Which, by the way is May 4th to June 5th this year (approximately), so Saad will be at fighting weight for the run to the finals.
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McGrath looked good winning the ball in the guts and getting out of the middle a few times in the matches played.
People have mentioned he has bulked up, those shoulders are huge, looks like a tank.
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I believe he is mate, had trouble making out the big blokes during the game. Has just walked inside now. Picture to remember him by!
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Thanks mate! That’s him.
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McGrath is getting set for serious crack at an onball role.
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NotWorthy.gif
EDIT: maybe the word “session” was left out after “Feb”?
Hep back out and boxing on
Some of the boys doing sprints. Dylan Shiel in person for the first time, is a confirmed specimen of a man.
Raz channeling MJ with the one glove, slotting them from the pocket.
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We’re winning!!!
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Andy is getting glowing reports from everyone, really excited to see what he can produce this season.
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With Hepp not getting a full preseason, Shiel is primed for very significant midfield time. Should be a better year for him, instead of trying to cover for Toby Greene as a forward most of last year.
Shiel looks ripped af in that pic
Can’t wait to see him play and destroy Carlton in the JLT
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Anyone with kryptonite, stay the fark away from the hangar.
Sure is, was playing on gown in the match sim
I couldn’t even care if he played this. Just want him to show up round 1 against GWS.
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Sorry I didn’t provide much more detail, it was mostly full ground stuff, but stop/start and they swapped ovals, but not a full intraclub yet. So I had trouble keeping up.
It was good to see Dev running around in some of the games, he hasn’t been mentioned much before, although was cruising.
Hopefully others can fill in with closer analysis.
Boys are still going, doing a grid keeping off drill now in close quarters. None of the guys with any doubts are out there.
They’ve been training for 2 1/2 hours now, and still very loud, lively and positive. Great spirits.
Being here has got me pumped for the season, more than any of the AFL fluff.
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Was Francis training?
Thanks again for the reports.
Raz looking awesome in the MJ glove.
Some notes from me.
Beautiful morning for it - sunny, with a hint of a cool breeze.
Merrett was sitting on an exercise ball doing some boxing. Rehab group included JD, McKenna, Begley, Hooker. Heppell came out later as someone said. Mutch was in a moonboot and crutches, no sign of Redman. A few VFL players in matchplay today, including Hocking, Sibbald, AHepp and a couple of others I didn’t recognise (one may have been Lazarro)
Players went through a warm up, then 20 minutes or so of full ground match-play on the G
Red team feat. Francis, Shiel, McGrath, Razzle, Clarkex2, Ridley, Jok, Lavender. White team feat. Stringer, Hurley, Walla, Moz, Ham, Langers, Laverde, Draper, Bell. Rehab gorup did not partake in matchplay, instead doing a kicking and running drill on Marvel. A bit scrappy, but some okay ball movement. pressure was good. I quite like the look of the new kick-in (I think Harts does too), as well as starting a player in the goal square. Rucks were for the first half were Belly and Z. Clarke, Draper playing as a tall forward (more on him later).
After a drink, they did some running drills, which everyone on the track participated in (minus Hooker). The group closest to me include the forwards group. They had to run along the wing from one side of the centre square to the other and back in under 30 seconds, 10 or so reps. All were completed in under 30 seconds, with Begley the best performed, Crow was happy with the results. Defenders ran around the boundary, Francis started with the first group and finished behind the second group (poor bloke). Did notice the mids in the middle, with Stringer and Draper well behind the pack
After running, the two teams went onto one oval each, and did a half ground drill whereby they got the ball from a stoppage in the middle of the ground, and then kicked into the forward line. McGrath and Shiel excelled at this in the red group, and Joe played in the white group.
Individual notes:
Joe - progressing well. I’d say they’re pretty happy with how he’s tracking. During the drill, he took advantage from a free kick, and kicked a beautiful long drop punt around his body (for a point, but still…). I’d expect him to progress slowly but surely and increase his footy drills and eventually match play now.
Shiel - my goodness! The boy can play. Moves so well, and hardly ever fumbles, such clean hands. Can’t wait to see him in red and black.
McGrath - again, most impressive through the middle of the ground and stoppages. Looks to have built his fitness as well as his strength. I’m very excited about the boy this year.
Draper - seemed to move quite well as a forward, and took some excellent marks on the lead. Had a blunder from a good mark (which was met by rapturous applause from the rehab group), 25m out, slight angle - stabbed the kick and Smith marked it on the line. We all had a giggle, poor Sammy. He is looking fit, and should play at least one JLT game in my opinion.
Gown - first real look at him, took some nice contested marks in matchplay (as a forward), even outmarked Hurley. Did miss two very easy set shots, so that’ll need work.
Saad looked really good off half-back.
Ham again showed good pace and run.
Stringer moved quite well, and laid some solid tackles.
Jok did okay in match play, used his run quite well.
Brown and Stewart both quite good. Smack slightly off, but not a great concern. Brown the best of the three today.
Hooker’s rehab appeared to go okay. Not quick, but got in quite a bit of running, which would be good, I’d suggest.
I left at 11:15.
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Yes, just getting the job done down back in most situations.