On 20/01/2023 at 22:40, Yokozuna said:

I also went to training. They worked really hard, was a long session, and the intensity was up. So the worry about missing skills is nothing. Nobody is prefect and when working so hard with very little rest, errors will happen...

...I really liked the look of number 47 - I think he was Kye Turner..

Cheers Yokozuna, appreciate you sharing your insights with the broader Demonland community. It appears any  suspicion of lethargy after last season's long and ultimately frustrating campaign and being blown away along with the off season's cobwebs.

May Kye Turner's glow of opportunity coalesce into something significant. His efforts on the track since the post Christmas New Year resumption, have attracted the eye of some astute track watchers on these boards. Go Demons!

  On 20/01/2023 at 23:16, Fat Tony said:

Jibbers?

Gysberts not making a very belated comeback attempt?  😮

Lots of targets missed in the modern day circle work pre match sims.  But it was pretty frenetic and there were some great passes too.

Match sims:

Standouts were Petracca, Viney, Pickett, Hunter, and Salem is moving like Salem of 2021.  Spargo was very involved also, while Grundy got better the longer it went.  He isn't a great contested mark, but he'll pluck them occasionally and he fights tooth and nail once it hits the deck.  Don't write off Hibberd.  He's moving well and contested strongly.  Schache took one good mark.  He played as the red team's alternating ruckman, along with Farris-White.  Does he compete like a big man? The talent is there. 

Oliver looked good.  He's physically looking imposing. Brayshaw played in defence.  It was a ''high'' back role. After match sim the fwds, backs and mids all did extras within their own groups and Brayshaw stayed with the defenders.

Of the younger brigade Woewodin was great early, Kye Turner really impressed me, Rivers is looking strong and intense, JvR kicked a couple and took one excellent mark. He turns 20 one month into the season, so he's not some skinny 18 year old who'll take a long time to contribute.  He'll be good in 2023. 

There's something about McVee also.  He's a really nice kick and has footy IQ. Disco Turner took a nice grab but had to be helped off later after a marking collision.  I'm not sure if he came back on, but I don't think there was much in it. Bowey was busy.  It's going to be a tough team to crack.

They finished off doing 100 metre sprints, then 80 and I think 70.  They were still going when I left. Some were doing it tougher than others but Sestan was doing better than I expected.  Unfortunately, I barely sighted him during match sims. He found it hard to get involved.  But those sessions happen, especially with a young player.  And he may have got more ball than I realise.  When they've got caps on, like he did, you miss things.  He lined up at HF.

Chandler was OK.  He tries to do a bit much at times, but is clever.  I can't get excited by him, but I appreciate why others expect him to get games this year.

All in all it was a good session with a few of the young guys impressing.  I wouldn't take much notice that a few senior guys were in red.  They have to balance it out from a competitive point of view.  There was plenty of good play and plenty of turnovers, but that's what happens when you play yourself and both sides know what each other is trying to do.

Adams, Verrell and Burgoyne did a lot of boundary running.

Jake Lever was in good spirits.  He was repeatedly walking up and down the outside steel steps in front of the pavillion before heading over to a stationary bike.  Once or twice he was vocal in his encouragement to those training.  No doubt he'd prefer to be out there, but he was walking freely and seemed in good spirits.

Gawn ran off at good speed and I didn't even suspect an injury at the time. He didn't return.  We've all seen players hobble off by two trainers after bad hamstrings, so I expect it's not severe.  Let's hope at worst it's a regulation hamstring with a 21 day recovery.

Thanks all

  On 21/01/2023 at 02:26, Dee Viney Intervention said:

WTF is "panels in front"???   (Am I getting too old? By the way it sure beats the alternative)

  On 21/01/2023 at 09:58, monoccular said:

WTF is "panels in front"???   (Am I getting too old? By the way it sure beats the alternative)

I think he is using a fence to measure intensity.

As it’s “change every day King,” I would suspect he might change the next call to a “water measurement “ .