Below is a cut and paste of my training report from the separate thread (alluded to above) -
It being 3+ hrs since training ended and there being no other training report lodged, I guess I will give it a go.
I can’t say I have as good a observation skills or memory for what happened as the esteemed Jackie, but I took some notes and observed as much as my so so eyesight allows.
Firstly, everyone put in an appearance except for Eades and Fanta, I believe. Anyone who saw them, feel free to correct me.
TBC and Joe did very little. A handball/reflexes drill for 20 mins and then some very light running around cones on the smaller oval. Luey did even less, spending a few minutes early with Jamar and then some gentle running. Draper about the same. So, pretty much no ruckmen today.
Long also did only light running. McKernan similar for most of the session but joined in the competitive match simulation late in the session.
Zaka did some of the early drills but peeled off for some running around the boundary for about half the session. I didn’t see him in the later drills, so maybe he left the track after that.
Francis I only noticed once, and that was when he was running laps on the smaller oval. He may have participated in the main drills, but if he did, I didn’t see him. Morgan I think participated in the early drills but ended up doing a bit of running and finished early.
So all those guys either did no real training or very little.
The session went for about 2 hrs, but I would call it very light. I haven’t been to any other training this pre season, so I have no basis for comparison. But the emphasis in almost every drill was on stoppages and in tight handball. As a result there wasn’t much running. I wouldn’t think anyone would have come off the track fatigued at all.
After some warm up ball handling in groups, the main drill, lasting about 20 mins, was for centre stoppage practice. There were 2 full teams of 18, but the drill stopped and was restarted after varying short periods of play immediately after the centre bounce. Most were quite short, and after a few handballs in the middle to release the ball, and a short kick or two, the drill was stopped and restarted. As a result, the players at either end of the ground participated very little, and only competed for the ball on the odd occasion. The interesting thing for me was that only the established experienced players were used in the centre, plus Langford. So Watson, Heppell, Hocking, Myers, Bird, Zac Merrett and Langford. No Parish or McGrath, or even Stanton, Goddard, Colyer. I guess this gives and indication of who Woosha sees as his main mids, and he wanted to give them extended practice at extracting the ball and maybe working together as a group.
After that, there were some more handball based skills drills, including a game of keepings off in a confined space.
For a period, 6 or 7 players separated and practised a drill where a player was given the ball with his back to 2 pairs of 2, and had to turn, run backwards quickly as if getting back off his mark, and then deliver to a short lead. The 2 pairs would alternate between offensive and defensive roles. The participants initially were Redman, Hooker, Steward, Laverde and Tippa. All rotated between kicking and and 2 on 2 competing. I can only guess that Tippa was included to work on his man on man marking/leading/defending the lead skills. Although he was outsized in a lot of contests, size wasn’t a factor, as there was very little contested marking (leads only) and very little body on body work. In fact, it was a blocking and leading exercise, with some use of running back behind the defender. I personally would like to see a lot more pushing off and defensive pushing to make it more like a game. Later, Clark joined in, but only in the kicking role (more later).
Finally, another full ground match simulation for about 10-15mins ended the session (other than some more, seemingly voluntary, ball skills work and goalkicking by a few). This ran for longer periods of play, and so involved more players at either end, but again was interrupted regularly and restarted by ball ups in varying parts of the ground.
Overall, an emphasis on stoppages and clearance today.
This could go on for some time if I spill all my thoughts about individuals and what I saw today, so I’ll end this post and add another later emphasising individuals.
I guess the only other general comment is that I thought the skills level was pretty good. Not too many targets missed. Pretty clean by hand most of the time. But then so it should be when there is only limited physical pressure being applied.
Happy to answer any questions if I am able.
As I have said, the opportunities for many individuals to show what they could do were limited today
