Training Thursday 22/5/14

Training in mild, sunny conditions with a strong north wind blowing straight down the McCracken oval that made the netting behind the goals hum and crack like a schooner under full sail. It was interesting to note that the players handled the windy conditions much better than they had in the early pre season.


Don’t be alarmed that many players were absent today as some we’re being rested or given different programmes inside. Absentees included Heppell, Dempsey, Chapman and Joe. Hurley was absent and Bomber is probably hoping it was to get a haircut.


The good news is that the players appear to have got some of their mojo back and training was the most vocal it has been for some time with cheering, jeering and ragging amongst the players in response to skills good and bad.


Rumours have abounded about friction between Carlisle and Bomber and from what I saw today they are completely unfounded. Bomber spent a lot of one on one time with Carlisle instructing him in forward moves and goal kicking and facial expressions and body language all indicated a good rapport.


There were a number of tackling drills. In one drill two players lay prone, the attacking player wearing a padded bag on his chest. At a signal they both jumped up and the attacker was thrown a ball and the defender tackled him head on trying to prevent him raising his arms and the ball above his head to carry out a correct disposal.


In a second drill a player received a ball rolled along the ground and as he picked it up he was bumped by a trainer with a padded bag. A variation of this was for the player to first bump the bag as hard as he could creating space to pick up the ball cleanly. One bump by Tommy moved the trainer back a considerable distance which was met with cheers and comments which was typical of the atmosphere surrounding much of the training today.


The match play revolved around the forward line to a great extent today. Ambrose and Hardingham played high up the ground, Carlisle was at chf and Bellchambers and Ryder alternated between ruck and full forward. It was interesting to see a forward line without Joe and Carlisle seemed to relish the space leading, marking and kicking well. Bomber spent much time standing with the forwards and individually instructing them e.g. He told Hardy to “be more decisive” with his leading then later “Hardy move when you have to move but don’t move all the time or you’ll run out of legs.” The forward line is a work in progress and Bomber is a good teacher.


When Jack Clarke coached Essendon he was determined to “put the fun back into football” and this was Bomber 's approach today with the last seven on seven drill. I must admit I can’t follow all of his complicated rules but for those of you who are interested a cone in placed on the 50 metre line where one forward stands with three backs. Further up the ground the attacking team receives the ball where they outnumber the defenders and they have to move the ball down the ground with handball only not being allowed to kick until they have passed the cone. It was a really good exercise of handball under pressure as the attacking side was only given fifteen seconds to,get in their shot at goal and as often as not the defenders won out. Players greeted this game with rowdy enthusiasm culminating in Bellchambers breaking through and taking two bounces before kicking the ball through the goals, over the netting and halfway into the next oval. whooping with enthusiasm he ran to retrieve the ball and I will leave you with the image of him cleanly hurdling the fence to the cheers of all.

you had me at schooner. 

 

 

thanks jm, great report! 

Thanks JM. Sounds great. I just raised the Daniher-less forward line in another thread. Will be interesting to see if they go that way for a bit while searching for the right balance, or whether it was just a training thing.

Great to hear Bellchambers feeling good, and that he didn’t trip on the fence and break his leg. I think the season’s turned for the better!

these were the absolute highlight of the preseason - they are becoming the absolute highlight of the season too.

A bit of positivity in the midst of all the other rubbish. Feel a little better after reading that. 

Top work!

Thanks JM,

 

It is great to hear that the boy's seem upbeat and that Bomber is really focusing on helping Jake in his role and spending a lot of time with him.

 

Any standouts from training? players who trained particularly well? 

Good News! GIF Thread begin;

 

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Sounds like the break did them some good!

Fantastic as always JM.

Thanks Jackie.

If it wasn't for these threads from JM I probably would have given up all hope on us (if I haven't already). The detail in these posts are great and you can see what the team/coaches are trying to do, hopefully it will translate on the field.

I read this bit as if Bomber was training him in body language and facial expressions :lol:

 

Rumours have abounded about friction between Carlisle and Bomber and from what I saw today they are completely unfounded. Bomber spent a lot of one on one time with Carlisle instructing him in forward moves and goal kicking and facial expressions and body language...

 

...all indicated a good rapport.
 

Bewdy Newk` - another interesting read.

Lid off.

Rumours have abounded about friction between Carlisle and Bomber and from what I saw today they are completely unfounded. Bomber spent a lot of one on one time with Carlisle instructing him in forward moves and goal kicking and facial expressions and body language all indicated a good rapport.

Did either of them scratch their noses when they were showing man love for each other ???

So what you're saying is that Hurley's hair has been bringing the group's mood down and it's non-presence lifted a weight off team's shoulders?  :P 

 

 

 

Great read as always JM

Great report. I so look forward to these training reports. I get a visual picture, (is that a tautology?) and can see the players on the ground. I love the way you are able to describe the mood. It really helps with that tautology.

Great report. I so look forward to these training reports. I get a visual picture, (is that a tautology?) and can see the players on the ground. I love the way you are able to describe the mood. It really helps with that tautology.

Thanks for the reports Jackie. it means a great deal to us far away. FYI, Scorpio, it is neither a tautology nor a contradiction but merely an image.

The cheer squad telling them to move the ball forward quicker;

 

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