Yep I don’t think it’s anything to worry about at this stage.
My general feeling is that for the experienced players, it doesn’t matter too much if they miss main sessions prior to Christmas. If they do plenty of running before Xmas and then can join in full training at the start of January, that’s as good as a full pre-season.
From what we know I don’t think any of that modified group, except Draper will still be in the modified group after Christmas.
Of course there is Joe and Stewart that are complete unknowns
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Great stuff @nackers
Modified group (my take)
Merrett - Had huge workload last year so easing into the program
Shiel - Had huge workload last year so easing into the program
Gleeson clean up surgery on ankle (edit lance)
Zakka - coming back from ankle injury, only started running the other day on grass, did alter G last week.
Fanta - Had surgery late on Hips, so expect him to be here for a while?
Hurley - had the shoulder injuries late footy season
Heppell - Had the foot injury which was operated on before Brownlow
Mo22ie - had the bad hamstring injury this year and want to get some more running into hi,m as fat lol
Hooker - looked restricted end of footy season
Guelfi - Knee meniscus clean up (edit Doe)
Draper - ACL comeback
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torn meniscus in knee… from Aug 6
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Huge thanks for the report, @Nackers.
Two questions if you don’t mind.
How long were they actually working for?
Would you say overall it was a good, solid session?
They didn’t, ASADA are preparing paperwork as we speak…
They started about 9.10 and finished around 11.30 so not particularly long as they sometimes have 3 hour sessions, but not unexpected for the first day back for the majority.
It was a pretty good session but again I would expect it to be more exerting even later in the week.
I think today was mainly getting a lot of the cobwebs out.
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Gleeson had another surgery on that busted foot/ankle at the end of the season. Just a clean up job.
From the Essendon website:
Despite making a successful return this season from a severe ankle injury suffered in the 2018 JLT Community Series, defender Marty Gleeson is booked in for an ankle arthroscopy this week, but it is not expected to interrupt his 2020 pre-season.
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Especially if they had onions with their Bunnings snag in bread… A knee injury just waiting to happen… Won’t somebody think of the footballers?..
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easing back into alright - which is fair enough
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It was the onions, wasn’t it?
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Yes, but is that Franga or Phillips
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It definitely didn’t happen last year.
The only 2 players who looked in ripping condition after Preseason was McGrath and Saad.
Tbh it is abit concerning that players haven’t toned up. I don’t expect to see a lot of upper body bulk, but it would be nice if we can get some size and compete harder the contest.
I just hope the players are fit round 1. Which hasn’t happened for 2 years.
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it’s all for the new fitness dude to sort out
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Others players have reduced bulk too from other clubs - Franklin has and I have been told Cripps definitely has.
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Reducing bulk is a good thing.* If a player has shed weight, it’s been weight that was in excess of what was required. Judging by his photo, Begley’s shed quite a lot and looks 100% better for it. He’s not so big as he was, but he’s still big, and it’s all hard muscle and bone.
*Marty Gleeson excepted
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You’d hope there’s lots of different programs. Depends on the individual day how many should be doing the full load for the full time.
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Francis looking the goods.
I didn’t say they didn’t look toned up, generally they look in great nick, just not as much bulk as I think they have had in the past.
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So Nackers, did McKenna appear?
Or has he been detained by Border Force trying to re-enter Australia with some battered pork sausages the opposing team got for him
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