Training - Friday 7th February, 2014

[Whispering_Jack 28,024]

That's right - the next open training session and the only one for next week will be held on Friday 7th February, 2014 at Goschs Paddock at 9.30am.

That's a sure sign that Paul Roos and his crew mean business with the start of the season closing in fast.

In many ways, we Demon fans have been spoiled with three open training sessions a week at two different venues but that is definitely not the norm at many other clubs.

Over at the Gold Coast Suns they're still advertising their 18 January open beach training session on the Palm Beach foreshore. When I turned up last week to watch them train I discovered that I was the only person interested enough to watch their closed training session on the oval next to Metricon Stadium from behind a wire fence. (Yes I know - it was a closed session and the weather was too good even for watching G. Ablett Junior sweat his socks off).

So given that we're unlikely to be the recipients of Roger's excellent training reports and/or Tasman's equally marvelous descriptions, I thought it might be a worthwhile exercise to guess what style of play Paul Roos is instilling into his charges behind closed doors (or wire fences).

On that subject, I came across this interesting article in the Age last week - Clarkson prepared to tinker with his premiership winning Hawks. Of course, he needs to change given the loss of a star like Franklin but Clarko shows that he's switched on. Nothing stays the same and besides, every coach will have spent some time trying to work out ways to beat the 2013 premiers so he knows he can't stand still anyway.

At the other end of the ladder, I think Roos has the advantage of a team that should have a different mindset, will have substantially different personnel in the midfield and hopefully a bigger, stronger and healthier forward line.

I would expect Roos to concentrate on our strengths in developing a style of play while attempting to shore up our weaknesses. I suspect that in doing so, he will show some flexibility so that if Plan A doesn't work, that won't be the only option available for the team so that we can keep our confidence intact rather than fall away completely as we have in recent years.

[DemonOX 8,541]

I expect that there will actually be a game plan and one that the players will be able to follow!

Be the first time in 7 years I reckon.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

From the reports thus far we seem to be going for a more attacking style than the classic Sydney stoppage machine. Lots of drills have focused on fast movement through or near the corridor.

We seem to have an emphasis on getting the ball to CHF to open up our options going into the F50 rather than the Neeld plan of attacking along the flank which limited the options for our forwards.

There has also been a suggestion that it will be short accurate passing out of defence followed by the running/attacking movement from HB to the forward line.

I suspect that a lot will still depend on our back six, with the midfield basically trying to break even to stop the onslaught rather than dominating.

Historically Roos has also liked his talls, so I wouldn't be all that surprised to see extra talls appearing in the side in odd places some of the time. We could actually see Fitz on a wing.

[Akum 2,660]

Seems to me that the emphasis is on quick transition. Getting the contested ball as quickly and accurately as possible into the open, preferably to someone who can do something positive with it. And then maintaining possession by the speed and accuracy of movement. This will involve the heavy use of transition players such as Tyson, Vince, Watts, hopefully Toumpas and Strauss and perhaps Blease, and eventually Salem, who could be the best of all of them.

And it also means rapid transition the other way, defensively, to stop opponents getting an easy break from a stoppage, or limiting the damage from a turnover by everybody knowing what to do in the event of a turnover.

[tasmanlvr 529]

Judging by the mini-game on Friday we're certainly prepared to keep the ball a little bit, there were times when there were chains of short, 20-25m kicks which didn't progress the team up the ground too much. I expect there will be some switch play still, but I also expect some attacking flair this season. At least the game plan is a bit easier to understand, not like Neeld's (let alone if he had one).

Oh yes, and I will be going again this Friday...

[Je Roos Salem 661]

Judging by what i've seen it's not all out attack or anything. We are entering the 50 a lot more central but we're definitely prepared to chip around defence, deep into the pockets. Definitely shorter kicks though, minimising risk.

The best thing about closed sessions at Gosch's paddock is they aren't really, so keep your eyes peeled if you're on a train and get off to see the magician at work behind "closed doors"

[drdrake 3,047]

Judging by the mini-game on Friday we're certainly prepared to keep the ball a little bit, there were times when there were chains of short, 20-25m kicks which didn't progress the team up the ground too much. I expect there will be some switch play still, but I also expect some attacking flair this season. At least the game plan is a bit easier to understand, not like Neeld's (let alone if he had one).

Oh yes, and I will be going again this Friday...

I agree with this, keep possession until the right option opens up and then hit it hard. The other thing I'm looking forward to and this is something that we are seeing at training the players working for each other, creating space, blocking, positioning, shepherding all the stuff that don't go on stat sheets.

[Satyriconhome 9,993]

I have been going to preseason training at least twice a month if not more, for the last 7 years.....as Roos has said in his press conferences, it is just training, even he doesn't know what it will look like on game day........we have a lot of scars left over from the last few years........I like what i am seeing at training, but then again I liked what I saw in Bailey and Neeld's first year......I will wait till the end of the game against St Kilda before I begin to think everything has changed

[old dee 22,950]

I have been going to preseason training at least twice a month if not more, for the last 7 years.....as Roos has said in his press conferences, it is just training, even he doesn't know what it will look like on game day........we have a lot of scars left over from the last few years........I like what i am seeing at training, but then again I liked what I saw in Bailey and Neeld's first year......I will wait till the end of the game against St Kilda before I begin to think everything has changed

WISE man.

You are not alone!

[drdrake 3,047]

I have been going to preseason training at least twice a month if not more, for the last 7 years.....as Roos has said in his press conferences, it is just training, even he doesn't know what it will look like on game day........we have a lot of scars left over from the last few years........I like what i am seeing at training, but then again I liked what I saw in Bailey and Neeld's first year......I will wait till the end of the game against St Kilda before I begin to think everything has changed

I'm a bit different, I was lucky to attend a lot of pre-season training when Neeld and Bailey coached, the players skills where woeful. The skills of the current group is miles ahead, which leads into better quality of training and drills.

[old dee 22,950]

I'm a bit different, I was lucky to attend a lot of pre-season training when Neeld and Bailey coached, the players skills where woeful. The skills of the current group is miles ahead, which leads into better quality of training and drills.

That may well be 100% correct dr

However it is still dancing with your sister

[Satyriconhome 9,993]

I'm a bit different, I was lucky to attend a lot of pre-season training when Neeld and Bailey coached, the players skills where woeful. The skills of the current group is miles ahead, which leads into better quality of training and drills.

I think your memory is being selective, without getting into toing and froing, we had players with excellent skills who are no longer at the Club, Green and Davey just to name 2

[Robbie57 1,991]

I'd be interested in what people objectively think of our list's skills. Not the usual player bagging but who is good and who seems to have improved.

[drdrake 3,047]

I think your memory is being selective, without getting into toing and froing, we had players with excellent skills who are no longer at the Club, Green and Davey just to name 2

We could go back over past training reports, I remember clearly the ball spending a great deal of time hitting the deck. The skills and ball movement at training this year is a miles ahead from what we have seen over preseason over the past 7 years. Yes it is pre-season but if you cant execute your skills at training you have no chance executing them on match day. I go to training now and enjoy the ball movement and our execution.

[Slartibartfast 15,912]

we have a lot of scars left over from the last few years........

This is our biggest issue and I imagine Roos and his staff have spent a great deal of time and effort working out how to restore the players belief that they are good enough.

[jazza 1,323]

This is our biggest issue and I imagine Roos and his staff have spent a great deal of time and effort working out how to restore the players belief that they are good enough.

really

i would have thought ,he might get rid of simple errors that were on display most weeks

[The Chazz 4,077]

I was going to say it'll look a lot like what we, and Roos, saw on the MCG during the Round 17 match in 2010, with a step up in our defensive pressure.

To my surprise, there are only 8 players remaining on our list who played that day (Garland, Bail, McKenzie, Dunn, Frawley, Jones, Watts, Jamar).

Sad to think that it was probably our best performance in the last 7 years, was only just over 3 seasons ago, and we have just over a third of that team still playing (for us).

[Machsy 2,858]

As far as no open training on Monday or Wednesday this week, I wouldn't be surprised if the players have been given today (Monday) off.

I know of one other AFL club that normally would be training today, but let the players have the day off for the SuperBowl.

[Moonshadow 16,347]

As far as no open training on Monday or Wednesday this week, I wouldn't be surprised if the players have been given today (Monday) off.

I know of one other AFL club that normally would be training today, but let the players have the day off for the SuperBowl.

Rather annoying that The Hawks even won this year's Superbowl. I mean.... how much more can they do?

[old dee 22,950]

Rather annoying that The Hawks even won this year's Superbowl. I mean.... how much more can they do?

Not for me I was on both

[Satyriconhome 9,993]

As far as no open training on Monday or Wednesday this week, I wouldn't be surprised if the players have been given today (Monday) off.

I know of one other AFL club that normally would be training today, but let the players have the day off for the SuperBowl.

They have the AGM to attend tonight, from twitter yes they did not 'work' today.

[TGR 1,367]

Skills-under-pressure and work ethic = ability to hold the ball for long period of time in possession.

Interesting to see if Roos' Melbourne suddenly acquire this ability.

[Its Time for Another 4,054]

I mentioned this on last Monday's training thread.

"Interesting, just turned on replay of last years Qualifying Final between Sydney and Hawks. Pre Game interview with John Longmire with him saying to win they have to do what they try to do every week which is play hard contested two way football."

I suspect the short version of Roos playing mantra will be the same thing. I remember hearing him say somewhere that footy is now all about running up and down the ground. So no surprise they have been doing plenty of exercises doing that all pre season. We are all also lucky that he is inheriting a team that is just about to complete it's third pre season under Misson and by Misson's calculations was always going to take until this season to be physically competitive. Flash told me at the B&F after Bailey was sacked that he was trying to get them to execute a game plan they couldn't execute. I assumed that to be outrunning the opposition on the transitions out of defence and into attack. Well, no more excuses.

I am really encouraged to hear people saying the skill level has picked up because nothing has frustrated me more the last couple of years than watching the team getting killed by turn overs.

[Whispering_Jack 28,024]

Friday's session will involve an intraclub practice match according to Roosy at tonight's AGM.

Whether we find out much is another matter since a number of our talls and KPFs are likely to not take part.

[old dee 22,950]

Friday's session will involve an intraclub practice match according to Roosy at tonight's AGM.

Whether we find out much is another matter since a number of our talls and KPFs are likely to not take part.

Just reminded me WJ, Roos tonight commented that he was astounded at the number of people who go to watch training.