Just tweeted by melbournefc:

The Dees will have an open training session at Gosch's Paddock tomorrow morning from 9:40am - http://bit.ly/e442MA

Anybody get down to training this morning, keen to hear how the team looked?????

Rehab Group: Tappy, Jordie, Spencer, Davey, Bartram, Williams, Viney, Evans, Grimes, Strauss.

Jurrah and Sylvia did some drills with the main group but did not do the simulated match practice.

Standouts: Watts, Howe, Jones, Clark, Gysberts

Random Information: The AFL strictly control when clubs can start having Intra club practice matches and that is much of the reason why "situational" drills are played.

Training was very much along the lines of previous reports. Warm up, three or four drills, two close in handball/blocking drills, one ball movement around the ground and then some "match simulation" stuff that involved a moderate level of physical contact. Session wasn't overly long, starting shortly after 9.45 and finishing by about 11.30.

Why is Grimes in the rehab group

Anyone know?????

Why is Grimes in the rehab group

Anyone know?????

because its grimes, when isnt he in the rehab group

Hey guys, 

Got down to training this morning so here are a few observations ...

• Overall the intensity of the session was really good players looked really switched on;

• Ricky Petterd looked really sharp with his skills as did JB;

• Cale Morton, despite all the shite he gets, was working hard and did quite well in the contested ball situations. In the match simulation drills and he definitely looks a bit bigger and stronger;

• Lucas Cook and Jack Watts' kicking are terrific to watch;

• the rehab group was the same, LJ completed a part of the main session which was good he is looking fit and skillful as ever, JV ran a whole heap of laps and looks like he could step into our midfield this season, shame we have to wait;

• Jack Grimes didn't train with the main group obviously managing his loads carefully

• James Sellar did a lot of the kicking out in the match simulation and I reckon he will play round 1 

• one of the drills was focusing on blocking for each other against the opposition, a real area that needed work after last season;

• Trenners' new nickname from the boys is skip of course, as always he is so professional with everything he does has that follow me aura about him!

Can't wait for the intraclub next Friday! 

Happy to answer questions.

Why is Grimes in the rehab group

Anyone know?????

I'd think it was nothing more than a load issue for Grimes, Davey, Bartram and Strauss. Not all players do all sessions - their workloads are monitored and individually tailored to best suit their situations.

I'd think it was nothing more than a load issue for Grimes, Davey, Bartram and Strauss. Not all players do all sessions - their workloads are monitored and individually tailored to best suit their situations.

Ta

• Ricky Petterd looked really sharp with his skills as did JB

Excuse my ignorance, whose JB?

• James Sellar did a lot of the kicking out in the match simulation and I reckon he will play round 1

Seems strange to have one of our biggest marking targets taking kick-ins. Does he have a lethal boot?

Excuse my ignorance, whose JB?

Am guessing Jamie Bennell

Who's JB?

Jamie Bennell, of course.

I got down to training for the last half hour and was super impressed with our kicking efficiency.

Concluding the match simulation drill, the squad was split into 2, with one half playing 'keepings off' in a 50m by 50m square with only KICKING, while the other half was also playing 'keepings off' in a 20m by 20m square with disposal only by HAND (each group effectively had 2 teams of bibs and non-bibs).

We looked like a totally new team with our ball skills by foot. The drill would last for about 7 minutes and the ball would only hit the deck at most 2 to 3 times.

Can't wait for the season to begin so we can actually see it all in real match play!

I spoke to Jack Grimes to congatulate on captaincy....he said Wednesday is a 'light' day for him, he is fit and raring to go, also spoke to Spencer who is a week or two away, Evans same thing and Nev Jetta a week away from contact....no more green vest

Excuse my ignorance, whose JB?

He's our JB!

Went down and had a look. As previously mentioned every body looked pretty sharp however one player stood out for contested marking. Jade Rawlings! The guy seriously looks fit and contested with the best of them in the match simulations.

I thought training was VERY disappointing today.  

 

I was down there for an hour (so missed the last half hour when apparently skills were up) - but I thought the kicking skills that I witnessed today were just woeful.  

Simple circle work to start off with, I saw heaps of balls either dropping short, going straight over their heads or helicoptering into teammates whilst the guy delivering was under no pressure.  Guys were double grabbing simple marks all over the shop.  I won't single out players but I saw targets missed by often 5-10 metres by half a dozen different guys, some senior players.  

The coaches were paying little attention it seemed, I didn't see them admonishing anyone.  Not even Craigy who I normally see ripping into some poor bugger (Fitzpatrick).

 

When the match drill started, it got worse, short uncontested chips missing targets, guys kicking on the full from full back twice in a minute.  As soon as a tackler was within 5 metres, their technique went to water.

 

Not good enough today.  

I've seen some awesome sessions so far and I can't fault how hard the boys have worked on the fitness, but today's skills were far short of what I would expect from an AFL team, whether it's early Feb or not.  I'm really worried this will continue to be our achilles heel this year.

 

Just hope it was 'one of those days' when the vibe just isn't there for whatever reason, I know it can happen.  Really surprised to hear people say the guys looked sharp today, I certainly didn't feel that way.

The reason the ball went out on the full, the guys looking to mark it ran towards the non existent line, which I assume the kicker couldn't see and it was with the wind, not easy to judge

Yeah there were a few bad kicks In a tricky cross wind , but I think u are just highlighting the bad , on a whole the skills were very good in my opinion , also it seems that the game plan is too go wide coming out of defence so with players leading wide a few balls got picked up by the wind, so that was bound to happen on occasions

Edited February 8, 201213 yr by Jack Attack

Standouts: Watts, Howe, Jones, Clark, Gysberts

Random Information: The AFL strictly control when clubs can start having Intra club practice matches and that is much of the reason why "situational" drills are played.

Leaving aside putting it down to the megalomaniac in charge, why would the AFL control this? Do they say how many laps and push-ups can be done before Xmas too? Amazing.

Leaving aside putting it down to the megalomaniac in charge, why would the AFL control this? Do they say how many laps and push-ups can be done before Xmas too? Amazing.

I'm guessing it's part of the CBA - number of matches players can be required to play including intra-club practice matches.

There's a standard number of weeks off and a defined day off per week.

I thought training was VERY disappointing today.  

 

I was down there for an hour (so missed the last half hour when apparently skills were up) - but I thought the kicking skills that I witnessed today were just woeful.  

Simple circle work to start off with, I saw heaps of balls either dropping short, going straight over their heads or helicoptering into teammates whilst the guy delivering was under no pressure.  Guys were double grabbing simple marks all over the shop.  I won't single out players but I saw targets missed by often 5-10 metres by half a dozen different guys, some senior players.  

The coaches were paying little attention it seemed, I didn't see them admonishing anyone.  Not even Craigy who I normally see ripping into some poor bugger (Fitzpatrick).

 

When the match drill started, it got worse, short uncontested chips missing targets, guys kicking on the full from full back twice in a minute.  As soon as a tackler was within 5 metres, their technique went to water.

 

Not good enough today.  

I've seen some awesome sessions so far and I can't fault how hard the boys have worked on the fitness, but today's skills were far short of what I would expect from an AFL team, whether it's early Feb or not.  I'm really worried this will continue to be our achilles heel this year.

 

Just hope it was 'one of those days' when the vibe just isn't there for whatever reason, I know it can happen.  Really surprised to hear people say the guys looked sharp today, I certainly didn't feel that way.

By the sounds of that report, it's lucky you got it mixed up and went to Casey fields to watch today's training session. The group you were watching were from the Cranbourne High School Year 7 and 8 team.

I thought training was VERY disappointing today.

I was down there for an hour (so missed the last half hour when apparently skills were up) - but I thought the kicking skills that I witnessed today were just woeful.

Simple circle work to start off with, I saw heaps of balls either dropping short, going straight over their heads or helicoptering into teammates whilst the guy delivering was under no pressure. Guys were double grabbing simple marks all over the shop. I won't single out players but I saw targets missed by often 5-10 metres by half a dozen different guys, some senior players.

The coaches were paying little attention it seemed, I didn't see them admonishing anyone. Not even Craigy who I normally see ripping into some poor bugger (Fitzpatrick).

When the match drill started, it got worse, short uncontested chips missing targets, guys kicking on the full from full back twice in a minute. As soon as a tackler was within 5 metres, their technique went to water.

Not good enough today.

I've seen some awesome sessions so far and I can't fault how hard the boys have worked on the fitness, but today's skills were far short of what I would expect from an AFL team, whether it's early Feb or not. I'm really worried this will continue to be our achilles heel this year.

Just hope it was 'one of those days' when the vibe just isn't there for whatever reason, I know it can happen. Really surprised to hear people say the guys looked sharp today, I certainly didn't feel that way.

It's been our achilles heel for years. Gameplans, coaches, facilities are nice, but the top sides have sublime foot skills (under pressre) and move it with ease...who could forget watching games in 2008, when you could see the turnover before it happened. We've come a long way since then, but infuriating nonetheless

Can always rely on training reports for a huge diversity of opinion.

Some of the kicking was poor, but the poster that highlighted this must never have tried kicking in a strong cross wind with no stands for protection. If he had he probably wouldn't have bothered mentioning it.

Some of the kicking was poor, but the poster that highlighted this must never have tried kicking in a strong cross wind with no stands for protection. If he had he probably wouldn't have bothered mentioning it.

Silly call. I've been playing footy for 12 years now and I'd like to think most posters on here would have enough experience to know the difference between a 'wind affected' kick and a total shank. To help you out, here's some handy tips on how to spot a shank. Ask yourself these simple questions:

1. Is the footy is spinning forwards, not backwards in the air?

2. Does the footy goes at right angles off the boot?

3. Is Cale Morton about to have a shot at an open goal on the run?

SHANKS