PRESEASON TRAINING: Wednesday 5th February 2025

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,549]

19 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I think Trac and Gawn is hard to assess, as they have both been able to do a lot of running but have just been held back from contact. I don’t think they would count as not doing 80% for that reason.

Yeah I did think of that. However they've had 4-6 or so weeks less conditioning from a contact point of view which isn't perfect.

Having said that, they're both seasoned pros and champions that know what they're doing with a combined 25 pre seasons between them, and should be expected to get through the entire season with no issues.

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,892]

22 hours ago, stinga said:

The combinations of Langford/Petracca will take one of those spots

Yep I’d say that’s 💯 

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,892]

23 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

Did we ever find out whether being on the LTI list allows us to select someone in the PS Draft?

Sure does via supp period but it’s not full year I think 6mths is right.

Edited February 6 by Tolstoys Nudge

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,892]

23 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Right now, I think the likelihood that Tracc starts forward and the emergence of Langford means they’ll go small.

And without Kossie I think we’ll see Langdon in a forward and possibly even a fraction on ball. Sharp looks the favourite to start in the defensive forward role.

C; Lindsay Rivers Billings
HF: Sharp JVR Langdon
FF: Fritsch Turner Tracc
Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney 
Int: Langford, Chandler, McAdam 

Sub: Sparrow/Kynan Brown

Assuming Tracc, McAdam and Chandler are right to go, but we could see Langdon or Sharp slide back to the wing to open another forward spot and we could go tall to spread the load on the big guys.

Langdon plays wing irrespective of ANYTHING else mark that down the HFF was a one-off thing due to being away. Won’t happen again!

[dpositive 1,838]

2 hours ago, Enter Sandman-2021 said:

The Jefferson vs Jed Adams contest was very interesting to watch. The coach was just kicking it high into the air and they had to grapple and use their strength to win it. It did seem like Adams won maybe 6 and Jeffo won 2 - but it was clear that the kind of grappling and wrestling isn't really Jeffersons natural mode at all. I don't think he's ever going to be a gorilla type full or centre half forward that can push opponents around.
Based on his under 18s and VFL highlights his skill is more at reading the play and getting into the right spots where he can take either an uncontested mark or be in front of his opponent and use his long levers to reach up and grab it. He also seems quite good at getting front and centres, ground balls, linking up with handballs and doing some more small or medium type forward actions. 
I wouldn't say his intensity was an issue. You could tell he was trying hard and was frustrated that Jed kept beating him. 
He also contributed a bit in the match simulations. It will be interesting to see how he goes this year! Fingers crossed he gets a taste of AFL footy and can offer something to the forward line

while i understand coaches have preferred patterns or structures it is also really important to use the natural abilities or capacity of individual players.

Peter Hudson was not a super aggressive grappling gorilla but did pretty well, Dunstan was the opposite of Hudson but both played well in Hawks success.

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,395]

48 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

In order to have a successful season they say you need as many of your list doing 80% of full training sessions over pre season. This is the following "23" that have had a flawless or near flawless pre season (according to DL reports) as we head into the praccy match against North. These players have given themselves every opportunity to excel in 2025 (touchwood):

B       Hore   May   Howes

HB     Salem   McDonald   Bowey

C       Windsor    Rivers     Langdon

HF     Fritsch     Petty     Billings

F       Pickett      JVR      A Johnson

FOLL   Campbell  Oliver    Viney

INT     Billings    Laurie    AMW    Sharp    Langford

E Jefferson  Adams  Verrall  Sestan  Mentha   Woewodin  Brown

I estimate that 13 players have done less than 80% and they include best 23 mainstays in McVee, Petracca, Lever, Spargo, Turner, Gawn, Melksham, Chandler, Sparrow, while Tholstrupp, McAdam, Lindsey are around the fringes of our senior side.

Whether that latter group number is too high remains to be seen, and it would be interesting to compare these numbers with our 2020/2021 pre season.

I would say McVee, Turner and McAdam have done the 80% (let's see in McAdam trians tomorrow and/or Monday) Lindsay and Chandler now into the 70%s.

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,549]

9 minutes ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

I would say McVee, Turner and McAdam have done the 80% (let's see in McAdam trians tomorrow and/or Monday) Lindsay and Chandler now into the 70%s.

Fair call with McVee and Turner.

I don't think McAdam did one full session pre Christmas so he'd probably struggle to get to 80%, and he's again under another cloud.

[DeeZone 10,590]

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

I believe you need to go back a bit further and look for a Daniher era defender 

Inversion??

[DeeZone 10,590]

Just now, DeeZone said:

Inversion??

Bloody spell checker should have read Ingerson. 🤣🤣

[DeeZone 10,590]

2 hours ago, Demonstone said:

 https://i.imgur.com/HeAmTzd.jpg

I loved Earl with his strange kicking action but a great player.

[Brenno 295]

20 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

Before Christmas I was noticing some focus on very precise kicking into the forward line. By precise, they seemed to be focussing on shorter, sharper kicks to direct hit-up leads. Doesn't sound like rocket science, but does suggest a change of emphasis of some sorts. Today there was a clear emphasis on switches from the backline if the obvious 45 degree kick from defence was not on. That could be a strength of ours with the likes of Windsor, Langdon and Sharp. I noted that some times, once the switch was effected, the wingers would head back to Bowser or Windsor back in the corridor. Again - pretty obvious stuff - trying to avoid turnovers in dangerous areas until the corridor kick was safer.

 

20 hours ago, kev martin said:

There have been some sessions when they go fast and find an attacking corridor. Some wind was blowing straight down the middle as well. Could have been a matter of trying different styles. Though you could be right. Playing safe doesn't make for beating the best sides. As for the practice match, there will be plenty of maybe best 23 giving it a go and the game plan may be held untill round 1.

In any case it will be an interesting start to our year.

In Chaplin I trust, as a change up to the forward line.

Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. 

Proof will be in the pudding it seems! 

 

[BangBnagBang 773]

19 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

North head over to WA to play West Coast on Saturday 1 March.

Therefore I’m inferring that we play North on the Saturday 22 Feb so North avoid a 6 day trip the following week.

Plus Fox Sports suggested it’s 11am on Saturday 22 Feb, but nothings confirmed. I’m assuming both clubs don’t want a heck of a lot of fans in attendance hence the lack of notice.

 

19 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

Apparently 11 am on Saturday 23rd - four quarters, but nothing officially yet from the Club....

The AFL announced these game dates/start times last weekend. 

[BangBnagBang 773]

45 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Langdon plays wing irrespective of ANYTHING else mark that down the HFF was a one-off thing due to being away. Won’t happen again!

I wouldn't be so sure about that

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,395]

8 minutes ago, BangBnagBang said:

 

The AFL announced these game dates/start times last weekend. 

Thanks - and our match confirmed in the HS today, but no details of whether it will be broadcast....

[DeeSpencer 26,678]

25 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Bloody spell checker should have read Ingerson. 🤣🤣

Very close, recruited from a similar area and the games played/clubs is close too! 

[DeeSpencer 26,678]

55 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Langdon plays wing irrespective of ANYTHING else mark that down the HFF was a one-off thing due to being away. Won’t happen again!

It’s happening right now and without Pickett for the first 3 rounds is perfectly logical.

The question is do you prefer 2 of  Billings, Lindsay, Woey on the wing? OR no speed in the forward line - perhaps Kynan Brown or Laurie?

With those options I’d rather Langdon forward. 

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,729]

23 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

It’s happening right now and without Pickett for the first 3 rounds is perfectly logical.

The question is do you prefer 2 of  Billings, Lindsay, Woey on the wing? OR no speed in the forward line - perhaps Kynan Brown or Laurie?

With those options I’d rather Langdon forward. 

I think Brown has decent speed. I’d actually consider Sharp in the forward line as well, he’s super quick. I’m not a fan of moving Langdon off the wing, he’s too valuable there

[stinga 629]

16 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

For me, he has to learn to jump.
Haven’t seen it last season, and still no evidence of it so far at training this year. 

Weid had the same problem. These days as a forward you don’t get the ball straight to your chest too often. So you need to be able to compete aerially, not with the feet on the ground. JVR is the gold standard.

I've a different view.  Not all forwards are the same.  Weid always got trapped under the ball and was easily spoilt.  JVR jumps and takes the ball above his head.  With Jeffo you've got to look at Hudson or Lockett.  He has big shoulders and long arms  He takes the ball out in front which makes it incredibly difficult to spoil from behind.  He's leaning to use his body more and you saw some of that in the ruck duels he did on the video of the last match sim.

I think it's all about confidence now.  Might be one of those guys who needs a smack on the ear in a game to get angry and take things on.

[BLWNBA 1,483]

AJ and Langford will be the 'new editions' to the forward line, IMO. I fully expect both to play Round 1, as it stands. 

 

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,549]

36 minutes ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

Thanks - and our match confirmed in the HS today, but no details of whether it will be broadcast....

If they're showing a random West Coast V Richmond match sim in Perth on a Monday morning on Fox Footy/Kayo (which they are according to the Foxtel TV guide) then I'm confident our game against North will also be telecast.

[rjay 25,424]

45 minutes ago, stinga said:

With Jeffo you've got to look at Hudson or Lockett.

A couple of average KPF's there 'stinga'...surely you could have found some better examples.

[Witches Hat 494]

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Very close, recruited from a similar area and the games played/clubs is close too! 

Peter Walsh

[DeeSpencer 26,678]

1 hour ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I think Brown has decent speed. I’d actually consider Sharp in the forward line as well, he’s super quick. I’m not a fan of moving Langdon off the wing, he’s too valuable there

Sharp (and Chandler) are probably already in the team already in this hypothetical. 

Have to remember the game plan is for a lot more run from behind and corridor play. Wings are decoys or the safe result. 

It’s certainly a different approach to move Langdon and Windsor but it’s time to try something different! 

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,729]

14 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Sharp (and Chandler) are probably already in the team already in this hypothetical. 

Have to remember the game plan is for a lot more run from behind and corridor play. Wings are decoys or the safe result. 

It’s certainly a different approach to move Langdon and Windsor but it’s time to try something different! 

Yeah, so what I’m saying is I’d prefer Chandler and Sharp in these roles and then I think it will be Langdon and Billings as starting wingman round 1. They will probably rotate them all a bit anyway, but I think our side performed better last year with Langdon on the wing as opposed to the half forward role he did.

[Pennant St Dee 13,452]

3 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Fair call with McVee and Turner.

I don't think McAdam did one full session pre Christmas so he'd probably struggle to get to 80%, and he's again under another cloud.

You also named Billings at HFF and Interchange, but like your assessment always good to have  good pre season or block of training to have a good season although I think it stands out more at the back end of the year if you have had a good run