Well done guys. Great detail and I concur with the wraps on Jade Rawlings.

I think our training in previous years had been a little too simple, just your every day drills that you would see at local clubs. There would be more drills using cones and following them.

The drills done today were done under pressure, usually with a player right on the other players back, so if the kick or mark was no good the drill was stopped.

The drills were also more real, where the balls were pumped into the forward half with mongrel kicks to make it more difficult to read, not simply popped into the air gently.

To put it simply, it also seems the players are working harder and trying harder than I have seen previously.

But as I said before, it does not mean it will translate into the game, we can just hope it does!

If the adage is true: "you play like you train" - then we should be much better at performing under pressure this year! Seems so simple really, to simulate match conditions at training.

hey guys, I think Gysberts has dropped off the radar a bit. He has struggled to put on much wait in the last 2 pre-seasons but his ball finding ability is arguably the best at the club. How many touches a game we think Gysberts will get this season?

He averaged 19 last season in an injury riddled season.

hay anyone that went do our boys look any bigger?

haha i didnt even have to mention your name mate and i still got a nibble!

Like a moth to the flame!

If the adage is true: "you play like you train" - then we should be much better at performing under pressure this year! Seems so simple really, to simulate match conditions at training.

Everyone is training great in January and at this rate the top eight is going to have 14 teams in it.

The playing group has changed by one senior player and half a dozen kids.

Keep Leopards in mind.

Everyone is training great in January and at this rate the top eight is going to have 14 teams in it.

The playing group has changed by one senior player and half a dozen kids.

Keep Leopards in mind.

Yeah of course. I wasn't suggesting that we would be in the top eight by any stretch. I just though it was interesting that some of the posters noted that there is noticeable switch to training drills that simulate match conditions compared to previous years. You would have thought this would be pretty standard practice at AFL levels! It seems like a simple concept really, but obviously harder to do in practice that in theory. Glad to see the new coaches are bringin in some new drills

Everyone is training great in January and at this rate the top eight is going to have 14 teams in it.

The playing group has changed by one senior player and half a dozen kids.

Keep Leopards in mind.

they say leopards don't lose their spots

does that mean zebras lose their stripes?

something to ponder

Yeah of course. I wasn't suggesting that we would be in the top eight by any stretch. I just though it was interesting that some of the posters noted that there is noticeable switch to training drills that simulate match conditions compared to previous years. You would have thought this would be pretty standard practice at AFL levels! It seems like a simple concept really, but obviously harder to do in practice that in theory. Glad to see the new coaches are bringin in some new drills

I agree with your basic theme, it would appear that in the past couple of years we were well below the level of most AFL teams.

Unfortunatley at the end of March the coaching panel will not be the ones running out to play.

We will then start to see if they are as clever as they appear at present.

they say leopards don't lose their spots

does that mean zebras lose their stripes?

something to ponder

I have never been able to decide if they are a white horse with black strips or a black horse with white strips.

they are a bit like the Pies.

One decade they are a white jumper with black stripes and the next a black jumper with a few white stripes.

But Eddy will tell you the pies do not change their jumper.

There is truely lots in life to ponder DC

Thanks for the reports.

Appreciate the reports guys.

Do we need to bring down the expectations on Howe from the clouds? I love the way he plays but he is being built up massively in the training reports.

Looks like for the 3rd year in a row Tapscott hasn't had much of a pre season which is disappointing.

Can't wait for the practice matches.

Appreciate the reports guys.

Do we need to bring down the expectations on Howe from the clouds? I love the way he plays but he is being built up massively in the training reports.

Looks like for the 3rd year in a row Tapscott hasn't had much of a pre season which is disappointing.

Can't wait for the practice matches.

Agree stranga.

There is a lot of comment about Grimes and his inability to stay on the park.

Tapscott cannot be far behind him.

He might struggle to get a game early this year.

Edited January 18, 201213 yr by old dee

Tapscott had a shitty preseason last year (worse than this year from memory?) yet still played round 1, smashed it, and continued on to total 15 games for the season. I'm hoping his training restrictions are more of a precautionary thing than a necessary thing.

Thanks to all for the reports. I also admit that I cant wait for the regular updates during the week.

For those that have been attending training is Sellar a chance to start round 1?

These Jack Watts comments are a recurring theme. I have to admit it worries me a bit. Travis Johnstone comes to mind.

We've heard the same thing since day one, lack of intensity, needs to get involved etc... From supporters and coaches alike. Disappointed that I'm still hearing it.

Firstly, my sincere thanks to all who were able to get there today and who filed those detailed reports for those who can't

I haven't been able to get to a training session for a couple of years now, but from reading these reports there appears to be a lot more structure to the group drills, and also far more personal tailoring of fitness and running, the latter I presume being from Missen and Craig.

Again, the perennial call at this time of year is "wow, best preseason for decades" but to long time observers, is this really happening?

I may have missed it, but did any of you see Neeld during any of these drills or simulations? It sounds as if he is allowing a fair bit of freedom to the line coaches, which I presume is a mark of confidence in a job well done rather than indifference. I would assume that he is somewhere watching it all, taking it all in and formulating a winning game plan, as well as alternative plans, which have been lacking for many years.

I am certainly getting excited about the coming season - bring it on!

These Jack Watts comments are a recurring theme. I have to admit it worries me a bit. Travis Johnstone comes to mind. We've heard the same thing since day one, lack of intensity, needs to get involved etc... From supporters and coaches alike. Disappointed that I'm still hearing it.

It'll worry me too, if I hear it from the Coaching Staff.

It'll worry me too, if I hear it from the Coaching Staff.

They mentioned it a month and a half ago.

Thanks for all the reports guys, particularly Yoko...Great stuff. It sounds like right now it is as good as we can expect for January.

They mentioned it a month and a half ago.

I think Neeld mentioned that he needed to concentrate on his core business which is football and not to worry about issues like making ads for Energy Watch. I doubt he ever compared him to Trapper.

I think Neeld mentioned that he needed to concentrate on his core business which is football and not to worry about issues like making ads for Energy Watch. I doubt he ever compared him to Trapper.

I never said Neeld compared Watts to Trapper, I said the way Watts trains, the comments from supporters at training, and comments from the coaches (in the media and off the record) makes me think of Trapper.

They mentioned it a month and a half ago.

"They" didn't. On the other hand ...

"“Jack is at the front of the group, he’s busting his butt off - he’s working hard,” Brown told radio 3AW."

FYI: http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/12/22/mega-watts-lighting-up-the-track/

"They" didn't. On the other hand ...

"“Jack is at the front of the group, he’s busting his butt off - he’s working hard,” Brown told radio 3AW."

FYI: http://www.sportsnew...g-up-the-track/

I was going to mention that article actually, it came from nowhere, you look at all the training reports from around that time, Jack is hardly mentioned anywhere.

Whatever, I'm a Watts fan, I was a Trapper fan too, that's what scares me.

I knew having a slight worry about the golden boy would ruffle some feathers. How dare I question anything in this greatest of all pre-seasons!

It'll worry me too, if I hear it from the Coaching Staff.

As I've said before on this site, a good mate of mine ended up being joined by two of our line coaches for beers during the early parts of pre season. Long story, but both he and his gf - a dees supporter - work in sport and they asked about Watts.

The quote I received was: "he's got no heart". Said in a way, as in "they're going to get him one". Huge talent obviously, but doesn't work hard enough.