Training today in perfect conditions, low 20’s, sunshine and only a slight breeze in front of only a smattering of spectators.
Modified group of Hurley, Heppell, Daniher, FANTASIA!!!, Bellchambers, Luey, McKenna, Mutch did mostly running exercises, Hooker didn’t train, and Tippa was only out very briefly with some first year players but seemed fine, probably just managing loads.
Stringer left the track half through the session with what look like a minor leg injury, it seemed more a precaution than anything, I would be surprised if he missed more than 1 or 2 sessions.
There were various evasion, tackling and handball drills as well as routines that where similar to the session I attended last week with an emphasis on moving the ball from defence to the forward line firstly with 2 smaller groups on either side of the ground and then with more of a match simulation involving most of the players on a full program. What may have happened last week but I particularly noticed today was that there was very little handballing in these transition drills, there would have been 9 kicks to one handball so very much an emphasis on kicks both short and long. It also seemed there was more direct kicks today as well where last week quite a few went sideways or backwards, I’m sure that will have been some sort of directive.
Overall the skill level looked reasonable for this time of year with a few missed kicks but the pressure seems greater than in previous years.
A few things I noticed:
Zerk moved very well for a big bloke but needs work on his disposal particularly when under pressure.
Saad is a great mover and will surely add a lot to the team.
I had my first real look at Houlihan, he seems to move well and has a very good kicking technique.
Hartlett just looks huge to me while Hurley seems to have slimmed down even more.
Langford also was moving very well and has put on extra muscle and is now very well developed.
Paddy Ambrose is in great nick, and several times was proactive in intercepting balls, he aeems a lot more confident in his abilities and his food skills look better as well, his passes mostly are a lot flatter than in previous years where he had a tendency to kick high floaters.
To the interest of many I’m sure I spent quite a while on Franga watch. While he ran out the whole session without seeming to be in much more physical distress than anyone else, he didn’t appear to make the extra metres to create or defend space as much as I would have liked, tending instead to float along at half to 3/4 pace. On a lot of occasions real gut running at high intensity was required and was done by other players but I didn’t see too much of it from him. When he was in the play though he is very powerful and often makes things happen.
At the end of the session a group of about 10 players where having a bit a fun time where they would run backwards as if from a mark and then kick to one of the trainers leading from the goal square, with lots a yells and laughter when they took a good mark. Very noticeable in this where several shanks from Clarke under no pressure. He certainly has some work to do on his kicking. Conversely Ridley was excellent with nearly every kick being marked comfortably at full stretch. Ridley is another one that has impressed me this pre season.
I’ll post some training photos a bit later
