Thanks DeePicks.  Especially loving the overall voice and support for each other on the park, which seems to be emerging as a theme for this pre-season.  Bodes well if it's translated to match-day.

Appreciate the reports & pics. Cheers

Hows Alex Neal-bullen tracking? I expect a good year this year. Reminds me alot of Rory Sloane.

sorry didn't pay to much attention to him. Looks more toned and nice kick for goal.

DeePicks wondered if you took much notice of Oliver. Anything worth mentioning?

10 hours ago, DeePicks said:

Got down for a look and was impressed at what was on display. No good at these things but since there's no reports so far I'll try put a few things down ...

 

- Track said its a small fracture and not as bad as first thought, said media made it bigger than it is.

Thanks for this bit in particular, Picks.

Thanks everybody for your comments, especially DeePick's report and Die Hard Demons girlfriend's photos.  I also managed to take in Proper Gander's partly completed and somewhat esoteric report on Bigfooty. Dazzle, I know it wasn't up to your expectations but there's a bit to read between the lines and apparently more to come. The good news is that Tasmanlvr hasn't left the scene entirely; rather, he's doing summer school at uni (I did that myself one year and it was fascinating) and will probably be back in action after the Aussie Open.

 

My observation is that we've come a long way from pre season training in the last 50 years (in those days it started in late February) since the late, great Norm Smith ordered full back Bernie Massey to shave off his mustache. If he were still coach today and given that he would be the oldest coach in the competition at 100 that's unlikely, the old disciplinarian would surely be bewildered at the amount of facial hair young Roos is permitting his players to get away with (and I mean you in particular Gawny).

 

Not long ago when I wrote that piece on the Weidemans, I checked out some stats and I was amazed that key forwards like Murray Weideman and Norm Smith were barely taller than 6 foot in the old scale and shorter than many of the midfielders running out there at Casey yesterday morning. Blokes of that height never had to do so much running in an entire season, let alone what they have to in January these days. And on top of the running, there's a lot of strength work to be done as well which was demonstrated by some pictures I saw from earlier in the week of young Sam contesting a mark against 20 year old Jesse Hogan. 

 

Smithy's teams were always imposing in terms of height and size, not to mention skills and discipline so it was good reading that part of DeePick's report. I did make it down to Casey Fields at this time two years ago with my grandson on a very hot summer's morning (the only other people there were from the Salem family) and I don't remember as much evidence of the height and size factor then, yet I came away wearing the same rose coloured glasses that I have at this point in every season. Perhaps, it might be justified this time around.

 

9 hours ago, hells bells said:

DeePicks wondered if you took much notice of Oliver. Anything worth mentioning?

Sorry Hells, he was on the other side most of the time. When the group did the run through's, the new guys were on the far side doing 200m sprints. He was running quite well. Looks to have dropped most of his puppy fat. 

32 minutes ago, DeePicks said:

9 hours ago, hells bells said:

DeePicks wondered if you took much notice of Oliver. Anything worth mentioning?

Sorry Hells, he was on the other side most of the time. When the group did the run through's, the new guys were on the far side doing 200m sprints. He was running quite well. Looks to have dropped most of his puppy fat. 

Well FWIW, this is what Proper Gander said about him in Bigfooty:-

"Looks pretty good - like a big white work-in-progress. He's done something weird with the hair though, No 1 back and sides, throwing his ears into prominence, then the ginger top longer and sprouting in a 360. It's an interesting look that is all his own - he kind of resembles a live volcano that has sparked up on an alpine mountain.

Bits and pieces of his play look promising though. He works well and matches up in drills, and his kicking is decent and can travel pretty well. He even snuck in a couple of bounces running for goal which look a million times less terrifying than those included in his highlights package."

Going to be a bloody interesting year. The bit that about playing on at all costs gets my attention and seems to be a shift from Roos to Goody.

16 hours ago, binman said:

Love Col in the background of that shot. Definitely a stoner.

Haha he looks like the guy from the movie The Club when he smokes weed before the game.

5 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Well FWIW, this is what Proper Gander said about him in Bigfooty:-

"Looks pretty good - like a big white work-in-progress. He's done something weird with the hair though, No 1 back and sides, throwing his ears into prominence, then the ginger top longer and sprouting in a 360. It's an interesting look that is all his own - he kind of resembles a live volcano that has sparked up on an alpine mountain.

Bits and pieces of his play look promising though. He works well and matches up in drills, and his kicking is decent and can travel pretty well. He even snuck in a couple of bounces running for goal which look a million times less terrifying than those included in his highlights package."

I hope he's not as self-conscious about the carrot top as Matty Bate. Anyone remember when he dyed his hair brown?

Some of the pics are excellent, difficult to catch somebody airborne

1 hour ago, Elwood 3184 said:

I hope he's not as self-conscious about the carrot top as Matty Bate. Anyone remember when he dyed his hair brown?

Hopefully he doesn't have the turning circle of the Queen Mary either

28 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

Some of the pics are excellent, difficult to catch somebody airborne

Welcome back Satyriconhome.

Been round the traps lately?

WJ

Yes,new employment involves shift work,  so been to a few training sessions, you will find pics on Twitter, still talking to the players, and still having my scooter stolen/moved by Max Gawn

Had a break from this place

39 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

Some of the pics are excellent, difficult to catch somebody airborne

Good to see you back, mate.

12 minutes ago, Red and Bluebeard said:

Good to see you back, mate.

Me too!

28 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

WJ

Yes,new employment involves shift work,  so been to a few training sessions, you will find pics on Twitter, still talking to the players, and still having my scooter stolen/moved by Max Gawn

Had a break from this place

Welcome back. Saw you at training prior to Xmas. What was the go with the orange hair and blue beard? Someone suggested you lost a bet?

As it is a training thread, after speaking to the coaches and the players, and in line with Jack Viney's recent comments, everybody seems to be finally on the same page, the focus at training is sharper, the communication is clearer etc etc, McCartney has gone to another level this year (the players love him), you can see the development happening in front of your eyes

Another comment from the players, we have 40+players on the list, whoever is fit and in form will play and they all want to accept the challenge

And if Hulett can play in a game as good as he shows at training, he is my pick for the smokey this year, he is super aggressive and has the size already to go with it

Other good signs Hunt and Kent basically doing every session, like having 2 new extra recruits, one bit from training a week or so back, Ben Kennedy who is renowned for his speed tried to burn Hunt off, Hunt had him in about 10 metres

16 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

As it is a training thread, after speaking to the coaches and the players, and in line with Jack Viney's recent comments, everybody seems to be finally on the same page, the focus at training is sharper, the communication is clearer etc etc, McCartney has gone to another level this year (the players love him), you can see the development happening in front of your eyes

Another comment from the players, we have 40+players on the list, whoever is fit and in form will play and they all want to accept the challenge

And if Hulett can play in a game as good as he shows at training, he is my pick for the smokey this year, he is super aggressive and has the size already to go with it

Other good signs Hunt and Kent basically doing every session, like having 2 new extra recruits, one bit from training a week or so back, Ben Kennedy who is renowned for his speed tried to burn Hunt off, Hunt had him in about 10 metres

Great to have you back Satyr! 

Hunt is my smokey to have a big year. Look forward to your future training reports. 

 

54 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

WJ

Yes,new employment involves shift work,  so been to a few training sessions, you will find pics on Twitter, still talking to the players, and still having my scooter stolen/moved by Max Gawn

Had a break from this place

Missed your reports Saty. Great to hear from you again. Best of both worlds - employed and able to visit training. funny how life works out sometimes.

Thanks for the Oliver comments. Go dees

To all, no the hair and beard at the last training before Xmas was a little joke with Brendan McCartney, work at a fun place now, colour the old ash blonde now and again, forgot I had it in one day and went to training, the players 'loved' it of course, McCartney asked me to colour it and the beard for last training session, and why not

Other observations from training to keep thread on track, the reporting of even the slightest twinge has gone to another level again, Nev Jetta felt a bit of a pinch in his hip flexor about 15 minutes into a session and that was it, told to go back inside and get it looked at, next week or so in rehab.

Reason Dom Tyson is still rehabbing, had a bit of an issue over the break and into first couple of weeks of training, so has to catch up before he gets back in main group, also his engine still needs a bit of work

The reason Nathan Jones did so well in 3k was he was told to improve his running ability, so not just the kids being put on notice, and with the neck injury it was the opportunity to work on it, he is also another that has 'slimmed down'

Hunt would also be a good pick for a smokey, although Mitch White has every intention of banging the door down as well, as seen by the 3km last week, Max King if he keeps up his consistency could be another

The Satynator in back in action! Haha

In all seriousness I'm very intrigued with Liam Hulett. Drafted on the basis of 3 TAC Cup games in 2 years. A lot of injuries but apparently was a serious up and coming gun in the under 16s champs for Vic Country. Big solid unit who has already played senior footy for Bonbeach so maybe he could be a smokey for an early debut before the likes of Sam Weideman?

Glad my boy Mitch White is having a ripper summer. Huge upside.