Training 2021 Training - pics, reports etc

[Blue__Balls]

Great, but there's the list management thread, the 22 thread, and even a thread about our depth. Accessibility can suck on this forum when the regulars get sucked into tangential arguments.

Tangential arguments I'll give you, but if the discussion pivots naturally I don't see an issue as long as it hops back on track once there is something suitable to discuss. I'd rather tangential football discussion than inane nonsense or immature sniping.

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Ummmm. Top how many?

Nine’ish

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Ummmm. Top how many?

Back to school with Dangerfield...

 

[new_blue]

Just because he may not become a gun mid does not mean he won’t become a very important player for us. I thought he did well at hbf considering he was only new to the role.

I’ve always rated SPS highly, was hoping we’d draft him and loved watching his development. Just got the point now that I’m questioning how high his ceiling is, particularly if he can’t play midfield due to not having a tank and feel as a defender he’ll be exploited by opposition teams. Happy to be proven wrong.

Reality is though that we’ll need to make difficult list management decision in the coming years.

With SPS, if he’s playing as a defender then how much better is he be then the next player in (e.g. Newman, Stocker, Willo, etc.)?

Also if a Freo player like Brayshaw, Serong, Young, etc wanted to come home, I’d 100% be willing to let SPS go.

 

[JustaBattler]

FMD - I haven't run this through the self appointed thought police but anyway...

Unless you have express speed or you are a tall gun like Weitering - it is pretty hard to impress people if all you do is follow instructions and do your job...
eg: Plow will be in top10 if not top5 - again.

maybe it is time for #notenoughloveforSPS

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

I’ve always rated SPS highly, was hoping we’d draft him and loved watching his development. Just got the point now that I’m questioning how high his ceiling is, particularly if he can’t play midfield due to not having a tank and feel as a defender he’ll be exploited by opposition teams. Happy to be proven wrong.

Reality is though that we’ll need to make difficult list management decision in the coming years.

With SPS, if he’s playing as a defender then how much better is he be then the next player in (e.g. Newman, Stocker, Willo, etc.)?

Also if a Freo player like Brayshaw, Serong, Young, etc wanted to come home, I’d 100% be willing to let SPS go.

It’s not midfield or bust if we can (and I think we will) develop him into a gun back flanker.

He has played a year down back, maybe 18 months, and is already better than those 3 guys. Considering how naturally attacking he otherwise was as a youngster I think he transitioned very well and will only improve as he has less of that defence first approach Teague clearly asked of him.

We could add any of those kids without trading one of our most talented players, and I think Freo would fall over themselves to get a player like him across. Must keep!

 

[Jimmae]

Tangential arguments I'll give you, but if the discussion pivots naturally I don't see an issue as long as it hops back on track once there is something suitable to discuss.

Except that's not what happening.

I'd rather tangential football discussion than inane nonsense or immature sniping.

This thread has been teetering on the edge of the latter for a while now.

 

[Blue__Balls]

It’s not midfield or bust if we can (and I think we will) develop him into a gun back flanker.

He has played a year down back, maybe 18 months, and is already better than those 3 guys. Considering how naturally attacking he otherwise was as a youngster I think he transitioned very well and will only improve as he has less of that defence first approach Teague clearly asked of him.

We could add any of those kids without trading one of our most talented players, and I think Freo would fall over themselves to get a player like him across. Must keep!

Keen to see him work in tandem with Saad actually - he's got some slick hands and the two of them could combine for a really dynamic 1-2 punch coming out of defense. SPS sharking the ground ball and firing a handball out to Saad who is already on the move. Not sure we'll see it much immediately, but give them a few months to learn each other's tricks and we could be in for a treat.

Ditto adding a bit of run through the middle with Williams. Wouldn't be surprised to find out that SPS often takes the shortest kicks because our mids are often too slow, fatigued or lazy/oblivous to make a hard lead at him. Williams getting separation on his man is probably a premium target for SPS in the corridor.

 

[CJMB]

I’ve always rated SPS highly, was hoping we’d draft him and loved watching his development. Just got the point now that I’m questioning how high his ceiling is, particularly if he can’t play midfield due to not having a tank and feel as a defender he’ll be exploited by opposition teams. Happy to be proven wrong.

Reality is though that we’ll need to make difficult list management decision in the coming years.

With SPS, if he’s playing as a defender then how much better is he be then the next player in (e.g. Newman, Stocker, Willo, etc.)?

Also if a Freo player like Brayshaw, Serong, Young, etc wanted to come home, I’d 100% be willing to let SPS go.

Newman is 28. Even though Stocker played his 5 games for us down back, he was playing a mid-fwd role in the reserves last year before he left the hub. Willo finished the season on a wing and many here are hoping he stays there.

If you have doubts over his ceiling then so would Freo, so hard to imagine they'd consider any deal for Brayshaw, Serong, Young, Cerra, etc without a heap more going back their way. Not that anyone really does player-for-player trades anymore.

Not sure he got towelled up by any small forwards last year. Amos said they were really comfortable with his ability to defend deeper when required, but he'll be playing more of a hbf role that does bursts in the middle. Amos's comments about his game changing as he tinkered with the balance of his natural instinctive play versus being defensively minded are clear from my vantage point; when he started at the end of 2019 he played freely, last year they started adding the defensive/contested elements to his game and he really focused on those early which led to a reduction in his 'normal' game. Towards the end of the season he started to get that balance back to where his natural play came back on top of the defensive work. From memory there was a comment in one of the CFC videos where they said he was top 5 (or something like that, up high) for defensive ground ball gets in the comp.

Personally, I'm ok with him spending some more time down back. I mean, he's training there so we might as well get used to it for at least this season. Our back line is getting better each year (Adding Saad, Doc returning, the rise of Weiters, Jones & Plow improving, potentially got Willo, Newman and Marchbank fighting for spots too) and as our midfield also improves there should be less of that fast ball waltzing into our back half.

I'm still backing him in. And even if he 'only' becomes a good half back, that's ok, we've potentially got another 16-20 midfielders from about 26 years and under to fill 7 mid/wing positions in the seniors so they can't all be primarily midfielders.

I'm eagerly waiting for some lengthy training reports to drop that include interclub games where we can start speculating who's in the A and B teams and is anyone playing a different role, who's killing it (I remember seeing Willo last year in the scratch matches and thinking 'yep, he's f****** playing seniors this year').

Seriously, can someone please give us some kind of training report. Something. Anything.

 

[Macca43]

Keen to see him work in tandem with Saad actually - he's got some slick hands and the two of them could combine for a really dynamic 1-2 punch coming out of defense. SPS sharking the ground ball and firing a handball out to Saad who is already on the move. Not sure we'll see it much immediately, but give them a few months to learn each other's tricks and we could be in for a treat.

Ditto adding a bit of run through the middle with Williams. Wouldn't be surprised to find out that SPS often takes the shortest kicks because our mids are often too slow, fatigued or lazy/oblivous to make a hard lead at him. Williams getting separation on his man is probably a premium target for SPS in the corridor.

TO me SPS had a great development year last year, he dramatically improved his ability to defend his direct opponent and finished the year with 3 (of 6 for the year) games with 15 or more possessions, averaging 4.33 rebound 50's (compared to a season average of 2.4), an average of 5 marks (compared to a season averages of 3.1) and averaging 242 metres gained (compared to a season average of 167.2).

Small sample size I know but to me it indicates that we could expect him to to that next step and find a better balance between offence and defence and as you say with Saad around to help out on both (it has been a long time since we have had a defender with that sort of speed) I wouldn't be at all surprised to see SPS have a real breakout year.

 

[esoteric]

Seriously, can someone please give us some kind of training report. Something. Anything.

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

 

[CJMB]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

Wow, thanks! A lot to unpack.

Firstly, that 'Probables' is interesting. More or less we've got Williamson as 7th defender ahead of Newman & Marchbank, Fogarty ahead of Gibbons & Dow ahead of Newnes. Also those are some decent scores for a game, still would prefer the major & minor scores weren't so similar...

Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps, Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp as the bests. Some names to get excited about there, for me particularly seeing the younger guys (not counting Walsh or Weitering) Fogarty, Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker & Philp. Even more so that you'd have Durdin top 3.

So Cottrell is the one to blame for icing TDK?! And then took out Murph too? Kid must really want to be Robbo 2.0...

Loved the individual reports on Jack, Dow, Williams, SPS, Fog, Mitch, Stocker, The TDK one is so bloody frustrating knowing what we know now!




...aaaaaand your last line makes me doubt everything you've just written...

 

[azlou]

I

Keen to see him work in tandem with Saad actually - he's got some slick hands and the two of them could combine for a really dynamic 1-2 punch coming out of defense. SPS sharking the ground ball and firing a handball out to Saad who is already on the move. Not sure we'll see it much immediately, but give them a few months to learn each other's tricks and we could be in for a treat.

Ditto adding a bit of run through the middle with Williams. Wouldn't be surprised to find out that SPS often takes the shortest kicks because our mids are often too slow, fatigued or lazy/oblivous to make a hard lead at him. Williams getting separation on his man is probably a premium target for SPS in the corridor.

I agree feeding to Saad
This a bit of a tangent but European Soccer go pass,pass short pass,pass
English premier league are developing 40 meter perfectly weighted passes to a player then does another 30 meter pass weighted so the runner barely has to break stride
IDE like to see some set plays so Saad is on the move not top speed and Samo hits running away or on a 45
I think Samo if given the challenge he could execute That kick it’s risky but would also be devastating offensively

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

Brilliant stuff Eso... thank you very very muchly

 

[Stamos]

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

 

[HaydossJ]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

Don't even care if this is BS, here for it

 

[blueboy25]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

So are you Liddle or LoGiudice?

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Those adverse/side affects are absolutely horrific... fmd...

 

[Stamos]

So are you Liddle or LoGiudice?

Craig Kelly?

 

[murphster]

He has mastered that one area (an area that I think makes him more likely to stay in defence) now he has to build on that and add the other facets - ie creating more rebound, gaining more possession etc.

I agree that SPS could be a very good midfielder - I just think he would benefit from some continuity.

SPS will be staying in defence, he spent all last year working on his one vs one defence at the expense of his attacking game, this year we will see him put it all together and be a much more rounded defender that uses his best asset which is his ground ball gathers at speed to help us blast out of the back 50 with him Doc and Saad using overlap run to cut through a teams press.

 

[Macca43]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

Great write up thanks AND more to follow!!

After the bad news start to the day with TDK's injury so happy to see names like Fogarty, Durdin, Stocker in the best players along with a positive report on Dow - competition for spots will be fierce but if we took the probables line up into round 1 (TDK aside) I would be pretty happy

Also good to hear Williams was so dominant - I think the "why would you pay $900k for a half back flanker" crowd will be left with egg on their faces.

 

[thylacine60]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

Did this really happen?

 

[Macca43]

Just wow. Thanks heaps! Did this really happen?

Judging by his edit it seems not.

 

[ferrisb]

Made it down to Ikon yesterday, first time this year. Managed to sneak in, not telling how. Struck it lucky as the boys played a full match sim, probables v possibles. They lined up as follows:

Probables (CFC jumpers)
Plowman, Jones, Docherty
Saad, Weiters, SPS
Murphy, Williams, Walsh,
Martin, McGovern, Fisher
Betts, McKay, Casboult
De Koning, Cripps, Setterfield
Bench: Dow, Fogarty, Williamson, E Curnow

Possibles (Orange strip)
Marchbank, Parks, Cottrell
Stocker, O McDonald, Newman
Newnes, Cuningham, O'Brien
Owies, Moore, Honey
Philp, Silvagni, Durdin
Pittonet, Kennedy, Gibbons
Carroll, Maher, Ramsay, North (VFL)

Scores: Probables 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.15 (123)
Possibles 1.4 3.6 7.10 12.13 (85)

Best in Blue - Weitering, Williams, Walsh, Fogarty, Cripps
Orange - Durdin, Silvagni, Stocker, Newman, Philp

Overall, the Blues controlled the match by winning the aerial contest easily, though the Orange were a little quicker around the packs and on the break. Weitering, Williams and Durdin would have got the votes today, and the coaches would have been well pleased with the intensity and skills. Thankfully no injuries to report, although De Koning didn’t reappear after half time and Murphy sat out the last quarter after coming off second best in a heavy clash with Cottrell.

Observations on individual players:

Silvagni: Brought that trademark desperation to every contest and did his chances no harm today. Outgunned early by Jones, but beat him in a couple of one-on-ones, which isn't easy to do. Could have made more of his opportunities and finished with 2.3. Struggled later when switched on to Weitering, who was BOG. Looks ready for something of a breakout season if he can stay in the 22, which is the real question. Really important for him to make that round 1 clash with the Tigers and cement his spot early in the season.

Dow: Very good game from Paddy, showed poise and composure over the ball and got quite a lot of it, especially in the last quarter when Cripps was rested. The explosiveness has returned, maybe even improved. Made good decisions and his disposal was reliable all day. Looks set for a solid year in the engine room. Looks bigger, stringer and fitter this year, as others have noted.

Murphy: Not dominant today but did his job well when it was his turn. Attended a few centre bounces, linked up on the wing really well - mainly receiving from Docherty and hitting targets in the front half. Sat out the last quarter after being mowed down by Cottrell. Moving ok after the match and all smiles so no concerns there.

O'Brien: Didn't get many possessions but by geez he is a beautiful kick. Lace out pass to Silvagni on the Gardiner stand flank was a thing of beauty. Wish he could find it more often.

SPS: Top game from SPS off half back, smooth like a softly purring Ferrari. His deadly precision with the ball combined with Saad's run and carry gives our back half rebound some real potency and variety. They will make some opposition midfielders and defenders look stupid this year. His game has gone up a notch from last year and he looks like he will be in the game a lot more.

Williams: Wow. Was in the guts all day and ran hard both ways. Better defensively than I had realised - more so because of his clever positioning than his physical presence. Reads the play as well as anyone. Picked up possessions at will and he's one of those guys that, when he gets his hands on it, you just know something good is about to happen most of the time. Will be the recruit of the year, and I'm not just talking about Carlton. Can't figure out why the Giants didn't use him more in the midfield. That performance would normally earn the three votes, but Weitering was beyond sublime, more of that later.

Kennedy: Useful all day and tried his guts out for the Orange team. Solid without being influential. Won a fair share of midfield contests given that he played in a losing side. Don't think he's in our best 22 but he's not out of place at the level and wouldn't be a liability if called upon.

Fogarty: Was easily the surprise of the day. Worked hard in the midfield and forward half, making the defenders' jobs more awkward. Frequently found, or created, a couple of metres of open space and usually took full advantage. Classy disposal whether under pressure or not. A couple of nice running goals and a solid contribution in the engine room. Very happy with this acquisition, and looking forward to cheering him on for the next ten years on today's form.

Cripps: It seemed like he'd been told to ease himself back into it gradually, but he just couldn't help himself. Broke the game wide open in the second and third quarters and put his stamp on the outcome in no uncertain terms. Gets his hands free when it seems impossible, and his radar for finding targets by hand is phenomenal. Bursting through and away from packs is just what he does... sit back and marvel. Late in the game spent he some minutes in the orange guernsey in the forwardline. Took a nice contested mark on Jones but, you guessed it, missed the goal. Sat out the last fifteen minutes or so.

McKay: Big H was pretty good today, finishing with four goals. Kicked a couple of set shots from the boundary line on the right hand side, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot for him. I think he was staying closer to goals than for most of last season, perhaps because the supply from upfield was mode frequent and of better quality. Was just too tall for any of Moore, Parks and Marchbank and his pace at ground level caused problems for all the defenders. Orange side double teamed him most of the game, leaving McGovern to benefit at times.

McGovern: Three goals from Mitch was a fitting reward for what was a pretty solid game. Ran hard and made plenty of leads, maybe some of them were decoys but they were nearly all to dangerous positions. The near constant wet days of last season had made me forget what a beautiful mark he is when the conditions are more suited to his game, as they were today. I must own up to being a bit critical of Mitch in the past couple of years, but he earned his money today and looks to have some confidence back.

De Koning: Still a bit of a raw and gangly colt at times, but may well have more upside than anyone else on our list. Beat Pittonet quite easily in the first half, but was not seen in the second half. Can sometimes put it on a plate for the midfielders, I'm sure this will start to happen more often with more games under his belt. When rested, went to the bench rather than the forward line today. His best is still at least three years away but hopefully will be worth the wait.

Stocker: best game I've seen from him, not that I've seen very many. Matched up on Honey for the first half and beat him well. Switched to Durdin after half time, which was a good battle. Durdin had been on fire until then, but Stocker was able to douse the flames somewhat and they probably broke even. Also bigger and stronger than last year, good disposal and decision making today. Like a few others I think he is not quite best 22, but might be hard to dislodge once he gets his chance.

More to follow when I get a chance to write it up. Very excited about Durdin.

Oh, and if you happen to catch COVID, I’ve heard that hydroxychloroquine works really well.

I am not sure if this is real. It's too good to be true.

But I don't care! It's pre-season and this is a training report!!!!!

 

[Macca43]

I am not sure if this is real. It's too good to be true.

But I don't care! It's pre-season and this is a training report!!!!!

Is it?