Mitch Clark at training today

[Vagg 2,425]

Nice to see in a short article on the Club website that Mitch Clark was at training this morning, catching up with the boys, and apparently in good spirits.

Hopefully it's a sign that he's on the mend. Sure hope so.

[Matt Demon 1,389]

Is he still technically on our list til seasons end?

[SaberFang 7,141]

Yes but don't get your hopes up.

[Daz's Dee's 113]

Awesome mitch great to see you out and about with a smile! Let's be honest he will never play for the dees again his decision to retire wouldn't have been made overnight nor would have been easy vest of luck to him be great to see him around the club every so often great character

[Daz's Dee's 113]

Awesome mitch great to see you out and about with a smile! Let's be honest he will never play for the dees again his decision to retire wouldn't have been made overnight nor would have been easy vest of luck to him be great to see him around the club every so often great character

[Biffen 12,567]

Why not entertain hopes of a comeback.stranger thing have happened.

[Earl Hood 5,885]

Strewth, how did I miss that? I was down at training this morning, actually that is me in the background of one of the photos, the guy at the back wearing a bike helmet. Obviously focussing too much on Garland. He took part in everything and looks to be moving well. He did a couple of drills where he and T Mac had to jostle with Chip and Dawes as balls were kicked high to them. Garland looked very good in that drill. Is he ready though after so much time out?

Spencer walked a few laps and disappeared. Fitzy, Pedo, Max and Jamar did a lot of ruck drills. Max played well in the magoos but Jamar went OK last week, so could we afford to take Max in as well?

The others were split into 2 sides and were doing a lot of drills where the ball is moved constantly by foot to leading players who must get clear of there opponent to get a mark. This is what we would like to see more of on game day, players moving and presenting all over the field ahead of the ball carrier.

Mitchie was training well and Riley was in everything, he could be a chance. Tapscott and Blease both look like can play, if only they would!

For a change just about everyone was involved in the drills, there were no groups doing laps etc. Had to leave early unfortunately.

[Little Richard 5,943]

Strewth, how did I miss that? I was down at training this morning, actually that is me in the background of one of the photos, the guy at the back wearing a bike helmet. Obviously focussing too much on Garland. He took part in everything and looks to be moving well. He did a couple of drills where he and T Mac had to jostle with Chip and Dawes as balls were kicked high to them. Garland looked very good in that drill. Is he ready though after so much time out?

Spencer walked a few laps and disappeared. Fitzy, Pedo, Max and Jamar did a lot of ruck drills. Max played well in the magoos but Jamar went OK last week, so could we afford to take Max in as well?

The others were split into 2 sides and were doing a lot of drills where the ball is moved constantly by foot to leading players who must get clear of there opponent to get a mark. This is what we would like to see more of on game day, players moving and presenting all over the field ahead of the ball carrier.

Mitchie was training well and Riley was in everything, he could be a chance. Tapscott and Blease both look like can play, if only they would!

For a change just about everyone was involved in the drills, there were no groups doing laps etc. Had to leave early unfortunately.

A couple of weeks ago I would have said Jamar and Maxy would be good to have in the side together, especially as Maxy isn't a total spud up forward and his size is a real handful for a key defender.

Pedo would have been the one in line to be dropped to make way for Max however Pedo's game last weekend was really great so he gets another one for me.

[Deez 298]

A couple of weeks ago I would have said Jamar and Maxy would be good to have in the side together, especially as Maxy isn't a total spud up forward and his size is a real handful for a key defender.

Pedo would have been the one in line to be dropped to make way for Max however Pedo's game last weekend was really great so he gets another one for me.

I agree, max won't come in on account of jamars form and pedo playing some pretty impressive footy taking the second ruck utility role.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Was thrilled to see Mitch there, looked well, not that I can tell, but took it as a positive for him that he was dropping in to watch his mates train

[DeeSpencer 23,689]

Turned up around 11 (no sign of Clark). Stayed til 5 past 12.

Pretty full compliment out there as far as I could tell. No Spencer, King, Harmes, Trengove or Hogan but the rest did most of everything.

Garland moving well and involved in everything. No sign of a knee complaint. Tappy left early but after some good work. Jamar sat out some match simulation but then rejoined.

Drills
Started with a few stations of different drills mainly working on short kicking.

Then in to their customary full ground ball movement drill in groups of 5 or 6 moving the ball from backline to forward and in for a goal

Then in to a 16 on 16 drill with the starters in blue, back ups in vest working on moving the ball from a half back stoppage. After that the same kind of drill but either from a kick out or from a man at half back

Then in to positional groups. Midfield working on stoppages. Forwards on kicking to leading targets. Backs on ball movement out of the back half

Notes

Watts training as a forward, RIP the midfield experiment?

Bail and Salem in with the midfielders

Strauss with the forwards. Blease with the backs, Possibly a desperation move to save their careers?

Howe training with the backs

Clisby spend some of the drills with the 1's group, but then back in a bib

Garland was in a bib the entire time, maybe Casey for him again

Kent looked good but was also mainly in the seconds line up

The early drills were pretty fluent. But the second match simulation drill was a dogs breakfast. JKH playing for the 2nds team (not many forwards in the 1's team wouldn't read much in to it) kicked a couple of goals from turnovers. Howe getting too creative through the middle and missing a leading Watts. Terlich kicking long from a kick out to McDonald but not too his advantage. Roos stopped the drill to ask Terlich who he was kicking too and why it wasn't the ruckman.

Watts actually had some moments as a leading forward where he got on his bike and found space. Who knows if him forward again will help. I have my doubts.

Roos stopped the drill for a good 5 minutes to work out why on Earth from a starting position of N. Jones from the half back flank he couldn't get 18 on 18 (a couple had headed to the bench to even up the numbers) and why the players weren't in the right spots. Eventually he got the forwards down the line in the right spot and 60-100 from the ball. The midfielders bunched inwards about 40m from the ball, the defenders fanned out for the switch and the forwards guarding them in the right configuration. I heard him scream "No your role, play your role". It was dispiriting that 36 of them couldn't work out the right spots and be there. From the right spots the play actually moved forward pretty well. Roos brought them in for a big chat after that, clearly not impressed. But he was coaching and directing them.

One piece of play right in front of me frustrated me. The ball was kicked to Frawley out at half forward who drops back to mark with space from his opponent. But Pedersen leading up tries to call Frawley out. Frawley rightly stands his ground and marks with a quick 'call me back' to Pedo. Then Chip gave him the death stare after the play was over. Just a simple error from Pedo not to call Frawley in and protect him, but a fundamental none the less.

Edited May 1, 2014 by the master

[jazza 1,323]

just a small step towards recovery.

good on him and lets hope the years bring more happiness.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Thanks master, was wondering what was happening in that stoppage

[What 18,810]

actually glad to hear Watts is back training with the forwards

Its the only position he has a chance of carving out an AFL career in

and its a position he can get confidence from kicking goals

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Wow, that bit about Pedo makes me physically ill.

I'm hoping to god we get rid of him at season's end.

[Machsy 2,858]

Typical Pedersen.

Goes alright, but he's all about himself.

You'll never see him give the ball off inside 50.

One of the reasons he was disliked at North.

[Machsy 2,858]

As for Watts, I'll back him in to turn it around.

I know faith in him is low, but he'll never be a bullocking midfielder.

Gradually he'll start doing the things required of him.

And eventually he'll be the bloke that can play anywhere, a la Goddard.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Machsy

[puntkick 325]

Why not entertain hopes of a comeback.stranger thing have happened.

Apart from todays news I hold out strong hopes for Liam too !

[Pates 9,562]

Glad to hear Mitch catching up with the boys at training, can only be a good thing and I'm sure it gave the boys a boost.

Thanks everyone for their various reports as well.

[DeeSpencer 23,689]

Wow, that bit about Pedo makes me physically ill.

I'm hoping to god we get rid of him at season's end.

I didn't really want to single him out but it was right in front of me and was such an obvious dumb mistake the type of which our players continue to make.

He's not going anywhere though. Contracted for another year isn't he? And with the state of our talls we probably need him.

[Earl Hood 5,885]

As for Watts, I'll back him in to turn it around.

I know faith in him is low, but he'll never be a bullocking midfielder.

Gradually he'll start doing the things required of him.

And eventually he'll be the bloke that can play anywhere, a la Goddard.

The way we bring the ball into our forward line won't help is cause but I hope you are right. However if he doesn't click up forward this time, the only position left for him is "left back".

[Pirlo 592]

As someone who suffers from depression on and off, I can assure you that looking well and having a great time don't mean a whole lot long term. Or at least in my experience. Having said that, it's great to see that Mitch has taken the time to come out and made the call that he's ready. Small steps. You never get cured, you just learn to live with the predisposition and hopefully Mitchy is well on the way.

Edited May 1, 2014 by HFF

[monoccular 16,703]

Thanks the master

A couple of queries.

Was Gawnius maximus there, if so doing what?

Was Frawley still working with the forwards?

[RalphiusMaximus 6,005]

What I loved about the photos they showed us was the lack of worry on his face. If you look back over all the press conferences and training photos for the past year and a bit you'll see a guy who looks stressed. Right now, even if it's just a rare "good day," he looks relaxed and happy. That is a massive improvement, and shows that stepping away from football was the right move for him. It kind of reminds me of when Jason McCartney retired. He said in an interview a while after the event that he hadn't realised how much he was hurting until he stopped pushing his body past where it wanted to go, and how good it was to not be in pain all the time because of it.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Thanks the master

A couple of queries.

Was Gawnius maximus there, if so doing what?

Was Frawley still working with the forwards?

Gawn trained the whole session and Frawley was working with the forwards