freo84
Norm Smith Medallist
It makes me a little bit moist.
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2019 Training Reports
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hotchips81
Team Captain
- Jun 17, 2013
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Hi crew
Any idea if training will be on this morning?
Cheers
Any idea if training will be on this morning?
Cheers
Not on a Saturday. They train Monday, Wednesday, Friday during pre-season.
I was at the pre season game against the Cats in his first season. In the first half , him and walters were just playing with their defense.
It was Jimmy and Phil Krakouer like.
Sooner or later the footy gods have to smile at us.
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No problem with anyone disagreeing but Harley had one piece of play on Friday where he matched Langdon step for step sprinting for the ball. He also went step for step with Brad Hill on a lead about which ended up 5 metres away from me. Up close he doesnt look slow to me at all in fact the opposite. I wouldnt be surprised in the early part of the preseason if he's been told to not stretch out as much as other players do. Also, I wouldnt be surprised if he did a specific warm-up inside before he comes out in-line with some of the ballet stuff he's been doing rather than run throughs. I was at training for the last hour and a bit before they went in on Friday and he seemed very fit in an extended period of match sim play. Harley dominated and ran all over the ground to link up play. Yep, its training, but he's skills are ridiculous and his fitness seems great.
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How could anybody seriously not like this? A fit and firing Bennell for Freo is like impressing your mates with an HSV Holden (Fyfe), then remembering you have a Ferrari at the mechanics that you have to pick up.
How is North going?
- Oct 12, 2017
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I don't want to post on the Harley thread and bump as there is a lot of negatives there ... but I'm holding my breath he gets on the field and fires up this year. Thanks for all the updates.
Pretty well to be honest. He's definitely a bit stronger and he's skills are very good. We have a few potential surprise packets. Id put him in that bracket.
Round 1 debut?
Unlikely.
There are a few players battling to take the vacant inside midfielder’s spot. Round 1 should go to a player who has shone in preseason and practice games + has AFL experience.
I think North would have to dominate at Peel for a while and have a position open for him. His form so far hasn’t demanded first round selection, in my opinion.
yyou
Norm Smith Medallist
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I disagree
If he is tearing it up in the pre-season particularly in the scratch matches, he should play round 1
Finally we have what looks like good competition for places.
Selection must be dependent on form above anything else
IMO
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I agree
Even though I don't think he'll be picked players should be chosen on pre season form not previous AFL experience.
Players being picked on previous experience would have the club move backwards.
- Aug 17, 2009
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For those watching training - how’s taberners decision making going? Still turning it over every time he tries to go inboard?
I think it’s gradually improved year on year, if he can get it to afl standard he could be anything.
I think it’s gradually improved year on year, if he can get it to afl standard he could be anything.
On form, North is not ahead of his competition for an inside mid (IMO).
What if Blakely, or Brayshaw, or Crowden is tearing it up in the pre-season too? They’ve been at least as good as North so far. If all 4 do well in the scratch matches, I’m pretty sure that it’s the players with real experience that will get the nod first. As it should be.
Preseason is enjoyable because everyone looks good, as long as they are on the park. We don’t see any tackling drills at this stage, or have to face another coach’s new tactics, or dig in when the opposing team gets a run on.
Nothing beats form in the real thing, which is why experience counts, as well as youthful exuberance.
I do love how debates on here are often formed so black and white so they can suit a position. I very much doubt Clems Knee was saying pre-season form should have zero impact on round 1 selection. But as we saw when we smashed West Coast in the JLT last year what you look like during pre-season rarely translates directly to the AFL regular season - it should be a consideration but not be taken in isolation. Those who have a (recent) body of work in AFL games should rightly have an advantage for selection (assuming they've come back into pre-season in good condition). Last year plenty were complaining that Danyle Pearce was selected round 1 because every year he TTHD during pre-season.
What I want round 1 is a team of fit players, with the best team balance and dynamic possible, who are each deserving of selection based on merit (preferably a combination of strong form last season and satisfactory performance/discipline through the off and pre season) over age/experience and are primed to perform right from the first bounce.
I love the excitement of a debut or a romantic return from injury as much as the next person but I also don't think a short stint at Peel to prove they are ready for the step up hurts anybody. Given our relatively fit list North would have to destroy pre-season from now onward to be in consideration. Logue, who has been a highlight of pre-season, could also benefit from getting some live games at Peel first before being thrown into the much faster paced AFL regular season. Of course if either smash JLT or Peel pre-season they'll rightly become front of mind for selectors (like Banfield and Crowden did last season) but it's going to be harder this year than last.
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What form? Does TTHD translate to a great season? For some, yes. For plenty, no. I doubt if Mundy would have ever got a game, if the preseason decided everything. Nor would Lachie Neale in 2018.
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Training effort needs to be rewarded and Ross has even stated when he first started at the club that he will reward players at training who deserve it.
JLT has some factor as well and so does team balance.
If someone is border 22 I wouldn't pick that player on experience. For example Matera over another player who has out trained him who is a younger less experienced player.
So stephen hill is fit come round 1 North gets a game in front of him???
I am arguing with your suggestion that teams should only be selected on form and team balance. Experience is clearly important too - not just number of games, but a history of contributing.
Matera doesn’t have a good history of contributing to the team, but this preseason he has come back much fitter, is training well and will be putting his hand up for a spot ahead of Ballantyne, a recovering Walters or a young gun. On past history, I would back Walters, but he hasn’t done much this preseason (yet).
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No
He is recovering from an operation. He may not even be ready for round 1. He's walking laps
Not sure the relevance?
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The Matera comment was just an example and I agree he looks really fit and has trained well bssed on my limited viewing.
Walters as well as others are on individual programs. We don't know if he's been meeting targets but he's not fringe 22.
Ok, if you are saying select the fringe 22 players on form and balance, not on previous seasons, I can agree with you.
That would only apply to a couple of players in each line though? The established players would include Fyfe, Mundy, Conca, Langdon, Hill, Hill, Sandilands, Pearce, Hamling, Ryan, Wilson, Walters, Hogan and Lobb. And maybe a couple of others, such as Blakely, Cerra or Colyer.
