...and just a bit of competitiveness....have a good relationship with JKH, made sure I told him Jeff Garlett was excellent in the Intra Club and his place in the forward line was in jeopardy...his reply was "interesting"

I'm in town for a few weeks from London so popped down today at about 10.15 for 45 minutes. So keep in mind that my observations are pretty limited and it was really hard to figure out who is who. The players seem to change jerseys every 5 minutes too. There's the red/blue, yellow, orange, white etc

Perhaps it's because my expectations were high, but I was a little disappointed by today, except for moments of brilliance.

Most of the session was broken up into groups with mids/forwards/backs etc but at one point they did a full ground drill with 'teams' rotating on and switching the play. The drill would start with a long kick into the backline which was marked by a free backman, who would then attempt to move the ball all the way down into the forward line. I noticed that the backline found it difficult to kick to free targets on the HBF/wing, mostly because players up the ground weren't really timing their run very well or moving to the right places. This could partly be due to excellent defence/manning up, which is a good thing for the team, but maybe not so great offensively.

There were a few good moments though. Lumumba took a great grab and linked up well by handballing to the running Garlett. The last kick into the forward line was a bit hit and miss too. This was mostly because the players were well manned and the play was against the strong wind. Also, Watts marked the ball at about 60m from goal and spent a good 30 seconds trying to find a target and he wasn't really sure whether to have a ping at goal. He ended up kicking straight to a defender about 10m out from goal. But Watts had a brilliant play earlier at the other end where he picked up a ball on the run and kicked a left foot snap at goal through the middle with ease.

Tyson looked good and made some low, pinpoint passes. JKH and Kent also showed some nice skills and Vandenberg did a few noticeable things.

Hogan ragdolled Dawes at one point, which is not an easy thing to do. Hogan had to get some physio work on his glutes/hamstring mid-way through the session, but he joined in to the full drills later. It's good that he seems to speak with the physio at the sign of any tightness.

I guess I was a bit disappointed that I was expecting end to end movement with no mistakes but obviously that's not going to happen. I also though the intensity was reasonably good during most of the drills but that plenty of time was spent strolling around between drills. Based on what people had reported on previously I was expecting more movement throughout the whole session. But again maybe I was expecting too much.

One final thing. ANB was running laps at a serious pace. He's a beast.

Bring on the games and 2015!! I'll be watching from London

On Vandenberg - I think he has all the tools of being the guy to come in for Petracca this year. This won't guarantee him any senior games but he has body to stand up to AFL footy and knows how to win the pill. If he can impress early in the season then I could see him knocking on the door of a debut game within the first 6 rounds of the season.

Was thinking exactly the same thing reading these reports ...

Was thinking exactly the same thing reading these reports ...

Spot on. I've based my comments on what guys like GRRM or mo64 have said in their training reports. Based on that, and being a mature age rookie in good nick, I think he will step up and bring something positive to the side in 2015 if he takes his opportunity.

Petracca was out there, handballing, coaching, encouraging, helping to get the padding down from around the goalposts at the end (I kid you not)

When he cuts up the oranges for half time, THEN i'll be impressed.

Does anyone know when we will name who will get the rookie upgrades for Trenners and P?

Thanks trenners_09 for coming all the way from London to see them train

Thanks for your descriptive and to the point report too Saty. Much appreciated.

From what I have seen of chomps harmes I reckon he will crack in at some stage for sure. Had a solid pre season.

Does anyone know when we will name who will get the rookie upgrades for Trenners and P?

Not until someone is about to get selected for a game I would think.

Basically, in the week before round 1, and only if they are going to be selected to play in round 1.

Good report Trenners 09, glad you saw the same Watts I did

That strolling around, usually the have a minute and a half between drills and they are encouraged to 'relax' similar coming to the bench in a game, they want them to switch off momentarily and then straight back on when the drill starts, saves mental tiredness

It was a deliberate lighter session after the Intra-Club, expect them to be pounded on Friday if you are still here

I remembered a good bit again, Tommy Mc, Dunny and Garlo were doing a drill of third man in to mark whilst the other two engaged, the ball got too close to the two, did Tommy Mc pull out, no of course he didn't, ending in a spectacular fall for him and a bruised ear for Garlo, the result is in pictures on my Twitter...he is dangerous haha

Spot on. I've based my comments on what guys like GRRM or mo64 have said in their training reports. Based on that, and being a mature age rookie in good nick, I think he will step up and bring something positive to the side in 2015 if he takes his opportunity.

If he gets a gig at all, it will probably be as a forward, he has done no inside midfield work up to now because of his shoulder, and that puts him behind all the other mids except Vince

Edit..Trenners 09, you forgot the green bib for the designated kicker they are supposed to use in the full field drill, bit like the aircraft observers from the war, have learnt to recognise by hairstyle or lack of and running style

When he cuts up the oranges for half time, THEN i'll be impressed.

He was water boy on a couple of occasions, does that count, it was great to see his involvement, his op is tomorrow Tuesday, so suppose he was enjoying last day before the couch for the next couple of weeks

Cheers TDI, I'm glad it was a lighter session then as I thought Mondays were usually fairly hard. Makes sense after the intra club. Unfortunately don't think I'll be able to make another session

I couldn't believe how much Petracca was walking around in full kit, bouncing balls and not showing too much sign of the injury. I haven't seen an ACL before but I guess it doesn't have that immediate immobilisation that other injuries do. I dislocated and grade 3 sprained my ankle in London and was straight into a cast/moon boot and couldn't put any pressure on it for weeks.

I guess he was making the most of it before the operation today. He seemed a postive fella though.

One other thing I noticed. White was getting treatment on his foot and seemed to be in some discomfort.

New nickname for those that like them, Harmes is now Nut,

Please have words - this nickname is taken and registered.

Howie is pounding out the laps and so is Bernie , both are frustrated but understand the caution, I am not a fitness guru , perhaps somebody who is can explain, they seem to be doing a lot of swimming as well, what benefit does that have to overall fitness levels?

Pretty simple - I have a bung knee and the physio stopped me from my usual running and moved me to a swimming program . Swimming simply works muscles and maintains fitness without the jarring, impact and weight bearing pressures that comes with running.

When does Petrac go in for his surgery?

When does Petrac go in for his surgery?

Today

Cheers TDI, I'm glad it was a lighter session then as I thought Mondays were usually fairly hard. Makes sense after the intra club. Unfortunately don't think I'll be able to make another session

I couldn't believe how much Petracca was walking around in full kit, bouncing balls and not showing too much sign of the injury. I haven't seen an ACL before but I guess it doesn't have that immediate immobilisation that other injuries do. I dislocated and grade 3 sprained my ankle in London and was straight into a cast/moon boot and couldn't put any pressure on it for weeks.

I guess he was making the most of it before the operation today. He seemed a postive fella though.

One other thing I noticed. White was getting treatment on his foot and seemed to be in some discomfort.

I was interested to read your thoughts on it being a 'relaxed' looking session mate. When I went a few weeks ago (also having not seen a session since returning from London last year), I was actually very impressed with the intensity, physicality, length of the session and the very short breaks between drills.

Perhaps we have differing expectations, but more likely, you saw a light session and I saw a heavy one.

On Petraccas knee, I ruptured my ACL some years ago, and yeh after the initial swelling goes down you can hardly notice you are injured. It's really only turning direction on the knee when you feel unstable. I played golf and even went for slow runs before I had my operation.

Once he has the op, then he'll struggle to move about for 4 months!

Spot on. I've based my comments on what guys like GRRM or mo64 have said in their training reports. Based on that, and being a mature age rookie in good nick, I think he will step up and bring something positive to the side in 2015 if he takes his opportunity.

If he gets a gig at all, it will probably be as a forward, he has done no inside midfield work up to now because of his shoulder, and that puts him behind all the other mids except Vince

I have to agree with TDI here - he is a midfielder that is having a go at his first year of AFL life and calling him mature age is probably doing him a disservice here as we think they are all ready to go but someone like Michie is near Vandenberg's age but has been in this environment for 5 years.

Sometimes you can be thrown in too early and also in the wrong position - he's a mid, he's not a forward, he's a go-and-get-it mid and I hope they have patience with him if they do ask him to play in 2015 and in a foreign position.

I have to agree with TDI here - he is a midfielder that is having a go at his first year of AFL life and calling him mature age is probably doing him a disservice here as we think they are all ready to go but someone like Michie is near Vandenberg's age but has been in this environment for 5 years.

Sometimes you can be thrown in too early and also in the wrong position - he's a mid, he's not a forward, he's a go-and-get-it mid and I hope they have patience with him if they do ask him to play in 2015 and in a foreign position.

Yep, I think of Magner (not comparing him as a player) as a ball winning mid being asked to play a defensive forward role that just wasn't his go. Probably hastened his exit from AFL footy.

Thanks for the report Trenners, and whos ya Fav for the F1's this year?

I was interested to read your thoughts on it being a 'relaxed' looking session mate. When I went a few weeks ago (also having not seen a session since returning from London last year), I was actually very impressed with the intensity, physicality, length of the session and the very short breaks between drills.

Perhaps we have differing expectations, but more likely, you saw a light session and I saw a heavy one.

On Petraccas knee, I ruptured my ACL some years ago, and yeh after the initial swelling goes down you can hardly notice you are injured. It's really only turning direction on the knee when you feel unstable. I played golf and even went for slow runs before I had my operation.

Once he has the op, then he'll struggle to move about for 4 months!

Yeah I'm guessing it was a lighter session as TDI has been to pretty much all of them and he said it was a lighter one.

I think it was because most players not directly involved in the drill would be standing around until it was their turn. Most drills I've done in local footy have involved near continuous running. Although I was mostly watching the forwards/backs as the mids we're further away in the centre of the ground. I think the drills the mids were doing involved more running

An interesting drill involved Shannon Byrnes kicking inside 50 to a leading target with a defender on their heels. He would sometimes kick over their heads to a 1 on 1 contest near the goalsquare and the leading target would have to turn around and run back to crumb the spill and snap at goal. Kent was very quick to turn around and run back past the defender.

Thanks for the report Trenners, and whos ya Fav for the F1's this year?

No worries. Hard to go past Hamilton as the Merc is so far ahead. But my fav is definitely Ricciardo, hopefully he can put up a good fight. He's talented enough, just needs the horsepower

A lighter session doesn't surprise me tbh. They are no doubt climbing the walls ready to get into the real stuff. You don't want to go hammer and tongs at this late stage to risk an injury.

A lighter session doesn't surprise me tbh. They are no doubt climbing the walls ready to get into the real stuff. You don't want to go hammer and tongs at this late stage to risk an injury.

Yep exactly. Although training should be at a high intensity to prepare them for the season, I would expect them to take it up a couple of notches on game day. In saying that, in the past I think our poor training habits carried over into games so it's good to keep a high standard (guys like N Jones and Cross)

I always struggle with training but the occasion of the contest always gets me up on game day. Similar to Jeffy Garlett I think

I have to agree with TDI here - he is a midfielder that is having a go at his first year of AFL life and calling him mature age is probably doing him a disservice here as we think they are all ready to go but someone like Michie is near Vandenberg's age but has been in this environment for 5 years.

Sometimes you can be thrown in too early and also in the wrong position - he's a mid, he's not a forward, he's a go-and-get-it mid and I hope they have patience with him if they do ask him to play in 2015 and in a foreign position.

Actually with his size and speed he is quite happy playing forward, so is Harmes, both still learning the craft of AFL midfield, if Petracca hadn't done his knee, he would have been forward as well

Trenners 09 White has had a toe injury, think the strapping he had on it was more of a hindrance than help, got it changed

Thanks for the training report as always TDI.

I'm generally more a lurker than a poster around here, but thought it was about time I chipped in with my thanks.

While I am here, I saw you at White Night. Walked past you and your lady at ~3am on Princes Bridge.

Almost didnt recognise you with the trimmed beard and no scooter!