There’s a big week coming up for the Dees as we step closer to the real season. Apart from the AFLX and the AFLW, the big news is that the team will be training on Saturday at Casey Fields.

Men's Training Times

Wednesday 14th February, 9.40am, Gosch's Paddock 

Saturday 17th February, 9.30am, Casey Fields Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne Road.

BBQ and drinks available to purchase, meet the players and get an autograph after the session!

Is there an intraclub match?

Any training today?

18 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Any training today?

Couldn't check it out or Wednesday, working so I can go and give the AFLX a squiz on Friday night

50 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Any training today?

 Nah they're doing the Team Photo/Signing day thing today

Hi everyone! Although a bit blustery, It was a beautiful sunny morning at Gosch's.

When I arrived at around 10:00 (apologises to those who live off of the warm up reports of 'kicking the ball around') there were three main training groups: forwards, midfielders and defenders. 

 

The group closest to me were the forwards. One notable participant in this group was Clayton Oliver. I honestly wouldn't mind Clarry occasionally resting forward (ala Dangerfield) as he's a fantastic one-on-one player and a lovely kick. Melksham was another player who caught my eye. It looks like he's put on a bit of size during the off-season. While this was happening Viney and Weideman ran laps with the former showing no signs of discomfort.

 

The first drill I saw was the forwards fending off their opponents and snapping for goal. Dion Johnstone an early standout with some sharp twists and turns. Pedders also had a great moment when he was wrapped up by Bayley Fristch and was somehow able to drop the ball to his boot Mitch Hannan style and dribble it into the open goal. 

 

I then walked over to the midfielders who were practicing 20-30m passes. I noticed future cult hero Oskar Baker was training in this group. By the way, he's a lovely kick and a good size. I think we'll see him in the side at some point this season. Joel Smith (who doesn't look too far off being a key position player) was another who caught the eye with some bullet passes. 

 

When I made it to the defenders, they were in the middle of practicing some one on one drills. Not too much too report here except for the one time Lever (who won 80% of his one on ones) vs Jetta match up. Unsurprisingly, Neville was somehow able to break even against the larger opposition. Nev also took a few moments between drills showing Wagner some tackling tips. Great leadership.

 

Back to the forwards, and they had just started a two vs two keepings off style drill. TMac was a stand out here by being able to chase down Bayley Fristch and directing his partner (I think it was Spargo) where to stand in preparation for a quick opposition handpass. The drill then evolved into one that had more of an emphasis on first beating your man and kicking to the loose player 20m out. Bugg (who by all reports, has had a fantastic pre-season) was a highlight here. I can't remember him losing a contest against his opponent or missing a kick to the clear player. It'll be interesting to see if there's a spot in the team for him as I believe we played our best football last year when he was niggling opposition as a forward. 

 

Meanwhile there's some four vs four match simulation style drills with the midfield group. Kudos on Clarry for bursting into clear space, receiving the hand ball and unleashing a 60m torpedo that landed right between the big sticks. 

 

All the players then gathered in the middle started prepping a good old fashioned blue team vs white team match simulation with an emphasis on transitioning from the backline to the forward line (play started from the kick in). There was a great moment in the opening 30 seconds with a fantastic contested mark by Lever. This was shortly followed by a brilliant Petracca moment (who largely trained with the midfield group) when he punched the incoming ball straight into the arms of a teammate.

 

Oscar McDonald stood out with his kicking....yes you read correctly and Charlie Spargo popped up inside 50 once or twice where he somehow found the space to take an uncontested mark. One from a beautiful kick from Mitch Hannan. Max Gawn was also in vintage contested marking touch today. 

 

At the same time, Smith was in the middle of competing against Cross (who still looks like he could compete for a spot in the round 1 side if he really wanted to) in some one on one drills.

 

A large group of players along with myself then left, leaving what I assume is the AFLX squad to run through some more drills.

 

Feel free to ask any questions regarding some details I may've missed. I'll do my best to fill in the blanks

Edited February 14, 20187 yr by Demon Jack

4 minutes ago, Demon Jack said:

Hi everyone! Although a bit blustery, It was a beautiful sunny morning at Gosch's.

When I arrived at around 10:00 (apologises to those who live off of the warm up reports of 'kicking the ball around') there were three main training groups: forwards, midfielders and defenders. 

 

 

Great report thanks DJ.  REally appreciate your work!

44 minutes ago, Demon Jack said:

 Bugg (who by all reports, has had a fantastic pre-season) was a highlight here. I can't remember him losing a contest against his opponent or missing a kick to the clear player. It'll be interesting to see if there's a spot in the team for him as I believe we played our best football last year when he was niggling opposition as a forward. 

Agreed.

Bugg's best football of the year coincided with the team's best football of the year between rounds 8 and 14, where he managed 16 scoring shots (7.9) over 6 games, as well as being an effective pest.

I doubt he'd be in too many people's best 22 around here, but he was in Goodwin's best 22 when we were up and about last year. 

9 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Agreed.

Bugg's best football of the year coincided with the team's best football of the year between rounds 8 and 14, where he managed 16 scoring shots (7.9) over 6 games, as well as being an effective pest.

I doubt he'd be in too many people's best 22 around here, but he was in Goodwin's best 22 when we were up and about last year. 

Yes it was interesting that our form fell off a cliff from round 15 onwards, after Bugg was rubbed out for 6. On the surface it seems he was an important cog in the wheel and if had kicked straight, well....

10 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Yes it was interesting that our form fell off a cliff from round 15 onwards, after Bugg was rubbed out for 6. On the surface it seems he was an important cog in the wheel and if had kicked straight, well....

I’d put the “falling off a cliff” down to the impact of repeated 6-day breaks on a largely young group playing a high intensity game style.  

Anyone get along today?

fab report thanks @Demon Jack

if bugg can kick straight he'll be in our best 22 i suspect

as we've discussed multiple times on this message board this summer, there's genuine competition these days for those players in that sort of 10-30 on the list spot

58 minutes ago, DemonAndrew said:

fab report thanks @Demon Jack

if bugg can kick straight he'll be in our best 22 i suspect

as we've discussed multiple times on this message board this summer, there's genuine competition these days for those players in that sort of 10-30 on the list spot

And it’s very healthy!

Top report DJ - thanks.

I, like a few others here, hope Bugg has a cracking season.

We play well when he’s in the side.

It seems he’s got a point to prove and, importantly, that he’s intent on proving it.

Good luck to him.

 

Apologies for the late comment but busy day yesterday.

Just expanding to what Demon Jack said, the most pleasing thing for me at training yesterday was watching Jack Viney do a large portion of the session with the remedial group - Sam Weideman and Dean Kent.

Jack took part in some less vigorous tackling drills and was re-strapped around ankle straight afterwards.

But after that he emerged again and did several kicking drills, jumped for marks confidently and then finished with a few lengthy run throughs.

There was no signs of him whimpering in pain - he's hardly likely to show that anyway - and as with last year he looked a tad on the Naim Sulemanglou side in his run-throughs, but when weights and Alter-G are all you've been allowed to do, then that is fair enough.

I imagine the key now for him is not pulling up sore post-session, but at least he does still exist and whilst Rd 1 might be a stretch, you can understand why he is hopeful of returning by that date.

Other comments:

Weids looks more athletic than last year, but the key for him is whether he can develop the agility required at top level.

Bayley Fritsch is an exquisite talent (yes, exquisite is a Robbie Flower permitted word). He's still really light and he got schooled a bit in tackling sessions, but he's our new Jack Watts, minus the No.1 pick investment which means he doesn't have to carry the weight of our expectations. Injuries permitting, he'll play AFL at some stage this year. 

Tom Bugg and Melky both worked hard and looked good, but I'm sorry I'm an ANB fan - I think he's our Robbie Gray in the making. But Buggy may end up being our full-forward for a lot of this season - who knows how many games Jesse the Drama Queen will play this year.

Frosty the go man looked good again - gees it's going to be a hard task for Goody deciding which two of Lever, O.Mac and Frosty play Rd 1, although he may end up going all three bigs down back, especially if Cats go tall. And our other big defender back-up, Bill Keilty looks to have grown in confidence at this level.

The two key players missing again were Dom Tyson and Vanders. I think all the rest were involved in some capacity.

 

18 hours ago, DemonAndrew said:

if bugg can kick straight he'll be in our best 22 i suspect

Melksham took over that role last year and was far better.

How did Watts look ? 

1 hour ago, Deespicable said:

who knows how many games Jesse the Drama Queen will play this year.

Cheers for the report, but this seems a rather callous and needless comment.

22 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

 

 

3 hours ago, Deespicable said:

 

Can we please get a Round 1 side based on what you have seen at training?

Is entry free entry? My niece has dancing, so I might take her after

Great news on Viney!

Thanks for the reports. 

21 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

 

Can we please get a Round 1 side based on what you have seen at training?

Training won't tell you anything, watch the JLT series.

4 hours ago, Deespicable said:

who knows how many games Jesse the Drama Queen will play this year.

Are you inferring that Jesse somehow faked his father's death, testicular cancer & the broken collar bone?

Thanks for the report but malicious comments like that should be kept to yourself.

7 minutes ago, stitches said:

Are you inferring that Jesse somehow faked his father's death, testicular cancer & the broken collar bone?

Thanks for the report but malicious comments like that should be kept to yourself.

Those comments are by a fool, if jesse was a drama Queen he would of asked for a trade back home, he is tough inside and out, very  resilient

6 minutes ago, don't make me angry said:

Those comments are by a fool, if jesse was a drama Queen he would of asked for a trade back home, he is tough inside and out, very  resilient

 

17 minutes ago, stitches said:

Are you inferring that Jesse somehow faked his father's death, testicular cancer & the broken collar bone?

Thanks for the report but malicious comments like that should be kept to yourself.

surely the poster was just referring to the way he sometimes behaves on the field when things don't go his way, not the dramas in his life.  I doubt if it was meant offensively at all.