2015/16 Pre-Season Thread

[ad victoriam]

Frankly i take anyones opinion on Menzel, Seedsman or Hampton with a grain of salt .....because yes there's no basis for the opinion other than a guess or hope

Feel free to correct me if you can prove otherwise

You do know the a lot of video on all 3 of the player on available on the net and free. Yes its not live so you miss the play off the ball, and most 1 camera angle like the SANFL games, but you can get a good look at the players, Reckon I have watched about 30 plus hours of Seedsman, Hampton, Menzel, even seen a few games of Hunter (#51 for Redlands) and Gore. Some like to watch old Crows games I like to watch old football games with Crows players.
If you want to see a player there is lot footage out there. Including SANFL games, I even remember watching a under 16 game with Lever in last year after we drafted him. The games are out there UTube the first place I look, and its improved big time for NEAFL and QAFL games.

 

[Infra Ted]

Just wondering, as I haven't any experience with training elite athletes, nor have I followed it closely enough to know.

Can sprint training develop a player (such as Milera) into a far better burst player/30 meter sprinter than your other average AFL player? Say he does 50% more sprint focused training than the average. Leg weights, repeat sprints etc

Milera looks in good Nic for a first year recruit, but his drivers seem slightly lighter than ideal for someone of his height to be quick out of the blocks.

I understand explosiveness comes naturally to those who truly have it, but can you develop it enough to go from VB to say Vince? From barely a puff of smoke to a small firework, not necessarily a block of C4 like we had in Dangerfield.

Edit: Hope I'm not on some kind of watch list after that last paragraph

You can develop it to an extent but as you say you either have it or you don't.

 

[ad victoriam]

It's a fair point azza77 makes, and it's one of the reasons I wasn't huge on Milera pre-draft - he doesn't have that lightning burst that is characteristic of many of the players he will inevitably be compared to. What he does seem to have is incredible evasiveness, that ability to walk slowly through congestion while it all moves around him.

If he can combine that with decision making and skill level, we will have a hell of a player on our hands.

Malera is a relaxed runner with surprising speed, I would say just as fast as Macca, watch him run only seem to do enough to stay in front, To all the old codgers remember Macca in the 90's and how slow he look yet nobody could touch him.
After all he burnt of some of the faster runners in the SANFL last year.

 

[jackster83]

He has to live life ......can't sit home and do nothing .....sometime accidents just happen

Yep, I broke a bone in my foot just before Christmas when I tripped on a dodgy section of pavement in front of the IGA on North Tce.

 

[BunjiMac]

Yes Milera has elements of his game that reminds us of other players, but I think he will make his mark as his own player with his own unique style.


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[dogs105]

Milera
Doedee
Hunter
Wigg
McGovern
Keath
O'Brien
Dear
Greenwood
Menzel
Knight
Seedsman
Hampton
Atkins
Shaw
Hartigan
Beech
Ramsey
Kelly
Lever
Laird
Smith

Isn't the unknown of improvement, and novelty, and potential of all these guys so exciting? Anticipation of finding out more about these guys is making it a season to really look forward to. So many unknowns!

 

[dogs105]

Milera
Doedee
Hunter
Wigg
McGovern
Keath
O'Brien
Dear
Greenwood
Menzel
Knight
Seedsman
Hampton
Atkins
Shaw
Hartigan
Beech
Ramsey
Kelly
Lever
Laird
Smith

Isn't the unknown of improvement, and novelty, and potential of all these guys so exciting? Anticipation of finding out more about these guys is making it a season to really look forward to. So many unknowns!

And add in Grigg, Lyons, Gore, Cameron, Brown and two Crouchs

 

[BunjiMac]

Malera is a relaxed runner with surprising speed, I would say just as fast as Macca, watch him run only seem to do enough to stay in front, To all the old codgers remember Macca in the 90's and how slow he look yet nobody could touch him.
After all he burnt of some of the faster runners in the SANFL last year.

As you say, Macca had this insane ability to run just fast enough to stay 2 steps in front of the chasing player. He would somehow adjust this based on who was chasing him.

However his top line speed was absolutely elite. He had an extra gear that he not many other players had. His running technique with th ball was outstanding which made him look effortless.

Milera is a smooth mover and has good technique when running with the ball (unlike Cameron) but i havent seen that extra gear yet. In saying that I've only seen his highlights.


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[ThreeLeggedCrow]

Looking at those training images from today on the AFC website... Greenwood laying tackles after years in a non tackling sport and B Crouch getting hammered. I reckon B Crouch would be like the Bruce Banner getting angrier every training session until pushed over the edge and becomes the Hulk. Takes time..

 

[mistylake]

He looks good.

Not sure what guys built like him are normally like in a training setting but he seemed pretty keen for the rough stuff, threw a shoulder out at a pretty experienced campaigner in Cheney

Still not over Cheney's loose lips hey?

 

[skins62]

Only if youve followed them ......which i contend the majority haven't .......you might have a statistical knowledge if your a fantasy team player, but that's not a proper assessment IMHO

When watching you'll note the offensive flashy stuff .....but not the small things, the gut running and defensive actions that we study with Crows players

I've watched 5-6 games of Menzel ......he was rubbish .....but apparently the views of those that haven't watched him carries more weight ......follow that logic

5-6 games is not a good weight of evidence. Was he playing for Carlton with no supply, were any of those in the rain or strong wind, do you know how the coach had told him or his team mates how to play and did they follow the plan. Who was on him in those games.

No...... 5-6 games does not necessarily tell you a lot. I don't think the Crows would have been that interested in him if ...... he was rubbish...... but perhaps the selectors have no credibility or maybe they have seen a lot more than 5-6 games and made some valued judgements above 5-6 games.

 

[Squiba]

I think if Menzel was playing injured, with little forward entry and an extremely low chance of actually winning the game; his mind set could easily change to "why bother, I have a spot in the side injured, while putting in next to no effort, why push through pain to catch that bloke?"

While in the AFC he may be more like "I'm fitter than ever, over my injury (hopefully), I really have to fight for a spot in this forward line and if I don't do something special someone else will, now I'll intercept that opposition kick and left foot checkside a goal from the boundary. Wam Bam thankyou mam!"

 

[Wouldbetackler]

Cameron has the sidestep and agility to weave thru tight situations ......and he's improving in that area, even though he gets caught time to time

Mackay is a very good decision maker with ball in hand ......but he's more a straight line runner without the ability to run diagonally

Mackay gets caught too remember Hawks final

 

[WaynesWorld19]

5-6 games is not a good weight of evidence. Was he playing for Carlton with no supply, were any of those in the rain or strong wind, do you know how the coach had told him or his team mates how to play and did they follow the plan. Who was on him in those games.

No...... 5-6 games does not necessarily tell you a lot. I don't think the Crows would have been that interested in him if ...... he was rubbish...... but perhaps the selectors have no credibility or maybe they have seen a lot more than 5-6 games and made some valued judgements above 5-6 games.

You see this is where posters comments are twisted and assumptions made

I said he played rubbish .......that in no way says Menzel is a rubbish player ......you've drawn that inference and then associated it with me?

My posts on Menzel have clearly stated Menzel is a highly talented and skilled player .......however in response to people believing Menzel is a walk up automatic selection, i've rebutted with the fact that the majority of his games last year were rubbish efforts

The club obviously believes they can turn the talent into talented output ?

 

[whattagun07]

I was there that night and remember being excited. Just watching this again...wow that really was a fantastic debut game.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

As you say, Macca had this insane ability to run just fast enough to stay 2 steps in front of the chasing player. He would somehow adjust this based on who was chasing him.

However his top line speed was absolutely elite. He had an extra gear that he not many other players had. His running technique with th ball was outstanding which made him look effortless.

Milera is a smooth mover and has good technique when running with the ball (unlike Cameron) but i havent seen that extra gear yet. In saying that I've only seen his highlights.


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Milera prob more top shelf with his agility than his speed even though his speed is above average

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Just wondering, as I haven't any experience with training elite athletes, nor have I followed it closely enough to know.

Can sprint training develop a player (such as Milera) into a far better burst player/30 meter sprinter than your other average AFL player? Say he does 50% more sprint focused training than the average. Leg weights, repeat sprints etc

Milera looks in good Nic for a first year recruit, but his drivers seem slightly lighter than ideal for someone of his height to be quick out of the blocks.

I understand explosiveness comes naturally to those who truly have it, but can you develop it enough to go from VB to say Vince? From barely a puff of smoke to a small firework, not necessarily a block of C4 like we had in Dangerfield.

Edit: Hope I'm not on some kind of watch list after that last paragraph

Leg weights eg squats etc ' power training'
can develop burst speed , they first 10m from being stationery like the start of a 100m sprint

Charlie Cameron has it naturally but it can be improved with power weight training

Milera has Charlie covered for repeat sprints and also has a higher ' cruising speed' when on the move for longer

 

[Geoffa32]

Macca was not exactly "athletic" when he was first traded to us. I remember his early games with Port. Was skillfull but not exactly an athlete.

Once he lost a bit of weight he gained that speed. This started once Craigy got to our club.

Oddly enough it was his conditioning once he started having knee issues that made him a better athlete. Even with his shot knees he was one of the best runners in the AFL.

 

[MRB37]

Nice article about Brent Reilly today in the Tiser. Working a 9-5 job and playing golf on the weekend. Seems to be doing well. Says working part time in the coaches box this year showed him he doesn't want to be a coach at this stage.

 

[lunacy]

Be aware that's not why i drove over ....something far more important than a training session

Don't mind fun .....but don't present it and argue it as if you have an informed opinion ....just put a disclaimer "i don't know what i'm talking about ...i am simply having childish fun "

Haha you of all people WW. I always read your posts which come across so matter of fact, so certain, so informed. You never write IMO or I reckon or I disagree. Instead you just write you're wrong or yes you're right, like you're the only one qualified to approve other people's opinions. Just a heads up, your posts are just opinions too, no matter how convinced you are of yourself.

 

[footy4ever]

Can anyone provide any concrete observations, as opposed to opinions, on our ruck setups from observing training this pre-season?

With Danger and Thommo (and Sando holding the reins) we capitalised heavily on Doc Clarkes ruck coaching focus on dropping the ball in close and winning it at the contest.

With Danger moving on, and Thommo in the twilight of his career, I'm interested to know if anyone has seen any efforts to not be so 'close' in our setup at stoppages. Spread out a little more, win some 'long' taps, and/or be ready to win the ball just outside the contest than relying on bulls to win it at the contest and hand it to the opposition who runs off. (think Adealide vs Hawthorn of recent times...)

Geelong a couple/few years ago were the masters at being in the right place at the right time for the bobbling ball that trickled out of the inside bull's scrimmage. We'd inevitably win the contest but they inevitably ran off with the ball. Infuriating.

 

[footy4ever]

Thommo was a fringe player until his 5th season too.

Every other footballer in Australia would have been a fringe player to Roo, Bunji, Goodwin, Edwards.....

 

[1970crow]

Every other footballer in Australia would have been a fringe player to Roo, Bunji, Goodwin, Edwards.....

That's not correct.

Edit - Forget that, have a shitful cold and read that as 'fringe player too, eg roo etc'. My bad.

 

[footy4ever]

That's not correct.

Lighten up a little. Any Thommo praise is like poison to you.

 

[1970crow]

Lighten up a little. Any Thommo praise is like poison to you.

Not true. However, I am aware of his weaknesses and how long it took him to establish himself. My concern is how poor our spread in both directions has been over the last year or so and Thommo is a big part if that issue. I'm not convinced that he will be able to change the way he goes about it.