No, I haven't visited the future to bring you tomorrow's training report, just thought incase those going out missed it, training starts at 8.45 am tomorrow instead of 10.
Is that due to the heat?No, I haven't visited the future to bring you tomorrow's training report, just thought incase those going out missed it, training starts at 8.45 am tomorrow instead of 10.
how did bellchambers train?
how did bellchambers train?
Probably with a grin from ear to ear.
For a minute there I read probably with a groin from ear to ear.....oh damn you Belly with Renae! lol
Someone on LEROY watch please
Is that due to the heat?No, I haven't visited the future to bring you tomorrow's training report, just thought incase those going out missed it, training starts at 8.45 am tomorrow instead of 10.
Due to players wanting to get it done with in time to watch the SuperBowl.
Someone on LEROY watch please
Will probably still turn up at 10am when everything is over and done with.
Was there today.
Kicked off with standard warm up, a bunch of drills, and into some match practice in the last hour.
BJ ran a lap or two. Demps had a leg related issue and didn't train outside - looks heavier to me. Hams was on the other oval and out of the main drills and practice. Maybe Ozario as well. Bellcho was on the sidelines in a boot as expected. Lauchy Dalgleish presented tight to the Doc and was rested after the warmup - looked quick before that.
Everyone looked very sharp. Who stood out?
Zac Merret - precision delivery. Real standout. Skippy all over him.
Hepp-D - looks to be up another level. Potential Scott Pendlebury clone.
Fletch - intercept after intercept. Been around this lad! A couple of them drew comical despair from his teammates..
Stanton - reading the play well. Seemed to intercept out of nowehere. Presented FREE of his tag a lot (crucial if he claps his hands wanting the ball). Should step up if Hepp-D is tagged (liekly I would've thought)
Chapman - A 44gal drum of walnuts on a couple of tree trunks. Looks fit, happy and integrated. TOP aquisition!!
Hurley - no question on his attitude today. Creates and delivers off HB. Will complement Hibberd and allow him to push right up. Be interesting to see how far forward Hurley pushes up. May do a Hibberd and kick a couple.
Jackson Merret - Looks sharp as a tack. Lightning quick intercept and kicked a great goal during the drills. Very settled and composed - Conduit for his brother...
A Browne - PLENTY of it, but poor kicking into the fwd line. Red hot passes that were at the apogee rather than hitting chests or allowing hands out front.
Aylett - plenty of it in the drills. Working very hard was "Koutta".
LEROY - started the warmup a little late but had plenty of it in the drills. Very lively.
Surprise package - Raynor. Can ran and can deliver the ball well. Looked quite sharp.
Ambrose and Stein should be senoir list in 2015.
I'm an Engineer not a footy expert, so there you have it. They looked sharp to me!
Thanks for the report.
Thanks for that.
good work Fighterbomber
Good to hear Hurls settling in nicely.
Not a lot to add to that.
The conditions were arduous and got worse when the wind picked up. Kept the friggin' flies away at least. Bomber and Craig worked them pretty hard, it seemed to me. Late in the session Bomber made the 'we keep going until we get it right' call. They're not mucking around.
Having said that, the feeling around the team seems first rate. Lots of talk, all the time. Joking, sledging, loud expletives when someone gets the best of them.
Speaking of which, I love Joe's attitude. Always sprinting off the ground on changeover. His kicking was terrific today.
Hooker got the better of his contests with Joe, but didn't have it all his own way by any means. Pretty encouraging.
As above, stand-outs for me were Fletch, Stanton, Winders...if it was a magoos game you'd be saying he's too good for this lot.
Really, really concur on Jackson Zach Merrett. I reckon we've found one here.
Knows where to go, good disposal, and sharp. There was one piece of play where the ball came in to him around his ankles, the sort of kick you expect a guy to go to ground for, he picked it up on the run and delivered.
It was a Keanu moment.
Really, really concur on Jackson Merrett. I reckon we've found one here.
Knows where to go, good disposal, and sharp. There was one piece of play where the ball came in to him around his ankles, the sort of kick you expect a guy to go to ground for, he picked it up on the run and delivered.
It was a Keanu moment.
Me like this very much. Very much.
Someone on LEROY watch please
Leroy did seem to appear a little later than most! I'll defer to someone more familiar with me with training procedures than I to post a more detailed report, or pics (I couldn't be bothered) but this is what I saw.
Firstly I didn't see Bomber to about half way through the session. I overheard Doc Reid say something about a meeting in the city, but he may have been talking about something else. Neil Craig started off the training. I also overheard that Geelong had been scouting our training the other week!
Training started a bit later than the advertised 8.45, and probably went for a touch over two hours. I thought that it would be over in time for the Superbowl start but Bomber was having any of that as I will allude to later.
I don't know what the protocols are for reporting of those not training, or those that were injured during training but there were two guys that I noticed leaving the track with a bit of a concern so I will choose not to mention names, but if others suggest that its OK to do so, or mention in their reports I will validate. I won't focus too much on the names other than those who impressed.
There were general agility type drills/sprints involving very little ball work, but it was enough to warm the boys up. I paid particular attention to Hurley during this part who moved well, but really it would be hard not to impress in this part.
The temperature in the early parts of the morning was quite comfortable but the longer training went on the more you could see certain guys feeling it. The guys then split into separate groups and into two teams that was essentially a game of keepings off. The guys raised their intensity a bit here and in the first iteration of this drill which was handballs only the boys looked quite sharp. In the group in front of me Kommer in particular took great joy in putting a stop on, getting in the face and yelling at the guy who frigged up. seems like the type of guy who it would be great to be able to give a clip over the ear too, but his pressure was quite good. As was Del's, I don't know if this has been a focus during the pre season but it was good to see.
This drill was expanded to be a bit bigger and involving some kicking. Hurley's skills weren't fantastic, and Pears was making some less than stellar decisions, but I think the main thing to take out of this drill was the education of the players throughout. There was constant stop/starting in this one where Neil Craig was very vocal in instructing what the intention was. In one part Craig stopped the play where he wasnt happy with Daniher's guarding of the mark. I know its a little thing, but I thought it was great to see the constructive education of someone who is clearly going to be a big part of our future.
Training meandered along for the next bit so I took the opportunity to grab a coffee and some gear from the bombershop, but when I returned they were doing some full ground drills with the intention of getting some shots at goals. Highlights of this particular drill was Winderlichs smarts to get in good spots and outmark Edwards, and Daniher against Hooker with results probably shared. Here it was 3 teams of 12 and this is where the heat started to come into play. Someone better than I will be able to tell exactly who it was (maybe Gregory) but a guy the boys was calling sticks was sucking in the big ones, and had a bit of a dry retch much to some of the boys amusement (and mine too, poor bugger). Dyson Heppell in particular was telling him to "stick the fingers down the throat son". On the subject of Heps, he is one hell of a smooth mover which is no surprise, but he is very vocal in the drills, and instrumental in keeping the mood up. I reckon that without any doubt he will be our next skipper. Prob not sticking the nuts on the line with that call though. Melksham as well was showing good leadership.
The final thing I will mention and the most interesting was the full ground drill of bringing the ball out of the goal square. Bomber was very clear, loud to all of the groups to run in numbers and to use them even if a free option would present itself. In an earlier drill it was made clear to not overuse the ball in the backline - but the point of this drill was to ensure that everyone was moving in order to be in a position if a turnover was made, that the backline wouldn't be left exposed. Bomber, to all three groups that were involved, would say that he didn't care how long the boys would be out there, that they would stay out there until they got it right. In this world of carefully managed training loads, I think that a bit of mongrel will be good to drill into the boys to buy into the Bomber way.
I don't really know if this was a typical session, and I'm not going to be in a habit of attending training or posting reports, but I thought it a positive session. I have nothing to compare it against, but I reckon it was obvious that there are certain things that will change with numbers running with the ball movement this year from the backline. Drills would be stopped there and then if there was someone not complying with the instructions, and instructions provided as to what needed to be done. The final positive was seeing big Bellcho doing a bit of movement on the far side of the ground - dunno if they were trying to hide him away, but I saw him. Wasn't doing anything too strenuous but good to see the big fella out there. I'm sure others will have better reports than mine, but good positive signs I thought
Jackson or Zac?
I see this question being asked a lot
Is that due to the heat?No, I haven't visited the future to bring you tomorrow's training report, just thought incase those going out missed it, training starts at 8.45 am tomorrow instead of 10.
Due to players wanting to get it done with in time to watch the SuperBowl.
[spoiler]Which was not worth an hour let alone 4. Whitewash.[/spoiler]
Sorry. The new guy. Zach.
Nice coverage gents. Well done.
Jerrett & Zerrett?