Jump to content


Recommended Posts

Posted
22 minutes ago, It's Time said:

DS living in Sydney I am very grateful for you and any others who go to the trouble to write up what they see at pre season training. It's really appreciated. However, I have to say I read them mainly to read who's training and not for most poster's opinions unless they are repeating info they've been directly given by the coaches or to a lesser extent the players. 

To state those players were ready to go just isn't logically correct. To be correct it would mean that you can miss up to 50% of the pre season sessions and it doesn't matter. Of course you can't be the same player without them. I went to pre season sessions in mid Dec and late Jan and from memory Trac and Gus were in rehab throughout that significant part of pre season. 

Roosy once discussed how little time the coaches have to actually train the players in the preseason. He said that if a player misses the conditioning work pre Christmas they never catch up and it heavily impacts their season. Post Christmas they have to concentrate on developing how they play and not  conditioning. Clearly if you line up the 2018 Clarry who's done all the sessions and the 2019 one the first one is going to stomp on the second one and that's born out by his stats and he was a lot less effected than Trac and Gus. It's a nonsense to dismiss that impact and think they are ready to go.  

 

Dusty Martin wasn't anywhere near fit and Tom Lynch looked like he just picked up a footy for the first time when they played early in the season and then ended up dominating finals. Guys can and do start the year underdone and improve if they are well managed and surrounded by fit and capable players. Petracca and Oliver were examples of that. I'm not saying they were 100% ready but they'd done enough to play and if surrounded by a fit side and well managed they'd improve through the year. Who knows the absolute minimum percentage but someone like Oliver is probably good enough to get a game on 50% assuming he's safely ticked the boxes in returning to training and playing practice games which he had. Limit game time, move him forward, have a fit side around him and he'd be fine.

Roos loves hard and fast rules that suit his agenda, it's never that easy. Every great side is going to have preseason and midseason injuries and these days even mid season draft picks. There's going to be guys coming in with no AFL preseason at all.

The performances of a few underdone guys was just one of so many problems that included guys who shouldn't even have been playing (Viney, Jones, Oscar), losing more players on the eve of the season and as it went on, lack of depth in the outside runners, insufficient training numbers for high intensity drills etc. 

  • Like 1

Posted
2 hours ago, It's Time said:

However, I have to say I read them mainly to read who's training and not for most poster's opinions unless they are repeating info they've been directly given by the coaches or to a lesser extent the players. 

That is the only reason I read them as well.

Posted (edited)
6 hours ago, It's Time said:

DS living in Sydney I am very grateful for you and any others who go to the trouble to write up what they see at pre season training. It's really appreciated. However, I have to say I read them mainly to read who's training and not for most poster's opinions unless they are repeating info they've been directly given by the coaches or to a lesser extent the players. 

To state those players were ready to go just isn't logically correct. To be correct it would mean that you can miss up to 50% of the pre season sessions and it doesn't matter. Of course you can't be the same player without them. I went to pre season sessions in mid Dec and late Jan and from memory Trac and Gus were in rehab throughout that significant part of pre season. 

Roosy once discussed how little time the coaches have to actually train the players in the preseason. He said that if a player misses the conditioning work pre Christmas they never catch up and it heavily impacts their season. Post Christmas they have to concentrate on developing how they play and not  conditioning. Clearly if you line up the 2018 Clarry who's done all the sessions and the 2019 one the first one is going to stomp on the second one and that's born out by his stats and he was a lot less effected than Trac and Gus. It's a nonsense to dismiss that impact and think they are ready to go.  

 

Spot on. Elite sport requires elite preparation. Doing enough to get across the line to play isn't going to get it done when others have a heap of km's in their legs.

I posted my concerns about last preseason when it was obvious we would struggle:

15/2/2019: Not a bad time to be leaving by Misso given that we will reflect on all the injured / rehab players we have at the moment and those that re-injure if we don't make the finals this year. A real possibility unfortunately for those of us that are realists

21/12/2018: Of the 26 [in training] l counted roughly 8 that would be in our starting 22 which includes May. ... Numbers training are a continuing concern though

Edited by Demons1858
  • Like 10
Posted (edited)

I’m surprised there is still any debate about the quality of our preseason last year - it seems very well established that it was not good for several reasons: surgeries, lack of continuity etc.

That said, I think last year could very well be the season we had to have. It exposed some deficiencies with our list (lack of outside run and spread, forward line structure etc), and perhaps also the collective (and individual) headspace of the players, coaches, administration and supporters alike.

These deficiencies appear to have been addressed following the end of our season. From an outsider’s perspective, I’m pleased with the way in which the club has approached these issues, and I personally feel confident about the year ahead. The players seem not to be taking anything for granted now, which I strongly suspect is a marked change from this time a year ago. This can only be a good thing.

Thanks to all who provide training reports - I read all of them with much enthusiasm following every training session.

 

Edited by Ron Burgundy
  • Like 7
Posted
18 hours ago, Demons1858 said:

wasn't that hard to pick at all DS if you have been to a few training sessions before to compare with. if seasoned track watchers can't distinguish between the worst preseason a club has had in a long time and other preseasons then they are deliberately turning a blind eye or don't know much about the game

Bit harsh D1858. I was lucky to attend a few sessions late last year and as reported the contacts I had with "seasoned" reporters was fantastic. You cannot keep an eye on every player in every routine all the time. The reports we get are terrific because we get so many diverse views. None of our reporters are on the coaching panel and despite some of their intimate contacts are only making comments from their observations.

None of our reporters "turns a blind eye"  just comment from their perspective. Most of them "know more about the game" than most.

i appreciate their thoughts and welcome them all.

  • Like 1

Posted (edited)
26 minutes ago, dpositive said:

Bit harsh D1858. I was lucky to attend a few sessions late last year and as reported the contacts I had with "seasoned" reporters was fantastic. You cannot keep an eye on every player in every routine all the time. The reports we get are terrific because we get so many diverse views. None of our reporters are on the coaching panel and despite some of their intimate contacts are only making comments from their observations.

None of our reporters "turns a blind eye"  just comment from their perspective. Most of them "know more about the game" than most.

i appreciate their thoughts and welcome them all.

A harsh call l agree. l do appreciate the reports as well. This seasons reports are next level and have the stats about numbers in rehab and training etc to back up opinions. On reflection, my comment was directed more at one poster that l think deliberately misleads in reports to paint a rosy picture which l find disrespectful. PS stand by the fact it isn't that hard to identify the worst preseason our club has had in years if you have been to see other preseason to compare with

Edited by Demons1858
Posted

Players can run laps all pre-season but it is the contact drills and match sim where the 'football' fitness comes from and there is no substitute. Having the majority of the best 30 on the track for most of the sessions where the football fitness base is built is crucial. Only having 8 or so is a recipe for disaster, and we saw how it panned out.

  • Like 1

Posted
On 1/7/2020 at 1:27 AM, rjay said:

On the club site now ... 

AFL training sessions

Date: Friday 10 January
Start time: 9.45am
Location: Gosch's Paddock

Can't make it down, busy keeping an eye on Tennis, Cricket, Basketball, NFL and the new emerging sport ember watching.

Im restricted from active fire fighting due to groin injury, now have a greater understanding of players frustration and attempts to play when injured..

training reports are a beacon for me so please don't hold back.

  • Like 1
Posted

gonna be hot on Friday. 9:45 will probably be more like 8:30am in reality.

thanks in advance to anyone that posts their summaries or comments on here.  I'm hanging for any MFC info!!

  • Like 1

Posted
4 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Dusty Martin wasn't anywhere near fit and Tom Lynch looked like he just picked up a footy for the first time when they played early in the season and then ended up dominating finals. Guys can and do start the year underdone and improve if they are well managed and surrounded by fit and capable players. Petracca and Oliver were examples of that. I'm not saying they were 100% ready but they'd done enough to play and if surrounded by a fit side and well managed they'd improve through the year. Who knows the absolute minimum percentage but someone like Oliver is probably good enough to get a game on 50% assuming he's safely ticked the boxes in returning to training and playing practice games which he had. Limit game time, move him forward, have a fit side around him and he'd be fine.

Roos loves hard and fast rules that suit his agenda, it's never that easy. Every great side is going to have preseason and midseason injuries and these days even mid season draft picks. There's going to be guys coming in with no AFL preseason at all.

The performances of a few underdone guys was just one of so many problems that included guys who shouldn't even have been playing (Viney, Jones, Oscar), losing more players on the eve of the season and as it went on, lack of depth in the outside runners, insufficient training numbers for high intensity drills etc. 

I wouldn't normally respond to a post like this but hey it's holidays in early Jan. You've now amended your opinion to say those players weren't ready but if they were in a team where everyone else was fit then all four of them could have been carried. Maybe you could carry two unfit players in the forward line like Dusty and Lynch and give them time to get fit but 4 players who make up the core of your engine room. I don't think so. Especially as you say surrounded by a team full of players with interrupted pre season. So not really sure of the point of your post. 

Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, It's Time said:

I wouldn't normally respond to a post like this but hey it's holidays in early Jan. You've now amended your opinion to say those players weren't ready but if they were in a team where everyone else was fit then all four of them could have been carried. Maybe you could carry two unfit players in the forward line like Dusty and Lynch and give them time to get fit but 4 players who make up the core of your engine room. I don't think so. Especially as you say surrounded by a team full of players with interrupted pre season. So not really sure of the point of your post. 

Dusty had, for him, a down year. Came  good with a vengeance in the finals. But as a forward really, with low average possession. And an impact player. So not being fully fit not such an issue.

For what it's worth I think benell, as a result of his fitness will play a similar role ie a dangerous mid size forward.

Lynch took time to build his tank but seemed to cover more ground by the end of the year. Though in all likelihood never reached optimal fitness. And agian an impact platlyer with low average possesions. If he has a big preseason will be huge for them this year. Let's hope our parallel is tmac.

Those two might have h was interrupted preseason but most of their list didn't. Which meant the list had a good fitness base and rgwy could better manage the impact of injury than us.

Edited by binman

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    2024 Player Reviews: #7 Jack Viney

    The tough on baller won his second Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy in a narrow battle with skipper Max Gawn and Alex Neal-Bullen and battled on manfully in the face of a number of injury niggles. Date of Birth: 13 April 1994 Height: 178cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 219 Goals MFC 2024: 10 Career Total: 66 Brownlow Medal Votes: 8

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 3

    TRAINING: Wednesday 13th November 2024

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers braved the rain and headed down to Gosch's paddock to bring you their observations from the second day of Preseason training for the 1st to 4th Year players. DITCHA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS I attended some of the training today. Richo spoke to me and said not to believe what is in the media, as we will good this year. Jefferson and Kentfield looked big and strong.  Petty was doing all the training. Adams looked like he was in rehab.  KE

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #15 Ed Langdon

    The Demon running machine came back with a vengeance after a leaner than usual year in 2023.  Date of Birth: 1 February 1996 Height: 182cm Games MFC 2024: 22 Career Total: 179 Goals MFC 2024: 9 Career Total: 76 Brownlow Medal Votes: 5 Melbourne Football Club: 5th Best & Fairest: 352 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 8

    2024 Player Reviews: #24 Trent Rivers

    The premiership defender had his best year yet as he was given the opportunity to move into the midfield and made a good fist of it. Date of Birth: 30 July 2001 Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 100 Goals MFC 2024: 2 Career Total:  9 Brownlow Medal Votes: 7 Melbourne Football Club: 6th Best & Fairest: 350 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 2

    TRAINING: Monday 11th November 2024

    Veteran Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin, Slartibartfast & Demon Wheels were on hand at Gosch's Paddock to kick off the official first training session for the 1st to 4th year players with a few elder statesmen in attendance as well. KEV MARTIN'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Beautiful morning. Joy all round, they look like they want to be there.  21 in the squad. Looks like the leadership group is TMac, Viney Chandler and Petty. They look like they have sli

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    2024 Player Reviews: #1 Steven May

    The years are rolling by but May continued to be rock solid in a key defensive position despite some injury concerns. He showed great resilience in coming back from a nasty rib injury and is expected to continue in that role for another couple of seasons. Date of Birth: 10 January 1992 Height: 193cm Games MFC 2024: 19 Career Total: 235 Goals MFC 2024: 1 Career Total: 24 Melbourne Football Club: 9th Best & Fairest: 316 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 2

    2024 Player Reviews: #4 Judd McVee

    It was another strong season from McVee who spent most of his time mainly at half back but he also looked at home on a few occasions when he was moved into the midfield. There could be more of that in 2025. Date of Birth: 7 August 2003 Height: 185cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 48 Goals MFC 2024: 1 Career Total: 1 Brownlow Medal Votes: 1 Melbourne Football Club: 7th Best & Fairest: 347 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    2024 Player Reviews: #31 Bayley Fritsch

    Once again the club’s top goal scorer but he had a few uncharacteristic flat spots during the season and the club will be looking for much better from him in 2025. Date of Birth: 6 December 1996 Height: 188cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 149 Goals MFC 2024: 41 Career Total: 252 Brownlow Medal Votes: 4

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 9

    2024 Player Reviews: #18 Jake Melksham

    After sustaining a torn ACL in the final match of the 2023 season Jake added a bit to the attack late in the 2024 season upon his return. He has re-signed on to the Demons for 1 more season in 2025. Date of Birth: 12 August 1991 Height: 186cm Games MFC 2024: 8 Career Total: 229 Goals MFC 2024: 8 Career Total: 188

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 7
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...