Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

[StazMob]

2025 AFL Community Series
Sat, Mar 1
West Coast v North Melbourne, Hands Oval, Bunbury, 3.10pm AWST (6.10pm AEDT)

At least there'll be an early preview of the ground and how it serves an AFL match

 

[King Corey]

2025 AFL Community Series
Sat, Mar 1
West Coast v North Melbourne, Hands Oval, Bunbury, 3.10pm AWST (6.10pm AEDT)

Really?

AFL just f'ing with us.

 

[toepoker]

I say this without any understanding of the intricacies of this decision, but this makes no sense to me. Wouldn't you want to build the anticipation before the first AFL match in Bunbury, rather than take the edge off it?

 

[My Left Foote]

I say this without any understanding of the intricacies of this decision, but this makes no sense to me. Wouldn't you want to build the anticipation before the first AFL match in Bunbury, rather than take the edge off it?

Agree odd that it's us but I suspect it's the AFL's way of appeasing the WA clubs given Freo are playing the Dees in Mandurah no interstate travel for them in the preseason.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

At least there'll be an early preview of the ground and how it serves an AFL match

That's pretty much the entire reason why they'd be doing this. The facility and all local infrastructure need a shakedown.

 

[Orange Peanut]

That's pretty much the entire reason why they'd be doing this. The facility and all local infrastructure need a shakedown.

Good for our team too yeah? Players get a look at the ground, membership department gets to start drumming up local interest.

Only down part is the Melbourne fans missing a preseason game but that's ok

 

[shinboner magic]

Ahead of the 2025 season the Roos will also play a match simulation against Melbourne on the weekend of February 22 & 23. Further details about the match simulation, including the venue, will be announced in due course.

2025 AFL Community Series
Sat, Mar 1
West Coast v North Melbourne, Hands Oval, Bunbury, 3.10pm AWST (6.10pm AEDT)

You’d of thought commonsense would prevail and we’d play our praccy match in qld , as we aren’t playing a game there in 2025

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Agree odd that it's us but I suspect it's the AFL's way of appeasing the WA clubs given Freo are playing the Dees in Mandurah no interstate travel for them in the preseason.

Maybe they could play….each other?

 

[Passmore]

Good for our team too yeah? Players get a look at the ground, membership department gets to start drumming up local interest.

Only down part is the Melbourne fans missing a preseason game but that's ok

Good for me too.

I can sit in aircon comfort, with beer in the fridge, on what will no doubt be a stinking hot Saturday in March.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[Heaps of fun]

Interstate preseason game. Yeah, righto.

 

[shintemaster]

Apparently measuring Schwingspan

 

[shintemaster]

You only have to listen to Curtis Taylor talk about how impressive the new young players like sheezel mckercher are to realise we had a bunch of powder puffs punching the clock expecting it to happen, rather then driving to achieve it

I don't know how a relatively senior player isn't literally too embarrassed to admit to being shown up by an 18 year old.

That's pretty much the entire reason why they'd be doing this. The facility and all local infrastructure need a shakedown.

Agree this is the reason. It's probably a good reason not to randomly schedule H&A games without trialling first though, rather than the arse about way everything happens in AFL land.

 

[JGreezy]

You don't pay pick 25 for a guy to provide leadership if you rate your current leadership.

Leadership and training standards aren't the same thing. We desperately need leadership from experienced winners. But that doesn't mean that the current group don't train the right way.

 

[Gasometer]

Good for our team too yeah? Players get a look at the ground, membership department gets to start drumming up local interest.

Only down part is the Melbourne fans missing a preseason game but that's ok

I attended the 2023 Preseason game

It was a riveting experience

I left at 3q time overwhelmed

 

[RHLK]

I remember going to Collie to watch North play....someone....in an exhibition/pre-season game back in the olden days, early 80's -maybe 1982?

Can't find any mention of it online, but it must have happened because three memories of the day stand out: meeting a girl from high-school who'd moved to Collie & was pretty keen on me coming back to stay at her place (sorely tempted, but was spoken for); driving the whole way with fingers crossed hoping that a young lad's first car would complete the journey in one piece; and, biggest buzz of all, getting plenty of glances, finger points & nods because I'd scored some of North's latest VFL training gear from Breidis & Zantuck in Melbs, unavailable in Perth at that stage, and was being mistaken for one of North's squad as I wandered (stoned) around the ground.

 

[DocSholl]

Leadership and training standards aren't the same thing. We desperately need leadership from experienced winners. But that doesn't mean that the current group don't train the right way.

The results kind of do though

 

[Themanbun]

Early indications:

• Parker will be a starting mid and probably rotate with Jy as the fifth coming in off the HFF.

• Sheez is in our best 3 mids and will start there.

• Wardlaw is no guarantee to be starting on the field in 2025 at this stage. Colby may just squeeze Wardlaw out of a spot as a starting mid, if they don't go with LDU, Sheez and Parker. Colby will also play skinny side wing.

• Powell will be rotating between mid and half back (I got smashed for suggesting this last year).

• In contrast to my concerns FOS seems comfortable as a small utility and is starting strong.

Lots to play out this pre season and in 2025 but I'd say our midfield pecking order currently looks like:

LDU
Sheez
Parker
Colby
Jy
Powell/Wardlaw

LDU, Sheez, Parker is clearly our best rotation with Colby rapidly closing that gap.

The midfield squeeze is very much on.

 

[King Corey]

Early indications:

• Parker will be a starting mid and probably rotate with Jy as the fifth coming in off the HFF.

• Sheez is in our best 3 mids and will start there.

• Wardlaw is no guarantee to be starting on the field in 2025 at this stage. Colby may just squeeze Wardlaw out of a spot as a starting mid, if they don't go with LDU, Sheez and Parker. Colby will also play skinny side wing.

• Powell will be rotating between mid and half back (I got smashed for suggesting this last year).

• In contrast to my concerns FOS seems comfortable as a small utility and is starting strong.

Lots to play out this pre season and in 2025 but I'd say our midfield pecking order currently looks like:

LDU
Sheez
Parker
Colby
Jy
Powell/Wardlaw

LDU, Sheez, Parker is clearly our best rotation with Colby rapidly closing that gap.

The midfield squeeze is very much on.

Wardlaw's evolution is a quiet watch for mine.

The query for me is his exact place. He's ferocious, athletically gifted and can use it exquisitely (at times).

But what is he? The ballwinning inside mid? The defensively accountable guy in there? The burst out of the middle type?

 

[Sphynx]

Wardlaw's evolution is a quiet watch for mine.

The query for me is his exact place. He's ferocious, athletically gifted and can use it exquisitely (at times).

But what is he? The ballwinning inside mid? The defensively accountable guy in there? The burst out of the middle type?

He's inside and outside and his best games would indicate that.

Absolutely no chance in the world he's not in the main rotation.

Between Rounds 11-15 he was ranked in the top 15 players in the competition averaging 24 touches and 7 clearances a game, including a stack of CP, tackles and defensive acts.

He's miles ahead of any other young mid we have had at 19/20 years old at the same age over the last 20 years not named Sheezel.

He leaves both LDU and Cunners for dead comparatively at 20.

 

[Chip Scab1]

Wardlaw's evolution is a quiet watch for mine.

The query for me is his exact place. He's ferocious, athletically gifted and can use it exquisitely (at times).

But what is he? The ballwinning inside mid? The defensively accountable guy in there? The burst out of the middle type?

We're lucky to have him, that's his place. In time, I hope he is a bit more protected from the really insanely rough stuff, not that he isn't good at it(he's great) but I'd like to protect him from himself so he can be placed in there when we need to sharpen up (ie: we're being smashed in there).

 

[Themanbun]

Wardlaw's evolution is a quiet watch for mine.

The query for me is his exact place. He's ferocious, athletically gifted and can use it exquisitely (at times).

But what is he? The ballwinning inside mid? The defensively accountable guy in there? The burst out of the middle type?

I think he'll spend a season or two learning off Luke Parker to eventually take that role off him. Wouldn't be surprised if he spends some time in the VFL being the main man while we wait. Time and the age of guys like Parker and Simpkin helps resolve the problem, but I'd hate to be below George in the pecking order if I'm aiming for good midfield minutes.

 

[year of the roo]

He's inside and outside and his best games would indicate that.

Absolutely no chance in the world he's not in the main rotation.

Between Rounds 11-15 he was ranked in the top 15 players in the competition averaging 24 touches and 7 clearances a game, including a stack of CP, tackles and defensive acts.

He's miles ahead of any other young mid we have had at 19/20 years old at the same age over the last 20 years not named Sheezel.

He leaves both LDU and Cunners for dead comparatively at 20.

The difference between Wardlaw and LDU and Cunners (especially LDU) at the same age, they were in and out of the side and not playing exclusively on-ball like Wardlaw is.

So the difference in stats between them isn't an indication of how good they are, but an indication of the opportunities they're being given.

 

[spurs]

I think he'll spend a season or two learning off Luke Parker to eventually take that role off him. Wouldn't be surprised if he spends some time in the VFL being the main man while we wait. Time and the age of guys like Parker and Simpkin helps resolve the problem, but I'd hate to be below George in the pecking order if I'm aiming for good midfield minutes.

VFL time?

 

[King Corey]

He's inside and outside and his best games would indicate that.

Absolutely no chance in the world he's not in the main rotation.

Between Rounds 11-15 he was ranked in the top 15 players in the competition averaging 24 touches and 7 clearances a game, including a stack of CP, tackles and defensive acts.

He's miles ahead of any other young mid we have had at 19/20 years old at the same age over the last 20 years not named Sheezel.

He leaves both LDU and Cunners for dead comparatively at 20.

I think this undersells the latter guys.

LDU has a level of class to his movement and run which is above Wardlaw's top level imo.

Cunnington's poise, vision and disposal are as good as I've ever seen.

This is not to denigrate Wardlaw or his potential but him shading those guys on certain metrics age for age doesn't tell the full picture imo.

For mine Wardlaw has to play "hectic" to succeed. He doesn't have Cunnington's ability to hover in place and calmly execute the right option. So any comparisons are inexact.

 

[Themanbun]

VFL time?

I reckon. Nothing wrong with that.