Neuvo Classicos

[Captain_Jack]

An in-depth training report from Ian Curtis, plenty of good detail in this balanced report providing much for rumination. From the Training Friday 13 January 2023 in the Hangar.

@Ian_Curtis

I arrived at the Hangar at 10.12 yesterday so I missed the foreplay before match sim, but can confirm the carpark was cranking. A couple of thoughts to add to the great watchers above if I may.

As noted already, the standouts in match sim were clearly Shiel, Martin and Durham. I also really liked Laverde’s game, whilst Weed, Setters, Davey, Draper, Hepps, Stringer were the others to catch my eye.

• Shiel was electric and looks super fit, as he always does. My pet frustration with him is that he always looks to kick whilst running full tilt, which is so hard to execute consistently and I believe leads to his inconsistent disposal. That looked fine to me today and it looked as though he eased up just before kicking which settled him.
• Martin is really so classy, it’s incredible to me how this guy missed a draft (or two?) and was picked as a SSP. At one stage he took a mark about 60 out and showed great composure to wait for the forward movement he liked and then proceeded to nail a 40m dart to the fat side onto Stringer’s chest without breaking stride. If more of our players could execute inside 50 entries like he does we would be so much more dangerous. He will be an AA player for us within the next 3 seasons IMO.
• Durham I’ve always really liked. He has a terrific competitiveness about him and a bit of junkyard dog, but he’s also very skillful and smart. He was able to get into great spots through his superior reading of the play and got good reward by finishing off some good phases with goals. He also plays with great intensity and purpose, which I really like and has added some good size. Looks a big boy now.
• Laverde was excellent I thought and clearly our best defender IMO. He is so hard to beat one on one and again is one of the players on our list that is super competitive and hard to beat. At one stage he was up the ground on the defensive wing and a kick went over his head after a bit of a fast break towards Bryan. Running back with the flight he had no right to get a spoil in (perhaps a knock on Bryan too tbh), yet he not only spoiled and impacted the contest, he also was the first off the deck to the loose ball to start another attacking wave. Super impressive play that his teammates absolutely loved and really now what we have come to expect from him, which is real testament to the player he has become after a slow start.
• Weideman was a good presence up forward particularly early albeit he was playing on Hayes who is just a kid. However I liked his closing speed at the contest, which he hits with pace and power. Took a few nice marks and kicked well at goal and I am holding out hopes he could form a good duo with Wright. As someone said earlier, if we can get them both singing Dodo will be honking that box of cigars.
• Setterfield was also really impressive today. Strong contest work which is why we got him and a point of difference to our other midfielders. You don’t notice him much as he does most of his work in tight, but he does show some nice composure with ball in hand to release runners. A lot to like.
• Davey has been really well covered by others already, and I agree with all that has been said. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him play senior games as he really fills a role as that pressure small forward who can find some footy up the ground and deliver the ball well inside 50. Exciting signs and looks like we have a real talent there.
• Stringer looked to be MUCH fitter today to when I saw him at the start of December. It was great to see and he even spent time at a few centre bounces where he won a clearance and broke with power and pace. Seemed injury free and moving well. Was a real presence up forward but decided to pass about 3 times rather than shoot for goal himself. Also pushed up the ground at times to collect possessions and his work rate was solid. Really positive signs for a player who I think is our barometer. Get him fit and firing and we win games.
• Draper was outstanding particularly in the second half. Will be a top 5 ruckman in the comp by year’s end if he stays injury free. Such a huge presence and his kicking is vastly improved.
• Hepps was also really good and looks fighting fit. A beautiful snap pass inside 50 to Voss was so clean and skillful, a thing of beauty. Really hope he can get some good form this year, love the bloke.
• Another player I want to shout out who I have been impressed with each time I’ve come along to a session is Redman. He is seriously putting his hand up as one of the best leaders in this group on field. At one stage he gave Bryan a huge spray for not setting up on the right side of his opponent in the defensive setup and I absolutely loved it. He plays with gusto and the spirit of a captain, I think he is really a smokey to be the next skipper and i’d be all for it.

An overall comment on game style and general play is that I can’t yet make out any noticeable structural changes or specific corridor/boundary preferences that Scott is coaching into the team. This is probably no surprise as we are at the start of January, but I’m really interested to see how this progresses. The main thing i’ve noted is the players like McGrath being played in positions that suit them which is good to see.

I like to balance out the positives with some areas for improvement.

• There is still some real improvement needed with how we move the ball inside 50 as has been the case for 15 years. For me the players need to show more patience and composure with ball in hand to wait for the right option and execute the pass ala Nick Martin. Simply, I’d like to see little 20m passes to players in any position inside 50 rather than going for the hero low % 45 pass or dump kick long. This also talks to our lack of forward movement and players getting to dangerous positions and opening up spaces for their teammates by leading in and out of space. There is minimal leading to the ball carrier which frustrates the hell out of me.
• Regarding players, i’d like to see more from Cox, Ridley, Hobbs, Bryan, Baldwin. Now i’m not calling for blood and acknowledge i’ve picked out a few young guys and it’s only start of January, but these are the guys that spring to mind as those who I think have great scope to get much more from.
• Re Cox, i’m mainly concerned about his competitiveness and dare I say it softness. He has some real talent as he showed in the first half of his debut season, but he just looks a guy bereft of confidence and hindered by a lack of development. I’d like to see him spend real time getting his body right and developing his trade in the VFL this year and banging the door down to play senior footy. He coasts a bit, and I get that he is a rangy type but he looks a boy amongst men to me (which I guess he is).
• Hobbs needs to fix his kicking but I think everything else he brings to the table is very promising. To me it’s simply about the options he is taking in that I think he bites off more than he can chew. Keep it simple and go for higher % options and I think we would see great improvement.
• Bryan was pretty uncompetitive in the match sim I thought. Not sure where he is at fitness wise but to me Phillips is the clear number 2 to Draper and I had hoped Bryan would be that guy by now. I think he brings a lot to the table but he just needs a greater physical presence if he is to make an impact IMO.
• Ridley I just want to see released as the intercept superstar that he was a couple of years ago. No real worries, more depends on how Scott will set up the defence.
• Baldwin was starved of opportunities to be fair, but he looks a bit slow to me. Id like to see him invest into speed work to get more separation from his defender which will in turn see him get more goal scoring opportunities.

I left at 11.38 as the players were entering another running session after match sim had finished. Looked brutal and is exactly what I want to see happening.

… but wait there’s more…

@benfti

I went. I stood with @CJohns who I’m sure will give a detailed account soon.

The main thing that stood out to me it was different from last year is that all the players look like they knew what they were meant to be doing. It’s not reinventing any wheel when it comes to brand-new dynamic ways to play football it’s just do the right thing kick a ball when you should kick it, handball when you should handball and be in the right spots.

A few things I noticed about a couple of players I’ll talk about.

Sheil: He really looks like he’s going to carry on from the form he finished in at the end of the season he was a cut above the majority of the midfielders.

Durham: He was really impressive in everything completed it every stoppage looks like he’s put on a little bit of extra upper body size, And his work rate was rewarded with three goals.

BZT: he’s easily our best key defender right now and I want to make a point of mentioning his field kicking it a sneaky weapon for us he makes really good decisions by foot.

Setterfield and Weidman both look like excellent additions , I’m not saying they’re both going to walk straight into the senior team but they both clearly filled a list need and I think we’ve done well getting them both for what they cost us they both are fitting in well.

Hep is still a fantastic leader on field.

McGrath looks excellent off half back, he’s attacking with the ball in hand and he shuts down his immediate opponent, poor old Menzie, he couldn’t get a kick on him.

Alwyn Davey Jr is fast. To me if you look at all the other younger first and second you guys that are vying for opportunities Alwyn looks the least overawed by the situation. It’s as if he’s grown up around the club his whole life and he’s finally getting his chance to play and he’s enjoying himself , like “it’s about time I finally got a go” he got a lot of the footy in the Match sim ended up with at least three I’m gonna say four shots on goal didn’t kick any of them LOL but all of them will be shots he will he will finish when he gets a little more experience. Not in that ‘he’s a young kid who needs to learn about AFL’ way, more ‘hey mate at this level we go back and go through a process and then have a shot at goal’ way. One of his goal attempts he just took three steps and had a shot when there were no options to pass it off to. In general play his decision-making is excellent it’s very much like Walla, in that he always gives the ball to someone well and in a better position. Really excited about what I saw from him today.

Speaking of the great man Walla, I walked away from today saying he’s about 80% where you would expect the best version of him to be fitness wise, And as I said to Scott we’ve probably played him in the seniors Less fit than it is now. All the things that make Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti are still there. He is a class above everyone else in our forward line he has zip, And his disposal by foot is still elite, and he still knows where the goals are.

It was clearly evident that he is relishing having the lads to mentor. There was this great moment after the mid break in the match Sim where all the players came out and went down to each end of the ground to practice their goal kicking much like they do at the beginning of games before the first bounce. Walla, Davey and Tex were all together in the pocket having shots on goal. One of them call for a football from one of the trainers and even though there was plenty to go around they all decided to have a competition to see who could get it first so while the rest of the team was going through they’re very professional goalkeeping routines we had these three who were having a kick with their mates. It was Walla who after they all had their fun, (Jayden had come over at this point as to not miss out) Got them to refocus and get their heads back into the game it was about to start back up. It was just great to see. I think we will see some of him during the preseason games, he might play a half maybe even more but he’s tracking really well. Our forward line is so much better when is in it.

I left before the end so that’s all I can comment on but I walked away thinking we’re looking better than last year, I’m not saying we’re gonna bolt into the finals but we’re on the right track.

… still there’ll be more…

Just to give you guys a Gauge of Alwyn’s speed, there was a moment in the matchplay where someone was switching the ball and was kicking towards someone on the wing but it went off the side of the boot and was heading towards what everyone there thought was going to be bounce and then go out of bounds, most of the players stopped waiting for this to happen but all of a sudden out of nowhere there was Alwyn, who not only got to it before it went out of bounds, but he actually marked it! , Scotty said he’s probably the only person on the list who could’ve got to that. He can match the speed of anyone else on the list but has this extra 5 km an hour that he can deploy when required and it’s impressive.