Training Pre season training

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No-one is irreplaceable but even small set backs are a hit to momentum, competition and enthusiasm of the squad and fans. Howard is a big loss because we really only have Cordy as ready made back up.

Hopefully Owens, King and Windhager can stay fit and move forward to off set the loss of Phillipou.

We had huge injury issues in 2023 when RTB first came on.

This caused the emergence of players like Caminiti, Wood etc.

Opportunity awaits for the players who want to grasp it.
 
And Windhager. It's a huge opportunity for him to make his push as a best 22 mid.

Windy would have been playing regardless of these injuries, he is a much better player than a lot give him credit for. If people need evidence go back and watch last years early game against Collingwood, he just needs to bring that consistently.
 
I want to go back to last Wednesday when only Dow and Roh weren't at training.

I said looks like only a couple unavailable for R1.
Blame me

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Damn you JB......

What a difference a week makes. I was also at training Wednesday week ago, and everything was Hunky-Dory. :sadv1:

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I suppose on the positive side we might get to see Keeler in for r1 and until Ro gets back, whilst Harry gets a run without fans baying for his blood. Pou gets some more time in the gym to build his body and more opportunities for Windy and Hugo which is necessary for the team's growth. It still sucks, but we all want these other boys to come good in a hurry so this is how it has to happen.
Time to throw finals expectations in the trash for another year and listen to the media shitcan us for another disappointing season.
 
Windy would have been playing regardless of these injuries, he is a much better player than a lot give him credit for. If people need evidence go back and watch last years early game against Collingwood, he just needs to bring that consistently.
Most track watchers had indicated he had been spending more time on the wings this offseason due to the emergence of Phillipou.

Pou’s absence will opens up a more prominent role on ball for someone who may otherwise have had to bide their time.
 
Completely agree with this.

As much as Marshall is one of our best players, we at least have a mature option in Boyd (even though he's inexperienced) and we have to time practice structures in the midfield to help cover his absence. There will also be an increased onus on players like Wood to he marking targets across the but we've seen he has the ability to do that so it's coverable.

But the with backline, now having to cover two key pillars at once is a bigger ask. And given at least 1 is guarantee to be completely inexperienced at AFL level, it's an even tougher ask.


I haven't seen Boyd play any serious footy but he looks very much a similar type to Marshall. Okay at ruck work but good hands in tight and a competitive spirit. Macrae makes a ruckman's role a lot easier too. He's a proper extractor.

If we decide to put Phillipou on the LTIL we are always able to recruit another KPD in the preseason or midseason drafts too. I'm guessing Phillipou gets back around midseason. Does anyone know what the LTI list guidelines are? Maybe Dougal with the dislocation even.
 
Windy would have been playing regardless of these injuries, he is a much better player than a lot give him credit for. If people need evidence go back and watch last years early game against Collingwood, he just needs to bring that consistently.


He probably plays when fit regardless but this allows guys like him and Garcia to push their case for staying in the midfield rotation long term instead of being pushed to periphery roles.
 
Best comment for the day
It’s a terrible outcome injury wise and a real blow and it’s not as easy as next soldier up HOWEVER the alternative is it’s all doom and gloom and the season is over already - let’s waive the white flag!

The only way forward is to stay positive, stick together as a team, refine our strategy and get stuck in!

Plus review our training to identify the root cause of the stress injuries and adjust as necessary. All teams are pushing the envelope to try and get an advantage - our advantage is the ability to run. Maybe some guys are predisposed to this type of thing and you just don’t know till it happens - but I’m no sport scientist!

I’m sure the coaching staff are disappointed but I can’t see RTB and the others just saying the seasons already over before the first game.
 
A question for the track watchers - could Liam O’Connell audition to fill the 3rd tall role over the next 2-3 months?

I recall plenty of positive reports about the way he moves, his attack and disposal. Does he have the scope to play that role?


He looked raw in the VFL last year. He's showing signs of talent rather than banging the door down. I think McLennan looks more likely personally. Keeler probably the other one that could fit Battle's third tall role where he can play a bit less of a pure minding role.
 
Im sorry Tony but you are way too close to the club to remain objective re the injury discussion.

This has to be right up there with some of the great stuff you usually add


Is it just injuries or can he not be impartial to other topics as well due to being close to the club?

I mean same same yeah?
 
Windy would have been playing regardless of these injuries, he is a much better player than a lot give him credit for. If people need evidence go back and watch last years early game against Collingwood, he just needs to bring that consistently.
Watched this last night to make myself feel better. What a game he played. So clean from clearance - much prefer to watch this approach than him completely trying to blanket a bloke without winning his own footy.

 

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A question for the track watchers - could Liam O’Connell audition to fill the 3rd tall role over the next 2-3 months?

I recall plenty of positive reports about the way he moves, his attack and disposal. Does he have the scope to play that role?
Can football. He or McLennon. Both inexperienced but McLennon showed a bit in our big loss to the Lions.

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I haven't seen Boyd play any serious footy but he looks very much a similar type to Marshall. Okay at ruck work but good hands in tight and a competitive spirit. Macrae makes a ruckman's role a lot easier too. He's a proper extractor.

If we decide to put Phillipou on the LTIL we are always able to recruit another KPD in the preseason or midseason drafts too. I'm guessing Phillipou gets back around midseason. Does anyone know what the LTI list guidelines are? Maybe Dougal with the dislocation even.
Pretty sure if he goes on LTIL then he can't play again this season.
 
Bring on the haters and ridicule...but I threatened after the Boyd recruitment saga to cancel my membership.

I have been critical of our training loads and injury management since Lyon returned and it appears nothing has changed or improved. Yesterday was the last straw I called the club and cancelled my families memberships. I dont live in Melbourne so basically our memberships are a donation, we get no benefit from them. Instead I am going to donate the refunded funds to a more worthy charity!

The recent injuries are not the end of the season, but they hardly give the club the best chance of sucess. Lyon wants the best for the club, but I think he gets tunnel visioned on what achieves that. He is an old style hard nosed work hard and the benefits will come type coach, but it seems he hasnt learnt anything from his history of flogging players on the track. His thirst for sucess is blinded by his own arrogance.

'Work smarter not just harder' should be his ethos. Cheers all....
This isn’t the airport, you don’t need to announce your departure.
 
i hope everyone cancelling their memberships get to join the bandwagoners at the back of the queue for tickets when we make another grand final. Club and AFL needs to reward those who don’t give up on the team when a stress fracture happens lol

Melting down a month before round 1 is also insane. Quite frankly, even with these injuries I just don’t see this team losing a single game all year 👍
 
I wouldn’t blame Lyon for all this. It seems that coaches in general do it. Perhaps Lyon has the charisma and the fitness staff need to have pretty big kahunas to call him out. In Phillipou’s case it looks like over training and Phillipou is such a driven person he probably didn’t know when to stop. I think of poor Paton doing his leg too now, before Lyon.
 
Dow will be lucky to play before mid season though

Dow and Phillipou played a total of 23 games for us last year averaging 15 possessions a game so having neither of them for the first half of the season may not be as big an issue as people are making out.

Our biggest loss last year was undoubtedly Crouch, so if McCrae can get back to his 2022/23 midfield outputs then him, Steele, Clark, Jones, Sinclair, Windhager, Sinclair etc can form a very functional midfield group.
 
i hope everyone cancelling their memberships get to join the bandwagoners at the back of the queue for tickets when we make another grand final. Club and AFL needs to reward those who don’t give up on the team when a stress fracture happens lol

Melting down a month before round 1 is also insane. Quite frankly, even with these injuries I just don’t see this team losing a single game all year 👍
Whatever happens I’m sure they’ll keep us updated, we’re all waiting with bated breath you see
 
Rather than talking about averages, that are affected by different roles.
Best Clearances 2024:
Steele 9, 9, 7 ,6 ( multiple 6) He does way more than our younger "stars".
Macrae 7,5,5,4 ( 2022 11,10,10,10) His previous work as a mid is reassuring.
Dow 9,6,5,4
Windhager 6,6,7,4
Clark 8,5,5,5
Phillipou, 5, 5, 5, 4. These were his midfield games late in the season.
Jones 5,5,4,4
Garcia 4,4,3,3
Carroll 4,3,3,3
Wilson 3,3,2,2
Byrnes 3,2,2,2

Crouch 5 ( 2023, 11,9,8,8 ). Shows why we were down last year.

Best Contested possessions 2024.

Steele 18,14,14,14
Clark 16,16,12,10 - Forget what he looks like , he's winning the ball.
Windhager 16,15,11,10
Macrae 12,12,10,9 ( 2022 - 20,16,16,15 ).
Jones 16,9,8,8
Phillipou 15,9,7,7
Garcia 11,9,9,8
Dow 12,9,8,8
Wilson 11,9,8,8
Byrnes 9,7,7,7
Carroll 7,7,7,6

Crouch 6 ( 2023: 17,16,16,16 )

Boring as it may seem, the gain of Macrae is far more likely to make a difference ( positive ) to our season compared to the loss of Phillipou compared to last year. If he can get close to what he was doing in the middle a couple of years ago.

If the likes of Windhager, Clark, and Jones can gain some consistency they have the ability to improve our midfield.

The way Garcia has been training he could jump up a level to rival them.
 
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I wonder how well the post-training sessions are monitored? As I know a lot of players go into the club on weekends or do laps in their own time. That you would think might come into play with some of these injuries?
How many post training sessions do you think Robert Harvey did without issue?

Some people will just get injured doing exercise when they go really hard and Philipou is a super hard trainer. We are vastly over thinking this all.
 

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Training Pre season training


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