Jade
Smug lives here.
- Jul 8, 2008
- 34,604
- 53,542
- AFL Club
- Essendon
Afternoon All. Was at training this morning, so thought I'd regale you all with my keen insights and utterances of significance.....
Grouped into players. If it isn't here I probably didn't notice a lot, but you can ask anyway...
Alex Browne - Did his hamstring right at the start of the session. Looked very minor, but went off straight away and did not return. I was close enough to Doc Reid to hear his thoughts.
Paul Chapman - HILARIOUS. Chirping away the whole time. Spent a lot of time with a group of younger players who were questioning him like crazy on his decision making ie. if you were kicking from here would you go the drop punt or the checkside? That sort of thing. Heppell spent quite a bit of time with him checking the ball. Chapmans instruction were damn good too......
Adam Cooney - I know I shouldn't be, but pleasantly surprised. Moved really well and freely. Had a good turn of pace and his kicking is just exceptional.
Joe Daniher - Ok. Brace yourself, this is going to get sticky. He looked AMAZING. They played a sort of semi scratch match where the ball was directed inside 50 to see if the forwards could win the ball or the defense would clear it. Daniher DOMINATED. Exercise would have went on for twenty minutes or less, and he kicked 5 or 6 goals. He's too fast and too tall, he gets the ball away from the spoiling defender. I hate heaping praise on him but he's a ****ing monster.
Shaun Edwards - He's quick, damn quick but a couple of times he seemed to not know what to do with his pace. Was boxed in by slower players because he just ran in a straight line away from them. Not sure about him...
James Gwilt - GREAT pick up. Was strong one on one, moves really well out of defense and his kicking is superb. Also lined up for goal kicking practice and would have been in the top 2 or 3 that I noticed for accuracy (Daniher barely missed a shot all day). I reckon he and Hurley are going to be serious weapons for us coming out of defense, and I'm now sold that he's best 22.
Dyson Heppell - Geez he's classy. Just somehow finds himself in the right position and uses it well. Spent quite a bit of time working with Chapman on his goalkicking. Was given Belly quite a bit of lip when he was lining up for goal.
Heath Hocking - No ball work, was doing laps of the oval for most of the time.
Michael Hurley - Looks fit, and a natural defender. More than one occasion was responsible for a super clean pass out of defense to a team mate streaming forward. The top knot is even more pronounced.... was beaten one on one by Daniher (not by much though).
Jake Long - Hmmm. Is very skinny. Needs a lot of gainz. Also needs to work on his kicking. He seems to drop the ball too low and almost stub his toe on the ground, resulting in a couple of too short passes. I can see why we rookied him, will be a long term project.
Conor Mckenna - WOW. What a great kick of the ball. And I don't mean just better than I expected due to his inexperience, I mean REALLY good. Was one of the kids with Chapman and was dobbing them from 45 on the boundary. Not just one, quite a few. Has a good size. Unbelievably, I could actually see him playing AFL.
Jake Melksham - Great day from Melk thankfully. Contested really well and showed really clean disposal. Was probably the best outside of Chapman when they all tried checking the ball from the boundary.
Zach Merrett - Geez he's clever. Consistently found himself in space in the forward exercises. Can not believe how far he slipped in last years draft. Although, on one occasion absolutely murdered the ball streaming into an open goal and responded with a loud 'AHH * IT!!!' before realising there were a crowd of onlookers close by.....
David Myers - No ball work. Ran laps the whole session. Looks ripped as hell though, which is good news.
I noticed a few other players if you have general questions, but the above is most of what I gleaned from today.
Oh, and my ****ing head got sunburn.
Grouped into players. If it isn't here I probably didn't notice a lot, but you can ask anyway...
Alex Browne - Did his hamstring right at the start of the session. Looked very minor, but went off straight away and did not return. I was close enough to Doc Reid to hear his thoughts.
Paul Chapman - HILARIOUS. Chirping away the whole time. Spent a lot of time with a group of younger players who were questioning him like crazy on his decision making ie. if you were kicking from here would you go the drop punt or the checkside? That sort of thing. Heppell spent quite a bit of time with him checking the ball. Chapmans instruction were damn good too......
Adam Cooney - I know I shouldn't be, but pleasantly surprised. Moved really well and freely. Had a good turn of pace and his kicking is just exceptional.
Joe Daniher - Ok. Brace yourself, this is going to get sticky. He looked AMAZING. They played a sort of semi scratch match where the ball was directed inside 50 to see if the forwards could win the ball or the defense would clear it. Daniher DOMINATED. Exercise would have went on for twenty minutes or less, and he kicked 5 or 6 goals. He's too fast and too tall, he gets the ball away from the spoiling defender. I hate heaping praise on him but he's a ****ing monster.
Shaun Edwards - He's quick, damn quick but a couple of times he seemed to not know what to do with his pace. Was boxed in by slower players because he just ran in a straight line away from them. Not sure about him...
James Gwilt - GREAT pick up. Was strong one on one, moves really well out of defense and his kicking is superb. Also lined up for goal kicking practice and would have been in the top 2 or 3 that I noticed for accuracy (Daniher barely missed a shot all day). I reckon he and Hurley are going to be serious weapons for us coming out of defense, and I'm now sold that he's best 22.
Dyson Heppell - Geez he's classy. Just somehow finds himself in the right position and uses it well. Spent quite a bit of time working with Chapman on his goalkicking. Was given Belly quite a bit of lip when he was lining up for goal.
Heath Hocking - No ball work, was doing laps of the oval for most of the time.
Michael Hurley - Looks fit, and a natural defender. More than one occasion was responsible for a super clean pass out of defense to a team mate streaming forward. The top knot is even more pronounced.... was beaten one on one by Daniher (not by much though).
Jake Long - Hmmm. Is very skinny. Needs a lot of gainz. Also needs to work on his kicking. He seems to drop the ball too low and almost stub his toe on the ground, resulting in a couple of too short passes. I can see why we rookied him, will be a long term project.
Conor Mckenna - WOW. What a great kick of the ball. And I don't mean just better than I expected due to his inexperience, I mean REALLY good. Was one of the kids with Chapman and was dobbing them from 45 on the boundary. Not just one, quite a few. Has a good size. Unbelievably, I could actually see him playing AFL.
Jake Melksham - Great day from Melk thankfully. Contested really well and showed really clean disposal. Was probably the best outside of Chapman when they all tried checking the ball from the boundary.
Zach Merrett - Geez he's clever. Consistently found himself in space in the forward exercises. Can not believe how far he slipped in last years draft. Although, on one occasion absolutely murdered the ball streaming into an open goal and responded with a loud 'AHH * IT!!!' before realising there were a crowd of onlookers close by.....
David Myers - No ball work. Ran laps the whole session. Looks ripped as hell though, which is good news.
I noticed a few other players if you have general questions, but the above is most of what I gleaned from today.
Oh, and my ****ing head got sunburn.
