Had the opportunity this morning to drop by for the 1st time in years. Mixed results. I also jumped on the bike to look at the Tiges which was a significant contrast in style and content. I did sit within earshot of Wayne Campbell and co for 20 minutes, their critique of our list and style was mostly uninteresting.

Lots of skills work (it was needed) and a press breaking drill were performed for the better part of an hour. I didn't think it was too intense but it got a little ugly at times due to skill and decision errors.

Good:

The team as a whole looks very fit and stronger than the 2012 squad.

Watts. When the game is flowing he looks a million dollars. Darts through traffic, makes good decisions and executes. I am waiting to see him get isolated by the opposition during the season proper though....

Viney. Scrubbed a few but clearly ticks boxes. His speed off the mark is surprising up close. He said he is very excited

Hogan. Great hands. I watched him closely the whole session and he could be the best young tall (huge call after 1 viewing) since Schwarz, Neitz and Bergman(I think that was his name) were running around in the U/19's/reserves. I like his enthusiasm, size and did I mention his clean hands?...

Hmmm what else... Dawes is huge, Frawley is super competitive in everything, Barry has studied the "How to" manual by Michael Long very well, Rodan is very cheeky.

Bad:

Missed kicks. The usual suspects; Bail, Fitzpatrick, Nicholson, and some of the newer guys were the main offenders but across the board I thought the skills were down.

Richmond looks way better than us.

FYI Tynan was running laps, could be why he isnt available tomorrow night.

To be honest the session wasn't the best for getting a formline etc....

Thanks for the report JJJ..

But seriously.. Couldn't you just lie about the melb/rich comparison. I know its a reality check, but I want to hear only good reports on the eve of our first game back.

Unfortunately we are about a year back from where Richmond is.

Ill be glad to have a similar season to what the tigers had last year.

Unfortunately we are about a year back from where Richmond is.

Ill be glad to have a similar season to what the tigers had last year.

excluding the loss the Gold Coast i'd imagine

Unfortunately we are about a year back from where Richmond is.

Ill be glad to have a similar season to what the tigers had last year.

It may seem that way at the moment but in 2010 we and the public thought we were 2 to 3 years ahead of them and Meth Coast

I was there but I won't comment on the level of training because we will find out more tomorrow than any critique of today's training.

Firstly Tynan jogged laps, some set back after the intraclub.

Mostly skills training and divided in positional groups.

Clark and Trengove appeared briefly on the sidelines to watch training.

Grimes, macdonald, davey, spencer and jamar amongst others had light sessions.

Taggert, tapscott, bail, stark, Davis, Barry did an extra drill late as they aren't playing tomorrow.

Sylvia looked sharp.

The big Fitz moved well up forward and practiced a lot of snaps in his own version of the j curve. He'll be damn hard to stop in the Vfl I'm just not convinced about him at the top level yet.

excluding the loss the Gold Coast i'd imagine

But including thumping the hawks...

But including thumping the hawks...

Hmm yeah i'd probably endure a loss to the Gold Coast to smash the hawks.

one of the comments I 'accidently' overheard from the RFC staff was that we had a forward line (when fully healthy) that would worry most teams but they thought our lack of midfield power would be our downfall. hardly ground breaking news but when you compare our midfield to the Tiges you see our talent shortfall.

The other thing that was kind of interesting was how the RFC staff critiqued our stoppage work. We set up differently with Jamar than we do with Spencer apparently as Jamar provides more clean ball. One of them who I did not recognise joked that Viney's presence may change that.

Thanks for the report JJJ.

Can i ask in what ways were Richmond better?

Well that was a downer..

Appreciate the honesty though.

I just hope people have not gone to early on Viney.........He is just an 18 year old kid who has not yet played a game......

Shane Burgmann!! That's a blast from the past, I remember seeing him when I was much younger, looked a great prospect. From memory didn't he have something tragic happen with his family which made it really difficult for him?

I just hope people have not gone to early on Viney.........He is just an 18 year old kid who has not yet played a game......

So the $50 i put on him to take out the NAB Rising Star / Brownlow double is a bit much?

one of the comments I 'accidently' overheard from the RFC staff was that we had a forward line (when fully healthy) that would worry most teams but they thought our lack of midfield power would be our downfall. hardly ground breaking news but when you compare our midfield to the Tiges you see our talent shortfall.

The other thing that was kind of interesting was how the RFC staff critiqued our stoppage work. We set up differently with Jamar than we do with Spencer apparently as Jamar provides more clean ball. One of them who I did not recognise joked that Viney's presence may change that.

JJJ - thanks for the reports and the incognito detective work. One of the better insights for a training report.

Wtf is Roost It & his critique company when you need them!

JJJ has thrown down the gauntlet to you all. Opposition detective work - hahaha. Loved it!

Why is the Richmond midfield better....oh that's right it has got them into the finals the last few years hasn't it.......no not really but the media says so, so it must be right........let's wait and see shall we...our midfield is completely different....Richmond has no idea how it is going to perform.....we know exactly what Richmond has to offer.........there is no Foley tomorrow......Cotchin is now captain as well....who says the pressure won't get to him.......

Why is the Richmond midfield better....oh that's right it has got them into the finals the last few years hasn't it.......no not really but the media says so, so it must be right........let's wait and see shall we...our midfield is completely different....Richmond has no idea how it is going to perform.....we know exactly what Richmond has to offer.........there is no Foley tomorrow......Cotchin is now captain as well....who says the pressure won't get to him.......

I agree their midfield isn't elite at all. Better then ours? Yes, but not good.

North hasn't been hyped as much as Richmond.

North have actually played finals football in recent times.

Richmond = 9th place forever.

So the $50 i put on him to take out the NAB Rising Star / Brownlow double is a bit much?

what odds did ya get for that? il double it for ya and you can chuck 50 this way?

North hasn't been hyped as much as Richmond.

North have actually played finals football in recent times.

Richmond = 9th place forever.

Fitting that they're $9 for the flag. Haven't played finals in 12 years.

Expectations are very high though.......$9!

tiges are well ahead of us, lets be honest

our midfield is average and we have spent all summer pumping up two first year players who are meant to make the "world of difference" in there

tiges are well ahead of us, lets be honest

our midfield is average and we have spent all summer pumping up two first year players who are meant to make the "world of difference" in there

Are they?.....not a ball kicked in anger.....if you want to start with an inferiority complex that's your choice......Jones, McKenzie and Grimes are not average, all have had a complete preseason, throw in Rodan, Magner, Sylvia....and then Viney and Toumpas...I am quietly optimistic.....not rose coloured....personally I think we will have a break even season.....and in my opinion so will Richmond

Skills will vary depending on the type of session and drills imposed. The OP mentions that we were doing press breaking drills for an hour. By nature balls are going to go wide in that type of drill.

Richmond may have been doing a completely different drill. It does make a difference. I don't think you can look at one session of each club and make any meaningful comparison.

Watts.

When the game is flowing he looks a million dollars. Darts through

traffic, makes good decisions and executes. I am waiting to see him get

isolated by the opposition during the season proper though....

That's what I'm hoping for. We can't let him slip through his entire career as a loose defender. He can be a defender if that's where his best spot is (which I think is the case), but no player should be so deficient in basic man on man skills that they risk opening up their own side whenever they are left without support.

But including thumping the hawks...

and not losing all the close games that Richmond did all of last year!