Been reading the player by player updates by Paul Roos and two players that I thought was interesting.

JAMES HARMES – No.43

Date of birth: 5/10/1995 (20 years old)
Height: 185cm, Weight: 80kg
AFL debut: 2015
AFL games: 8, AFL goals: 3
Position: Midfielder/forward
Recruited: Devon Meadows (Vic)/Dandenong Stingrays (Vic)
Drafted: 2013/14 Rookie Draft (No.2); 2015 NAB AFL Draft rookie elevation

“Harmesy probably started a little bit slowly and a little bit behind where we hoped he’d be, which then puts pressure on every session, as you can’t afford to miss them. But pre-Christmas he really picked it up and his last two or three weeks before Christmas were really good. Hopefully, he’ll improve on last season, because he finished off the year really well.” – Paul Roos

The message I got from that was maybe he came back not doing the work required set out for them in the off season? I know young players who have had a good debut year tend to get carried away and probably don't put in the hard work in the off season but as Roosy said they do pick it up straight away.

 

JESSE HOGAN – No.1

Date of birth: 12/2/1995 (20 years old)
Height: 195cm, Weight: 101kg
AFL debut: 2015
AFL games: 20, AFL goals: 44
Position: Key forward
Recruited: Claremont (WA)
Drafted: 2012 GWS Giants Trade Incentive Rule Selection, 17-year-old access (No.2)
Honours: NAB AFL Rising Star 2015

“Jesse came back and was a little underdone, but he doesn’t take long to get into shape. His is all about balance – getting the balance right between running, football and off-field. He’s had a bad back in the past, but he’s really working well and he’ll be in really good nick heading into our pre-season camp in mid-January.” – Paul Roos

Thought this bit was interesting as well.. Maybe just got a little too comfortable with his first year? Actually I must admit I am looking forward to seeing if he can back it up again next season. 

 

LIAM HULETT – No.27

Date of birth: 17/3/1997 (18 years old)
Height: 193cm, Weight: 94kg
AFL debut: yet to debut
AFL games: 0, AFL goals: 0
Position: Key defender/forward
Recruited: Bonbeach (Vic)/Dandenong Stingrays (Vic)
Drafted: 2015 NAB AFL Draft (No.46)

“Liam is like the other first year players – it’s all about getting used to the schedule and getting up early and doing all the things you have to do to be an AFL footballer. He’s got an AFL body – he’s a big, strong lad. But he’s just been getting used to training since arriving at the club,” – Paul Roos

 

My favourite part quote

yup, read this and thought the same. Read between the lines, and they probably enjoyed the "off season" a little bit too much. This is where strong culture an leadership pulls this into line, which unfortunately we don't have and/or are still trying to develop.

I suspect that, with his mature body, we are going to see Hulett debut before Weideman.

5 minutes ago, The Song Formerly Known As said:

yup, read this and thought the same. Read between the lines, and they probably enjoyed the "off season" a little bit too much. This is where strong culture an leadership pulls this into line, which unfortunately we don't have and/or are still trying to develop.

My thought exactly. Its disappointing that these two who had great first years have come back underdone and had to play catch up. This is where our leadership will be really tested now.

 

It's a very public statement and a clear message.  No party boys.  I don't feel anxious about the culture or the leadership.

45 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

My thought exactly. Its disappointing that these two who had great first years have come back underdone and had to play catch up. This is where our leadership will be really tested now.

 

 

Well put it this way. We are having our 3km time-trial on Wednesday. All results pending it will be very interesting. Especially taking this into account, as this is what we want to aim for:

 

AFL

Just now · 

Three quarters of the Port Adelaide Football Club list ran PBs in this morning's time-trial!

...Just to make us all feel worse about our own Christmas blow-outs.

1 hour ago, CBDees said:

I suspect that, with his mature body, we are going to see Hulett debut before Weideman.

Possibly, but while Weiderman is a little less developed right now, unlike Hulett, Weiderman has played against AFL listed men, and dominated in the game against the northern Blues, so i don't think he'll be all that far away if he can stay fit.

I'm possibly being pedantic here, but of the 12 players reviewed so far, three have had injuries: 

- Frost: Foot

- Dawes: Calf

- Brayshaw: Hip

And three have been "underdone"

- Harmes

- Hogan

- Garlett

Good start. Whilst I like Roosy's transparency, and injuries are mostly unavoidable, there's no excuse for Harmes, Hogan and especially Garlett. All three have had multiple preseasons in the AFL system, and there's no reason they shouldn't be able to keep their bodies at the standard required over the few weeks off. Disappointing.

I suspect alot of this has to do with now higher expectations on the shape you are in and also culture being built on transparency when not meeting expectations. I dont take this as we are worse off than previous but more so that the bar is alot higher. 

NB: I saw Harmes in the training session before the Xmas break and he looked in ripping shape and appeared much trimmer than end of last year.

2 hours ago, Elusive Tunbridge said:

It's a very public statement and a clear message.  No party boys.  I don't feel anxious about the culture or the leadership.

I think we are still some way off a strong culture and having strong leaders. The St.kilda/Carlton/Essendon games last year showed that then the need for the byo shovel training camp. People need to be held accountable.

Would like to clarify I think we have a lot of talent on the list, mainly from the age group 23 and under, but to me the culture is still being driven by the coaching group because the players are yet to take ownership.

Players get paid a shitload and I cannot see any excuse (injury excepted) for not meeting the targets they were set for the off season. If this is indeed the case ,it is extremely disappointing and does not bode well for the culture we supporters are told is being built.

Garlett is the most disappointing. He is a veteran. He came back last year similar iirc.

 

57 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

Garlett is the most disappointing. He is a veteran. He came back last year similar iirc.

Didn't stop him getting 40 goals.

(just saying ...)

9 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Didn't stop him getting 40 goals.

(just saying ...)

Maybe if he was fitter he would have kicked straighter due to less fatigue or got to more contests and that number would have been 50-60...

ah yes, more discussion of skin folds and agility tests and the pretense that it all really matters

these blokes put in pretty hard. They get a few weeks off over christmas to be very young men.

give them a break FFS

1 hour ago, Curry & Beer said:

ah yes, more discussion of skin folds and agility tests and the pretense that it all really matters

these blokes put in pretty hard. They get a few weeks off over christmas to be very young men.

give them a break FFS

Totally agree, let them have a bit of fun for a few weeks a year, even if they are  "AFL players" they are not robots.

They got break while others were playing finals. If that's all they want out of their careers they can F off & give me a break. 

2 hours ago, Curry & Beer said:

ah yes, more discussion of skin folds and agility tests and the pretense that it all really matters

these blokes put in pretty hard. They get a few weeks off over christmas to be very young men.

give them a break FFS

Their fitness is a key factor in their careers, not sure how you don't get that? Do you think they get paid so well because of all the study they have to do to become footballers, or because it's a career that dominates their lives for a few years? Plenty of other jobs out there if they want to just be "young men", they all went into their AFL careers with eyes open.

Or do you think we're successful enough to let ourselves go over Christmas?

They had September off after all too.

 

5 minutes ago, stuie said:

Their fitness is a key factor in their careers, not sure how you don't get that? Do you think they get paid so well because of all the study they have to do to become footballers, or because it's a career that dominates their lives for a few years? Plenty of other jobs out there if they want to just be "young men", they all went into their AFL careers with eyes open.

Or do you think we're successful enough to let ourselves go over Christmas?

They had September off after all too.

 

not going to get into it with you but way, way, way too much is made out of every little piece of sports science data these days. People forget that they are not racehorses and that there are skills, brains and guts involved in being a good footballer, it's not all about beep tests.

1 minute ago, Curry & Beer said:

not going to get into it with you but way, way, way too much is made out of every little piece of sports science data these days. People forget that they are not racehorses and that there are skills, brains and guts involved in being a good footballer, it's not all about beep tests.

Yeah and the good teams have the skills and the fitness. And that's not even taking into account how much skills deteriorate as fatigue sets in.

But sure, let's go back to giving them a pie and beer at half time and see how we go....

 

1 hour ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Totally agree, let them have a bit of fun for a few weeks a year, even if they are  "AFL players" they are not robots.

Yeah im sure Alistair Clarkson and Luke Hodge agree with this..

No one is saying to be robots. But when your paid big money in a professional environment to get fit over the break but coming back in poor condition then you are letting the team down and supporters. FFS is it seriously hard to take 2 hours of your day dedicating to getting fit and becoming in top condition? Because thats all it takes during their time off each day. Getting good pay for couple hours doing your own work. Sounds like a dream job for me personally.

FMD

3 hours ago, Curry & Beer said:

ah yes, more discussion of skin folds and agility tests and the pretense that it all really matters

these blokes put in pretty hard. They get a few weeks off over christmas to be very young men.

give them a break FFS

I don't think the issues of being "young men" and skin folds etc are mutually exclusive Curry. Players can and do have a break over Christmas (beer snakes come to mind) but within that context there is also a measure of fitness to maintain. They are given a break to do one but paid to do the other.

18 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Yeah im sure Alistair Clarkson and Luke Hodge agree with this..

No one is saying to be robots. But when your paid big money in a professional environment to get fit over the break but coming back in poor condition then you are letting the team down and supporters. FFS is it seriously hard to take 2 hours of your day dedicating to getting fit and becoming in top condition? Because thats all it takes during their time off each day. Getting good pay for couple hours doing your own work. Sounds like a dream job for me personally.

FMD

Yep they do their best work during the season.......Clarkson lucky to not be charged with assault and Hodge being charged with exceed .05%

These players have families which are very important to them and the club.   It doesn't seem a huge deal in the big picture.

A lot of the players don't get paid as much as you think.

 

1 hour ago, thevil1 said:

They got break while others were playing finals. If that's all they want out of their careers they can F off & give me a break. 

i actually agree.