Melbourne preseason training

[Big Mac]

Why would he not go to court? Is there something I'm missing? Obviously he didn't just forget

[Barra13]

Just a slap on the wrist, nothing to see here, move along so he can kick his 35 goals this year.

[Ziplock]

Why would he not go to court? Is there something I'm missing? Obviously he didn't just forget

He moved houses, so the court notification was sent to his old address.

[RaisyDaisy]

Fantasy Freako @FantasyFreako
Bernie Vince has suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring inj. Could open the door for Ben Newton. #SuperCoach #AFLFantasy

[Barra13]

A bit from today, massive post this one! Seems alot of people got down to this session.

Had a look this morning.  Normal training drills until about 11.00 when they played match practice with about 16 per team.

Injuries:  King, Howe, Vince, ANB (not sighted Petracca and Trengove). All others seemed to be there.

Observations:

As the tempo of training increases so do the mistakes - understandable.
Salem playing back, dominated match simulation and looked fantastic until he appeared to hurt his left calf.  He didn't look happy and it was strapped straight away.  Lets hope for the best.

Tommy Mac was very good, killed Dawes who really struggles with ball handling.
Jordie McKenzie seems to be playing off the back flank.  His opponent gets very little of it.
Gawn mainly forward ruck, some good work at times.
Stretch just knows how to get involved, impressed again today.
Tyson, Jones and Viney did very well.
First look at White today and was impressed.  Good size, competitive and kicks well.
Brayshaw got another hit to the head and left the field.  Salem was leading him a merry dance at that stage.
Hogan was involved and kicked goals.
Garlett will be a gun if he can keep focused.  Clean, fast, skilled and can find it.
Oscar Mac played forward and got it a few times.
Dunn wacked Gawn in the guts behind play.
All the players played their part but the flowing skills of a month ago under little pressure were replaced today with some more contested "normal" footy.
JKH found a little of it when McKenzie didn't pick him up.  He played in the midfield a bit and was involved.
Watts only played about half the match sim but didn't seem to be in any discomfort when off so I assume it was just a load thing.  In one drill he was playing a lead up forward role but in the match sim he was high half forward again.
Toump seems to have made progress to me.  Not the huge leap many will hope for but he was involved all day and by todays standards one of the better disposers of the ball.
There is no doubt they are trying to move the ball quicker but are still struggling at times finding a target.

As ever I'm very interested to get others impressions.

I'm just hoping for the best with Salem.  Hopefully just cramp or something but he was terrific and he'll be in my fantasy footy team as first picked.  His ball handling, contested work, kicking and ability to find it were just great. 

Brendan Mcartney is already a massive get, he was hounding Watts today about getting on his bike and getting to more contests, saying that if he lifts his workrate he will go to the next level as a player.

kicking out of the backline in general has improved but some of the decision making was shocking at times, Garland tried to switch at one point, turnover goal, then Dunn handballed in the pocket rather than kicked, caused a stoppage, goal. Nathan Jones gave both a good spray afterwards.

The Toump is clearly quicker than he was last year and actually looks a little dangerous with ball in hand, he is working really hard to get more involved.

Salem looks like he has the potential to be really really good in the back line role, he was playing very well at one point there.

Dean kent was the real standout today for me besides maybe Salem and Jones, he has pace, he is tough and knows how to kick multiple goals, i am very optimistic about what he can offer this year, some of the run he provided today was great.

Just got back from training, and BB was pretty much spot on with his analysis. I went there looking at structures, ball movement and the role that individual players were given. I'm basically looking at where we'll be better from past years.

Positives

Salem was outstanding. Toumpas was really good when he's given space, and his disposal was great. Tyson, N.Jones and Viney were the best of the mids. Hogan and Garlett will improve our forward line. Thought that Kent was also good up forward. Frost really impressed me at times with his clean ball handling and run.

Of the youngsters, Stretch was impressive apart from one badly missed target at the end. He looks like he could be an inside/outside mid. Vandenburg did a couple of nice things. Oscar Mac may take time to develop, but looks like a footballer. Wasn't as impressed with White as BB. He's got nice size about him, and got involved, but struggled a bit in one on one contests.

Negatives

In what were ideal conditions, the number of missed targets was atrocious. I won't individualise because there were too many to remember.

Dawes. If players can get reported during intra club match drills, he would be missing for another 4 weeks. Jetta was playing on him, and beat him every time in a body on body contest. In frustration, Dawes smashed him across the chops, in what can only be described as a cowardly act. Jetta was down for some time, then went off the ground shaken.

Spencer. It's an indictment on a player when an assistant coach yells out to his opponent "you're on Spencil". The ball was duly kicked Spencer's opponent, who took the mark and ran off. There were a couple of other shocking efforts that I could point out. And before Saty or BB say that everyone makes mistakes, Spencer would be lucky to get involved in 5 acts of play during a game, excluding ruck contests.

General Observations

Backs - We have no shortage of backman who are capable in a one on one contest. But when opposition teams apply a forward press, we need players capable of clearing the ball through run or good foot skills. The backmen who can provide both are Jetta, Salem, and Dunn. T.Mac is a lock in as a kpb, but his skills are still average. Lumumba can provide some run and has good evasive skills, but is an ordinary kick. Frost has looked pretty good in the 2 match sims that I've seen. IMO, I wouldn't have Garland, Grimes of McKenzie in a starting 22. All are honest players, but we need more rebound and skill.

Mids - Still a massive reliance on N.Jones and Tyson. Viney was good today. Michie was involved quite a bit but is very one paced, and hasn't got elite kicking skills. Really need Toumpas to have a breakout year.

Forwards - Hogan is the only key forward we can rely on, and he hasn't played a game. Noticed Hogan deliberately punching the ball down to a waiting Garlett or Kent during one of the drills. Would like to see a structure that includes Garlett, Kent and JKH, because aside from Hogan, I struggle to see where the goals will come from. If we line up with Hogan, Dawes and [Pedersen], we'll struggle.

Rucks - Jamar is still no.1 but doesn't offer much around the ground. Gawn has a presence when up forward, but doesn't impose as a ruckman. [Pedersen] did a bit of ruckwork in the match sim, and wouldn't mind seeing him used as a 2nd ruck /ruckrover. Spencer, Casey.

Things I thought from training and the match sim.

Viney, Salem, hunt and toumpas got on the end of most of the handball drills to be the one one kicking it forward. It was either they are working hard on this by themselves or its a training focus.

All of the rucks are doing heaps of contested marking drills as forwards. It's obvious they are going to spend time forward.

Salem is not only a great kick, he is brave and often went for marks in front of oncoming forwards. He did this when he hurt himself. Not sure if it was a knock to the calf and something else. It was late in the sim and he came straight off. On a positive note, they did not put ice on it, but did put a bandage on it and he walked back to the rooms.

Frost is an outstanding athlete. Play of the day was all him. Took a 1 handed mark going back into a pack in the back pocket, played on at pace and kicked beautifully to toumpas at chb, got the handball back, sprinted down the middle and hit gawn on a lead about 40m out. Gawn went back and kicked truly. It was great to watch. He is very fast for a big guy.

Tmac is a machine and competitive beast. He looks to be adding a real attack to his game. Was streaming out of the back half and did not make a single disposal error. He and frost will be the key backs in my opinion with Dunn to be the third.

Garland was also very good and has spoiling was terrific.

I've been critical of grimes at times (like some others). He was brilliant today. Was not beaten once in a one on one and his disposal was very good. If he plays anything like that we all will be happy.

Jetta copped a couple of knocks early but was still pretty good.

The White team had tmac, frost, grimes, Salem, toumpas, jetta running around the backline and it really showed. The White team was easily the better of the 2. Dawes and watts were playing against this and they made it very hard for them

Omac took 1 very good mark at the start of the sim against frost. It was at full sprint with his hands above his head with frost right up his date. Good to see a young player complete a very difficult skill.

I thought gawn, hogan and Kent had a very good forward rapport. Kent is roving off them a lot and they are all very good below their knees and physical with the ball on the ground. Kent is a very hard trainer and he seems to be doing heaps of training roving off hogan.

Garlett played mid mostly and was very impressive. For me, I don't care about what happened earlier in the week as it was about him last year. I would pick him round 1 without question.

Lumumba was the one on the blue team with the most run. He just runs and runs. What a great pick up.

N jones, Tyson and viney are ready to go. Jones was his usual self. Viney was terrific and Tyson was in everything. He tackled very well and kicked another goal from a stoppage about 30 out. He well do this again this year and often.

Spencer competed with jamar today and won a few very good tap outs.

Toumpas looks much improved and will be close to starting around wing and helping out down back.

M jones- also one I'm critical of. Today in the game, when he ran with the ball he ws very good. When he takes a mark and has to go back, he is too indecisive and turned it over a couple of times. His run was very good though and he delivered.

I personally don't see Mckenzie getting too many, if any games. Nothing seems to have changed in his game from what I saw. This is just my opinion. He will give experience to the first and second year guys though. At Casey.

I was there as well agree with most of what BB said, stood next to him a lot of the time and discussed

Only Trenove and Petracca missing

Terlich Hunt Lumumba on light days and left early

Howe, Vince and King were running laps, at one stage got caught on the boundary near the goal with Hogan chasing a ball, ran straight through the middle  of them and took out Bernie and King....an animal

ANB ran laps as well

Brayshaw took two head knocks, said he is wearing a helmet next session, Roh Bail pleased somebody has taken over from him in getting the head hits

Salem had two injuries a cork in the calf and a broken heart from Arsenal's poor performance in the Champiions League

On the big men training, discussed with Mark Jamar, on a light day the ruckmen are expected to cover approx. 8km, on solid day they are expected to do 11k

Spoke to Vandenberg again, looking at him as a forward, knows how to play midfield but reckons at the moment he is 6th or 7th in line

Stretch may be a stretch for Rd 1, but he is giving himself every chance

Ben Mathews reckons it was a good quality session

Mo64 Terlich wasn't in the match sim, so you have to pick on somebody, Spencer was ok from what I saw

A mixed bag.

Got there pretty early but wandered over to AAMI to get a coffee at one stage so missed a little.

5 different sections of training stood out

1. A mini match play drill that involved 3 teams (blue, green, orange) with 2 on the field and one resting rotating after about 5 minutes. It was interesting to note that the team fresh off the bench would apply more pressure and get the upper hand. I think each team had about 10-15 players and with that number of the field there was much more open space and we were attacking and using the ball pretty well. Besides in front of goal where we missed a bunch of goals. Either way I was impressed with the attacking flowing footy

2. 4 man handball. 4 v 4 aim to get it up 50m using hands then the attacking team becomes the defenders then switch out. The usual quick and classy players stood out - Jones, Tyson, Lumumba.

3. Running players handball weave from the back flank then kick to the forwards (Hogan, Dawes, Garlett, Kent one end, Jamar, Gawn, Oscar Mc, Fitzy the other). The kicks to the forwards were pretty good in this drill. Well placed, fast and accurate. Fitzy grassed a few earlier but then found his range and started leading and marking out in front with purpose. Gawny the same, the coaches getting on him about marking out in front and he responded. Hogan and Garlett making it look easy at the other end.

4. Match sim. I'll have more later

5. Sprints. Most of the more senior players and mainly midfielders plus Pedersen, Garland, Dunn, Dawes did quite a few sets of sprints with Misso after the match simulation. I was impressed by the intensity. Only disappointed with Garland who once again trailed in most sprints even following in Pedersen, Garlett etc. I don't know what the deal is with him, I really thought he would've found his fitness by now.

Rehab:

Neal-Bullen did a truck load of laps

Howe and Vince, sometimes with King did a lot of sprints and laps

No sign of Terlich nor Trengove

Watts, Lumumba and Fitzy were pulled out of the match sim as it progressed but I didn't noticed any issues.

Brayshaw took a couple of bumps and tackles, he gets in there. But towards the end Salem tackled him and Brayshaw managed another head knock, got up and looked ok.

Few things I will mention from training won't go overboard but watched from far end goals on Olympic boulevard.
So impressed with Salem in the backline, looked great.
N Jones gave Garland then Dunn the biggest spray I have ever heard for turning the ball over coming out of the back line.
Vanderberg looks huge but still has a bit to do in terms of footy smarts and running patterns.
Gawn looks the fittest I have ever seen him.
Newton looks solid and found it allot pencil him in for round 1
Stretch looks lively on the wing.
Garlett just knows how to play and kick goals although Salem beat him one on one a few times.

As far as the match sim went it had its moments of positive play and others not so much.

To be honest I was probably as disappointed in the coaches as much as the players. The focus again seems to be on possession retention, with Goodwin calling for calm and slow steady play at half back. Seems a strong desire to get the ball to running players by foot trying to pick through zones instead of attacking run from the backline and long kicks to half forwards presenting which is what I'd love to see.

The best patches of play did involve a more attacking kick towards the corridor and then some flowing handball and run. Frost actually straightened the team up a bit with an attacking play. One went from the Northern end in to the middle for a series of handballs (I think Salem, Viney, Kent) who then pumped it in forward.

The slower play around half back was ok at times. It certainly wasn't terrible. But when you switch it around half back against any good defensive team (and both sides defended pretty well) at some stage you're going to need to do 1 of 3 things to get out - 1. kick to a contest. 2. thread the needle on a difficult kick or 3. run and link up and break through a zone. There were too many times where I would've liked to see us try the kick to the ruck/CHF option OR try the handball and run through the middle early on in the rebound.

Individual wise (bearing in mind the teams were pretty balanced and so you had to look both ends)

Backs:

Dunn made it hard for Gawn by out bodying him. Grimes was more solid. Salem defended well, took a great mark backing in to a pack and used the ball really well. Garland had one moment where he dangled a kick out for young White who probably could've held it with strong hands but was picked off. Hunt had a big long run (during the earlier match simulation stuff). Tommy McDonald continues to be a liability with ball in hand. Shank central. He has a very slow steady and release on his kicks. White kicks really well and looks up for the contest, just is a bit awkward defending and around the packs. Frost provided a bit of burst and was otherwise ok. Jetta was very comfortable for the time he played. Sat Hogan on his backside I believe at the far end. A number of others - Michie, Newton, Lumumba, McKenzie filled in on the flanks.

Mids:

Tyson is still probably our best on the spread, just gets to the right spots to get the ball. Viney found plenty as well. Jones was Jones. Lumumba breaks the game open with his run but we'll have to cop some turnovers or poor kicks. Matty Jones found lots of space, he's good at getting a handball and getting to the edge of a pack, unfortunately he just isn't smooth by foot when running full pace. Lively is a good word for Stretch. Newton pulls off the occasional lovely left foot kick, but I'm concerned about how he's going to find the ball. Michie has moments of clever play but then can be walking around a pack instead of busting for that handball receive. Toumpy found a bit of it and used it well. He's up for the contest but I'm not sure he's figured out just how he'll win them yet.

Spencer did manage to handball the ball along the ground at one stage in his excitement to dish off a handball to a running player. He missed a lot of footy last year and training, so I'll give him time. But it's hard to watch at times. I think he'll only ever be of use if he plays angry and plays like a big strong bugger. That's not ideal for a scratch match, but he if rucks in games like he did v Pedersen at centre bounces he wont contribute much. Anyway, too much time for our 3rd string ruck already.

Fwds:

Hogan very solid. Dawes 2 grabbing but did take a few. Gawn got at least one goal when in more space but Dunn does give him trouble one on one. Garlett was buzzing around. JKH as usual finds a way to get to space, he's got a good work ethic. Kent was involved in lots and was very physical. Didn't see much of Fitzy besides on nice grab.

Anyway, good players played well, ordinary players not so much. Defensive set ups were pretty sound. Physical effort seemed willing. Ball use was safe around half back. Forwards stayed at home pretty well. Mainly it's time to play against an actual opponent and to get our better players in the same team.

[Big Mac]

Any report that stands out, or are they all as good as the others?

[Purple 77]

I read the first half of them, then skimmed the rest  :P Thought the first one maybe the best



Salem has me excited :D

But in all honesty, pre-christmas, I was excited. But since then, the Demonlanders at training are getting more honest at what they're seeing because I'm generally not impressed with what I'm hearing  :-\

Apart from the guys you can count on (Jones, Tyson, Viney, Dunn, probably TMac), only really Garlett, Salem and Hogan are impressing me from reports.

I want to hear more from Michie, Riley, Newton, Toumpas... the midfield brigade basically, + Dawes. If it's true what they reported about him, then I dunno  :-\



But hey, maybe going into a season for the first time with average expectations means they will go well, instead of the other way around  :P

[Barra13]

From what I took of it:

Grimes - Getting back to his best, which is what we need.
Frost - looks damaging both ways, actually didn't think much of him at first but seems to be impressing.
Kent - Looks set to step up a level this year.
Hogan - Just wants to dominate on field.
Garlett - Will be dangerous in the fwds - can go stints in the mids.
Salem - Finally ready to step up to the big boys.
Viney - Was ok last year, looks to be the same, but everything +1.
Tyson - Will be huge this year. If Jones can cop the tag and let Tyson run free, he will be very damaging - can kick some ripper goals too. Same as Viney, same as last year but everything +1.

[Big Mac]

Not sure what Dawes was thinking  :o - Not the first time I've heard of Dunn whacking a teammate either  ???

[Nige]

Sounds like Jeffy Garlett is really making the most of his second chance.

Salem and Hogan dominating is fantastic to hear.

Also Frost looks like he'll be a super pick up.

[Barra13]

Yeah, don't know about that either...

[Barra13]

A bit from todays training session;

No shows Trengove, Petracca and Fitzy who is crook

Viney got a belt in his head/stomach/gonads during match sim and left early, after

Jack Watts confirmed he will play NAB but not this week, same with Jayden Hunt

Spoke to Dean Kent, highly amused at the rumours, said he thought he was signed to MFC for 2016

At end of session Goodwin ran some one on one drills with Lumumba against Newton and Brayshaw against Jones, skinny Brayshaw more than held his own, apart from when Jones pushed him slighly in the back and he dived full length forward, much to everybody's amusement

Some of the match sim was excellent today, players seemed happy with it, Tommy Mc was going really well, except for one kick from backline straight to Crossy front and centre 45 out, of course he was on the other side

One nice bit, White, now fully fit, testing out the cannon of a left leg, took a shot from the edge of the square and put it through the centre of the goal post height

Pig trained really well but finished early with Terlich and went and ran laps after he had tickled the ribs of Billy Stretch with one fearsome tackle in the match sim

I think Newton will be our find of 2015, he looks a very good well rounded player and his training and attitude are very solid.

Chris Dawes to me looks to be moving a lot better, i think he will play up the ground a fair bit this season and he, Watts, Hogan and resting ruckman should pose headaches.

Toumpas to me is back to the level where i saw him in the SANFL, looks to be moving really well.

great to see alot of guys lowering their eyes and delivering into the forward 50 now, not too many blokes just bombing away which is great, plenty of targets hit in match sim.

Brendan Mcartney again doing a great job, this week telling Watts to use his body more, he is a big boy and shouldn't be getting pushed off the line by many blokes, needs to impose himself,

got stuck into Jeff for being a bit lazy with his forward pressure at one point, this picked up right away after that.

The overall spread of the team from stoppages is noticeably better imo, i think our ball movement has improved a lot

[Purple 77]

Dean Kent rumours?


Sounds a good session!

[Ricochet]

Pretty keen to see Newton get a fair crack at it to show what he's got

[Barra13]

I'm hadn't heard about the rumours but I'm guessing it is to do with his contract on the move or something.

Newton was always knocking on the door for Port I believe even the supporters were pushing for him in the main game so it will be interesting in what he brings to the dees.