Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

[The Nostradamus]

I went and had a look. Not much to report, medium intensity session from what I observed.

• Goad appears to have a future. Certainly see how people rave about his athleticism. A lot to work with
• Concerns on Hardeman’s disposal, McDonald like almost.
• Toby Pink should not play games for us next season
• Caleb Daniel’s kicking was a complete standout
• It’s obvious that Sheezel, McKercher and Simpkin are our best trainers.
• Darling and Parker only did half sessions
• Larkey is in career best shape
• No sign of Fisher, Comben, B George or Phillips on the track.
• I’ll save my Davies Uniacke comments for another day.

Did the draftees complete most of the session?

Some photos from charli mihalek

 

[nicko74]

Why?

Why indeed.....

 

[Passmore]

I went and had a look. Not much to report, medium intensity session from what I observed.

• Goad appears to have a future. Certainly see how people rave about his athleticism. A lot to work with
• Concerns on Hardeman’s disposal, McDonald like almost.
• Toby Pink should not play games for us next season
• Caleb Daniel’s kicking was a complete standout
• It’s obvious that Sheezel, McKercher and Simpkin are our best trainers.
• Darling and Parker only did half sessions
• Larkey is in career best shape
• No sign of Fisher, Comben, B George or Phillips on the track.
• I’ll save my Davies Uniacke comments for another day.

It’s quite the transformation over the break with Goad. Apart from the odd moment at training last year, he looked like a gangly yearling. Seemed to have no idea what he was doing. He’s come back looking like a footballer.

There’s a long way to go, it’s still November obviously, but it’s promising.

 

[William Caresser]

• It’s obvious that Sheezel, McKercher and Simpkin are our best trainers.

Appreciate the report thanks.

Interested in your view on what Sheez, McKercher and Simpkin are doing that the others aren't, but should be?

 

[Shermanator]

I went and had a look. Not much to report, medium intensity session from what I observed.

• I’ll save my Davies Uniacke comments for another day.

 

[Disco Dew]

Just came here for the LDU opinions that aren't being shared...

 

[Augustine]

Remember in 2017, we were on the tail end of that good team of Higgins, Cunnington, Goldy, Boomer, Petrie, Thompson, Waite, Thomas etc. We had fallen down towards the bottom but aggressively pursued Martin and Kelly. When that didn’t work, Brad Scott or someone (?) said that we needed to build a core of promising young players before pursuing elite ready-made talent again.

Now let’s put aside how this strategy seemingly was thrown aside with Polec and Gaff pursuits.

I thought that we had put together the core list of young players with Simpkin, Tarryn Thomas, LDU, Larkey, McCay, Phillips and Stephenson and we were ready to try to attract the final jigsaw pieces and rise up to compete. This did not work out lol.




But now I’m convinced again that with Sheezel, Wardlaw, Colby, Duursma, Powell and now FOS that we have put that young group together. Paul Curtis and Archer should probably be included too.

The 21-24 classes are now in the driver’s seat. What remains of the 17-20 classes will play an important role. And we have added Parker, Daniel, Darling, Logue and Fisher to help fill in the utter hole of the 26-32 age range.

It’s been painful but I think we’re now finally in the position we’ve been hoping for since 2017.

This season is critical. We need to generate the narrative of “wow they’re gonna be good” like the Hawks have on them right now. Then we can finally attract those important premiership jigsaw pieces - such as a crumbing goal sneak.

 

[Augustine]

Just came here for the LDU opinions that aren't being shared...

The power of mystery is crazy in human psychology. If that guy just shared his LDU view nobody would care.

Put it in a mystery box and you can string along an audience for six seasons of Lost…

 

[Shermanator]

 

[My Left Foote]

Just came here for the LDU opinions that aren't being shared...

I'll tell you what I think of LDU.

 

[discodaddy]

We had fallen down towards the bottom but aggressively pursued Martin and Kelly. When that didn’t work, Brad Scott or someone (?) said that we needed to build a core of promising young players before pursuing elite ready-made talent again.

Was that when The Bard was building for the short term, the medium term, and the long term?

 

[Heaps of fun]

I had a gander today.

Some assorted thoughts for you all:

• Duursma, Payne, Comben, Goater, George, Fisher, Kal Dawson and Wil Dawson all in the rehab group. Good to see Shotgun Dawson marking the footy overhead already.
• Jack Darling flattened Maley in a marking contest. Just barreled into his chest and dropped Finnbar like the proverbial. Adam Marcon loved it.
• On Maley, tries really really hard out on the track. Makes a lot of blues, but I think that's because his fitness is not fully there yet. After dropping a mark yelled out "take a ****ing mark campaigner" and then Larkey got around him, nice to see.
• Wardlaw's kicking continues to be an issue. Patch gave him a bit of a lecture about going hands rather than the hero kick (basing this off body language, everyone knows the universal sign for "handball it to a guy running past because we'd rather anyone else kick it"). George didn't love the convo from what I can tell.
• Sheezel just does everything with steely determination and dictated a lot of ball movement and free player drills, as you might expect.
• McKercher is going to be some sort of midfielder. Burst past the long arms of Taylor Goad and a wrongfooted George Wardlaw. It's just breathtaking to see.
• On Goad, unrecognisable. He's just so much bigger I thought we were trialing a VFL KPF. Gets ragdolled by Xerri, but so does first string AFL rucks. Had some nice moments in transition drills. Developing nicely.
• Jy and Sheezel stand out with their intensity. Both just want to win every sprint and dominate every drill. Tom Powell also looking super competitive, particularly in the running.
• Teakle is a really nice field kick, never noticed. Not the fittest bloke there.
• I didn't notice any one training in a line you wouldn't expect. Pink still working with the key forward group.
• On the newbies, River gets involved a lot and has a really nice shoe and FOS is elite at groundballs and very smart in contested drills. Didn't notice Whitlock or Urquhart in the drills. They were all out there, but spent the second half of the session with development coach Jarrod Lienert. Interestingly I think I saw Konstanty with this group of first years.
• No sign of Will Phillips. Everyone other player was out on the oval including Harrop, Downie, McPherson and another blondie I didn't recognise.
• Boys overall too quiet for my liking. Larks, Corr and Luke all stick out. Particularly Corr who gives a lot of vocal encouragement for great hits and tackles.

 

[Chadwiko]

I'm tired so might be forgetting an injury, but why is Comben in the rehab group? Is this new or am I just a forgetful idiot?

 

[Heaps of fun]

I'm tired so might be forgetting an injury, but why is Comben in the rehab group? Is this new or am I just a forgetful idiot?

Unless he has done anything else, it's his shoulder. There's an article from August saying he'd be back post-Christmas so the recovery is hopefully still on track.

 

[king rising]

Appreciate the report thanks.

Interested in your view on what Sheez, McKercher and Simpkin are doing that the others aren't, but should be?

It’s the way they train. Always doing everything at 100% intensity. Always at the front of the warm up runs, always hit their targets in the lane work etc.

Others loaf around a bit more and like to joke with their mates. Not saying they’re not trying, but it’s just an optics thing.

 

[Passmore]

Unless he has done anything else, it's his shoulder. There's an article from August saying he'd be back post-Christmas so the recovery is hopefully still on track.

He was chatting to a few blokes on the boundary and referencing his shoulder. Appears to be on track from what he was saying.

Powell’s shed all the “boyishness” now. Genuine AFL sized footballer. I actually thought the change in body shape of a number of the lads was noticeable. Took me a while to pick up who was who.

 

[Rod Stroker]

View attachment 2177029

They missed the most obvious one:

"TRAINING THE HOUSE DOWN"

 

[Chadwiko]

Luke and Jy have been inoffensive and "fine", however from speaking to people who know, it was suggested to me that both men already know and understand they aren't the "leaders" of the playing group anymore.

Think of basically every extracurricular media opportunity the club has been involved in over the last 6 months. I'm talking about things like the Grand Final Breakfast, the AFL Draft, the Brownlow, etc etc.

How many of these events can you recall seeing Luke and Jy at? Very few, right?

It's because they know Harry is the new 'face' of the club, and beyond that he's also the guy driving standards amongst the playing group. He already "leads" the younger cohort, but also proactively seeks to work closely with the veterans.

He is the one.

From today's AFL website write up of our AFLW training;




Not Jy, not Luke. But Harry.

 

[Frank Thring]

From today's AFL website write up of our AFLW training;


View attachment 2178098

Not Jy, not Luke. But Harry.

Yeah I saw that, very foreboding

 

[Horizons_00]

I don't want to be pedantic, but that's literally what disgruntled means.

Disgruntled at the leadership as I’m content with who we drafted this year haha

 

[shinboner magic]

Was training on today

 

[hsquid]

Was training on today

Is a question mark too much to ask?

 

[shinboner magic]

Is a question mark too much to ask?

Sorry Ms
Have I failed this vital exam ?

 

[LB2Snake]

Sorry Ms
Have I failed this vital exam ?

What do you think

Or

What do you think?


Fair difference

 

[Roos1991]

I had a gander today.

Some assorted thoughts for you all:

• Duursma, Payne, Comben, Goater, George, Fisher, Kal Dawson and Wil Dawson all in the rehab group. Good to see Shotgun Dawson marking the footy overhead already.
• Jack Darling flattened Maley in a marking contest. Just barreled into his chest and dropped Finnbar like the proverbial. Adam Marcon loved it.
• On Maley, tries really really hard out on the track. Makes a lot of blues, but I think that's because his fitness is not fully there yet. After dropping a mark yelled out "take a ****ing mark campaigner" and then Larkey got around him, nice to see.
• Wardlaw's kicking continues to be an issue. Patch gave him a bit of a lecture about going hands rather than the hero kick (basing this off body language, everyone knows the universal sign for "handball it to a guy running past because we'd rather anyone else kick it"). George didn't love the convo from what I can tell.
• Sheezel just does everything with steely determination and dictated a lot of ball movement and free player drills, as you might expect.
• McKercher is going to be some sort of midfielder. Burst past the long arms of Taylor Goad and a wrongfooted George Wardlaw. It's just breathtaking to see.
• On Goad, unrecognisable. He's just so much bigger I thought we were trialing a VFL KPF. Gets ragdolled by Xerri, but so does first string AFL rucks. Had some nice moments in transition drills. Developing nicely.
• Jy and Sheezel stand out with their intensity. Both just want to win every sprint and dominate every drill. Tom Powell also looking super competitive, particularly in the running.
• Teakle is a really nice field kick, never noticed. Not the fittest bloke there.
• I didn't notice any one training in a line you wouldn't expect. Pink still working with the key forward group.
• On the newbies, River gets involved a lot and has a really nice shoe and FOS is elite at groundballs and very smart in contested drills. Didn't notice Whitlock or Urquhart in the drills. They were all out there, but spent the second half of the session with development coach Jarrod Lienert. Interestingly I think I saw Konstanty with this group of first years.
• No sign of Will Phillips. Everyone other player was out on the oval including Harrop, Downie, McPherson and another blondie I didn't recognise.
• Boys overall too quiet for my liking. Larks, Corr and Luke all stick out. Particularly Corr who gives a lot of vocal encouragement for great hits and tackles.

Great review, thanks! I'd be hoping for a lot more voice out there this year with the leadership we've brought in and the core players getting another year together. Don't think we'll be top line until that is just a common thing