I went down this morning to have a look on a beautiful sunny but crisp morning expecting to see a serious training session as this was the first day they were allowed to train as a group and have full contact.
Instead players came out in groups of 6-8. Some groups did some very light running and had a kick of a few footballs as well as soccer balls, and also kicked a soccer ball in a circular group trying to avoid it bouncing.
All groups did some variations on handball games, often a group of 4 would have 5 balls in play at once, sort of like a group juggling, having to get rid of one ball before the next one came.
Two groups were out on the oval at once for about an hour before being replaced by another two groups. Those not on the oval were sitting in chairs in front of a TV getting some sort of instruction.
Most of the players were fairly casually dressed, sporting basketball tops and t-shirts.
Overall there was very little physical exertion and it was very light hearted jovial atmosphere.
Stringer and Saad who weren’t at previous training sessions where there, but I didn’t recall seeing a number of players including Joe, Begley, Mutch, Mo22ie, Gown, Johnson, Clarke, Crauford, Hird and the Irishmen.
Personally I was very surprised, I thought with the limited time available for preparation before round 2 they would be getting into a full training session as soon as possible, but obviously not unless something else happens later this afternoon.
The talk in the training video on Friday was that they were going to have a tough session Saturday just gone (I think Ambrose mentioned it in his interview).
Maybe today was a little recovery session and tomorrow they will crack in hard.
That would explain today to a degree, I would still have preferred to see a full session today being the first time they could train again in a large group.
Thanks Nackers. Agree with you - & I was pretty unimpressed with ‘training’ on Friday.i really do hope they’ll be putting in some serious sessions sometime soon.
Independent of whether the club thinks they’ll make it as AFL players, international rookies have minimum 2 year contracts. I can’t imagine the AFL is going to make list size changes in the name of saving money if that’s going to result in a bunch of contracts having to be paid out.
Well, if lists are cut, there’ll have to be some contracts paid out regardless. Will they go with what costs less, or who we value more / think have the most potential?
EDIT: You know what, … forget about what I said. I haven’t really been keeping up with it, and just remembered it’s not happening this year, but next, … IF it does.
Surely instead of just mucking around they could of actually practiced some goal kicking, or kick out strategies. Or you know, anything substantial that might help them. The season is only a few weeks away!!
Actually when i watched the training video on the efc website the other day they were mostly ■■■■■■■ around kicking soccer balls playing cricket etc. i didn’t understand why you would be wasting any days at this stage.
Clearly this is Tom Hird’s fault - the players see him as the new leader destined to take them to the promised land and thus have all implemented soccer training as the way forward.