2019 Training Reports

Too slow? Thinking too much? Thinking too long? Too daring? Unfairly treated by umps? They’re the only reasons for that, none of which positive. Luckily all bar the last are fixable.

Most of our holding the ball calls were for players who were deemed to have taken the tackle on and then not disposed correctly, this was by either leaning into the tackler or putting up an arm to attempt to fend off - whistle, free against.

You can picture it, Crowden takes the ball as the opponent is on him, tries to run through the player and the ball is spilled, whistle - free against.

That sort of applied pressure in the middle to force long bomb kicks works really well against us when we have no forward line.
 

apuchar

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Also think we are usually in close in a contest, rarely outside on our own. Makes tackling us very easy. We usually get the ball inside and handball to someone inside.
 
Also think we are usually in close in a contest, rarely outside on our own. Makes tackling us very easy. We usually get the ball inside and handball to someone inside.
That's a common theme across the league for that first or second handball anyway, it highlights the possible advantage we could have with a center bounce dominance.

Do you line up outside the stoppage and let the opposition out-man you at the contest around the ground?
 

apuchar

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That's a common theme across the league for that first or second handball anyway, it highlights the possible advantage we could have with a center bounce dominance.

Do you line up outside the stoppage and let the opposition out-man you at the contest around the ground?
We out number and still lose it and then the oppo have men waiting on the outside. We win it and look for the handball and the only option is someone else in close to the contest. So we get it still in congestion.
 
We out number and still lose it and then the oppo have men waiting on the outside. We win it and look for the handball and the only option is someone else in close to the contest. So we get it still in congestion.
My hope for this is that Fyfe plays like Fyfe, he will probably get most opposition attention but Brayshaw is quite dynamic and sharp in his movement and I think he could be our best avenue out of the stoppages.

..As long as our plan every ruck contest isn't to drop it at the ruckman's feet then block a bit of space to allow one of our mids to slip by and off with it.

The tap to space might be on the cards if Colyer is in the stoppage, but I think we will still get the long bomb to turnover there. Do we have a quick player who can find a handball after getting into space?
 

apuchar

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My hope for this is that Fyfe plays like Fyfe, he will probably get most opposition attention but Brayshaw is quite dynamic and sharp in his movement and I think he could be our best avenue out of the stoppages.

..As long as our plan every ruck contest isn't to drop it at the ruckman's feet then block a bit of space to allow one of our mids to slip by and off with it.

The tap to space might be on the cards if Colyer is in the stoppage, but I think we will still get the long bomb to turnover there. Do we have a quick player who can find a handball after getting into space?
Agree about Brayshaw. He looked really good in there last week.
Probably Wilson coming off half back, Walters and hopefully if Colyer can improve his decision- making on disposal. That's why I would like Nyhuis in the team, so Wilson can be more attacking off half back. I think we used Balla a bit last year in that role, like Adelaide with Eddie Betts occasionally iirc.
 

arsesmart

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The past couple of years Freo's relied on too many youngsters across the ground and not really had the premium key forwards that other higher placed sides have.

All the top sides have a top shelf forward or two to win 50/50's or worse contests more often than others might. All the sides that have defied gravity (Swans, Hawks, Cats, the WC) have those premier KPFs. You can't just rely on it alone, but it will give Freo a much bigger fighting chance.

It's all well and good thinking about how easy things are in the under 15's (i.w. when the kids who've hit puberty first dominate), but AFL defences are a tad more sophisticated and highly organised to repel even the best attacking forays.

Freo's now got the KPF personnel, getting the ball in faster will help and hopefully it won't take too long for them to build some irresistible form.
 

Scham

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The past couple of years Freo's relied on too many youngsters across the ground and not really had the premium key forwards that other higher placed sides have.

All the top sides have a top shelf forward or two to win 50/50's or worse contests more often than others might. All the sides that have defied gravity (Swans, Hawks, Cats, the WC) have those premier KPFs. You can't just rely on it alone, but it will give Freo a much bigger fighting chance.

It's all well and good thinking about how easy things are in the under 15's (i.w. when the kids who've hit puberty first dominate), but AFL defences are a tad more sophisticated and highly organised to repel even the best attacking forays.

Freo's now got the KPF personnel, getting the ball in faster will help and hopefully it won't take too long for them to build some irresistible form.

It’s all relative. AFL defences are highly organised and sophisticated but so too is an AFL attack. Or it should be.
 
Nov 30, 2018
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My hope for this is that Fyfe plays like Fyfe, he will probably get most opposition attention but Brayshaw is quite dynamic and sharp in his movement and I think he could be our best avenue out of the stoppages.

..As long as our plan every ruck contest isn't to drop it at the ruckman's feet then block a bit of space to allow one of our mids to slip by and off with it.

The tap to space might be on the cards if Colyer is in the stoppage, but I think we will still get the long bomb to turnover there. Do we have a quick player who can find a handball after getting into space?
If only S Hill and Bennell weren’t constantly injured they would be quick enough to find space and skilful enough to hit the occasional target forward of the stoppage.
 
The balance tips very quickly too, a single player being able to take contested marks can shuffle an entire deck.

It can go from pressuring the opposition defense inside their own fifty to now you're hauling arse back to your own because that long kick found a mark and another fifty metre kick to +100m in five seconds. If you can do that regularly it forces the opposition to keep their players back, you also keep your players back, it opens up and your options increase.

We need Lobb taking those marks. We need a player like Colyer or Brad Hill or Ed Langdon starting on the top of defensive fifty and working hard up the middle to take that next 45 degree kick, then our forwards in position can spread the whole forward fifty.

Flipping our inside fifties from flank entries to corridor entries could add ten goals to our score, stuffing it up can do the exact opposite.
 

Scham

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If only S Hill and Bennell weren’t constantly injured they would be quick enough to find space and skilful enough to hit the occasional target forward of the stoppage.

We play Hill in defence.

If what you’re saying is that we need classy forwards with pace then it’s a massive slight on the club that they haven’t drafted or traded in that sort of player since Hill and Bennell.

I believe they have with Sturt but it’s definitely not as big a priority for them as it should’ve been in the last few years.

Matera and McCarthy were attempts that have failed so far. Giro, Crowden, Colyer all have midfield pegged for them by the club.

Walters is the player your thinking of. Whilst not quick he’s clever and is a natural forward. We force him up the field into the midfield.
 

armpit

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We need Lobb taking those marks. We need a player like Colyer or Brad Hill or Ed Langdon starting on the top of defensive fifty and working hard up the middle to take that next 45 degree kick, then our forwards in position can spread the whole forward fifty.
Yeah. I ws thinking somewhere between the long bomb and the goal kicker, there has to be something off to the side which we didn't see much of last game hey. I like the way you worked the angles.

Any of those players sounds good for the job.
 

armpit

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We play Hill in defence.

If what you’re saying is that we need classy forwards with pace then it’s a massive slight on the club that they haven’t drafted or traded in that sort of player since Hill and Bennell.

I believe they have with Sturt but it’s definitely not as big a priority for them as it should’ve been in the last few years.

Matera and McCarthy were attempts that have failed so far. Giro, Crowden, Colyer all have midfield pegged for them by the club.

Walters is the player your thinking of. Whilst not quick he’s clever and is a natural forward. We force him up the field into the midfield.
I agree re the Walters thing. I keep saying it, but I hope when Fyfe and blakely come back, then Walters is working it at one 45 degrees and Langdon Bhilly etc are doing it on the other.
 
Apr 16, 2014
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Problem with Walters is that he is probably the slowest player in our whole squad bar the rucks. He's gotten even slower since hurting his knee last year.

Did anyone see last weekend when Pendlebury was able to burn him off coming out of a centre clearance. Walters has a great shimmy and side step to make up for it.
 
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Problem with Walters is that he is probably the slowest player in our whole squad bar the rucks. He's gotten even slower since hurting his knee last year.

Did anyone see last weekend when Pendlebury was able to burn him off coming out of a centre clearance. Walters has a great shimmy and side step to make up for it.

This is another reason Matera struggles to find a spot in our best 22. With 3 talls, and Walters we are slow enough all ready and need some top end pace.
 
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We play Hill in defence.

If what you’re saying is that we need classy forwards with pace then it’s a massive slight on the club that they haven’t drafted or traded in that sort of player since Hill and Bennell.

I believe they have with Sturt but it’s definitely not as big a priority for them as it should’ve been in the last few years.

Matera and McCarthy were attempts that have failed so far. Giro, Crowden, Colyer all have midfield pegged for them by the club.

Walters is the player your thinking of. Whilst not quick he’s clever and is a natural forward. We force him up the field into the midfield.
I agree Walters should be played forward.

I was referencing Taylor’s question as to whether we had mids quick enough to spread from the stoppage if the ball spilled into space. I think Ross is on the record more than once this preseason bemoaning the impact that Blakely and Hill’s injuries will have on the midfield, especially around stoppages.

If Bennell or Hill was fit enough to play that role we could release Walters back to the forward line as we wouldn’t be as desperate for his skills and class on the ball.
 
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My hope for this is that Fyfe plays like Fyfe, he will probably get most opposition attention but Brayshaw is quite dynamic and sharp in his movement and I think he could be our best avenue out of the stoppages.

..As long as our plan every ruck contest isn't to drop it at the ruckman's feet then block a bit of space to allow one of our mids to slip by and off with it.

The tap to space might be on the cards if Colyer is in the stoppage, but I think we will still get the long bomb to turnover there. Do we have a quick player who can find a handball after getting into space?


This is Blakely's forte...and was one reason I wasn't as concerned as some about losing Neale.

Conor's first 3 steps out of the contest are quick and aggressive. He clears the contest very quickly and is very creative by hand. He could get the ball as much as Neal in time but I think he'll be a more creative option
 
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I agree Walters should be played forward.

I was referencing Taylor’s question as to whether we had mids quick enough to spread from the stoppage if the ball spilled into space. I think Ross is on the record more than once this preseason bemoaning the impact that Blakely and Hill’s injuries will have on the midfield, especially around stoppages.

If Bennell or Hill was fit enough to play that role we could release Walters back to the forward line as we wouldn’t be as desperate for his skills and class on the ball.

I would do it anyway.

Fyfe, Mundy, Conca, Colyer, Bewley, Brayshaw, Cerra, North, B Hill, Langdon, Giro, Tucker, Crowden, Banfield, Valente.

We have enough talent to get it done.

Let's kick some goals
 

arsesmart

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The problem is that Walters is some premium midfield ass, no matter how good he is in the forwards. Mids is where most of the action takes place and the biggest difference can be made. Plus Freo's greatest need right now is mid. He'll be a mix mid-forward until there's more depth in the mids.
 

M_rash

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The problem is that Walters is some premium midfield ass, no matter how good he is in the forwards. Mids is where most of the action takes place and the biggest difference can be made. Plus Freo's greatest need right now is mid. He'll be a mix mid-forward until there's more depth in the mids.
Pretty sure Ross said in his presser this week that Conca in should release Walters forward much more.

Walters is a handy midfielder but a star forward. Had quite a few of his tackles broken when in the centre last week - can’t really afford that as an “inside mid”. Just wish Freo would play their “Aces in their Places”. Walters forward. Cerra mid. Would be a handy start.
 

arsesmart

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What's not to love (other than having one less Walters in the forwards)? Plugging that sort creativity, vision for the game, contested reflexes and precise ball use into the midfield adds so much.

If you're really worried about tackles being broken you could put a Conca (or DeBoer in days gone passed). Nothing too wrong with that, but you're sacrificing all of the above.
 
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