Today’s training started with well over 30 players and ended with just under 30… and seven billion flies. Started at 32 degrees and dropped a single degree from there during the session.
Tash Hardy was the primary coach, and while she had to make some pointed… points… she is such a positive force. Whoosh and G amongst the drill coaches. Wood some cameos.
Spargo continuing her AFLW role as assistance, and not training.
Morrow and Ure both present; fair enough, we could lose Krystal Russell to the AFLW draft in six days time. For any list recruitment people reading… she’s really not a fan of handballing on her wrong side.
I think Lily Bateman was the only other 2023-listed player present who we haven’t already mentioned at some point… so yes, unless a rash of players are deadly allergic to flies that’s a crapload more turnover to be confirmed down the track. And we really can’t afford to lose three more guns.
Minimal rehab group on display, including Hart-Aluni doing lots of running.
The night was mostly drills of various types. Perhaps the most revealing of those was a two-piggies-in-the-middle trying to stop four players in a square around them kicking over/past them.
First, because it helped reveal which piggies were still up for pushing their legs after a good stretch in the oppressive conditions, and secondly, those with the skills to clunk and rapidly spear off the next kick (I didn’t see all players doing this drill, but I’ll give the prize to Manfre; not least because she was inclined to the more dangerous diagonal kick).
The extent of game play was some leading/kicking drills down the length of the ground, and the finish where everyone crowded into the fifty (some of the defensive team would be stationary to make it fairer) and it was on players to make opportunities and think quick in not much space. Manfre kicked half of the goal, and Chaston went about twice as fast as anyone else.
As previously, not sure on her kicking, but there was one particularly clean display of hands on display by Mahony at ground level.
I only heard one “■■■■■■■■■■■■”, after a missed shot on goal. Not saying who… mostly because they were one of the roughly half of those present I had no idea who they were. And a few other old hands (shhh, one once had mirrored black-and-white hair) were willing to concede they were still in a bit of the same situation! And even to appreciate someone turning up as a spectator.
G went off to do her own running after training was done.
