Some more observations

Dean kent was the real standout today for me besides maybe Salem and Jones, he has pace, he is tough and knows how to kick multiple goals, i am very optimistic about what he can offer this year, some of the run he provided today was great.

Been waiting to here this all pre season! He's the player I'm most excited about. I think his improvement this year could be the most influential on our results......he's a gun!

Had a look this morning. Normal training drills until about 11.00 when they played match practice with about 16 per team.

Injuries: King, Howe, Vince, ANB (not sighted Petracca and Trengove). All others seemed to be there.

Observations:

As the tempo of training increases so do the mistakes - understandable.

Salem playing back, dominated match simulation and looked fantastic until he appeared to hurt his left calf. He didn't look happy and it was strapped straight away. Lets hope for the best.

Tommy Mac was very good, killed Dawes who really struggles with ball handling.

Jordie McKenzie seems to be playing off the back flank. His opponent gets very little of it.

Gawn mainly forward ruck, some good work at times.

Stretch just knows how to get involved, impressed again today.

Tyson, Jones and Viney did very well.

First look at White today and was impressed. Good size, competitive and kicks well.

Brayshaw got another hit to the head and left the field. Salem was leading him a merry dance at that stage.

Hogan was involved and kicked goals.

Garlett will be a gun if he can keep focused. Clean, fast, skilled and can find it.

Oscar Mac played forward and got it a few times.

Dunn wacked Gawn in the guts behind play.

All the players played their part but the flowing skills of a month ago under little pressure were replaced today with some more contested "normal" footy.

JKH found a little of it when McKenzie didn't pick him up. He played in the midfield a bit and was involved.

Watts only played about half the match sim but didn't seem to be in any discomfort when off so I assume it was just a load thing. In one drill he was playing a lead up forward role but in the match sim he was high half forward again.

Toump seems to have made progress to me. Not the huge leap many will hope for but he was involved all day and by todays standards one of the better disposers of the ball.

There is no doubt they are trying to move the ball quicker but are still struggling at times finding a target.

As ever I'm very interested to get others impressions.

I'm just hoping for the best with Salem. Hopefully just cramp or something but he was terrific and he'll be in my fantasy footy team as first picked. His ball handling, contested work, kicking and ability to find it were just great.

Thanks for the report bb but tbh this doesn't fill me with much confidence at all.

God I hope and pray we will play better and win more but I have serious doubts.

Unless I missed them, Jayden Hunt and Dean Terlich were not there either, today.

I saw Terls early on, he did the warm up then spoke to the trainers and then i don't remember seeing him again, may have pulled up a bit sore.

Just got back from training, and BB was pretty much spot on with his analysis. I went there looking at structures, ball movement and the role that individual players were given. I'm basically looking at where we'll be better from past years.

Positives

Salem was outstanding. Toumpas was really good when he's given space, and his disposal was great. Tyson, N.Jones and Viney were the best of the mids. Hogan and Garlett will improve our forward line. Thought that Kent was also good up forward. Frost really impressed me at times with his clean ball handling and run.

Of the youngsters, Stretch was impressive apart from one badly missed target at the end. He looks like he could be an inside/outside mid. Vandenburg did a couple of nice things. Oscar Mac may take time to develop, but looks like a footballer. Wasn't as impressed with White as BB. He's got nice size about him, and got involved, but struggled a bit in one on one contests.

Negatives

In what were ideal conditions, the number of missed targets was atrocious. I won't individualise because there were too many to remember.

Dawes. If players can get reported during intra club match drills, he would be missing for another 4 weeks. Jetta was playing on him, and beat him every time in a body on body contest. In frustration, Dawes smashed him across the chops, in what can only be described as a cowardly act. Jetta was down for some time, then went off the ground shaken.

Spencer. It's an indictment on a player when an assistant coach yells out to his opponent "you're on Spencil". The ball was duly kicked Spencer's opponent, who took the mark and ran off. There were a couple of other shocking efforts that I could point out. And before Saty or BB say that everyone makes mistakes, Spencer would be lucky to get involved in 5 acts of play during a game, excluding ruck contests.

General Observations

Backs - We have no shortage of backman who are capable in a one on one contest. But when opposition teams apply a forward press, we need players capable of clearing the ball through run or good foot skills. The backmen who can provide both are Jetta, Salem, and Dunn. T.Mac is a lock in as a kpb, but his skills are still average. Lumumba can provide some run and has good evasive skills, but is an ordinary kick. Frost has looked pretty good in the 2 match sims that I've seen. IMO, I wouldn't have Garland, Grimes of McKenzie in a starting 22. All are honest players, but we need more rebound and skill.

Mids - Still a massive reliance on N.Jones and Tyson. Viney was good today. Michie was involved quite a bit but is very one paced, and hasn't got elite kicking skills. Really need Toumpas to have a breakout year.

Forwards - Hogan is the only key forward we can rely on, and he hasn't played a game. Noticed Hogan deliberately punching the ball down to a waiting Garlett or Kent during one of the drills. Would like to see a structure that includes Garlett, Kent and JKH, because aside from Hogan, I struggle to see where the goals will come from. If we line up with Hogan, Dawes and [Pedersen], we'll struggle.

Rucks - Jamar is still no.1 but doesn't offer much around the ground. Gawn has a presence when up forward, but doesn't impose as a ruckman. [Pedersen] did a bit of ruckwork in the match sim, and wouldn't mind seeing him used as a 2nd ruck /ruckrover. Spencer, Casey.

Edited February 27, 201510 yr by mo64

Yeah DemonOX, i too feel that all too familiar "dark passenger" creeping in, telling me to expect the worst.

Yeah DemonOX, i too feel that all too familiar "dark passenger" creeping in, telling me to expect the worst.

And MO64 report only further adds to my concerns.

Seems to be more of the same ol same ol.

Thanks for the report bb but tbh this doesn't fill me with much confidence at all.

God I hope and pray we will play better and win more but I have serious doubts.

Why the lack of confidence DemonOX? I thought the report was very positive indeed. Maybe you read something in it that I missed.

Things I thought from training and the match sim.

Viney, Salem, hunt and toumpas got on the end of most of the handball drills to be the one one kicking it forward. It was either they are working hard on this by themselves or its a training focus.

All of the rucks are doing heaps of contested marking drills as forwards. It's obvious they are going to spend time forward.

Salem is not only a great kick, he is brave and often went for marks in front of oncoming forwards. He did this when he hurt himself. Not sure if it was a knock to the calf and something else. It was late in the sim and he came straight off. On a positive note, they did not put ice on it, but did put a bandage on it and he walked back to the rooms.

Frost is an outstanding athlete. Play of the day was all him. Took a 1 handed mark going back into a pack in the back pocket, played on at pace and kicked beautifully to toumpas at chb, got the handball back, sprinted down the middle and hit gawn on a lead about 40m out. Gawn went back and kicked truly. It was great to watch. He is very fast for a big guy.

Tmac is a machine and competitive beast. He looks to be adding a real attack to his game. Was streaming out of the back half and did not make a single disposal error. He and frost will be the key backs in my opinion with Dunn to be the third.

Garland was also very good and has spoiling was terrific.

I've been critical of grimes at times (like some others). He was brilliant today. Was not beaten once in a one on one and his disposal was very good. If he plays anything like that we all will be happy.

Jetta copped a couple of knocks early but was still pretty good.

The White team had tmac, frost, grimes, Salem, toumpas, jetta running around the backline and it really showed. The White team was easily the better of the 2. Dawes and watts were playing against this and they made it very hard for them

Omac took 1 very good mark at the start of the sim against frost. It was at full sprint with his hands above his head with frost right up his date. Good to see a young player complete a very difficult skill.

I thought gawn, hogan and Kent had a very good forward rapport. Kent is roving off them a lot and they are all very good below their knees and physical with the ball on the ground. Kent is a very hard trainer and he seems to be doing heaps of training roving off hogan.

Garlett played mid mostly and was very impressive. For me, I don't care about what happened earlier in the week as it was about him last year. I would pick him round 1 without question.

Lumumba was the one on the blue team with the most run. He just runs and runs. What a great pick up.

N jones, Tyson and viney are ready to go. Jones was his usual self. Viney was terrific and Tyson was in everything. He tackled very well and kicked another goal from a stoppage about 30 out. He well do this again this year and often.

Spencer competed with jamar today and won a few very good tap outs.

Toumpas looks much improved and will be close to starting around wing and helping out down back.

M jones- also one I'm critical of. Today in the game, when he ran with the ball he ws very good. When he takes a mark and has to go back, he is too indecisive and turned it over a couple of times. His run was very good though and he delivered.

I personally don't see Mckenzie getting too many, if any games. Nothing seems to have changed in his game from what I saw. This is just my opinion. He will give experience to the first and second year guys though. At Casey.

I was there as well agree with most of what BB said, stood next to him a lot of the time and discussed

Only Trenove and Petracca missing

Terlich Hunt Lumumba on light days and left early

Howe, Vince and King were running laps, at one stage got caught on the boundary near the goal with Hogan chasing a ball, ran straight through the middle of them and took out Bernie and King....an animal

ANB ran laps as well

Brayshaw took two head knocks, said he is wearing a helmet next session, Roh Bail pleased somebody has taken over from him in getting the head hits

Salem had two injuries a cork in the calf and a broken heart from Arsenal's poor performance in the Champiions League

On the big men training, discussed with Mark Jamar, on a light day the ruckmen are expected to cover approx. 8km, on solid day they are expected to do 11k

Spoke to Vandenberg again, looking at him as a forward, knows how to play midfield but reckons at the moment he is 6th or 7th in line

Stretch may be a stretch for Rd 1, but he is giving himself every chance

Ben Mathews reckons it was a good quality session

Mo64 Terlich wasn't in the match sim, so you have to pick on somebody, Spencer was ok from what I saw

Any questions, pics on Twitter Demonpk soon

Things I thought from training and the match sim.

Viney, Salem, hunt and toumpas got on the end of most of the handball drills to be the one one kicking it forward. It was either they are working hard on this by themselves or its a training focus.

All of the rucks are doing heaps of contested marking drills as forwards. It's obvious they are going to spend time forward.

Salem is not only a great kick, he is brave and often went for marks in front of oncoming forwards. He did this when he hurt himself. Not sure if it was a knock to the calf and something else. It was late in the sim and he came straight off. On a positive note, they did not put ice on it, but did put a bandage on it and he walked back to the rooms.

Frost is an outstanding athlete. Play of the day was all him. Took a 1 handed mark going back into a pack in the back pocket, played on at pace and kicked beautifully to toumpas at chb, got the handball back, sprinted down the middle and hit gawn on a lead about 40m out. Gawn went back and kicked truly. It was great to watch. He is very fast for a big guy.

Tmac is a machine and competitive beast. He looks to be adding a real attack to his game. Was streaming out of the back half and did not make a single disposal error. He and frost will be the key backs in my opinion with Dunn to be the third.

Garland was also very good and has spoiling was terrific.

I've been critical of grimes at times (like some others). He was brilliant today. Was not beaten once in a one on one and his disposal was very good. If he plays anything like that we all will be happy.

Jetta copped a couple of knocks early but was still pretty good.

The White team had tmac, frost, grimes, Salem, toumpas, jetta running around the backline and it really showed. The White team was easily the better of the 2. Dawes and watts were playing against this and they made it very hard for them

Omac took 1 very good mark at the start of the sim against frost. It was at full sprint with his hands above his head with frost right up his date. Good to see a young player complete a very difficult skill.

I thought gawn, hogan and Kent had a very good forward rapport. Kent is roving off them a lot and they are all very good below their knees and physical with the ball on the ground. Kent is a very hard trainer and he seems to be doing heaps of training roving off hogan.

Garlett played mid mostly and was very impressive. For me, I don't care about what happened earlier in the week as it was about him last year. I would pick him round 1 without question.

Lumumba was the one on the blue team with the most run. He just runs and runs. What a great pick up.

N jones, Tyson and viney are ready to go. Jones was his usual self. Viney was terrific and Tyson was in everything. He tackled very well and kicked another goal from a stoppage about 30 out. He well do this again this year and often.

Spencer competed with jamar today and won a few very good tap outs.

Toumpas looks much improved and will be close to starting around wing and helping out down back.

M jones- also one I'm critical of. Today in the game, when he ran with the ball he ws very good. When he takes a mark and has to go back, he is too indecisive and turned it over a couple of times. His run was very good though and he delivered.

I personally don't see Mckenzie getting too many, if any games. Nothing seems to have changed in his game from what I saw. This is just my opinion. He will give experience to the first and second year guys though. At Casey.

Nice. Hopefully your post waylays some of the oncoming hyperventilation's!

Dawes. If players can get reported during intra club match drills, he would be missing for another 4 weeks. Jetta was playing on him, and beat him every time in a body on body contest. In frustration, Dawes smashed him across the chops, in what can only be described as a cowardly act. Jetta was down for some time, then went off the ground shaken.

That's an outrage

A mixed bag.

Got there pretty early but wandered over to AAMI to get a coffee at one stage so missed a little.

5 different sections of training stood out

1. A mini match play drill that involved 3 teams (blue, green, orange) with 2 on the field and one resting rotating after about 5 minutes. It was interesting to note that the team fresh off the bench would apply more pressure and get the upper hand. I think each team had about 10-15 players and with that number of the field there was much more open space and we were attacking and using the ball pretty well. Besides in front of goal where we missed a bunch of goals. Either way I was impressed with the attacking flowing footy

2. 4 man handball. 4 v 4 aim to get it up 50m using hands then the attacking team becomes the defenders then switch out. The usual quick and classy players stood out - Jones, Tyson, Lumumba.

3. Running players handball weave from the back flank then kick to the forwards (Hogan, Dawes, Garlett, Kent one end, Jamar, Gawn, Oscar Mc, Fitzy the other). The kicks to the forwards were pretty good in this drill. Well placed, fast and accurate. Fitzy grassed a few earlier but then found his range and started leading and marking out in front with purpose. Gawny the same, the coaches getting on him about marking out in front and he responded. Hogan and Garlett making it look easy at the other end.

4. Match sim. I'll have more later

5. Sprints. Most of the more senior players and mainly midfielders plus Pedersen, Garland, Dunn, Dawes did quite a few sets of sprints with Misso after the match simulation. I was impressed by the intensity. Only disappointed with Garland who once again trailed in most sprints even following in Pedersen, Garlett etc. I don't know what the deal is with him, I really thought he would've found his fitness by now.

Rehab:

Neal-Bullen did a truck load of laps

Howe and Vince, sometimes with King did a lot of sprints and laps

No sign of Terlich nor Trengove

Watts, Lumumba and Fitzy were pulled out of the match sim as it progressed but I didn't noticed any issues.

Brayshaw took a couple of bumps and tackles, he gets in there. But towards the end Salem tackled him and Brayshaw managed another head knock, got up and looked ok.

Edited February 27, 201510 yr by Georgiou R.R. Martin

Some more observations

kicking out of the backline in general has improved but some of the decision making was shocking at times, Garland tried to switch at one point, turnover goal, then Dunn handballed in the pocket rather than kicked, caused a stoppage, goal. Nathan Jones gave both a good spray afterwards.

The Toump is clearly quicker than he was last year and actually looks a little dangerous with ball in hand, he is working really hard to get more involved.

Salem looks like he has the potential to be really really good in the back line role, he was playing very well at one point there.

Dean kent was the real standout today for me besides maybe Salem and Jones, he has pace, he is tough and knows how to kick multiple goals, i am very optimistic about what he can offer this year, some of the run he provided today was great.

Maybe Dunn was still rattled by the clown on a bicycle who had collared him after he nearly took out a motorcyclist with his car yesterday? (j/k J Mc)

Edited February 27, 201510 yr by hardtack

And MO64 report only further adds to my concerns.

Seems to be more of the same ol same ol.

Yep, and this wasn't a light day either.

Mids - Still a massive reliance on N.Jones and Tyson. Viney was good today. Michie was involved quite a bit but is very one paced, and hasn't got elite kicking skills. Really need Toumpas to have a breakout year.

How did Newton go?

Yep, and this wasn't a light day either.

It is only mo64's opinion, I made a point of asking Ben Mathews, and he said it was a good quality session, I also asked could I quote him directly, and he said yes

Why the lack of confidence DemonOX? I thought the report was very positive indeed. Maybe you read something in it that I missed.

The main one that stood out to me Bobby was "as the tempo of training increases so do the mistakes".

This is only training tempo. A games tempo is even greater which concens me greatly. I have a bad feeling our skills under pressure will go to water and we will be similar to last yr.

Then there was MO64 report. Not much to like in that.

Maybe it's just me but for the first time in a long time I am being very wary of how we will perform and can't get excited until I see it on game day.

In what were ideal conditions, the number of missed targets was atrocious. I won't individualise because there were too many to remember.

This makes me sad. We do have to remember, however, that it is the full squad at training so theoretically the 'worst' half of them won't be out there for the real thing

How did Newton go?

I thought he was pretty solid the whole way through, if i was picking my round 1 team based on the last few sessions i have been too he is in it.

Was Fitz involved is is he injured?

I thought he was pretty solid the whole way through, if i was picking my round 1 team based on the last few sessions i have been too he is in it.

Agreed, he does everything with the minimum of fuss, same as Michie who they had playing in defence today

Was Fitz involved is is he injured?

Now he is fine, they have been ultra cautious with him, had a bit of tigntness in the back a week or so ago, the bits he did he was fine, got a big thumbs up from him

How did Newton go?

Struggled today. Used a bit in centre clearances and a bit of half back. Jones, Tyson and Viney dominated the clearances, and Newton did little of half back.

Just posted a pic on Twitter of a stoppage that will make the Viney lovers all moist, he was good today, must have read my post about the banner haha

Spoke to Pedo today, he has finally got his body were it is supposed to be, took a while with the diet, trimmed down a bit, loving the competition for forward spots

Few things I will mention from training won't go overboard but watched from far end goals on Olympic boulevard.

So impressed with Salem in the backline, looked great.

N Jones gave Garland then Dunn the biggest spray I have ever heard for turning the ball over coming out of the back line.

Vanderberg looks huge but still has a bit to do in terms of footy smarts and running patterns.

Gawn looks the fittest I have ever seen him.

Newton looks solid and found it allot pencil him in for round 1

Stretch looks lively on the wing.

Garlett just knows how to play and kick goals although Salem beat him one on one a few times.