I didn’t see a ruck contest in sim. Phillips TBC and Bryan did all their other training on ruck craft though. TBC still the best/strongest but Phillips is a fighter in the ruck duals and in match sim. Bryan is going to be a gun but understandingly at this stage is too weak. I’d like to see Bryan at full forward in the twos as he seriously has talent. It’s going to be a hell of a dual in a few years between Draper and Bryan. Rucks are set for the decade.
35 Likes
I personally think Caracella is a bit of a guru.
He was such a thinking mans player and his arrival at Richmond saw a complete alteration of how they played previously which I had thought up until that point was a joke.
The recruiting suggests that aggression, pressure and physicality will go up another notch this year. I don’t think we’ve been the worst in this area and so we have somewhere to launch from.
I just have this feeling that we are nicely positioned and if we can get some confidence it could finally be time.
11 Likes
Month watering.
I think @nackers should be a motivational speaker for our team. He’s just taken this forum from depths-of-despair to lid-off in the space of a few posts.
19 Likes
Essendon staff knowing what they’re doing. Now I’ve heard everything.
We did that all year. It was as predictable as Hurls kicking it out to an outnumbered back on the back flank. Good teams wouldn’t be a bit scared of us. We a too predictable. I hope it can change this year.
With Harves running stoppage craft, hopefully he will also demand this as well.
2 Likes
Worlds longest report, Nackers has been replying for ages
1 Like
He’s a prophet and his followers wait longingly for his every word.
2 Likes
He’s trolling us
21 Likes
As noted earlier it was great to see the modified group finally getting smaller.
Of the group Heppell looks very strong and solid, I expect he will join the main group in the next couple of weeks or so. Hooker and Stewart also seemed also to be moving well, and Draper is also surely not much more than a month away from joining training.
I feel a bit sorry for Johnson as he is missing out on the entire year, he seems to be tracking very well and could easily be fully fit by April or May.
So the only other problems at this stage are Joe, and the recent injuries to Gown and Hibberd. Hibberd was on the bikes today and was moving without any apparent discomfort, so I suspect it won’t put him back too much.
Mo22ie as mentioned earlier left very early and didn’t return, I suspect it was just a minor niggle and he left as a precaution as his walking didn’t appear at all inhibited.
All the other players completed a full session, including those who were recently in the modified group. McGrath finished a little earlier than the other, I’m fairly sure he was just being managed though.
In a couple of the drills and match simulation McKenna was more forward than you normally see him, I don’t know if that was coincidental or an indication of the touted move forward often talked about here.
A little about Nigel Lockyer. I watched him fairly closely, and as benfti suggested earlier I think he was very nervous. It’s particularly difficult training with a strong wind if you’re not used to it. Early on he fluffed a couple of simple kicks and had real trouble reading the ball in the wind but he wasn’t the only one, and did improve as the session went on.
He already has a very good body shape, is quite muscular and solid without being overweight. He has an excellent leap and very good pace, and while he was struggling a bit early with some of his kicks his hands looked good. He stood out of match practice for a while and had Kelly giving him one on one instructions, pointing out the various player movements, and where and why players were going to different positions. It will obviously take a little while for him to settle in and particularly learn the structures, but I think there is a lot to work with there.
Likewise McQuillan was on the sideline with Leigh Tudor on occasions and being mentored on the player structures and movement.
A few of the players who stood out at different times today:
Sheil was regularly bursting out of packs, I expect an improvement on his first year with us.
Townsend took a couple of nice marks on the forward line reading the ball in flight better than others. He was predominantly forward today whereas for most of the earlier pre season he has been with the mids.
McKenna was particulalry good with his kicking into the wind which I suppose comes as no great surprise, but it was a difficult wind today.
Cutler also executed a few very nice kicks and looked to be moving very well.
Laverde did well on the forwardline, took a couple of good marks on the end of some nice kicks.
Jones also took a few marks on the back of some beautiful kicks from McKenna and Tippa in particular.
Stringer also again looked good both in the air and on the ground. He should be coming right into his prime now and with improved fitness and maturity will hopefully be back in AA contention.
But the two I always come back to like a broken record are Francis and Tippa, who continually do things that make others look second rate. Francis at one stage today took a ball in heavy congestion on the backline, evaded a couple shrugged a tackle a gave off a perfect hand pass to a player running away. He seems both happy and very confident. If he can play anywhere near his potential it will go along way towards us climbing the ladder this year.
And Tippa has just been exceptional all pre season, I think he will take his game to a whole new level. He balance and cleaness even with very difficult ground balls has been exceptional. Add that to his great pressure and I will go early but I can see an AA year this year if he remains injury free.
118 Likes
I sat there listening to Ling on the Ch7 coverage specifically mention this problem as the ball was bounced, then it started, I mean here was some TV guy telling us about this, what about our coaches ? Did they know about this? What did they do? Nothing apparently, as it continued for at least a quarter, maybe a half. Brain Dead. I think John was sitting on the bench with the players. If he told them about it, they just did not take any notice…
2 Likes
Sorry I’m a slow writer. I also got a little caught up with the tennis half way through!
11 Likes
It was one of the most frustrating games - and there have been many. Straight to McGovern every time, it seemed. I reckon Simpson would have said to them at every break - “don’t worry guys, they’ll give it straight back”.
2 Likes
Thanks @Nackers and @Maxx. Superb as always. Lots to like & look forward to. Flying down for Round 1. Lid off.
7 Likes
Youre a legend @nackers. thanks again for going above and beyond.
Anything to report with Redman & BZT?
3 Likes
I didn’t notice Redman too much, but he did complete the whole session so that’s a plus.
Zerk took a couple of nice grabs a moved well on a couple of occasions out of the backline. I think he’s put an a bit of extra size ion the upper body and can consequently hold his ground better. Surely he will get his chance this year.
15 Likes
I also meant to add I was told there is training on Saturday as well as next Monday and Thursday.
13 Likes
Completely agree with you on Stringer, Francis and Walla. I’m sure most of the group have improved and got fitter but these three looked substantially better than they ever have.
16 Likes