Training 2024 Preseason training reports and discussion

[Grasshopper17]

For those interested, Logan Morris' mark I referred to in the first quarter is at about 1:09 in this clip.

 

[Dalions]

For those interested, Logan Morris' mark I referred to in the first quarter is at about 1:09 in this clip.

It was a ripper
His snap in traffic was just as good.

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

How likely is Smith to get a gig R1 and solid run at it?

 

[Dalions]

How likely is Smith to get a gig R1 and solid run at it?

Probably unlikely.
But has a chance of overtaking Fort as Back up Ruck in the foreseeable future.

 

[Section 5]

Went and had a look this afternoon. No rain and the ground was dry.
For me today was about taking some photos so i sat around the 50-meter mark at the club house end.
My eyes are not that great when at ground level so had trouble picking up players at the other end.

My very limited slant on the intraclub.
Was played at a higher intensity than any of the training drills. Still a few gears to go up though.

As previously mentioned, Gardiner played forward again. Kicked 2 in the first and one in the 3rd all from marks.
I actually liked his kicking for goal style. Smooth, no skips/studders and runs in straight and kicks over the man on the mark.
Good pressure when around the ball. He is not quick, but he is not slow either.
The coaches put up the "K" (kill the game) sign with 2 minutes to go in the last.
That was the only time Gardiner went to defense that i noticed.
No way i thought Gardiner would actually play forward but so far so good. Let's see what unfolds in the next 3 games.

Both Logan Morris (13) and Luke Lloyd (19) impressed me in the way the moved and carried the ball.
They both showed enough today to suggest they are close to AFL ready.
I think the Club has done well with those two, but it is early days.
If i had to pick just the one i would go Lloyd.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Went and had a look this afternoon. No rain and the ground was dry.
For me today was about taking some photos so i sat around the 50-meter mark at the club house end.
My eyes are not that great when at ground level so had trouble picking up players at the other end.

My very limited slant on the intraclub.
Was played at a higher intensity than any of the training drills. Still a few gears to go up though.

As previously mentioned, Gardiner played forward again. Kicked 2 in the first and one in the 3rd all from marks.
I actually liked his kicking for goal style. Smooth, no skips/studders and runs in straight and kicks over the man on the mark.
Good pressure when around the ball. He is not quick, but he is not slow either.
The coaches put up the "K" (kill the game) sign with 2 minutes to go in the last.
That was the only time Gardiner went to defense that i noticed.
No way i thought Gardiner would actually play forward but so far so good. Let's see what unfolds in the next 3 games.

Both Logan Morris (13) and Luke Lloyd (19) impressed me in the way the moved and carried the ball.
They both showed enough today to suggest they are close to AFL ready.
I think the Club has done well with those two, but it is early days.
If i had to pick just the one i would go Lloyd.

Interesting takes. I didn't really notice Lloyd much but then again I have hardly seen him before so willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Gardiner did go back to defence a couple of times earlier in the game... Usually at the end of quarters. If we decide it's compulsory to play with an extra man back late in quarters (I'd still rather we didn't but let's fight one battle at a time) I guess we'd rather it be Gardiner, someone who actually knows how to defend, than Rayner or Gunston.

 

['51 Bewick]

Hi folks,
Is Will Ashcroft expected to be fit for the start of the season?
Cheers.

 

[JasRulz63]

Hi folks,
Is Will Ashcroft expected to be fit for the start of the season?
Cheers.

No.

 

[irel]

Hi folks,
Is Will Ashcroft expected to be fit for the start of the season?
Cheers.

No.
Mid season, Yes.

 

[Elixuh]

Hi folks,
Is Will Ashcroft expected to be fit for the start of the season?
Cheers.

Yes. Get him in your SuperCoach team asap

 

['51 Bewick]

Thanks JasRulz63 & irel.

 

[Berrygood]

Ripper coverage of the trial match lads. Thanks very much.

Have we had at look at Collingwood, seen how they used Howe and thought " maybe Darcy could do that". By the sounds of it he's making a good fist of it. While I'd much rather see Gardiner banging into fwds, I can see a thought process behind it.

Firstly, as Grasshopper said, if we are going to continue dropping a fwd back it's better to be a genuine defender. I don't like that strategy either but will this make a difference.

Next, if Doedee is likely to return rnd 3-5, Darcy playing third tall gives the team coverage if Doedee needs to limit time on ground as he comes back. Should probably do that in the ressies but as we've seen we don't trade in A graders to play ressies.

He's certainly going to have some defenders looking over their shoulders knowing a hard arsed Gardiner is going to be crashing the pack, lol. Hoping he's mobile enough when he needs to defend n pressure up fwd.

A day out for most of the tall fwds by the sounds, kicking goals and getting involved. Are we going a bit soft in defense, avoiding collisions and injury? Not much of a mention about the midfield, are they going a bit easy in there, just getting the ball out quick to practice the quicker movement?

Thanks again for the coverage people. A lot of interesting observations, leading to infinite interpretations. Just they way we like it.

 

[BRAB]

Thanks JasRulz63 & irel.

Don’t think your advice was appreciated Elixuh

 

[Elixuh]

Don’t think your advice was appreciated Elixuh

'51 Bewick are you an uncle? Just curious.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Have we had at look at Collingwood, seen how they used Howe and thought " maybe Darcy could do that". By the sounds of it he's making a good fist of it. While I'd much rather see Gardiner banging into fwds, I can see a thought process behind it.

I think we'll see a lot of clubs employ this tactic in 2024, as I've mentioned a few times.

A day out for most of the tall fwds by the sounds, kicking goals and getting involved.

Thought Eric and Joe were pretty ordinary really. Joe especially. Hopefully just going through the motions and ready to hit their straps when we start playing for points.

Are we going a bit soft in defense, avoiding collisions and injury?

I didn't get that sense particularly. Having said that 90-58 in a shortened game would translate to probably around 120-77 in a full length game, which is reasonably high scoring in this day and age given the average score is in the low-mid 80s. For this calc I've assumed 2x20 minute quarters (which there were) and 2x25 minute quarters (when they stopped the clock only after goals in the 2nd half), and compared to a normal 4x30 minute quarters. A normal game would be a 33% increase in yesterday's game time.

Not much of a mention about the midfield, are they going a bit easy in there, just getting the ball out quick to practice the quicker movement?

Yeah I thought most of the midfield was fairly bland to be honest. Bailey stood out a bit but then most things he does do stand out, it's just how he plays. JL and Tunstill caught my eye once or twice. Not enough to move the needle though I wouldn't have thought.

Most of the centre bounce clearances were hurried kicks forward. I can only remember one occasion where we chained out of there by hand and when we did the forward line was VERY open.

 

[M Malice]

Hi folks,
Is Will Ashcroft expected to be fit for the start of the season?
Cheers.

Welcome out Bewick.

 

[mpal6]

Ripper coverage of the trial match lads. Thanks very much.

Have we had at look at Collingwood, seen how they used Howe and thought " maybe Darcy could do that". By the sounds of it he's making a good fist of it. While I'd much rather see Gardiner banging into fwds, I can see a thought process behind it.

Firstly, as Grasshopper said, if we are going to continue dropping a fwd back it's better to be a genuine defender. I don't like that strategy either but will this make a difference.

Next, if Doedee is likely to return rnd 3-5, Darcy playing third tall gives the team coverage if Doedee needs to limit time on ground as he comes back. Should probably do that in the ressies but as we've seen we don't trade in A graders to play ressies.

He's certainly going to have some defenders looking over their shoulders knowing a hard arsed Gardiner is going to be crashing the pack, lol. Hoping he's mobile enough when he needs to defend n pressure up fwd.

A day out for most of the tall fwds by the sounds, kicking goals and getting involved. Are we going a bit soft in defense, avoiding collisions and injury? Not much of a mention about the midfield, are they going a bit easy in there, just getting the ball out quick to practice the quicker movement?

Thanks again for the coverage people. A lot of interesting observations, leading to infinite interpretations. Just they way we like it.

Ah man, so torn between Gardiner doing the third tall forward n back and the newly minted FF overlord in Logan Morris getting an opportunity as third tall. Decisions, decisions !!

I also can't wait for the moaning to start if Logan gets a debut and puts on a show even for a single game. Omg Brisbane keep getting all these leg ups in drafting ! ban them from drafting !!

 

[Nathan Barley]

Why were we wasting our time with Gunston when we already had Dizzy?

 

[Grasshopper17]

Ah man, so torn between Gardiner doing the third tall forward n back and the newly minted FF overlord in Logan Morris getting an opportunity as third tall. Decisions, decisions !!

I also can't wait for the moaning to start if Logan gets a debut and puts on a show even for a single game. Omg Brisbane keep getting all these leg ups in drafting ! ban them from drafting !!

Morris' first 3 goals yesterday:

1. A run down tackle on Kai Lohmann which he converted from decent range
2. A spectacular overhead contested mark against 2 or 3 (AFL team) opponents in better position
3. A crumbing snap goal from 35+

You cannot possibly ask for a better profile for a key forward. Or any kind of forward for that matter.

The challenge of course will be for him to back it up regularly, but right now he'd be in my first 22 if that's his MO.

He visibly raised a couple of eyebrows in the dugout yesterday with his first quarter performance. (That last tidbit courtesy of Dalions)

 

[lionshine]

Morris' first 3 goals yesterday:

1. A run down tackle on Kai Lohmann which he converted from decent range
2. A spectacular overhead contested mark against 2 or 3 (AFL team) opponents in better position
3. A crumbing snap goal from 35+

You cannot possibly ask for a better profile for a key forward. Or any kind of forward for that matter.

The challenge of course will be for him to back it up regularly, but right now he'd be in my first 22 if that's his MO.

He visibly raised a couple of eyebrows in the dugout yesterday with his first quarter performance. (That last tidbit courtesy of Dalions)

Logan has a fair bit still to prove to gain a senior spot I’d have thought but if he backs up yesterdays performance in next weeks match sim he may get a shot in the community series for a taste. I am looking forward to watching him in the VFL regardless.

Dizzy Gardiner being our 3rd tall forward for 2024 was not on my bingo card this year but if that’s what transpires come the season proper I am all in!

 

[BRAB]

Feels good to know we have the best forward in the game waiting in the Ressies.

 

[Section 5]

To add to Grasshopper17 and Dalions comments on the intraclub game yesterday.
Whiteboard teams for each quarter. They were a bit harder to get for this intraclub.

Before game: Image 2215 Lions side only, unable to get Bears side as they were too far away.
End first Quarter: Image 2271 & 2276
End second quarter: Image 2313 & 2315
End third quarter: Image 2359 & 2360

 

[Dalions]

 

[Thomasno]

do you two have any actual objection to a midseason draft period grounded in something tangible or just shouting at clouds?

Real talk, it’s going to largely benefit teams in Victoria much more so than teams up here for example.

Much, much easier for players to jump around between clubs when you’re essentially just changing where you’re commuting to/from every day. Very difficult in comparison to uproot your life and family in mid-season and relocate interstate

 

[On the quiet]

Why were we wasting our time with Gunston when we already had Dizzy?

i might be a bit off with the timing, as clubs reveal what they want, when they want. But I think Dizzy took considerable time before signing his latest 3 year deal and very likely Lions approached Gunston before Dizzy committed.

I also mentioned in an earlier post this year, that I thought we might try Lester and or Garinder up forward in the match sims and trial games, as you would think when Doedee is fit he is a lock as the third tall back, and despite my belief that Cam is a dangerous third tall forward, the spot is really open for this year. Glad to hear Dizzy going OK in the forward line. As another poster stated could be a good defensive forward stopping the likes of Moore etc getting run out of the backline.