Training 2023 Pre-season thread

[peasantbruh69]

All this talk of key defender depth, I seem to recall a 185cm Robbie Fox playing an absolute blinder at CHB in last year's grand final... If we have injuries and our depth is tested, so be it. Changes of personnel or adjustments in game plan as a result of this can make the team less predictable, which can sometimes be a blessing in disguise come finals.

 

[Saucery]

Lester is quite a good reader of the play in terms of intercept marks. Given Andrews often plays on the opposition’s best key forward, it would actually make sense for him to be more lockdown and Lester for his size to play on the third best tall.

Only issue with Froggy is he is getting on a bit and had very little exposure last year to know where he is at. But if he hasn’t gone downhill i’d be very comfortable with him coming in if there’s an injury.

The bigger concern for me is can Payne actually deliver. I think he has been progressing, albeit slowly. He will be fired up knowing he has a game in round 1.

Really feel for Adams as he finally had his body right. Pre covid last year was just about AA form. Held is together back there. Just hope he gets to live a normal life. There should definitely be some form of concussion payout for AFL players.

My issue with Lester now is speed, something we already lack down back.

 

[Dalions]

My issue with Lester now is speed, something we already lack down back.

McKenna and Wilmot somewhat fixes that.

 

[nup]

I hope Paynes newfound aggression doesnt see him miss games through suspension like Hipwood and Rayner last year. To me it looks like he is thinking through situation often times and playing percentages rather than not going or whatever

 

[Warwick]

I think Phillips is a better long term option. Better than good depth now, but could find a long term career here. I can see Andrews, Payne n Phillips holding down the Fort in 3-4yrs. Joyce may have the same ability, I don't know, I just hope we're thinking long term.

I hope we're not.

Pick the absolute best option for the present. Even if they are 32. We are contending and need a suitable key defender who can come in immediately as required.

Can look to the future in the trade/draft period at the end of the year.

 

[Balony_pony16]

I'm hoping for it to be Neale, Dunkley, Robertson.

Robertson needs a dose of Berry's mean streak - what Berry did to Andy Brayshaw against Freo and Oliver against Melbourne is the bench mark Dev should strive for. There was nothing dirty about it - Berry was hard, ruthless and did not give an inch. Berry won the ball and drove it our way as well, so it made the opposition main mids to defend. Dev needs to ramp up in this area, he's capable but seems ultra focused only on the defensive/tagging mid role last year.

If berry goes inside dev should be able to take a wing role and build games from there imo

 

[Saucery]

McKenna and Wilmot somewhat fixes that.

So where do they play in the back line?

We are well stocked for faster smalls but we are talking about a tall here, or at least someone who can play tall.

 

[BuntonRules]

My issue with Lester now is speed, something we already lack down back.

McKenna and Wilmot somewhat fixes that.

Not much help if it is him chasing someone. Not that I am dissing Rhino - gives his all and has the smarts to be the best he can. In case of emergency, break the glass.

On Jack Payne, if you have doubts, replay the Tiggers final, and watch him. The small things - handballs, spoils etc. I have no doubts that now the spot is his, he will grow into a top notch key defender.

 

[Saucery]

Not much help if it is him chasing someone. Not that I am dissing Rhino - gives his all and has the smarts to be the best he can. In case of emergency, break the glass.

On Jack Payne, if you have doubts, replay the Tiggers final, and watch him. The small things - handballs, spoils etc. I have no doubts that now the spot is his, he will grow into a top notch key defender.

Yes no doubt Pain get's the nod but.......

If he goes down or god forbid HA we need to have a plan B, meaning a tall who can compete with the forwards like Richmond's and Geelong's.

 

[Dalions]

So where do they play in the back line?

We are well stocked for faster smalls but we are talking about a tall here, or at least someone who can play tall.

Lester won’t get a gig unless there is an injury to one of Andrews, Payne or Gardiner, you then add in Rich, Starce and McKenna and the bench spot to Wilmot

 

[Saucery]

Lester won’t get a gig unless there is an injury to one of Andrews, Payne or Gardiner, you then add in Rich, Starce and McKenna and the bench spot to Wilmot

No entirely sure if McKenna is ready to go straight into the side, preseason will tell.

Surely Colman gets the nod before him or Wilmot.

So Rich, Starc and Colman.

Only one guy with line breaking run there.

Don't get me wrong I love Frog, the swiss army knife of our side but he doesn't really have any weapons either.

We need to find/develop another tall option if we really want to challenge, or we will be just too predictable down back for entries/exits.

Once again Payne gets the nod but we need a legitimate back up plan.

 

[lionshine]

Lester won’t get a gig unless there is an injury to one of Andrews, Payne or Gardiner, you then add in Rich, Starce and McKenna and the bench spot to Wilmot

Coleman up the field or missing out?

 

[Dalions]

No entirely sure if McKenna is ready to go straight into the side, preseason will tell.

Surely Colman gets the nod before him or Wilmot.

So Rich, Starc and Colman.

Only one guy with line breaking run there.

Don't get me wrong I love Frog, the swiss army knife of our side but he doesn't really have any weapons either.

We need to find/develop another tall option if we really want to challenge, or we will be just too predictable down back for entries/exits.

Once again Payne gets the nod but we need a legitimate back up plan.

Coleman will definitely be in the team yes.

 

[Section 5]

Coleman will definitely be in the team yes.

Agree Coleman on last years form is a lock.
The defense smalls will be Rich, Starcevich, Coleman
Bench McKenna/ Wilmott. I wonder if they trial one on the wing.

 

[martinson]

I think people have been a bit hard on Payne . For someone of his size and stage of development I thought the signs were getting better as the year progressed.

As far as the mongrel goes seen plenty of apparent squibs become mean and nasty as their careers progressed and they got the hang of what the game was all about.

Adams is a big loss for us without question and we can get by with what we have against most of the teams. But against the really good teams to be a flag contender we're probably a big mobile KPD short unless we get an injury free run and say a Payne becomes a gun within a season.

Nonetheless the opportunity is there for someone to step up . The good thing is we're spoilt for smaller backline players and expect McKenna to surprise to the upside. Coleman and Starcevich are potential guns if they're not there already, Rich should be better this year, and excellent backup in Wilmott , Ah Chee, and Answerth. If Froggy gets a gig we're probably struggling , with all due respect to the great things he has done for the club.

 

[SizeMatters]

Don’t think Wilmot is a walk up start like some are making out here. He’s skinny af and still ver young. He’ll get games but think McKenna is ahead of him comfortably. Probably madden too if he continues to develop. Just bigger bodies.

 

[mattsmob]

Don’t think Wilmot is a walk up start like some are making out here. He’s skinny af and still ver young. He’ll get games but think McKenna is ahead of him comfortably. Probably madden too if he continues to develop. Just bigger bodies.

Didn’t make too much of a difference when he got a debut game in a big final and more then held his own.

 

[Nunez]

Didn’t make too much of a difference when he got a debut game in a big final and more then held his own.

Think it can make a difference across a full season though to be fair. Think he'll definitely get games but wouldn't be against us spreading them out with an eye on 2024.

 

[NotQuiteJezza]

I think people have been a bit hard on Payne . For someone of his size and stage of development I thought the signs were getting better as the year progressed.

As far as the mongrel goes seen plenty of apparent squibs become mean and nasty as their careers progressed and they got the hang of what the game was all about.

Adams is a big loss for us without question and we can get by with what we have against most of the teams. But against the really good teams to be a flag contender we're probably a big mobile KPD short unless we get an injury free run and say a Payne becomes a gun within a season.

Nonetheless the opportunity is there for someone to step up . The good thing is we're spoilt for smaller backline players and expect McKenna to surprise to the upside. Coleman and Starcevich are potential guns if they're not there already, Rich should be better this year, and excellent backup in Wilmott , Ah Chee, and Answerth. If Froggy gets a gig we're probably struggling , with all due respect to the great things he has done for the club.

You are right about the mean streak. I can’t remember Adams being agro. He was ruthless and competitive in his last few years. At the start of his career I can never remember of being scare when he came up against us.

Payne doesn’t need to be chock’a’block full of the angry pills. He just needs the ‘I will not lose any contest ever’ thinking.

I still think prior is another good option. I see the ‘don’t lose a contest’ in him.

 

[SizeMatters]

Love our depth. Have a fair option or two for pretty much every position on the field.

 

[On the quiet]

Adams was good for half of last season and terrible for the rest. Gardiner was terrible for most of the year.

In my opinion Payne was more consistent and generally looked pretty solid out there. Defensively I thought he was fine and the longer things went the more confident he appeared. There were a few down games but the majority of them he more than held his own. With some actual consistent game time I think he should continue to develop I think. I also think having the second actual big body helps Andrews. There is a greater ability to switch and play the match ups with Payne out there.

i have to agree that I thought Gardiner was below par last year. Club obviously thinks he will come good signing a 3+ year contract.

 

[On the quiet]

You are right about the mean streak. I can’t remember Adams being agro. He was ruthless and competitive in his last few years. At the start of his career I can never remember of being scare when he came up against us.

Payne doesn’t need to be chock’a’block full of the angry pills. He just needs the ‘I will not lose any contest ever’ thinking.

I still think prior is another good option. I see the ‘don’t lose a contest’ in him.

100%, Payne does not need to be giving away unnecessary penalties, just needs the attitude 'I won't lose this contest'

I like Prior (a good 23rd man at least), and hopefully he gets a good run of games somewhere on the wing, we seem to have a lot of back flankers/back pocket options.

 

[On the quiet]

Not much help if it is him chasing someone. Not that I am dissing Rhino - gives his all and has the smarts to be the best he can. In case of emergency, break the glass.

On Jack Payne, if you have doubts, replay the Tiggers final, and watch him. The small things - handballs, spoils etc. I have no doubts that now the spot is his, he will grow into a top notch key defender.

Yeap Riewoldt kicked three but two of them were just fantastic goals where Payne forced him as wide as he could. Watch the first half of the Prelim against the cats when the game was there to be won and Payne played well. I think once he has the feeling he belongs he will develop nicely as well Dev if given a good run in the middle with stints on the wing.

 

[On the quiet]

No entirely sure if McKenna is ready to go straight into the side, preseason will tell.

Surely Colman gets the nod before him or Wilmot.

So Rich, Starc and Colman.

Only one guy with line breaking run there.

Don't get me wrong I love Frog, the swiss army knife of our side but he doesn't really have any weapons either.

We need to find/develop another tall option if we really want to challenge, or we will be just too predictable down back for entries/exits.

Once again Payne gets the nod but we need a legitimate back up plan.

I thought Wilmot was pretty good in the finals, yes a couple of mistakes but any young kid is going to do that. I think he believes in himself and is a confidence player prepared to take the game on. Unless Mckenna is training the house down, I think McKenna has to earn a sport rather than be automatically selected for round 1.

 

[knaf]

I’d like to see Wilmot selected in the firsts as often as possible. To me he is like Ashcroft, a prodigious talent that almost demands to played in the firsts. He just missed being eligible in this years draft by a day I think.

very difficult selection decisions coming up.