Training Times

The weather forecast is that it's becoming fine and sunny with a max of 24.

Perfect conditions for Casey Fields this morning and I have the morning off.

Hmmm...

Training Times

The weather forecast is that it's becoming fine and sunny with a max of 24.

Perfect conditions for Casey Fields this morning and I have the morning off.

Hmmm...

Yeah, right and congratulations on your day off PF. Make the most of it!

I spent the Christmas break out by the beach at Frankston but missed the opportunity to get to relatively nearby Casey Fields (about 20 minutes against light traffic at that time of year). Now they're down there every second day of the week and I'm stuck in the office. Just my luck!

However, I did manage to check out St. Kilda's facility at Belvedere Park in Seaford and let me say what a second rate facility in drab suburban surroundings that is compared with what we have at both Casey Fields and Gosch's Paddock. It really is true what Mark Neeld and Neil Craig said about us now having facilities that are second to none among all of the AFL clubs. They're certainly superior to the ones at Carlton and I'm not forgetting Chris Judd's famous knock about what we had at the Junction Oval or Brock McLean's snipe about travelling to Casey Fields.

The Saints' facility is truly uninspiring and I can understand the stories about the players not being happy with the place. I reckon the place is as appealing in its appearance as Ross Lyon's game plan. It's not easy to find either but if a 17 year old schoolgirl can make it out there then I'm sure the players could find it as well.

Anyway, I look forward to some good reports from picturesque Casey Fields today while I am left lamenting again in a place and time reminiscent of the lines from that great poem by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson "where a stingy ray of sunlight struggles feebly down between the houses tall, and the foetid air and gritty of the dusty, dirty city through the open window floating, spreads its foulness over all."

Enjoy.

Training Times

The weather forecast is that it's becoming fine and sunny with a max of 24.

Perfect conditions for Casey Fields this morning and I have the day off.

Hmmm...

Looking forward to your report PF.

Can you maybe alter the header from "today" to Friday 20th January.

Makes it easier to follow later on.

Thanks

Just out of interest WJ, how are our facilities superior to carltons?

Just out of interest WJ, how are our facilities superior to carltons?

I've been told they are.

is there anywhere where i can see pictures of our facilities???

And from memory the Saints signed a long term agreement, similar to ours with Casey, down Seaford way didnt they?

Thanks for that.

Looking forward to your reports. Wish I could be there.

Liam got the cast off his hand yesterday, so hopefully he can begin doing some ball work now to get his touch back. At least all the running he's done over the last couple of months should do him the world of good.

is there anywhere where i can see pictures of our facilities???

I've been lucky enough to be inside Aami park and the gym facility is honestly mind boggling with even the recreation room for the players amazing.

In regards to the gym it is literally the size of football oval filled with every equipment you could think of. Never seen Carlton's but it'd have to be good

Liam got the cast off his hand yesterday, so hopefully he can begin doing some ball work now to get his touch back. At least all the running he's done over the last couple of months should do him the world of good.

Sincere thanks for update-cheers

No training news, sorry.

is there anywhere where i can see pictures of our facilities???

A couple of pics: http://demonland.com...1560-aami-park/

Facilities include:

- 2 Lane Running Track - Wrestling Mat - 25m Swimming Pool - Ice Baths - Spa

- Theatrette (70 Person) - Extensive Strength & Conditioning Equipment - Pilates equipment - Boxing ring

Liam got the cast off his hand yesterday, so hopefully he can begin doing some ball work now to get his touch back. At least all the running he's done over the last couple of months should do him the world of good.

awesome news

would love to hear any reports from training. we really are into the business end of pre season now.

Not really impressed by Carlton's facilities. Have seen them quite a few times. Not bad, but nothing like what we are reported to have at AAMI (disclaimer - have only seen Carlton's but not AAMI... I am only able to comment on the fact that their facilities are not brilliant, just good and certainly much better than what we used to have at Junction oval).

these must be some very detailed reports of todays training session coming.......

looking forward to the read later

cant wait for the reports thanks guys

having just rolled the arm over down the nets with a few of the boys from work i can't wait to compare our "gruelling" session with what actual athletes have to go through

Went down to Casey this morning. Great turn out plenty of supporters i thought. Happy to answer any questions on my observations but of particular note:

• Spent the bulk of the session doing match simulations in regards to setups and stoppages. Neeld would yell out “ball up on the 50” or “centre bounce” or “boundary throw in forward pocket” and have players run this way and everyway to get to the stoppage and set up correct. The second the stoppage was won then – BANG – off the run 50 metres to the next stoppage. AFL umpires in attendance to coordinate it all and award free kick if needed. Involved a lot of match related running and quick thinking about YOUR role for the team in every situation. Never seen this happen before, thought it was a smart and brilliant way to combine fitness while testing player’s knowledge. Gysberts excelled at this drill, our best clearance player behind Moloney and his slight frame would be the only thing that could stop him from a big impact this season.
  
• Tapscott, J Viney, Jurrah, Evans, Bartram and McKenzie were off on their own doing running.
  
• Bate wasn’t at training
  
• Magner is a MASSIVE unit, is just Nathan Jones number II and if he has the polish that some mature aged footballers lack to take the next step, will be our Ed Curnow this season. Serviceable and an astute pick i think.
  
• Jeremy Howe really does stand out. If you never seen or knew the players at the MFC and watched today’s session as a Draft Camp, you would say Howe is in the Top 5 most talented players on display and you would draft him!!
  
• Really liked Taggert’s presence and swagger around the track, he seems confident and contributes well. Not always the case – Maric was one example of someone who always seemed to be uncertain.
  
• Its not till you go to training that you appreciate the size of players, with the height of Morton and increased size on Blease catching my eye
  
• Davey and Green are very much class acts, their super goal kicking actual embarrassed their other forwards at times. Davey trained well to my eye, and i think the forward line will change his fortunes. Do think that Green’s “bad year” may be a little exaggerated it think.
  
• Cook is very much a development player, but his talent is there. Coming off a low base due to injury. He is Watts 2 years ago, and we all know what has happened to that man since. Give him time at Casey 2012 and judge him the year after.
  
• Clark is a serious size, a little slower than i thought but probably has bulked up since Brisbane to be the gorilla i need.
  
• The old “Speccy Bag” came out towards the end for the big fellas to take hangers. Petterd, Howe and Stef Martin the standouts here. LOVED IT!!!
  
• Troy Davis trained with the midfielders, and has nice skills and pace for a KPP. Good luck to him at Casey this year, he is a debut chance in 2012
  

Enjoyed my morning very much. In honestly don’t recognise my Club anymore. And i am wrapt!!!!

We are prepared, have talent but also the structures to ensure its not just potential. Whether the Club wants me to or not, i have Top 8 expectation this season now.

Thanks for the report JJH.

Can you give any detail on the rucking at the stoppages... Did the talls rotate responsibilities?

Went down to Casey this morning. Great turn out plenty of supporters i thought. Happy to answer any questions on my observations but of particular note:

• Spent the bulk of the session doing match simulations in regards to setups and stoppages. Neeld would yell out “ball up on the 50” or “centre bounce” or “boundary throw in forward pocket” and have players run this way and everyway to get to the stoppage and set up correct. The second the stoppage was won then – BANG – off the run 50 metres to the next stoppage. AFL umpires in attendance to coordinate it all and award free kick if needed. Involved a lot of match related running and quick thinking about YOUR role for the team in every situation. Never seen this happen before, thought it was a smart and brilliant way to combine fitness while testing player’s knowledge. Gysberts excelled at this drill, our best clearance player behind Moloney and his slight frame would be the only thing that could stop him from a big impact this season.
  
• Tapscott, J Viney, Jurrah, Evans, Bartram and McKenzie were off on their own doing running.
  
• Bate wasn’t at training
  
• Magner is a MASSIVE unit, is just Nathan Jones number II and if he has the polish that some mature aged footballers lack to take the next step, will be our Ed Curnow this season. Serviceable and an astute pick i think.
  
• Jeremy Howe really does stand out. If you never seen or knew the players at the MFC and watched today’s session as a Draft Camp, you would say Howe is in the Top 5 most talented players on display and you would draft him!!
  
• Really liked Taggert’s presence and swagger around the track, he seems confident and contributes well. Not always the case – Maric was one example of someone who always seemed to be uncertain.
  
• Its not till you go to training that you appreciate the size of players, with the height of Morton and increased size on Blease catching my eye
  
• Davey and Green are very much class acts, their super goal kicking actual embarrassed their other forwards at times. Davey trained well to my eye, and i think the forward line will change his fortunes. Do think that Green’s “bad year” may be a little exaggerated it think.
  
• Cook is very much a development player, but his talent is there. Coming off a low base due to injury. He is Watts 2 years ago, and we all know what has happened to that man since. Give him time at Casey 2012 and judge him the year after.
  
• Clark is a serious size, a little slower than i thought but probably has bulked up since Brisbane to be the gorilla i need.
  
• The old “Speccy Bag” came out towards the end for the big fellas to take hangers. Petterd, Howe and Stef Martin the standouts here. LOVED IT!!!
  
• Troy Davis trained with the midfielders, and has nice skills and pace for a KPP. Good luck to him at Casey this year, he is a debut chance in 2012
  

Enjoyed my morning very much. In honestly don’t recognise my Club anymore. And i am wrapt!!!!

We are prepared, have talent but also the structures to ensure its not just potential. Whether the Club wants me to or not, i have Top 8 expectation this season now.

Thanks for the report it all sounds good, I'm like others really looking forward to the start of the season.

Thanks for the report, JJH.

It is good to hear for the first time in a long time that Neeld is seen to be getting involved, and it sounds as if he has strong ideas and plans.

I suspect that he has great trust in his hand picked line coaches and fitness staff, and lets them have a bit of free reign before melding it all together himself. Not too much micromanagement, rather overseeing the big picture, but I would be sure that he will be prepared to shoulder full responsibility for the club's outcomes. He should also (hopefully) shoulder the glory as well!!

The stoppage and clearance drills sound exciting and pretty hard, and certainly one would hope will fill a glaring deficiency in our set up.

I am really looking forward to seeing all this hard work being put into action.

The stoppage drill with umpires ect, running to positions to set up ect sounded epically great. love the real simulation type stuff, game scenario ect

Also, with the Assistants, no doubt Neeld coaches them to coach alot of training, then just takes it all in rather than being distracted by being a teacher and observer. He will have made nearly every move the day before imo.

• Spent the bulk of the session doing match simulations in regards to setups and stoppages. Neeld would yell out “ball up on the 50” or “centre bounce” or “boundary throw in forward pocket” and have players run this way and everyway to get to the stoppage and set up correct. The second the stoppage was won then – BANG – off the run 50 metres to the next stoppage. AFL umpires in attendance to coordinate it all and award free kick if needed. Involved a lot of match related running and quick thinking about YOUR role for the team in every situation. Never seen this happen before, thought it was a smart and brilliant way to combine fitness while testing player’s knowledge. Gysberts excelled at this drill, our best clearance player behind Moloney and his slight frame would be the only thing that could stop him from a big impact this season.
  

Living in NSW I haven't seen a training run for years so I don't really know what the standard is but that sounds great. Any advantage that can be gathered when the ball is in dispute will go a long way toward winning a game.

I believe the forwards have the firepower and the backs the talent to do what is required of them but niether of these things will work properly unless the mids can control the tempo of the game (ie fast into the forwards and slow it a bit when it is going the other way).

Yeah, I'm starting to get excited.

Thanks for the report, JJH.

It is good to hear for the first time in a long time that Neeld is seen to be getting involved, and it sounds as if he has strong ideas and plans.

I suspect that he has great trust in his hand picked line coaches and fitness staff, and lets them have a bit of free reign before melding it all together himself. Not too much micromanagement, rather overseeing the big picture, but I would be sure that he will be prepared to shoulder full responsibility for the club's outcomes. He should also (hopefully) shoulder the glory as well!!

The stoppage and clearance drills sound exciting and pretty hard, and certainly one would hope will fill a glaring deficiency in our set up.

I am really looking forward to seeing all this hard work being put into action.

I have found these sort of comments interesting over the last month or so of training reports; it appears there is a perception that what we see on the training track fully encapsulates the training program. Reading how Neeld describes his working week he is clearly across and involved in every element of the training regime. I base this on no first hand experience but I am positive that by the time the players get out onto the track everyone knows what their respective targets are. This leaves him to oversee rather than actively participate; after all that is exactly what his myriad coaches are there for.

Go Dees