Universal Love 2016/2017 Pre-season Thread

Danger in Texas

DID I STUTTER?
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Think your thoughts maybe more around what you've seen of Laird so far ...rather than his capabilities?
Has he played in the guts at any other level before? If so, has he been good? I'll admit, I haven't seen him play that role full-time, so I should probably hold judgement, but my point stills stands about his disposal being much better when given time to assess.
 

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Cockwomble

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Stutter, or thinking of a response at the same time as being timely in his response ......thought he was very open, but you have to remember at this time of the year, all clubs are trying to get intel on all other clubs .....so he does have to be careful in his response
Yep agree..
 
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Has he played in the guts at any other level before? If so, has he been good? I'll admit, I haven't seen him play that role full-time, so I should probably hold judgement, but my point stills stands about his disposal being much better when given time to assess.
Was recruited as a midfielder ....in his post draft year he and Brad Crouch dominated the midfield for Westies
 

lunacy

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Pretty stock standard training really, nothing too exciting going on.

Knight was absolutely everywhere in all the drills and gives his all. Can't wait to have him back, think he will have a massive impact on our running game if he stays fit!
Hampton and Menzel were quite impressive until it came to the running at the end. Hampton especially in the midfield drills was killing it with his spread from the contest.
Lever looks great also and has really added some size.
Every time I go and see Gore at training, he is nailing these 30m daisy cutters and looks a million dollars with his technique and dash. Doesn't deliver that as often on game day however :(
Gallucci in a similar sense looked really good for a first year, skills were tidy and was very zippy.
There was one kid there who looked great in everything and his skills were awesome, turned out to be Jackson Edwards. Kids frame is so solidly built already, looks a great prospect and I'm excited by him already and he's still a year away.
Poholke is a serious unit for a first year, could very easily play round 1 and not get pushed around. Showed good aggression too.
Doedee is the same, bloke is maaassive and in great shape also. Milera had his measure in the first few running drills they did at the end, but Doedee wasn't far behind and reeled him in the last of the 3.
Smith was keeping up with Sloane which was good to see, considering he's been a bit of a party animal of late...

I noticed also a few of our senior players like Sloane, Talia, Hartigan and even Tex were looking just that little bit leaner again still.

Lastly, Signorello has to be possibly the most uncoordinated and gangly looking footballer I have ever seen. The fact that he can kick and mark a footy as well as he can just doesn't make sense. There is just something about his body language and the way he moves that look so, so weird. But hey, it works so can't complain!

Apart from the younger guys who were all rotating through various activities, Lynch, JJ, Thompson and Seedsman didn't train, with Seedsman being the only unknown for me, maube managing a niggle? Douglas also seemed to be on a limited program and did his own thing towards the end.
Nice report. Thanks Azza. Can you explain this running drill and in particular what level Hampton and Menzel were at? Was it poor or adequate?
 
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Love the training report, thanks. But I'll believe this bit when I see it.
It's only one training report, so in the big scheme of a pre-season, it needs to be taken in context ......but Otten was noticeably lighter and appeared to be covering the ground well .....but all players looked in top nick ;)
 

Chief Crow

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I was in attendance today.

2 standouts were Hampton and Menzel.

Hampton looked to use his pace and nice sidestep at best available times. I took particular notice of his work at stoppage drills and he stood out over every other player in there.
In one play he took the ball off the deck and sprinted 10-15 metres and dished off a 10 metre handball to a team mate (can't remember who) in front in space. By the time the other player had the ball cleanly, Hampton was already in line with him to receive the ball back.
Kicking and decision making seemed decent too.
Think he can/will add heaps to our team next year.

Menzel looked like a bonafide AFL player. His kicking was so good, whether it was lacing a team mate on the chest or well waited balls over the top. The other thing that was fantastic to see was his work up and down the ground in drills. One drill he was in the forward pocket and the ball worked down to full forward at the other end, I look up less then a minute later and he was in the back pocket applying defensive pressure.
His running patterns were also impressive as he would work hard and get on the end of plays.

Jackson Edwards looks so composed already and stood out more then all our draft picks in terms of skills. Think he will get a reasonably early bid and thank god we have our 1st round pick next year.

happy to answer questions on others
 
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I was in attendance today.

2 standouts were Hampton and Menzel.

Hampton looked to use his pace and nice sidestep at best available times. I took particular notice of his work at stoppage drills and he stood out over every other player in there.
In one play he took the ball off the deck and sprinted 10-15 metres and dished off a 10 metre handball to a team mate (can't remember who) in front in space. By the time the other player had the ball cleanly, Hampton was already in line with him to receive the ball back.
Kicking and decision making seemed decent too.
Think he can/will add heaps to our team next year.

Menzel looked like a bonafide AFL player. His kicking was so good, whether it was lacing a team mate on the chest or well waited balls over the top. The other thing that was fantastic to see was his work up and down the ground in drills. One drill he was in the forward pocket and the ball worked down to full forward at the other end, I look up less then a minute later and he was in the back pocket applying defensive pressure.
His running patterns were also impressive as he would work hard and get on the end of plays.

Jackson Edwards looks so composed already and stood out more then all our draft picks in terms of skills. Think he will get a reasonably early bid and thank god we have our 1st round pick next year.

happy to answer questions on others
Glad you saw Menzel and Hampton as i did as the two standouts ;) ......thoughts on CEY? and your preference in the midfield on today's performance CEY v Hampton ??
 

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Jackson Edwards looks so composed already and stood out more then all our draft picks in terms of skills. Think he will get a reasonably early bid and thank god we have our 1st round pick next year.

happy to answer questions on others
Do you think Jackson Edwards looks a Dal Santo type player?
 

Chief Crow

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Glad you saw Menzel and Hampton as i did as the two standouts ;) ......thoughts on CEY? and your preference in the midfield on today's performance CEY v Hampton ??
Even without Hampton in the midfield mix I have ridden CEY off. I was chatting with my old man today and I made the comment I would take 20 Menzel disposals a game over 35 CEY disposals as I know the Menzel ones will hurt the opposition and not us. I see Hampton similar (not skill level) but ability to hurt the opposition.
 

Chief Crow

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One thing I forgot to mention is my brother spotted Zooma Edwards there too. Obviously watching Jackson but it clearly shows no issues anymore.
Jackson also continuing to train with us during his school holidays shows the determination and professional he already is. With the work he is doing I fully expect him to play AFL in his rookie year if injuries allow.
 

crowsup

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The SANFL games I saw last year Menzel was working his arse off, I think he got a bum wrap last year as his concussions got in the way every time he seemed to be on the edge of selection.

crowsup
Once again you got it wrong. I never said you never had anything good to say about the players! We were talking about the club. Any decision the club makes. I.E. Missing out on Gibb was a failure; Reid being wrong in telling the public about Gibb before Carlton new about it; The club not being able to work out we needed a good centre and failing to get one this year; etc. etc. etc.
 

BRL121

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Training Report .....21st Dec 2016

**************** Copyright 2016 ********************:p as if

Firstly great crowd showed up, took me most of the session to work out who was who ......some wearing full Santa suits, Eddie a Santa dress .....and nearly all players wearing Santa hats ......who the F...k could tell anyone apart, then the changing of colored tops constantly made the identification process near on impossible

Last years session was all about kicking into the forward 50 ...20-30mtr spot up kicks to congested leading players ....today it was a lot of ball up contested work

That said , star performers just stick out & you simply can't miss them

All players look in great nick,many have a different build, some heavier, some lighter .. and you left the session really feeling there's a list chock full of talent

Players i simply could not find & therefore cannot comment ....Greenwood, Milera, Seedsman, .....Jenkins didn't train & Lynch, who i've never seen lighter or better condition, made cameo appearances

Charlie
wore a strange training outfit that made him look like an Academy schoolboy .....so small he looked that i even thought he may have been Jarman from a distance ....so didn't pay a lot of attention to him, thinking he was an Academy associate of Edwards

Draftees
Agree completely that Sig is so uncoordinated, so skinny, that he will not be ready till 2019 at the earliest. His running was impressive being last on the first full oval boundary run, but improved with each run ......has very good hands though, but looks a real schoolboy footballer ATM

Sig was still getting confused with some of the drills :p

My pick of the draftees has to be Himmelberg ....not through athletic exploits today, but his on-field moves and marking maneuverings .....make no mistake, this kid can play and has a football brain!

Gallucci is already to play AFL now ...his kicking today no problems short, but can't comment on long kicks. He's quick we know, but in the aerobic running he was nothing stand-out .......AFL players have a sharpness about how they move and execute on the field ....Gallucci and Poholke still look to be traveling at Vic Metro levels & will take at least until the 2nd half of the season to have any show of a game this year .....IMO unlikely

Jarman ? .....didn't notice, so on todays session Meh!

Main Group

Gee, i eventually identified most players, but the talls, nah .....so won't comment

The stars of the session from my perspective were:

Hampton .....this guy left nothing on the field today, and was dominant in the midfield, where he trained .....mean looking athlete, who is quick and was simply outstanding

Menzel .....i mentioned b4 that AFL star players have a sharpness and self confidence in their presence on the field ......Menzel will play a lot of AFL this year, today he was playing HF and man, everything he did was at pace and full of class ......he's now ready !!

He was running multiple lines after disposing to follow-up for another disposal .....worked his arse off :thumbsu:

Knight .....not a lot new from Knight, but he was in the midfield today & was a standout, being aggressive and quick .....pencil him in !

Milera ......didn't see much of his training, but he's certainly bigger than last year, and his full oval lap running had him clearly in front of draftees

Brad Crouch .....guy has spent solid time in the gym, unusual for him, and looks a million dollars .....just trained as a star player should

Other Comments
CEY looks in the best shape i've seen .....but after training, frankly i didn't see anything that i haven't seen b4 .....honestly, other players mentioned were noticeably bigger / thinner / faster / improved .....think he'll need some luck

Betts .....can't believe the cult status by supporters .....he's now almost at "Rockstar" levels :p

Gore .....hasn't put on any bulk, as he needed to do, and didn't standout today ....what's that tell us ??

Harry Dear ......big big muscular unit ....bigger than Jenkins

Jake Kelly ......easily winning distance running ......and easily still missing targets by foot

That was hard today ...questions?
No word on Mackay, Wayne?
 

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Once again you got it wrong. I never said you never had anything good to say about the players! We were talking about the club. Any decision the club makes. I.E. Missing out on Gibb was a failure; Reid being wrong in telling the public about Gibb before Carlton new about it; The club not being able to work out we needed a good centre and failing to get one this year; etc. etc. etc.
The players are the club though, the club made the decision to recruit the players they have and play them.

And missing out on Gibbs was a failure. We wanted him, we announced our intentions and didn't get the job done. If that's being negative then you need to harden up.
 

earlsta

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Just remember how Lynch and JJ were in their first couple years at the club and look where they're at right now.

Menzel and Hampton have only been at the club for a year, both with limited pre seasons too, they'll be players that I have no doubt. It's these two that we need to take us to the next level..ie: top 4
 

crowsup

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The players are the club though, the club made the decision to recruit the players they have and play them.

And missing out on Gibbs was a failure. We wanted him, we announced our intentions and didn't get the job done. If that's being negative then you need to harden up.
I would need to ask you the same question again; Do you believe the club would have been right in giving up two first round picks for Gibb? And, If they did, would you have called it a win and therefore not a failure by the club? Or, would you have said that the club failed by overpaying, as I suspect you would have? I don't think, in all honesty, you could have it both ways.
 
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