Training Pre-season updates 2025.

[Jen2310]

Yep, our midfield just wasn't deep enough with all the injuries

Just ended up being young and inexperienced, thats all. But thats what happens sometimes.

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

Yep, our midfield just wasn't deep enough with all the injuries

Last year was a little crazy, we were playing Sullivan and Long in the midfield with Bytel on the wing. We also had WHE as our full forward for large patches and we almost made the 8.
Our midfield is fairly large but also thin for talant outside the first 6-7
N Daicos, DeGoey, Mitchell, Pendlebury, Perryman, Allan, Sidebottom, Sullivan, Long and Macrae.
My preference is that the last 3 don't get a game because the top 6 stay mostly injury free. If we can do that we are a top 4 side.

 

[Pistol Night]

Last year was a little crazy, we were playing Sullivan and Long in the midfield with Bytel on the wing. We also had WHE as our full forward for large patches and we almost made the 8.
Our midfield is fairly large but also thin for talant outside the first 6-7
N Daicos, DeGoey, Mitchell, Pendlebury, Perryman, Allan, Sidebottom, Sullivan, Long and Macrae.
My preference is that the last 3 don't get a game because the top 6 stay mostly injury free. If we can do that we are a top 4 side.

Jody and Titch were enormous outs. The 2 grunt players in there

 

[SchuPie]

Sullivan, Long and Macrae.
My preference is that the last 3 don't get a game because the top 6 stay mostly injury free. If we can do that we are a top 4 side.

+1

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

Jody and Titch were enormous outs. The 2 grunt players in there

We also missed Pendlebury for a large period with that bicep injury.
We didn't have Perryman. We didn't try Allan in the midfield soon enough because we were testing Long and Sullivan. And finally we didn't put an extremely effective Sidebottom in the midfield until late in the year. We just had a few to many injuries and also made a few missplays that cost us a finals birth.

 

[sr36]

Yeah, if we were that desperate, we would have gotten your mate tomlinson, but we didn't. Obviously decided then they were gonna trial reef and see if he can compliment that backline. I personally think it's easy to blame the defenders, but the real issue was the pressure up the ground.

I think we get carried away with distinct roles. Forwards line match up change a lot within and between games. Ultimately we want 5 blokes who give us our primary defensive structure behind the ball. We want them to be good in the air and good athletes who read the game well to cover off space and we want them to be able to match up against a range of different opponents.

Moore, Maynard, IQ and Howe are a very strong 4. Hopefully Reef can join them. Frampton is ok depth or if we think we need extra size. TJ, Ryan and Cochrane are developing. I do think we're one short in ready to go players, which will be an issue if we get hit by injuries.

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

I think we get carried away with distinct roles. Forwards line match up change a lot within and between games. Ultimately we want 5 blokes who give us our primary defensive structure behind the ball. We want them to be good in the air and good athletes who read the game well to cover off space and we want them to be able to match up against a range of different opponents.

Moore, Maynard, IQ and Howe are a very strong 4. Hopefully Reef can join them. Frampton is ok depth or if we think we need extra size. TJ, Ryan and Cochrane are developing. I do think we're one short in ready to go players, which will be an issue if we get hit by injuries.

Dean?

 

[JuniorB]

Yeah, if we were that desperate, we would have gotten your mate tomlinson, but we didn't. Obviously decided then they were gonna trial reef and see if he can compliment that backline. I personally think it's easy to blame the defenders, but the real issue was the pressure up the ground.

That would be one reason we got Perryman - he'll apply plenty of pressure as well as generating drive.

 

[Fat Jesus]

That would be one reason we got Perryman - he'll apply plenty of pressure as well as generating drive.

I think he came in as around 7th best player for GWS.

2023 - 22 games 388 disposals
2024 - 21 games 378 disposals

 

[sr36]

Dean?

I think he's a good footballer, but I don't think he's a good enough athlete for AFL. I thought the same about Murphy though, so fingers crossed.

 

[Apex36]

We also missed Pendlebury for a large period with that bicep injury.
We didn't have Perryman. We didn't try Allan in the midfield soon enough because we were testing Long and Sullivan. And finally we didn't put an extremely effective Sidebottom in the midfield until late in the year. We just had a few to many injuries and also made a few missplays that cost us a finals birth.

Not sure about the Allan one there. He very clearly wasn’t ready early in the year and I think it was good for him to be given extra time in the VFL before throwing him back in at senior level. He was like a completely different player by the time he got back to play against Melbourne than he was against Freo.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

 

[JuniorB]

Not sure about the Allan one there. He very clearly wasn’t ready early in the year and I think it was good for him to be given extra time in the VFL before throwing him back in at senior level. He was like a completely different player by the time he got back to play against Melbourne than he was against Freo.

It was a pretty tough gig debuting against the team he followed growing up, and in front of his family.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

 

[pablo disco bar]

Staggering we haven't traded in someone to replace Murphy

 

[thewatcher08]

Pre-season training: January 20th.
9:30-12pm.

Those in rehab in some capacity.

• Harrison
• Nick D
• Josh D
• Jordy
• Mitchell (seen on the bike)
• Johnson (Walking laps - Concussion)
• Sullivan

Can't take too much of Blacks/Whites just yet. But probably as we get into feb

Nick did lots of running
Josh and Jordy did lots of drills, but some running. Jordy more involved as he participated in some match sim. Josh it getting there.
Sullivan continuing his running. There is a thought a calf issue is his injury.

Looks like we're back to three main sessions.a week. Suppose Fly has taken back control and we're back to usual sessions from last year. They probably need the three main sessions for load during pre-season. Two likely isn't enough.

The session was pretty decent, they obviously realised the date and thought it was time to get in some proper match sim stuff, before pre-season games are just around the corner. Not to mention the intraclub in three weeks.

Today's session involved some conditioning, line group drills. Josh still training fully with the defenders. Jordy training and played match sim in the midfield.

Observations;

+ Still no 2025 training kits. To the point, Parker, West dont have their jumpers with their numbers on it. Perryman's jumper is torn or faded halfly.

+ Hayes, his pace and not afraid the contest no matter his frame stood out very clearly this morning. He was very energetic up and down the ground, spoiling, intercepting the ball, his pose and decision, his composure and kicking skills are elite. Looking forward to seeing what the season brings for him.

+ West's contested marking was on show, clunking a really good mark over Darcy plus kicking a few other goals during match sim was very nice to see.

+ Cochran's run and ability to hit the contest was good to see.

+ Lippa seems to be playing more in the midfield and at cente bounce, I wonder if that's something we'll see more on game day. Add more rotations in through there for multiple players.

+ Unless my eyes were decieving me, during match sim, Sidey was playing forward... took some nice marks and kicked some goals..

+ During limited match sim, Houston did play a little in the midde. I'm just not sure he's that effective in there. We may see him now and there, but don't think it'll be very much. Its clearly just a way to have a more rotation of players around the ground.

+ Reef seems settled in that backline with the usual back 6. Taking each contest with vigor. Using his run out of the backline to set up the play. He even directs traffic. A bit like Murphy used to do. I really think he's gone ahead of Dean and Frampton in general (unless we need someone on the big boys)

+ Hopefully Oscar can stay fit, because he has good hands and able to take pack marks. He's stronger as well. but had an awful year with his body last year we couldn't get to see him develop more in the vfl.
It does appear he is the main ruck (between him and Smit) going up against DC, while he pushes forward. While Smit on the other hand is more forward, while pinching in the ruck.


Saw Beggy as he was coming back from scans. He said he was still having little issues with his knee, so he was getting it checked out.

Love your work Jen.

Just curious on Ed Allans standing. He seemed timid against Freo, but when given genuine mid time against Melbourne he really showed his wares.
I worry Perrymans arrival might stump his opportunities.

 

[Jen2310]

Staggering we haven't traded in someone to replace Murphy

We briefly looked at Tomlinson, but in the end went a different way. Think they decided fairly quick to look internally they would trial reef for that position.

 

[cfc19902010]

Staggering we haven't traded in someone to replace Murphy

Agree

Frampton and dean arent jackovich and silvagni
If moores form drops off again or he goes down it’s panic stations
Howe can’t go forever
Reef untried
Unfortunately wasn’t much available except Tomlinson who is hopeless Imo
Mcstay would have to go back as break glass emergency

 

[Jelly Bean]

Those few who have identified the pace issue now that Noble has gone are correct. Pace and dare were his great attributes, supplemented by great courage given his lack of physical strength. McInnes may be able to supply some of these: I don't know if his pace and endurance are actually at Noble's levels. He is an obvious upgrade overhead. If he can also supply some of what Murphy gave us, then there is probably a place on the backline for him.
No two players are identical. McInnes will not be one of the players we have lost. I expect he will be trying to use what he has in his own unique way. There is not much we can say until we get a view of what that might be.
As an aside, I believe that Gold Coast will get far more from Noble than they will from Rioli. The trade values of those two were heavily skewed.

McInness isn't going to be a replacement candidate for Noble - that is not what the club would be thinking at all. The club are using him as a KPD / third tall defender, so there wouldn't be an expectation that he provides Noble's excellent dash and run. Houston is the better player to look at to replace Noble's contributions, and/or J Daicos.

 

[Bianconeri]

In defence he was. Not so much playing on a forward flank. I’d like to actually see Reef in defence before making a judgement on his ability to read the play.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he was much more capable in that role considering he spent a lot of his junior footy playing as a defender.

That’s why I said I’m not sure Reef has that instead of he doesn’t have that.

 

[Dundalis]

Disagree that we don’t need someone to rebound with pace. Noble was the only player to reliably run the ball out of defence and we lost him, so it’s definitely an area of need.

Agree filling the Murphy role is even more crucial but we have no one on the list right now seemingly capable. (Frampton and Dean not up to it IMO)

People are hoping that Reefs height (taller than Murphy) and closing speed (faster than Murphy) it will translate to similar heroic 3rd man up spoils. But it all comes down to if he can read the game and make the right decisions as Murphy was so good at. This is very much up in the air.

Nothing travels faster than the ball itself, meaning the best attribute to have as a rebounding defender is elite ball use. Noble was not a particularly good ball user, predominantly because of poor decision making, which meant as fast as he could run, the ball would go back the other way much faster when he turned it over. vs arguably the best back half ball user in the league in Houston.

Also Noble was a complete liability in 1v1 defensive duels. Wasn't an effort issue, but he was just so incredibly physically weak over a contested ball.

 

[Copeland]

Or Westy kicks 11 in the VFL on debut

Unfortunately I dont think he had very good stats against men last year. Not sure how good the team was he was in though.

 

[Jen2310]

Unfortunately I dont think he had very good stats against men last year. Not sure how good the team was he was in though.

Eh, thats sanfl. Clearly wasn't delivered the ball very well, and doesn't help when he had to ruck