Fritsch not present 

 

Fullarton is running laps

Lindsay joined the main group. 

1 hour ago, Demonstone said:

You're meant to spray it on your clothes and skin.  

No flies on you DS!

May not here either

1 hour ago, Ghostwriter said:

I find Bushman’s too strong as in when inhaled. 

didn't think you were into chroming GW

37 minutes ago, Demonland said:

REHAB (Final): Spargo, Lever, Lindsay, McAdam & Melksham. 

 

I'm hoping most of these players are scheduled to join the main group by 6 Jan or whenever the club returns for training.

Particularly Lever and McAdam.

I attended some of the training session this morning. Very impressed with the coaching of Bassett and Chaplin during the match sim. Very impressed at how fit everyone is. Liked the great talk and encouragement during match sim.

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

Fritsch not present 

 

Given this information, and the club still not having named him in the round one side, and the fact nobody has refuted my comment midway through typing it, I think it’s fair to say there is a rift between player and club and he is understandably upset by the culture. Likely to request a trade if he hasn’t already behind closed doors. 

also, please take this as my application to be a footy journalist. 
 

but in all seriousness, thanks to all the track watchers, loving the photos and info given this preseason ❤️💙

Having serious concerns that Pickett got stuck in the Monash carpark with the lack of Jefferson updates.

3 hours ago, At Least I Saw a Flag said:

And the fact that he's dead might be an issue.

He's been a Collingwood member ever since

Fritta probably still recovering from last session's Clarrie tackle...

I headed in to Gosch's to check out training this morning and got there about 11 for the second half of training. Heres my observations 

Were doing some full ground match sim style stuff when I rocked up. Then split into talls and non talls. Talls were doing a contested marking drill in front of me while the shorts/medium sized players were doing some sort of 1 on 1 groundball thing on the other side I couldn't really see. 

Talls contested marking consisted of 1v1 in a box each running to an opposite corner of the box then coming back together judging a high kick and trying to mark. There were two groups of this going and the one in front of me had Harry Petty, Max Gawn, Jake Melksham, Tom Campbell, Will Verrall and Trac came over about halfway thru for the medium/short drill.

After this there was a bit of full ground match sim stuff starting from a ball up on a wing and transitioning forward. Pickett playing in the mid was the biggest standout for me with some great play and a very nice fend off at one point. Other noticeable things were Roo near the pocket I was in getting a bit frustrated they didn't kick it to his side, instead kicking it to the closer pocket to the ball up where jeffo had his mark spoiled a couple times in a row. And Jack Viney ended up on the end of a few shots at goal (two from in front further out and one snap from the pocket) where he kick 1/3 of them including hitting the post from a snap that he probably should be kicking :(

Last up was a mids vs forwards goal kicking competition where everyone gets one shot from each angle/type of kick including a couple where they we getting handball receives/groundball gets. Mids seemed to be winning this comp which doesn't seem like a great sign for our forward line but oh well I guess having goal kicking mids doesn't hurt. Usual suspects in most of the line groups, only thing I noticed was both Jake Bowey and Caleb Windsor training with the backs on the other side of the ground. So maybe Bowey not going to the wing this season?

Then they changed into runners and did some running conditioning stuff, everyone appeared to be on a slightly different program. Kolt headed back to the rooms while everyone else seemed to do some amount of running/sprints

I went. Some random thoughts:

- the first drill was focused on ball movement with players really encouraged to run and carry with call from trainers to 'cover the grass' and players encouraging teamates to bounce the ball (something we did very little of last season)

- XL is seriously naturally skilled. In the drill notes above (I think the only drill he participated in) a teamate handballed behind him (grrr) and X pirouetted, took it one handed and in the same movement handballed beautifully to a teammate who, unlike him, didn't have to break stride 

- Speaking of natural talent, koz is just unbelievable. A joy to watch. His footy iq is off the charts, particularly his ability to position himself where the ball is going to go. Was switched on all session and the stand out trainer for mine

- Vibes and body language was terrific 

- Great to see claz and tracc talking during drills about what appeared to be stuff like positioning etc. Very focused and serious 

- Both worked on boundary throw ins after every other player had finished. Clarry very engaged and focused

- The session finished with running drills led by Selwyn. He clearly had live GPS data as he periodically called our players to finish, I assume because they had met their km target 

- clarry was running timed laps at the end in a group with Brown and Campbell. I was watching him with the binoculars and for the last couple of minutes he willed himself to pass Campbell and was making ground on Brown. When the whistle blew it looked as if he was going to faint. Teammates got around him. He is giving everything he has. Incredible effort level

Jeffo looked good.

Goody has said he will play seniors this year.

Just now, Redleg said:

Jeffo looked good.

Goody has said he will play seniors this year.

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I'm hoping most of these players are scheduled to join the main group by 6 Jan or whenever the club returns for training.

Particularly Lever and McAdam.

It'll be a massive concern if they aren't. That's 3 weeks away, if they aren't fully training by then, you can properly say that they haven't had a full pre-season. Sets them back massively, especially Lever.

32 minutes ago, binman said:

- Speaking of natural talent, koz is just unbelievable. A joy to watch. His footy iq is off the charts, particularly his ability to position himself where the ball is going to go. Was switched on all session and the stand out trainer for mine

Really frustrated with his suspension to start the year. If you look at the best small forwards recently Rioli, Betts, Papley, C. Cameron, Walters - they all really exploded in season 5 or 6. Kozzie is heading into season 6. He's already a gun and statistically better than those players at the same point of his career. All-Australian should be his goal.

5 hours ago, chook fowler said:

and his where-abouts

usually nothing.

59 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Jeffo looked good.

Goody has said he will play seniors this year.

Moreover, Goody has said he’ll debut EARLY in the season. They’re excited about this.

Some glowing reports about the players.

My question is whether the trackwatchers who have been going down to Gosch's think we can improve enough to return to the top half of the ladder in 2025?

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Having serious concerns that Pickett got stuck in the Monash carpark with the lack of Jefferson updates.

I only stopped for 15-20mins while on my way through but Pickett was in it a lot, as the key link through midfield. Using pace, run & carry, and kicking to open up play.

Jefferson took 2 x strong marks, one contested and kicked 2.1 while I was there. He look to be benefiting from the quick ball movement.

 

3 minutes ago, Rolling Stone said:

Some glowing reports about the players.

My question is whether the trackwatchers who have been going down to Gosch's think we can improve enough to return to the top half of the ladder in 2025?

I think just having a fit Trac and Clarry would offer that - we lost a bucket of games by less than a goal.

new forward line structures and new players in vs the loss of ANB??  Think we are all good, if we remain healthy.

5 minutes ago, Swooper said:

I only stopped for 15-20mins while on my way through but Pickett was in it a lot, as the key link through midfield. Using pace, run & carry, and kicking to open up play.

Jefferson took 2 x strong marks, one contested and kicked 2.1 while I was there. He look to be benefiting from the quick ball movement.

 

Did you happen to see who else was used as a forward, alongside Jefferson?

6 minutes ago, Swooper said:

I only stopped for 15-20mins while on my way through but Pickett was in it a lot, as the key link through midfield. Using pace, run & carry, and kicking to open up play.

Jefferson took 2 x strong marks, one contested and kicked 2.1 while I was there. He look to be benefiting from the quick ball movement.

 

Wrong Pickett - op meant picket fence. Redleg capably standing in with #jeffowatch

Thanks the to people who attended and shared. Especially at this crazy time of the year, much appreciated.