Mega Thread 2015 Training Reports

[Alfonz]

Different rules should apply to McPharlin. He's old and has a history of pinging calves/hammies.

Giving him 2-3 week spells can only help. Rest is not fraught with danger. What is fraught with danger is making him play too many games.

One of the other threads I made up a list of games I'd like to seem him miss/play ... I think he should be managed and only play against decent sides that have a good KPF and the good sides. There's at least 6 games we should rest him, possibly more depending on the ladder.

 

[pavsbootlace]

I don't see the benefit of him playing this week. Surely another week would decrease the chances of the injury re-occuring and him not having to travel would be a bonus.

We are two games clear, A Pearce handled himself very well last week and we need McPharlin for the finals.

1. He is a better footballer than Alex Pearce.

2. If he misses too long he'll lose match fitness.

If he's fit, he'll play. If he ain't, he won't.

 

[Kram]

After losing to St Kilda last year I'm not taking any away game for granted, especially against a team with as much talent as Footscray.

 

[Kram]

We also have a week off in one months time.

 

[go_the_dockers]

1. He is a better footballer than Alex Pearce.

2. If he misses too long he'll lose match fitness.

If he's fit, he'll play. If he ain't, he won't.

I guess my point was another week off would decrease the chance of a repeat injury.

I know he is a better player than Pearce and for that reason I want him playing finals in top condition and if that means he misses 10 more games for the year I would rather that than a 5% chance of him not being in top condition for finals.

He has either not played finals or has played injured the last two years, and I could not stand a repeat.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

 

[george2]

I guess my point was another week off would decrease the chance of a repeat injury.

I know he is a better player than Pearce and for that reason I want him playing finals in top condition and if that means he misses 10 more games for the year I would rather that than a 5% chance of him not being in top condition for finals.

He has either not played finals or has played injured the last two years, and I could not stand a repeat.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

Agree 100% with this. McPharlin is probably one bad injury away from retirement. I don't think he will play this week, if it was a home game I think that he would probably play but with the travelling and then the extra recovery I just cant see us taking the risk. I don't think we are flirting with danger by not playing him, we are just managing our older players like we said we would do before the season started. The positive to come out of it would obviously be getting another game in to Pearce for his development.

We would then be in the rare situation of the following week having McPharlin, Dawson and Pearce fighting to get a KPB spot in the team.

 

[pavsbootlace]

I guess my point was another week off would decrease the chance of a repeat injury.

It's soreness. It;'s not an injury as such.

I know he is a better player than Pearce and for that reason I want him playing finals in top condition and if that means he misses 10 more games for the year I would rather that than a 5% chance of him not being in top condition for finals.

He has either not played finals or has played injured the last two years, and I could not stand a repeat.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

According to Coach Lyon, Luke has been rested with the same symptoms he played through last year. You can rest assured that the club is taking a different approach with Luke this year.

 

[Freoforever86]

No doubt Pearce played well, but if McPharlin is 100% he will play.

 

[ozzie69]

Seemingly Johno was a bit sore/tired in the fourth quarter last week and spent this on the bench. Perhaps Luke could come in and Johno have a week's rest?

 

[Scatter]

Seemingly Johno was a bit sore/tired in the fourth quarter last week and spent this on the bench. Perhaps Luke could come in and Johno have a week's rest?

That is entirely possible.

 

[Spirit Level]

We also have a week off in one months time.

I didn't think the next derby was until the end of the year?

 

[couldhavebeen]

1. He is a better footballer than Alex Pearce.

2. If he misses too long he'll lose match fitness.

If he's fit, he'll play. If he ain't, he won't.

Mcpharlin has shown us and RTB that he looses nothing in by having a break due to injury in the past so if he isn't absolutely right to go or still a bit sore he should be given an extra week or 2 off and then come back into the team fresh , injury free and ready to go .
As others have stated Alex handled the pressure and can play at the required level .
We need to give him as many games as possible while Mcpharlin is there to help guide him and get him ready for a permanent place in the team .
We will be playing finals and we need to have good back up in case of injuries , so the timing is perfect to keep playing Alex .
He is only 19 so he will benefit from the experience and once he gets general soreness he can be rested because Luke will be ready to come back into the team .
I would love to see RTB develop Alex along the same lines as Pavlich was developed . Firstly as a CHB and then as a CHF .
Alex has the height , leap , endurance , as well as being a very good mark . By playing him as a key defender he will learn how to protect the drop zone as well how to keep his opponent out of the contest the same way as the Pav does .

 

[beetz]

It is very difficult to simulate match conditioning and it would be imperative to keep McPharlins up throughout the season. If he is fit to play then just play him, it is more beneficial than not.

 

[malpaso]

Need ground level players against the Bulldogs, I think McPharlin should have another week resting up. I'm actually more concerned with Johnno but our choices are limited at the moment.
Perhaps we play Mayne back this week (can match up Crameri/Stringer) and bring in Crozier/Duffy/Sheridan. Bulldogs are a running team!

 

[beetz]

Need ground level players against the Bulldogs, I think McPharlin should have another week resting up. I'm actually more concerned with Johnno but our choices are limited at the moment.
Perhaps we play Mayne back this week (can match up Crameri/Stringer) and bring in Crozier/Duffy/Sheridan. Bulldogs are a running team!

Just have to wait until teams are out, I feel another curve ball coming from Ross.

 

[pavsbootlace]

Mcpharlin has shown us and RTB that he looses nothing in by having a break due to injury in the past

Luke doesn't lose anything, but the team does. He is a very important player which is why he will play if he is fit.

so if he isn't absolutely right to go or still a bit sore he should be given an extra week or 2 off and then come back into the team fresh , injury free and ready to go .

Yes, this is what I said in the post you quoted. If he's still sore he will rest again. If not he'll play.

As others have stated Alex handled the pressure and can play at the required level .

Yes, Alex can play at the required level. Luke however, is well above the required level and is exactly the type of player we need to continue winning and secure a top two or top 4 spot. We won't remain undefeated without playing the best available.

We need to give him as many games as possible while Mcpharlin is there to help guide him and get him ready for a permanent place in the team .

There is a line coach, a head coach and a development coach to guide him. Yes Luke's experience is useful, but I think Luke is more useful to us as a player than a coach.

We will be playing finals

I believe we will need more than 6 wins to make that certain.

and we need to have good back up in case of injuries , so the timing is perfect to keep playing Alex .
He is only 19 so he will benefit from the experience and once he gets general soreness he can be rested because Luke will be ready to come back into the team .

Luke will come back when Luke is ready, not when Alex is sore.

 

[TheInjuryFactory]

If Luke is 100% he will play. However, if there is any doubt at all he will not. I don't think he will be rested for two weeks just to make doubly sure, but is one week enough to recover from a twinge given his poor history with calf issues? Bearing in mind that he did try to run on it at training and tapped himself out. Maybe not.

I disagree with the idea that we need to get games into A.Pearce at Luke's expense, if Luke is fit he plays.

2016 and beyond will take care of itself when the time comes, if we are serious about this year we need Luke to play as much as possible, with very careful management along the way.

 

[Crippa]

We will be playing finals and we need to have good back up in case of injuries , so the timing is perfect to keep playing Alex ..

Playing finals is not the aim. It's top 2 or die.

Last year, Port Adelaide were top of the ladder 2 games clear after round 12.

They failed to make top 4.

 

[sherrif]

I think people here are starting to over complicate things. Mcpharlin plays when he feels 100% leading into games and he doesnt play when he feels even the smallest amount of tightness to his calf or any there muscle in the legs. Players loose touch quicker than most here are recognizing. There is actually a risk in not playing him as well, in regard to maintaining his outstanding form. I think some here are getting ahead of where we at by resting players this early in the year.

 

[theGav56]

Playing finals is not the aim. It's top 2 or die.

Last year, Port Adelaide were top of the ladder 2 games clear after round 12.

They failed to make top 4.

A salient point.

 

[FreoRicci]

Rest McPharlin and play him against North next week. Save the travel and the recovery. We can structure defence differently. Dawson is coming back in a week or two as well. Just makes better sense. Mcpharlin isn't going to play 15 + games, think that's what the coaches probably have in mind anyway.

 

[XXRL]

I agree with the simple view: if McPharlin feels right he should play this week. If he doesn't feel right he shouldn't.

Then, exactly the same for the North Melbourne game: feels right = play, not right = don't play. With the NM game, at least Dawson should be available as well as A. Pearce provided he gets a good run at Peel.

For all we know McPharlin was at 95% so pulled out and now he's back to 100% again.

 

[couldhavebeen]

Luke doesn't lose anything, but the team does. He is a very important player which is why he will play if he is fit.



Yes, this is what I said in the post you quoted. If he's still sore he will rest again. If not he'll play.




Yes, Alex can play at the required level. Luke however, is well above the required level and is exactly the type of player we need to continue winning and secure a top two or top 4 spot. We won't remain undefeated without playing the best available.




There is a line coach, a head coach and a development coach to guide him. Yes Luke's experience is useful, but I think Luke is more useful to us as a player than a coach.




I believe we will need more than 6 wins to make that certain.




Luke will come back when Luke is ready, not when Alex is sore.

So your back up plan is what !!!.

Luke needs to be managed and travel only when its an important must win game . Keep him for home games and limited travel .
Alex played quite well and was not over whelmed .
We need to get as many games into him as possible so that when he is needed on a full time basis he has enough games under his belt .
Its win win all round for the team , Luke and Alex .
My point about Luke mentoring and showing Alex and our developing backmen how to play is while he is at the Club he can not only tell the players he can show them as well .
He is elite player and respected by the young players ,he won't be there much longer and the young guys will listen to him ,they will learn more from him than any line coach . Its what the best senior player do .

 

[Gekko71]

I don't mind having Luke back, just so long as he's completely rested up and over his soreness. Right now Alex presents no real threat of keeping Luke out of the team long term, so Luke shouldn't feel like his spot is under threat - he should only come back when he's ready.

Alex is very promising and I want to get games into him ASAP, but if I was able to choose between the two I'd much rather have Luke at FB for Sunday's game - I have a feeling this one could test us.

 

[salim malik]

So your back up plan is what !!!.

Luke needs to be managed and travel only when its an important must win game . Keep him for home games and limited travel .
Alex played quite well and was not over whelmed .
We need to get as many games into him as possible so that when he is needed on a full time basis he has enough games under his belt .
Its win win all round for the team , Luke and Alex .
My point about Luke mentoring and showing Alex and our developing backmen how to play is while he is at the Club he can not only tell the players he can show them as well .
He is elite player and respected by the young players ,he won't be there much longer and the young guys will listen to him ,they will learn more from him than any line coach . Its what the best senior player do .

I would have thought all games are must win until we can't be knocked out of the top two.