DeeSpencer

Remedial kick time. Defenders kick to kick around the arc. Small forward snaps. Forwsrd entries for plenty. petty, Brown, Preuss, Tomlinson, Viney doing 2 v 1 make a decision and kick short or medium Langdon, Sparrow, Vanders picking up in the middle, giving a fend and trying to hit a lead up forward coming at them. Nice to see drills tailored for individual players Webber Training Report Dr. D Training Report Dee Zephyr Training Report

Viney on the right hits up Petty, handball over to J Wags who places it perfectly for Fritsch to take a nice mark holding the space under pressure from J Smith. In half game stoppage to forward entry simulations Webber Training Report Dr. D Training Report Dee Zephyr Training Report

Trying to watch Langdon v Tomlinson in the wing, as well as Preuss v Jacko DeeSpencer Training Report 03 (Stoppage to Forward Entry SIM) | DeeSpencer Training Report 04 (Tailored Positional Drills) | Webber Training Report Dr. D Training Report Dee Zephyr Training Report

Match sim under way. Viney’s work rate and T Sparrow finding space to take a couple of nice marks the highlights so far DeeSpencer Training Report 02 (Langdon vs Tomlinson) | DeeSpencer Training Report 03 (Stoppage to Forward Entry SIM) | DeeSpencer Training Report 04 (Tailored Positional Drills) | Webber Training Report Dr. D Training Report Dee Zephyr Training Report

Jeepers a training report thread turning in to a defence of Jeff Garlett's hardness. What's next? - 21 reasons why Simon Godfrey was actually a good kick - Brock McLean wasn't slow, just poorly used. - Mark Neeld - underrated. - 7 reasons why you should try the Bat soup in Wuhan

Mids will rotate through the forward line and ideally we’d have more players with versatility but forward pressure, up and back work rate, forward craft and cohesion is too important not to have 7 forwards in the side and to have at least 1 tasked with and suited to crumbing, pressure and some goal kicking ability. Jones should be in contention for a high half forward spot, and we could have a couple of players in that role, but whether it’s a specialist small like Pickett or Bedford or someone more versatile like Hunt or Hannan there has to be some speed and tackle pressure inside 50. A 32 year old who doesn’t have the agility in the legs and back he once had isn’t going to be laying tackles, darting through gaps and sprinting out the back.

No point giving up until the list lodgement date. Maybe the surgery wasn't the panacea but his calves could still be adapting to the recovery from surgery and different dynamics without the plantaris. Personally still sticking with my uneducated belief that his running action and posture aren't ideal.

He’s close to a zero defensively and he’s very soft at the contest, particularly in the air. He could be useful in April running to space but he’s not the kind of player you need in September. Essendon probably delisted him because they are sick of playing back half counter attacking footy and want to get serious about playing like a finals team.

Backline: Hore, Oscar, Smith, Lockhart are our 7-10th best defenders and all around the mark, they’ll all have to play during the year but unsure if any completely lock up a spot. A bit early to tell for Rivers. Mids: The 2nd year trio of Dunkley, Sparrow and Jordon should push for games. Sparrow probably has the most ready made upside due to athleticism. Baker is still the hope for the second half of the year. Forwards: The most open group. Any of Mitch Brown, Petty, Weid or Jackson could grab hold of a tall spot. Plenty of small options. But my overall tip is that Kade Chandler is best 22. Unfortunately now his broken wrist might see him in VFL and needing to prove himself to start the season.

Every time I’ve seen Stafford doing ruck specific training Jackson has been with the rucks. But otherwise I’ve seen him with the forward group and with the mids (including rucks) about 50/50. And I’ve only seen him do match sim a couple of times, both times with the forwards. Gawn has gone head to head with Preuss as the rucks. If he gets a game early in the year I expect he’ll be the back up ruck for the 5 minutes a quarter that Gawn rests, and then will play forward for the rest of his allocated game time. If he’s good enough and physically up to playing then won’t he be our best relief ruckman option?

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He doesn't have a particular athletic advantage - stamina, size, strength, speed are all average or below. But he's certainly moving more freely and looking more confident and involved on the training track. How was he meant to beat a man if everyone he played on had more strength and healthy hips? After this summer he should be on par for fitness and strength with his opponent and moving better. He has the kicking (goal kicking a bit up and down but generally good, field kicking can be very good) and handballing skills (one of the best in the side at using both hands) to be a talent. Plus on the days where he lays a tackle he can get on a roll there. But it's a matter of whether he'll consistently find the ball and consistently hold his marks. He flies bravely at the ball but sometimes I think he's doing more to make a contest than to hold the marks. Half a season more up forward to see if he finally can hold his marks and get involved more and if it fails then time to try him down back where his opponent will take him to contests.

I’d say yes and no. I think I’ve seen a greater desire to switch the ball. And move the ball around the forward arc. They also hit up the diagonal half forward switch in a drill the other week. Overall I’d expect better pressure and defensive efforts more than a complete change in ball movement. Yesterday I wasn’t overly happy with the decision making and skills. Even allowing for good pressure and tricky weather it was messy. For example in the side to side keepings off drill I thought Clarry was still messy and firing off suspect handballs when I’d like to see him using both hands and adding more stop and start. I don’t want us to be more like Hawthorn were, I want more like Richmond now which is high tempo but on the back of really great football smarts. They always keep their space and positioning and don’t overcommit to the contest. Not sure we’ve taken much of a stride there yet.

Just a suggestion but if you load multiple photos in to the one instagram post you can then move them all across far more easily. You can tag the individual players in each photo rather than the caption.

Match sim. Blues v Greens with 2 players in pink bibs going both ways (Sparrow and Hunt). Seems roughly probables v possibles Lever, Jetta, Harmes, Salem, Hore Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Langdon, Petracca, Gus T Mc, Weid, Fritsch, Jackson, Kossie Harmes from half back hits Viney in the corridor who snaps on his right to keep it moving to Petracca. Trac darts it up the corridor to Pickett who dishes off to Jackson running inside 50 for the open goal. First bit of this was messy but the blues are finding their rhythm. R

Blustering conditions and fatigue playing havoc with the keepings off handball mini games. One group trying to work the ball around the backline. The other half going wing to wing. Harmes, Langdon, Petracca excellent with work rate. But not many excelling with skills. Not sure there’s a player on the list who can tackle Kossie when he’s shake and baking. Maybe Nev. Or Vanders - who I hope is having his usual Wednesday off.

Forwards doing a drill that works the ball to the wing then in board 45 then a handball to a runner who hits a leading target. Simple stuff that really should be flawless even in the blustery conditions but I’m impressed by Weid, Nibbler, Hunt and Kossie being very sharp. Jones is still a cut above most as well

Melksham boxing May jogging Bennell kick to kick Spargo, Oscar, Baker, Tomlinson rehab. Petty and Smith were with the rehab guys but have gone back to the main stuff. Nathan Jones back in with the forwards

Yes, inactive list players can be replaced in the preseason supplemental period. Or in the midseason draft.

I listed Hannan in with Hunt and Jackson as X factors because after picking the right balance of talls and mid sized marking players as well as ground level guys I think that last spot will be for a guy who can make something happen. I certainly feel like we haven't seen the best of Hannan but yes what we have seen the last couple of years has been inconsistent and hampered by injuries. But most teams have one forward who is inconsistent but a dangerous match up and Hannan's pace and nose for a goal makes him that kind of player. Like all our forwards he has to work on his positioning and connection with the mids and I'd to see him stronger at the contest at times. And of course he has to improve defensively to lock down a spot - something which isn't easy when hampered by injuries. I think he's capable of having a good season and being in the best 22 if they get him fully fit and confident, but if not we might be better served with someone like Hunt who can rotate up on to a wing and be dangerous as the out the back forward. Or we might just blood Jackson who could be a tricky match up forward and then strengthen the ruck minutes without Gawn.

I sparked this debate last year and I think the great thing about Salem is he has such an economical kicking action and balance he can quickly and reliably gather the ball, change direction and get the ball to his boot and where he wants it to go. A number of posters found photos where he’s more exaggerated in his action but I’d expect they are where he’s winding up for a longer kick. I wish we had more players with balance and a fast release to their kicking actions.

Great photos 6, love the ruck ones. Preuss is a scary sight a few feet in the air. Apart from that the Kozzie shots are wonderful.

Sparrow reminds me of a young Harmes. Physically capable and willing at the content. Skills and decision making need work. Id like to see him get 25+ a week at Casey for a stretch just so it’s 25 times he has to use the ball and improve. If he does play in the short term I’d like to see him used like Harmes has been as a tagger. Could end up half forward or half back due to his good aerial game but he’s going to need to improve his ball use for that to happen.

5 mids in to 4 inside mids spots just doesn’t work. Oliver and Viney aren’t getting shifted. Brayshaw plays his best on ball. Petracca needs an extended run in the midfield to show he can do it. Half back where Harmes can use his run and ability to compete isn’t that much different to the midfield in importance. Makes sense to use him there. Langdon on one wing. Tomlinson on the other where he’ll be asked to do a role I’d imagine. Vanders a bit of everything as a utility mid/forward. Yes Vanders is a risk but everyone else is unproven, although the young guys should do very well at Casey. Bennell the even bigger question mark and the dream scenario would be him coming in to the midfield mix during the season.

There seems to be a clear gap between the top 7: Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Petracca, Brayshaw, Langdon, Vanders and Tomlinson and the rest, but it’s still early days. It’s a long season so Harmes likely ends up back in the midfield for some part of the year. Jordon, Sparrow and Dunkley should push for games. And Jones will have his moments if made to work for a game and then used correctly. Im still a believer in Oskar Baker having some strong afl qualities. If they get his body right and give him a catch up preseason he could provide something in the second half of the year.