The boys trained in perfect weather conditions today.
Rehab/modified/handball group started early today and included McBride, Parish, Cox and Weideman. We suspect that Parish and Weideman had the day off to manage their loads.
Jones, J.Davey and Bryan not sighted. We know Davey has covid, but not sure about the other two. Jones either has covid or he has been put in for surgery on something as he hasn’t been seen for at least a week.
Stewart, Cox and Phillips were inside the Hanger
Lav, Stringer and Caldwell ran laps for most of the session. Stringer is looking much better both running wise and size wise. If he can keep this up and not get injured, he will be right (and fit) come season start.
Wright trained fully, so no injury concerns from Monday.
There we a few additions to the usual list of players, Conforti and Brad Lynch were back training today and two James Hird Academy members in Ryan Eyre and Mohammed Taha (Pic below) also did bits of training. Ryan was wearing 32 his brother’s number (which I thought was funny).
Training involved a lot of kicking without much handballing. Seems a real focus to better our skills both in general play and kicking for goal.
A handball drill was conducted late in the session.
There was a point where Kelly was taken away from the main group with a coach and worked on gathering the ball and moving quicker to kick the ball back, instead of holding it and slowing play up. An example of having move development coaches being able to work on player weakness.
A few of us commented how more coordinated Draper is looking with his ball drop/kicking and moving and ball from hand to hand for a kick, fend or handball. He is looking great.
Walla continues to work hard and his fitness is pretty good. So much better than last year.
Tsatas does a few things where you go wow that’s why you’re in the best 5 players in the draft. His clean hands are a stand out.
Munkara didn’t do a lot of the main training and spent time with Taha and Eyre kicking for goal and doing some running on the other oval. I must say his fitness is nowhere near the level of AFL or probably VFL. But he is a longer term project and will learn a lot in 2023 of what it takes to make it at the level.
Overall, a pretty positive session (hard to be too critical until match practice starts). But I can’t say I see a game plan they are working on, but the feeling is Scott is just observing what his has and the game plan will be implemented in training starting January.
The boys have their last session on the 16th December and back 7th of Jan. (3 week mandatory AFL PA break)