Training this morning in cool (amazing how cold it’s been the whole pre season) conditions with little to no wind. The session started around 10.30am and went for just on 2 hours.
Modified today were:
- Wright - he did little more than a few handballs. He had strapping around his left knee so probably just a little soreness, he didn’t seem ovrly hindered.
- Ambrose - was doing a lot of running at near full pace, he doesn’t appear too far off from resuming with the main group
- Guelfi - doing various running drills but also didn’t seem overly hindered, I don’t think it’s anything serious
- Phillips - back running today and doing other drills with the modified guys which is the first time in a couple of weeks.
Not training were:
- Stewart - on the sidelines with a big ice pack on his left hamstring
- Hurley - still on crutched but looking quite cheerfull and walking a lot better than previously but still with a notable limp.
- Langford, Clarke and Mo22ie not sighted
- McBride still in a moonboot.
Draper also only did about half the session, I didn’t see him leave the track so don’t think he’s injured, probably just load management.
Stringer, Redman, Zakka, and Hind all completed the whole session.
Stringer is still looking in great shape, seems very fit. If he doesn’t miss any more sessions before round 1 I would pencil him in to play. Redman has also been out running for the last three days, and joined Stringer on the second oval for more running and ball work when the rest of the side stopped for goalkicking practice.
I was surprised to see Zakka do the whole session, I thought he was a little further off but completed it without any issue. And Hind showed no concerns with his knock to the shoulder at the weekend.
The main group did various drills in small groups, more of the defensive ball movement they have done thoughout the pre season, some match sim and quite a bit of goalkicking practice, from set shots, kicks on the run and snaps around the corner.
The goalkicking in general was pretty good, but then again the practice they were doing pre game on Saturday was probably the most accurate I have ever seen. I only saw 1 out of about 100 shots missed, and we then proceeded to miss everything in the match. Go figure.
It was interesting watching them do the movement from defense drill after seeing them play live in the practice match. At training it’s done in a much more condensed fashion, making it considerably moe difficult to hit a target or get quality run. With the wider spaces at Geelong (and they have the narrowest ground in the comp) with a lot more space to move in they were able to execute much easier and more efficiently than they have in the past. Hopefully it continues into the main season.
There isn’t too much more to report, at this time of year there is a lot more emphasis on load management rather than teaching anything in drills.
I imagine the next session will be on Thursday, with another on Saturday.