Great report again @BakerWasAStar.
So we had 7 extra guys in the main group today? That is looking much better in terms of injuries
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Thanks @Aboods. Definitely looked like we had around 30 players in main training today with Shiel and Ambrose doing about half the session.
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Yep, that’s why I mentioned it.
I’m hoping to get to some training sessions in January and it will be one thing I will watch out for.
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Steal of the draft, it is said !
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Or he’s channeling Dean Rioli, which is absolutely not a problem.
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So you’re expecting an epically long training report?
Or it’ll be ready by Round 14?
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I was there today in a group along with @Soulnet and @jackie_mihocek.
@BakerWasAStar has summed everything up pretty well so I’ll try not to go over the same things.
A lot more players in with the main group today including all the first year players except McQuillan and Johnson with Shiel, Gleeson, Mo22ie and Ambrose joining the group for the first time. McKernan, Hurley and Guelfi were also back with the main group so it was much more like a normal training session.
Zakka was wayching from the sidelines for a while sporting a large bandage on his right leg. None of the NGA kids trained today but I saw someone who looked liked Nigel watching from inide the hanger.
A few thoughts on some of the players:
Cahill looked very good. He has a beautiful low spearing kick off both feet, was very clean and moved very well. He didn’t look at all slow either which apparently was the knock on him. It was actually amazing to think this was only his second hitout with the group after last Friday, he looked compleyely at home today and I also expect him to play games this year.
The big mark from Bryan Baker talked of was actually coming over the top of Bellchambers and Phillips in a marking contest, it was a fantastic grab and he took it as clean as a whistle. He also moves exceptionally well for someone his size and good at ground level. With the trend for much bigger key position players he may well develop there as well as a ruckman.
Jones also looked good but looked a bit more nervous than the others, not quite sure what to do a few times and subsequently missed a couple of kicks. But overall he also looks a good prospect. Towards the end of training a group of Jones, Hurley, Zerk, Saad, McKenna, Ridley and Francis did a drill where they concentrated on the positioning of the group as the ball was moved across the ground and forward. Jones was often only a couple of metres from Hurley how who giving him instructructions, so I presume hw will be groomed for a role in the backline initially.
McBride looks to be coming on very well. He has been working on his skills with Hocking since he has arrived and has alraedy improved his kicking considereably in the last month in my opinion, with a much improved ball drop both in set shots for goal and licking snaps across his body.
He also has a similar skill to McKenna where he canangle his foot at the point of impact to kick it in multiple directions. He still has a lot of work to do with handballing, he has a tendency to have his left hand out too far in front meaning he is reaching for the ball and doesn’t make a solid connection when on the move, but I’m sure that will get sorted out quickly enough. In some of the sprinting drills he was close to Ambrose and was eaily matching him and was quite often at or near the front. It looks like he will be an excellent athlete.
Great to see Mo22ie with the main group as mentioned. I really like the way he moves he and always seem to be very clean in everything he does. He looks to have taken off quite a bit of the excess weight around the middle already, but has kept a much more soild build around the upper body and shoulders. He will certainly be pressing for a spot early in the season without further setbacks.
There will be another training session this week on Wednesday which will probably be the last one for the year, with training resuming we think on 10th Jan.
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Trip home was pretty good. Traffic was reasonably light until the tunnel. Then somewhere post Toorak Rd and a truck behind me who decided it was best to flash his high beams at me every 5 minutes. I was in the lane 2nd over from the left.
For lunch I had a medium quarter pounder meal.
I’m home now.
There are approximately 1,800 photos.
Here’s a teaser cause you’re all impatient.
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If it makes you feel better, I have no idea where Cumulus is, and I suspect a Madeline is a cake. Sorry to cloud the issue.
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You can’t be sirrus.
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McBrides an intersting prospect, I assumed he was a bit younger, but at 22 he seems to be close to fully developed and quite the athlete.
Great news as well for Cahill sounds like he might slot straight in to the team.
Jones/Bryan longer term prospects, but good to hear snippets on them.
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Thatch appreciating Blitz coverage and sponsorship, I see.
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Given I have a heap to go through, tag me with a request and i’ll reply with a photo.
Articles when we got McBride indicated he was 18. McQuillan is the older one but I’m pretty sure even he is only 20.
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Quarter pounder meal thanks
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NOM
Are we sure he is 22yo?
“McBride admitted it was no easy decision to make such a significant move at just 18 years of age, but the youngster says he has settled into Melbourne well and is loving his time at the club.”
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I was going off footywire says January 1997
https://www.draftguru.com.au/players/cian_mcbride/1
Draft Guru said 18…so i was probably wrong.
NIGEL
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