Pre-Season 2022

[chris_64]

@donsrule

Rance … was very vocal,

Sounds like he attended the Ted Lasso school of coaching .

[karmabomber]

Love the newbie………“PP” Cox!!
“Peroxide Power” forever!!!
Come on Jonesy, join the party!

[Begbie]

@chris_64

Glad they tagged him, I would not have had any idea who he was.

Richmond player? I think his timing was bad, kept out of the side for years by that once in a generation full back Ryan Garthwaite

[Fairtackle]

Can someone get a photo of Alec Waterman that we can pass onto the club for his player profile. He’s keeps dodging the club photographer!

[aboods]

@donsrule

I was there, taking photos (AFLPhotos not EFC), the session went from 9-11ish.

Modified group was Reid, Kelly, Parish and Baldwin. Baldwin was in a bit of the main group but not all. Saw Eyre early but didn’t see much of him to be honest, he may have been modified also.

Main group was; Guelfi, Ham, Hird, Perkins, Brand, Hind, Francis, Cox, McGrath, Ridley, Durham, Caldwell, Bryan, Zerk. Think that’s all.

Heppell & Kelly the only non 1-5 year players present, neither were in the main group. No Phillips (that must have been Francis your mate spotted haha). No Draper, Jones, Snelling.

Perkins and Durham really impressed me the most, they both looked ready to step up. Cox also - he looks to have filled out slightly from the season. McGrath looked like he’s on the way back to his best (very hard to tell this early, but he looked good), Francis also put in a good session, did some nice things.

Rance is going to have a great influence, he was very vocal, non-stop encouragement and pulling players into line, getting the boys to do little things like get a drink for a teammate or pass a towel. After running laps he called Cox a freak and claimed he is the spawn of an X-Men character.

Cox spoke really well to the press also, he presented very well - maybe not the hair though haha

https://www.essendonfc.com.au/albums/1029985/training-november-10?modal=true&type=gallery&playlistId=1029985&playlistSize=68

Francis, McGrath and Ridley aren’t 1-5 year players

[thedon74]

Or Parish.

[astro_bomber]

Image 55 here, trying to figure out if Francis is being lapped or if he is leading the pack easily. My guess is, he is being lapped https://www.essendonfc.com.au/albums/1029985/training-november-10?modal=true&type=gallery&playlistId=1029985&playlistSize=68

[alex.f.94]

I’m sorry but can we delist Perkins already. I cannot and will not approve of this new hair.

[Fairybread]

“In anticipation of a unique off-season for our players where their movement was going to be limited, we proposed a program pre-Christmas that involves our players coming back earlier but on a part-time basis," Mahoney said.

[donsrule]

Yeah he found himself at the front after they were asked to run the other way.

[donsrule]

Correct. I was thinking Rid/Pidge were in the 5th season, lucky I just take pictures and don’t write.

Parish was modified (with Hepp) and Francis is just keen for a big preseason I’m guessing.

[astro_bomber]

Cool thanks. At least he’s not being lapped. Just trailing the pack a bit.

[donsrule]

No he wasn’t lapped, he was running hard, but just ended up at the back and then they turned. Tried to make it show that he put in a good session which is true.

[stir_fried_ewok]

I genuinely feel uneasy about how much I love enemy-becomes-friend Rancey.

[Speedy_Gonzales]

Fire in the belly’: Cox, Bombers in rush to improve

The Bombers’ early start to pre-season was part of a pact made after their finals exit.

Nik Cox and Archie Perkins were sporting new hairdos for the first day of pre-season. (Photo: AFL Photos)

Nik Cox says the Bombers’ early start to pre-season is a clear indication of their desire to fast-track their improvement and get a jump on the competition ahead of the 2022 season.

The first-to-five-year players, plus a sprinkling of senior heads including captain Dyson Heppell, completed their first official training session at the NEC Hangar today, with the rest of the squad set to return by November 29.

While the Bombers will train on a part-time basis until Christmas, they will have a two-week head start on their opposition.

Cox said the early start was part of a pact between the players after their elimination-final loss to the Western Bulldogs.

“It was set in stone from the moment we left (finals). We said we wanted to get back into it as soon as we can, there’s still a bit of fire in the belly from that final that we lost,” Cox said.

“It’s part of our program. We want to get back to training as soon as we can. We’re looking to build into a great season next year, and this is the best way to do it.

“We’ve got a good young group here, and a few of the older boys are stepping in as well to give a bit of experience with our training. I’m excited to be back.”

Having missed out on a finals appearance in his debut season, there’s extra motivation for Cox, who is set to complete his first full AFL pre-season.

The No.8 draft pick played 20 consecutive games in 2021, but tired in the back half of the season to be an unused medical substitute in the Bombers’ final two games.

“It’s a big driver of mine. I don’t want to fall off (again) like I did. I felt like I was getting a bit tired towards the end of the year, and it didn’t help having no footy the year before,” Cox said.

“That’s what’s good about having a full pre-season, I’m able to build my body to be able to play a full season, diversify my roles and become a better player.”

“I want to keep the ability to be swung through the midfield, down back, up forward. I’ll float through a number of roles throughout pre-season. Hopefully I can build into a key-position (player) down the track, but we’ll see.”

Cox said he would benefit from the guidance of his experienced teammates, with senior players Heppell, Andrew McGrath and Darcy Parish joining the youngsters on the track today.

He said the leadership from Heppell, who could enter his sixth season as skipper, was particularly inspiring.

“It (early return) just shows his character. He’s an unbelievable leader, the best leader I’ve experienced in my time,” Cox said.

Dyson Heppell gets around Darcy Parish during training today. (Photo: AFL Photos)

“It’s awesome to have him out there. He’s a wise head, trains so well and with such intensity. He doesn’t need to be back yet, and he’s here doing it and setting the tone for us.”

[Crod]

Perkins looks like the actor Nickelodeon would cast if they were making a film about Jack Steele.

[Houli_Dooli]

[redbull]

Great rorting of the system by us. Coming back part time means we get a couple of extra weeks of work into the players while they train ‘part time’. Also I think it shows the players a very hungry for success.

[redbull]

I’m more used to this angle from his playing days.

[IceTemple]

@Speedy_Gonzales

He said the leadership from Heppell, who could enter his sixth season as skipper, was particularly inspiring.

“It (early return) just shows his character. He’s an unbelievable leader, the best leader I’ve experienced in my time,” Cox said.

“It’s awesome to have him out there. He’s a wise head, trains so well and with such intensity. He doesn’t need to be back yet, and he’s here doing it and setting the tone for us.”

On you Hepps, great leadership. Also Pidge and Parish, great work from the next level of leadership.