The major problem is that at critical times if we miss a goal (50% chance if Daniher - hmm, my keyboard has expunged the word Daniher from its memory - has a set shot), we are 100% chance to concede an end to end goal from the kickout.
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Have we got Nik Cox dobbin em from 50 with both feet?
Get him in!!!
I think more of this during the season proper would be good, get games into the kids
Nackers produces better content than 95% of the board with a single post.
Without going all Jono Patton over him, I love the bloke.
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My thoughts on todayās session, sorry if I repeat some of what others have already reported.
There was quite a large modified group today, nothing necessarily to worry about they may just be monitoring loads after a big session on Tuesday. Of the group:
Shiel - did a lot of running and some ball work on the second oval, looks close to joining the main group.
Zakka - I heard heās coming back from surgery, probably a little way off yet
Ridley and Perkins - both went immediately to the second oval but left after only about 10 minutes, although both come back and did some cycling from the sidelines at various stages.
Laverde - also coming back from some off season work, probably another week or two before he joins the main group
Heppell - did a lot of work in the modified group, seems to be coming along well. He wasnāt icing his foot at the end.
Ambrose - Did some initial warmups but spent most of the session cycling on the sidelines
Zerk - wasnāt seen
Guelfi - similar to Shiel
Johnson - alternated between the main group and modified, maybe just getting his base fitness up, looks almost ready to go
Clarke - same as Ambrose, warm up then cycling
McBride - not there yet
Cahill - did some work with the main group and then spent a lot of time running laps
Misiti, Alex Hird and Moore completed the whole session, but in a group mostly of the younger and first year players. Tex Wanganeen was on the sidelines talking to Dodoro and others on crutches and in a moonboot. Probably the last we see of him this pre season.
Of these Moore looked very good again moving well and disposing neatly. Looks a very likely type. Misiti again impressed, I recall particularly and one occasion being trapped between two players and using strength to get out a handball to a teamate similar to what his father used to do. But his goalkicking was exceptional. All the players (who were mostly younger Iāll admit) were struggling kicking into the wind which also had a stronng cross breeze. From 40 out I reckon he only missed about 1 out of 15-20, with most straight through the middle perfectly weighted, some of the best goal kicking Iāve seen. Johnson was also excellent with his goalkcicking from a smaller sample.
The main training was generally split into 2 or more groups with one group on the main oval and the second on the docklands size ground. As @CJohns mentioned there still hasnāt been any sort of full ground length training, which seems a bit of a waste as they certainly had the number to do it. Instead there was more 1/2 to 3/4 length of the ground match simulation.
In this both Stewart and Hooker were playing as defenders.
Some of the highlights of the session for me:
- At one stage Draper drifted forward and took a very strong contested mark which he then converted with a tricky wind.
- Caldwell got caught under a hospital ball and was gang tackled by two players and I though he was gone for all money, but he managed to keep his feet, free his hands and get the handball off - very impressive. Overall there is an awful lot to like about him, he has very few weanesses that Iāve seen so far, will most likely become a crowd favourite.
- Francis was corraled into a corner by the boundary at one stage, just when he looked like getting a disposal off Smith laid a huge tackle taking him to the ground, followed up by the obligatory rub of the hair when getting up, a welcome return of the Smith attitide.
- Harrison Jones continues to improve, he has become a very good runner and glides across the surface. Very much in line for a round one debut.
- Reid looks like he will be a ripper - one of if not the tallest players in the club but also great with groundballs and is just a beautiful kick, his action seems effortless but goes a huge distance. I would think he would already be the longest kick in the club. Heās still very much a beanpole but with his skills and height I wouldnāt be surprised if he plays a few games this year
- Tippa seems to be taking a while to get back into it, is near the back in most running drills and is probably still building back up from his time in the hub, but Iām sure he has the dedication to get there.
- Langford - what can I say that hasnāt already been said. I thought he had a breakout season last year but he looks at a whole diofferent level again. At one point he took the ball and ran weaving through a pack with confidence like you would expect from the best players in the comp. We may see something really special from him this year.
- Draperās main weakness is his disposal, but that seemed a lot tidier today. I expect that to continue to improve condsidering the short amount of time he has been playing the game.
- Hindās whole game seems to have improved since his time with us in the VFL. His disposal which I thought was his weakness looks a lot neater and more composed, he has a much stonger overall body shape but still has the blistering speed. I wouldnāt be at all surprised if he becomes a regular off half back particularly with the loss of Saad and McKenna.
- Iām not quite sold on Cox yet, he looks a great athlete but I havenāt been overly impressed with his kicking just yet although he does also look very capable on the ground. When he was having goalkicking practice he completely shanked his first 2 shots out of bounds to the left, then changed to his left foot which wasnāt much better. Iām hoping it was just an off day as I havenāt seen that sort of thing before.
I think I now have a more reliable contact so hopefully will be able to give more accurate and timely training dates.
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It aināt preseason without a draftee in a moonboot.
Edit: Heās not drafted, thatās gotta be a new record
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Has this report by @nackers just prevented a blitz break down
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You have settled my expectations on Cox.
Built up my expectations on Reid.
And thereās been no glimpses this time of Perkins?
Nice to know Hind got better at StKilda after having a stint with us. Maybe we should send all our guys that need to improve there?
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thatās what she said
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so who is playing forward?
Yeah, but apart from that what happened at training?
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Thanks for another cracking report mate! Really excited to see this kid play - which other AFL player would you compare him to? I donāt know much about him other than he was highly rated but missed a lot of his underage year with injury.
Also interesting that weāve got Stewart training with the defenders, given we already have so many options back there anyway.
Hopefully we get some match sim soon. 
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Bit disappointing i have to say. I wonder just how unfit he became in the Hub.
Good to hear Smith might be getting his mojo back
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MISITI HYPE TRAIN.
Exciting comments in regards to Caldwell, Langford and Johnson all round. Hopefully we can have a few break right out this season a la Ridley.
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So, perhaps, if Misiti develops well we may have less interest in Dunkley in the next trade period?
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Keen to hear how Reid and cox go in marking contests
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Stewart did look good as a defender verse port but if he plays down back in 2021 who will be the key forwards?
2MP and Jones?
Would be a very inexperienced duo
Take it to the Hawthorn threadā¦
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Itās deflating and anticlimactic when Cox misses the target and canāt drill it dead centre every time.
I have heard him compared to Cotchin and Selwood.
Not saying he will be that good, but he plays like them.
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