Training 2025 Pre-Season Training - reports, pics etc

[Bamboo Harvester]

Not concerned with Motlop at this stage, especially coming off foot and hammy concerns

Also, some players just aren't endurance beasts...but that doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna impact on their game.

Back in the day, Eddie and Lance used to head off to the fat farm after their breaks, and it didn't seem to effect them too much.

Having said that, one of the criticisms I've had with Mots over the past few years has been his lack of defensive running. It may well be a fitness issue if he can't sustain repeated efforts, so I tend to think it's a bit of a 'watch and see' with him.

 

[chipzac]

Just not good enough!!
There shouldn't have been a bottom five .... in fact, they all should have been equal first and crossed the line together.

 

[Bamboo Harvester]

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https://archive.md/7ik4B

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PLAYERS WHO IMPRESSED​

Adam Cerra – Hamstring issues have peppered Cerra’s last two seasons but the former Docker looked in great shape to dive into pre-season. The onballer moved well and was not part of the large rehab group at the start of training.

Corey Durdin – Blues fans have high hopes for Durdin after shoulder woes and he moved strongly on Wednesday, despite wearing a fluoro cap, indicating he was not to have contact. With Matt Owies now at West Coast, Durdin and Jesse Motlop will hold important roles next year as small forwards.

Jack Silvagni – It was in last pre-season Silvagni did his ACL and missed the entire season, but he looked ready to go on Wednesday. He played as a forward target during a midfield drill.

Ollie Hollands – The renowned runner never has any question marks about his fitness and he appears well suited to a role at half-back. The Blues will debate his position throughout summer but his line breaking run was a highlight of a defensive drill.

My man Durds

 

[Aphrodite]

Nice. Did you get intel on that or was it posted somewhere? Didnt see anything.

Nothing on any of the Carlton Socials, just the Top 5.

 

[carlton_99]

Just not good enough!!
There shouldn't have been a bottom five .... in fact, they all should have been equal first and crossed the line together.

The important thing is they all had fun

 

[Gethelred]

Well what may this mean for Windows I wonder?

I think that's rather opaque, to be honest.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

The important thing is they all had fun

And made friends along the way

 

[windows1]

Motlop in the bottom 5 for the 2km time trial is real danger signs if true. Thats way off the mark for many of the top small forwards in the league.

Hope for my sake he has a massive pre season, I'm not sure my laptop can handle another year of me slamming in all caps the need for better small forwards on our list.

He’s never been any good at that. He’s just not built for it. That said….it is a bit disappointing

 

[swuzzlebubble]

He’s never been any good at that. He’s just not built for it. That said….it is a bit disappointing

Who should be the bottom 5 and are we talking sub 30 seconds back or minute+?

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Motlop in the bottom 5 for the 2km time trial is real danger signs if true. Thats way off the mark for many of the top small forwards in the league.

Hope for my sake he has a massive pre season, I'm not sure my laptop can handle another year of me slamming in all caps the need for better small forwards on our list.

better it happens in early December than in March....

 

[HarryFlashman]

Also, some players just aren't endurance beasts...but that doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna impact on their game.

Back in the day, Eddie and Lance used to head off to the fat farm after their breaks, and it didn't seem to effect them too much.

Having said that, one of the criticisms I've had with Mots over the past few years has been his lack of defensive running. It may well be a fitness issue if he can't sustain repeated efforts, so I tend to think it's a bit of a 'watch and see' with him.

Yeah, couple differences thou,
Lance is up there in the smartest footballers ever - he would just know where the footy was going & it would find him.
Eddie would talk to the bloody ball & it would come to him & then do whatever crazy ass thing he told it to do!
When we really needed a centre clearance Eddie would go in and do “something” to make sure we got it.
Don’t forget him also bursting on awesome leads to great spots (still remember him dismantling *).

That ain’t Mots, he needs a tank at bare minimum to be able to provide repeat explosive efforts, even if he does **** all in between them.

IMO for him to be the player we need & get the best out of himself, he needs to be the hardest working player at the club atm.

 

[ferrisb]

There shouldn't have been a bottom five .... in fact, they all should have been equal first and crossed the line together.

Well, that's just silly!

Obviously the last ones to finish should receive Equal 42nd ribbons...

 

[marcmurphy3]

Yeah, couple differences thou,
Lance is up there in the smartest footballers ever - he would just know where the footy was going & it would find him.
Eddie would talk to the bloody ball & it would come to him & then do whatever crazy ass thing he told it to do!
When we really needed a centre clearance Eddie would go in and do “something” to make sure we got it.
Don’t forget him also bursting on awesome leads to great spots (still remember him dismantling *).

That ain’t Mots, he needs a tank at bare minimum to be able to provide repeat explosive efforts, even if he does **** all in between them.

IMO for him to be the player we need & get the best out of himself, he needs to be the hardest working player at the club atm.

I don't necessarily agree. I think sometimes we focus more on what players can't do vs what they can do.

Motlop is by far our most dangerous small forward. He's powerful, highly skilled and can make something out of nothing. Does he need to put pressure on? 100%. Does he need to be a top tier defensive forward to have a place in our team? No, he doesn't. Other guys can bring that, that don't have Jesse's skill level. As long as we have the right blend of players, we'll be ok. Obviously, we'd rather everyone be good at everything but unfortunately that's not how it works most the time.

There are also several ways you can manage guys with lesser tanks. Play him deeper. Manage his TOG. As long as he is working hard and improving, that's all I'm concerned about. He really only needs to get back to his end of 2023 standard and maintain that, and we're onto a winner.

 

[Sector 7G]

He’s never been any good at that. He’s just not built for it. That said….it is a bit disappointing

Somebody has got to come last. The important thing is how is he going against his previous times.

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Crippa#9]

Motlop in the bottom 5 for the 2km time trial is real danger signs if true. Thats way off the mark for many of the top small forwards in the league.

Hope for my sake he has a massive pre season, I'm not sure my laptop can handle another year of me slamming in all caps the need for better small forwards on our list.

Motlop is a burst player.
Look at his body shape...he's the opposite of a 2km specialist.

Not worried in the slightest. Jesse needs to stay fit and continue learning / improving how to impact more when ball is forward of centre. 2023 was a massive step forward for him, last year a complete write off (which he is partly to blame for due to poor rehab'ing).

I've said it a hundred times...i just hope our small fwds Mots, Durd, Raz are given more license this year to play on instinct. Too shackled by a defensive system which takes away any attacking flair. Was my greatest frustration in 24'.

 

[HarryFlashman]

I don't necessarily agree. I think sometimes we focus more on what players can't do vs what they can do.

Motlop is by far our most dangerous small forward. He's powerful, highly skilled and can make something out of nothing. Does he need to put pressure on? 100%. Does he need to be a top tier defensive forward to have a place in our team? No, he doesn't. Other guys can bring that, that don't have Jesse's skill level. As long as we have the right blend of players, we'll be ok. Obviously, we'd rather everyone be good at everything but unfortunately that's not how it works most the time.

There are also several ways you can manage guys with lesser tanks. Play him deeper. Manage his TOG. As long as he is working hard and improving, that's all I'm concerned about. He really only needs to get back to his end of 2023 standard and maintain that, and we're onto a winner.

I agree, but if he’s fitter he can do more of it.
I want him to take the next step & for me it’s being fitter & being more involved more often.
The longer a player can be effective on the ground helps the entire team balance

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Motlop is a burst player.
Look at his body shape...he's the opposite of a 2km specialist.

Not worried in the slightest. Jesse needs to stay fit and continue learning / improving how to impact more when ball is forward of centre. 2023 was a massive step forward for him, last year a complete write off (which he is partly to blame for due to poor rehab'ing).

I've said it a hundred times...i just hope our small fwds Mots, Durd, Raz are given more license this year to play on instinct. Too shackled by a defensive system which takes away any attacking flair. Was my greatest frustration in 24'.

I disagree on being a burst player, he's ordinary off the mark and really doesn't provide what I'd call power running or anything of the sort.

On the shackles being released - every other teams small forwards buy in defensively and still have huge impact going the other way. Not a coaching or system issue, it's a talent issue plain and simple.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Bottom 5 Pitto, Orazio, McGovern, Charlie and Motlop

Charlie really?

He used to run a low 6 2k TT - ankle surgery has clearly been detrimental to his fitness, really hope he can get it back on short order as that's one of his major strengths (to work defenders over)

Orazio, that is simply not good enough - he'd be one of the lightest on our list and is running similar paces to two injured KPP's, a lumbering ruckman (that I've seen running very slow paces down the Merri Creek trail) and another small forward who has had recurrent injuries for multiple seasons

 

[Sector 7G]

Charlie really?

He used to run a low 6 2k TT - ankle surgery has clearly been detrimental to his fitness, really hope he can get it back on short order as that's one of his major strengths (to work defenders over)

Orazio, that is simply not good enough - he'd be one of the lightest on our list and is running similar paces to two injured KPP's, a lumbering ruckman (that I've seen running very slow paces down the Merri Creek trail) and another small forward who has had recurrent injuries for multiple seasons

Zone 2 running is all the rage now. Proven to be a key in improving running times

 

[FoeverBlues]

Just not good enough!!
There shouldn't have been a bottom five .... in fact, they all should have been equal first and crossed the line together.

.. while holding hands

 

[Arr0w]

.. while holding hands and singing

 

[Aphrodite]

When No.28 took the No.19 on Blues' time trial

The 2024 version of the two-kilometre time trial brought back memories of Percy Jones' underhanded tactics in 1978... which duly got caught.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Jimmyonesix]

Kozi Pickett or Bobby Hill where they can genuinely burn off opponents with straight line speed or agility.

Or the aerial ability of these two