Preseason Training - Week commencing 4/12/17

[Demonland 72,189]

We welcome any reports and/or photos from any intrepid Demonlanders.

Official times are updated occasionally here: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/Team/training-times

Men's Training times:
Monday, 4th December - Gosch's Paddock 11.00am

Friday, 8th December - Gosch's Paddock - 9.30am

Women's Training times:

Saturday, 8th December - Gosch's Paddock - 9.15am 

 UPDATE: Due to severe weather warnings on Saturday 2^nd December, the Melbourne Football Club have postponed the AFLW Open Training and Kids Clinic to Saturday 9^th December.

Please note: Training times are subject to change at late notice

PLEASE REMAIN ON TOPIC AND REFRAIN FROM DERAILING THE THREAD OR ATTACKING POSTERS WHO ARE KIND ENOUGH TO PROVIDE THE REST OF US WITH MUCH APPRECIATED TRAINING REPORTS. 

IF YOU DON'T LIKE A POSTER THEN IGNORE THEM.

[Lucifers Hero 39,799]

Looks like Jesse is ready to go.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-04/-hogan-in-super-nick-and-set-for-beast-mode

and is working on some tricks like "... a focus on improving his functional strength, with a particular emphasis on being able to push off big opponents and create separation in marking contests."  And is working on his 'body language' which I assume means not to show his frustrations on the field (to teammates or umpires) and stay aware of where the ball and his opp is .

Those things will go along way to making him a better player.  Lets hope it his year.

[DeeSpencer 25,706]

Strength work won't hurt but what Hogan really needs is some good old fashioned coaching. Seems right now they are still in pump up mode which is fine early in the year. But if he's struggling in games he needs to be encouraged to use his tank and repeat lead and get his opponents moving and he also needs some good coaching when it comes to spoiling from behind, following it up at ground level and tackling. 

The drill when he and the other talls were practising contested marking in November had me confused. Looked like all it was going to achieve was an injury.

[buck_nekkid 5,858]

24 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Strength work won't hurt but what Hogan really needs is some good old fashioned coaching. Seems right now they are still in pump up mode which is fine early in the year. But if he's struggling in games he needs to be encouraged to use his tank and repeat lead and get his opponents moving and he also needs some good coaching when it comes to spoiling from behind, following it up at ground level and tackling. 

The drill when he and the other talls were practising contested marking in November had me confused. Looked like all it was going to achieve was an injury.

Was that just a kick it in and contest type drill (bragging rights type stuff)?  I hope they are preparing the boys for such drills in terms of what they want them to develop in each practice.  I would like it if they also gave instructions to the defender of how they wanted them to play on that forward and vise versa. This speaks to the good old fashioned coaching you mentioned in para 1...

[Cards13 9,117]

59 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Strength work won't hurt but what Hogan really needs is some good old fashioned coaching. Seems right now they are still in pump up mode which is fine early in the year. But if he's struggling in games he needs to be encouraged to use his tank and repeat lead and get his opponents moving and he also needs some good coaching when it comes to spoiling from behind, following it up at ground level and tackling. 

The drill when he and the other talls were practising contested marking in November had me confused. Looked like all it was going to achieve was an injury.

Agree, but also some on ground leadership ie who is helping him stay focused during the on ground time while he isn't having a rest on the bench or during breaks in the qtrs. I think that is an area the team as a whole needs to improve on, the leadership of on ground talking/coaching when needed.

[old55 23,573]

3 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

The drill when he and the other talls were practising contested marking in November had me confused. Looked like all it was going to achieve was an injury.

We badly need aerial contest coaching and training.  We were pathetic in this area in 2017.  Lever and a fit Gawn will help but we need a lift everywhere.  We were massacred down the line all season long.

[What 18,810]

4 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Looks like Jesse is ready to go.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-04/-hogan-in-super-nick-and-set-for-beast-mode

and is working on some tricks like "... a focus on improving his functional strength, with a particular emphasis on being able to push off big opponents and create separation in marking contests."  And is working on his 'body language' which I assume means not to show his frustrations on the field (to teammates or umpires) and stay aware of where the ball and his opp is .

Those things will go along way to making him a better player.  Lets hope it his year.

There is so much to look forward to with Jesse.

Easy to forget sometimes just how good he is.  A lot of Demon supporters might even underappreciate him...  every opposition supporter would kill for him on their mob.

God help the rest of the comp when he reaches his true potential.   if he takes that next step in 2018 we will finish top 4.

[Matt Demon 1,418]

He'll be wearing purple when he reaches his full potential.

[DeeSpencer 25,706]

27 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

We badly need aerial contest coaching and training.  We were pathetic in this area in 2017.  Lever and a fit Gawn will help but we need a lift everywhere.  We were massacred down the line all season long.

Often due to terrible kicking that wasn't to advantage at all, lack of 2nd/3rd taller options and poor off the ball blocking (and the umpiring associated with it). 

There's lots to train there, but I wouldn't sit talls 10m away from each other, have one run 5m forward, one 5m back and have them move diagonally to collide under a high ball in November. 

[Gorgoroth 12,950]

11 minutes ago, Matt Demon said:

He'll be wearing purple when he reaches his full potential.

 He will be wearing a Minnesota Vikings top under his MFC jumper?

[hemingway 7,627]

31 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

We badly need aerial contest coaching and training.  We were pathetic in this area in 2017.  Lever and a fit Gawn will help but we need a lift everywhere.  We were massacred down the line all season long.

One of my major frustrations this season was watching 2 or 3 players fly for the ball.  Such a basic error even in suburban and amateur footy. More often than not, no player would position themselves in the front or at the back of the pack, this occurring regularly at both ends of the ground. The ball then being swiftly taken away by our opponents. 

[Its Time for Another 4,217]

One of the other great benefits of having Lever around is the rate of improvement for both he and Hogan of getting to train on each other in a lot of these one on one drills. Should raise the standard for both of them.

That photo last week of the two of them grappling with each other was pure rolled gold. 

[DeeSpencer 25,706]

Got there about 11:20. Stayed for half an hour or so.

Absent: Viney, Vanders, Weid, McKenna

Seemed to be a group doing about a 2km time trial. 
Tommy McDonald took the win, Jones not far behind, Bugg behind him, then a gap to Hogan from Lever, followed by a gap to Kent who did well fighting to stay ahead of Lewis, then Jetta and Fritsch (who went out with the front 4 and fell back) with a gap to Balic and then to Flipper. 

Gawn and King were running together as they have been lately. Lots of short sprints and changes of direction as well as longer stuff.

The main group were doing repeat 200's.

A rehab group of Garlett and J Smith in a pair and T Smith and Petty were doing longer interval runs.

Hibberd, Melksham, Hannan were doing leading and kicking, as were Spargo and Baker with Crossy.

Spargo looks like a very technically correct kick of the footy and can snap it accurately as well. Baker isn't as smooth, his drop punts can be a touch more up and under but not terrible. These 2 plus the 3 I named above did a kick to a lead, get a handball and kick a goal drill and Baker's easy change of pace was obvious and he nailed a very smooth running goal. Baker joined the midfield group, Hannan the forwards after they finished running.

They split in to line groups. Chaplin again taking the defenders. Hard to tell if it's Rooke or who is in charge of the forwards. The forwards again had the soccer balls out to warm up with.

All 3 line groups did drills with the focus on kicking and moving.

They then divided in to 3 seemingly random groups to rotate through 3 drills.
1. Receiving the ball, turning off the mark and kicking to a short sideways lead right in close next to the boundary.
2. Picking up a ground ball under token pressure, straightening up and hitting a 45 degree lead (I like this drill because it replicates a more aggressive stoppage plan)
3. A 3 point kicking drill where you could either bomb to a target down the boundary or hit up a short inside 45 kick to a stationary team mate who would then wheel and go and kick long to the down the line man who has simultaneously turned and is racing towards goal.

They split in 3 lane groups about 50m apart for simple lane work in a race to be first to 10 completed kicks. Very fast and surprisingly accurate. Lots of laughing and arguing over who won.

Then the last thing I saw was the players pairing up and repeatedly leap frogging then crawling between a team mates legs. Another drill that seemed in high spirits but also probably had a decent point to it. Those explosive movements to jump up then get down and crawl repeated multiple times would be tiring stuff.

[Lucifers Hero 39,799]

15 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Got there about 11:20. Stayed for half an hour or so.

Absent: Viney, Vanders, Weid, McKenna

Seemed to be a group doing about a 2km time trial. 
Tommy McDonald took the win, Jones not far behind, Bugg behind him, then a gap to Hogan from Lever, followed by a gap to Kent who did well fighting to stay ahead of Lewis, then Jetta and Fritsch (who went out with the front 4 and fell back) with a gap to Balic and then to Flipper. 

Gawn and King were running together as they have been lately. Lots of short sprints and changes of direction as well as longer stuff.

The main group were doing repeat 200's.

A rehab group of Garlett and J Smith in a pair and T Smith and Petty were doing longer interval runs.

Hibberd, Melksham, Hannan were doing leading and kicking, as were Spargo and Baker with Crossy.

Spargo looks like a very technically correct kick of the footy and can snap it accurately as well. Baker isn't as smooth, his drop punts can be a touch more up and under but not terrible. These 2 plus the 3 I named above did a kick to a lead, get a handball and kick a goal drill and Baker's easy change of pace was obvious and he nailed a very smooth running goal. Baker joined the midfield group, Hannan the forwards after they finished running.

They split in to line groups. Chaplin again taking the defenders. Hard to tell if it's Rooke or who is in charge of the forwards. The forwards again had the soccer balls out to warm up with.

All 3 line groups did drills with the focus on kicking and moving.

They then divided in to 3 seemingly random groups to rotate through 3 drills.
1. Receiving the ball, turning off the mark and kicking to a short sideways lead right in close next to the boundary.
2. Picking up a ground ball under token pressure, straightening up and hitting a 45 degree lead (I like this drill because it replicates a more aggressive stoppage plan)
3. A 3 point kicking drill where you could either bomb to a target down the boundary or hit up a short inside 45 kick to a stationary team mate who would then wheel and go and kick long to the down the line man who has simultaneously turned and is racing towards goal.

They split in 3 lane groups about 50m apart for simple lane work in a race to be first to 10 completed kicks. Very fast and surprisingly accurate. Lots of laughing and arguing over who won.

Then the last thing I saw was the players pairing up and repeatedly leap frogging then crawling between a team mates legs. Another drill that seemed in high spirits but also probably had a decent point to it. Those explosive movements to jump up then get down and crawl repeated multiple times would be tiring stuff.

Thanks DeeSpencer - very much appreciated.

That is a great effort for TomMc to win the 2km given he is recovering from double ankle surgery.

On a different note - there have been a few articles about various players who have come back in great nick or being talked up.  I haven't heard Petracca's name mentioned.  Does he look like he has improved his fitness/tank - that was his challenge for this pre season - so just wondering if you've noticed how he is going on that.  

Edited December 4, 2017 by Lucifer's Hero

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,505]

40 minutes ago, Matt Demon said:

He'll be wearing purple when he reaches his full potential.

Why not blue and yellow?  Genuine question.

Why is it always Fremantle that the tin-foilers always cite as stealing Hogan away from us and not WCE..?

[Demonland 72,189]

6 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

  I haven't heard Petracca's name mentioned.  Does he look like he has improved his fitness/tank - that was his challenge for this pre season - so just wondering how he is going on that.  

Not sure on fitness but he's got the guns on display. On a side note I hope he beat Lewis to the ball.

[Matt Demon 1,418]

8 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Why not blue and yellow?  Genuine question.

Why is it always Fremantle that the tin-foilers always cite as stealing Hogan away from us and not WCE..?

Yeah fair point, I'm convinced he'll end up going home. I just hope he sticks around long enough to achieve something with this group.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,754]

42 minutes ago, hemingway said:

One of my major frustrations this season was watching 2 or 3 players fly for the ball.  Such a basic error even in suburban and amateur footy. More often than not, no player would position themselves in the front or at the back of the pack, this occurring regularly at both ends of the ground. The ball then being swiftly taken away by our opponents. 

I agree 100%...but, I wonder if the newfound love of the umpires to penalise players for shepherding in marking situations makes it harder for players not to make a contest for the ball? (It's just one of the rules I would like Steven Hocking to look at. I've never understood how a player standing still can ever be penalised for shepherding. It just means he got to the right spot first, doesn't it?) 

[Cards13 9,117]

1 hour ago, Gorgoroth said:

 He will be wearing a Minnesota Vikings top under his MFC jumper?

An old Raptors top maybe?

[DeeSpencer 25,706]

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Thanks DeeSpencer - very much appreciated.

That is a great effort for TomMc to win the 2km given he is recovering from double ankle surgery.

On a different note - there have been a few articles about various players who have come back in great nick or being talked up.  I haven't heard Petracca's name mentioned.  Does he look like he has improved his fitness/tank - that was his challenge for this pre season - so just wondering if you've noticed how he is going on that.  

Haven't seen much long running but he's keeping pace in the sprints in the main group. The gap between them in the repeat sprints is probably as narrow as I've seen it. Neal-Bullen's often towards the front but Hunt, Harmes, Salem, Brayshaw, Tracc etc aren't dropping off.

[Demonland 72,189]

 

[Satyriconhome 10,878]

3 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Thanks DeeSpencer - very much appreciated.

That is a great effort for TomMc to win the 2km given he is recovering from double ankle surgery.

On a different note - there have been a few articles about various players who have come back in great nick or being talked up.  I haven't heard Petracca's name mentioned.  Does he look like he has improved his fitness/tank - that was his challenge for this pre season - so just wondering if you've noticed how he is going on that.  

Trac is fine, building nicely, ticking off the sessions

[Wiseblood 24,637]

4 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Thanks DeeSpencer - very much appreciated.

That is a great effort for TomMc to win the 2km given he is recovering from double ankle surgery.

On a different note - there have been a few articles about various players who have come back in great nick or being talked up.  I haven't heard Petracca's name mentioned.  Does he look like he has improved his fitness/tank - that was his challenge for this pre season - so just wondering if you've noticed how he is going on that.  

I reckon no news is good news with Trac.  He gets talked up so much by all parts of the footballing world that I think it will be good to see him have a really solid, quiet off season where he continues to build his tank and his ability to play more midfield minutes in 2018.  What a weapon he can be if he is able to add this to his repertoire over the off season!

Thanks again as always @DeeSpencer, your reports and insight are much appreciated.

[Demonland 72,189]

 

[monoccular 17,428]

3 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Haven't seen much long running but he's keeping pace in the sprints in the main group. The gap between them in the repeat sprints is probably as narrow as I've seen it. Neal-Bullen's often towards the front but Hunt, Harmes, Salem, Brayshaw, Tracc etc aren't dropping off.

That is possibly about the best news so far this off season.