What role has windy been predominantly playing in match sim? Is he probably the 3rd mid at the club behind Steele and crouch?Righto…
WARMUPS and DRILLS
MATCH SIM
- First things first… it was absolutely STANKING hot.
- Boys very very vocal in the run throughs.
- No Crouch today, which is a bit of a concern.
- Zak Jones was running laps at a rapid click.
- Tom Campbell was back on the track.
- Collard could fit three of him inside his shorts… gone full Eddie Betts.
- Allison was paired off with one of the coaches on the far side, during warmups…think it was BJ… seemingly teaching short leading.
- Hunter in full training, but in the fluro “don’t touch me” cap.
- Wilson training with the forwards, Keeler with the backs, Hotton, Henry and Pou with the mids.
- Hammer and Allison spent time training with both groups of key positions.
- Byrnes training with the forwards as well; possible reinvention as an Eddy/McQualter 2.0-style defensive forward.
- McLennan looks a lot more mobile than last year. Pleasing.
- Rehab group was Jones, Hayes, Butler, Sinclair, and Van Es. Moose was doing timed runs again. Sincs in particular was moving very well.
- Sir Leonard Hayes was doing a short areas drill where after three handballs they HAD to move the ball competitively inside a 8m or so circle. Drove them very hard. BJ was watching closely. Group was with Max, Ro, Doogs, Wilkie, Bonner, Battle, Wilson, Seb, Chito, Henry, Windy, and Hill when I was watching. Hands were predominantly excellent.
- Keeler is an absolute weapon in close quarters for a very tall kid. Moves like he’s 20cm shorter.
- Garcia goes full throttle at all times. Absolute madman. Lenny and BJ love him.
- Moose off by himself with a coach working on marking, then immediately getting back on what would be the mark and moving the ball.
- Butler taking set shots from 35m out in the “wrong” pocket. Didn’t kick a single one.
- Butler and Hayes kicking to each other on repeat leads was interesting to watch. Both looked proppy still.
- Darby Hipwell (Sandy) back on deck again… club is putting a LOT of work into him. No idea who the borderline albino in 46 was though (got called Hugo during match sim, so I assume Hall-Kahan), or 37.
- Half ground drill with mostly the probables was very competitive. Other than the more obvious ones… Bonner was involved, as we McLennan, Hipwell (Sandy), Garcia, Hotton, Wilson and Stocker.
- Hammer absolutely obliterated Doogs on the lead. Twice. Doogs was… unimpressed.
- Stocker (on Titanic) was extremely vocal. As much as Wilkie. He’s in excellent form and nick.
- Every time there was a marking contest, Enright would restart as if there had been a turnover in defence, regardless of whether someone was kicking for goal or not. Kept the boys moving and thinking.
- The ball could come in from either of the “ruck contes” on either wing. Funnily enough, no actual ruckmen were involved.
- Ross gave BJ a minor talking to about something… no idea what, but was interesting; he doesn’t even give the coaches an inch!
There was some general farting about with goalkicking and blokes taking hangers over Batch, who was wearing a tackle bag on his back.
- Red the probables at my end, McLennan on Snags, Zlugger on King, Stocker on Titanic, Keeler on Membrey.
- Coaches full of praise for the Irishman for him decision making out of defence.
- Chito kicked the first for Red from a set shot from 45m.
- Max sat out the back on Keeler who got beaten over the top trying to cover. Kicked the second for Red from a set shot snap deep in the pocket.
- Howard outpaced Allison on the lead at the other end to snuff out a promising entry for Yellow.
- Very clean transition down the outer wing lead to a goalsquare dribble goal to Hill (I think) for Red.
- Hunter in the middle for Yellow, still in the “hands off” cap. Moving very smoothly. Bit of a group in-drawn breath when he floated across an oncoming Steele to spoil.
- Pou played entirely in the midfield.
- Hastie sat very well in the hole for Yellow to deny a Chito lead. His kicking is lovely.
- RTB stopped the entire sim to tell everyone off for their positioning.
- And again to tell Zlugger off for not making sure the Yellow defenders were where they were supposed to be.
- After the sim, Wood did a heap of work with the Irishman on defensive positioning. He’s a superb mentor.
They went inside after that. Can’t blame ‘em.
I’m out. It’s about 58° degrees in the shade…
I knew there was a reason for the extra day in February this year. It’s to allow time to read Barrel’s, Joffa’s & Mike’s posts
Better for us to be glass half full than half empty!Excellent contribution Mike. Between us I think we have convinced ourselves we have the list to win the next 4 flags.
Seriously we have a very good mix of young skilful players, we will soon find out how they stack up against 17 other lists.
On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app
No.
How heavy was Shai Bolton in game 1?
Max was hailed as a leader when drafted. I little disappointing he isn’t pushing a bigger case for a leadership role. No forwards in the group.
Dougal has been excluded for the second year in a row. Tells you all you need to know about the sanctity of the leadership group.Leadership Group, schmeadership group. Sounds like the entire team is far more vocal and instructive, and when people like Mason (perhaps our best off field leader?) don’t make it, it says a lot.
Let’s focus on the real issues, like who would win a punch-on between Barrels and JoffJoff
Just a bunchy of crusty ole liniment sniffers perspective belching their opinions in an echo chamber.
Leadership Group, schmeadership group. Sounds like the entire team is far more vocal and instructive, and when people like Mason (perhaps our best off field leader?) don’t make it, it says a lot.
Let’s focus on the real issues, like who would win a punch-on between Barrels and JoffJoff
Inside mid from what I've seen
can only imagine the badge this guy will receiveI asked chat gpt for a training report. Here's what I got:
Fan's Wild Training Session Recap - St Kilda FC Extravaganza
Warmups and Shenanigans:
- The weather was hotter than a kangaroo in a sauna, but the boys channeled their inner banshees with high-energy run-throughs.
- Rumors flew about Crouch's secret mission to find the perfect coffee, leaving fans intrigued and mildly caffeinated.
- Zak Jones decided laps were too mainstream and opted for interpretative dance instead.
- Tom Campbell's return was accompanied by a live accordion performance, showcasing his hidden musical talents.
- Collard's shorts could host a mini pop-up market, but it seems he's going for the "fashionably oversized" look, à la Eddie Betts.
Positional Oddities:
- Allison engaged in a heated debate with a seagull on the far side during warmups, possibly discussing seagull tactics for the season.
- Hammer and Allison played a game of musical chairs between the forwards and backs, leaving everyone wondering if they're practicing secret teleportation skills.
- Hunter, sporting a neon "don't touch me" cap, insisted on being addressed as "Sir Hunter the Elusive."
Injury-Prone Extravaganza:
- The rehab group, featuring Jones, Hayes, Butler, Sinclair, and Van Es, turned their timed runs into an impromptu interpretative dance-off. Jones's moonwalk was a highlight.
- Sir Leonard Hayes led a drill involving handballs, interpretive dance moves, and somersaults, showcasing his avant-garde coaching style.
Match Sim - Reality or Fever Dream?:
- Red team, led by Chito and Stocker, unveiled their secret weapon: a live llama as a mascot.
- Max King, in an unexpected turn of events, attempted a set shot with his non-dominant foot from the boundary line and nailed it, earning him the title "Footy's Unpredictable Maestro."
- Hunter, now donning a full clown costume, showcased his impeccable juggling skills in the midfield.
Post-Simulation Absurdities:
- Ross and BJ engaged in a heated debate over the best pizza toppings, temporarily forgetting they were at a footy training session.
- Wood transformed into a motivational speaker, delivering an impassioned speech about the existential meaning of tackling bags.
Conclusion - A Carnival of Chaos:
Amidst the chaos, the Saints proved they're not just a football team; they're entertainers, mystics, and possibly time-travelers. Fans left the session with a sense of bewilderment, eager to unravel the mysteries that await in the upcoming season. Whether it's Jones's interpretative dance moves or Max King's secret talents, one thing is for sure – this season promises to be a rollercoaster of the bizarre and the brilliant.
Injury has held Max back…some body language issues haven’t helped either!
Very clever…how can anyone possibly compete with that!!
He’s attending a lot of centre bounces and looks good, along with Steele, Henry & Phillipou!
.
