Training Friday 5/12/14

Training in cool overcast conditions at Tullamarine.


A very positive session today divided into two parts - a lot of fun activities first such as soccer and goal kicking on the Clarke Oval with players “running the gauntlet” between two rows of rowdy teammates to take their shot. I remember this drill from the Windy Hill days in the era of the wheelie bin.


- second part some very good match practice umpired by two VFL umpires which is a good innovation as it reduces sloppy free kicks. I would favour this idea being continued on a regular basis.


Over on the east back four Collingwood coaches watched some sparkling play with grim faces. Normally spies are ejected but the club confident in its mojo just let them stay.


On the negative side the injury toll is starting to cause a little concern. I won’t go into specifics but as well as Hocking in his bubble, Chapman was absent today with a painful injury which will see him miss a few weeks and Carlisle who is of greater concern continues to run laps. Gwilt and La Verde both went down with what looked like minor ankles and Browne and Kommer did handball keeping three balls in the air. Giles was absent but I thought that Pears who was running laps was moving the best I have seen for some time which was pleasing because he has been very unlucky with injuries.


However the overall mood today was very upbeat and vocal. I don’t know if this reflects in part the crumbling of the ASADA case but it seems to me that there is a boost from the new recruits. I know the recruiters are very pleased with their acquisitions and commented specifically on their satisfaction with the “shape” of the list so far. If Goddard, Chapman and Cooney can strike a semblance of their earlier form along with Watson of course we could be headed for big things.


I have to say this almost like a proposition from Euclid: “long has length”. I thought he and Cooney were standouts today and it was explained to me that Long is exceptionally lengthy from knee to hip and elbow to wrist which together with his pace and reading of the play make him a very desirable acquisition.


I was asked about Edwards the other day and watched him closely. He now sports a short haircut and was being very assertive. In the practice match when

teamate Steinberg was barrelled front on by Goddard in a marking contest he yelled to another player “why the f.ck didn’t you help him?”. I can remember previously commenting on his uncanny goal kicking ability and today he casually kicked the ball back directly over his head through the centre of the goals. Older blitzers who saw footy in the fifties and sixties will remember that this type of “snapshot” was common among players such as Stan Booth and John Birt.


I am told that Mathew Lloyd has nominated Zac Merrett as a future star and that he feels that Joe’s kicking has improved. Some of us watching today were agreed that he looks more fluent and was kicking fewer helicopters.


McKernan and Langford both did some promising little cameos. McKernan out bumping Hurley in a marking duel and Langford standing the mark on Long smothering his kick. However later on he was very indecisive in disposing of the ball with his teammates screaming for him to kick it but this is to be expected in his first week at the club.


Fans of O’Brien will be pleased to see he looks a bit more solid in the body and to learn that the club is putting work into improving his pace so this is something to watch for in future training sessions. While on technique McKenna is fitting in well and the coaches are currently working on his high ball drop and he is already being talked about as being better than Quinn who just about made it.



Finally for those of you reading this at home or work try to picture Fletcher standing with Daniher and Long discussing the play down field. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Where’s today’s report @Soulnet @jackie ?

Sensational report Jackie.

 

Were Myers and Dempsey still mostly running laps or have they joined in full training?

Thanks for another great report.

I dropped in last Friday and appreciate how difficult it is to see everything that is going on,   For people that  do not have the opportunity to attend JM's reports (and others) do provide a good feel of  the varied activities that take place. 

Both were in full practice it looked.

 

Laverde is clean and class.

I've already lost track of the 'didn't get a full pre-season' list...

I've already lost track of the 'didn't get a full pre-season' list...

Bags

Browne

..?

Jackie, great read as usual. Always look for your report.

BTW didn't realise you were old enough to remember Stan Booth, one of my real favourites when I was a kid.

Both were in full practice it looked.

 

Laverde is clean and class.

Thanks, great news

I've already lost track of the 'didn't get a full pre-season' list...

Bags
Browne
..?
In today's report alone:
Chapman
Carlisle
Gwilt
La Verde
Browne
Kommer
Giles
Pears

Sensational report Jackie.
 
Were Myers and Dempsey still mostly running laps or have they joined in full training?


As Barnz stated both trained fully. Initially I thought that Dempsey looked a bit "big" but he trained really well today in Paddy's number 30 guernsey.

Thanks again Jackie!  Awesome write up.

Jackie, great read as usual. Always look for your report.
BTW didn't realise you were old enough to remember Stan Booth, one of my real favourites when I was a kid.

I'd like to say I was told a bout it but I was there. Stan Booth who're number 2 and was a feisty rover who kicked hem over his head. John Birt number 11 was a brilliant left foot snap shot across his body and over his shoulder.

The injuries really are a worry for us as it is interrupting pre-season for some very important players.

Jackie, following the comments that you stated from Lloyd dubbing Zachary a future star just like so many of us on here, what is he like at training? Is he vocal and prominent in everything that he does? Is he as big of a standout on the track as he is on gameday as to me he just exudes class with whatever he does on the field.

Also appears to have formed a tight-nit group with Hepp and Big Joe from what I have seen on social media.

pW3a6pt__bigger.pngEssendon FC â€@EssendonFC  2m2 minutes ago

Good to see @CollingwoodFC at training today: http://bombe.rs/1FIEK3G  Will wee see you for our big Xmas training?

B4DfvIaCQAAbwf8.png

Jackie, great read as usual. Always look for your report.

BTW didn't realise you were old enough to remember Stan Booth, one of my real favourites when I was a kid.

Wow, I thought I was old. 

 

Stan Booth finished playing nearly 60 years ago !!


pW3a6pt__bigger.pngEssendon FC ‏@EssendonFC 2m2 minutes ago

Good to see @CollingwoodFC at training today: http://bombe.rs/1FIEK3G Will wee see you for our big Xmas training?

B4DfvIaCQAAbwf8.png


Everybody knows something special is going to happen this year at Bomberland and everyone wants to see it.
LID OFF.

Finally for those of you reading this at home or work try to picture Fletcher standing with Daniher and Long discussing the play down field. It doesn't get much better than that.

 

God... I can't wait for 2015!!!

I li


Jackie, great read as usual. Always look for your report.

BTW didn’t realise you were old enough to remember Stan Booth, one of my real favourites when I was a kid.


Wow, I thought I was old. 

 

Stan Booth finished playing nearly 60 years ago !!



I lived in Essendon and saw him play when I was at Aberfeldie Primary School. (Went to school with Paul Harvey - Mark’s dad.)

Thanks Jackie, the training report is the highlight of my week. Always look forward to it.