Bigman’s Training Reports (Update: 11th March)

[Jarman3]

The 4th quarter is really the time you need those non statistical type players to go full non statistical

When all around him are losing their shape, he's a shining beacon of shape-keeping when the game is in the balance.

 

[Velvet George]

That was the worst selection call of the season

And yet there were some apologists on here defended it

 

[Jeffcrowe]

If Nankervis form drops, Cummins is a dud or injuries occur? Smith will quickly come back into contention.

Selection is more about reacting to the next spot fire, not long term planning.

Cumming is a very good player , just needs to stay fit

Even if Nank loses form we still have hinge and max and Ryan and even Laird back there

And we have what looks like a fit milera

Smith is next after all of those

 

[TryAnHit]

Cumming is a very good player , just needs to stay fit

Even if Nank loses form we still have hinge and max and Ryan and even Laird back there

And we have what looks like a fit milera

Smith is next after all of those

We actually jammed now back there

 

[skam85]

Surely you find it exhausting, looking for things to panic about? [emoji23]

They dropped him. They have a stack of players for that role.

Chill, it'll be fine.

That doesn't come across as panic whatsoever, more realism based on many, many past examples.

You should try it sometime.

 

[Crow till I die]

We actually jammed now back there

After this year, we are at the stage where we should be strategic about trading out one or 2 on the list in positions we are well stocked in. Lets say Cumming, Hinge, Nank and young Ryan look like they are our future. If Milera is over his injury, do we look to see if a trade might be the best bet for him. a player that may have some reasonable value ( if he is over his injury). Likewise across half forward, a player may be squeezed out from regular gametime but are still a good player - look at a trade. That way we can obtain better draft collateral to make the plays we want come seasons end

 

[bigman]

Definitely the most intense session of the first week. Whereas players were clearly instructed to hold back a bit previously, not so much today with a lot more bash and crash and defensive intent. Voice was also at a higher level - I’m sure jeffcrowe will be pleased!

Another positive is that whatever problem Dawson had on Wednesday appears to have been a non-issue as the skip did most of the session today and did not appear particularly impaired.

Once again no sign of Strachan. Butts was also absent while Thilthorpe and Hinge did running on the side. This was definitely the most work Filthy has done so far which likely means we’ll see him rejoin the main group next week.

Draper pleasingly got to do a bit more today, joining the main group for about half the session before doing some running with hinge and filthy. Welsh on the other hand was told to head inside not long after the warm up. Clearly he’s being managed heavily. On a side note Hamish Ogilvie made an appearance to see how the new lads were going.

Blake Drury also featured at training for the first time and I thought looked really comfortable out there, had some nice moments and rarely made an error. He was a very solid junior and while he probably lacks AFL attributes, he is a great get for our sanfl side and is a notable upgrade on the typical top ups we get. Trained as a small forward which suits us as we lack depth in that regard.

I will note a couple players headed in slightly early such as Rachele and Pedlar but I did not see any reason for concern. Overall I think this was the sharpest session thus far with some of the cobwebs being shaken off.

After some early sprint work there was an interesting drill covering about two thirds of the ground, starting with a stoppage at half back where the attacking team had an extra number both around the ball and ahead of the ball. The idea was to link by hand out of the stoppage and run the ball out before kicking long to the loose forward out the back. Players were encouraged by Nicks to work the ball out by hand but not overdo it, the key being identifying when to finally hit the long kick. The play typically started with the half back receiving a ground ball and this was where Cumming’s class really stood out, he just doesn’t panic. Berry also had a good couple moments where he got himself out of trouble with sheer strength.

The team was then split into three groups, two of which participated in a stoppage drill while the other played keeping’s off in the backline. After a period of time the three groups would then rotate. One thing I did notice was that Dawson was rarely at the coalface in today’s drills, instead he appeared to be playing more of an outside role. Whether there’s anything in that, I guess we’ll eventually see.

Finally there was probably the closest thing we will see to match sim this time of year, basically a full ground drill without proper stoppages (the ball was instead kicked in seemingly random directions). Emphasis was clearly on defensive transition after turnovers and trying to plug holes around the ground. It also allowed a bit more opportunity for players to take the game on and show their stuff, with Peatling probably the standout (must say he looks a lot like Berry out there with the cap on so may have attributed one or two moments to the wrong guy!). There was a fun moment where Rankine received the ball by himself in the corridor and just put the jets on - no one got near him.

The players then split into two groups for about 10 minutes worth of hard running with 30 second breaks in between sets. The defenders/forwards ran from end to end while the midfielders (plus a couple of the high end runners) went around the boundary. Curtin was in the midfield group and actually led most of the runs before tiring a bit late and being overtaken by the likes of Sholl, Cumming and Jones. Rachele also featured in the top couple for a few sets which was great to see. Edwards and Taylor featured last in the group but not by an overly concerning amount.

Now for a bunch of player thoughts:

Jones - definitely appears to have regained a lot of the pace which deserted him after his injury. The issue for chayce now is his ability to get involved enough. He’s got tricks that Sholl and Dowling don’t but he doesn’t find the ball like those guys.

Berry - had a couple fumbles today which isn’t great. Having said that he really is quite impressive at training with his burst speed and ability to fend off or shrug a tackle. Polish will always be the question mark but he’s become quite a dynamic player.

Crouch - unlike some of the other mids (Soligo, Taylor, Edwards) I actually think Crouchy is even leaner than last year and has very little bulk. Obviously he feels he plays his best football as light as possible particularly at this stage in career.

Curtin - played mostly as a high forward in the main drill and looks quite comfortable there. Had a really nice moment where he marked on the hff, chiselled a pass to Drury before running to receive the handpass, selling some candy to a defender and goaling on the run. Another thing I noticed was late in the session with the marking bag, he looked the most comfortable leaping and taking the high mark of all the talls. He took a nice speckie in an sanfl trial game early last year too, so don’t be surprised if he takes a ripping mark at some point.

Rachele - his delivery inside 50 was glorious today and he just looks super sharp out there at the moment. I do notice however that in tight he can clam up a bit under pressure. I’d like to see him be more explosive and dynamic in congestion particularly if he plans on getting some midfield clock. Physically he should have the skill set to do so.

Edwards - I’m a little perplexed that he’s struggled a bit in the running thus far. Last year as well as at the draft combine he was one of the stronger runners. On the plus side I do think he’s showing some AFL traits. Similar to Smithers he’s got an unusual action but there’s a lot of power behind his kicks and he gets real penetration on them. On the flip side he’s soft and crafty with his delivery by hand and times his release to outside players well. I think he could improve his physicality a bit however, sometimes when he gets caught he stays caught. He’s a big guy, he needs to use a bit more.

Cook - is training as a deep forward. He’s often the one who runs hard to receive the long ball over the top and kicked a couple of nice goals today including a ripper from the boundary. However overall he is struggling to get involved and I think the role doesn’t allow him to express himself enough. He needs more space to use his sidestep and pinpoint kicking, and I think this deep forward role seems to swallow him up a bit.

Taylor - kicked a nice snap goal and also laid a great tackle on Peatling at half forward. I did notice that he trained almost exclusively as a forward today. He was listed as a mid on Wednesday so it would appear they’re trying to use him in the mid/fwd rotation which makes sense.

Ryan - got his hands on it a fair bit today and aside from one bad blunder where he coughed up a goal, he was impressive delivering the ball out of defence and was really calling hard for the pill. I’d like to see him back himself in and use his pace more as he does have a turn of speed. There were a couple of moments where he could have broken the lines but didn’t.

Worrell - managed to get the ball higher up the ground a few times and he looked really comfortable and relished the extra space. I think sometimes he gets shackled a bit in the third tall defender role and I’d love to see him strut his stuff a bit more as he doesn’t move like a typical 193cm bloke.

Peatling - probably the most prolific of the mids today and looks more settled out there. Really enjoyed watching his clean take as well as his willingness to move the ball on quickly. Caught Edwards htb with a great tackle and was always used as a midfielder in each drill.

Draper - still getting used to the speed and size of his new teammates but had a couple nice moments where he dished off some nice handballs whilst being tackled. Had one bad fumble in the centre of the ground but that’s just nerves.

Keane - was beaten by Tex a couple times but he’s an impressive player, sees the game a bit differently and doesn’t panic with ball in hand. Took a nice intercept mark in front of his opponent which is not usually his go, typically he prefers to play from behind. If he can keep improving his positioning he will become a real weapon for us.

Lots of praise I know but it was definitely the most enjoyable session to watch thus far. Any questions feel free to ask.

 

[bigman]

BTW, Bigman, could you keep an eye out on Turray vs ROB when they have ruck contests against one another.

Very curious to see how he goes against an AFL ruckman

Will do in future

 

[Danger in Texas]

It's very unlikely Oscar Ryan will come first, without a serious run in the SANFL (or a white-hot preseason). After all, he didn't even crack our best 22 this year.

At this point, Smith is higher on the depth chart and once you're at the selection level, the depth chart is all that matters. We missed an opportunity to clear a roadblock for Ryan by giving Smith the nudge to retire at the end of last season.

I mean if Ryan out-performs Smith to start the season, that moves the depth chart surely? Shouldn’t be prioritising solely on experience if one player is clearly out-performing another

 

[Jeffcrowe]

And yet there were some apologists on here defended it

Indefensible

 

[Betts are off]

When all around him are losing their shape, he's a shining beacon of shape-keeping when the game is in the balance.

When 35 players can see that the ball is going to go 1 way. We'll always have Murphy to fill in the massive void on the other side of the field

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I mean if Ryan out-performs Smith to start the season, that moves the depth chart surely? Shouldn’t be prioritising solely on experience if one player is clearly out-performing another

Not sure where Soligo sat in the depth chart before he debuted in round 1 either in his first season

If Ryan looks good in pre season , especially the pre season games there’s no reason why he couldn’t debut in round 1

He’s a high talent , late 1st rounder etc coming off a great debut season and has some genuine weapons

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Definitely the most intense session of the first week. Whereas players were clearly instructed to hold back a bit previously, not so much today with a lot more bash and crash and defensive intent. Voice was also at a higher level - I’m sure jeffcrowe will be pleased!

Another positive is that whatever problem Dawson had on Wednesday appears to have been a non-issue as the skip did most of the session today and did not appear particularly impaired.

Once again no sign of Strachan. Butts was also absent while Thilthorpe and Hinge did running on the side. This was definitely the most work Filthy has done so far which likely means we’ll see him rejoin the main group next week.

Draper pleasingly got to do a bit more today, joining the main group for about half the session before doing some running with hinge and filthy. Welsh on the other hand was told to head inside not long after the warm up. Clearly he’s being managed heavily. On a side note Hamish Ogilvie made an appearance to see how the new lads were going.

Blake Drury also featured at training for the first time and I thought looked really comfortable out there, had some nice moments and rarely made an error. He was a very solid junior and while he probably lacks AFL attributes, he is a great get for our sanfl side and is a notable upgrade on the typical top ups we get. Trained as a small forward which suits us as we lack depth in that regard.

I will note a couple players headed in slightly early such as Rachele and Pedlar but I did not see any reason for concern. Overall I think this was the sharpest session thus far with some of the cobwebs being shaken off.

After some early sprint work there was an interesting drill covering about two thirds of the ground, starting with a stoppage at half back where the attacking team had an extra number both around the ball and ahead of the ball. The idea was to link by hand out of the stoppage and run the ball out before kicking long to the loose forward out the back. Players were encouraged by Nicks to work the ball out by hand but not overdo it, the key being identifying when to finally hit the long kick. The play typically started with the half back receiving a ground ball and this was where Cumming’s class really stood out, he just doesn’t panic. Berry also had a good couple moments where he got himself out of trouble with sheer strength.

The team was then split into three groups, two of which participated in a stoppage drill while the other played keeping’s off in the backline. After a period of time the three groups would then rotate. One thing I did notice was that Dawson was rarely at the coalface in today’s drills, instead he appeared to be playing more of an outside role. Whether there’s anything in that, I guess we’ll eventually see.

Finally there was probably the closest thing we will see to match sim this time of year, basically a full ground drill without proper stoppages (the ball was instead kicked in seemingly random directions). Emphasis was clearly on defensive transition after turnovers and trying to plug holes around the ground. It also allowed a bit more opportunity for players to take the game on and show their stuff, with Peatling probably the standout (must say he looks a lot like Berry out there with the cap on so may have attributed one or two moments to the wrong guy!). There was a fun moment where Rankine received the ball by himself in the corridor and just put the jets on - no one got near him.

The players then split into two groups for about 10 minutes worth of hard running with 30 second breaks in between sets. The defenders/forwards ran from end to end while the midfielders (plus a couple of the high end runners) went around the boundary. Curtin was in the midfield group and actually led most of the runs before tiring a bit late and being overtaken by the likes of Sholl, Cumming and Jones. Rachele also featured in the top couple for a few sets which was great to see. Edwards and Taylor featured last in the group but not by an overly concerning amount.

Now for a bunch of player thoughts:

Jones - definitely appears to have regained a lot of the pace which deserted him after his injury. The issue for chayce now is his ability to get involved enough. He’s got tricks that Sholl and Dowling don’t but he doesn’t find the ball like those guys.

Berry - had a couple fumbles today which isn’t great. Having said that he really is quite impressive at training with his burst speed and ability to fend off or shrug a tackle. Polish will always be the question mark but he’s become quite a dynamic player.

Crouch - unlike some of the other mids (Soligo, Taylor, Edwards) I actually think Crouchy is even leaner than last year and has very little bulk. Obviously he feels he plays his best football as light as possible particularly at this stage in career.

Curtin - played mostly as a high forward in the main drill and looks quite comfortable there. Had a really nice moment where he marked on the hff, chiselled a pass to Drury before running to receive the handpass, selling some candy to a defender and goaling on the run. Another thing I noticed was late in the session with the marking bag, he looked the most comfortable leaping and taking the high mark of all the talls. He took a nice speckie in an sanfl trial game early last year too, so don’t be surprised if he takes a ripping mark at some point.

Rachele - his delivery inside 50 was glorious today and he just looks super sharp out there at the moment. I do notice however that in tight he can clam up a bit under pressure. I’d like to see him be more explosive and dynamic in congestion particularly if he plans on getting some midfield clock. Physically he should have the skill set to do so.

Edwards - I’m a little perplexed that he’s struggled a bit in the running thus far. Last year as well as at the draft combine he was one of the stronger runners. On the plus side I do think he’s showing some AFL traits. Similar to Smithers he’s got an unusual action but there’s a lot of power behind his kicks and he gets real penetration on them. On the flip side he’s soft and crafty with his delivery by hand and times his release to outside players well. I think he could improve his physicality a bit however, sometimes when he gets caught he stays caught. He’s a big guy, he needs to use a bit more.

Cook - is training as a deep forward. He’s often the one who runs hard to receive the long ball over the top and kicked a couple of nice goals today including a ripper from the boundary. However overall he is struggling to get involved and I think the role doesn’t allow him to express himself enough. He needs more space to use his sidestep and pinpoint kicking, and I think this deep forward role seems to swallow him up a bit.

Taylor - kicked a nice snap goal and also laid a great tackle on Peatling at half forward. I did notice that he trained almost exclusively as a forward today. He was listed as a mid on Wednesday so it would appear they’re trying to use him in the mid/fwd rotation which makes sense.

Ryan - got his hands on it a fair bit today and aside from one bad blunder where he coughed up a goal, he was impressive delivering the ball out of defence and was really calling hard for the pill. I’d like to see him back himself in and use his pace more as he does have a turn of speed. There were a couple of moments where he could have broken the lines but didn’t.

Worrell - managed to get the ball higher up the ground a few times and he looked really comfortable and relished the extra space. I think sometimes he gets shackled a bit in the third tall defender role and I’d love to see him strut his stuff a bit more as he doesn’t move like a typical 193cm bloke.

Peatling - probably the most prolific of the mids today and looks more settled out there. Really enjoyed watching his clean take as well as his willingness to move the ball on quickly. Caught Edwards htb with a great tackle and was always used as a midfielder in each drill.

Draper - still getting used to the speed and size of his new teammates but had a couple nice moments where he dished off some nice handballs whilst being tackled. Had one bad fumble in the centre of the ground but that’s just nerves.

Keane - was beaten by Tex a couple times but he’s an impressive player, sees the game a bit differently and doesn’t panic with ball in hand. Took a nice intercept mark in front of his opponent which is not usually his go, typically he prefers to play from behind. If he can keep improving his positioning he will become a real weapon for us.

Lots of praise I know but it was definitely the most enjoyable session to watch thus far. Any questions feel free to ask.

Sounds like Curtin and Rachele are ready to take the next step

That would be huge for our prospects

 

[Betts are off]

Definitely the most intense session of the first week. Whereas players were clearly instructed to hold back a bit previously, not so much today with a lot more bash and crash and defensive intent. Voice was also at a higher level - I’m sure jeffcrowe will be pleased!

Another positive is that whatever problem Dawson had on Wednesday appears to have been a non-issue as the skip did most of the session today and did not appear particularly impaired.

Once again no sign of Strachan. Butts was also absent while Thilthorpe and Hinge did running on the side. This was definitely the most work Filthy has done so far which likely means we’ll see him rejoin the main group next week.

Draper pleasingly got to do a bit more today, joining the main group for about half the session before doing some running with hinge and filthy. Welsh on the other hand was told to head inside not long after the warm up. Clearly he’s being managed heavily. On a side note Hamish Ogilvie made an appearance to see how the new lads were going.

Blake Drury also featured at training for the first time and I thought looked really comfortable out there, had some nice moments and rarely made an error. He was a very solid junior and while he probably lacks AFL attributes, he is a great get for our sanfl side and is a notable upgrade on the typical top ups we get. Trained as a small forward which suits us as we lack depth in that regard.

I will note a couple players headed in slightly early such as Rachele and Pedlar but I did not see any reason for concern. Overall I think this was the sharpest session thus far with some of the cobwebs being shaken off.

After some early sprint work there was an interesting drill covering about two thirds of the ground, starting with a stoppage at half back where the attacking team had an extra number both around the ball and ahead of the ball. The idea was to link by hand out of the stoppage and run the ball out before kicking long to the loose forward out the back. Players were encouraged by Nicks to work the ball out by hand but not overdo it, the key being identifying when to finally hit the long kick. The play typically started with the half back receiving a ground ball and this was where Cumming’s class really stood out, he just doesn’t panic. Berry also had a good couple moments where he got himself out of trouble with sheer strength.

The team was then split into three groups, two of which participated in a stoppage drill while the other played keeping’s off in the backline. After a period of time the three groups would then rotate. One thing I did notice was that Dawson was rarely at the coalface in today’s drills, instead he appeared to be playing more of an outside role. Whether there’s anything in that, I guess we’ll eventually see.

Finally there was probably the closest thing we will see to match sim this time of year, basically a full ground drill without proper stoppages (the ball was instead kicked in seemingly random directions). Emphasis was clearly on defensive transition after turnovers and trying to plug holes around the ground. It also allowed a bit more opportunity for players to take the game on and show their stuff, with Peatling probably the standout (must say he looks a lot like Berry out there with the cap on so may have attributed one or two moments to the wrong guy!). There was a fun moment where Rankine received the ball by himself in the corridor and just put the jets on - no one got near him.

The players then split into two groups for about 10 minutes worth of hard running with 30 second breaks in between sets. The defenders/forwards ran from end to end while the midfielders (plus a couple of the high end runners) went around the boundary. Curtin was in the midfield group and actually led most of the runs before tiring a bit late and being overtaken by the likes of Sholl, Cumming and Jones. Rachele also featured in the top couple for a few sets which was great to see. Edwards and Taylor featured last in the group but not by an overly concerning amount.

Now for a bunch of player thoughts:

Jones - definitely appears to have regained a lot of the pace which deserted him after his injury. The issue for chayce now is his ability to get involved enough. He’s got tricks that Sholl and Dowling don’t but he doesn’t find the ball like those guys.

Berry - had a couple fumbles today which isn’t great. Having said that he really is quite impressive at training with his burst speed and ability to fend off or shrug a tackle. Polish will always be the question mark but he’s become quite a dynamic player.

Crouch - unlike some of the other mids (Soligo, Taylor, Edwards) I actually think Crouchy is even leaner than last year and has very little bulk. Obviously he feels he plays his best football as light as possible particularly at this stage in career.

Curtin - played mostly as a high forward in the main drill and looks quite comfortable there. Had a really nice moment where he marked on the hff, chiselled a pass to Drury before running to receive the handpass, selling some candy to a defender and goaling on the run. Another thing I noticed was late in the session with the marking bag, he looked the most comfortable leaping and taking the high mark of all the talls. He took a nice speckie in an sanfl trial game early last year too, so don’t be surprised if he takes a ripping mark at some point.

Rachele - his delivery inside 50 was glorious today and he just looks super sharp out there at the moment. I do notice however that in tight he can clam up a bit under pressure. I’d like to see him be more explosive and dynamic in congestion particularly if he plans on getting some midfield clock. Physically he should have the skill set to do so.

Edwards - I’m a little perplexed that he’s struggled a bit in the running thus far. Last year as well as at the draft combine he was one of the stronger runners. On the plus side I do think he’s showing some AFL traits. Similar to Smithers he’s got an unusual action but there’s a lot of power behind his kicks and he gets real penetration on them. On the flip side he’s soft and crafty with his delivery by hand and times his release to outside players well. I think he could improve his physicality a bit however, sometimes when he gets caught he stays caught. He’s a big guy, he needs to use a bit more.

Cook - is training as a deep forward. He’s often the one who runs hard to receive the long ball over the top and kicked a couple of nice goals today including a ripper from the boundary. However overall he is struggling to get involved and I think the role doesn’t allow him to express himself enough. He needs more space to use his sidestep and pinpoint kicking, and I think this deep forward role seems to swallow him up a bit.

Taylor - kicked a nice snap goal and also laid a great tackle on Peatling at half forward. I did notice that he trained almost exclusively as a forward today. He was listed as a mid on Wednesday so it would appear they’re trying to use him in the mid/fwd rotation which makes sense.

Ryan - got his hands on it a fair bit today and aside from one bad blunder where he coughed up a goal, he was impressive delivering the ball out of defence and was really calling hard for the pill. I’d like to see him back himself in and use his pace more as he does have a turn of speed. There were a couple of moments where he could have broken the lines but didn’t.

Worrell - managed to get the ball higher up the ground a few times and he looked really comfortable and relished the extra space. I think sometimes he gets shackled a bit in the third tall defender role and I’d love to see him strut his stuff a bit more as he doesn’t move like a typical 193cm bloke.

Peatling - probably the most prolific of the mids today and looks more settled out there. Really enjoyed watching his clean take as well as his willingness to move the ball on quickly. Caught Edwards htb with a great tackle and was always used as a midfielder in each drill.

Draper - still getting used to the speed and size of his new teammates but had a couple nice moments where he dished off some nice handballs whilst being tackled. Had one bad fumble in the centre of the ground but that’s just nerves.

Keane - was beaten by Tex a couple times but he’s an impressive player, sees the game a bit differently and doesn’t panic with ball in hand. Took a nice intercept mark in front of his opponent which is not usually his go, typically he prefers to play from behind. If he can keep improving his positioning he will become a real weapon for us.

Lots of praise I know but it was definitely the most enjoyable session to watch thus far. Any questions feel free to ask.

Interesting about Dawson. Makes me wonder if he's gonna spend more time back on the Wing this year.

TBH I'd not be against it, I think his DE goes down when he's a permanent mid. And at times last year I felt like he was trying to do too much in the middle and it impacted his usual ice cold decision making.

So him playing more as a mismatch wingman with a weapon left foot, rather then a full time clearance mid could get more out of him for the team, even if it's with less touches

 

[I Lost My Keays]

Definitely the most intense session of the first week. Whereas players were clearly instructed to hold back a bit previously, not so much today with a lot more bash and crash and defensive intent. Voice was also at a higher level - I’m sure jeffcrowe will be pleased!

Another positive is that whatever problem Dawson had on Wednesday appears to have been a non-issue as the skip did most of the session today and did not appear particularly impaired.

Once again no sign of Strachan. Butts was also absent while Thilthorpe and Hinge did running on the side. This was definitely the most work Filthy has done so far which likely means we’ll see him rejoin the main group next week.

Draper pleasingly got to do a bit more today, joining the main group for about half the session before doing some running with hinge and filthy. Welsh on the other hand was told to head inside not long after the warm up. Clearly he’s being managed heavily. On a side note Hamish Ogilvie made an appearance to see how the new lads were going.

Blake Drury also featured at training for the first time and I thought looked really comfortable out there, had some nice moments and rarely made an error. He was a very solid junior and while he probably lacks AFL attributes, he is a great get for our sanfl side and is a notable upgrade on the typical top ups we get. Trained as a small forward which suits us as we lack depth in that regard.

I will note a couple players headed in slightly early such as Rachele and Pedlar but I did not see any reason for concern. Overall I think this was the sharpest session thus far with some of the cobwebs being shaken off.

After some early sprint work there was an interesting drill covering about two thirds of the ground, starting with a stoppage at half back where the attacking team had an extra number both around the ball and ahead of the ball. The idea was to link by hand out of the stoppage and run the ball out before kicking long to the loose forward out the back. Players were encouraged by Nicks to work the ball out by hand but not overdo it, the key being identifying when to finally hit the long kick. The play typically started with the half back receiving a ground ball and this was where Cumming’s class really stood out, he just doesn’t panic. Berry also had a good couple moments where he got himself out of trouble with sheer strength.

The team was then split into three groups, two of which participated in a stoppage drill while the other played keeping’s off in the backline. After a period of time the three groups would then rotate. One thing I did notice was that Dawson was rarely at the coalface in today’s drills, instead he appeared to be playing more of an outside role. Whether there’s anything in that, I guess we’ll eventually see.

Finally there was probably the closest thing we will see to match sim this time of year, basically a full ground drill without proper stoppages (the ball was instead kicked in seemingly random directions). Emphasis was clearly on defensive transition after turnovers and trying to plug holes around the ground. It also allowed a bit more opportunity for players to take the game on and show their stuff, with Peatling probably the standout (must say he looks a lot like Berry out there with the cap on so may have attributed one or two moments to the wrong guy!). There was a fun moment where Rankine received the ball by himself in the corridor and just put the jets on - no one got near him.

The players then split into two groups for about 10 minutes worth of hard running with 30 second breaks in between sets. The defenders/forwards ran from end to end while the midfielders (plus a couple of the high end runners) went around the boundary. Curtin was in the midfield group and actually led most of the runs before tiring a bit late and being overtaken by the likes of Sholl, Cumming and Jones. Rachele also featured in the top couple for a few sets which was great to see. Edwards and Taylor featured last in the group but not by an overly concerning amount.

Now for a bunch of player thoughts:

Jones - definitely appears to have regained a lot of the pace which deserted him after his injury. The issue for chayce now is his ability to get involved enough. He’s got tricks that Sholl and Dowling don’t but he doesn’t find the ball like those guys.

Berry - had a couple fumbles today which isn’t great. Having said that he really is quite impressive at training with his burst speed and ability to fend off or shrug a tackle. Polish will always be the question mark but he’s become quite a dynamic player.

Crouch - unlike some of the other mids (Soligo, Taylor, Edwards) I actually think Crouchy is even leaner than last year and has very little bulk. Obviously he feels he plays his best football as light as possible particularly at this stage in career.

Curtin - played mostly as a high forward in the main drill and looks quite comfortable there. Had a really nice moment where he marked on the hff, chiselled a pass to Drury before running to receive the handpass, selling some candy to a defender and goaling on the run. Another thing I noticed was late in the session with the marking bag, he looked the most comfortable leaping and taking the high mark of all the talls. He took a nice speckie in an sanfl trial game early last year too, so don’t be surprised if he takes a ripping mark at some point.

Rachele - his delivery inside 50 was glorious today and he just looks super sharp out there at the moment. I do notice however that in tight he can clam up a bit under pressure. I’d like to see him be more explosive and dynamic in congestion particularly if he plans on getting some midfield clock. Physically he should have the skill set to do so.

Edwards - I’m a little perplexed that he’s struggled a bit in the running thus far. Last year as well as at the draft combine he was one of the stronger runners. On the plus side I do think he’s showing some AFL traits. Similar to Smithers he’s got an unusual action but there’s a lot of power behind his kicks and he gets real penetration on them. On the flip side he’s soft and crafty with his delivery by hand and times his release to outside players well. I think he could improve his physicality a bit however, sometimes when he gets caught he stays caught. He’s a big guy, he needs to use a bit more.

Cook - is training as a deep forward. He’s often the one who runs hard to receive the long ball over the top and kicked a couple of nice goals today including a ripper from the boundary. However overall he is struggling to get involved and I think the role doesn’t allow him to express himself enough. He needs more space to use his sidestep and pinpoint kicking, and I think this deep forward role seems to swallow him up a bit.

Taylor - kicked a nice snap goal and also laid a great tackle on Peatling at half forward. I did notice that he trained almost exclusively as a forward today. He was listed as a mid on Wednesday so it would appear they’re trying to use him in the mid/fwd rotation which makes sense.

Ryan - got his hands on it a fair bit today and aside from one bad blunder where he coughed up a goal, he was impressive delivering the ball out of defence and was really calling hard for the pill. I’d like to see him back himself in and use his pace more as he does have a turn of speed. There were a couple of moments where he could have broken the lines but didn’t.

Worrell - managed to get the ball higher up the ground a few times and he looked really comfortable and relished the extra space. I think sometimes he gets shackled a bit in the third tall defender role and I’d love to see him strut his stuff a bit more as he doesn’t move like a typical 193cm bloke.

Peatling - probably the most prolific of the mids today and looks more settled out there. Really enjoyed watching his clean take as well as his willingness to move the ball on quickly. Caught Edwards htb with a great tackle and was always used as a midfielder in each drill.

Draper - still getting used to the speed and size of his new teammates but had a couple nice moments where he dished off some nice handballs whilst being tackled. Had one bad fumble in the centre of the ground but that’s just nerves.

Keane - was beaten by Tex a couple times but he’s an impressive player, sees the game a bit differently and doesn’t panic with ball in hand. Took a nice intercept mark in front of his opponent which is not usually his go, typically he prefers to play from behind. If he can keep improving his positioning he will become a real weapon for us.

Lots of praise I know but it was definitely the most enjoyable session to watch thus far. Any questions feel free to ask.

I’m very excited about Peatling, I reckon he’s going to be a dangerous player for us.

Thanks for the write up!

 

[Cap]

Sounds like Curtin and Rachele are ready to take the next step

That would be huge for our prospects

are we still thinking Rachele to the midfield or are we just happy to see him be a Toby Greene like forward who occasionally has a cba

 

[Golumless]

I mean if Ryan out-performs Smith to start the season, that moves the depth chart surely? Shouldn’t be prioritising solely on experience if one player is clearly out-performing another

Eventually, it will. That said, and going off our past selections, you're probably looking at a sustained run of a month or so. It does seem like most kids who force their way in are on a good run for 4-6 weeks.

 

[Cromulant]

are we still thinking Rachele to the midfield or are we just happy to see him be a Toby Greene like forward who occasionally has a cba

I think the latter is the most likely type. Hes a dangerous forward half stoppage player but I dont think he ever becomes a predominant mid.

 

[Golumless]

are we still thinking Rachele to the midfield or are we just happy to see him be a Toby Greene like forward who occasionally has a cba

We're most likely thinking Toby Greene, due to Izak Rankine beating Rash to the punch.

If Rankine is a complete flop in the midfield, we'll likely revisit Rash as a midfielder, or if we're in a crisis.

 

[Sizzlepack]

We're most likely thinking Toby Greene, due to Izak Rankine beating Rash to the punch.

If Rankine is a complete flop in the midfield, we'll likely revisit Rash as a midfielder, or if we're in a crisis.

Think I've written this before but I recently spoke to someone who currently works as a data analyst for an AFL club and he said his models had Rankine as the third-best midfielder in the AFL this season. Lots can happen that's beyond our/his control, especially injury, but his talent and impact aren't in question at this stage.

 

[Danger in Texas]

I think the latter is the most likely type. Hes a dangerous forward half stoppage player but I dont think he ever becomes a predominant mid.

Dylan Moore-type production would be a good target for him. Seemed to play a similar role last year (albeit at a lesser level), working up the ground to use his skills whilst also being dangerous close to goal

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

bigman do you see Rachele as predominantly a forward or predominantly a midfielder as his career progresses?

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Dylan Moore-type production would be a good target for him. Seemed to play a similar role last year (albeit at a lesser level), working up the ground to use his skills whilst also being dangerous close to goal

More class , less workmanlike

Be good if he could get as fit as Dylan Moore as he’d smash it

 

[DJ75]

The biggest issue for Rachele is he has to go back to playing on instinct. You can see at times that he second guesses himself and then gets caught. It wasn't happening in his first year.
We've almost Jonsed him. Hopefully he can be allowed to play on instinct more. It will get the best out of him.

 

[Jarman3]

That was the worst selection call of the season

Soligo as sub in round 1 was a strong contender.