Preseason Training 11/11/24 (and onwards till someone creates a new thread)

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
3560

To me it would seem strange for blokes to be ‘managed’ for the main session, an intra club, before a long weekend break.

Seeing Parish not training raises genuine suspicion. He’s missing plenty of sessions which doesn’t make sense if he’s a prime mid. Ridley missing also seems strange.

It’s a pity if the injury list is long again, I was hoping last year showed signs the club was improving in the conditioning area.

McKay has missed basically most of the preseason. Jones injury another concern….

It feels like we’re not as well placed as last year at this point.

3 Likes
3561

I will get in before someone else.

Rolled ankle, becomes syndesmosis. Fingers crossed it’s minor :crossed_fingers:

4 Likes
3562

Caddy will kick at 50% most of his career I think, he’ll be fun to watch, but also wasteful. Just a feeling.

5 Likes
3563

Edit: only just noticed the beer wellington part. :smile:

1 Like
3564

The big concern is McKay has baiscly missed majoirty of the pre season

3565

bottom 4 HERE WE COME

6 Likes
3566

Where’s the report.

3567

Essendon can never have nice things

3568

Great to make it to my first training session for this off season. Good turnout from the bombers faithful. I turned up at 10:30 and the second quarter of match sim was just kicking off. Grabbed a coffee from the cafe and took my place on the fence right on the pocket where the “possibles” were kicking to.

Didn’t see much action in my pocket for the quarter. The probables were all over it and scoring freely up the other end. Good to see Zach Reid up close though. Pete was wearing red (probable) for the first half and was matched up on Reid with Zach taking a couple of great marks over him.

Noticed a lot of Tsatas clearances, Shiel off half back (later in the guts), my first look at El-Hawli who can really jump and take a grab. Has the tank and played on Duursma. He’s still wearing the “possibles” red in match sims so maybe the coaches think it might be a while longer? El-Achkar playing small forward was good to see, snagged a goal.

I was really impressed with Draper today who was seriously clunking marks and looked dangerous. A fancy snap from 40m on the boundary just in front of me was pretty nice to watch. Caddy also kicked a bag and presented well. So keen to watch Caddy this year.

Moved up the wing for Q4 and stood just behind Gia, Jacobs, Hurley and someone else. Just as I got there Jones went down - and he was down for a while. He got picked up and tenderly hobbled towards the buggy and was driven back to the hangar. I heard trainers saying it was his ankle.

My new spot on the wing gave me a great view of Durham charging through the centre square going forward with ball in hand. It’s a thing of beauty.

Everything Merrett touches is clean. In the last quarter he had the ball in the forward flank and just dropped a cm perfect ball in space that drew in Kako and took the mark.

Hayes looked really good too. He has good vision and not a bad kick on him. I wonder if he will get his chance this year.

Didn’t see a few guys like Langford, ADJ and Redman. Very possible they were out there and I missed it. I think I saw Ridley with Cox McKay Caldwell in rehab. Guelfi running laps too. I didn’t pay too much attention to the rehab group today but it looked big. A lot of players doing half rehab half match sim.

I really want Kaine to pull through as I’ve been a big fan but he didn’t have the best day at the office today if I’m going to be honest.

Match sim ended and someone yelled at the players to get runners on and head to the other oval. I headed for lunch.

77 Likes
3569

Duzzalenko

https://twitter.com/i/status/1877889170741330222

12 Likes
3570

It’s not about nice things. It’s about the club building a highly performing footy department to be successful. Conditioning is a critical component, you can’t win a flag if it’s not functioning to a high level.

Carlton threw away a Prelim Final possibility last year b/c it couldn’t condition its players.

1 Like
3571

Ive been saying for it for years the club needs to clean out the entire medical and fitness department not just replace the head person and making some tweaks.

What we have is not working or improving.

New dietitian
New physio
New doctor

Etc,etc

3572

I’m guessing media was there today be nice if we hear from Brad or some of the players

3573

We had a very good injury run last year better than most clubs. The back end of season fade outs are more mental than physical, been happening forever and the running data doesn’t drop off at all.

5 Likes
3574

How long have our current dietician, physio and doctor been there and why do we need to replace them?

1 Like
3575

Before the panic merchants take over… it makes sense that our biggest rehab group would be today given the genuine intra club type session.

Anyone with a niggle, building loads, coming back from injury would be held back from 100% intensity in an intra club in Jan.

If it is 2 weeks before round 1 and we have 15 guys sitting out from match sim then the panic can set in.

9 Likes
3576

you beauty.

3577

I went out to training and saw the practice match

Firstly Parish, Langford, Redman and one other missed because they were at a wedding - was told that by a good source. So maybe a few players missed for personal reasons.

It wa a very even effort but the players that caught my or played well:

Draper - close to BOG looks slim and boy he was good up forward and in the ruck. Very impressed

Zach Mez - usual class was everywhere

Tsatas - clearance king was the best mid based on this aspect and always seemed to get his hands to the ball first. Kicking was good/fine

Caddy - very good

2MP - good took a few marks and set shots were excellent despite the wind

SEH - lock him in round 1 was good and took a few good contested marks read the play well. His kicking is excellent

NB - very good in Ruck and around the ground. Should play most games this year

Kako - din’t get much of it but when he did his hands and feet were super fast

Marto - good

Duz - did some nice things and linked up well. Looked like he was cruising

Setters - thought he was excellent. Took some good marks and used his body well

Zac Reid - didn’t get much of it but a couple of strong intercept marks where he used his body reminded me of his talent

Big Kayle Gerreyn - is big and strong. Lovely kick and looked like he has the basis of a solid AFL player. In 12 months if he can get fit I expect him to be pushing for a regular spot. Played back and forward

Shiel - looked good off HBF. Uses his burst of speed and sidestep very well. I like the move

McGrath - very good off HBF and spent a bit of time in the middle. Clean and strong. I liked what I saw

Prior - was in the black (first 18) team. Didn’t have much to do but looks like a good size and his pace was more than ok

Edited

81 Likes
3578

Yes confirming a number of players missed due to personal reasons. So i apologise if my first post made it sound much worse on injury front

17 Likes
3579

Just so we’re all on the same page, ‘personal reasons’ means rehab for substance abuse issues?

7 Likes