Training Pre Season ‘25

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Man Smillie and Lalor are absolute beasts for 18/19 kids.

Both are in the Cam Raynor, Matty Rowell, Horne-Francis, Harley Reid type mold that are physically mature enough to have a pretty solid impact year 1.

I could honestly see both lining up in the centre square with Taranto at the opening bounce.
Smillie's tank is good from reports I've had, Lalor work in progress.
 
Why so many? What’s the difference between each group? 😮 😮
I was being sarcastic, but if i was a betting man, i reckon there’s a difference between rehab groups and blokes we are managing to have ready for R1. Prestia will be managed for the rest of his days.
 
Man Smillie and Lalor are absolute beasts for 18/19 kids.

Both are in the Cam Raynor, Matty Rowell, Horne-Francis, Harley Reid type mold that are physically mature enough to have a pretty solid impact year 1.

I could honestly see both lining up in the centre square with Taranto at the opening bounce.
I’m trying to curb my enthusiasm, but i am getting real excited by these kids.
 
Hey all - I made it down to training this morning to take a look. They started about 9:20 - no public access for 'non-open' training but you have a pretty good view from the fence.

I'll post a few photos below of your forward and mid groups as they probably mean a bit more to you guys than me.

I have no pre-concieved views on any of these players so please take it as my views from a couple of hours only:

  • Forward group: The forward group trained right infront of me - it was a drill where one of the keys wrestled with a coach, and tried to bring the ball to front and center to the crumbing forwards. Tom Lynch seemed to train fully, unimpeded and was cleary the most mature. The younger guys (Faucett, Sims, Colina, Bauer) seemed to struggle a bit vs the coach. The small fowards were very zippy, chatty and the finishing was sharp (Campbell, Sonsie, Mansell, Rioli) - that said the intensity was relatively low and there was no pressure.
  • Midfield group: I was surprised that both Smilie and Lalor were in the midfield group - I thought I'd heard things about half back/half forward but they were both in there and didn't move. They did a drill where you'd recieve a handball and try to evade a tackler (and have a go at both). The clear standout was the way that Lalor approached the tackling - he gets low, and wide and is going to be a fierce tackler - looks like he's got the strength to really drive it home and make it hurt. When he was on the evasive side, he didn't really try to side step - more trusted his strength and hips to get through (think Rayner). Smilie tried to evade a little bit (not massively) and raise his hands high to keep his hands free (think Bont, Pendlebury).
  • Rehab group: Prestia, Hotton, Faull, McCauliffe, Young, Lefau. There was a nice moment where all the 30-40 fit players came over to cheer the rehab groups run throughts in a break.
  • Defence group: Was up the other end so didn't see anything. Balta was out there but wasn't with the Forwards.
  • They did some full field sprints - I think Tom Brown one the 2nd one, a bit hard to see the other others.
  • They they broke in to an almost full field drill - the highlight was Lalors cleanness and kicking. Not sure if it's been highlighted here, but I saw him take 4 varied kicks - all of which were drilled/weighted perfectly. I know he's strong, and clever but didn't realize he looked a very good kick as well. I also don't think I saw him fumble once - very impressed.
Any questions

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Thanks - champion thing to do!
 
bauer said he had a small shoulder op over the break




Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
If the butcher was in charge we would have waited till late Feb.
 

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Was a golden age. Where is Nantes by the way. A little posh nosh before the main event would be nice
He doesn't post in the thread, but I think he goes in the song contest quite often.
 
Not sure why Richmond think we can make sonsie into a small forward.

The ridiculous thing and this is why some of us tear our hair out is because when Sonsie doesn't make the senior side the club will be playing him in the VFL midfield.
Maybe the club see him as the Edwards type player


* Noticed Mate Colina has participated in everything this off season
 
Man Smillie and Lalor are absolute beasts for 18/19 kids.

Both are in the Cam Raynor, Matty Rowell, Horne-Francis, Harley Reid type mold that are physically mature enough to have a pretty solid impact year 1.

I could honestly see both lining up in the centre square with Taranto at the opening bounce.
just what i was thinking wonder how hopper would go as a half back flanker.?
 
None of that had anything to do with his ACL. If it was a reoccurring of the hamstring id buy it. But anyone can do an ACL and anytime regardless of conditioning. LOTW claims he had been mismanaged and I 100% refute that due to circumstances surrounding how ACLs are done and there is no preventative conditioning

It's actually more to do with genetics.

Having done an ACL playing footy I can confirm it's also just bad luck in the moment.
 

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Training Pre Season ‘25

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