Training - Tuesday 25th Feb

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
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Popped along to training this morning. I’m sure Nackers and co will add a more detailed report but here are some notes of mine.

Absent

Ambrose

Mckenna

Very limited

Heppell – completed handballing drill with rehab guys before going inside

Gown – completed handballing drill with rehab guys jumping on exercise bike (small moon boot on)

Draper – completed handballing drill with rehab guys before walking around not doing much (seems he may have had a small knee clean up, small bandages on knee, walking around fine)

Modified/ building fitness

Daniher – great news! running and moving freely, did 40m sprints at full pace and a lot of running and some kicking

Hooker – Completed a lot of running, hard to tell if moving freely as he isn’t the best mover. Is building fitness

Bellcho – Pretty much did the same amount of work as Hooker did

Johnson – working on straight line running

Just joined full training

Stewart – moving great, looking great, did most of the full training except for the match sim

Hibberd – Same as Stewart

Sore/injured

Cutler – started training on far side of the oval doing sprints with Stringer, joined full training then went to rehab oval to do more running, seemed bothered by a leg issue my guess would be hammy or slight knee problem. Doubt he plays this week.

Everyone else completed full training and I was impressed with the ball movement in the match sim. The ball seemed to fly from defence to attack. 2 things I really noticed was an effort to move the ball quick via decision making (i.e not holding the ball up in defence and moving it on quick) and the second thing was the running in waves getting the ball forward via handpass and short quick kicking. A bit Richmond like.

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You think Townsend will play with Hep still not available.

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Lid off

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Did Teakle and Lockyer train?

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Yes both completed full training

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40%

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Awesome

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Good report ASB.

If I can add a few things. been some real improvements since I’ve been away.

It was pretty humid, mostly overcast at training. Players started fashionably late.
I’m not certain we’ll see either Hooker or Heppell in Round 1, Stewart appears to be closer than them. Stewart’s improvement has been really good, hopefully the work he’s doing is pain free. Should see him in some match sim soon, then gradually build up minutes through the VFL.

Daniher still running in straight lines, but pace is building up nicely. Just hope he’s not rushed.

Heppell wasn’t running - I don’t know his program, so I’m not sure whether to be concerned, but you’d certainly like him at least joining in part of match play/drills at this point of the pre-season.

Match sim:
Really impressed with Laverde. Got to some really good spots and capitalised with a couple of nice goals. One of which was courtesy of some great 1v1 contest work from Begley, who brought the ball to ground in a marking contest.

McBride caught a high-ball on his chest, similar to a fullback in rugby. Eventually he’ll hopefully build the confidence to take those in his hands, but his handpassing has improved out of sight.

McQuillan fumbled quite a bit today. That was actually a bit of a problem for me from quite a few in match sim - some very sloppy ball handling, under minimal pressure.

Francis tried to take on Walla. You’d think he’d have more sense than that.

Transfer from mid to forward looked a little better today. Players seemed better at lowering their eyes and finding the short kicks to the players in space when coming into the forward line. I think this will be critical as we’ll probably only have one high-marking forward for the first week (no, not Tippa).

I don’t mean to be a killjoy, but I really need to be convinced about us this year. Too many of our good players have had interrupted pre-seasons, and I really don’t think our skills are up to it. Hope they go out and make me eat humble pie.

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Very happy to hear Walla is back up and about.

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From Mitch Cleary AFL.com. Includes training info.

CONOR McKenna could return to Tullamarine as soon as next week with Essendon confident the dashing defender can play round one without a pre-season hitout.

McKenna has been home in Ireland for more than a fortnight but has continued to maintain his fitness as he battles homesickness.

The 23-year-old will miss the Bombers’ Marsh Community Series clash against West Coast on Thursday but remains in the frame to play in the season opener against Fremantle on March 21.

“We’ve been in constant contact with Conor over the period of time he’s been away and we hope he is enjoying himself and relaxing,” Bombers assistant Mark Harvey said.

"We’d like to think he comes back pretty soon, and we can have him available for selection.

"It’s looking promising, our support staff have done an enormous job with him.

“I’d like to think maybe early next week (he returns).”

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00:20MINS

Published on Jun 14, 2019, 8:51pm

Conor McKenna reverts back to his Gaelic days

Conor Mckenna kicks the ball to himself instead of bouncing

McKenna, who has been floated as a possible forward option, could even face the Dockers regardless of whether he plays in the second pre-season match against Geelong on March 9.

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“He’s done the majority of the pre-season and he’s still training over there,” he said.

"Conor is a guy who comes up really quick … his endurance is around our top 10 no matter what.

“Pending when he does come back, he will be available for round one.”

The Bombers will travel a squad of 26 to tackle the Eagles, with defender Michael Hurley to play 70-80 per cent of game time after off-season shoulder surgery.

Midfielders David Zaharakis and Zach Merrett will also continue their tune-up for round one after playing a half in last week’s scratch match against Melbourne in Casey.

Devon Smith will also play his first match since knee surgery ended his 2019 campaign after round nine.

Meanwhile, captain Dyson Heppell (foot) barely raised a sweat at training on Tuesday, completing stationary handball drills before leaving the track.

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Dyson Heppell in a training drill during the Bombers’ Sunshine Coast training camp in January. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

Joe Daniher (groin) enjoyed one of his biggest running sessions since surgery last year, but remains a long way from returning to full training.

Recruit Tom Cutler trained away from the main group before joining a rehab group that included Cale Hooker (hip) and Tom Bellchambers (knee).

James Stewart (groin) and Mitch Hibberd (knee) took part in main training for the early stages of the 100-minute session before joining the rehab group.

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I’m actually really happy about that attempt.
I want our gun players to push themselves against each other, not just look a million dollars against less talented team mates.

Pushing yourself at training is fine, maybe Franga will learn to beat him next time.
And then vice versa.

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Not too worried about skills as long as they get the ball forward and apply good defensive pressure all over the ground Tigers aren’t a very skilled team.

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Our Marsh squad is named this afternoon.

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Welcome carrotsalad, I envisage great things from you.

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Thank you sir. I’ll do my best to be a positive and engaging member of the community.

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2020 - The year of LAV

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Apparently you do make friends with salad

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I’ve never been a fan but even i’m getting a little excited.

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Gooooood.
All converts to the faith are welcome to the Temple of Lav.

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