TRAINING: Wednesday 30th November 2022

KEV MARTIN'S TRAINING REPORT

Down for my first look at our squad, A beautiful day with quite a few out early. The defenders doing some passing to each other on the wing and the rest having goal kicking practice.

Once the session starts, they go about it earnestly, with a no nonsense physical trainer taking the reins. Quite regimented in the warm-up and when doing the runs. There is no room for ambiguity.

After the warm-up, they are into 3 groups and 3 stations. Strength, goal snaps and a power station. They then go to a drill which is working across each other with precision kicks. Williams with the one-liners and keeping them amused. The next one is similar but with the space opening up making for longer kicking.

They go into simulations. A bit rusty for the first couple of plays, but it doesn't take long till they get the ball movement right, or the defensive press causing turnovers.

After sims comes some running. Still pretty mild as they only do 4 laps, though within time limits and different groups running at times, appropriate to size and age.

My impressions are:

Trent Rivers is looking stronger and bigger, as is Jordon.

Tom Sparrow looks fit, as does Laurie.

Bayley Fritsch as skilled as ever, though appears to be on a slightly modified program, and did not participate in sims.

Grundy the same and was doing his own running program.

Deakyn Smith, Moniz-wakefield and Hibbs on a modified program that appears to be about fitness as they spent all their time running.

Spargo and Chandler in everything during sims.

Howes and Woewodin working with Viney.

JVR has great hands and is bringing the energy.

Goodwin wants more from Pickett.

Pettraca and May struggling with the running.

Hunter was struggling with connection, Schache looks the better one at the moment.

Farris-white has a fair bit of work to do on his kicking style, appears to have a good endurance engine.

Mathew Jefferson was mainly working alongside Farris-white and both didn't participate in sims. He appeared a touch nervous as he dropped some simple chest marks and had a little difficulty finding connection when drilling his kicks. Needs to also work on fitness.

Not at training:

Salem, Lever, TMac, Lever, Brayshaw, Gawn, ANB, Oliver, Langdon, Melksham, Tomlinson, Petty, Joel Smith, Ben Brown.

TIM'S TRAINING REPORT

Thanks for the report Kev, beat me to the punch. The work this morning was of a similar structure to Monday’s session, and like that session I was impressed with the general intensity of the work. Two different types of match sim; one in a congested smaller space using handball to move the ball backwards and forwards while maintaining the “shape” of their set ups, the other using most of the oval to move the ball by foot and run in support. It was demanding enough work for the first week, and shows that these days players are expected to be in physical condition to go straight into game plan work and skills work without having to waste valuable pre-season time “getting fit”.

Kade was very busy, and was attempting spoils on big guys as well as his ever-present effervescence and intensity. Looking at Jefferson in the kicking they did late in the session I actually thought he looked quite comfortable and had nice hands; the running was a bit of a challenge for him, but that’s something that will come in time and with work. In regard to the running KFW was pretty darn good for such a young tall.

As I said about Monday’s session, it was great again seeing a lot of senior players being part of the match sims. As Kev mentioned, there were also other senior players who did their own work separate from the main group. 

At one point in the warmup on the eastern side of the oval Grundy had to retrieve a footy that had bounced its way onto Punt Road and into the gutter. Welcome to the DIY MFC, Big Fella!

I also chuckled at Mark Williams during the running yelling at a group “don’t let the new bloke beat you” as Lachie Hunter led that group past where I was standing.