Training - Friday 29th November, 2013

[Robbie57 1,996]

We can only hope Green comes back to the club.

[Gorgoroth 12,431]

Cheers guys, appreciate it.

[DeeVoted 582]

We can only hope Green comes back to the club.

Great reports guys. Lets hope Malthouse teaches Green better than he did with Neeld

[DeeSpencer 23,637]

Great reports... did Clark pull up ok after the session? No concerned looks from the physios etc? I'm pleased to read that Barry is doing so well... I get the feeling he may be one of the biggest surprises at the MFC in season 2014.

Now that we have two comprehensive training reports in, let the bickering begin.

Well I'd disagree right there on Barry. He looks better than last year but still skinny and still doesn't train with top intensity. Too many floated kicks and handballs and mental errors. I like him as a prospect but he still looks more like a young draftee than a seasoned AFL trainer. Which of course is fair enough given his age but for him to take the next step and perform at AFL he has to train at the top level.

[burfy174 7]

I was also at the training today. Im suprised nobody has mentioned how good trenners looked today! He was flying around and looking very sharp IMO. He looks like he's put on 3 or 4 kg but not in an overweight looking way, he looks really strong and powerful!

He actually is my smokey for our best & fairest next year. I rekon he's going to turn it around now that he has lost the pressure of being captain.

[Maldonboy38 6,093]

Well I'd disagree right there on Barry. He looks better than last year but still skinny and still doesn't train with top intensity. Too many floated kicks and handballs and mental errors. I like him as a prospect but he still looks more like a young draftee than a seasoned AFL trainer. Which of course is fair enough given his age but for him to take the next step and perform at AFL he has to train at the top level.

I watched him for some time and was impressed. I didn't get a sense at all of his kicks "floating", but some where put out wide for people to run on to. And I have to politely disagree about him still being skinny. He is not, nor ever will be huge but he is a lot bigger than for the 2013 season.

I was also at the training today. Im suprised nobody has mentioned how good trenners looked today! He was flying around and looking very sharp IMO. He looks like he's put on 3 or 4 kg but not in an overweight looking way, he looks really strong and powerful!

He actually is my smokey for our best & fairest next year. I rekon he's going to turn it around now that he has lost the pressure of being captain.

I agree about Trengove; sorry I forgot to mention him. He was sharp and focused today, and looks physically very strong. His awareness and decision making today were first class, but that has never been a weakness for him. His lack of pace remains a worry but I agree he is also my pick for B&F this year. Let's hope.

[DeeSpencer 23,637]

I was also at the training today. Im suprised nobody has mentioned how good trenners looked today! He was flying around and looking very sharp IMO. He looks like he's put on 3 or 4 kg but not in an overweight looking way, he looks really strong and powerful!

He actually is my smokey for our best & fairest next year. I rekon he's going to turn it around now that he has lost the pressure of being captain.

I don't want to go off too early is the only reason I'm not making much a comment. He looks good and is moving well. I expect him to play well in 2014 as his back half of 2013 was improving so with a preseason he should be at least a capable and reliable performer but it's too early to be convinced he'll be a star in 2014.

[Young Dee 1,303]

Photos of training on MFC website:

Photo gallery: Friday 29 November

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Great reports, appreciate the effort. I'm hoping to get down next week.

[DeeSpencer 23,637]

I watched him for some time and was impressed. I didn't get a sense at all of his kicks "floating", but some where put out wide for people to run on to. And I have to politely disagree about him still being skinny. He is not, nor ever will be huge but he is a lot bigger than for the 2013 season.

Just for him to get a game I want to see him (or any AFL player for that matter) at training looking strong, clean, fast and penetrating by foot. Toumpas is training like that in a lot of ways. Barry's size doesn't bother me too much but his legs are still very skinny, he doesn't train at a fast pace and for mine he's not challenging himself by foot.

Maybe I'm wrong but I still see a gap between how he trains and the likes of Evans, Watts and Toumpas.

Edited November 29, 2013 by the master

[monoccular 16,595]

Thanks all

Particularly heartened by this quote from The Master:

"Main drills focused on quick ball movement and then follow up running. Ie kick wide to a back flank who then kicks up to the wing and by the time that's happened the original kicker is up getting the handball off the guy who marked on the wing. Real emphasis on following up and getting to the next contest. Game day running stuff.....,"

It has been far too long since we have seen any of our players following up disposals by hand or by foot with a receive......can hardly remember one such instance under the reign of the last two coaches. If they can keep this up in season we will make good progress.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I was also at the training today. Im suprised nobody has mentioned how good trenners looked today! He was flying around and looking very sharp IMO. He looks like he's put on 3 or 4 kg but not in an overweight looking way, he looks really strong and powerful!

He actually is my smokey for our best & fairest next year. I rekon he's going to turn it around now that he has lost the pressure of being captain.

In the couple of training sessions I've seen Trengove has moved really well. Surprisingly well. I didn't mention it because I've been so disappointed with his output and movement these last two years I want to wait until I see it on game-day. And I also felt this time last year he was moving better.

But yes, there are promising signs.

[hardtack 10,186]

Well I'd disagree right there on Barry. He looks better than last year but still skinny and still doesn't train with top intensity. Too many floated kicks and handballs and mental errors. I like him as a prospect but he still looks more like a young draftee than a seasoned AFL trainer. Which of course is fair enough given his age but for him to take the next step and perform at AFL he has to train at the top level.

That's why he will be such a big surprise :-)

[beelzebub 22,705]

Just ripping stuff chaps....thanks

[RalphiusMaximus 6,000]

I went along this morning for about 1.5 hours. I am lucky I checked the MFC website because I was heading to Casey and they changed it at late notice again!!

Anyway... the first thing to report is the feel of happiness in the playing group. That sounds lame I know but let me explain. There is always a lot of banter and mucking around regardless of the coach but it was more than general banter. Roos and the coaching staff were interacting with the players with a smile on their face, laughing with them as if the coaches, players and training assistants weren't separate entities -they are all MFC. Very relaxed, very interactive but dead serious once the drills started.

A few times Roos stopped things, and the drill participants came around and he spent time explaining positioning and where/when to run.

Gawn, Tapscott, McKenzie, Tyson, Garland and Strauss were in a group - I am assuming the rehab group although a few of the younger boys like Georgiou and Salem were with them at the beginning - did run, after run, after run almost for the entire time I was there. Tapscott was really putting in and almost puked at one stage right in front of me. Byrnes, Howe and Bail were with this group also, but later peeled off to jog endless laps at a decent pace. Tyson is a very big boy: huge through the bum, hips and thighs and has dynamic hands. In the one ball drill this group stopped to do, his skills looked as good as anyone on our list. Vince was with this group early but went inside half way through.

I wouldn't have thought this prior to training today but there are options for the small forward position. Barry, Kennedy-Harris (JKH from now on) and Byrnes all look set to fight for this position. Barry looked outstanding today - ran well, chucked his body in, and kicked cleanly. I would give him the nod at this stage although JKH looks like he could be a model small forward. Barry's pace might see him on a wing.

There was an interesting drill near the beginning of the session. Two players going one-on-one, trying to keep the ball just moving at their feet, but not allowing their opponent to pick it up or get ball-side of the contest. I am guessing it was a core strength drill. Surprisingly, Toumpas was very good at this.

Single observations:

• Clark, Hogan, Fitzy could be formidable as a trio. Strong, able and imposing.
• Tyson, JKH and Georgiou all have awkward kicking actions. Tyson's knee was bandaged which might explain his, but Georgiou is particular might find his kicking action shows up at AFL level.
• Salem looks very, very good and has that smooth skill look that reminded me a lot of a young Yze.
• The Rookie Hunt is lightening fast over the first 10 metres, and then has a power-band a few seconds later when he just burns the grass up. But his kicking was very poor at top speed.
• Toumpas looks ready to go. If he is still eligible for Rising Star nomination he could give it a good shake. Probably the best trainer on the park that I noticed.
• Watching Cross in the midfield drills is like a coaching manual on positioning. He is the perfect addition to our midfield.
• Watts with the ball remains a gem, but in the midfield drills he remained on the exterior of too many contests. He wasn't corrected though and I wonder if that will be his designated role - an outside mid?
• No Dawes.
• No Michie. (at least I don't think so)
• Spencer ran for the first 15 mins then disappeared.
• Mitch Clark did the full session. Looks good and sharp. When he kicks a ball, it makes a real solid wooomph of a sound.
• Hogan is like N Jones - they both train as if it is a game. Great to see.
• Fitzy looks magnificent, was running well, marking everything with one solid grab, and his kicking was very sharp.
• Howe and Bail look in peak fitness. Bail has put on 3kgs at least and seems very fresh. I hope his head is ok.
• Evans' moustache is almost as irritating as Dunn's.

All over, it was a good, clean, sharp training session. There are obvious differences between past and present coaches but nothing as clear-cut different as it was between Bailey and Neeld. But the relaxed and "happy" nature of the training group was the most notable difference from last year. I know it is one of Roos' mantras that the players love their footy. If today was anything it was evidence that this philosophy is beginning to work its way through the group.

And last but not least, as I looked over my right shoulder, who did I discover in a hoodie and dark glasses? A certain Brad Green turned up incognito!!

Awesome report MB. The bolded bit about Watts, does it look like we're planning on using him the way Hird played? He was often positioned 10m behind the pack as the designated kicker after their hard men won the contested ball. I could see Watts being really dangerous doing that.

I have to wonder if Green isn't there checking up on Frawley. Carlton are still in need of a good FB and Green would be an ideal person to make a few quiet overtures to him while checking out the group as a whole.

Also very ha[[y to hear that Clark is training with the main group again. It will be an amazing lift if he gets back on the park and plays a full season for us.

[rjay 24,182]

Awesome report MB. The bolded bit about Watts, does it look like we're planning on using him the way Hird played? He was often positioned 10m behind the pack as the designated kicker after their hard men won the contested ball. I could see Watts being really dangerous doing that.

I have to wonder if Green isn't there checking up on Frawley. Carlton are still in need of a good FB and Green would be an ideal person to make a few quiet overtures to him while checking out the group as a whole.

Also very ha[[y to hear that Clark is training with the main group again. It will be an amazing lift if he gets back on the park and plays a full season for us.

Getting a little bit paranoid there 'Ralph'. I think they might know that Frawley is a pretty good player already. Maybe Greeny had a bag of cash with him to prime the deal.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Great report MB thanks for that.

Interested to know what Evans is training like and what group he's training with.

Edited November 29, 2013 by RobbieF

[monoccular 16,595]

Awesome report MB. The bolded bit about Watts, does it look like we're planning on using him the way Hird played? He was often positioned 10m behind the pack as the designated kicker after their hard men won the contested ball. I could see Watts being really dangerous doing that.

I have to wonder if Green isn't there checking up on Frawley. Carlton are still in need of a good FB and Green would be an ideal person to make a few quiet overtures to him while checking out the group as a whole.

Also very ha[[y to hear that Clark is training with the main group again. It will be an amazing lift if he gets back on the park and plays a full season for us.

Getting a little bit paranoid there 'Ralph'. I think they might know that Frawley is a pretty good player already. Maybe Greeny had a bag of cash with him to prime the deal.

Agree rjay - IF Green was sent by the Cheaters to court Frawley, it would hardly be at an open training session.....far more likely in a quiet spot on a quiet night with the Visy bag full of "enticements"!

[Earl Hood 5,870]

Awesome report MB. The bolded bit about Watts, does it look like we're planning on using him the way Hird played? He was often positioned 10m behind the pack as the designated kicker after their hard men won the contested ball. I could see Watts being really dangerous doing that.

I have to wonder if Green isn't there checking up on Frawley. Carlton are still in need of a good FB and Green would be an ideal person to make a few quiet overtures to him while checking out the group as a whole.

Also very ha[[y to hear that Clark is training with the main group again. It will be an amazing lift if he gets back on the park and plays a full season for us.

I can remember Gary Buckenara playing the same role in 89 for the Hawks. Watching him play us at Waverley he just ran away from contests waiting for their guy to extract the ball and get it out to him in space. And I use the term singular guy because my memory of that thrashing was that one Hawk could go into a pack of Melbourne players around the ball and extract it every time. It was hugely frustrating at the time. But Bucky cut us to pieces that day with his precision delivery. If we could set up Watts similarly it could be a weapon. But you do need mid field dominance for it to work well.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Absolutely sensational report Maldonboy - thanks.

[Maldonboy38 6,093]

Regarding Evans, he looked good but the whole squad was generally sharp. One thing to note is he is an accurate and creative kick on the run. At this stage I have him in my best 25 and am trying to whittle it down from there.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Have always rated Evans highly.

Hope/expect Evans and Michie to turn a few heads next year.

[P-man 13,309]

I have to wonder if Green isn't there checking up on Frawley. Carlton are still in need of a good FB and Green would be an ideal person to make a few quiet overtures to him while checking out the group as a whole.

I loved him in his heyday, but if he has any part in stealing Frawley, he can [censored] right off.

[P-man 13,309]

Regarding Evans, he looked good but the whole squad was generally sharp. One thing to note is he is an accurate and creative kick on the run. At this stage I have him in my best 25 and am trying to whittle it down from there.

Accurate and creative kick?

This is Pickles Evans we are talking about?

I'll believe it when I see it in a match. The old "brilliant at training" has become a Melbourne epidemic in recent years. But nonetheless good to hear he is coming along. I'm not discounting anything under the new coaching regime.

I agree with Ron. Yours is one of the best reports I've seen MB. I see Demonland reporter in your future. The pay isn't great but you'll have all the "likes" a man could want.

That is when likes make their long awaited and triumphant return.

[Demon trucker 1,800]

Trengrove to win brownlow, his flying.