joeboy

Not in my starting 22 either but as a regular attendee at training this year I can vouch for the fact that he has not been idle over Summer and is looking exceedingly fit and strong .

PJ

I was there for about 90 minutes and witnessed an impressive and vigorous session. My most enduring memory of proceedings though was seeing Jim Stynes walking the boundry and personally greeting every supporter . Certainly he continues to look frail and gaunt but his firm handshake suggests that he is doing well . The young and lively recruits , as expected , tended to draw the most attention , and of the newbies Tapscott continues to impress me the most , and not just for his amazing build . From my recollection all players were doing some form of training , but those precluded from kicking were in a group comprising : Wona , Bate , Garland , Spencer , Gawn , Blease , Jamar . Scully was doing kicking work and as we can expect , he was focussed and driven in all his movements . I was impressed with Sylvia's work ethic along with usual suspects Jones and Moloney . Special reference should also be made of Mega who gladdened the heart of a 'slow ' young supporter by spending around 10 minutes of kick to kick with him before serious training began .

He WAS running and he WAS handballing - he wasn't kicking and he did go bike riding

I didn't mention it in my earlier thread , and the point doesn't appear to have been noted by other attendees today , but Matty Bate has worked overtime in the gym over the break and his upper body shape is actually very distinctive now . I have no hesitation in saying that he is now built along the lines we'd expect of a full time CHF - he has the height , smarts , kicking skills , and now , strength , to make this most important of positions his own .

I stayed for 90 minutes , until the heat overwhelmed me , and the following observations were noted: Scott West seemed to be issuing most of the instructions and I didn't notice if Bailey was present . Morton has finally developed a chest and arm definition.He is also wearing his hair longer . Moloney has massive arms Tapscott is extremely fit and strong . Scully is very scrawny and pale , but knows how to handle the football . Jurrah did not train with the main group , but did 200m run throughs only , and appeared to be struggling . Wona also did run throughs , without discomfort , but was not the lithe bodied player we noted at pre season last year . Garland was involved in alot of the main drills , though I didn't notice him kicking . He appeared fit and strong . Watts , like Morton , has developed definition in his arms and shoulders , but still appears to need significant more building up before he can hold his own amongst the Scarletts of the world . Sylvia looks remarkable and appears to bear the same countenance that led me to predict his coming out season last year , about the same time of year . He will have a top season if his body stands up ! Gawn and Spencer are both huge boys , with the latter having obviously added significantly to last year's relatively light frame . Green looks supremely fit . Davey was enthusiastic and involved as ever - he is a leader . Trengove showed classy movement with the ball . Gysberts is a nice , smooth mover and seemed to enjoy his involvement at training . Maric doesn't look scrawny or hunched now ,and appears to have worked hard and unhindered in the pre season. Jamar didn't seem to do anything other than slow laps from my observation . Dunn was probably the most enthusiastic trainer in at my view . He did everything with thorough conviction and application and enthusiasm . Newton was also an impressive trainer , much to the dismay of many at Demonland , I'm sure .

Watch footage of him on You Tube and you'll be hugely impressed . He's a boy mountain , and obviously still growing , whilst his athleticism for one so tall is outstanding , as is his desire to put himself into a contest . I think we can feel as excited about this one as we do about our first two picked prodigies .

The quinella of Cardwell and Smith would be hard to beat .

Yes it did go ahead . He explained that as far as he and the club were concerned Aaron was going nowhere else , ever , and that he believed Flash was always staying . He thought it was important , in the light of Brock's departure , that the club was seen to be proactive , and that the signing of Davey was crucial as he now assumed the role of mentor to the ' indigenous crew 'after Wheels' departure . When questioned , he did not rule out Aaron's elevation to captaincy in 2011 .

Yes on reflection I may have been a little harsh . I should have said GOOD NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

With the possible onset of a number of faster running midfielders I see him finding a place as a hard nosed , hard bodied back pocket , in the Matty Whelan mould .

From the accounts posted here about Morabito , he sounds very much like an early Moloney who could grab the ball and kick the crap out of it without being too concerned as to its destination . We know now that Moloney has been able to change his kicking for good and not evil , so there is no reason why Morabito cannot be taught the same skill whilst he is still young and impressionable .

Sounds like a little bald guy who plays for us !

I'm just taking an overview of the year , and tried not to isolate individual performances .

Bail - not enough seen Bartram - disposal still concerning Bate - valuable but inconsistent Bell - no notable performances Bennell - encouraging first year Bruce - an impressive year Buckley - ruined by injury Cheney - impressive and reliable Davey - a breakout year Dunn - finding his place Frawley - most improved player Garland - ruined by injury Green - impressive until injured Grimes - reliable and classy Jamar - made a statement Jetta - talented but slight Johnson - has gone backwards Jones - gradually made inroads Jurrah - the club's future Maric - had little impact Martin - finding his feet McDonald - performances belied age McKenzie - showed encouraging glimpses McLean - the major disappointment McNamara - promoted before readiness Meesen - a pleasant surprise Miller - may have expired Moloney - strong and valuable Morton - versatile and important Newton - performances were underwhelming Petterd - showed encouraging glimpses Rivers - reliable but tentative Robertson - age has wearied Spencer - needs more time Sylvia - a breakout year Valenti - showed nothing new Warnock - improved beyond expectations Watts - not enough seen Wheatley - was rarely sighted Whelan - cruelled by injury Wonaeamirri - cruelled by injury

6 - Morton 5 - McDonald 4 - Dunn 3 - Moloney 2 - Sylvia 1 - Bartram

Bartram - a solid game Bennell - had little impact Cheney - good second efforts Davey - not as influential Dunn - exciting when confident Frawley - was good early Jamar - held his own Jetta - was easily outmanouvred Jones - confident and strong Jurrah - thrilling in bursts McDonald - tough and uncompromising McLean - where was he ? Miller - couldn't find ball Moloney - gave his all Morton - great rebounding game Rivers - was rarely beaten Robertson - no final glory Sylvia - great first half Wheatley - goal for posterity Whelan - aggression wasn't enough McKenzie - some encouraging touches Spencer - was not disgraced

On reflection ,the only one I may have been a little harsh on was Frawley , but, in my defence , whilst he did keep Fevola to 2 goals in the first half , I suspect that it was more to do with the poor delivery to the Flues' player rather than Frawley's successful 'stopping' . Bate - was running in circles most of the time IMO and his disposal was poor . Davey - broke the shackles in the last quarter when the game was already lost and he was given free reign in the back line without a Joseph tag . Valenti - had little impact as an on baller , and could make no impact with his kicking or handballs . Cheney - the comments were for today's game , not previous ones .

So I cheated !

6 - Sylvia - great for 4 quarters 5 - Jamar - outstanding as a forward 4 - Robertson - firing parting statements 3 - Jetta - give him some muscles and we've got one 2 - Moloney - was beaten but persisted 1 - Frawley - must be given a vote for not acting disappointed when taken off Fevola as part of the tanking plan .

Bate - game to forget Cheney - steady but unobtrusive Davey - couldn't break shackles Frawley - tried but failed Jamar - continued stellar renaissance Jetta - excellent first half Johnson - had little influence Jurrah - restricted by injury Martin - little to enthuse McDonald - steady and reliable McLean - needn't have played McNamara - lots to learn Moloney - persistant but beaten Morton - beaten by midget Petterd - insignificant until injured Rivers - ready to holiday Robertson - going with class Sylvia - our best player Whelan - loose until injured McKenzie - will get better Spencer - tall , little else Valenti - short , little else

The 3 may have been dropped to make them eligible for the Scorpions' finals . How many games do they need to have played ?

6 - Davey 5 - McDonald 4 - Valenti 3 - Bate 2 - Jones 1 - Moloney

Bartram - confident and effective Bate - a constant presence Cheney - safe but unobtrusive Davey - performance to cherish Dunn - confident and impressive Frawley - excellent after errors Jetta - too many clangers Johnson - impressive despite limitations Jones - strong and determined Jurrah - an exciting presence Martin - had little influence McDonald - terrific captain's game McLean - loved the conditions McNamara - needs more time Miller - provided some grunt Moloney - vital at stoppages Morton - composed and influential Petterd - a burst player Rivers - performance of old Robertson - some reminiscent moves Sylvia - performance gradually improved Valenti - late season revival