Universal Love 2016/2017 Pre-season Thread

[WaynesWorld19]

WW - what standard of running was Hampton at in the running session ? Have you got a player he was keeping up with as a comparison? Were CEY, Milera and Wigg better than him in the runs ?

Sorry Jeff didn't take note of who was with who after the first couple of groups.....he was mid pack, but the starting times of each group was staggered, reasons unknown .....Sloane / Mackay was in the 2nd group, Kelly started by himself first .....Hampton certainly wasn't lagging or struggling in the runs

 

[WaynesWorld19]

What did his fitness level (running) look like?
Hampton too (ie in the running drills).

Menzel was very sharp in all the drills, sharper than last season, but gee that observation is very subjective ......however as stated by a few posters at the session, he was running hard up and down the ground .....importantly afterwards there was no hands on his knees trying to recuperate

In the runs, he was very much like Hampton steady running, not laboring at all .......out of a 45 man list not all players are at the front of running, so that can't be taken as an indication of fitness levels .......remember watching Ben Marsh the Ruckman one year, and he could hardly get around the oval at all

 

[Allefgib]

Neither will be in the round 1 side ....Menzel will be though

What makes you say that compared to say Milera last year? Do you feel Milera was more ready?

 

[Danger in Texas]

Another quick question Wayne's-World - did Himmelberg train as a forward or a defender? Or wasn't it obvious?

 

[marty36]

Why the f were we playing Douglas on the hff last season anyway. This year we are trying to turn him into a hbf. How many successful mids have turned into other positions in the latter part of their career? It usually ends in tears or they have a season like douglas did last year. Are we going to try to turn jacobs into a fwd next year?
Did Matt Hayden bat at 6 in his last few years

Not hard to turn anyone into a HBFlanker anyone that has played footy and had a turn back there realises its the easiest position on the ground to play. The options to you are plentiful but HFF thats a harder gig

 

[ad victoriam]

Why the f were we playing Douglas on the hff last season anyway. This year we are trying to turn him into a hbf. How many successful mids have turned into other positions in the latter part of their career? It usually ends in tears or they have a season like douglas did last year. Are we going to try to turn jacobs into a fwd next year?
Did Matt Hayden bat at 6 in his last few years

in 2015 we leak goals thru our inability to defend the easy ball coming out of our defence. it was mention several times last preseason Douglas would play that defensive forward role. This year some of the younger players have stepped up and they can afford to move Douglas to other areas that's are causing us a few problems, ie Stoppages and small forwards.
Reason Douglas gets picked is his versatility to play multiple positions and he is one of the few players willing to sacrifice his game to follow team rules.

 

[DD#23]

Nope. Was mostly off on the far side doing sprints/running. Went up early to sign some stuff for the kids. I went off for a coffee at about 10 and he was out the back by the fence where they had the membership enquiries set up.

Not sure if he's hurt, or if it's a workload thing or what.

keeping the secret weapon under wraps

 

[DD#23]

Not hard to turn anyone into a HBFlanker anyone that has played footy and had a turn back there realises its the easiest position on the ground to play. The options to you are plentiful but HFF thats a harder gig

if they try Thommo in the role at AFL level be prepared to be proven wrong...

 

[marty36]

if they try Thommo in the role at AFL level be prepared to be proven wrong...

there may be reasons for that like the fact he is as old as the hills, can you imagine him off the HBF when he was in his prime, probably not because the game is won in the midfield and you plonk your best players there so you win the game

 

[WaynesWorld19]

What makes you say that compared to say Milera last year? Do you feel Milera was more ready?

Having come off a successful SANFL Finals games ......yes i thought he was more ready, plus Milera still didn't make the Crows midfield .....Gallucci / Poholke won't displace Hampton, Knight, Milera, Menzel, or even Wigg for that matter

There should be no issue if draftees have to do an apprenticeship in the SANFL ? .....that doesn't signify failure .....if we were at Carlton / Brisbane, or even Ports level, i'm sure they'd be getting a few games

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Another quick question Wayne's-World - did Himmelberg train as a forward or a defender? Or wasn't it obvious?

The training yesterday didn't paint a clear picture, but more as a forward, which i understand is where the club see's him

 

[Allefgib]

Having come off a successful SANFL Finals games ......yes i thought he was more ready, plus Milera still didn't make the Crows midfield .....Gallucci / Poholke won't displace Hampton, Knight, Milera, Menzel, or even Wigg for that matter

There should be no issue if draftees have to do an apprenticeship in the SANFL ? .....that doesn't signify failure .....if we were at Carlton / Brisbane, or even Ports level, i'm sure they'd be getting a few games

No argument from me on having to serve an apprenticeship. Was just curious on why you felt it would be different. More players competing fora round 1 spot (cross fingers!) makes alot of sense.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

I'm a massive admirer of Thommo and his career but too many ' writing on the wall ' type moments in second half of last year to say that game isnt passing him by

20-24 possessions from stoppages isn't enough value when you consider what he can't do any more

Don't mind if he plays occasionally if others are injured or are not stepping up

Won't survive at half back - nowhere to hide on a footy field these days

Just imagine how many shots at goal Thommo will give to the opposition through giving away sloppy free kicks

At least when he plays midfield his free kicks against are usually up the field however playing across HB these free kicks will be closer to goal

 

[Squiba]

HBF is easy if you are the loose man or on some useless hack of an opponent, but against a quality AFL forward it is a whole other kettle of fish.

More so, the AFL is not meant for people that can "manage"on the HBF, they need to excel, either at rebound, intercept marking or locking down an opponent. Thommo can't contributes any of the above attributes to the level of many of our younger players.

 

[marty36]

HBF is easy if you are the loose man or on some useless hack of an opponent, but against a quality AFL forward it is a whole other kettle of fish.

More so, the AFL is not meant for people that can "manage"on the HBF, they need to excel, either at rebound, intercept marking or locking down an opponent. Thommo can't contributes any of the above attributes to the level of many of our younger players.

If Thommo can reproduce what he is capable of, I don't believe any of young ones will match that, but t is a huge if!

 

[WaynesWorld19]

If Thommo can reproduce what he is capable of, I don't believe any of young ones will match that, but t is a huge if!

Can Thommo play Lairds role ? .......genuine question

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Can Thommo play Lairds role ? .......genuine question

I'm really not a fan of Thommo on a hbf, but open to Douglas as his skill set is more suitable.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I'm really not a fan of Thommo on a hbf, but open to Douglas as his skill set is more suitable.

Then lets amend that question ....could Douglas play Laird's role, freeing Laird up to go into the midfield ?


What do we lose & gain there? ......or is Doedee an option ? , but if so where does Douglas end up ?

 

[marty36]

Can Thommo play Lairds role ? .......genuine question

When he was 26 he would destroy lairds role

So like I said if he reproduce his form he could but it's a big if

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Then lets amend that question ....could Douglas play Laird's role, freeing Laird up to go into the midfield ?


What do we lose & gain there? ......or is Doedee an option ? , but if so where does Douglas end up ?

Yes, I think Douglas could spend time on a hbf to allow Laird, Smith, Seedsman, Hampton, etc all spend more midfield time through rotations.

Same with Sloane & Brouch.

The deeper we rotate the midfield, the better.

 

[GreyCrow]

When he was 26 he would destroy lairds role

So like I said if he reproduce his form he could but it's a big if

If my aunty had ...well you know the rest. He isn't 26 anymore. he will be 34 at the start of the season. He wont be reproducing anything but F/S

 

[marty36]

If my aunty had ...well you know the rest. He isn't 26 anymore. he will be 34 at the start of the season. He wont be reproducing anything but F/S

Obviously the club and Pykie disagrees with you

 

[tinman]

You're correct .....and IMO Thommo didn't play that badly last year ......he was dominant in the centre square and ball-ups .....it was just in field play he was a witches hat, hence my suggestion he take centre bounces and then go to HB

Can you remember who else at the Crows did that ? ......it did happen, but i can't remember the player?

McDermott and Bickley?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

McDermott and Bickley?

Thanks for that, there was someone more recent in the 2000's that did the centre bounces and then reverted to HB ?? ......was it Macleod in his last years??

 

[WetCrow1991]

If Thommo can reproduce what he is capable of, I don't believe any of young ones will match that, but t is a huge if!

It is an impossibility.