TRAINING: Wednesday 12th February 2025

Demonland Trackwatchers braved the scorching morning heat to bring you the following observations of Wednesday's preseason training session from Gosch's Paddock.

HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Absent: Salem, Windsor (word is a foot rash going around), Viney, Bowey and Kentfield

Train ons: Roy George, no Culley today.

Firstly the bad news - McVee went down late, which does look like a bad hammy - towards the end of match sim, as he kicked the ball. Had to be assisted off, writhing and in pain as it occurred. Woey also seems to have a sore shoulder. Mitch Cleary has also reported it.

Rehab: As reported Kolt, Melksham (lots of running), Trac - running and multiple marking drills. Spargo participated in all the drills, up until match sim - sat that out. Did not see McAdam in the match-sim.

Fullarton, Lever and Chandler back into the match-sim.

Observations: In match-sim the game virtually revolved around Langdon - consistent with the new plan. Billings, Lindsay and Sharp playing in the true wing positions. Kosi and Rivers attended most of the centre bounces. A bit of rotation but Petty played back mainly. Seems that the backs will be May, Petty, Lever and perhaps Howes as a small/medium defender. Having said that Salem, Bowey and Windsor were absent today. Sestan being tried down back. Jeffo seemed to be in different positions - hard to know whether it will be him or Johnson up forward. Turner seemed to play both back and forward today.

The Club has now confirmed Salem and Bowey ill today, Viney has rib cartilage damage and Windsor a foot infection (the last two sound minor).

WAYNE WUSSELL'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Spargo and Chandler in main activity. Melks agility test extremely agile!

I count 37 in main group at the moment.

Haven’t noticed Windsor, Viney, Tholstrup, Turner.

McDonald & Fullarton also with main group.

McAdam with main group.

Mentha appears to be wearing 34.

At present, Melksham is the only one on the track who isn’t in main activity.

Searching for Petty, haven’t noticed him. (ADMIN EDIT: Training photos have him present).

Tracc moving confidently, stretching and marking well, no tackle pressure.

Turner accounted for.

Tracc & Spargs now working with trainer on contested ball.

Melksham also running laps.

Salem not here.

Full ground now. Adams good contested mark followed by poor kick.

Activity slow moving, strategic focus. Ollie asking for direction from Goodwin.

Gawn, Kossie, Riv & Sparrow versus Campbell, Laurie, Oliver & Langdon in middle. Campbell making it very difficult for Max in the ruck.

McVee showing his class. Max still supreme in boundary throw in contests.

Langdon has come in to middle as outside runner.

Jefferson defeats both Adams and Hore in big contest, much to delight of teammates.

Kossie winning lots of ball and delivering beautifully, running on to provide another option.

Max, Riv, Kossie & Langdon v Campbell, Langford, Laurie & Oliver in Centre bounce.

Laurie just kneed Chandler in a marking contest after too much hang time from Fullarton kick.

Boys are looking exhausted, hot out there!

Great contested work by AMW but sore shoulder after it. Max puts the heat on Langford and comes out the winner. Adams redeemed with good intercepts and well placed long kicks.

Time for me to go. I’ll add a few things later.

I may have mistaken Woewodin for AMW with that comment on a sore shoulder.

My team from today's training. Be aware that I have not selected players who did not train, or players who are in rehab for some time yet. I selected players who were looking strong and fit and confident. (I've turned a blind eye to Judd's late mishap!). This team is purely on the basis of if we had a game tomorrow (I have decided, quite irrationally, that Judd got a cramp!)

B: McVee, May, Adams

HB: Howes, Petty, McDonald

C: Langdon, Langford, Billings

HF: Fritsch, Jefferson, Pickett

F: Petracca, Van Rooyen, Chandler

Foll: Gawn, Rivers, Oliver

Int: Laurie, Campbell, Lever, Sharp, Sparrow

apologies -> Hore, Turner, Brown

I see AMW as a straight swap for McVee, not saying he is as good, but he is good in that role.

#11 TONY ANDERSON'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Melk wrestling for marks with a trainer in Forward Pocket .

Aidan Johnson hits his short passes.

Petty and Verrall are in all drills.

Lindsay is called ‘X’

Trac & Spargs in separate exercise with trainers.

TMac, X,Langford and Mentha doing laps.

DITCHA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

I attended some of the training session this morning. Looked like they were practising some drills about near the end of games. Trac looks very good, and not far away from joining main training. Spargo is getting closer to doing more training. Judd McVee was helped off the ground with a leg injury. Hopefully scans find no serious damage. 

TRAVY 14'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Whilst this was match sim like, it wasn't full match sim. Clearly focusing on some defensive structures and ball movement. As they stopped the drill once the ball was locked in a pocket and second half there was no ball ups. This made the forwards’ performance a little hard to read. 

Rehabilitation - Melksham & Kolt who went straight back into the rooms after some stretching and photo. Spargo and Trac joined rehabilitation after drills.

Was Melksham’s injury a hammy? If so he is pretty much over it, did a power of running, wrestling and sideways drills.

Oliver - clearance king, nothing too much from him, but he just got clearance after clearance.

Langford - holds his own in the midfield, will get a run, but also don't expect too much from him yet. We have a midfield of Oliver, Trac, Viney and Rivers.

Kozzie - electric, everywhere. As previous reports from trainings.

Petty - solid, few skill errors, pushing forward from defence when an opportunity arises.

Jefferson - good contests and covering the ground well. Good signs.

Rivers - looking good through the midfield, will be part of the midfield 4.

Langdon - absolutely everywhere as a midfielder. BOG.

Billings - barely sighted for me. 

Sharp - good on the wing, covering ground and getting into defence.

Chandler - back on the park, moving well early, very good in match sim. Also showing real leadership with his voice.

Spargo - into early drills, looked gassed at times. Think he is a bit off senior footy still.

Fritsch - playing high half forward, has a lovely left foot and knows how to get out the back. I like this role for him. I believe this also allows Petty to roll forward and create a mismatch in game play.

McVee - Was smooth and classy till he went down with what looked like a hammy, walked off with assistance from trainers, but once he reached the boundary he looked to grab around the ankle area and then walked by himself. Await club report, hopefully just an ankle.

BACK POCKET'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

As a trackwatcher, I can definitely confirm Judd got assisted/carried from the field by two trainers. Initially he could not put any weight through the leg (it initially looked like it could be an ankle because of this). He looked in a lot of pain. Once he got the the sidelines he was slowly able to put some wait through the leg, and the pain seemed to ease slowly. It didn't look good live, but let's hope GW's inside word from the trainers is correct. Fingers crossed he is okay!!

Taj also got assessed by the trainer for some shoulder/neck discomfort after a big collision. He did not return to the match sim (there was not long left to go), although he was happily taking snaps at goal from the boundary line at the conclusion of training. Hopefully a non-issue.

KEV MARTIN'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

A hot day down at Gosch's Paddock.

They are working the squad hard, plenty of running and for a longer time of exertion than early preseason runs.

A few suffered brain fades in the heat.

The overall skin folds are minimal, their bodies are top light, they are ready to run.

Great to see Spargo with the squad, he participated in the non-contact drills, the same for Tracc, who ran numerous laps, when they did sims.

Fullarton is now in full training as is Lever, and McAdam.

No shows, included Viney, Windsor, Bowey, Salem, Tholstrup and Kentfield.

Goody and Chaplin were very vocal, mainly about the structural forms.

The sims were dedicated to last few minutes, perhaps 10 sets were performed. The team in front, played behind the ball. The lead changed numerous times. They finished with the 30-second board being shown from the boundary, the ones in front protected the ball and the defensive had to match up. The ones in front managed easily.

Langdon is flourishing as an on baller. Plenty of touches, a few inside the forward 50.

Lindsay and Billings on one wing with Woewodin and Sharp the other side. They were making lots of connections boundary side for the back to the forwards.

Chandler and Sparrow in the half-forward area, though not much involvement.

Petty running the full ground from back to forward area, with Hore in tow.

Jefferson started down back, fluffed a couple of easy marks, they moved him forward and he did much better.

Sestan off halfback is doing well and Verrall had a good session up forward.

AMW has poise and making good decisions with the ball.

Kossie is looking good, ripping through the traffic with turns and bluffs.

Campbell is giving Gawn some resistance in ruck and around the field, he is competing well against him. Gawn is doing more leadership now, vocal and supportive to the others. Actually, most of them are getting into the encouragement and congratulations.

Poor Juddy, when he did 'it', he started crawling off to the boundary, team first attitude, get out of the way of others, while spasms and pain hit him.