Apples' Training Reports

[neilk]

Haven't we already got someone better that Medhurst?

I hope so but 2008 Medhurst certainly achieved a lot more than Jamie has so far. I think some forget how good he was:

In 2008, Medhurst won the ANZAC Day Medal after kicking six goals in the ANZAC Day clash against Essendon.
Medhurst was selected in the 2008 All-Australian team as a forward pocketand finished runner-up in Collingwood's 2008 best-and-fairest award. He was rewarded the R. T. Rush Trophy and the Gordon Coventry Trophy (leading goal kicker for Collingwood (50)).

 

[jmac70]

I hope so but 2008 Medhurst certainly achieved a lot more than Jamie has so far. I think some forget how good he was:

In 2008, Medhurst won the ANZAC Day Medal after kicking six goals in the ANZAC Day clash against Essendon.
Medhurst was selected in the 2008 All-Australian team as a forward pocketand finished runner-up in Collingwood's 2008 best-and-fairest award. He was rewarded the R. T. Rush Trophy and the Gordon Coventry Trophy (leading goal kicker for Collingwood (50)).

He was very good indeed.

 

[sr36]

Yeah and at the current rate of improvement he might get it by the age of 50! If it looks, acts and smells like a duck it’s a duck. Grundy looks, acts and smells like a follower. As a forward he’ll only ever be a square peg in a round hole.

Youre probably right. But he needs to develop his ability to read the flight of the ball and present as a marking target in order to become a better follower. If he does develop in these areas, he'll become a competent forward who can rest there, thus making him fresher for his main role as follower.

 

[Dynamics]

Murphy also has a full 10cm on Medhurst.

I know Medhurst was a lovely mark and could play tall (and was a great get for us, thanks Freo!) but Murphy looks like a different beast to me.

I still think of Goddard more than anyone else when I watch him move. Like Goddard, Murphy looks like he could play forward, mid or back.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Mark this preseason as the beginning of two huge careers for us

Stephenson and Murphy.

Both to become top line main stays - happy days ahead

 

[Saintly Viewed]

I hope so but 2008 Medhurst certainly achieved a lot more than Jamie has so far. I think some forget how good he was:

In 2008, Medhurst won the ANZAC Day Medal after kicking six goals in the ANZAC Day clash against Essendon.
Medhurst was selected in the 2008 All-Australian team as a forward pocketand finished runner-up in Collingwood's 2008 best-and-fairest award. He was rewarded the R. T. Rush Trophy and the Gordon Coventry Trophy (leading goal kicker for Collingwood (50)).

Good post.

You’ve reminded me of his better play.
I sort of forgot how good a year he had.

Good player

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Unless I'm mistaken, training reports predominantly seem to have Murphy working with the defensive group but irrespective of that I'd have thought Stephenson would be ahead of him and bring the added benefit of pace.

I understand Stephenson has been working with the midfield group

 

[TradeDraft]

I understand Stephenson has been working with the midfield group

That would not Shock Me.

He play Simmlar role to when Beams and Steele Started. Play Forward with Time thru the Midfield

 

[Scodog10]

I think developing his forward craft and turning him in to a forward are completely different things.

Don't think anyone wants to turn Grundy in to a forward, but he is likely to spend some time up forward this year and all the better if we have spent some time developing his forward skills over the preseason.

Nothing fools gold about that.

I don’t remember stating that turning him into a fwd was on anyone’s agenda?

It’s clearly fools gold if you believe that he’s as ill suited to spending time in the forward third as I do. It’ll work as well as the calls to use Witts forward at times hah.

I hazard a guess it’s a topic you won’t grasp because our thinking is on two very different levels, but to provide context it’s about as likely to be fruitful as having Treloar spend time forward. Both are equally suited to that particular area of the ground, which is to say they aren’t at all, but we aren’t having the same discussion with Treloar simply he has different physical attributes. It’s bonkers. Either way though neither move is best for the team

I’m happy for others to convince themselves that it can work in some way, but I’m vehemently opposed to Grundy playing forward of the ball given we already use a 5 man fwd structure...

 

[Scodog10]

Youre probably right. But he needs to develop his ability to read the flight of the ball and present as a marking target in order to become a better follower. If he does develop in these areas, he'll become a competent forward who can rest there, thus making him fresher for his main role as follower.

Now that I can agree with! I just don’t believe spending time forward of the ball will help him or the team in this particular area though.

What the solution is I’m not sure because I can’t attend training to see how they’re working on that area with him, but suffice to say that if he’s being “taken to the cleaners” by a player yet to debut whatever they’re doing isn’t working and won’t against even the most average KPD at AFL level.

 

[jackcass]

I understand Stephenson has been working with the midfield group

Don't doubt that but I'm not sure he'll get his early opportunities through the midfield. Even at VFL level he'll have to push past more established options to get midfield time.

 

[Old Spice]

I think Cox is just okay forward, for a ruck - in fact better than Grundy - but is better at centre bounces than Grundy. Grundy is better at throw ins and around the ball. Very tough nut to crack this combo.

Cox did look good marking the ball during his stint in the VFL. His enormous frame is very hard to get around if he gets front position. With that being the case, him playing forward requires his defender to play in front I reckon or to be double teamed. He'll be infringed against a lot.

Interesting to see how he progresses.

 

[Ketchup]

I don’t remember stating that turning him into a fwd was on anyone’s agenda?

It’s clearly fools gold if you believe that he’s as ill suited to spending time in the forward third as I do. It’ll work as well as the calls to use Witts forward at times hah.

I hazard a guess it’s a topic you won’t grasp because our thinking is on two very different levels, but to provide context it’s about as likely to be fruitful as having Treloar spend time forward. Both are equally suited to that particular area of the ground, which is to say they aren’t at all, but we aren’t having the same discussion with Treloar simply he has different physical attributes. It’s bonkers. Either way though neither move is best for the team

I’m happy for others to convince themselves that it can work in some way, but I’m vehemently opposed to Grundy playing forward of the ball given we already use a 5 man fwd structure...

Sco, you don’t understand, we have a naturally gifted footballer from a America who simply must play.

Grundy has no choice he has to be a forward. It doesn’t matter how good he is at it.

 

[sr36]

Now that I can agree with! I just don’t believe spending time forward of the ball will help him or the team in this particular area though.

What the solution is I’m not sure because I can’t attend training to see how they’re working on that area with him, but suffice to say that if he’s being “taken to the cleaners” by a player yet to debut whatever they’re doing isn’t working and won’t against even the most average KPD at AFL level.

They can work on his positioning in a marking contest and his methods to protect the ball drop or extricate himself from body contact in order to jump at it, but I suspect that the real issue is that he doesn't read the ball drop as well as most. Is this coachable?

 

[Bard]

Murphy also has a full 10cm on Medhurst.

I know Medhurst was a lovely mark and could play tall (and was a great get for us, thanks Freo!) but Murphy looks like a different beast to me.

I still think of Goddard more than anyone else when I watch him move. Like Goddard, Murphy looks like he could play forward, mid or back.

Getting a Goddard clone at pick 39 would be fken disgusting.

 

[sr36]

Murphy also has a full 10cm on Medhurst.

I know Medhurst was a lovely mark and could play tall (and was a great get for us, thanks Freo!) but Murphy looks like a different beast to me.

Yeah, I see very little similarity. Medhurst was one of those very powerful explosive movers - Murphy doesn't appear that way at all.

 

[Scodog10]

Sco, you don’t understand, we have a naturally gifted footballer from a America who simply must play.

Grundy has no choice he has to be a forward. It doesn’t matter how good he is at it.

I was trying to skirt around that particular point and hope others would connect the dots, but thanks it might have taken a while without your input.

There’ll be times when it works ala Rd 23 v Melb, but you throw Reid into the mix and this will be one of those experiments that gets shelved very quickly. My main question is whether the two in tandem lasts longer than it did in 2017 which was one match from memory?

 

[Kirby]

I reckon Murphy moves a bit like Ken Hunter (please forgive me for the Carlton reference!).

 

[sr36]

I reckon Murphy moves a bit like Ken Hunter (please forgive me for the Carlton reference!).

You're forgiven. Over the years, Kenny Hunter has been one of the very few likeable things about Carlton.

 

[Dynamics]

Getting a Goddard clone at pick 39 would be fken disgusting.

No idea how good the kid will end up being, but I do see similarities in playing style. Strong overhead, very good by foot, not lightning quick but quick enough.

If he can avoid acting like a tool on the field that would be handy.

 

[sr36]

I was trying to skirt around that particular point and hope others would connect the dots, but thanks it might have taken a while without your input.

There’ll be times when it works ala Rd 23 v Melb, but you throw Reid into the mix and this will be one of those experiments that gets shelved very quickly. My main question is whether the two in tandem lasts longer than it did in 2017 which was one match from memory?

I reckon it may work if we alter the roles a bit and use Cox the way we used A. Rocca in 2003. Cox takes the centre bounces and then moves forward. Grundy starts at the back of the square and becomes the around the ground follower. This will result in Grundy being able to do what he does best - follower - for longer as he'll use less energy by not contesting centre bounces. From the brief snippets that i've seen, I also rate Cox's centre bounce work higher than Grundy's.

I reckon this is how they are most likely to succeed together and it will give us genuine ruck strength with them being able to wear down the number one from the opposition and exploit the number 2, but for it to fully succeed it all comes down to whether Cox is good enough to contribute up forward. I'm hopeful that he will surprise the non-believers.

 

[Bard]

No idea how good the kid will end up being, but I do see similarities in playing style. Strong overhead, very good by foot, not lightning quick but quick enough.

If he can avoid acting like a tool on the field that would be handy.

For sure it’s just speculation but the similarities are pretty clear. Goddard has an amazing footy brain (can’t say the same for the rest of it), and it’s what splits him from the pack of similar predominantly outside players, hopefully Murphy is similar.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

I reckon Murphy moves a bit like Ken Hunter (please forgive me for the Carlton reference!).

He could play. That’s for sure.

Very fine player.

But he still
Played for awful team

 

[Dynamics]

For sure it’s just speculation but the similarities are pretty clear. Goddard has an amazing footy brain (can’t say the same for the rest of it), and it’s what splits him from the pack of similar predominantly outside players, hopefully Murphy is similar.

Agree 100%.

 

[Horaceg]

Murphy also has a full 10cm on Medhurst.

I know Medhurst was a lovely mark and could play tall (and was a great get for us, thanks Freo!) but Murphy looks like a different beast to me.

I still think of Goddard more than anyone else when I watch him move. Like Goddard, Murphy looks like he could play forward, mid or back.

Also thanks Freo for Clement and giving Tarrant back.....oh and for Chris Mayne just to make sure it's all even now.