual run around today and I managed to have a look for half hour or so.

Injury Front

Colin Garland was involved in training and although he will not be playing this weekend he looks a certain starter for round 1 which is the most important thing. A fair few of the younger boys were absent from the track (Trengove, Watts, Blease, Grimes, Macnamara) as were Sylvia and Davey - all of which I imagine was 'load management'.

NKOTB

Very pleasing to hear that Tapscott has been named in the squad - he was training - and I'm looking forward to him showing a few supporters that he is not just a figment of our overhyped imagination. He is seriously one of the best kicks in the squad and let's just hope he can get through unscathed. Another who should put on a show is Jordan Gysberts. There has been plenty of talk regarding Moloney and Jones being one-dimensionsal mids, and one or two words said about Scully possibly going elsewhere, and with that in mind I reckon the Gys is crucial to the Demons. He looked good out there today, but has always looked good on the track and more importantly has shown himself to be a legitimate clearance gun in his short time at VFL/AFL level. I have him down as Jobe Watson but a much better kick.

I watched Lucas Cook and Cam Johnstone taking some shots on goal and you couldn't get much more of a contrast. Cook has one of the most technically sound kicking actions I have seen, but he doesn't kick it very far (yet). While he was struggling to make the distance from 45 out, Johnstone (about half the height of Cook) was easily slotting goals off a couple of steps from the fifty metre line. Cook's kicks are flat, Johnstone's go up and never seen to come down. I don't know where CJ will end up but we mght have a zone busting back pocket one day.

Tom McDonald was practicing his kicking with Cook and it was hard not to laugh. The trainer was working closely with McDonald (I presume they were working on his kicking) and after each chat, McDonald would turn, run hard and kick the ball over Cook's head, then shank it to his left, then miss to his right. Meanwhile Cook had no coaches talking to him and McDonald wouldn't have to move as Cook delivered perfectly. Not trying to pick on McDonald, he was trying new things out. We have some great kicking talent, they just are not all ready for AFL yet.

The Fordward Defensive Zone

The dees were working on the full press zone today and I think it was pretty obvious that this is new to the training program. Bailey was working with the team, barking instructions, shouting at players were to move...the players didn't seem to have a strong grasp of what he wanted. Bailey kept yelling at the forwards to close in on the defenders, forcing the team with the ball further and further back to the goal line a la Collingwood. Bailey was taking control of how the Zone should be implemeneted and he looked a bit grumpy, and even did the push ups himself at the end of the session with the rest of the boys as if he wasn't happy with his own performance.

The main worry was that when practicing the press, Bailey would start with the ball in Bartram's hands about 30 meters from goal. Bartram would short kick to Warnock, who would short kick back to Bartram and so on. I've said enough about Bartram in other threads, but seriously, if he is the designated kicker from 30 meters out under immense forward pressure...no further comment. Although Grimes wasn't out there today so perhaps?

Jeremy Howe was being used as a target when players were trying to kick out of the zone. Bartram hit him up a few times in the middle of the ground and I just wonder if Howe won't be played up the ground as a strong marking player who will be a key target for defenders kicking up the ground. Howe is also a very nice kick and it might be that players of his size (like Morton) will be used more and more as part of a zone breaking strategy as they can contest in the air if the ball is not kicked to them lace out. Just a thought.

Tom Scully

Haven't siad anything on the Scully matter as yet and almost loath to mention his name for fear of another lengthy and often pointless speculative debate about his future. I will say that he trained well and was not wearing any bracing or strapping on his knee. He was his usual classy self, although personally I couldn't help but look at him in a different light. Earlier in the year I would get a chill down the back of my neck as he did amazing things on the track (one grab clearances, bursting from the pack and hitting up targets, leaving everyone standing around watching). Today at training I almost didn't want to watch as he slotted goals on the run from fifty, as we hate to lose things more than we like to gain them. I could say more but I won't and I think it best we leave it there and don't go on and on about it.

Other than that the training session was overall a little average with a fair few turnovers and few highlights, however it was windy. Liam Jurrah was looking really good and he will beat the Lions single handedly just like he did in China.

Go Dees!

Nice work again Bhima.

Some decent training reports coming from you this preseason.

Much appreciated.

Cheers for the report mate, solid as always.

thanks again Bhima-well done !

Great report, thanks.

According to his tweets, Sylvia apparently has or had some kind of flu.

Refreshing to read a thread thats not all pure speculation, cheers. Glad Bailey is trying to employ new tactics to break the press, will be interesting to see this year whether he can pull some surprises from the coaching box

I agree with your sentiments regarding Tom. Such a dam shame that supporters will consider curtailing their excitement watching him play until he signed up for life...

Thanks Bhima....

Even if they stuff it up completely on Saturday, i would still love to see a couple of things from the team:

1- Keep trying the full press zone as mentioned above, the only way to work out where you need improvement is to try and fail...

2- Our onballers to be relentless in their tackling and pressure...the backline needs the help and it is a weakness of ours at times...

3- More forward 50 entries- at least 45-55...

4- Tapscott to play a good solid game and come through unscathed along with everyone else.

Great read, thanks.

Obviously looking forward to seeing Tappy play (along with 1000s of other Dees supporters).

Also think Howe will be quite a versatile player for us once fully developed.

wrt the forward zone, I have no problem with how bad we are at it in the short term, you've got to start somewhere. So long as we stick with it and improve at it is the main thing as it is quite important in modern footy. I suppose now that we have our forward blue print in place wrt player acquisitions now is the time to make inroads.

Edited March 3, 201114 yr by 1858

Bailey would start with the ball in Bartram's hands about 30 meters from goal. Bartram would short kick to Warnock, who would short kick back to Bartram and so on. I've said enough about Bartram in other threads, but seriously, if he is the designated kicker from 30 meters out under immense forward pressure...no further comment.

I think the thing to take from this is that the aforementioned players need the kicking/decision-making practice under defensive pressure more than the rest of the backs. What better place to work through their shortfalls than at training.

Appreciate the report btw.

Thanks Bhima. I was going to try to get to training today,,, but was up throughout the night a little unwell, even got dressed @ 4.30AM and walked around the block. Too wound up, & so the great pizza from 'Baked in Elwood', was acting up. Not the pizzas fault.

So I missed this morning sleeping in.

Many thanks for your reports Bhima. It's getting close to crunch time.

Given Bartram was taking the kicking set up here, it seems a certainty to me now Strauss doesn't play Round 1. For mine now the backline is now set so interesting to see what other developments come out in the next 2 weeks.

Bhima was that you standing next to the tent with a folder?

At the club's sponsors night during the week Tom McNamara said he has a bit of a hot spot in the foot and will be out for up to six weeks. Bit of a blow. Was making no excuses but apparently was probably affected by it in Adelaide.

Given Bartram was taking the kicking set up here, it seems a certainty to me now Strauss doesn't play Round 1. For mine now the backline is now set so interesting to see what other developments come out in the next 2 weeks.

Disagree. I think there is room for both Strauss and Bartram in the round 1 team if their form was good enough ie. Strauss had 2 very good games in the next 2 weeks. However, I think it will be Strauss missing out for Bennell and Bail (who have increased versatility).

To me Bartram and Warnock were taking the kicks because they are the 2 who will play round 1 and need the work. Makes perfect sense for them to be practicing under high pressure in training.

Thanks Bhima from all of us that can't get to training

Cheers Bhima, much appreciated.

I think the thing to take from this is that the aforementioned players need the kicking/decision-making practice under defensive pressure more than the rest of the backs. What better place to work through their shortfalls than at training.

And clever teams will always leave the weakest kick in the backline free and then close down the options around him. If Bartram plays week in week out, he'll get a lot of real game experience as well. It is interesting that the pre-season seems to go forever yet we now seem to be rushing to fine tune this massively important part of our gameplan with the season just around the corner.

Exactly that happened against Essendon.

Bartram kept on getting the footy, by the bombers' design.

And clever teams will always leave the weakest kick in the backline free and then close down the options around him. If Bartram plays week in week out, he'll get a lot of real game experience as well. It is interesting that the pre-season seems to go forever yet we now seem to be rushing to fine tune this massively important part of our gameplan with the season just around the corner.

It may seem like cramming for an exam, but the boys have 3-4 weeks up their sleeve.

PS. Surely they've done something along these lines over Summer. They would have learnt from sides like Collingwood on what to address over Summer.

The dees were working on the full press zone today and I think it was pretty obvious that this is new to the training program. Bailey was working with the team, barking instructions, shouting at players were to move...the players didn't seem to have a strong grasp of what he wanted.

That's concerning only a few weeks away from rnd 1.

Thanks Bhima

The Fordward Defensive Zone

The dees were working on the full press zone today and I think it was pretty obvious that this is new to the training program.

This seriously concerns me. Bailey obviously did not think we needed a full press zone and has not employed one all pre-season training. Yet off the back of a NAB Cup game and some media he appears to have diverted from what his strategy was and suddenly 3 weeks out from the season starts teaching one.

This seriously concerns me. Bailey obviously did not think we needed a full press zone and has not employed one all pre-season training. Yet off the back of a NAB Cup game and some media he appears to have diverted from what his strategy was and suddenly 3 weeks out from the season starts teaching one.

If you look at the stats MFC has the second worst defensive forward zone in the league

We absorb incredible pressure in our forward zone and not enough in the oppositions

I appears to me( IMO) that we are not fierce enough and will be beaten easily by teams like Colloingwood and now Essendon who apply genuine pressure all day.

The game has changed again. If Davey is our only Zone beater and is so easily tagged we will continue to fail to clear the back 50

At the club's sponsors night during the week Tom McNamara said he has a bit of a hot spot in the foot and will be out for up to six weeks. Bit of a blow. Was making no excuses but apparently was probably affected by it in Adelaide.

Hey WJ,

any chance you can comment on the Gawn thread regarding his status, I'm sure you'll know after Tuesday.

Cheers I would be interested to know

Regards

Wolf

Thanks for the report Bhima, great appreciated.

I also find it staggering that we havent been practicising this kind of full ground pressure all summer, COllingwood lead the way with it last year and won a flag. We're not still trying to imitate Geelongs style of play are we?

And the table in the Herald Sun today showing us second last on the forward pressure ladder was damning. If Aaron Davey is not in the side I'd imagine our figures would be significantly worse.

Is anyone 100% positive we have not practiced the press at all this preseason?

A bit of conjecture here.

And what's to say we weren't practicing countering the press, rather than applying it?