Training - Monday 6th January, 2014

[rjay 23,922]

Roos talks about his trip to Africa with burgs in the second part of the interview on Deetv. Basically says trip was long planned and club agreed to allow him to go. Was very cool about it all, basically said he trusts the players to come back switched on and there are good coaches on deck.

Yep, I think he is treating the players as adults. Amazing what that approach has done for the Australian Cricket team with Lehmann in charge.

[Whispering_Jack 27,995]

Yep, I think he is treating the players as adults. Amazing what that approach has done for the Australian Cricket team with Lehmann in charge.

So will Mitchell Clark be our Mitchell Johnson?

[dazzledavey36 48,789]

I'm not trying to argue that the guy is lazy. You don't become a premiership coach, 300+ game player etc etc by being lazy. I'm just saying that he's already started this job why take time off already?

I'm not convinced he had a super busy year just because he traveled to Melbourne for Sundays and Mondays and coached a part time academy at the swans. There would'e been plenty of time off in all of that and he's just had 2 weeks over Christmas break

The decision is emails. Hopefully the players turn up in good shape and train well without the main man. If they don't then I think Roosy will regret his extra holiday. made and done I'm not going to waste anyones time sending

You are delusional then if you don't think he has had a full on busy year.

[Jack Jack Tappy 112]

Yep, I think he is treating the players as adults. Amazing what that approach has done for the Australian Cricket team with Lehmann in charge.

It's exactly the same thing , the boys will come back pumped and ready to go! Paul Roos has got them ready to go. He knows how to get people motivated regardless of him going to Africa. A senior player said recently,'I didn't realise what playing for a coach meant until I met Roosey'. The team will be completely different, have faith in Roos.

[rjay 23,922]

So will Mitchell Clark be our Mitchell Johnson?

Sure hope so 'Jack', but who will be our Haddin? Jamar maybe or will Vince step up at his new club?

[mdemonski2 403]

Any reports guys? Hanging out for an update as back at work today!

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

I was at training but got there about half hour in.. no sign of Clark or Hogan hmmmm anyone shed any light?

[Slartibartfast 15,782]

It was my first session for the year and I got there after the start at about 9.30.

The rehab group was Dawes, Clark, Gawn, Fitzy, Clisby, Kent, Jamar and one or two others that I can't remember. They were doing running drills and some agility work and none looked inconvenienced. Clark left early and I've no idea what his issues are.

There seemed a good representation in the main group and good spirit. They did the normal ball drills with movement into the forward line and some "circle" work and for a reasonably windy day and coming off a break the skills were ok I thought but it seemed to me they were easing back into it and not going full tilt.

They finished with some 300 metre running with shorter distances between the repetitions with the usual suspects doing well. I was pleased to see Barry in the "first" group and particularly pleased to see Toumpas at the pointy end of that group. Watts was also in this group and was holding his own which is not my memory from last year.

Nobody really stood out today for me but to balance what has been said before I didn't notice any difference in Trengove's speed and Sammy Blease still really struggles in the 300m runs. He is in the "last" group and in the last couple was falling way behind. It will limit any role he plays for us and with the limit on rotations will be a problem that is significant.

It was good to see Tappy, Blease, McKenzie, Spencer, McDonald, Strauss, Grimes, Evans and the recruits all train with the main group. Many of those have been regular rehab members in past preseasons.

Players I didn't recognize as being there were Tyson, Michie or Riley. One was probably running with Kent around the boundary but I didn't recognize him. Hogan was not there, I would have recognized him!

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

BB did you see that bloke have a chunder running around the boundary? He was really battling.. no idea who he was.. sounded like they were calling him 'Kingy'....? Where's Hogan?

[dazzledavey36 48,789]

Clark pinged a hammy in his last week of training.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,190]

I got down there at 9.20 and players already out for warm ups. Trained for about 90 minutes with the first 60 minutes being ball work at medium intensity and the last 30 minutes being timed 4 reps of 300s with short straight line burst running in between each one. Without checking appears all in attendance.

Hogan did not train but was there early then disappeared.

Rehab group was Fitz, Clark, Dawes, Kent, Reilly, Jamar, Clisby and Gawn. Dawes and Kent looked most advanced but all were doing running with limited concern.

Salem, Viney and Byrnes did skill session but not 300s.

I thought the handball drills were very clean but the kicking a bit askew partly due to the swirly wind and partly due to the usual culprits.

None of the draftees look even close to ready although was impressed with how hard JKH pushed himself in the 300s.

The four players that stood out in the positive were Toumpas (best gut running all session), Evans (had put on good size and moved well all session), Howe (most polished all session) and Barry (stood out with his speed and silk).

The boys we traded for all have good body size and just go about their business as professionally as you would expect.

The most disappointing by far was Blease. How a player who has been in the system as long as him even with his layoff be at the tail end of the C grade group for running is beyond me. Even then he only appeared to coast whilst others busted a serious gut.

Excuse spelling mistakes as doing this off iPad on a tram on way home. Will edit up and add more later. Also happy to answer questions where possible.

[hardtack 10,127]

And do you think Clarkson and the other AFL coaches have just been resting on their laurels during that period? Good job on him flying to WA but that was what he decided to do above and beyond his normal roles. But usually attending training is a normal role for a senior coach.

You're blind faith approach with everyone seems to have worked so well hasn't it?

Maybe demonland quoting has decided to stop trying to print your drive when you continue to stick up for everything that the club does.

I might be wrong, but I was sure that he had started performing duties for the MFC (for example, the visit to see Hogan) before he officially kicked off his contracted period with the club. Can anyone verify (or refute) this? If it is the case, then I can see no reason why the club should begrudge him this holiday.

And thanks for the great reports BB and BRFE.

[Slartibartfast 15,782]

BB did you see that bloke have a chunder running around the boundary? He was really battling.. no idea who he was.. sounded like they were calling him 'Kingy'....? Where's Hogan?

I saw Ro Bail chunder and it was a good one because he did it on the opposite side of the ground to me.

Oh, and from what I saw today, and it was a short skills session, Barry would be ahead of JKH who had a bit of trouble in the wind marking the ball in the forward pocket just in front of me.

C&B, do you know who the bloke running with Kent was? Riley?

[the fork 357]

Max King had a running ralph, then 50 metres on he had to crouch down for another. To his credit he jumped up and kept running. Players very supportive.

Guy doing laps with Kent was indeed Riley.

According to one of the officials Hogan was present early but they are taking it slowly with him, so he headed in for weights. I'm really unsure about the accuracy of this as we were there early and I was specifically looking for him and did not see him.

Salem headed of early for weights, obviously taking it slowly also.

Toumpas was running very well, beating Jones early, then Jones' endurance stepped up toward the end of the session. He's looking great. Hunts running also a highlight.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,190]

Max King had a running ralph, then 50 metres on he had to crouch down for another. To his credit he jumped up and kept running. Players very supportive.

Guy doing laps with Kent was indeed Riley.

According to one of the officials Hogan was present early but they are taking it slowly with him, so he headed in for weights. I'm really unsure about the accuracy of this as we were there early and I was specifically looking for him and did not see him.

Salem headed of early for weights, obviously taking it slowly also.

Toumpas was running very well, beating Jones early, then Jones' endurance stepped up toward the end of the session. He's looking great. Hunts running also a highlight.

Hogan was there until about 9.40 but never went onto the track. He spoke to Misson and a coach and then went over the road.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,190]

I saw Ro Bail chunder and it was a good one because he did it on the opposite side of the ground to me.

Oh, and from what I saw today, and it was a short skills session, Barry would be ahead of JKH who had a bit of trouble in the wind marking the ball in the forward pocket just in front of me.

C&B, do you know who the bloke running with Kent was? Riley?

Barry looked seriously good to me today both in his polish, speed, attack on the ball and improved size. Agree JKH was not very clean today.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Glad Barry had a good session. When I've been there his kicking has been horrible.

[Pipefitter 2,016]

I think Blease will be gone at the end of the year. Kid can seriously play but obviously lacks afl level fitness.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Blease's other problem is the same as Tapscott's, they can't find the footy. Even at junior level Blease could never get the ball.

[the fork 357]

Agree with above comments regarding Blease. This year will make him or break him.

[CBDees 3,162]

Agree with above comments regarding Blease. This year will make him or break him.

Interesting about Blease when some Demonlanders have picked him as one of their improvers for 2014 on another thread.

[Slartibartfast 15,782]

Blease's other problem is the same as Tapscott's, they can't find the footy. Even at junior level Blease could never get the ball.

He's got a chance. He's had some reasonably high possession games and he is dangerous when he gets it. Not getting it in the last few years could be explained by being in the forward line.

But I don't think he'll play much AFL footy this year.

[Pipefitter 2,016]

Interesting about Blease when some Demonlanders have picked him as one of their improvers for 2014 on another thread.

Could just be blind ambition though. There are definitely players who will improve on our list under Roos, but if Blease is struggling to keep up with the laggers on our list, Jesus himself wouldn't get much more out of him.

[Hannibal 5,814]

He's got a chance.

In his 8th year, or tenth ?

[Hellish Inferno 992]

I went along as well. Back in town from London for a few weeks so took the opportunity. Also went to the Demon Shop at the G to get a new training jumper. Very happy with the purchase

I don't have much more to add to those comments above. I agree that training seemed to be at medium intensity, which is fair enough to ease back in after the break.

Although quite a few seemed pretty buggered after the 300m sprints, which were followed by run throughs in the middle of the ground, so not much let up which made things more difficult for those lacking fitness by the 4th 300m sprint.

Blease was paired with Garland in the 300's and I agree he really seemed to be taking it easy. Didn't want to push himself at all, wasn't even really blowing that hard. Maybe he was under instruction to take it a bit easy due to a niggle, but if not then he really needs to push himself more to get the best out.

Michie wasn't too bad but he seemed to struggle a bit. Probably need to build his fitness base a bit.

Tyson was impressive although he should probably move up a bit in his group. He caught up to those ahead, can't remember who he was paired with.

Toumpas has better fitness than I thought but he also gut runs really well. A stark contrast to Blease.

The players seemed to be in good spirits. Howe is a popular bloke and jokes around but still takes training seriously. Plenty of encouragement around as well, particular to Max King who hit the wall on the 4th 300m sprint and fell over but got up to finish.

Dawes is looking really strong but lean and ripped at the same time. He was moving pretty well and I reckon he'll be ready for Round 1.

It was nice to go along but back to London this week and I'll be watching online this year. Hopefully less grey hairs please.

Go Demons