Despite the mercury sitting at well over 30 degrees, today's main training session at AAMI Stadium saw the players train for two hours.
All players made an appearance on the ground, except for Biglands (knee) and Gallman (knee). Young recruits Cook and Curnow were out for a short period of time doing light drills such as handballing and jogging.
The players were out a few minutes early and proceeded to warm up, kicking casually to each other, jogging and stretching.
After the warm up, the players did sets of short sprints, covering about 10 metres.
The first drill of the morning saw players working in groups of three. One player would palm the ball down to the ground as the other two would eagerly compete to gain possession. The second time around, the delivering player would throw the ball up to themselves and then palm the ball down to the receiving two.
The second drill was again fairly easy going, the players forming two lines facing each other across the centre square and kicking the ball to one another.
The next drill saw the pace slowly increase. There were two main groups, each positioned on one side inside 50. Within these groups, there were two groups positioned in the middle of the 50 metre line, which were kicking and rotating through, directly into the pocket near the boundary line. There was also another group positioned outside 50 on the wing, who would kick across the other two groups to a waiting group near the behind post.
Handball and quick movement were the focus of the following drill. Four groups were positioned within their own rectangle. Each had three 'orange' players working as defenders. Their aim was to gain possession of their opponents, who outnumbered them, as they swiftly handballed the ball around.
At this point, Hentschel remained in the 50 to work one on one with a trainer. Petrenko was also working with a trainer further up the ground. Hentschel and the trainer would jostle for position as Hentschel would call the lead and then make the lead to receive Petrenko’s kick. Hentschel was moving quickly and freely, as he continues his way back from a horrific knee injury.
As the temperature rose, the players moved on to one of their main drills for the session. The ball would start in the goal square, and be kicked to a leading player running from the centre to the 50 metre line on the wing. After they received the pass, they would handball on to a running inside player who would again, look toward the centre. They then passed to a player in the centre of the ground who would continue the movement by handballing to a close running player. They would then kick straight down the middle of the ground to a leading forward on the 50 metre line. Their following kick was directed at another leading forward coming out from the goal square. Coming back down the other wing, the ball would move through a series of kicks between three or so players, the final player then lining up for a running shot at goal.
This drill was then repeated, but using the opposite side of the oval. The midfield groups would rotate but the defenders and forwards held their positions.
After a quick drinks break, training resumed, the players splitting up into three main groups. The far group was working on the wing completing ball up simulations. Half of this group would watch before changing every so often with the players who were 'on'. Griffin and Maric battled in the ruck.
The second group, closest to a smattering of spectators, were working on quick, tight ball movement and running shots at goal. Two players would position themselves in the centre of a marked circle, one facing the trainer with the ball, one facing away. As soon as the receiving player would get the ball, the defending player would turn around and try to tackle them. The player with the ball was looking to pass to one of two trainers. Once they had a couple of shots at this, both players were handed a football and had a running shot at goal from about 40 metres out.
The third group, working on the member's side of the 50 metre arch, focused on agility and applying pressure. One of two players would start with a ball tucked tightly under his arm, as they both started to sprint for about 5 metres. The player with the ball, if having to carry it wasn't enough, had to weave their way through cones and avoid getting tackled by the other running player as they met when the cones ran out.
Both the second and third group would rotate with each other.
After the completion of this drill, players merged to the middle to carry out a running kick to kick across the centre of the ground, three groups each end. They mixed it up a bit, throwing in some high placed kicks, criss-crossing and even extinguishing one group down one end, creating three to two groups. Once this was completed, Doughty headed into the rooms.
Next, a fairly lengthy break allowed the players to re-hydrate and cool off with the aid of ice vests and a fan.
To warm up afterwards, they jogged around, stretched and did a handball drill, as if they were coming back from the rooms after half time.
The group was split up into two for a bit of match stimulation, a second side distinguishable in orange. Reilly was allocated a red bib and two fluoro bibs rotated through Mackay, Porplyzia, Symes and Edwards.
At this point a smaller group had gone off to work with some trainers, made up of Gill, Armstrong, Kite, Petrenko, Jacky and Moss. They worked on various things such as leading, marking etc.
In the main trial, only three quarters of the ground was used. The northern end was the attacking end and orange's defensive end. The ball was started either by Craig kicking to Maric and Griffin at centre half back or by a ball up at various spots around half back. If orange won possession of the ball, their objective was to get the ball back down into their end of the ground. Hentschel played down back on the orange Campbell. He didn't see much of the ball in this drill.
Once completed, another short break followed. After that, another running kick to kick with criss-crossing and the like was carried out in the middle.
As the end of training neared, players broke off into various groups. The majority of players were goal kicking.
Tippett, Moran and Maric were working with a trainer. The trainer simply kicking the ball up to the hands of the player standing 5 metres away.
Mackay and Douglas were working with a couple of trainers on tackling. Symes was also doing something similar.
Stevens, Kite and Jericho would take it turns to go head to head and contest a long kick.
Shirley, Otten and van Berlo were going through one of the earlier drills, one player palming ball down to two competing players.
Burton received some advice on his kicking technique as players slowly filtered off the oval. Moran was the last player in, staying back to have one or two final shots at goal.
In the lead up to Saturday's NAB Cup grand final against St. Kilda, at AAMI Stadium, there appear to be many players available for a place in the team.
-----
EDIT: Photos up.
All players made an appearance on the ground, except for Biglands (knee) and Gallman (knee). Young recruits Cook and Curnow were out for a short period of time doing light drills such as handballing and jogging.
The players were out a few minutes early and proceeded to warm up, kicking casually to each other, jogging and stretching.
After the warm up, the players did sets of short sprints, covering about 10 metres.
The first drill of the morning saw players working in groups of three. One player would palm the ball down to the ground as the other two would eagerly compete to gain possession. The second time around, the delivering player would throw the ball up to themselves and then palm the ball down to the receiving two.
The second drill was again fairly easy going, the players forming two lines facing each other across the centre square and kicking the ball to one another.
The next drill saw the pace slowly increase. There were two main groups, each positioned on one side inside 50. Within these groups, there were two groups positioned in the middle of the 50 metre line, which were kicking and rotating through, directly into the pocket near the boundary line. There was also another group positioned outside 50 on the wing, who would kick across the other two groups to a waiting group near the behind post.
Handball and quick movement were the focus of the following drill. Four groups were positioned within their own rectangle. Each had three 'orange' players working as defenders. Their aim was to gain possession of their opponents, who outnumbered them, as they swiftly handballed the ball around.
At this point, Hentschel remained in the 50 to work one on one with a trainer. Petrenko was also working with a trainer further up the ground. Hentschel and the trainer would jostle for position as Hentschel would call the lead and then make the lead to receive Petrenko’s kick. Hentschel was moving quickly and freely, as he continues his way back from a horrific knee injury.
As the temperature rose, the players moved on to one of their main drills for the session. The ball would start in the goal square, and be kicked to a leading player running from the centre to the 50 metre line on the wing. After they received the pass, they would handball on to a running inside player who would again, look toward the centre. They then passed to a player in the centre of the ground who would continue the movement by handballing to a close running player. They would then kick straight down the middle of the ground to a leading forward on the 50 metre line. Their following kick was directed at another leading forward coming out from the goal square. Coming back down the other wing, the ball would move through a series of kicks between three or so players, the final player then lining up for a running shot at goal.
This drill was then repeated, but using the opposite side of the oval. The midfield groups would rotate but the defenders and forwards held their positions.
After a quick drinks break, training resumed, the players splitting up into three main groups. The far group was working on the wing completing ball up simulations. Half of this group would watch before changing every so often with the players who were 'on'. Griffin and Maric battled in the ruck.
The second group, closest to a smattering of spectators, were working on quick, tight ball movement and running shots at goal. Two players would position themselves in the centre of a marked circle, one facing the trainer with the ball, one facing away. As soon as the receiving player would get the ball, the defending player would turn around and try to tackle them. The player with the ball was looking to pass to one of two trainers. Once they had a couple of shots at this, both players were handed a football and had a running shot at goal from about 40 metres out.
The third group, working on the member's side of the 50 metre arch, focused on agility and applying pressure. One of two players would start with a ball tucked tightly under his arm, as they both started to sprint for about 5 metres. The player with the ball, if having to carry it wasn't enough, had to weave their way through cones and avoid getting tackled by the other running player as they met when the cones ran out.
Both the second and third group would rotate with each other.
After the completion of this drill, players merged to the middle to carry out a running kick to kick across the centre of the ground, three groups each end. They mixed it up a bit, throwing in some high placed kicks, criss-crossing and even extinguishing one group down one end, creating three to two groups. Once this was completed, Doughty headed into the rooms.
Next, a fairly lengthy break allowed the players to re-hydrate and cool off with the aid of ice vests and a fan.
To warm up afterwards, they jogged around, stretched and did a handball drill, as if they were coming back from the rooms after half time.
The group was split up into two for a bit of match stimulation, a second side distinguishable in orange. Reilly was allocated a red bib and two fluoro bibs rotated through Mackay, Porplyzia, Symes and Edwards.
At this point a smaller group had gone off to work with some trainers, made up of Gill, Armstrong, Kite, Petrenko, Jacky and Moss. They worked on various things such as leading, marking etc.
In the main trial, only three quarters of the ground was used. The northern end was the attacking end and orange's defensive end. The ball was started either by Craig kicking to Maric and Griffin at centre half back or by a ball up at various spots around half back. If orange won possession of the ball, their objective was to get the ball back down into their end of the ground. Hentschel played down back on the orange Campbell. He didn't see much of the ball in this drill.
Once completed, another short break followed. After that, another running kick to kick with criss-crossing and the like was carried out in the middle.
As the end of training neared, players broke off into various groups. The majority of players were goal kicking.
Tippett, Moran and Maric were working with a trainer. The trainer simply kicking the ball up to the hands of the player standing 5 metres away.
Mackay and Douglas were working with a couple of trainers on tackling. Symes was also doing something similar.
Stevens, Kite and Jericho would take it turns to go head to head and contest a long kick.
Shirley, Otten and van Berlo were going through one of the earlier drills, one player palming ball down to two competing players.
Burton received some advice on his kicking technique as players slowly filtered off the oval. Moran was the last player in, staying back to have one or two final shots at goal.
In the lead up to Saturday's NAB Cup grand final against St. Kilda, at AAMI Stadium, there appear to be many players available for a place in the team.
-----
EDIT: Photos up.
