My first time at training! Great turnout, must have been 150-200 around the ground and milling around the Glasshouse. A few news crews, some photographers and plenty of the wee ones having kick to kick.
I turned up just after start and most of the players were out on the ground. Jesse White, Mason Cox and a few more stragglers came out just in time to catch up with the main group doing a quick lap before settling into stretches.
Jamie Elliot ran laps, looked comfortable enough and was chatting happily with Bucks. Didn't look in any particular discomfort but didn't even pick up a footy from what I saw.
Trav Varcoe was pacing some brisk laps around the ground, elevating his standing with the kids by happily high-fiving any of the wee ones that dared round out to him. Looked comfortable and in good nick. Maybe not close yet but def. no sign of any niggle.
As usual Shaz was doing laps - he'd plugged in the headphones and went solo. Was standing a bit mournfully near the drills but he didn't really do much else.
Jarrod Witts a noticeable absentee - did one lap with the tracksuit on walking with the doc then back inside. You'd have to say there was more to his Sydney performance than just effort - must be hampered by something. EDIT: Did someone say he had a split webbing in his hand?
Darcy Moore also didn't participate in the main drills. Kicked a few set shots, chatted a bit, headed over and did some ball work with the trampolines and headed back inside. Nothing too much to worry about.
Sinkers another one who broke away from training to run out a few straight-lines. Again, nothing too concerning.
The main group started with some basic run-throughs, small kicks and handballs before breaking into individual groups and starting their zone drills. I was closer to the Olympic Boulevarde side and didn't see too much of the action across the ground (eyes aren't what they used to be) but in front of me I got to see a reasonable amount of action.
Firstly a group of 4 corners with 2-3 in each group (Pendles, Cox, Trav, Howe, Goldy, Broomy, Aish from what I saw) kicked to each other with some pressure from 2-3 bib players who just covered a zone defence. Nothing too earth-shattering but Jeremy Howe's field kicking is precise. Just looks settled and experienced. Big Cox is very deliberate but his kicking is accurate.
Also sighted Broomy who is nimble and balanced under pressure. Has gone under the radar pre-season, would be interesting to see him step it up and get back to the form that demanded his selection a year or so ago.
Break again and the groups went into a midfield pressure drill. 5-6 players with mattresses had to play whack-a-mole with a player who went in for the hard ball get. That player then had to absorb pressure and release to one or a chain of outside players, then run it up the ground and hit a leading forward. Treloar was a beast of course. Aish had a degree of calmness a-la Pendlebury and generally found a good option by hand or by foot. Jeremy Howe's field kicking again a highlight for me as he found a leading forward with a low, hard kick that they hardly had to move for. Matthew 'Goody' Goodyear busted through 2-3 tacklers with brute strength, put on the afterburners and slotted a lovely pass to a forward (to a rousing 'Goody! Goody! Onya!). Caff was a bit slow with some passes. Reidy was a handy link man on the outside and also great by foot.
Started to get a bit windy and cold closing into 7:00pm and a lot of the kids/mums were getting grumbly. It was about that time the entire group assembled in the middle for instructions, then a more open-field drill started with kick-ins from full back.
I saw Langdon kick a beautiful long clearing kick to the outer 50 to be marked by the non-bib player, speared to Fasolo, passed through to Adams and then down to Treloar who opted to take a set shot right from 50. Couldn't see but felt like it went straight through the sticks. Reminded me of why I had been excited pre-Saturday night.
Maynard's kick was terrible - was too high and gave forwards time to pressure the marker, steal and then kick a goal.
Didn't see Reidy kick in, but he was hanging back as a full back for most of the drill. Moving freely, kicking strongly, couldn't see why he wouldn't be an 'in'.
The call of dinner kicked in and I scooted off home to write this. Would love to hear further detail from any of the other fans who rocked up. I don't know why but I felt the need to show some support by turning up in numbers to make the fellas feel like we're sticking by them. Was an up-beat session, not too demanding, but def. signs of a few changes to Friday's line-up for mine.
I turned up just after start and most of the players were out on the ground. Jesse White, Mason Cox and a few more stragglers came out just in time to catch up with the main group doing a quick lap before settling into stretches.
Jamie Elliot ran laps, looked comfortable enough and was chatting happily with Bucks. Didn't look in any particular discomfort but didn't even pick up a footy from what I saw.
Trav Varcoe was pacing some brisk laps around the ground, elevating his standing with the kids by happily high-fiving any of the wee ones that dared round out to him. Looked comfortable and in good nick. Maybe not close yet but def. no sign of any niggle.
As usual Shaz was doing laps - he'd plugged in the headphones and went solo. Was standing a bit mournfully near the drills but he didn't really do much else.
Jarrod Witts a noticeable absentee - did one lap with the tracksuit on walking with the doc then back inside. You'd have to say there was more to his Sydney performance than just effort - must be hampered by something. EDIT: Did someone say he had a split webbing in his hand?
Darcy Moore also didn't participate in the main drills. Kicked a few set shots, chatted a bit, headed over and did some ball work with the trampolines and headed back inside. Nothing too much to worry about.
Sinkers another one who broke away from training to run out a few straight-lines. Again, nothing too concerning.
The main group started with some basic run-throughs, small kicks and handballs before breaking into individual groups and starting their zone drills. I was closer to the Olympic Boulevarde side and didn't see too much of the action across the ground (eyes aren't what they used to be) but in front of me I got to see a reasonable amount of action.
Firstly a group of 4 corners with 2-3 in each group (Pendles, Cox, Trav, Howe, Goldy, Broomy, Aish from what I saw) kicked to each other with some pressure from 2-3 bib players who just covered a zone defence. Nothing too earth-shattering but Jeremy Howe's field kicking is precise. Just looks settled and experienced. Big Cox is very deliberate but his kicking is accurate.
Also sighted Broomy who is nimble and balanced under pressure. Has gone under the radar pre-season, would be interesting to see him step it up and get back to the form that demanded his selection a year or so ago.
Break again and the groups went into a midfield pressure drill. 5-6 players with mattresses had to play whack-a-mole with a player who went in for the hard ball get. That player then had to absorb pressure and release to one or a chain of outside players, then run it up the ground and hit a leading forward. Treloar was a beast of course. Aish had a degree of calmness a-la Pendlebury and generally found a good option by hand or by foot. Jeremy Howe's field kicking again a highlight for me as he found a leading forward with a low, hard kick that they hardly had to move for. Matthew 'Goody' Goodyear busted through 2-3 tacklers with brute strength, put on the afterburners and slotted a lovely pass to a forward (to a rousing 'Goody! Goody! Onya!). Caff was a bit slow with some passes. Reidy was a handy link man on the outside and also great by foot.
Started to get a bit windy and cold closing into 7:00pm and a lot of the kids/mums were getting grumbly. It was about that time the entire group assembled in the middle for instructions, then a more open-field drill started with kick-ins from full back.
I saw Langdon kick a beautiful long clearing kick to the outer 50 to be marked by the non-bib player, speared to Fasolo, passed through to Adams and then down to Treloar who opted to take a set shot right from 50. Couldn't see but felt like it went straight through the sticks. Reminded me of why I had been excited pre-Saturday night.
Maynard's kick was terrible - was too high and gave forwards time to pressure the marker, steal and then kick a goal.
Didn't see Reidy kick in, but he was hanging back as a full back for most of the drill. Moving freely, kicking strongly, couldn't see why he wouldn't be an 'in'.
The call of dinner kicked in and I scooted off home to write this. Would love to hear further detail from any of the other fans who rocked up. I don't know why but I felt the need to show some support by turning up in numbers to make the fellas feel like we're sticking by them. Was an up-beat session, not too demanding, but def. signs of a few changes to Friday's line-up for mine.
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