Training Axeman’s training reports and discussion thread

[flinchfree]

Morrison is quick enough but not a speedster. Not much acceleration though however he has good lateral movement which is something Hartung did not have.

He's not quick for a wingman and regardless that's not why Hartung was cut either. Morrison has a crack and doesn't panic like Hartung did, which is the key difference.

Agree with this.
If I had my go at the kid, I'd feed him Musashi all winter/summer and try and stack on some bulky quick twitch muscle to allow him to plow into and under for congested ball.
While he's a beautiful link player, long term if he can't cover open space to be really good defensively to go with his excellent part of the chain play, he'll be a liability.
On the ball as a ruck rover switching off with JOM, I think he might have really good instincts and make an onballer....but he's one I'd want to stack on the weight and completely transform his body to manage it.
Otherwise he'll get brushed off to easily by the games best followers.

 

[detox]

Morrison is quick enough but not a speedster. Not much acceleration though however he has good lateral movement which is something Hartung did not have.

Feel like Morrison just needs to up his disposal count. Uses it well and good composure but needs 20+ disposals a game. Hes more of a 15 disposal player at present

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bugs1977]

Agree with this.
If I had my go at the kid, I'd feed him Musashi all winter/summer and try and stack on some bulky quick twitch muscle to allow him to plow into and under for congested ball.
While he's a beautiful link player, long term if he can't cover open space to be really good defensively to go with his excellent part of the chain play, he'll be a liability.
On the ball as a ruck rover switching off with JOM, I think he might have really good instincts and make an onballer....but he's one I'd want to stack on the weight and completely transform his body to manage it.
Otherwise he'll get brushed off to easily by the games best followers.

It is important to remember that he is still just a kid that obviously has a lot to work on body wise / game wise. Will he ever be more than just a role player? Maybe but for where we drafted him that wouldn't be the end of the world.

He's had an underwhelming JLT but he's only in his 3rd season (1 game in 2017 & 22 games in 2018) so this is really his is second full season as a regular member of the senior team. He just has to play his role and try to improve on what he brought last year which is to be more consistent.

*Edit: Something I didn't know was that Morrison suffered an ACL injury during the 2015 season. So his 2016 season would've been a right off with his 2017 being him finding his feet playing again. It's little things like this that we all forget and can sometimes be too critical when assessing players.

 

[stemline]

Feel like Morrison just needs to up his disposal count. Uses it well and good composure but needs 20+ disposals a game. Hes more of a 15 disposal player at present

My thoughts also. He tends to bob up in important moments, but you don't see him get a lot of cheap touches around the ground. When I say cheap, I mean the necessary transition possessions that midfielders should accumulate as par for the course. He plays midfield like a mercurial half-forward flanker without the mercurial.

 

[Crock]

but he's one I'd want to stack on the weight and completely transform his body to manage it.
Otherwise he'll get brushed off to easily by the games best followers.

Appears to me that the Hawthorn attitude is (in the main) completely opposite to this.
Strip off weight to increase agility and speed!

 

[flinchfree]

Appears to me that the Hawthorn attitude is (in the main) completely opposite to this.
Strip off weight to increase agility and speed!

Yup, but you couldn't strip weight off him with a wrap around steam room.
He aint getting faster with lower pinch tests, his only chance at really changing quickness is by developing some muscle in the glutes and quads. Don't want him to look like a cartoon character so maybe some upper body size would help too at holding/creating space and finding more ball. He's already a good tackler, but as Bris and others have said doesn't find a lot of the ball and that's because most of his possies are when we've got it.
Can't outrun an opposition player to a loose ball 20-25 meters away even though he can see it unfolding, in fact he needs to get a serious jump on the ball through his vision.
Credit to the kid he does his best and that's pretty darn good, but think there's more we could tap from his existing gifts if we could unleash a little extra explosiveness.

 

[Hawk_francais]

Morrison is quick enough but not a speedster. Not much acceleration though however he has good lateral movement which is something Hartung did not have.

I doubt Morrison is near the top 5 for speed in the afl, but neither is his lack of leg-speed a worry in my eyes. Twice finishing second in our time-trial shows a healthy mix of pace and endurance. As you say his lateral and evasive movement is also very good. Poster I was objecting to stated it was something he lacked. Watching him at Box Hill he always looked far nimbler than the rest.

He's not quick for a wingman and regardless that's not why Hartung was cut either. Morrison has a crack and doesn't panic like Hartung did, which is the key difference.

You're right that his superior determination to win the ball which is the key difference. However I believe it was Brad Hill leaving which led to Hartung's extended run in the seniors in 2017, and Morrison's emergence at Box Hill and finally the senior team that year which led to Hartung being axed (Billy's form after all was average but not terrible. Had we lacked suitable options for wingmen then he would've been retained).

 

[Gralin]

My thoughts also. He tends to bob up in important moments, but you don't see him get a lot of cheap touches around the ground. When I say cheap, I mean the necessary transition possessions that midfielders should accumulate as par for the course. He plays midfield like a mercurial half-forward flanker without the mercurial.

HFF is where he has spent a fair bit of time during games so far. Will be interesting with him being named on the wing whether he plays true wing today or not

 

[Caesarr]

Our F50 pressure has been unreal

 

[MrPremiership]

hey lads,
any news on the vfl did they play ? was there a practice match?
any news on returning players also, cheers

see-sawing game which BHH lost be a couple of points

Miles BOG
Strong games from Lewis and Moore

 

[TheFourPillars]

see-sawing game which BHH lost be a couple of points

Miles BOG
Strong games from Lewis and Moore

Hanrahan had a pretty good first half

 

[Mrzohs]

see-sawing game which BHH lost be a couple of points

Miles BOG
Strong games from Lewis and Moore

Hanrahan had a pretty good first half

cheers lads, i see both these guys Moore and Hanrahan putting alot of pressure on the small fwd for a game this yr.

great news on Lewis, i also see him featuring alot this yr. I don't think the 2nd ruck is working as well as we would like up forward, it might be a good chance to play Lewis and use Roughead at times to chop out in the ruck and be used as the big body around the ball.

thoughts?

 

[Brant]

cheers lads, i see both these guys Moore and Hanrahan putting alot of pressure on the small fwd for a game this yr.

great news on Lewis, i also see him featuring alot this yr. I don't think the 2nd ruck is working as well as we would like up forward, it might be a good chance to play Lewis and use Roughead at times to chop out in the ruck and be used as the big body around the ball.

thoughts?

Roughy can't be used in the Ruck any more mate. He's 193cm & can't jump. Genuine ruckman will kill him & without the ability to play a spare defender (6-6-6 rule), we'll be done before the game starts.

 

[Mrzohs]

Roughy can't be used in the Ruck any more mate. He's 193cm & can't jump. Genuine ruckman will kill him & without the ability to play a spare defender (6-6-6 rule), we'll be done before the game starts.

I Agree he has lost he jump, i don't agree with 6-6-6 hawthorn been winning flags roving off the opposition tap for years,

After the centre bounce i think he could push up into the ruck, we will just have to wait till M.lewis is ready the sooner the better its the only missing link i see

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I Agree he has lost he jump, i don't agree with 6-6-6 hawthorn been winning flags roving off the opposition tap for years,

After the centre bounce i think he could push up into the ruck, we will just have to wait till M.lewis is ready the sooner the better its the only missing link i see

Not concerned with the lack of quality key defenders?

 

[OnTheRocks]

I wonder what Sam Mitchell thinks about Morrisons perceived lack of speed?

 

[KermitJagger]

I wonder what Sam Mitchell thinks about Morrisons perceived lack of speed?

Or size for that matter

 

[B&GBlood]

Morrison is noticeable bigger in the upper body this year. His tackling has been very good

 

[flinchfree]

I wonder what Sam Mitchell thinks about Morrisons perceived lack of speed?

Or size for that matter

Asking for a mate....Is being a smart arse your full time jobs or just part time?

 

[OnTheRocks]

Asking for a mate....Is being a smart arse your full time jobs or just part time?

Haha!
BF = full time
Life = part time
I just don't take this place too serious.

Appears to me that the Hawthorn attitude is (in the main) completely opposite to this.
Strip off weight to increase agility and speed!

I think they do this pre season and then build up in season so to have harder enduring bodies for finals.

 

[KermitJagger]

Asking for a mate....Is being a smart arse your full time jobs or just part time?

When you love what you do is it really work?

 

[threesixpio]

Morrison is noticeable bigger in the upper body this year. His tackling has been very good

I’ve always liked his tackling. His hand balling is excellent

I’m a big Morrison fan just quietly

 

[flinchfree]

Haha!
BF = full time
Life = part time
I just don't take this place too serious.

When you love what you do is it really work?

BOOM!
Now THAT'S how you do repartee.
Love this joint.

 

[Mrzohs]

Not concerned with the lack of quality key defenders?

Not as much,
Sicily is such a star that I think we can get away without a quality C.H.B.
For mine he a top 5 def in the comp.
A lot will rest on Frawley having a good season and Mirra or Brand breaking even with there player.
Even more so if Birchall returns him and Stratton are solid intercept players.
Hardwick and Impey are solid overhead for smalls.

Up forward I don't have the same confidence, we don't have a player as good as Sicily to cover a lack of height or marking power atm.
Just my View

 

[PenAndPaper]

Not as much,
Sicily is such a star that I think we can get away without a quality C.H.B.
For mine he a top 5 def in the comp.
A lot will rest on Frawley having a good season and Mirra or Brand breaking even with there player.
Even more so if Birchall returns him and Stratton are solid intercept players.
Hardwick and Impey are solid overhead for smalls.

Up forward I don't have the same confidence, we don't have a player as good as Sicily to cover a lack of height or marking power atm.
Just my View

Birchall an intercept player?