The Devil Inside

It also means we now have a very youthful playing list, and we have turned over the list in a big way in the last couple of years

Take my word for it, he hasn't changed that much on match day, the rest of the defence love his in-your-face style, that is the one other thing I have noticed at training, he leads a defence that would die for each other, he is just 'playing' better and we notice that more now

You are posting on a board that demands Watts get physical, and then you put this, every team needs a [censored] in defence, Dunny gets up forwards noses, you will notice he hardly ever gets reported, he knows how to do it just inside the letter of the law,, I don't want him to change

On the Garland situation, he has been plagued with foot and ankle issues for the last two years, he is finally clear of them, as we keep acknowledging there is competition for spots, perhaps he does just want to concentrate on himself, he is still very vocal at training, if I get the chance I will ask him

No they have skills sessions every day, a lot of the time indoors though, not necessarily all the players either, day off is Thursday Yes Stafford is still ruck coach, but only normally does one session a week, last week was Friday

Put your glasses on BB, yes they did but they cocked it up, Vandenberg has been training in 9 and Frost in 21 and 47 which I think is Max King, they must have forgotten them or something ......

Just on Salem again, he took on Daniel Cross in a goal kicking comp at the end, three from each pocket and 3 from 40 out in front, Cross had him sweating but he beat him with last kick, Cross just missed

Reasons for optimism 1. About 34 of the squad did the whole session again today 2. The ruck division is all fit 3. There is serious competition for spots 4. Watching and listening to Roos and the coaches coach, every single one is on the same page, which is headed KISS 5. The skills at training actually improving 6. Jeff Garlett, some of his work today had me drooling, complimented him on his quick hands, intercepting handballs or just getting a hand in the way, answer "that's part of my job' Somebody asked about Brayshaw,still working his way into AFL footy, still looks a player, Roos pulled him up for the wrong option, but it was more of chat rather than berate, Stretch surprised me today in the match sim, and as I said Petracca put in the best shift I have seen from him

His leg speed is really good, his running style is horrible, bit it is effective, he is also better in the air than given credit for, now he is fully fit he is showing that Most are faster, even Nev Jetta who told me he tries to keep body contact, coz he hasn't got the speed to catch, agrees he is faster than ever, one drill today had the backline coming out of the fifty at speed with handballs and kicks, must have repeated the drill at least 20 times, saw only two fail due to a poor kick or handball

I agree I am a big boy, will try and curb the sarcasm, know it irritates some that can actually recognise it, I think they just want to be miserable, which is rather sad, me I am optimistic, I may have my optimism in pieces by Rd 4, but hey that's why you support footy and your team Think Roos' plan with Salem, is to give him responsibility, Salem is so naturally gifted think he tends to coast some times As for Viney, he is just one midfielder competing for a spot, I think the only one guaranteed a spot in the midfield is Nathan Jones, but even he will have to be fit and in form come Rd 1

TDI- great work in general, can you refrain from the constant lemon suckers etc jibes as they just inflame things with some posters unnecessarily. I'll try, but the constant carping irritates me, by the way I don't read Mach's posts, stopped a couple of months ago Toumpas doesn't have the defensive skills, doesn't really have any natural aerial ability or tackling ability...this is based on how many games?, I'll try and get a picture of both for you on Wednesday, know it's only training but practice makes perfect As for Vandenberg, he is what it says on the tin, a big bodied midfielder, knows where to run, hasn't been doing much inside work, only cleared for full contact this week, spent a good 20 minutes at the end of the session testing his shoulder out on a tackle bag

Exactly who is mentoring Jordie, doesn't need to be a raking 60 metre cross field kick, just to an open team mate, who can take it forwardThere is a good example of what Roos is trying achieve in a photo on my Twitter, Matt Jones is about to handball with pressure coming from Jordie, you have both Daniel Cross and Nathan Jones going past, but Col Garland is obviously better positioned to point out the 'simple' ball, Jones did handball to Vandenberg I think it was, who then kicked down the line to Pedersen who then went inboard to Nathan Jones who had continued his run, Roos applauded

Beautifully put Nut, and that is the point, his kicking skills are getting better, only needs to transfer them to game day

This is what is wrong with this site, and why a lot don't post, I was asked, because I have attended every training session as to who I thought was training well, I named a 22 and tried to justify why I had picked them, rather than debate, which I will do, we have a few posters (some who have never seen a training session) who either get personal or just go on last year or the year before and repeat the same old boring mantra I am fully aware of players weaknesses, I for one from the pre season on last year kept informing that Blease still wasn't getting the bit about defence, I got howled down about that as well, yet I was proved right Thank you, this is the bit I am trying to get across, some do not want to listen

Viney was another one who had an off day today actually, hence he wasn't in my list, he was ok

Yes but most of those have not been to training, and just write off a player on the past, Nev Jetta/Dunn/Pedersen being the perfect examples in the last couple of years, I can't wait for the humble pie posts when one of the above surprises And to give another example Newton had an off day today, don't know what the problem was, he was horrible, helicopter handballs, missed kicks etc

Exactly right, but to first get the games, you have to be at the top of the pile during pre season

Yes the intensity is there when they are told, they have to be careful that someone like Hogan or Dawes doesn't kill one of their own players, McCartney set his standard today with Max Gawn when the big guys were doing contested work, Maxy went half arsed in a second effort and rightly got told so by McCartney Dawes/Jamar/Hogan is frightening to watch sometimes Roos loves the banging bodies, there is a lot of emphasis on this when footy drills are not on

Roos actually knows what he is doing, McKenzie has been an outside mid in a lot of the drills and his link up work has been excellent, this is where he has been lacking in the past, Roos is obviously looking as to whether he has done the right thing and improved, McKenzie has been doing heaps of work with Cross, so his actual positioning has improved as well. Same with Grimes he is trying to set up so Grimes is the spare man, doing the Nick Maxwell role and mopping up and then bringing the ball out, his kicking is getting better and better as well, although that could be more of having runners everywhere to choose from

Yes I understand what you are saying, but Nicholson is no longer on the list, because he couldn't lift his ceiling. What I am trying to impart is some of the players such as Matt Jones, Jordie McKenzie and Jack Grimes have visibly lifted their skill levels in certain areas, they had to, otherwise they won't get games and it would be bye bye at seasons end Yes they will still have to produce what they are producing on the training track on game day, but as I said in Friday's report, I am more optimistic because I am seeing the skills improve We even had Jake Spencer take a nice grab today just on the edge of the 50, he actually outsmarted Sam Frost to take it uncontested, go back and nail an excellent set shot for a goal, which was applauded by everybody. Roos is slowly but surely instilling the confidence that has been sadly lacking in the past, I like the way he is coaching, he is keeping it very simple, if you do the right simple thing, you are praised, if you don't do it you get a very public spray

I was waiting to hear the blast if Fitzy hadn't picked out Dawes,, reckon no megaphone needed if the Tyson spray was anything to go by the other day

Will try and answer the questions, from a training point of view, and the fact I have attended most if not all training sessions since the start, as of today this would be my starting 22ish , of course it might not be Roos' and doesn''t include the llikes of Watts, Vince, Terlich, Riley who are coming back from injury, it is based on their fitness, form and what I have seen during the pre season Defence - Jetta, McDonald, Dunn, Garland, Grimes Salem/Toumpas Midfield - Jamar, Jones N, Jones M, McKenzie, Tyson, Lumumba/Cross Forward - Hogan, Dawes (Gawn), Kent, Garlett, JKH, Fitzpatrick/Pedersen Bench - Frost, Viney/Bail, Michie/Newton, Petracca In other words we have serious competition The doubles are those I can't separate, they are doing everything asked of them As for the question on McKenzie, the proof will be during games, but his fitness, speed,kicking, link up play have been exemplary during the pre season Think Watts was just on a light day, they all seem to get them at one stage or another

Sorry , had something to do first before I could put this up. Good session again today, lots of ball movement drills. Casualty ward first, no Trengove, Neal-Bullen or King. Watts and White did a short handballing session and then into swimming Howe did a few laps of slow pace running with Andrew Nicol Vince and Hunt were in rehab, doing laps and a bit of ball work Brendan McCartney appeared for the first time, did a lot of talk, during the drills Standouts in the match sim, sorry to say for the lemon suckers, Matt Jones and Jordie McKenzie, but for the optimists, Petracca did the best session I have seen from him, put Ben Newton on his arse during one match sim, playing him as a forward mostly, except when they had a full field drill with what seemed to be designated link man who had to be involved in the play, Petracca, Brayshaw, Billy Stretch (who was another to shine) and Jeff Garlett (another standout with his reading of the game and quick hands) were these designated link men. Others to shine, Dean Kent, a four bounce run down a wing and a post high goal,, Salem off half back and taking kick ins, Jack Grimes and Jimmy Toumpas, both off half back. Roos again was stressing the simple option, Viney was guilty once of going sideways, was told in no uncertain terms later on. Another drill, Fitzy got the ball unmarked on the far wing, Roos shouted Dawes so loud everybody heard it, Fitzy did the right thing and kicked straightway down Dawes' throat, Dawes had got himself free over the back. Pics will be on Twitter soon, Demonpk, any questions, feel free.

No it's not, it's just the usual empty vessels Liverpudlian and ex military, they don't even begin to concern me Anyway back to the topic, the point I was trying to make was, yes, let's wait until games to see the improvement in the kicking, but I am more optimistic this year that it will be there, than the last few, I do go to training a lot, last year the kicking was still appalling at training, so I didn't have much hope for the games...I was actually one on here who said we were only going to win 3 or 4 games and I am supposed to be the biggest fanboy....my prediction for this year 6 or 7

No I don't think so, bit like ISIL demanding money and then changing it because they realised they were sending wrong message