1 minute ago, DeeSpencer said:

Brayshaw and Vanders had a nasty collision but seem fine. 

Sounds like a head on collision between a train and a truck.

2 minutes ago, Barra17 said:

Sounds like a head on collision between a train and a truck.

We need to get our nicknames right. Surely 'truck' should be used for Petracca and 'van' for VandenBerg.

And I'll accept Mack Truck for the two McDonalds.

Thanks for the update guys, Brayshaw moving freely?

Also what sort of work was Salem doing?

35 minutes ago, FireOath said:

Viney's fault too.

Based on averages I'd have to give this one to Watts

Anyone know when the intra club is?

i assume they'll do this during business hours like every other year, when no body turns up and the club misses out on membership purchases and merchandise.

Edited February 9, 20169 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

22 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Anyone know when the intra club is?

i assume they'll do this during business hours like every other year, when no body turns up and the club misses out on membership purchases and merchandise.

Which i get annoyed about because being in the country i would love to road trip down and watch the boys.

4 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Which i get annoyed about because being in the country i would love to road trip down and watch the boys.

But I'm guessing while you're disappointed you'd rather they did it at a time and place that was best for the team.

Here is a suggestion guys.

Ring the club and ask them!

 

I've avoided getting to hyped up over the pre-season this year to simmer expectations but geee this training report has got me thinking that maybe wheel has finally turned.

3 minutes ago, boydie said:

I've avoided getting to hyped up over the pre-season this year to simmer expectations but geee this training report has got me thinking that maybe wheel has finally turned.

I'm of a similar train of thinking

The idea that someone's twigged that the quickest way to move the ball is hard thinking LOW kicks to an awaiting teammate bodes well. 

Such new thinking

5 hours ago, Baghdad Bob said:

But I'm guessing while you're disappointed you'd rather they did it at a time and place that was best for the team.

Yes but i remember years ago they did a intra club at Casey on a saturday and it was a massive hit. Kids everywhere and membership tents set up.

Personally i dont see how it would affect what day the team plays. I think the memberships and good fan base would be just as important?

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Yes but i remember years ago they did a intra club at Casey on a saturday and it was a massive hit. Kids everywhere and membership tents set up.

Personally i dont see how it would affect what day the team plays. I think the memberships and good fan base would be just as important?

I agree, can't see why they wouldn't do it unless there was a good reason.  The reality is it's only the fanatics like us that would turn up but I take your point.

2 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

I'm of a similar train of thinking

The idea that someone's twigged that the quickest way to move the ball is hard thinking LOW kicks to an awaiting teammate bodes well. 

Such new thinking

It is probably helped by the small item of having a list with the necessary skill level to mpull it off bb.

8 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Yes but i remember years ago they did a intra club at Casey on a saturday and it was a massive hit. Kids everywhere and membership tents set up.

Personally i dont see how it would affect what day the team players. I think the memberships and good fan base would be just as important?

I think it's because the players get no weekends off during the season (apart from the bye) - a bit of a trade off.

2 minutes ago, Roger Mellie said:

I think it's because the players get no weekends off during the season (apart from the bye) - a bit of a trade off.

Probably true

Went along for 30 mins at 11.45.  Thought that I may have missed the best of it but arrived just as they were doing  an intense end to end transition drill.  Divided into 3 groups and rotating off the boundary every couple of minutes.  It seemed to be about getting to the point of exhaustion whilst still maintaining a high work load.  Whilst the overall standard was very good it became obvious that fatigue did start to affect skill levels.

Great voice from the onlooking group each time with lots of high fives, encouragement and general input.  They seem like a really tight group of young fellows on a mission. Great to see.

The sound that Brayshaw and Vanders made when they collided was extremely loud.  The group watching in front of me gasped and went quiet until Brayshaw got up and moving again.

I love that we are training hard, but please please please footy gods spare us injuries! 

Thanks for the report everyone.

Interesting session. I watched from about 10:15 to 12:15

No Vince, Stretch, O Mc.

Watts, Petracca, Newton, Smith, Lumumba, Max King doing boxing only

Salem doing sprints and agility stuff ie. approx 50m timed runs and zig zag leading then marking. Nothing appeared taped or restricted. Oliver doing more distance/interval running and kick to kick with Crossy. He needs to work on his short kicking, the ball didn't come off his boot at all well today, maybe a combination of fatigue, technique changes etc.

Trengove in the main group for some simple drills, then back having a kick and finally over to the paddock for some intensive drills with Crossy and another couple of staff members. All about getting him used to footy drills but without tackling/taking a tackle or other uncontrolled movement at this stage. He looked good.

Weideman was part of the first full ground match simulation, before going over to the paddock and doing the same sort of stuff Trengove had been doing. Whilst Mitch King and Hulett sat out the first larger match simulation but took part in the second drill.

The first match simulation was about 14 a side full ground match practice. Spencer or Gawn would be given the hit out and from there the play would flow. Both sides set up with a man behind the ball. 

Gawn, Brayshaw, Tyson, Viney, Kent all found a lot of it. Frost was used at both ends. Different talls were swapped. It was scratchy but willing. 

They then moved in to 3 groups - blue, white, green. With 9 guys coming out with the ball from the backline opposed to 7 defenders, working it up inside 50, receiving the ball back from a coach and going again back to score a goal at the other end. Really the point of this drill was to move the ball very quickly and to get out and spread on the rebound/defend on transition. They went for 20-30 minutes rotating the teams and some of the boys were pretty tired at the end.

ANB impressed me with his work rate. Ben Kennedy with his ability to take off quickly and keep the ball moving. Brayshaw with his attacking running. Matt Jones did a few nice things. Frost gets separation on the lead and in space so easily, just has to hold his marks and work on his kicking. Michie was kicking long and in to space accurately and with nicely weighted kicks. Hulett handballs and works well with the ball through congestion. And as I said earlier Wagner was very impressive.

 

First time I have been to training this pre season and must admit that I was mostly impressed and just a little disappointed in how some of the players went about it today.

We'll begin with the positives;

- All of our new recruits and draftees impressed in different patches. Ben Kennedy is quick off and on the ball, Tom Bugg seems to be always working pretty hard, Oliver seemed to run lap after lap and could've gone all day, Hulett is a big boy who again is working hard and I could really say the same things about the rest of the newbies. 

- I thought our skills have improved again. Players who weren't renowned for their high level of skills (Grimes, Tom Mac) seemed to be hitting target after target.

- We have a better understanding of structures. Players were running into space and defenders knew the space they had to try and protect. 

- Intensity was high. People have mentioned the clashes above but even in some drills Goody was making players sprint towards him after kicking the ball to a leading forward. He was letting gawny know that his sprinting effort wasn't good enough at one point and he was really the only bloke not putting in 100% to those sprints.

 

And now negatives;

- Still think there is a "point the finger" type culture happening around the club with some of the blokes who came during the Neeld era. I saw Kent rip shreds off JKH for not delivering the ball to him. Kent was correct as he was the right option but I don't think yelling at him and waving his arms around was necessary.

- I don't know if it was due to where I was standing but I thought the group was lacking a bit of talk. I heard Vanders, Dunny, Jonesy and maybe Hulett but honestly not many others voices. This is more in relation to talk and encouragement off the ball rather than yelling for a lead.

 

The stand out performer for me was Josh Wagner. Not because he was the best out there but because he just totally surprised me with his skill level. I think he can become a versatile player for us. His ability to read the play makes him perfect for the backline (off half-back with the run he has) but he has a great leap and mark on him as well and that could cause a threat up forward for us. Viney, Chunk, Ben Kennedy, Kent, Brayshaw and Nifty also stood out. 

It doesn't have to become a big thing but I am of the view that the Viney tackle was over the line. It was arms pinned and slammed on a shoulder. Better to save those ones for game day.

But I'm also of the opinion that Tom McDonald needs to sharpen up or he'll become a liability. He's still too indecisive with the ball and not up to scratch with his kicking. Maybe a few Viney tackles will sharpen him up.

I loved the little push and shove they had after, which was quickly defused by team mates. 

1 minute ago, DeeSpencer said:

It doesn't have to become a big thing but I am of the view that the Viney tackle was over the line. It was arms pinned and slammed on a shoulder. Better to save those ones for game day.

But I'm also of the opinion that Tom McDonald needs to sharpen up or he'll become a liability. He's still too indecisive with the ball and not up to scratch with his kicking. Maybe a few Viney tackles will sharpen him up.

I loved the little push and shove they had after, which was quickly defused by team mates. 

I totally agree. Tom Mac had time to make a decision but he was too late in the end. Viney's tackle probably over stepped the mark but we need to get that idea that making a mistake is a horrible thing. Too many of our guys are worried about making these mistakes when they have the ball that they sit there with it and take there sweet time. It lets the opposition set up down ground and lay a tackle on the player who has the ball or the player who receives the ball.

Here's another report from the AFL site. They seem to have been particularly impressed with Gawn.

Edited February 9, 20169 yr by Good Times Grimes

I also saw Tarkyn Lockyer and Anthony Rocca looking on underneath a tree. They were standing around for a good half an hour or so before Macca had quick chat to them. They seemed very interested in our forward structures. 

13 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

It doesn't have to become a big thing but I am of the view that the Viney tackle was over the line. It was arms pinned and slammed on a shoulder. Better to save those ones for game day.

if that was the case then it seems like the sort of tackle the afl have said they are going to penalise this year. article in today's hun about tackle-to-hurt being banned

young jack may need to be careful this year where he draws the line or it may be costly

not saying if i agree with change, but we need to adapt or pay the price. it's bound to cause controversy with the fans

Edited February 9, 20169 yr by daisycutter

Great reports lads i just jave a few questions.

How is Sam Weideman going? 

Is Liam Hulett a smokey this year? Has hardly played footy in the TAC system and if there is a playing he reminds you please go ahead and explain!

Seems like it could be Viv Michie or Wagner to replace Melksham? Whos your pick?

Massive rap for ANB.. how he tracking along?

 

Thanks legends