Training at Tullamarine in hot conditions with a strong north wind blowing straight down the ground.
The players performed well in the difficult conditions in a long session. Thoughts turned to Bomber taking the players through an exhausting session in the heat and urging them to “Imagine it’s the second half of the last quarter and you’ve got to find more.” Or Mathew Lloyd at a blistering session at Windy Hill urging the players “Don’t use the heat as an excuse.”
Today saw the return of the senior players getting in some training together before the twilight training session tomorrow night. I think just about everyone was present except Connor McKenna.
The general consensus among the spectators was that the players are looking pretty fit although there are some exceptions to this. Laverde graduated to some running and a little bit of kicking today before going to work on the ropes. It doesn’t look like it will be too long before he joins main training.
Joe ran laps before disappearing inside -I’m guessing he’s carrying some sort of minor injury but I don’t know. Howlett and Hocking and Myers ran laps. Bellchambers didn’t do much outside today. It could be that they are backing off the training load a bit for some of the suspended players who have been working hard. Mark Benny Howlett down as a bit of a surprise packet I don’t think I have seen him looking so trim and fit at the start of a season before. Perhaps fatherhood agrees with him - I certainly hope so.
I spent some time watching Green today. A very solid build that probably means he will be able to maintain his position over the ball in packs. Green didn’t join in main training but carried out a high stepping exercise, hands on hips, under the supervision of a trainer possibly to strengthen his calves. Following this he ran many laps presumably to strip off weight so he starts a bit behind the others as far as fitness goes.
It was interesting to see the capability of players kicking for goal into the teeth of the strong north wind. Zac Merret kept his set shot low and punched the ball through for a goal while Gleeson favoured a high kick which the wind inevitably grabbed and pushed sideways into the pocket. I thought the most brilliant goal of the day belonged to Fantasia who was contesting a high bouncing ball with his opponent. Orazio stretched up and with one hand tapped the ball in the air without taking possession then ran on to mark his tap and slot a goal leaving his opponent flat-footedly in his wake.
A lot of time today was devoted to kicking the ball, with the wind, over the head of a leading forward to mark running into goal. It was difficult with the strong wind but time and again the ball was kicked too far and with the wind behind it the ball continued to bounce forward at a rate too fast for the forward to catch it. This appears to be a skill which is performed reasonably well on a still day but needed a strong technical adjustment in today’s conditions.
A lot of work is being put into the defence, particularly the grooming of Hartley, with the coaches working hard on getting his positioning right in various situations. Baguley announced his return from injury with a strong tackle on Langford then with an assassin’s smile he helped him up. The young dog and the old dog coming together with a reminder of the pecking order in the Trump era.
The lengthy session concluded with some sprints in groups of three around the boundary line half the length of the ground. (200 metres?). I was pleasantly surprised to see new recruit Richards continually out pace Gleeson and Fantasia by lengthy margins.
Things appear to be building nicely. Please note there will be no training next week with the Community Camp taking up the week.
