2015/16 Pre-Season Thread

[Jeffcrowe]

I agree Tex looks thinner (although stronger), but I can't ever see the change in body shapes that everyone goes on about every year. Most photos are action shots where players can look bigger or thinner depending on what they are doing. I would argue that body shape changes are mostly negligible for most players. I think people can catch onto popular theories that clubs are changing their approach to body size on a yearly basis. The popular one at the moment is that everyone is shedding kilos.

Another notable exception is Lever, who desperately needed some muscle. He still looks way too slight but I'll agree he has put on size.

He's 90 kg and will prob end up 95+ so still got a way to go

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I remember at open training I couldn't even recognise Harto. Thought he was one of the ruckmen on our list.

Guy is a serious unit. After his very solid second half of the year it fills me with some confidence to know that we have someone that could very well be capable of going with the tall resting ruckmen, or giant forwards of the modern era.

Not to burst your bubble but Hartigan looked like a hardened AFL player the day he got here. Strength has never been as issue with him. His mandate should be to improve his disposal and composure with the footy. No point being a juggernaut if you're going to kick it straight to the opposition.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Hartigan is a no. I coached in the Amateurs and am no genius, but this one is a no brainer. Play against Hartigan - opposition game plan simple; isolate Hartigan and his man one on one anywhere, say 35 metres from goal and the game is ours boys. Do we really want to deal with that all his career?

That's harsh !

Think he will go ok in such a situation especially on the bigger forwards

 

[1970crow]

Hartigan is a no. I coached in the Amateurs and am no genius, but this one is a no brainer. Play against Hartigan - opposition game plan simple; isolate Hartigan and his man one on one anywhere, say 35 metres from goal and the game is ours boys. Do we really want to deal with that all his career?

And yet no one wised up to that exceedingly simple strategy for the last half of 2015. I've got another brilliant idea, why don't the opposition just send someone to knock him out.

 

[AFC979810]

Can't get over the changes in body shape of some of the players this pre-season, almost without exception they all look leaner and meaner, the transformation in Matt Crouch is stunning, I reckon he's come down 3 shorts sizes on anything I've seen of him over the last 5 years, his once "ample" posterior is gone. Jarryd Lyons also looks really toned and lighter, this might just be the game changer for him regarding his questionable tank in past seasons. I'm thinking looking at the players Pyke's game plan is going to involve plenty of two way running and plenty of run and gun....

+1!

Absolutely this. Looks like we have massively slimmed down. Have no idea if its a good thing or a bad thing. Wait and see I guess.

 

[StonesThrow]

Hartigan is a no. I coached in the Amateurs and am no genius, but this one is a no brainer. Play against Hartigan - opposition game plan simple; isolate Hartigan and his man one on one anywhere, say 35 metres from goal and the game is ours boys. Do we really want to deal with that all his career?

I tend to agree. He did play some decent games towards the end of the year, but I've seen many isolated moments where he looks way out of his depth.

The only encouraging thing is that he is still young in terms of games and he at least showed some improvement towards the end of last year

 

[Bicks]

I agree Tex looks thinner (although stronger), but I can't ever see the change in body shapes that everyone goes on about every year. Most photos are action shots where players can look bigger or thinner depending on what they are doing. I would argue that body shape changes are mostly negligible for most players. I think people can catch onto popular theories that clubs are changing their approach to body size on a yearly basis. The popular one at the moment is that everyone is shedding kilos.

Another notable exception is Lever, who desperately needed some muscle. He still looks way too slight but I'll agree he has put on size.

Mate I've been watching Matt Crouch play footy for close to 10 years and believe me the change in his body shape this off/pre-season is remarkable to my eyes, gone is his once ample posterior and he now has much more actual muscle definition to go with his broad shoulders......all of which bodes well for the upcoming season re his tank IMO.

Edit : Brett Burton or Pykey??

 

[StonesThrow]

Mate I've been watching Matt Crouch play footy for close to 10 years and believe me the change in his body shape this off/pre-season is remarkable to my eyes, gone is his once ample posterior and he now has much more actual muscle definition to go with his broad shoulders......all of which bodes well for the upcoming season re his tank IMO.

Edit : Brett Burton or Pykey??

I watched him all of last season. (which is all that is needed to compare someone from last season to this season) and from the photos I've seen he's still looks pretty small. I guess we'll agree to disagree.

 

[1970crow]

Another decent one , wigg is a touch quicker and doesn't knock as many blokes out

The beefed up, knock out Guerra was nearly the end of him. Clarko trimmed him down and used his weapon as a weapon instead of him as a weapon. Great pick up by Clarko.

 

[1970crow]

Mate I've been watching Matt Crouch play footy for close to 10 years and believe me the change in his body shape this off/pre-season is remarkable to my eyes, gone is his once ample posterior and he now has much more actual muscle definition to go with his broad shoulders......all of which bodes well for the upcoming season re his tank IMO.

Edit : Brett Burton or Pykey??

First full preseason and full km's in the legs?

 

[AFC979810]

Personally I'm most excited about Grigg. He's gonna launch this year. Has been threatening to for a while but both sides of the equation, he himself off field and the club with their dumb sub use and conservative selection policies have held him back. He's full on going at it this year by all accounts and the coach seems to recognise it. Could be finally about to come together.

Absolutely. Has never been a question of talent with Grigg.

This is all based on one photo taken in February - but he actually looks like a footballer now. This is his 5th preseason and he doesn't have the Nick Davis look about him anymore. Hopefully he can pull his head in, ditch the attitude and focus on his football in 2016. If he does he will be a serious addition to our best 22.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I watched him all of last season. (which is all that is needed to compare someone from last season to this season) and from the photos I've seen he's still looks pretty small. I guess we'll agree to disagree.

They may have slimmed down for game plan or to counter the new rotation cap.

 

[mattymac]

ok, I'm with you- so who is our round 1 starting midfield including I/C ?

finding it hard to squeeze him in but want to

Hard one but you can guarantee one of Dougie and old leg arms will pull up lame during the nab

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I watched him all of last season. (which is all that is needed to compare someone from last season to this season) and from the photos I've seen he's still looks pretty small. I guess we'll agree to disagree.

he looks different to me

leaner muscle and definition

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Hard one but you can guarantee one of Dougie and old leg arms will pull up lame during the nab

I think that's what he is relying on to get a game , at full strength he's an emergency but at best but at least he's ready to go and cement a place if called upon

 

[mattymac]

I think that's what he is relying on to get a game , at full strength he's an emergency but at best but at least he's ready to go and cement a place if called upon

Having said that I don't think we should've re-signed Thommo. I think it was a knee jerk to losing danger. I would've taken the opportunity to remodel our midfield looking to 2017 and beyond. Sloane and the Crouch brothers starting in the middle and look to build a more mobile, defensively minded midfield with better disposal around that core and not put all our eggs in the clearance basket

 

[lunacy]

I think Peter is generally quite measured in his hope that Atkins takes the next step. He's always stated he came with ??'s and needed to prove himself but felt he had the talent. I doubt his view on Wigg is much less grounded in reality.

Exactly right and that's the same as other posters. Most posters have still been measured albeit excited.

 

[lunacy]

People can think what they like about Wigg or Atkins, I don't care, and sure we all have our favourites.

I just think it's disappointing when we have a lot of talent on our list to get excited about, but the only 3 players anyone here gets excited about is those 3.

If the team I selected looks ridiculous then maybe it's just a reflection of some of the posting on those 3 players. I'm really happy we traded for them, good risk reward strategy, but the expectations are over the top.

Seriously Hampton has been half back, KPD, midfield, small forward. Menzel has been full forward, half forward, wing and midfield. I mean the same opinions on any other player would attract ridicule and rightly so.

Do we really think these guys are going to fix every problem on the field?

I genuinely hope all 3 succeed and have great careers with us, but the expectations on all of them are totally disproportionate with their careers to date

Ok fair enough, but I think there has been genuine excitement at times for Riley Knight, Charlie, Crouch's, Atkins, Grigg etc too.

For what it's worth I really hope Grigg & Atkins put real pressure on for spots.

 

[Coopers]

Having said that I don't think we should've re-signed Thommo. I think it was a knee jerk to losing danger. I would've taken the opportunity to remodel our midfield looking to 2017 and beyond. Sloane and the Crouch brothers starting in the middle and look to build a more mobile, defensively minded midfield with better disposal around that core and not put all our eggs in the clearance basket

Of course we should have! Until there is 4 blokes better on the inside than him, then he plays. Currently there is only Sloane.

Hopefully the crouches, grigg, lyons, CEY etc step it up, but really they would ALL need to for him not to be in the 22.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Having said that I don't think we should've re-signed Thommo. I think it was a knee jerk to losing danger. I would've taken the opportunity to remodel our midfield looking to 2017 and beyond. Sloane and the Crouch brothers starting in the middle and look to build a more mobile, defensively minded midfield with better disposal around that core and not put all our eggs in the clearance basket

Fair call, each to their own. Mid year I thought it should be thommo's last but I changed my mind toward back end and think we need to hang onto experience as long as they are performing at high levels

 

[NTRabbit]

I agree Tex looks thinner (although stronger), but I can't ever see the change in body shapes that everyone goes on about every year.

Jenkins made light of it in a presser yesterday, said he'd gotten stuck into Tex for making a lot out of what he's done when it's basically what they all do, which is lose weight during January training, then put a kilogram or two back towards the end of the NAB competition when the switch to regular season training happens.

 

[1970crow]

Having said that I don't think we should've re-signed Thommo. I think it was a knee jerk to losing danger. I would've taken the opportunity to remodel our midfield looking to 2017 and beyond. Sloane and the Crouch brothers starting in the middle and look to build a more mobile, defensively minded midfield with better disposal around that core and not put all our eggs in the clearance basket

From the reports in here Thommo is returning PB's in his running so it's probable that his role will require more defensive running or getting himself into a defensive position behind the ball. I felt he shouldn't have gone around again and also that there was no coincidence with his extension and Danger letting Noble know he was gone. But he's on the list and I wish him well. I just hope he can adapt if that is what is required under Pyke's defensive system. We know he'll give it his best shot either way.

 

[Tex200]

Ok fair enough, but I think there has been genuine excitement at times for Riley Knight, Charlie, Crouch's, Atkins, Grigg etc too.

For what it's worth I really hope Grigg & Atkins put real pressure on for spots.

Likewise I wish all of our new recruits well and hope they can make something of their second chance, the talent is clearly there.

 

[earlsta]

Doedee looks bigger than MacKay.

 

[1970crow]

Doedee looks bigger than MacKay.

Doedee will be building up to be a big bodied mid or defender. Mackay is fleet footed greased lightning. Every player should look physically bigger than Mackay.