Training 2025 Pre-Season Thread

[Grasshopper17]

He was basically just a genius at manufacturing goals out of whatever situation presented itself.

He wasn't much to look at as far as footballers go . He wasn't super fit. He wasn't a great high mark or had much pace. In fact he'd come last in a foot race. And he played in an era where Cowboy Neale infamously bit off part of his ear.

But whatever they tried he just consistently kicked goals in every game. There isn't a comparable player in this era and you wonder how he'd go in this era. But I'm sure he'd work it out.

I'm too young to have ever seen him play. But my father, a Queenslander with little knowledge of our game, moved to Tassie in the 1970s, and grew to detest Hawthorn, for the very simple reason that (in his words) "Peter Hudson got fed".

This has always amused me I must admit.

 

[knaf]

Was actually at the game when Hudson came back for the last game of the season. Hawks vs Pies at Waverly iirc. Hudson mesmerised the Pies defence. The image of Twiggy Dunne trying to play him like a basket ball guard (facing the player not the ball) is etched in my memory.

Hudson had an Uncanny ability to be know where the ball was going to be.

 

[p4p1]

Would be 100s of frees a game if they paid that one

I'm no physicist so can't accurately calculate how long it takes the ball to travel 5m but I suspect it is too quick for that rule to apply.

Bud is back with a goal from 50m

Franklin shakes the tackle and breaks through to kick a dashing goal

www.afl.com.au

Looking at this video it is roughly 3 seconds from the time Buddy kicks just inside the 50 arc to it crossing the goal line. Going somewhat inaccurately off that, it would take 3/10ths of a second for the ball to travel 5m. Definitely not realistic to enforce that one in marking contests. I suspect that we have seen Kai jump on someone's shoulders and take a mark before the ball is within 5m.

 

[p4p1]

They scored incredibly easily and quickly from centre bounces. Often immediately after we had kicked one. Have a look at the score worm from Thursday night:
View attachment 2238592
Goal for goal pretty much all the way from early in the 2nd to early in the last quarter, and several of them clumped very close together, indicating they came from centre bounces.

Adelaide in the end won centre clearances 17 to 12 and looked far more dangerous (coming out the front on the run) than we did (often lateral or hack kicks forward). We were more competitive around the ground (28-24), where it was often a bit less organised and our quick hands came into play.

To be fair, there were times when we had both Ashcrofts in the middle + Neale or another offensive mid, without Dunkley or someone playing the same role. I don't think the coaching staff put a lot of time into making sure our defensive mids were attending every CB.

 

[p4p1]

Blimey that and "Dancing on Ice" on Fox/Kayo. Seems the Lions journey hit a chord ! Not sure if other premiers have got that kind of treatment.

FWIW a guy I work with who is a Freo fan did say that last year was the greatest premiership he has seen, given where we started the season, the injuries, where we were at the mid point and then our GF winning margin.

 

[Nunez]

Jaspa Fletcher caught my eye in a big way in the pre season game. It looked to me we rotated him from fat to skinny side to try and keep him around the contest. Looks super fit, stays involved and felt like we tried to play through him as much as possible.

Feels like he's set for a breakout season.

 

[martinson]

FWIW a guy I work with who is a Freo fan did say that last year was the greatest premiership he has seen, given where we started the season, the injuries, where we were at the mid point and then our GF winning margin.

I don't think I've ever seen a team do what we did. From where we came from. 2001 is possibly comparable except they didn't have the injury issues we had . The effort of Neale to play those last 7 or 8 games and then dominate the GF when he could barely walk was phenomenal.

OK ,we had the luck ( but we still had to do it ) and faced imo a very lack lustre GF opponent. But I still think no one would've beaten us on GF day.

 

[martinson]

Jaspa Fletcher caught my eye in a big way in the pre season game. It looked to me we rotated him from fat to skinny side to try and keep him around the contest. Looks super fit, stays involved and felt like we tried to play through him as much as possible.

Feels like he's set for a breakout season.

Headed for the M/F about the time when we might need him there. He has so much self confidence now around the ball even though he's often outsized.

 

[Section 5]

Jaspa Fletcher caught my eye in a big way in the pre season game. It looked to me we rotated him from fat to skinny side to try and keep him around the contest. Looks super fit, stays involved and felt like we tried to play through him as much as possible.

Feels like he's set for a breakout season.

Agree, Jasper had a good 2nd year which sometimes does not happen.
No reason he won't have that breakout 3rd year some very good players experience. Let's hope he does.

Our other winger Berry.
I noticed he had hardly any strapping on in the Crows and Suns games.
I can't recall the last time Berry did not wear strapping that was not obvious to see.
Bottom image from the 2024 Grand Final. Heavy strapping on the right shoulder and some on the left.
His standard for quite a few years
Top image from the recent Crows game. Nothing on the right and a small strip showing on the left.
In his mind his right shoulder is now fine which is a positive.

He was very impressive last year and looked calm and collected against the Crows with 21 disposals and 5 marks.
Career best averages in 2024: Disposals 20.0, Marks 6.2, Contested marks 0.3, Stoppage clearances 2.0,
Meters gained 316.9, Intercepts 3.0
Achieved this with his 2nd lowest TOG 73.3% (lowest was his 11-game season in 2021 being 61.9%)

 

[BangyBangy]

I don't think I've ever seen a team do what we did. From where we came from. 2001 is possibly comparable except they didn't have the injury issues we had . The effort of Neale to play those last 7 or 8 games and then dominate the GF when he could barely walk was phenomenal.

OK ,we had the luck ( but we still had to do it ) and faced imo a very lack lustre GF opponent. But I still think no one would've beaten us on GF day.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Was actually at the game when Hudson came back for the last game of the season. Hawks vs Pies at Waverly iirc. Hudson mesmerised the Pies defence. The image of Twiggy Dunne trying to play him like a basket ball guard (facing the player not the ball) is etched in my memory.

Hudson had an Uncanny ability to be know where the ball was going to be.

Imagine how he'd have gone with the front on contact rules we have now!

 

[Toffee Lion]

Agree, Jasper had a good 2nd year which sometimes does not happen.
No reason he won't have that breakout 3rd year some very good players experience. Let's hope he does.

Our other winger Berry.
I noticed he had hardly any strapping on in the Crows and Suns games.
I can't recall the last time Berry did not wear strapping that was not obvious to see.
Bottom image from the 2024 Grand Final. Heavy strapping on the right shoulder and some on the left.
His standard for quite a few years
Top image from the recent Crows game. Nothing on the right and a small strip showing on the left.
In his mind his right shoulder is now fine which is a positive.

He was very impressive last year and looked calm and collected against the Crows with 21 disposals and 5 marks.
Career best averages in 2024: Disposals 20.0, Marks 6.2, Contested marks 0.3, Stoppage clearances 2.0,
Meters gained 316.9, Intercepts 3.0
Achieved this with his 2nd lowest TOG 73.3% (lowest was his 11-game season in 2021 being 61.9%)


View attachment 2240439


View attachment 2240422

Winning the premiership must have lifted some weight off his shoulders....

I'll see myself out.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

View attachment 2241117

Well if he's so smart, how come he's dead?

 

[Tom14]

Well if he's so smart, how come he's dead?

 

[Grasshopper17]

Anyone go out for a look at the intra club yesterday?

Charlie Cameron 9-2 and 32 touches apparently. Who was the poor bugger playing on him!?

 

[Dalions]

Anyone go out for a look at the intra club yesterday?

Charlie Cameron 9-2 and 32 touches apparently. Who was the poor bugger playing on him!?

Alfred.

 

[uzabuz]

Anyone go out for a look at the intra club yesterday?

Charlie Cameron 9-2 and 32 touches apparently. Who was the poor bugger playing on him!?

Levi was in the A team surprise surprise.

 

[Viceregal]

Alfred.

Proud is back!!! What's his fitness like these days?

 

[Grasshopper17]

 

[Dalions]

Proud is back!!! What's his fitness like these days?

Does Albert have a brother?

 

[Viceregal]

Does Albert have a brother?

Oops (chagrin)

 

[Perrip]

Another AFL.com.au doco apparently, according to the Lions Media Manager.

 

[dlanod]

Another AFL.com.au doco apparently, according to the Lions Media Manager.

Hopefully it too can be summed up by a verb for me to use with an unfortunate turn of phrase.

Has "Pegging The Doubters Back" been done for starters?

 

[BangyBangy]

Well if he's so smart, how come he's dead?

Is he? I don't recall seeing a body.....

 

[Clarkythelion]

Proud is back!!! What's his fitness like these days?

He is probably out of jail now, he got 5.5 years for putting his girlfriend in hospital for 33 days after bashing her.