Training report 22/2/2010

[lunacy]

Well thankfully everyone loves training reports because this is gonna be a big one. This would have to be my favourite training session ever. I'm hoping the afc website will have photos because unfortunately I didnt get any.

Ok VB, Porps, Symes were just doing running (laps and run thrus).

Martin and Jaensch were outside doing some minor running/agility exercises.

Missing altogether were Tippett, Thomo, Knights, Dangerfield, Burton, Young and Donnelly.

Todays session was very much a skills and tactical honing session.

The first half was all geared around Skills. There were different stations which the groups would have to cycle through after about 5 mins.
Two stations that I can remember are;
1. Kicking in pairs with the goal posts between them. 1 in front of the goals and the other behind the goals. The aim was to hit the post with the kick.
2. Handballing/tackling keep it off type drill (the usual).

There was plenty more skill related drills. The skill level was pretty good today.

Then the group divided into 2 groups. One group of 18 (the crows starting 18 vs the leftovers).

Starting 18 included;
Reilly Edwards Doughty Walker Mackay Vince Johncock Maric Mcleod Rutten Douglas Stevens Gunston Patrenko McKernan Goodwin Hentschel Bock.

Leftovers (no offence intended) plus some trainers and/or Bickley;
L.Thompson Moran Griffin Cook Jacky Talia Davis Sellar Craig Sloane Shaw Armstrong Riley Henderson Schmidt Wright.

They were practising set plays. First up was in the crows forward line. They crows team set up a full 18 man defensive zone from a kick out. The green team (leftovers) were doing a kick in after a behind and were trying to get through the crows defensive zone. Armstrong was the destignated kicker everytime. It was great I was behind the goals and could see them set up beautifully. Neil Craig and the other coaches were right next to me behind the goals and I could hear what they were saying between themselves, what they thought was good, what they wanted to see and what they were yelling out to the players. I could even hear the players communicating and commanding each other where to go etc. They are so well drilled. They have names for different defensive zones like diamond, 3-4-5 etc. NC appeared to be sort of coaching/instructing the green side, whilst David Noble was coaching the crows side. This is because in this instance it was in the crows forward line. He's the forward line coach so he was instructing the forwards in their defensive zone from opposition kick ins. As it was our starting 18 it gave a real indication for our teams positions ie Walker, McKernan, Hentschel, Douglas, Patrenko were all in forward line. Keep in mind Tippett, Porps, Burton, Knights werent training.

Henderson, Davis, Armstrong were deep ino defense for the green team. This wasnt a scratch match it was purely kick ins. Once the ball was turned over by the crows or the green would get it out of the defense thru the crows zone it would stop and NC would yell out "and again" and the'y keep going over it and over it. If he saw something he didnt like he'd pause the drill, leaving them in their positions communicate with the player or group what he didnt like or what they should have done and then he'd continue the drill.

Armstrong did a fabulous job. Such a precise kick and always made the right decision. NC was standing alongside him in the square and was very complimentary to him. You could tell Armstrong would get really disappointed when he'd kick a great pin point kick over distance to a player splitting the zone and his team mate would drop the mark.

Davis was brilliant in congestion and has surpreme skills. The true test of execution is when under accute pressure. He is silky and smooth. Certainly restored my faith in him after the NAB cup game. I really believe he is gonna be a brilliant player. He knows the game plan so well and was barking instructions to his fellow (green) teammates who were clearly the underdogs. He is very demanding on his teammates and has high standards, which I think is great in a young player especially. At one stage Talia had the ball deep in the back pocket and Davis called for a switch to him across goals in the other pocket. Talia kicked it to Davis but with too much flight over distance. While the ball was mid flight Davis yelled out "Aarrggh not like that!" and a crows defender was able to intersect and spoil it over the boundary liine. NC stopped the drill and yelled out calmly to Talia "Daniel what do you know about kicking when switching play over distance?" Talia replied "dont give it too much flight" and NC said "spot on. C'mon boys AGAIN". And again they repeated the drill over and over. Brilliant to watch and hear it all so closely.

In the same drill. Henderson was really standing out for the green as well. NC said "great work Ricky, the best I've seen you train". Another time Hendo took them on in defense and broke through the zone with courageous run, carry and evasiveness. NC said "well done Ricky too quick for them, they dont like it". I could really sense NC wanted the green underdogs to do well.

Jacky was very good at playing attacking rather then safe footy when at times the green team appeared bogged down by the crows tight defensive zone. He played on all the time.

Armstrong definitely appears ear marked for the kick in duties eventually.

Thats enough for this post. I have a whole lot more coming your way from todays session

 

[xamol]

Nice read Lun

 

[beartoo]

Good stuff, L, thanks.

 

[thebirdman 24]

Good to hear about Davis training well, have high hopes for this lad.

 

[Mad Fan of AFL]

Well thankfully everyone loves training reports because this is gonna be a big one. This would have to be my favourite training session ever. I'm hoping the afc website will have photos because unfortunately I didnt get any.

Ok VB, Porps, Symes were just doing running (laps and run thrus).

Martin and Jaensch were outside doing some minor running/agility exercises.

Missing altogether were Tippett, Thomo, Knights, Dangerfield, Burton, Young and Donnelly.

Todays session was very much a skills and tactical honing session.

The first half was all geared around Skills. There were different stations which the groups would have to cycle through after about 5 mins.
Two stations that I can remember are;
1. Kicking in pairs with the goal posts between them. 1 in front of the goals and the other behind the goals. The aim was to hit the post with the kick.
2. Handballing/tackling keep it off type drill (the usual).

There was plenty more skill related drills. The skill level was pretty good today.

Then the group divided into 2 groups. One group of 18 (the crows starting 18 vs the leftovers).

Starting 18 included;
Reilly Edwards Doughty Walker Mackay Vince Johncock Maric Mcleod Rutten Douglas Stevens Gunston Patrenko McKernan Goodwin Hentschel Bock.

Leftovers (no offence intended) plus some trainers and/or Bickley;
L.Thompson Moran Griffin Cook Jacky Talia Davis Sellar Craig Sloane Shaw Armstrong Riley Henderson Schmidt Wright.

They were practising set plays. First up was in the crows forward line. They crows team set up a full 18 man defensive zone from a kick out. The green team (leftovers) were doing a kick in after a behind and were trying to get through the crows defensive zone. Armstrong was the destignated kicker everytime. It was great I was behind the goals and could see them set up beautifully. Neil Craig and the other coaches were right next to me behind the goals and I could hear what they were saying between themselves, what they thought was good, what they wanted to see and what they were yelling out to the players. I could even hear the players communicating and commanding each other where to go etc. They are so well drilled. They have names for different defensive zones like diamond, 3-4-5 etc. NC appeared to be sort of coaching/instructing the green side, whilst David Noble was coaching the crows side. This is because in this instance it was in the crows forward line. He's the forward line coach so he was instructing the forwards in their defensive zone from opposition kick ins. As it was our starting 18 it gave a real indication for our teams positions ie Walker, McKernan, Hentschel, Douglas, Patrenko were all in forward line. Keep in mind Tippett, Porps, Burton, Knights werent training.

Henderson, Davis, Armstrong were deep ino defense for the green team. This wasnt a scratch match it was purely kick ins. Once the ball was turned over by the crows or the green would get it out of the defense thru the crows zone it would stop and NC would yell out "and again" and the'y keep going over it and over it. If he saw something he didnt like he'd pause the drill, leaving them in their positions communicate with the player or group what he didnt like or what they should have done and then he'd continue the drill.

Armstrong did a fabulous job. Such a precise kick and always made the right decision. NC was standing alongside him in the square and was very complimentary to him. You could tell Armstrong would get really disappointed when he'd kick a great pin point kick over distance to a player splitting the zone and his team mate would drop the mark.

Davis was brilliant in congestion and has surpreme skills. The true test of execution is when under accute pressure. He is silky and smooth. Certainly restored my faith in him after the NAB cup game. I really believe he is gonna be a brilliant player. He knows the game plan so well and was barking instructions to his fellow (green) teammates who were clearly the underdogs. He is very demanding on his teammates and has high standards, which I think is great in a young player especially. At one stage Talia had the ball deep in the back pocket and Davis called for a switch to him across goals in the other pocket. Talia kicked it to Davis but with too much flight over distance. While the ball was mid flight Davis yelled out "Aarrggh not like that!" and a crows defender was able to intersect and spoil it over the boundary liine. NC stopped the drill and yelled out calmly to Talia "Daniel what do you know about kicking when switching play over distance?" Talia replied "dont give it too much flight" and NC said "spot on. C'mon boys AGAIN". And again they repeated the drill over and over. Brilliant to watch and hear it all so closely.

In the same drill. Henderson was really standing out for the green as well. NC said "great work Ricky, the best I've seen you train". Another time Hendo took them on in defense and broke through the zone with courageous run, carry and evasiveness. NC said "well done Ricky too quick for them, they dont like it". I could really sense NC wanted the green underdogs to do well.

Jacky was very good at playing attacking rather then safe footy when at times the green team appeared bogged down by the crows tight defensive zone. He played on all the time.

Armstrong definitely appears ear marked for the kick in duties eventually.

Thats enough for this post. I have a whole lot more coming your way from todays session

Thanks Lunacy for a great detailed and analytical report Always much appreciated these fantastic reports.

First of all. It is great to see them doing skills and decision work. In zone footy it is so crucial that players have good skills and a booming kick to break the lines and zones. I thought the skills in the nab cup by the boys was poor. There was far too many handballs and not enough kicking. In my opinion when the crows are winning there is a good balance of kicking and hanballs. But most importantly the hanball when the crows are winning is more use to create. However, im very concerned about the last two years the crows have become too much 'handball happy'. Chris McDermott said you win games more by use of the ball by foot rather than by hand. I tend to agree with him.

I like the sound of Armstrong and think he will be a good solid player for us down back. Petrenko is a favourite of mine and adds to the team what we lack. Good to hear praises from Neil on Hendo. Stabby said he is a tall player with good skills and could play like a 'Burton type role' That sounds exciting to me. Last thing on Jacky...good to see him backing himself. Hopefully with added confidence we may have a player with speed, flair and creativity which is much needed.

Didn't Lewis Jetta look good for the swans...happy with Talia though. Can't wait to see him

 

[amer]

Craigy is a gun.

 

[lunacy]

The second drill was the same but this time the crows team were the defensive team doing a kick out after a behind and it was in the green forward line. Goodwin was doing the kick ins. Could really see the difference now when the crows were doing a kick in getting through the green teams zone. They got through the zone a lot quicker and more effectively compared to the green trying to get through the crow zone.

They also simulated stoppages with some man on man around the stoppage and then zoning the rest of the area. So it was part zoning, part one on one.

The stoppages are so well drilled as well. Depending on what position your playing (wing, rover etc) they all have a spot they're surposed to stand etc. and you can here the players yelling out "winger, runner, where's the tagger" etc and signalling with their hands. There is also a designated runner who I'm guessing is on the move at stoppages. Aiden Riley was the designated runner at one stage and he read it beautifully of Maric's hands and tapped it in front of him along the ground, gathered and burst from the stoppage. It was Dangeresque.

Goodwin is clearly an experienced player he was in the square doing kick ins and then would give feedback to NC and other coaches. At one point he went long outside the 50 to Maric who gave away a free for push in the back but the ball carried over the top and behind the contest. Goody said to NC "thats what we want" and Jonas said to Goody "it was a free kick for in the back" and Goody said "yeah I know but apart from that it carried over the contest" (a running player latched onto the loose ball and carried it forward into the crows forward line only to be called back for a free). When Goody said that, Ben Hart said "yeah but just make sure they know and you give the signal Goody". I didnt notice any signal.

The next kick in NC yelled out to the green team "watch out green they're going 'aerial' they're going long". They have different names for different plays.

If players took longer than 3 seconds after taking a mark NC would blow whistle and call play on.

One time, Goody said to NC "Once I grab the ball ready for a kick in call play on after a while. Thats what they do sometimes even if we arent completely set up the umpire will call play on. We have to make sure we set up quickly".

They're so professional. Everything is simulated as close as possible to match conditions.

At the stoppages Reilly and Schmidt were tagging each other depending on which team was in the attacking position. These two are being groomed as potential taggers. Not my ideal I must say.

The 3rd drill was simulating running down the clock or tempo footy. It involved kicking only (no handpassing) and trying to give the kicker on option before the umpire would call play on and before he'd have to kick to a contest. It was from a kick in against a full zone tactic and then against the man on man tactic. Nothing is left to chance and everything is rehersed. During this drill while they were man on man it gave the greatest indication of our back 6. It was;
FB Johncock Rutten Stevens
HB Goodwin Bock Doughty
Hentschel was loose in defense. Rutten was the general telling the player in position where to kick it, when to switch, telling Hentschel to come deeper or push up etc. Mcleod was up on the wing. I think thats a great move this year as he wont be tagged as much and can be another class midfielder. Previously I was against it because he'd just get tagged out of the game.

Todays session was awesome and as you can see I got heaps out of it.

Hopefully it gives insight as to what they're trying to do out on the ground. Rest assured on game day they know what they're doing. All different set plays, different names for the set plays, every player has a role etc.

Hope you enjoyed it and it wasnt not too long .

 

[KingJames23]

Brilliant write up, Lunacy. Prefer reading these reports than anything in the 'tiser.

 

[dplggr47]

great report Lunacy.
is that Reilly or Riley? that is being groomed into a tagger?

 

[lunacy]

great report Lunacy.
is that Reilly or Riley? that is being groomed into a tagger?

Reilly Back up to Doughty I'd say.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Great reports Lunacy, i can see why they close some of their sessions

Good to hear Jacky took them on. Seems he has plenty of confidence at training. However, Griffin also trains well but lacks confidence against unfamiliar opposition. Let's hope these blokes can learn to take this attitude into the real stuff.

Armstrong sounds promising in that vital role. Agree re Reilly tagging...i fear he doesn't have at least adequate speed as he's a plodder across the turf.

 

[Chief Crow]

Cheers for the updated and detailed report.

 

[dplggr47]

Reilly Back up to Doughty I'd say.

yeh, i don't like the sound of that either.

 

[Chief Crow]

Great reports Lunacy, i can see why they close some of their sessions

Good to hear Jacky took them on. Seems he has plenty of confidence at training. However, Griffin also trains well but lacks confidence against unfamiliar opposition. Let's hope these blokes can learn to take this attitude into the real stuff.

Armstrong sounds promising in that vital role. Agree re Reilly tagging...i fear he doesn't have at least adequate speed as he's a plodder across the turf.

How many taggers in the comp have good leg speed. Dogga and Shirley wouldn't be any faster then Radar. The good thing about him doing that role is he can kill his opponent the other way with his beautiful kick if his opponent don't pay him respect by sticking on him.

 

[dylan123]

Mcleod was up on the wing. I think thats a great move this year as he wont be tagged as much and can be another class midfielder. Previously I was against it because he'd just get tagged out of the game.

Great report, always interesting to read something on our tactics and found it good that we have different names for each setup. I wonder how long these will work and if we will change them around a bit so if teams try to study us it puts them off?

I found the quoted part interesting, I thought if we were going to run with McLeod on the wing it would have been a year or two ago rather then now. I would love to see him up there though and hopefully been able to setup our fwd line or even kick a few goals himself. I am very interested to see where he will be playing this year with a report of a possible spot in the forward line, training on the wing today and his most recent role for the past few years in the backline. He can pretty much play in any of those positions so it will be where the team needs him the most which I am not exactly sure where that is atm.


Tippett, Thompson, Knights and Dangerfield, what is the deal with these guys?

Tippett - late withdrawal from a sore leg last week but still struggling?

Thompson - Sore knee last I heard but that would have been a week or 2 ago now? Still struggling with it?

Knights- Don't have a clue what is going on with him, one training his got a moonboot on and the next his without it now his not training at all? Hopefully the rumors with the foot injury are not correct

Dangerfield - Missed a training at QLD then came back and did a full one with a heavily strapped knee and now his missing again. still struggling with it?

EDIT: Just saw the thread on Knights so we know what is wrong with him...

 

[Vader]

Tippett, Thompson, Knights and Dangerfield, what is the deal with these guys?

The media release regarding Knights injury also states that Thompson, Tippett & Chicken Man are all good to go and will play this weekend.

 

[dylan123]

The media release regarding Knights injury also states that Thompson, Tippett & Chicken Man are all good to go and will play this weekend.

I think I read another user say something like that, missed it down here in Melbourne. It just seems odd that if these guys are playing this week that they are missing training all together. I would have thought they would at least be doing some lighter work or we would not be playing them at all on the weekend (unless they have been training in the indoor facility?)

 

[cmndstab]

Fantastic report lunacy Really appreciate you writing that for us


I might try to get down to a session later this week. I assume there's one on Friday morning?

 

[Chief Crow]

Fantastic report lunacy Really appreciate you writing that for us


I might try to get down to a session later this week. I assume there's one on Friday morning?

They will be in Alice by then you will find. Thursday 10am is the next open session according to afc.com.au

 

[Weekend of Bernie]

Great report Lunacy.
I really appreciated the clear detail of each activity you reported on. It gave me insights to the session better than any photos could have. Thanks. Much enjoy.

 

[cammo6556]

Again... Best training reports on bigfooty! Great write up

 

[whitey_1975]

now that was a great write up.
not that the others arent good its just that i sense maybe you have played footy before?

 

[Tobster]

Totally agree W75. Great write up with a feeling of understanding of the game being conveyed. IMHO The Advertiser now only publishes opinion pieces by journalists who have no feel for the game but are more interested in following HQ edicts that demand sensationlism above reporting the facts. I have no problem with opinions but i believe they should be headlined 'Opinion by ....' rather than 'Dangerfield goes for Gold Coast'.

 

[Witty Remark]

goodwin is clearly an experienced player he was in the square doing kick ins and then would give feedback to nc and other coaches. At one point he went long outside the 50 to maric who gave away a free for push in the back but the ball carried over the top and behind the contest. Goody said to nc "thats what we want" and jonas said to goody "it was a free kick for in the back" and goody said "yeah i know but apart from that it carried over the contest" (a running player latched onto the loose ball and carried it forward into the crows forward line only to be called back for a free). When goody said that, ben hart said "yeah but just make sure they know and you give the signal goody". i didnt notice any signal.

sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

 

[Macjoe]

Thanks, Lunacy. Great report, much appreciated.