Training It’s a big preseason for .......

Dan Venables

First things first - let’s hope he’s recovered fully from that nasty concussion he suffered and there’s no lingering effects

Assuming that’s the case he needs to do what he hasn’t achieved in the previous 3 off seasons and that’s have an injury free preseason. It takes time to build a tank and core strength over successive preseasons and not achieving that in any year sets that back so he’s already behind the 8 ball

I’m sure the club had hopes when drafting him that Venables would be able to transition into a midfield role but that just hasn’t happened through his seemingly never ending battle with injury. A big preseason could see him spend more time training with the midfield group as we search for more depth in that part of the ground

He has the raw talent to play through the middle but needs to improve his tank and strength if he’s to have any hope of making it. Is also coming out of contract in 2020 so needs a big year to push up his value.

Who else needs to have a big preseason
 
Ah Chee. With Masten and Rioli both out of commission there’s a spot to be claimed by somebody. Some of his WAFL work at the back end of last season was good enough to suggest he can fill it.
 
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Sep 25, 2007
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DV is the big one. Pretty much in the 22 consistently when healthy and has shown glimpses. With there being spots available on the half forward line and wing with some off season list movements and Rioli, I have hopes he can be a real asset.
 

Ok Boomer

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Can't argue with Venables, he was my pick.

With Rioli out, there is a spot there if he gets fit, has a bit of luck, and if he wants it bad enough.
 
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Ainsworth for mine. If he can get his skills up to scratch he can carve out an AFL career. Skills can be fixed if he puts the work in, he obviously has the talent to be on an AFL list so it's all just repetition and muscle memory now.

It's exciting just how much our list can be rejuvenated almost over one pre-season if some of the fringe players either return to form or deliver on their talent. Venables, Brander, Rotham, Williams, O'Neill, Foley, Cole, Ah Chee & Watson would all be expecting senior call ups next year.
Add TK, Duggan & OAllen to the side that lost to Geelong as well.

B2B still on the cards
 

Doashuey

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Gee obviously after missing the year.
Waterman, his spot requires him to run his arse off and he has the guts to do it but needs to improve his recovery time to really cement his place as that type of player.
NN for obvious reasons, drop a few kegs and extend his TOG.
Cameron, add some bulk and he will be unstoppable.
Petch, the more contests he can get to the better. If he stays in the game for longer periods he will be a weapon.
JK, I bullish he will wind back the clock like Lecca did in 2018, just needs to build fitness as his intermittent time out off the past 2 seasonsseasons shown to really impact him. Needs a fitness base for faster recovery.
TK, the lad has a Brownlow to win in 2020.
 
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For me, I think Barrass's 2020 is pivotal to our chances. If we can get him back to his best then it goes a long way to seeing us salute. One thing we need from him is lock down. Unfortunately, our best lockdown defender is Schofield but he's in the twilight now so we need Barrass to take that step up. Shut down the forwards who have been the difference in our losses this year (Buddy, Cox, Lynch/Riewoldt, Hawkins) and be that Mr. Reliable.

Right now, he's my biggest concern, because his 2019 was absolute s**t.
 

mattyc75

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They played a lot of piss poor football last season, I'd bloody well hope they'd all put in a big preseason.playing 4 quarters of footy would be nice
Individually gov and barrass need to lift
Kennedy just needs to be fit
Ahchee needs to improve his endurance..again
I'd like brander to have his role defined over preseaon.

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KO_KO

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Why is DV Gee?


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JK for mine guys.

I feel if he can get through unscathed, he may do what Lecca did in 2018 and have a really good end to his career.

Up against it though, as his pace to separate from defender diminished a fait bit.

Here's hoping.
 

The wily weagle

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Undoubtedly Nic Nat

Give him the pre season from hell, get him lighter, leaner and running personal bests, which results in him spending more time on the ground and influencing more contests/scoring chains, and we will win the flag

Trot out the same club nonsense that he's fit when he looks as heavy as ever, and spending half the game on the bench, and the odds of us being premiers, diminishes.


To quote the doctor from star trek "if you're going to ride in the Kentucky derby, you don't leave your prized stallion in the stable"

The more effective game time we can get out of Nic, the better off we will be

But first, we have to get his fitness up to the next level. This pre season for him (and thus, team success in 2020), is absolutely crucial.
 
Sep 25, 2007
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Ainsworth for mine. If he can get his skills up to scratch he can carve out an AFL career. Skills can be fixed if he puts the work in, he obviously has the talent to be on an AFL list so it's all just repetition and muscle memory now.

It's exciting just how much our list can be rejuvenated almost over one pre-season if some of the fringe players either return to form or deliver on their talent. Venables, Brander, Rotham, Williams, O'Neill, Foley, Cole, Ah Chee & Watson would all be expecting senior call ups next year.
Add TK, Duggan & OAllen to the side that lost to Geelong as well.

B2B still on the cards


How does Ainsworth get his skills to AFL standard though? The ball drop is really awkward /unconventional and I don't know too many players who have rebuilt their action once in the system.
 

DanWCE

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JK for mine guys.

I feel if he can get through unscathed, he may do what Lecca did in 2018 and have a really good end to his career.

Up against it though, as his pace to separate from defender diminished a fait bit.

Here's hoping.

He's my pick too. Been under an injury cloud for a few pre seasons in a row. Needs a really good block of work to hit the season in good nick. At his best he's still the most damaging big forward in the game.
 

WCE_phil

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Rotham, Ah Chee, Nelson and Cole.

All can be best 22 next year, there is a spot there waiting for them and they just need to put it together.

If Schofield falls away in any way at all then Rotham will be physically ready to take a third tall spot. Barrass then needs to focus more on primarily spoiling and being a FB rather than being Mcgovern Lite. a 193cm marking third tall with good skills could very well be a key to us not dropping off in defence at all.

Nelson can replace hutch as the tagger. He genuinely has much better skills but needs to improve his ability to read the play at AFL level and play close to his man. His last few games of last year he was trying the things he does at WAFL level and coming unstuck due to him being against faster, stronger players than he's used to. Playing in the firsts and training as a mid will improve this side of his game greatly.

Willie is down and we are short of good to go midfielders and forward flankers. Particularly if we want to win more contested ball in and outside of stoppages. Ah Chee basically needs to be sat down and told flat out that it is all about second, third and fourth efforts. He pulls out of contests to early where if he had continued to keep himself in the play he could make a much greater difference. Has the body, speed, skills and ability to be best 22 at afl level.

Cole. Was great in 2018, fell back a bit this year. If nelson moves into the midfield we need a seventh defender. At this stage that is Duggan. Cole is much better with ball in hand and more instinctual with his decision making than duggan. Needs to improve strength, aerobic capacity and man on man ability.

While it's a big preseason for those 4 for the above reasons we also need these 3 to not drop off.

Hurn. Personally his first half of the season was exceptional, his second half of the season was bog average at best. Played it too safe and started to look a touch old. Genuinely thought that Sheppard had a much better season overall than Hurn.
JK. Needs to at worst be able to perform at the level he did this year, get through a preseason and be in better shape at the end of the season.
Jetta. His kicking ability with his vision makes us a much better side. Has had soft tissue injuries already and we need him fit for the big games for our transition.
 

Balls In

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The midfield coach because he will need to weave Tim Kelly into the existing midfield dynamic. He will need to roll out completely different roles and strategies to exploit this.
 
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