Headed down to this morning's session for about and hour and a half. There is a noticeable increase in intensity at training now, it is clear that they are building towards the season. Something else that occurred to me watching today's session is the element of fun that is usually there at training seems to have been put away and now they really mean business.
Now on to my observations of players and I will start with some of the new guys:
Howe - Looks good. Very clean hands and a good accurate kick, very clean. Looks at home out there.
Pittonet - Like Howe, he looks at home. He competes well in the ruck and looks to have good hands as well. Was very clean with his disposal
Hardisty - He actually looks the most likely of all the new guys in my opinion. Very at home in all the drills. He has really clean hands when receiving or picking up from the ground at speed. His kicks are like bullets, low flat and fast and the ball makes a noticeable THUD when it hits the hands of the guy on the other end of his kicks. he has genuine pace and his size makes him hard to tackle. I am reluctant to get too excited about a rookie, but Hardisty is a very likely type. Maybe a faster version of Mitch Hallahan?
Frawley - Defensive work and pace is A grade, disposal is very ordinary, kicking out on the full and missing targets. I reckon it will take him a while to get used to the fact that he now has a team of defenders around him that will actually support him and provide him with back up and he doesn't need to panic.
Now on to some of the others:
Big Boy - Really slimmed down and looks fit and lean. He is dominating training, not so much in the ruck but in getting around the ground and contested marking he is killing them.
Mitchell - Awesome. That is all.
Lewis - Very vocal and forthright in directing the younger guys and very encouraging as well. Real captain material.
Kiwi Kurt - as I have said in previous reports. Kurt is the real deal. He now has the skills to go with his aggression.
Brand - Looks good. Clean hands, good kick and making a real contest (and sometimes winning a contest) when contesting one on one with other big guys.
Langford Jnr walked laps all morning and then boxed.
Whitecross and Suckling competed in drills for the first part and then spent 30 mins running without stopping. Whitey looks super fit and really strong.
Cyril took part in drills and then ran laps for ages.
Lake mostly just did kicking work on the sidelines with a coach.
I got there a bit late so I can't be sure who was and wasn't there but I definitely did not see Spangher or JM-L out there.
Now on to my observations of players and I will start with some of the new guys:
Howe - Looks good. Very clean hands and a good accurate kick, very clean. Looks at home out there.
Pittonet - Like Howe, he looks at home. He competes well in the ruck and looks to have good hands as well. Was very clean with his disposal
Hardisty - He actually looks the most likely of all the new guys in my opinion. Very at home in all the drills. He has really clean hands when receiving or picking up from the ground at speed. His kicks are like bullets, low flat and fast and the ball makes a noticeable THUD when it hits the hands of the guy on the other end of his kicks. he has genuine pace and his size makes him hard to tackle. I am reluctant to get too excited about a rookie, but Hardisty is a very likely type. Maybe a faster version of Mitch Hallahan?
Frawley - Defensive work and pace is A grade, disposal is very ordinary, kicking out on the full and missing targets. I reckon it will take him a while to get used to the fact that he now has a team of defenders around him that will actually support him and provide him with back up and he doesn't need to panic.
Now on to some of the others:
Big Boy - Really slimmed down and looks fit and lean. He is dominating training, not so much in the ruck but in getting around the ground and contested marking he is killing them.
Mitchell - Awesome. That is all.
Lewis - Very vocal and forthright in directing the younger guys and very encouraging as well. Real captain material.
Kiwi Kurt - as I have said in previous reports. Kurt is the real deal. He now has the skills to go with his aggression.
Brand - Looks good. Clean hands, good kick and making a real contest (and sometimes winning a contest) when contesting one on one with other big guys.
Langford Jnr walked laps all morning and then boxed.
Whitecross and Suckling competed in drills for the first part and then spent 30 mins running without stopping. Whitey looks super fit and really strong.
Cyril took part in drills and then ran laps for ages.
Lake mostly just did kicking work on the sidelines with a coach.
I got there a bit late so I can't be sure who was and wasn't there but I definitely did not see Spangher or JM-L out there.
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