Great report.
Thanks for the update on Kobe.
Really appreciate the commentary on which coach is doing what. This is a key interest of mine for this preseason.
Was most pleased to hear that Gown is doing well in contested marking drills.
Cheers Deckham.
I have it on good authority that they’re sending the videos to @ivan for analysis and feedback
or maybe just promotional stuff for the new Amart kicking sofa goals advert
Thanks Deckham. I prefer the seperate threads too.
It’s not really about that though it’s about having a big body that can move with a bit of pace and know how to get their hands free. It may turn out that Hibberd can’t do this of course.
Thanks for the report @Deckham, good to have you back.
My thoughts from today:
Two others that didn’t train today were Redman and Stewart. None of the first year players were there including the two new Irishman, but Hibberd and Townsend were both there. Gleeson also trained with the modified group.
Stringer also left late with a sore right ankle, he stepped on someones foot at training on Monday and was a bit sore then had it re strapped but continued on, he looked like it was still troubling him a bit at the end of the session today and walked off with a bit of a limp but probably not too much to be concerned with yet.
There was a lot more emphasis on drills today rather than pure running. The running they did do was several 200s at a very good pace. A few in our group again commented on how well Francis was looking, not only being at or near the front of the group each time but looking a lot more comfortable and without the previous look of exhaustion he constantly displayed.
There were a couple of drills using most of the ground with some minimal pressure. what stood out to me was that the ball movement reminded a lot of the way Richmond move the ball, very few sideways passes with all or most going to someone in front of them, often at a 45 degree angle. As a result the ball moved from one end to the other much quicker.
There was one new drill I saw where players waited in 3 groups about 30 metres from each other like at the points of a triangle the first player in the group had to kick to the first player in one of the other 2 groups with 2 players in the middle harassing and trying to create a turnover. The thing that really stood out to me was the greater pressure that was able to be applied with the addition of players like Townsend, Hibberd and Snelling along with the return of Smith and the always dangerous Tippa.
This also had the players practising the very important 25-30 metre low stab lick under a lot of pressure. Francis did some amazing kicks in this twice hitting perfect kicks going in a completely unexpected direction.
The other drill where the increased pressure stood out was the one where the players are in a small confined area and a group of attackers had to handball to each other opposed to a group of defenders. It was a lot more pressure than similar drills last year - Townsend in particular is a madman, and Hibberd isn’t far behind him.
Two other players that stood out to me were Francis again, and Laverde, for their ability to stand up in a tackle and get the ball off effectively.
There was a bit of work with centre clearances, two opposing groups of Phillips and Bellchambers rucking to Hibberd, Langford, Parish, Begley, McGrath, Ham, Smith and Snelling (I think that’s right, I really should take notes but I thought I would remember) with the standout to me being Hibberd, Snelling and Parish. Hibberd not only won the ball well on several occasions but was also great defensively. I really like the look of him and can see him playing a lot of senior football this year.
Really anyone who can predict the round 1 side this year at this stage should get a medal as a lot of the new players have been impressive. Phillips continues to look solid, and all of Snelling, Townsend Hibberd look ready to go. All three looked very good today. Add in the return of Smith, Joe (hopefully) Fanta, Mo22ie and Heppell to full fitness and there will be a real logjam for positions.
Probably the only one that I haven’t been that impressed with so far has been Cutler. Nice size but I haven’t seen anything special yet.
See I think getting the first hands to it is where we just need to give Parish a free run. He’s a gun when it’s s in tight.
More pace, absolutely.
I will take one season pass ticket for the Franga hype train please
I haven’t forgotten the time he roamed the oval vs Sydney sitting on blokes heads
Jackets picks of him and Parish may end up paying up this year big time
I just wanna see draper to mozzie to Tippa goal
Thanks @Deckham & @nackers for your detailed reports. Greatly appreciated. Can feel the lid coming off!
Wow, how hard must it be kicking a football while wearing clogs?
This is delightful. I remember him trying them a few time last year, and they were good kicks, but the rest of the team wasn’t on the same page and there were fumbles and turnovers, some of which came straight back inside d50 and cost us goals. If we can get this working then Franga’s kicking can become as much of a weapon as Saad or McKenna’s running.
Agreed but think you want someone around him who can physically contain guys like cripps
Lid off, new decade new team.
We will make a prelim fairly easily and might win the lot.
Clarke (who now needs neither to be called Dlarke nor Alwyn.)
Rutten and Caracella in full effect
So you see Hibberd in there for a containing role?
We are going to see a contested/tackling forcing turn over footy like we never seen before and fans are going to love it.
I see Hibberd as an inside option who can provide a bit of bullocking and size but be dangerous if the ball falls his way because he does move well. He should also be able to follow the ball out of the stoppage at pace to be a second/ third option and make the next contest more efficiently.
I think hepp plays his best footy when free to roam and play as a bit of a hybrid link man/contest winning ball winner. I think hibberd should mean that we are less reliant on hepp being our loan big body at stoppages and let him set up on the defensive side and coach a bit more.
As it stands right now id be pretty excited to see us line up like this in the middle
Ruck: whoever is healthy
Ruck rover: Hibberd
Rover: Shiel
Centre: parish
Wings: zerret and hepp
Zerret and hepp would obviously both take their turns in the middle but you could have a completely different looking b or C team if you wanted
Ruck: smack
Ruck rover: stringer
Rover: Smith
Centre: McGrath
Wings: zaha and Langford
I remember last year at this time they made the new young guys go and work on a building site for a week or 2. I’m guessing to show them what they’ll be doing if they don’t commit themselves.