TRAINING: Monday 30th January 2023

PICKET FENCE'S TRAINING REPORT

NO SHOWS

JACK VINEY, MATT JEFFERSON, CHRISTIAN SALEM. Also Did not see ADAM TOMLINSON

 INJURIES MODIFIED DUTIES

MAX, JOEL SMITH, ANB, AMW,( NO 47 Not sure who ) and during training CLARRY ( More on this latter)

 SKILLS , DRILLS AND MANOUVERS

After warm ups and Run Throughs, players broke of into 3 Groups doing a variety of

• Close in Handball through traffic to hit clean target with players pressuring.
• One on one groundhog day ground ball gets
• Telescopic Talls in Marking contest situations
• Pressure the ball carrier, two meters away closing fast to kick to a lead
• Dodge through stick men and kick for goal ( Forwards only)
• Greg Safford masterclass for Rucks but specific emphasis on newbies Will Verrell and Kyah Farris White ( Gee what a huge unit he is)
• Half ground transitioning including stoppage work on both boundary side wings and emphasizing manned positioning and quick breakaways using precise handballs to break out of traffic and finding leading player on lead or further handball, chip kicks to favored positions to free up play and present scoring options closer to goal.

·         Highlight is always the full ground Match Simulations and today Two Official Umpires were in charge of proceedings adding to the Life like and professional dimensions of this aspect

PLAYER WATCH

Firstly, a downside. CLARRY Is clearly still hampered by his hand/Thumb injury to the extent that after one drill he went to the medico’s on the boundary and disappeared to get treatment strapping and was then on modified duties running light ball work drills but he did not play in match sims. FWIW I would be totally keeping him away from all ball work for a week or two to avoid any further damage. He is far too an important player at this point of time, but the Medicos must know what they are doing!

GRUNDY put on a masterclass in ruck after being pitted against Josh Schache and Will Verell. What he also provides is Run and carry, he uses handball well and is pretty good below his knees.

The other standouts for me were JAKE BOWEY, who was pitted against Kyle Chandler. He mopped up at will and was instrumental in launching attacks time and again with that precisity of kicks for which he has become adept at delivering.

BAILEY LAURIE was involved in a couple of excellent passages of play and perhaps he may still be in calculations for game time this year. He was creative, smooth with maneuvering and fired creative handballs to advantage.

BAYLEY FRITSCH was opposed to Pig and toweled him up kicking the Blues 3 out of 6 goals . He looks more or less on song for another standout season.

PIG was good with a few good marks and line breaking run but overall Bailey got the chocolates.

LACHY HUNTER is my pick for a most important role this year. He just continuously bobs up in dangerous positions and gets plenty of the ball and sets up forwards with precise kicking and canny running. He was on Taj Woewodin for a time and he got a bit of the ball as well but was no where near as damaging.

TOM SPARROW Impressed me greatly today with style and flair, he looks like “He Belongs” and is gaining confidence in all aspects, a dasher with speed, he posses flair and takes the game on, His kicking to position has also improved.

Although WILL VERALL was beaten in the ruck, he showed on a couple of occasions a turn of speed when he got it and the flair which he played reminded me a bit of David Schwartz with those flashy run by.

BLAKE HOWES dis a few nice things and seems to be gaining confidence, as did DEAKYN SMITH of Half back and thereabouts who intercepted well on a couple of occasions and delivered to a target.

I thought JAMES HARMES was very very good today in match sims and set up play after play as we know he can and does do.

JOSH SHACKEY ATTACKEY took a brilliant Pack Mark and goaled from 40 and was busy and will no doubt come into calculations, particularly if Max is not right ( Incidently Max completed many Running drills almost at 3 /4  pace and I would say he will be right back to full training next week)

LUKE DUNSTAN gets his fair share of the ball but isn’t dynamic or damaging with it but is always reliable and dependable.

TRACC was Trac and KOZZY was Kozzy and he looks like he will be given more Midfield time this season. Same with MAYSIE and PETTY.