Training Report 6/12/2007

[windows]

I'll just add some thoughts on the back of this FWIW. I'll just do notable player stuff:

Rookies:

Thought Hill and Joseph looked ok. Forget the rest. Both were pretty agile. Both look AFL types to me. Hill's kicking was better than advertised. Joseph did some nice stuff in close. I'd be happy with these two but not the others.

Newbies:

I was disappointed with Kreuzer's kicking. Too many floaters and a very slow ball drop. The rest was as as known - good competitive streak, good hands etc. Not sure how much he will play this year on the basis of what I saw today.
Armitage was VERY solid. Good hands, good size, very good athlete. Kicking not bad. Very probable ones player next year for mine.
Browne was particularly solid. Reminds me of Peter Bell for some reason. Good[/B] build despite his height. Fitted in well, good hands and skills. Also a good chance to play a lot next year.

Main List:
Walker looks fantastic. Given a full pre-season will be superb. Kicking was fine. The rest magic. Chasing, hands, handball. Tackling, athleticism. Complete package.
Murphy: solid if unspectacular. Russell: dunno about him. Was ok I suppose. Usual smattering of fumbles. Usual MIA in competitive drills. Gibbs looked good but didn't do much to impresss (kicking was very good). I think it is all over for Blackers. Not up to it. Setanta does look good as a defender UNTIL the forward goes laterally. He is not agile sideways Setanta and that will be an ongoing problem for him. The straight leading forward will struggle against him. I think he is destined for pinch hitting roles only I'm afraid. Bower looked very good as a defender. Spoiling particularly well. Good closing speed. Looked very serious and professional to me today. The laconic stuff seems gone. Big ticks. Hammo is clearly going to be number 1 ruck. He is simply too good at the ruckwork not to be. Has the others covered in spades and none of the others get enough of it around the ground to push him out. Hartlett is history. Forget him. In fact forget listening to anyone who raises him again cos he just can't play. Stevens is fat but getting fitter and his skills stood out in a sea of mediocrity out there today. Grigg looked ok I guess didn't see what others saw to make him a standout. Thornton was fantastic.

The rest (Scotland, Jackson, Hoops etc) did what they always do.

Cheers.

 

[mediumsizered]

he is 44 now. he retired in '02 aged 38 and turned 39 in october.

Spot on. Braddles, Sticks, Diesel & myself were all born in 1963. What a sensational quartet.

 

[THE AISSASSIN]

Bloody good work Schmurf.

Just curious, you mentioned you played with Big Seventies Steve McKee. Was that at Myrtleford?

I am amazed by Braddles fitness still. The guy could so easily have played 1-2 more seasons with us. Along with Robert Harvey and Kevin Murray arguably the fittest and most durable player of all-time. His Australian record of 501 senior matches at AFL, SANFL, State and International level is beyond belief.

You wonder if he couldnt play back pocket in the SANFL even now

 

[back2back]

Thanks for the great report on training. As i live in Brisbane i don't get to hear any of this stuff,so i really appreciate it mate. Hope to get down for a couple of games next season.

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

Many thanks for all the reports

The reports on Kreuzer don't sound that fantastic - floaters from a guy who is meant to be a footballer, adn not one of these athletes-turned-footballers?? I'm confused. I read on TC that he wasn't jumping that well in the ruck contests, however what he did get his hands on, he tapped down well, it was just getting there that was the problem.

Brilliant about Hampson's development, he is quickly becoming a favourite of mine He and Grigg will make everyone shut up in a few years

 

[blue07]

i just wished that they gave the hampster more games he is a freak i played against him in vfl he is a gun, i was suprised he didnt play earlier on for cartlon cos if he had of i would of thought that the number 1 pick would of been different..........

 

[audas]

Ineresting string of Posts.

I think Kreuzer will be ok, time will tell, amateur training reports don't spell failure. I was actually looking at Kreuzer as a tall forward, mobile 2nd ruckman.

Hammpson sounds great.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Another welcome to Steven McKee . The X Collingwood ruckman who will now be our ruck coach for this year.

WTF

He was a dud ruckman, wtf is he going to teach them, how to suck?

 

[smithos]

WTF

He was a dud ruckman, wtf is he going to teach them, how to suck?

He was a good technician, just a bit short and not overly athletic with it. The ruck-circle rule made it difficult for shorter rucks to compete and he was one of the casualties. Often the best coaches are those who have had success working with their limitations, rather than those who rely principally on natural ability

 

[audas]

He was a good technician, just a bit short and not overly athletic with it. The ruck-circle rule made it difficult for shorter rucks to compete and he was one of the casualties. Often the best coaches are those who have had success working with their limitations, rather than those who rely principally on natural ability

Hmm, thoughtful.

 

[stokesy]

You don't have to be a good player to be a good coach. If you know a lot about the facet of the area or the game you can be a good coach.

It's like cricket, you don't have to be a good player to teach the game, as long as you know the technical side of the game. For example: Weight forward, front knee bent for a cover driver, elbow up, head over the ball. You as the coach probably suck at actually doing it, but you know how to teach it.

 

[Johnny Utah #9]

You wonder if he couldnt play back pocket in the SANFL even now

He finished his SANFL career at Port Adelaide on 98 games i think (he lost a whole season there to play Australian u/19 cricket one year as well i believe).

I was actually surprised he didn't go back for a year to notch up the 100 after he finished with us.

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

Ineresting string of Posts.

I think Kreuzer will be ok, time will tell, amateur training reports don't spell failure. I was actually looking at Kreuzer as a tall forward, mobile 2nd ruckman.

Hammpson sounds great.

Been saying this all along. He is/ will be a more reliable (less injury prone) Kosi. think of him that way

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

From what I can gather the game plan next year will be based around 5 things.
1. Possession of the ball.
2. Short possession.
3. Use the corridor at all costs.
4. Heaps of pressure on both the player with the ball as well as any player within 20 metres of the ball.
5. Hardness. I couldn’t tell you how many times already ive seen guys throw their bodies into a pack and ive cringed and thought, gees take it easy, its only December. I don’t think that anyone will be allowed to shirk an issue with Ratts as our coach.

Seems strange that we'll be playing a high possession game but trying to use the corridor

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

Seems strange that we'll be playing a high possession game but trying to use the corridor

i thought that was interesting as well. time will tell. i guess as the preseason ticks on it will become more specific again...

 

[THE AISSASSIN]

Seems strange that we'll be playing a high possession game but trying to use the corridor

I think it will be a maintain posession game as we try and move forward through the corridor rather than necessarily high posession.

I am expecting us to try something similar to Geelongs game plan last year.
They ran it aggressively through corridor until they could deliver by foot inside 50. They very rarely kicked to a contest at CHF.
Ratts said on 3AW the other day that he wants to use handball out of the backline in a similar way to what Geelong did in 07.

I dont think we will be trying this slow high possesion movement similar to Sydney where they are chipping wide and backwards to maintain possession at all costs.

It took the Cats a few years to get it right, and I agree with Houla's "dont expect miracles next year" statement because it will take quite a bit of practice ( 2 or 3 years in matches & training ) to get the standard and decision making spot on

 

[BlueYoss]

Rookies:

Thought Hill and Joseph looked ok. Forget the rest. Both were pretty agile. Both look AFL types to me. Hill's kicking was better than advertised. Joseph did some nice stuff in close. I'd be happy with these two but not the others.

Top call on the rookies mate

Wana help me with my betting during the year?