Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

[chubbspeterson]

Goad has put on size and Whitlock looks to have put on a fair bit already he could be a monster IMO.

He's still too skinny seeing him live in person at last Thursday's training, which is fine, just let him cook at VFL level.
He will take a few years to put some size on and reach AFL level fitness (looked a good runner but the intensity level is different). He certainly competes, moves well, is composed and used the ball well from what I saw.

I wouldn't be expecting anything more than 1-2 games at AFL level at the most and that's probably against a similar sized young body like say Armstrong or Faull from the Tigers just as an example.
I can't see him getting selected ahead of Larkey, Darling, Teakle, Pink, Chom, Logue, W Dawson.

 

[Ura]

He's still too skinny seeing him live in person at last Thursday's training, which is fine, just let him cook at VFL level.
He will take a few years to put some size on and reach AFL level fitness (looked a good runner but the intensity level is different). He certainly competes, moves well, is composed and used the ball well from what I saw.

I wouldn't be expecting anything more than 1-2 games at AFL level at the most and that's probably against a similar sized young body like say Armstrong or Faull from the Tigers just as an example.
I can't see him getting selected ahead of Larkey, Darling, Teakle, Pink, Chom, Logue, W Dawson.

Goad last year in the reserves was a mile off. If he has bulked up and starts competing more aggressively this year it’s a big improvement and big win for him.
I think entirely last season I only saw one moment where he sprinted down the wing took a bounce and hit up a nice kick where i saw why he was drafted so high. Was always going to be a slow burn though.
My fear for Goad is Jacob Edwards

 

[Gasometer]

Didn't realise there was a pecking order, there you go. I'm educated now, I apologise. So how long before I'm allowed to start a thread for my birthday?

lol

 

[Friday Night Lights]

Just posted photos from today’s training sesh on my personal account if anyone’s interested!

Can’t lose!

 

[DuckYeah]

Can’t lose!

Whilst this campaigner is anywhere near the team we can and we will

 

[ChopChopDigDig]

Goad last year in the reserves was a mile off. If he has bulked up and starts competing more aggressively this year it’s a big improvement and big win for him.
I think entirely last season I only saw one moment where he sprinted down the wing took a bounce and hit up a nice kick where i saw why he was drafted so high. Was always going to be a slow burn though.
My fear for Goad is Jacob Edwards

Must be a pretty good gig being a project ruckman. Little pressure to deliver for first 5-7 years, just eat heaps, hit the gym a lot, and show just enough at VFL level.

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

Must be a pretty good gig being a project ruckman. Little pressure to deliver for first 5-7 years, just eat heaps, hit the gym a lot, and show just enough at VFL level.

Worked for Big X

 

[shintemaster]

Didn't realise there was a pecking order, there you go. I'm educated now, I apologise. So how long before I'm allowed to start a thread for my birthday?

At this rate never.

If you want to post nonsense all the time at least make it entertaining. Otherwise, if you have some gripe against a poster that you feel needs expressing just DM them or even better write it in your diary.

 

[perplexed]

Courtesy of GL on FB

One thing is dominantly clear - we intend to run, run, run and use handball strings to keep the ball moving forward with pace. At every opportunity there was wave upon wave of runners waiting for a quick hand off and they also worked on finding a marking target quickly whenever the chain of handballs was looking under pressure from the opposition.

This bit worries me. I'd like to think that Clarko studied the way other teams are playing and saw how easily stopped last year's game plan was. But this sounds like Northball again.

 

[The Nostradamus]

i'm ready for a more refined northball

 

[Themanbun]

.
Colby - Spending much more time around the ball, whilst still dropping back when the play calls for it - he looks fabulous. He's put on some muscle but lost no agilty or speed. His lightning hands and burst of speed are still powerful weapons and his decision making and accurate kicking makes me believe he will be vying for the position as our number two midfielder alongside LDU (yup, big call I know).

I'm still surprised how many people think Colbys going to a wing. He's got the potential to be the best player out of all of them and it won't be on a wing. I think once the practice matches are done we'll see where he's at, on the inside and resting at half back. I've got no idea where this wing rubbish came from.

Same.

I know my 'Wardlaw could at some points find himself in the twos for a run' copped a bit of stick and laughter, but the message I was trying to get across was that Colby has an absolutely indomitable will to impose himself as a first choice midfielder. And from all reports I'd heard was making great inroads into that, far more than even our coaches expected, and they rated him highly regardless.

 

[Themanbun]

This bit worries me. I'd like to think that Clarko studied the way other teams are playing and saw how easily stopped last year's game plan was. But this sounds like Northball again.

It doesn't worry me too much.

Transition to the forward half, leading patterns, and finding marking targets is so far and away our biggest problem out of 2024 that I'm glad to hear the coaches are dedicating a lot of time and effort into making that gel.

 

[shintemaster]

This bit worries me. I'd like to think that Clarko studied the way other teams are playing and saw how easily stopped last year's game plan was. But this sounds like Northball again.

Alternatively Clarko is looking a the handful of solid games with this plan and thinking we can do this much more often as the team matures. I don't think we can assume that the style isn't sustainable because a handful of <21's and the remnants of our last decent form from a decade ago couldn't make it work for a year.

 

[shintemaster]

Same.

I know my 'Wardlaw could at some points find himself in the twos for a run' copped a bit of stick and laughter, but the message I was trying to get across was that Colby has an absolutely indomitable will to impose himself as a first choice midfielder. And from all reports I'd heard was making great inroads into that, far more than even our coaches expected, and they rated him highly regardless.

This is what we want. I stand by the comment that we may look back in 10 years and be glad Gold Coast were on the plane at half time in round 23.

 

[Gasometer]

View attachment 2203223

Whilst this campaigner is anywhere near the team we can and we will

Don’t rate him DY?

 

[Gasometer]

At this rate never.

If you want to post nonsense all the time at least make it entertaining. Otherwise, if you have some gripe against a poster that you feel needs expressing just DM them or even better write it in your diary.

 

[perplexed]

It doesn't worry me too much.

Transition to the forward half, leading patterns, and finding marking targets is so far and away our biggest problem out of 2024 that I'm glad to hear the coaches are dedicating a lot of time and effort into making that gel.

It is more if the plan is to predominately use handball through congestion and overlap run that concerns me. Especially as I don't think we have the skills or running power in defense to pull it off. Other teams are kicking to space in transition, but it sounds like we are using handball to attack and kicking to retain possession.

But I am probably reading too much into it.

 

[Gasometer]

This is what we want. I stand by the comment that we may look back in 10 years and be glad Gold Coast were on the plane at half time in round 23.

Similarly, I heard on the weekend from a local source on the inner ‘s’ that HR was and is keen on the Cats.

Bookmark this for when it happens.

 

[DaveyBoy123]

You don't stick your best mid, who has a thirst for the contest on the wing. It's ridiculous.

I don't want to get involved in the crap-fight, but you could make a case that Schwatta was our best mid in '96 (as much as I loved the others, only Stevo compares).

And it's fair to state that Schwatta had more of a thirst for the contest than Colby does.

Denis Pagan was indeed a ridiculous(ly great) coach.

 

[Waynesworld]

So, the players all look bigger, fitter, have better skills and are raring to go this pre-season. Wonder where I've heard that before...?

 

[Gasometer]

So, the players all look bigger, fitter, have better skills and are raring to go this pre-season. Wonder where I've heard that before...?

In Magoo’s thread for 6 preseasons

 

[The Dark]

The call outs of Urqs are interesting. When I saw them train at Southport just before Xmas, he was definitely one who grabbed my attention. Didn't like look a freshly drafted kid at all, knew where to be and moved around like a bloke that belonged. Would not be surprised if he got games in the first half of the year.

We've had a good run with East Freo players, both over the journey and in the last year or two.

 

[The Dark]

I spent about an hour at training today. The exorcism has covered the session very well so will just list some of my observations.

• Powell moving really well, was impressive
• sheezel very special
• Parker was the general, trained really hard with intensity and precise with his decision making and skills. No doubt sets a great example
• Xerri,very imposing!!
• thought Zurhhar trained really well, looks very fit and covered the ground well
• Phillips very solid and worked really hard
• young River moved well and hit some nice kicks, reckon he will fit into afl running patterns well.
• Bergman still looks too small, not sure what his point of difference is,just don’t think he has the athleticism
• McKercher going to be a very very damaging player, just suits the modern game
• wardlaw doing running whole time I was there, very solid boy and looking fit, has lost some puppy fat
• thought Simpkin looked good, moved well and hit some good kicks

All in all they do look fitter and bigger than last couple of years

Clarko loves a left footer with a great kick. Not sure we see River much this year as he still quite slight, but I reckon a Jacko Archer development curve is quite possible.

 

[DuckYeah]

Don’t rate him DY?

About as much as a hernia

 

[roos_tt29]

This bit worries me. I'd like to think that Clarko studied the way other teams are playing and saw how easily stopped last year's game plan was. But this sounds like Northball again.

i'm ready for a more refined northball

I think based on what last year provided, I think Nostra is probably closer to what we can expect.

Northball can work, it's just needs refinement.