Earl Hood

Another tough injury scenario for the Eagles yet again! Yes the have issues with NicNat but that is about it, injury wise.

Has always looked a likely prospect at training but last year had minimal disposals for Casey. Obviously couldn’t get his own ball but looked good on the weekend. He is now running second for endurance in the club time trials, is quick and agile so there is something to work with there. Let’s hope for consistent good form at Casey and maybe a cameo later in the year in the firsts.

Isn’t Lewis our goal kicking coach?

I rode passed Gosch’s this morning and no one to be seen although Melbourne Victory we’re setting up.

Hoping it is J Smith who intercepts and provides attacking run from down back this year.

Good hit out. Great result that we ran over the top of them. I only watched the 3rd quarter and we played well but I noted continuing concerns in that quarter from last year. Poor delivery into the 50, in the midfield scramble we often had too many contestants in too close, leaving Crows unmarked on the outside and the other was lack of forward pressure and the ability to turn over possession inside 50m. Kicking efficiency was low so there are things to work on but also a lot of positives.

History says he will get off, it’s a practice match. Sylvia had his jaw broken at Casey against West Coke several years ago with zip consequences.

Yes I saw the channel 7 report and my first thought was who blabbed? As no decision has been made or at least ready to announce. I still remember many of us questioning the original decision elevate Viney to the co captaincy that [censored] off Jones at the time. I don’t think that decision was driven by the players, it was a call by Goodwin? but I may remember that wrong. Many said at the time, why so early in his career, just make him vice captain and let him learn from Jones and co. Now it seems the players are not impressed and Viney has spoken about not being ready, not understanding that not everyone is an unstoppable bull at the contest and at training etc, etc, etc. I mean I have seen this so often in the workplace where people are promoted into people management positions too early but more importantly without the leadership training to understand how their behaviour can impact on their team members. So you get managers who believe they have to lead by example instead of stepping back and asking others for their thoughts and ideas. Anyway maybe that’s old school thinking, I am not being paid $300k plus a year to be an AFL club Leadership guru.

well then OD inject some reality into the club’s talk of a new admin/training hub within walking distance of the Gee. Where is that going to be? The mind boggles, there aren’t too many options I can think of especially with the Jolimont NIMBY’s so active in the area.

Yes the optimal answer would be admin, entertainment and indoor training facilities within the MCG stadium and ability to train on the MCG at least twice per week and we have Gosch’s as a back up.

Hang in there Dfrog, this will be our year! Go Dees.

Lyon is streets ahead of Barry Hall in my opinion. I don’t remember Hall ever firing in a final? He blew up against us in 98 and had a few poor ones with the Swans as I remember it.

One of the Wagners had his knee iced up at the end of training. AVB was out there but didn’t notice how much he participated.

The injuries may not be as bad as last year but [censored] we are back to our seasonal norm of 15 or 16. Can we just get a break from this stuff ever? It does make a difference over a season. Richmond has a couple of flags achieved in seasons when they had no more than 2 injuries at any time for a whole season! Imagine that. The Hawks were similar thru much of their three flags and Geelong before that. You need some luck with injuries but it alludes us year on year.

Heading back to our usual injury list numbers, 8 to 12, year after year?

Saw him in a rehab group on Friday at Gosch’s. Running multiple 100m sprints with TMac and Crossy. Looked to be moving freely. Later he did some free flowing ball work with TMac and Bedford and again looked to be moving well. Can’t be far off moving onto full training surely. Not sure what the issue is that is holding him back but glad they are taking things slowly.

Wasn’t it a cyst a month or so ago? Now fluid, fingers crossed. Did he do full training at the camp?

Not worth a new thread but for your information I swung past Gosch’s paddock this morning on my training run and found a small squad working with Daniel Cross and another trainer. It might not have been rehab but perhaps a voluntary extra session, no MFC training colours on at all. Cross was running repeat 100 m sprints with TMac and Melk while Brown and J Smith were doing longer, slower repeat runs of 200 plus. Bedford was doing agility stuff between cones on his own. TMac, Melk and Bedford then did some 30m kicking to the other player on the lead and practiced some high marking, all pretty laid back from what I saw but they could have going for an hour before I arrived about 9.40. They were finishing up when I left just before 10. I thought the main squad would be doing something today, maybe up at Casey?

That reminds me Panama Disease has been detected in Tully Qld, potentially threatening 90% of Australia’s crop! It was reported two days ago in The Guardian which I know none of you would read. Thus the heads up. Better stock now.

Hey this is a bit off to the side but around the 3rd quarter just as a time out was called I swear the music in the stadium was Church’s Under a Milky Way? Unfortunately Channel 7 cut to an advert break as soon as. Anybody else hear that?

I think it was a bex and a good lie down in the 60’s?

Great training report. As a track watcher through most of last season I think the biggest challenge will be for the team to play how they train. Last year my opinion was that we consistently failed to play in a style that did not resemble how we trained. At training we moved the ball quickly but judiciously to a free target, switched across the ground to change the angle of attack, hand balled to advantage just like we all did at training in our suburban careers. However all I saw in most of our games was see ball, get ball and kick long to a contest and just keep bombing it long etc. we all saw it but as I said repeatedly last year that is not how we were training. Maybe that was all about lack of personnel, lack of faith in a constantly changing line up due to injury and form? May this season be totally different and we play how we train and bring some subtle finesse added to a physical and brutal game plan.

At Casey I think today.

Great example and if the momentum of that tackle took them both players forward as seems likely, the maggots would pay in the back! That is why I believe tackles should be judged for legality on where they start, not where they finish.

Good to see AVB in the thick of it and looking fit, also Joel Smith looking good early with the main group drills then was sent to the rehab group to do sprints when the match sims started. Joel looks super fit to me. One guy who caught my eye was Tom Sparrow he looks like a footballer now, Built up his body, is moving beautifully and has clean hands, disposal needs some work of course. He played a few games last year but then got injured. Any thoughts from others where he might fit in?