Training Pre-Season Training, News & Updates

[Cezz The Catter]

I'm more circumspect in that regard. Hawkins yes, but I'd argue all of the remaining ruckmen / forwards still have queries.

Clark? Six years ago perhaps. He's still unproven at Geelong. Vardy? The golden child of the match committee. Needs to produce output in the same planetary system as his reputation. Stanley showed some promise last year. Smith is totally unproven. So we get to wait and see.

Good analysis mate but have faith. You also missed big Buzz, already our best KPF

 

[Bobby_]

I think people are also forgetting that Smith was running around in the NEAFL throughout most of this season because he was overtaken by other younger ruckman.

Clark played some good games but didn't exactly dominate. http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/110750/Mitch-CLARK
He seems to be one of the more overrated players in our team.

Hopefully he doesn't become another Mitch White.

 

[chris9753]

Regarding Motlop

It was interesting listening to Nat Fyfe being interviewed after his Brownlow win and hearing him say that he was disappointed with his end to the season. With the benefit of hindsight he felt he trained too hard in the off season, peaked too early and felt flat during the finals. He said he would do it differently in 2016. He would have a decent break, build to full fitness during the early part of the season and ideally peak for the finals.

Personally, I'm not too concerned about Motlop at the moment. I will be though if he's not at full fitness, or close to, during the early part of the season!

 

[DanA]

Regarding Motlop

It was interesting listening to Nat Fyfe being interviewed after his Brownlow win and hearing him say that he was disappointed with his end to the season. With the benefit of hindsight he felt he trained too hard in the off season, peaked too early and felt flat during the finals. He said he would do it differently in 2016. He would have a decent break, build to full fitness during the early part of the season and ideally peak for the finals.

Personally, I'm not too concerned about Motlop at the moment. I will be though if he's not at full fitness, or close to, during the early part of the season!

There is a difference between taking a break and getting fat. Until he sheds the extra weight Motlop ramping up his training is going to put more stress on his feet, knees and ankles than would have been the case if he kept things under control. I don't see how it can be twisted into a positive, he's been unprofessional and should feel guilty, he's let his team mates down.

 

[Cool Cat]

I'm more circumspect in that regard. Hawkins yes, but I'd argue all of the remaining ruckmen / forwards still have queries.

Clark? Six years ago perhaps. He's still unproven at Geelong. Vardy? The golden child of the match committee. Needs to produce output in the same planetary system as his reputation. Stanley showed some promise last year. Smith is totally unproven. So we get to wait and see.

Yes I agree with you, although I will say that I don't think that the jury is out on clark, think he was fantastic when he played last year and has pretty much always been terrific WHEN fit enough to play. Also think vardy' return last year was very encouraging (perhaps the best senior footy he has played), and smith and Stanley weren't recruited to play seconds (Stanley looked great last year when fit also).

It all makes for some big selection headaches. It will be most interesting to see how the selectors deal with it, as the temptation to play all if fit will be enormous. Should be a source of much angst and debate around here, too.

 

[Catastic82]

There is a difference between taking a break and getting fat. Until he sheds the extra weight Motlop ramping up his training is going to put more stress on his feet, knees and ankles than would have been the case if he kept things under control. I don't see how it can be twisted into a positive, he's been unprofessional and should feel guilty, he's let his team mates down.

Unless he has been told by the club to put the weight on to help him bulk up... That's the only thing I can think of? The added stress the extra weight on his body that'll affect his running/conditioning .. I'm struggling to find a postitive to turn up in that condition .

Reminds me of Buddy and co after 2008

 

[Catastic82]

especially when finals time comes around.

If they make the finals

 

[pussygalore]

Benched:

 

[Cataholic]

no, Motlop has stunk up the bed when finals have come around. He demanded big money in the middle of the year, he got it, party time is over. He turns 25 come the start of the new season. I reckon he needs to justify the big money he's on.

Fair call.

Wasn't there the same class of picture and debate about Clark this time last year, but come game 1 he was in good nick?

 

[Cataholic]

he's not on big money though. I heard his contract had certain clauses in it. At the time of his signature, only a couple of teams were rumored to be interested in his services and he had been on the sidelines for a long period of time nursing various foot/leg injuries so he was always bound to take some time. Thinking back now, very surprised he was even a starter come round 1.

I was only pointing out the same physicality between the two, at the same time of year, and the debate that ensued.

Point was I hope Mots loses it just as quickly as Clark did.

 

[pussygalore]

Get him in the pool

or doing laps

 

[Jon Douglas]

Be very surprised if it eventuated like that. If they all happen to be fit, my guess is Scott will find a way to play them all.

It may not sound like it but it is good news there is now way (assuming all players are fit) that we can fit Vardy, Clark, Stanley, Smith, Blitz, Hawkins, Taylor and Lonergan (and maybe Henderson also should be added to that group) all in the one side. Way too tall even though some of the talls are agile and quick.

The good news is that we have depth in talls that we have not had in years - especially possible ruckmen. And we picked up two talls in the drafts.

There are backers for all these talls here on this Board but not all can fit into a balanced side IMO. there will be pressure on for spots all over the ground thanks to our previous drafting and now thru player trades/FA.

So we just need the same situation with the forwards and defenders as with the talls. And I think we have that again with the emergence of Kolo and the addition of Henderson. And down forward we have Vardy as the spare KPF and Cocky looking a likely type that could pressure others to perform down forward.

So as long as we do not get any serious injuries (please let Duncan come back with good feet) from here we should have most players doing a really good pre-season and a long list of guys to select from come Round against the Hawks. That is all we can ask for at this stage and so far, with a long, long way to go, things are looking ok. I will be far happier when Stanley, Duncan and Scooter say they are over the injury and prove it with a few full games.

 

[dazbroncos]

Im holding out till after Xmas when they come back to the club and assess it then.

Go Catters

 

[bulletproof]

Completely ludicrous debate about a player possibly being 2-3 kilos over weight in November.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Completely ludicrous debate about a player possibly being 2-3 kilos over weight in November.

Looks a little more than that.

But perhaps he was told to put on weight to bulk up. We don't know.

 

[pussygalore]

Im holding out till after Xmas when they come back to the club and assess it then.

Go Catters

Is that post bulk up session?
It's early but Mots and Clark are concerns already.

 

[pussygalore]

Completely ludicrous debate about a player possibly being 2-3 kilos over weight in November.

Looks more than a few kilos.

 

[JUBJUB]

Is that post bulk up session?
It's early but Mots and Clark are concerns already.

You do realise that the picture Bobby has put up of Clark isn't from this pre-season,don't you ?

 

[pussygalore]

You do realise that the picture Bobby has put up of Clark isn't from this pre-season,don't you ?

Doesn't he always look like that. Ha ha.
I know it's last year photo. I was referring to him running laps. I think Vardy is presently ahead of him but I'd like Clark in the squad if he can get his fitness up.

 

[Scottland2007]

Re Motlop. Last year Chris Scott came out and said words to the effect "we have a tough start to the year so the senior players better be ready". If this was his expectations on senior players last year and next year they expect top four, then he needs to say something to Motlop.

 

[Scottland2007]

Im holding out till after Xmas when they come back to the club and assess it then.

Go Catters

I don't think extra turkey and Xmas pud is going to help.

 

[Cataholic]

still unsure about that Clark photo. Some believe it was Photoshopped

That was Motlop from a couple of seasons ago

and Motlop at the moment

Perhaps they don't want him to be getting pushed off the ball as easily as he does playing more minutes inside so he's put on the weight as part of his gym scheduling?

Maybe.....

Just an odd shape. But no panic - lets see how he shapes up for Round 1 and what the club might reveal in the meantime.

 

[The rabbi]

You do realise that the picture Bobby has put up of Clark isn't from this pre-season,don't you ?

Remember when people were losing it over the Clark image and he looked good late in the pre-season.

I am sure that Motlop will trim off nicely over the post x-mas pre-season.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

Looks a little more than that.

But perhaps he was told to put on weight to bulk up. We don't know.

I doubt that anybody would have told him to become a fat ****.

Motlop turning up to pre-season training out of shape is a disgrace. Pure and simple.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Remember when people were losing it over the Clark image and he looked good late in the pre-season.

I am sure that Motlop will trim off nicely over the post x-mas pre-season.

Thing about Clark is it was almost reasonable that he was carrying a bit extra given the time spent out of the game and his mental health issues and whatnot. Motlop is coming back after a full season in which he signed a new contract. No real excuse to have let himself go if he has.