Training 2015/16 preseason training (discussion)

[Bicco]

Yeah mate We brought the ruckus

I'll doubt I'll be at training anymore. Change in jobs and lifestyle hopefully.

Ruckus is a great word.
Good luck with the life change, hope it's what you want.
Thanks for the reports.

 

[E Shed]

it was a wonderful morning at Freo Oval. I got there before the lads came out so went over to the markets for breakfast and a coffee. Returning to the ground with a spectacular long machiatto to wash down a bratwurst and sauerkraut I initially took up position in the old farts stand near the clubhouse but it was too crowed and noisy so I ambled around to the fig trees where a small contingent of BF was ensconced.

On the way I spend a bit of time behind the goals at the north side watching the defenders work and was surprised to see Morabito playing as the fullback in drills. I guess its something they take turns at but in all the time I watched Mora was the man starting the transition chains out of the goal square. I find it a little odd really that they seem to be grooming him as a defender. Perhaps they want him running in one direction as much as possible but I would have thought he'd make a handy half forward. Still the idea of him barnstorming off half back and hoofing it 60M is not an unattractive idea. Other than Mora Tanner looked pretty lively (he's a big lad) and I thought Ibbo and MJ look in ripping nick. Ibbo has become such a class act.

I confess I spent most of my time talking today, there was a big group of us eventually and it seemed like a social sort of day but out on the track the boys were flogged solidly for at least 2 hours and were still at it when I left.
Some things I noticed in between the gabfest.

• Balic has a lovely build and just glides over the ground. Comparison was made with both Hill and Pendlebury in terms of the way he moves.
• I was pleasantly surprised by how well DeBoer kicked the ball toward forwards. He seems to have gotten his kicks flatter.
• Fyfe is just huge and looks weird with small hair.
• Hurley looking more and more like a footballer.
• Walters is amazing but this is not news.
• Good to see Blakely and Weller in the thick of the mid group drills. Blakely in particular looks incredibly sharp & focused. I'll be very surprised if we don't see a lot more of him next year.
• Crozier looks significantly bigger and is right in the thick of things.
• Tucker looks like a pro already. Very clean and tidy.
• I actually liked what I saw from Taberner today. He's starting to get a bit more assertive in his movement, looking less like a deer in the headlights. He took some nice marks out in front of his body on the lead.
• Clancee has an air of quiet determination, Mz was active. I'm sure these guys know they have a job in front of them to get selected this year.

Overall a very impressive session, very focused on skills and ball movement. I really think this is the best squad we've ever had in terms of depth. Its so hard to imagine how we are going to fit in all the players that deserve a chance. Great to see everyone today.

 

[sherrif]

Ruckus is a great word.
Good luck with the life change, hope it's what you want.
Thanks for the reports.

X 2 JMT

 

[jedi mind tricks]

Ruckus is a great word.
Good luck with the life change, hope it's what you want.
Thanks for the reports.

Yeah it's from old Wu Tang

While I'm youngish I might as well see what else is out there. Thanks

 

[Grape Bear]

I really feel for DeBoer and Suban on this board. The two would literally give their lives for the club and do what they can do as best they can, but get so much hate here, it's not funny. The only thing they're guilty of is being picked ahead of BF favourites, really, and that's not really on them, that's on the match committee.

 

[PurpleReign]

Great observations, as always. Hurley really has improved his kicking. I was at his first session where his kicking was understandably horrible. He can know seriously roost a football. Im really hopeful by the end of this season he will surpass Tabs and Apeness and be viewed as our No 1 young key forward. He has all the tools.

Hurley looked good, he fluffed one kick early in the session but was otherwise pretty neat with his short kicks. It will be interesting to see where he starts the season, forward or back. There was an awful lot going on today, so it was hard to keep track of everyone but he seemed to spend a lot of time down back. I should also mention that johnno seems to be moving more freely this year, he's certainly lost that "back stiffness" he looked to be carrying last year.

 

[Inveigh Slang]

Yes he is my buddy but this is ridiculous. The nab cup hasn't even started and me and Clem are the only ones having to defend a player.

 

[Freo]

To be fair I think we are on the verge of numerous great stories
Mora comeback from injury story:
Yarran and Bennell second chance combeback stories.
Hurley International rookie making it story.
Fyfe and Neale finishing equal winner in Brownlow Medal story
Pav finally wins a Premiership story.
Not that I am possibly getting ahead of myself.

Yes you are and I love it!!

 

[Bicco]

I really feel for DeBoer and Suban on this board. The two would literally give their lives for the club and do what they can do as best they can, but get so much hate here, it's not funny. The only thing they're guilty of is being picked ahead of BF favourites, really, and that's not really on them, that's on the match committee.

I don't hate them.
When a persons output is very little sans Blocks. I would rather have game time given to potential with a higher ceiling.

 

[Grape Bear]

The role they play is not really their fault either. If they are applying blocks over attacking, that's clearly an instruction to play within their abilities. I agree, though, that this year will be interesting from a selection point of view. If we are transitioning to a more attacking game plan, deBoer and Suban and co. will all be on the back foot. I suspect the incumbents may still be given a chance to * up before we see new faces, unless we have a few exceptional performances pre-season that cannot be ignored.

Thanks for the awesome training reports everyone!

 

[MadDocker]

Yes he is my buddy but this is ridiculous. The nab cup hasn't even started and me and Clem are the only ones having to defend a player.

Count yourself lucky. One of our leading goal kickers for last year and one of our only true options, a mid sized forward that gives his all for the purple doesn't even get a mention.

28 goals, a heap of score involvements and a vital cog in our forward defensive pressure.

Like he doesn't exist...

 

[Inveigh Slang]

Count yourself lucky. One of our leading goal kickers for last year and one of our only true options, a mid sized forward that gives his all for the purple doesn't even get a mention.

28 goals, a heap of score involvements and a vital cog in our forward defensive pressure.

Like he doesn't exist...

Those players flying under the radar

 

[Pusswah]

a spectacular long machiatto to wash down a bratwurst and sauerkraut I initially took up position in the old farts stand

And here I was thinking that it was called the old farts stand because of the age of the blokes sitting in it. Now we know better!

 

[E Shed]

I really feel for DeBoer and Suban on this board. The two would literally give their lives for the club and do what they can do as best they can, but get so much hate here, it's not funny. The only thing they're guilty of is being picked ahead of BF favourites, really, and that's not really on them, that's on the match committee.

Hey I'm one that has made it clear I think we need to move on from the foot soldiers but I made a point of giving MDB credit for his excellent kicking today.
Things are not all black or white. Its entirely possible to admire the attributes DeBoer and Suban bring to the club while hoping that they can be replaced with more skilful players.
We all want the same thing in the end, Pav to lift a cup and the incumbents have been given every opportunity to win it and have gone incredibly close but fallen short.
Would you be happy if we persisted with the same group all year again while Weller, Blakely, Grey, Langdon etc play at Peel?
For that matter who gives way for Bennell to play?
There are going to be some very good players vying for spots this year, some are going to miss out.

 

[Grape Bear]

Hey I'm one that has made it clear I think we need to move on from the foot soldiers but I made a point of giving MDB credit for his excellent kicking today.
Things are not all black or white. Its entirely possible to admire the attributes DeBoer and Suban bring to the club while hoping that they can be replaced with more skilful players.
We all want the same thing in the end, Pav to lift a cup and the incumbents have been given every opportunity to win it and have gone incredibly close but fallen short.
Would you be happy if we persisted with the same group all year again while Weller, Blakely, Grey, Langdon etc play at Peel?
For that matter who gives way for Bennell to play?
There are going to be some very good players vying for spots this year, some are going to miss out.

I wasn't singling you out, EShed. I was just pointing out that even in the off season, opportunities to bag our less skilled footsies are quite happily taken by the usual suspects.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

Yeah it's from old Wu Tang

While I'm youngish I might as well see what else is out there. Thanks

Good Luck with the job and lifestyle thing. Merry Xmas to you and your family.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

it was a wonderful morning at Freo Oval. I got there before the lads came out so went over to the markets for breakfast and a coffee. Returning to the ground with a spectacular long machiatto to wash down a bratwurst and sauerkraut I initially took up position in the old farts stand near the clubhouse but it was too crowed and noisy so I ambled around to the fig trees where a small contingent of BF was ensconced.

On the way I spend a bit of time behind the goals at the north side watching the defenders work and was surprised to see Morabito playing as the fullback in drills. I guess its something they take turns at but in all the time I watched Mora was the man starting the transition chains out of the goal square. I find it a little odd really that they seem to be grooming him as a defender. Perhaps they want him running in one direction as much as possible but I would have thought he'd make a handy half forward. Still the idea of him barnstorming off half back and hoofing it 60M is not an unattractive idea. Other than Mora Tanner looked pretty lively (he's a big lad) and I thought Ibbo and MJ look in ripping nick. Ibbo has become such a class act.

I confess I spent most of my time talking today, there was a big group of us eventually and it seemed like a social sort of day but out on the track the boys were flogged solidly for at least 2 hours and were still at it when I left.
Some things I noticed in between the gabfest.

• Balic has a lovely build and just glides over the ground. Comparison was made with both Hill and Pendlebury in terms of the way he moves.
• I was pleasantly surprised by how well DeBoer kicked the ball toward forwards. He seems to have gotten his kicks flatter.
• Fyfe is just huge and looks weird with small hair.
• Hurley looking more and more like a footballer.
• Walters is amazing but this is not news.
• Good to see Blakely and Weller in the thick of the mid group drills. Blakely in particular looks incredibly sharp & focused. I'll be very surprised if we don't see a lot more of him next year.
• Crozier looks significantly bigger and is right in the thick of things.
• Tucker looks like a pro already. Very clean and tidy.
• I actually liked what I saw from Taberner today. He's starting to get a bit more assertive in his movement, looking less like a deer in the headlights. He took some nice marks out in front of his body on the lead.
• Clancee has an air of quiet determination, Mz was active. I'm sure these guys know they have a job in front of them to get selected this year.

Overall a very impressive session, very focused on skills and ball movement. I really think this is the best squad we've ever had in terms of depth. Its so hard to imagine how we are going to fit in all the players that deserve a chance. Great to see everyone today.

Did you know that the owner of the stand at the Markets where you got the Bratwurst and Sauerkraut is a Wee-Girls supporter?

 

[meima]

I wasn't singling you out, EShed. I was just pointing out that even in the off season, opportunities to bag our less skilled footsies are quite happily taken by the usual suspects.

Suban, deboer , d.Pearce did good job in 2015 season, now 2016 season they either improve or prepare to be remove whether improvise their blocking skill or inside 50 to advatage .

 

[Grape Bear]

Did you know that the owner of the stand at the Markets where you got the Bratwurst and Sauerkraut is a Wee-Girls supporter?

How is that even possible? He's a Freo Market institution!

 

[E Shed]

Did you know that the owner of the stand at the Markets where you got the Bratwurst and Sauerkraut is a Wee-Girls supporter?

Tony actually barracks for Melbourne.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

Tony actually barracks for Melbourne.

Thanks for the clarification and I don't doubt that he is a Melbourne fan but he conveys the impression he is an Eagirls man. I'll bag him out about Melbourne in a nice way next time I am there.

 

[E Shed]

Thanks for the clarification and I don't doubt that he is a Melbourne fan but he conveys the impression he is an Eagirls man. I'll bag him out about Melbourne in a nice way next time I am there.

I don't think he's that mad a fan either way these days. when we talk about the game he always seems to have a soft spot for Freo too but definitely back in the day when we played in a band together in the 80's he was Dees all the way.

 

[Clems Knee]

Hey I'm one that has made it clear I think we need to move on from the foot soldiers but I made a point of giving MDB credit for his excellent kicking today.
Things are not all black or white. Its entirely possible to admire the attributes DeBoer and Suban bring to the club while hoping that they can be replaced with more skilful players.
We all want the same thing in the end, Pav to lift a cup and the incumbents have been given every opportunity to win it and have gone incredibly close but fallen short.
Would you be happy if we persisted with the same group all year again while Weller, Blakely, Grey, Langdon etc play at Peel?
For that matter who gives way for Bennell to play?
There are going to be some very good players vying for spots this year, some are going to miss out.

I think de Boer, Suban, Mzungu and C Pearce are the four most likely to be facing competition from Weller, Blakely, Langdon, Morabito and Bennell. And yes, some very good players are going to miss out. Even Barlow is not safe, necessarily.

But for de Boer or Suban to be replaced, the player who replaces him won't just have to be more skilful, they will also have to protect the stars at stoppages, and have the aggression in close that those two provide. I'm not sure if any of the five I mentioned could do that, with the exception of Morabito. Unless they have really bulked and hardened up, they don't have the bodies to be the particular role players that are needed.

My prediction: two of the four most likely play only minor roles next season, but the other two (I'm betting de Boer and Suban if none are injured) continue to get games most weeks. I'm looking forward to the progress of the young players, and for a few of them to establish themselves in the team.

 

[yoong]

But for de Boer or Suban to be replaced, the player who replaces him won't just have to be more skilful, they will also have to protect the stars at stoppages, and have the aggression in close that those two provide. I'm not sure if any of the five I mentioned could do that, with the exception of Morabito. Unless they have really bulked and hardened up, they don't have the bodies to be the particular role players that are needed.

I'm quite sure I misunderstood you

Surely, we have enough class and big bodies in our ranks that we do not specifically need players in the team just to block or create pressure? All players should share that load. When necessary, Fyfe should be expected to block for Mundy or Neale and vise-versa. We'll be giving up too much otherwise.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

I don't think he's that mad a fan either way these days. when we talk about the game he always seems to have a soft spot for Freo too but definitely back in the day when we played in a band together in the 80's he was Dees all the way.

So your a bit of a celebrity of Music fame in this town? I better not say anything again about someone in the Freo area as they are probably all friends of yours .