Training - Friday 5th December, 2014

[HEMLOCK 39]

Go back to the hype around Col Sylvia when he was drafted, big strong forward midfielder, great hands, good kick, everything I've heard about this kid just reminds me of Col Sylvia, the only difference his body is sound.

Dr Drake you have been overdosing on some of your concoctions

[Slartibartfast 17,200]

Roos has them boxing, wrestlng and grappling with encouragement from the coaches to give it everything, you never know Dunn might be under instruction to rough up the youngsters, Viney can look after himself

Perhaps so Saty, but certainly it wasn't the case with Ro. Very nearly ended his career. And why on earth would you rough up Viney? Like he needs to be taught aggression? Watts yes, Viney no.

And it's one thing to go hard, it's pretty gutless to put your knees into someone. Whilst the coaches might want them to go hard I doubt they envisaged it needing someone to brake it up.

[daisycutter 29,604]

What's a scrag?

i've you've got a few hours spare, biffo could introduce you to a few

[McQueen 17,864]

I just hope he isn't our next Col Sylvia, for some reason everything about him reminds me of Col

"Everything about him?"

Please list to support your ludicrous post.

[DeeSpencer 25,484]

To be fair though, Bartram worked damn hard and became a reliable kick if not a good one. He at least got to the point where he could take the safe option and get it right.

The issue with Grimes is more mental than anything. It's when he has too much time that he overthinks things and winds up messing up. When he's under the pump I find he's a better decision-maker and hits his targets better, probably because he's just taking the option that presents itself and not trying to finesse things.

Bartram got so safe it ended up just as bad. Particularly in the days of the full press you can't chip the ball in to the back pocket and have that next player staring up and seeing 18 opposition players. Grimes can't end up the same. Not when he has to be a rebounding defender more than a lock down defender anyway. Agree the less he thinks the better he is, same with Tom McDonald. In fact many of Grimes' better kicks come from when he attacks the game and kicks on his left. It's why I am a little pleased that he's at least very fit, because the better he runs and gets in to space the easier it is to make better decisions and kicks. Probably my main concern with Grimes is he seems unbalanced when he kicks.

[DeeSpencer 25,484]

I see Dunny hasn't changed. In preseason of 2013 he cleaned up Ro Bail when he was competing in a drill. Bail was wearing the vest that indicates he was injured (recovering from concussion) and should not be involved in body contact but Dunny couldn't resist cleaning him up despite the playing group knowing Bail's condition. It was very late as well.

Nearly ended Ro's career. I've never seen the need for this sort of thing at training. Dunn typically picks on those where he has a physical advantage. He tried it with Chappy in the 186 game at the end of the first quarter and ended up on the ground in the fetal position with Chappy standing over him laughing.

Dunn was very good in the first half of last year and saved his career. Strange how his form slipped as soon as he re-signed.

I can never reconcile the really good work he does with the disadvantaged and the gutless stuff he does on field. I hope he grows up.

I think he has grown up a bit. And I don't mind guys crossing the line a little at training. Viney may be young but he'd be up for it. I saw Dunny get in to Hogan with a late take down spoil at training last year. Fair to say I don't think Dunny will be doing that again. I only wish he'd get stuck in to Watts.

This year is a big year for him. Time to prove he doesn't just play his best footy in a contract year.

[McQueen 17,864]

A few comments about Harmes roving to Gawns taps.

Interested to know if he's looking like he might make an AFL player. I understand it's only his second year and copped a bad injury last year which kept him out of the twos but any insights would be appreciated.

[What 18,810]

no mentions of Viv Michie

hope hes fully fr and in full training

I think i was the only person that had him in my round 1 team

Edited December 5, 2014 by hogans_heroes

[Deemotivated 550]

Toumpas got Nev with a perfect shirtfront, think Nev will note it down

Roos is all over the place at training, you can tell when he is not happy, you can hear him over the fence no matter where he is

I don't want Nev to get hurt but I really like what I'm hearing RE Toumpas. Needs to lock down a spot and show it on game day.

[Ruffles 356]

no mentions of Viv Michie

hope hes fully fr and in full training

I think i was the only person that had him in my round 1 team

Michie was there and in everything, reasonably solid I think. Didn't stand out in either a good or bad way to me!

[Robbie57 2,020]

Is Petracca having "that" preseason that we always knew Colin needed to be a star?

Steady, Col must be having that preseason right now over West.

Gunner Sylvia.

[What 18,810]

Michie was there and in everything, reasonably solid I think. Didn't stand out in either a good or bad way to me!

cheers Ruffles

love me some Viv

[Elwood 3184 1,298]

Thanks to all who contributed to the reports on training.

Much appreciated.

[Roger Mellie 3,991]

I see Dunny hasn't changed. In preseason of 2013 he cleaned up Ro Bail when he was competing in a drill. Bail was wearing the vest that indicates he was injured (recovering from concussion) and should not be involved in body contact but Dunny couldn't resist cleaning him up despite the playing group knowing Bail's condition. It was very late as well.

Nearly ended Ro's career. I've never seen the need for this sort of thing at training. Dunn typically picks on those where he has a physical advantage. He tried it with Chappy in the 186 game at the end of the first quarter and ended up on the ground in the fetal position with Chappy standing over him laughing.

Dunn was very good in the first half of last year and saved his career. Strange how his form slipped as soon as he re-signed.

I can never reconcile the really good work he does with the disadvantaged and the gutless stuff he does on field. I hope he grows up.

Dunn did something that wasn't in the spirit of the game (or training) to N Jones last year. Jones called him an xxxx dog and was about to go on with it.

Dunn didn't go near him after that. Up there for thinking Dunny!

[djr 1,433]

I don't want Nev to get hurt but I really like what I'm hearing RE Toumpas. Needs to lock down a spot and show it on game day.

Toumpas not only shirtfronted Nev but threw him to the ground slightly hurting Nev's shoulder. Jetta went off for about 20mins for treatment. It was pretty serious stuff out there today. Dunn's "tackle" on Viney was a bit crude and would have come under notice from the MRP if it happened in a game. What I liked about this particular incident was that Viney did not retaliate but just pushed Dunny away and continued on with the drill.

With regard to Toumpas, he is doing everything right and is leaving nothing on the park to achieve the level of fitness required to be an above average AFL footballer. There seems to be a heavy focus on improving his defensive skills which was one of his weaknesses last season. His two-way running has been quite noticeable. He's been my best performer this pre-season.

Edited December 6, 2014 by djr

[whatwhat say what 22,702]

As someone who has serious doubts regarding whether Toumpas can make it as a above average afl player, these reports are super encouraging.

We really need the likes of he and other high picks over the last few years to come on in leaps and bounds over the next 3-5 years.

It's the difference btw us being a 'good ordinary' side and a very good side.

I still maintain you get your 'stars' with your high picks.

[The Devil Inside 2,147]

Viv Michie had gastro a couple of weeks ago which knocked him around a bit, watched him complete three sessions this week, just doing everything without too much fuss

Toumpas is just flying, you can see he is enjoying his footy as well, Salem is the same hasn't missed a session, best bit for me today was watching Lumumba and Garlett in the kicking and full field drills, confirmed why we got them

Nev Jetta was fine, came off to check, has had a history of shoulder issues, think he just jarred it a bit, told me it was ok at the end

Dunn just steps over the line now and again, but we need one or two pricks in defence so you can't change him, I am sure words will be said though

[Demoneyes 562]

Does anybody else just think 'whatever' when reading about beep tests and so forth? Over the years I have noticed zero correlation between blokes who excel on the training track and players who actually do any damage on game day. Case-in-point Bail and the recently departed Nicholson. I would prefer to see the results of testing on brains, skills and guts

Exactly! its what happens on the field that counts. Apparently Sam mitchell doesn't do that well in time trials and beep tests either!

Edited December 5, 2014 by Demoneyes

[Deecisive 1,709]

It will be interesting to see how our 4 rookies go, we have a spot open for probably most of the season for 1 of them to start with. I would expect them all to be trying real hard to grab that spot.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Gee this "Demonland Group Think" Grimes disposal issue is getting tired.

Talk about a whipping boy.

I admit his disposal is not great but hes not on his own and IMO is getting singled out.

Last season his Effective Disposal % was 78.0% compared to others below it stacks up pretty well.

Jones 73.6%

Watts 80%

Tyson 72.6%

Vince 64.7%

Garland 78.9%

Jetta 87.7%

Dunn 79.5%

I might be biased and you can make statistic work many ways but Grimes disposal is no worse than many others.

I can see pass the odd missed target and take him for what he is.

PS Matt Suckling regarded as one of the best kicks in the comp went at 78.8%

I really resent being called a 'groupthinker' (what is that, Demonland phrase of the week or something) has it occurred to you that maybe a lot of people say the same things because they have independently reached the same conclusion from watching games of football?

Those stats are utterly meaningless BTW. What qualifies as effective? What about the amount of pressure you are under and the degree of difficulty of the kick? what about the resultant impact of the disposal (eg having a kick intercepted in your defensive 50)?

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Disposal efficiency % is a horrible stat to quote in isolation.

inside mid percentages are always going to be lower as they rush kicks out of stoppages.

Backmen in the main should have a better % as they do a lot of chipping backwards to unmanned teamates

Watts efficiency doesnt surprise as he gets a lot of kicks where has time to dispose of them.

Grimes is a whipping boy as he tends to turn over a bit when there is no pressure on at all.

He should not be on his own and singled out. I am not critical when balls are turned over under pressure. But three players come to mind who turn it over and miss targets under relatively little or no pressure. TMac, Terlich, Grimes. There are others.

People kept quoting Bartrams d/e% which wasnt bad - but he would make horrible clangers ( almost momentum killers) under no pressure at all. Did two against Stkilda a few years back which swung the momentum of the game.

It is not the qty of kicks that miss the target- it is when you do them, where you do them, and under how much pressure you are under when you do them.

typed my post before I saw this - agree 100%

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

Sorry I missed getting to todays training.

The reports sounded like the best training to date.

Looking forward to getting down there on Monday.

Last time I went, was when the newbies started and the main group did their run up Anderson street hill.

It would be good to see some skills work.

[monoccular 17,413]

It is in April that it counts

Late September even more so

[ThreeOneSix 954]

From those reports, it is good to hear Jimmy Toumpas is relishing the 'dog house' drills.

If we can get Toumpas accustomed to physical contact - then the sky is the limit.

Toumpas is completely deficient inside of a contest, it is an area of complete weakness for him.
I think if we can get Toumpas to play without fear of contact, that it would go a LONG way to improving his ability to find the pill.

As good as he is on the outside, he is only on the outside due to fear. MFC can't have players who wait, our mids will have to be versatile.
Jack Viney has the complete opposite problem to Toumpas - in that Viney needs to sometimes not go in, and actually spread more.

[Willmoy1947 4,081]

From what I can remember about training, people used to remember how to wait.....