Training Training Thread 2023

[SmallRoo]

Phillips looked awesome. Starting to see that breakaway speed and power. Pick of the mids for me today.

 

[Ether]

Bro he doesn't look discernibly different to other pre season or in season pics. Not saying it's impossible, but it's a t-shirt, can't really tell much.

This was him last year and his legs don't look much different at all:

View attachment 1569708

I shouldn't get into this but you can be fit as f#@$, run a hard set, have a drink and your gut will stick out a bit if the photo's taken at the right time.

 

[Shinboner1]

any tucker sightings?

overheard him talking to a couple of fans as he was walking out from the gym.
Said he's allowed to run on the grass next week but has been doing work on the treadmill in the meantime.

 

[Kangalongtime]

Had a brief chat to brayden George today, what a polite kid, so happy to have stayed in Vic and pinching himself Clarko is his coach

Good build for a young fella
Had his surgery on September 1 so 2023 is definitely off the cards for him sadly

 

[Kangalongtime]

Had a brief chat to brayden George today, what a polite kid, so happy to have stayed in Vic and pinching himself Clarko is his coach

Good build for a young fella
Had his surgery on September 1 so 2023 is definitely off the cards for him sadly

And tucker is built like a tank I saw him walk past at same time, he’s a genuine specimen

 

[Kangalongtime]

Must be some Qatar inspired thing with the soccer balls?

 

[Merlin007]

I shouldn't get into this but you can be fit as f#@$, run a hard set, have a drink and your gut will stick out a bit if the photo's taken at the right time.

You were right the first time - don’t get into it

 

[hsquid]

I was there too but when I saw the sterling job being done by Shinboner1 I took the "old bull" approach and let him do the heavy lifting.A few other observations from today:

• There was a very nice drill they were doing at quite high intensity with a 4-2 setup inside a 5m x 5m box. The team of 4 had to string together as many handpasses as possible under pressure from the others. They did pretty well. A lot of the screw-ups were due to attempted 'glory' passes. When they cut those out they got up to 25 in a row.
  
  
• In the exercises I saw it was hard for anyone to really stand out positively. This is normal when things are looking good. But Curtis Taylor
  5

  Curtis Taylor

  Age

  24

  Ht

  188cm

  Wt

  82kg

  Pos.

  M/F

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  6.0

  1star

  K

  3.0

  1star

  HB

  3.0

  3star

  M

  1.5

  2star

  T

  2.0

  4star

  CL

  0.0

  1star

  No current season stats available

  D

  6.0

  2star

  K

  3.0

  1star

  HB

  3.0

  3star

  M

  1.5

  2star

  T

  2.0

  4star

  CL

  0.0

  1star

  was disappointing for me. Fumbled too much, took the wrong option or too slow or not strong enough. In a few exercises he was the one creating the turnovers noticeably more than others. He snapped a very nice goal in one exercise but overall I think he will need to step up to keep his spot
  
  
• The general spirit seemed very positive, engaged and focused. This matches with the ITK insights we got from the AFLW B&F last night. Hamish Free ("Hammer") is probably the player furthest from the pace overall and you could see how he felt in the jumper presentation: As if he didn't really deserve to be there. In one half-field exercise he positioned himself well and took an easy intercept mark, then maybe took it too fast and kicked a shocker, 15m to an opponent. Everyone was loudly verbally patting him on the back for the mark without any reference to the turnover., a sign of a supportive, inclusive culture.
  
  
• In the same exercise BMac managed to spoil CCJ in a contest. After the ball rebounded he explained what it was about CCJ's body positioning that made it possible for him to spoil. Again, proper collaborative team learning.
  
  
• In this exercise they were rotating groups of forwards and backs. Boomer was looking after the forwards and Blakey the defenders. When the 'spare' defenders were in the way on the field Boomer called out to Blakey: "Can you get your reptiles off the ground?". Is Blakey the Lizard King?
  
  
• Very good numbers participating in everything: Just Hall, Logue, Corr and TT doing their own things and Wardlaw going in and out with extra running to build the tank.
  
  
• Can't confirm anything about the Hall spray but he was definitely very focused and was running the lines with a serious resting-bitch-face that seemed to me to be representing determination rather than any resentment.

 

[The Nostradamus]

thanks for all the reports. lets hope we have some anglesea locals who can fill the void next week on here

 

[berniemccarthy]

So many pinch yourself aspects to our team make-up now.

Alastair Clarkson is the senior coach. Todd Viney is the Football GM.

Brett Ratten. BRETT RATTEN. Is an assistant? There was a time we probably couldn't have even got Brett Ratten to interview for our senior job.

Liam Shiels, 3 premiership champion - chooses to forgo retirement to play at North Melbourne. Again, can easily picture a scenario in the last decade when we'd make that kind of approach and get brushed off.

We've achieved absolutely nothing yet and [insert superstition of choice] it can all go pear-shaped from here. But this is the best collective set-up we've had since the 2013 off-season summer of love.

Was told by a very well connected Saints man that Ratts did not want the job at North as he wants to go into business with his son setting up a plants business. AC talked him into a part time role which will give him a steady income while the other thing is set up. So not sure how long he will be with us but good while he is.

 

[Lomas]

Was told by a very well connected Saints man that Ratts did not want the job at North as he wants to go into business with his son setting up a plants business. AC talked him into a part time role which will give him a steady income while the other thing is set up. So not sure how long he will be with us but good while he is.

Plants, eh?

 

[the big lebowski]

Just back.

The thing that seemed to stand out for me was the basicness of the training. Someone mentioned it the other day but it really was an u18 or local footy club type of thing with regards to the drills etc. I can only assume Clarko is stripping it right back with foundation level skill development, which certainly warms my heart given the level of skills on display over previous years. Noble said his first priority was education, but that certainly seemed to be something he struggled to get across on available evidence. The training I witnessed today was extremely basic, and more geared toward development from a low base than anything I watched during pre season of the previous administration. Another thing that stood out was the operation of forwards, mids and defenders at times dong their own things as a group, without training with the while playing group. Not that they did this the whole time but certainly for large chunks of the session.

Given the above, coupled with what I would describe as low intensity, the skills were pretty good. at least compared to the first session I watched last year, where the ball spent more time on the ground than in the air.

Having said all of this it is kind of hard to speak about individual players but i'll do my best.

Phillips and LDU seemed to be the best of the mids. Both are really running on top of the ground. Both hitting some lovely kicks, particularly WAP to leading forwards.

Wardlaw didn't touch a footy that I saw, was just running laps. Just mentioning this for people that feel the need to put him in round 1 teams etc. I wouldn't even be surprised if he is not playing VFL at the commencement of the season. They look like they will be spending the next 4-6 months focusing on his body rather than playing footy.

Drury looked impressive as others have mentioned previously. Cooper and sheez likewise.

from last years draft, Paul Curtis looks in great knick despite just running the boundary. Definitely looks better body shape wise than when I saw him this time last year. Even more so Goater who looks a million dollars. hit some very nice kicks and also fluffed a couple. Bergman doesn't appear much different physically. Arch was a little fumbly.

As mentioned WAP was in everything. As was Powell, who looked smooth and bulked up. Spicer was up and about which was good to see.

Comben looks great, as does Perez who I think has picked up a yard with another preseason after the knee.

Sleevo looked engaged and was getting into dangerous positions. Seems they want to use him delivering inside 50 so I don't expect the half back position to continue based on positioning today.

xerri was working hard against gold and rag dolled him a bit at times. CCJ did some good things as a forward but seemed to stay away from the ruck.

Young and Dawson were central to backline training and did well. Particularly Dawson who might be slipping under the radar a bit. Again, as with what he showed last year, it was more his offensive work in the backline that stood out.

some strange things

1 - I played junior footy at a pretty high level and we were always yelled at for kicking around corners. Ziebell and Goater were actually specifically trying this technique towards the end. FYI as others have mentioned, Clarko obviously prefers Ziebell behind the ball as he trained with the defenders.

2 - Comben was practising set shots, with no one on the mark from 3 meters out. He did it at least 10 times in what appeared to be discretionary time (while JZ and GOAT were practising one step round the corner kicks).

3 - I'd love to know the footballing benefit of playing soccer but I'll bow to Clarko's better judgement there.

and that's about it. Not that anyone is expecting us to rocket up the ladder this year, but watching such a basic session at relatively low intensity, with little discernible practising of a game plan leads me to believe it might be another long year in terms of wins/losses. Not a revolutionary prediction, or one I'm necessarily upset with but just laying it out for others to play it out. Word.

 

[the big lebowski]

Also, I missed the start, with cunners apparently doing some good stuff. After I got there he did some amazing cunners type stuff and then went inside.

The headline is that I don’t expect him too far of his best this upcoming season.

 

[Psicosis]

It’s funny isn’t it. There are some pretty obvious/basic positional changes that would have made us a better side in 2022, which weren’t even really tried (until David left).

• Playing two key forwards, Larkey & Chom/CCJ
• LDU as a full time starting mid
• Stephenson to a wing
• Thomas behind the ball
• Perez to half back

I mean this stuff really isn’t rocket science. It just shows how out of touch Noble was.

 

[Kangaroos techno]

Heading off now. Gotta rest after night shift last night. Will let others take over from here. Take lots of photos

1 job? Pfft, pathetic. If I had of known you were this lazy I wouldn't have read your reports!


I love you.

 

[Passmore]

If I was Aaron Hall, I'd mention Stuart Dew.

If I were Aaron Hall, that’s not a bear I’d be wanting to poke.

 

[benbanjo]

If I were Aaron Hall, that’s not a bear I’d be wanting to poke.

Unless you can bang it 70 and hit Larkey on the bussom

 

[Passmore]

Phillips was the standout for me. Looks amazing. Such a difference after the COVID wipeout and the illness.

Curtis and Powell‘s body shape looks terrific

CCJ looked quite mobile and strong

Young has way more presence about him now.

Anyone know who TT was talking to? He was sitting there for a good half hour. Was still going as I left and the boys were coming off the track.

 

[speedy]

Not that anyone is expecting us to rocket up the ladder this year, but watching such a basic session at relatively low intensity, with little discernible practising of a game plan leads me to believe it might be another long year in terms of wins/losses. Not a revolutionary prediction, or one I'm necessarily upset with but just laying it out for others to play it out. Word.

What ever game plan we were trying to implement last year probably made us a 4 goal worse team. Improved skills, fitness and a basic game plan will probably be enough for us to improve greatly.

Sounds as if Clarko is dumbing it down so we can concentrate on basic skill execution, which unfortunately is where we are at. Things will probably ramp up in the new year.

 

[the big lebowski]

What ever game plan we were trying to implement last year probably made us a 4 goal worse team. Improved skills, fitness and a basic game plan will probably be enough for us to improve greatly.

Sounds as if Clarko is dumbing it down so we can concentrate on basic skill execution, which unfortunately is where we are at. Things will probably ramp up in the new year.

Agree on the natural areas of improvement you’ve mentioned, plus the structural benefit of 2 KPF and 2 KPD

 

[speedy]

xerri was working hard against gold and rag dolled him a bit at times.

Who rag dolled who? X kept up with Goldy in the time trial. So if he is rag dolling goldy aswell, then maybe we are underestimating big X? He is still only 23.

 

[speedy]

Agree on the natural areas of improvement you’ve mentioned, plus the structural benefit of 2 KPF and 2 KPD

Yep, I forgot about some of the ludicrous team selections.

 

[the big lebowski]

Who rag dolled who? X kept up with Goldy in the time trial. So if he is rag dolling goldy aswell, then maybe we are underestimating big X? He is still only 23.

X was rag dolling goldy

 

[speedy]

X was rag dolling goldy

Wow.

 

[Passmore]

It’s funny isn’t it. There are some pretty obvious/basic positional changes that would have made us a better side in 2022, which weren’t even really tried (until David left).

• Playing two key forwards, Larkey & Chom/CCJ
• LDU as a full time starting mid
• Stephenson to a wing
• Thomas behind the ball
• Perez to half back

I mean this stuff really isn’t rocket science. It just shows how out of touch Noble was.

As s**t as it was, it’s lead us to Clarko and co.