Captain Jack
Norm Smith Medallist
Melbourne Demons - Jake Lever Player Sponsor 2018
Melbourne Demons - Katherine Smith AFLW Player Sponsor 2018
Melbourne Demons - Ben Kennedy Player Sponsor 2017
Melbourne Demons - Katherine Smith AFLW Player Sponsor 2017
Ex-Moderator
Melbourne Demons - Ben Kennedy Player Sponsor 2016
Ultimate Footy Champ
Melbourne Demons - Jeremy Howe Player Sponsor 2015
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2009
- Posts
- 7,216
- Reaction score
- 5,131
- Location
- M47 Row S
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Kew CC
Just got back from training at Gosch's Paddock this morning, where I was amongst a decent crowd of on-lookers watching the lads train for a solid 2 hours. Firstly, injury news:
Cambell, Gawn, Fitzpatrick, Warnock, Nicholson (back complaint by the sounds of it), Tapscott and of course Frawley didn't participate at all, mostly just walking laps and doing a few reflex drills. Tappy was running laps for a while. Chip was in a sling, fresh from surgery by the looks, and looking very sorry for himself
. Also on modified programs were Wonna, SME and Jonesy, who all left the main group after various amounts of time to run laps. LJ had his ankle taped about an hour in, but seemed to be at or close to 100% (in his own laid-back way).
After the obligatory skills session, the main group moved into two drills, the one I saw being an inside-50 thing down the AAMI end. The likes of Bennell, Davey, Grimes, Bail, Strauss, Garland, Joel Mac, Newton and Blease were on the defensive team, with Watts, Jurrah, the SME, Sylvia, Jetta, Lawrence, Moloney, Green and Scully playing forward (there were others on both teams). Couple of interesting placements in there, I thought... especially Juice in the back line and the SME up forward. Strauss was doing the kick-ins, I love his kicking skills. Watts was playing as a high forward mostly, and I enjoyed his work rate. He was running hard and presenting, but it still looked like he wasn't demanding the ball enough. He also seemed to get caught up in traffic a bit.
The group then moved to a full-ground match-sim drill, although interestingly the wings were cut off to encourage play through the corridor. The forwards seemed to be playing with the same game plan as last year as well - i.e. the mids would often kick over their heads, with a maximum of one match-up deep inside the 50. Points of note from the match, which lasted about half an hour I think:
- Jake 'Pretzel' Spencer, who is surprisingly quick and was moving very well. Still has an incredibly awkward kicking action, but hits targets and gets amongst the play. Good signs. Also has an evolved nickname apparently... lol. Jamar was in full training, on the opposite team of course.
- Scully, of course, who is just a freak. So fast, so clean, never stops. It has been said many times before, but it's amazing how well he trains.
- Watts, who made a better showing than the previous drill. Presented well, got plenty of the ball, worked hard, and took a good contested mark over Bate and Joel Mac (I think). Still played half-forward, with Dunn (still repping the black mo) playing in the square for their team.
- Trengove's awesome don't-argue on Moloney (no mean feat), and just his balance, poise and kicking skills in general.
- Strauss, although admittedly playing loose man in defence, had his kicking boots on and was hitting some excellent long targets. Here's hoping he can step up to AFL level and release Grimes to the middle a lot more.
- Bail, whose run-and-carry was excellent. I like the way he always runs as far as he can before kicking - the proverbial "80 metre player".
- Dunn, who got stuck into LJ for ignoring him as a handball option - Jurrah instead tried to take on two defenders, and Dunny wasn't happy.
- Rookies Evans, Lawrence and Johnston were amongst the play and didn't look too out of place, especially Johnston the ranga, who seems to be filling the shoes of Cheney quite nicely.
- Davey looks to have overcome his leg injury nicely, and was speeding around the place hitting 20-cent pieces at 50 metres, as he tends to do.
Apparently Bradley Green was announced as captain to the playing group before the session... I didn't see that bit.
Who else was there and can give a report? There were a fair few people there, many of whom looked like they might have a presence around here.
The floor is now open for questions...
Cambell, Gawn, Fitzpatrick, Warnock, Nicholson (back complaint by the sounds of it), Tapscott and of course Frawley didn't participate at all, mostly just walking laps and doing a few reflex drills. Tappy was running laps for a while. Chip was in a sling, fresh from surgery by the looks, and looking very sorry for himself
. Also on modified programs were Wonna, SME and Jonesy, who all left the main group after various amounts of time to run laps. LJ had his ankle taped about an hour in, but seemed to be at or close to 100% (in his own laid-back way).After the obligatory skills session, the main group moved into two drills, the one I saw being an inside-50 thing down the AAMI end. The likes of Bennell, Davey, Grimes, Bail, Strauss, Garland, Joel Mac, Newton and Blease were on the defensive team, with Watts, Jurrah, the SME, Sylvia, Jetta, Lawrence, Moloney, Green and Scully playing forward (there were others on both teams). Couple of interesting placements in there, I thought... especially Juice in the back line and the SME up forward. Strauss was doing the kick-ins, I love his kicking skills. Watts was playing as a high forward mostly, and I enjoyed his work rate. He was running hard and presenting, but it still looked like he wasn't demanding the ball enough. He also seemed to get caught up in traffic a bit.
The group then moved to a full-ground match-sim drill, although interestingly the wings were cut off to encourage play through the corridor. The forwards seemed to be playing with the same game plan as last year as well - i.e. the mids would often kick over their heads, with a maximum of one match-up deep inside the 50. Points of note from the match, which lasted about half an hour I think:
- Jake 'Pretzel' Spencer, who is surprisingly quick and was moving very well. Still has an incredibly awkward kicking action, but hits targets and gets amongst the play. Good signs. Also has an evolved nickname apparently... lol. Jamar was in full training, on the opposite team of course.
- Scully, of course, who is just a freak. So fast, so clean, never stops. It has been said many times before, but it's amazing how well he trains.
- Watts, who made a better showing than the previous drill. Presented well, got plenty of the ball, worked hard, and took a good contested mark over Bate and Joel Mac (I think). Still played half-forward, with Dunn (still repping the black mo) playing in the square for their team.
- Trengove's awesome don't-argue on Moloney (no mean feat), and just his balance, poise and kicking skills in general.
- Strauss, although admittedly playing loose man in defence, had his kicking boots on and was hitting some excellent long targets. Here's hoping he can step up to AFL level and release Grimes to the middle a lot more.
- Bail, whose run-and-carry was excellent. I like the way he always runs as far as he can before kicking - the proverbial "80 metre player".
- Dunn, who got stuck into LJ for ignoring him as a handball option - Jurrah instead tried to take on two defenders, and Dunny wasn't happy.
- Rookies Evans, Lawrence and Johnston were amongst the play and didn't look too out of place, especially Johnston the ranga, who seems to be filling the shoes of Cheney quite nicely.
- Davey looks to have overcome his leg injury nicely, and was speeding around the place hitting 20-cent pieces at 50 metres, as he tends to do.
Apparently Bradley Green was announced as captain to the playing group before the session... I didn't see that bit.
Who else was there and can give a report? There were a fair few people there, many of whom looked like they might have a presence around here.
The floor is now open for questions...
