Review The Pre-Season Report Thread (Requests, reports and much more!)

[Captain Jack]

Just read a post by 'freak' on demonland. He says he had an awkward convo with a guy that asked if he was on big footy. Haha.

Haha how unfortunate for me... would have been the first guy, the second sounded like he'd never heard of web forums full stop.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Alright... it's the moment you've all been waiting for.

My first review!!

(to be posted in about 20 minutes...)

 

[Demon Revival]

Look he could probably pull off whatever hairstyle he wanted... it looked pretty good though, I thought.

Also, the session hadn't finished when I left... they went back in to it.

Further, I made a fool of myself a second time in looking for TPM... my third try if I hadn't left would have been the guy with long-ish hair and a white t-shirt sitting down on the southern side of the oval... ??

You should have made yourself a 'Big Footy' name badge to wear...

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Look he could probably pull off whatever hairstyle he wanted... it looked pretty good though, I thought.

Also, the session hadn't finished when I left... they went back in to it.

Further, I made a fool of myself a second time in looking for TPM... my third try if I hadn't left would have been the guy with long-ish hair and a white t-shirt sitting down on the southern side of the oval... ??

Haha, nope that wasn't me.

I was the young man having an incredibly awkward conversation with some middle aged Russian guy!

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

ThePuppetMaster's Report - 7/11/11

In all honesty today was a rather uneventful training session, apart from the random 44 year old Russian sounding man who I had a truly inappropriate conversation with, from my perspective.

There were a few clues as to the clubs tactical direction, but not a lot.

I got to Gosch's at about 10 in the morning, a brisk walk up Burke road had made me very peckish... VERY.


Warm Up:

Anyway, when I got there laps were being run by a large number of players who as far as I could tell were the rehab group (Davey, Cook - who looks to have thickened up a bit by the way, McKenzie - who was absolutely smashing his laps, Clark, Jurrah and the others... Moloney and Dunn were another two who ran laps initially)

The main squad the lined up and proceeded to run numerous 200m sprints at what looked like about 80% intensity, basically a warm up for the session.

Watts and Bate (who has slimmed down) was an interesting pairing; I think Neeld definitely has permanent midfield plans for Bater this season.

They did a bit of stretching when they finished and the 'rehab' boys (including the likes of Sylvia and Petted) went inside AAMI to do what must have been some sort of weights/bike/swimming regime.

Clark was doing some 100 metre sprints with Mission (who was seemingly quite pleased with the times... he kept saying 'GOOD! Mitch'... I'd guess he was going around (and probably below) 12 seconds.

Session 1:

The boys were then split up into the standard mids/fwds/def groupings; a couple of noteworthy observations in regard to the groupings.
- Martin was with the forwards
- Morton and Bennell were with the defenders
- Nicholson and Bate were with the mids, Nicho has been very impressive with his running capabilities apparently.

The defenders started off by practicing their marking leap; one knee up and both hands in front of their faces. As you'd expect. They then went into more interactive drill; coming across from the side of the 'pack' (whilst maintaining their marking technique) to mark in front of Rawlings (who struck me as an excellent coach and communicator).

They then proceeded to replicate this marking situation in separate drills, with the most interesting in terms of a tactical perspective being a defender breaking from the middle of the ground towards the boundary line to receive a pass from the interceptor (possible 'safe route' out of the press??).

The mids started off with some lane work, and then progressed onto some stoppage work... with particular focus on the spread and ball movement (very 'weave' like) from the stoppages. Trenners and Jonesy impressed me in this section, both were operating at a high intensity and seemed to know exactly what was required.

BUT! The man who impressed me the most was 'Big' Gawndog... he was moving and completing these drills really well.

The forwards (who were on the far side of the ground) started with some grapple and lead exercises Watts and Martin showed very good break-away pace IMO; Martin seems to be in the process of slimming down a little bit more as well... but maybe it was just the cut of the shirts.

Session 2:

The groups mingled a bit more; the key backs and forwards came together and did some grappling and contested marking to start with. They then proceeded to do a much more physical version of the drill with Rawlings, he got very physical!! Rivers' positioning was excellent (as you would imagine) and Macdonald is clearly a very strong guy, Watts was competing well but it wasn't the kind of drill where both were aiming to win the ball... more one applying pressure. Bate came into this group for the session.

The mids and utilities came together for some ground-ball work; Morton still didn't look comfortable with the contact that came his way unfortunately... (even as it was just a tackle bag) he didn't shirk it ... but you compare his attitude to Jones who was after him and it was disappointing (in my eyes at least).

The rucks came together for some 'approach to centre bounce' work, not too high an intensity.

Then they all went into AAMI!!

My reports will get more descriptive once we get into the real stuff!!!

 

[Demon 86]

Pics or it didn't happen TPM.









Nah great stuff mate cheers

 

[stickman11]

Pics or it didn't happen TPM.









Nah great stuff mate cheers

Gawn looks huge. I reckon he'll be our second ruckman this year and mabey rest in the forwardline.

 

[Demon 86]

Gawn looks huge. I reckon he'll be our second ruckman this year and mabey rest in the forwardline.

It's a good predicament to have, but can we really fit him, Jamar, Clark and Martin in?

Jamar- ruck
Martin- backup ruck and fwd/def swingman
Clark- FF
Gawn- ??

I can't see him squeezing in unless there's an injury or Martin is dropped (which is unlikely)...

 

[Crimson Azure]

Thanks for the write up TPM, good work.

Having two their to review today also was great.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Do you think I should add the reviews to the O.P; just to make it a big more manageable?

Or at least add what page they are on?

 

[stickman11]

It's a good predicament to have, but can we really fit him, Jamar, Clark and Martin in?

Jamar- ruck
Martin- backup ruck and fwd/def swingman
Clark- FF
Gawn- ??

I can't see him squeezing in unless there's an injury or Martin is dropped (which is unlikely)...

Will fly past Martin, I reckon Martin will become more a forward than ruckman. Clark def will be a forward.

 

[Topkent]

It's a good predicament to have, but can we really fit him, Jamar, Clark and Martin in?

Jamar- ruck
Martin- backup ruck and fwd/def swingman
Clark- FF
Gawn- ??

I can't see him squeezing in unless there's an injury or Martin is dropped (which is unlikely)...

Well collingwood were able to play

Dawes, Cloke, Brown, Jolly
Clark, ??, Martin, Jamar

Dont think Gawn is ready yet to hold up A Key role yet and i suppose the club would be hoping that Watts will play a Cloke role (CHF not power fwd)

 

[Demon 86]

Will fly past Martin, I reckon Martin will become more a forward than ruckman. Clark def will be a forward.

Let's hope so- big Max is a crucial part of our future plans.

Well collingwood were able to play

Dawes, Cloke, Brown, Jolly
Clark, ??, Martin, Jamar

Dont think Gawn is ready yet to hold up A Key role yet and i suppose the club would be hoping that Watts will play a Cloke role (CHF not power fwd)

Yeah that's how I see it too- a lot will depend on how Martin progresses in non- ruck positions...

 

[DeeWong6996]

It's a good predicament to have, but can we really fit him, Jamar, Clark and Martin in?

Jamar- ruck
Martin- backup ruck and fwd/def swingman
Clark- FF
Gawn- ??

I can't see him squeezing in unless there's an injury or Martin is dropped (which is unlikely)...

How about:

Jamar - Ruck
Clark - FF
Martin - CHB
Gawn - Back up ruck!

Unlikely, but does give us an extra dimension on game day. One of Rivers or Frawely can play on small forwards.

Just an idea, but we could sub one of them out at three quarter time if our opposition is running laps around us.

 

[dee64]

This would be my key forward/ruck set-up if big Max is well advanced:

Clark - 85% Stay at home FF 15% bench.
Martin - 85% CHF 15% bench.
Watts - Free to roam wherever he likes forward of centre.
Jamar - 65% 1st Ruck 35% bench.
Gawn - 35% 1st Ruck 30% Forward 35% bench.

I'd also rest Jamar for a few games.

Bailey tried to get develop a list around his solitary gameplan. I'm hopeful that Neeld will develop a gameplan that utilises the strengths of our list. The structure above is not too dissimilar to West Coast's (Cox, Nik Nat, Lynch, Kennedy, Darling).

 

[Logger]

Do you think I should add the reviews to the O.P; just to make it a big more manageable?

Or at least add what page they are on?

Probably post a link to the post. Fantastic write up TPM, and CJ. This should be relatively interesting off season...

 

[Demon 16]

Thanks alot for the reports CJ and TPM - I would love to wander down myself - but I cant do it from here! So its great to read your comments.

 

[Demon 16]

One thing I noticed is that 99% of the boys are wearing watches.. Not the most common thing to see on footy players - even at training.

There must be a new onus on them to push themselves, rather than plod along knowing no one is timing/watching them individually..

Probs reading into it too much, but I've never seen a player in any level of footy train with a watch on..

Yeh I reckon the coaches have instructed them to do this in an effort to have them take real onus of their own performance.

Good move imo.

 

[Demon 16]

Just had an awkward convo with the guy standing next to me, who I thought may have been TPM. Lolz.

I remember being pretty drunk and talking to a guy in a Melbourne jumper at the Walkabout in London last year and asking him if he was Bartram Class.

He had no idea what I was on about lol.

 

[BringBackTheOx]

You will probably fine that the watches are heart rate monitors

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Probably post a link to the post. Fantastic write up TPM, and CJ. This should be relatively interesting off season...

Great idea Logger, have done that.

As for the Gawn discussion; he's nowhere near ready to be a regular AFL footballer.

Yes, he's getting his body close to ready but for a ruck there is also a significant learning curve.

I don't see Gawn getting much game-time until Jamar is past it to be honest.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Don't worry about puting them in the OP but you may want to put a link in the OP to the individual post like I will do.

Edit: Beat me to it & already suggested, well done.

 

[Chip_]

As for the Gawn discussion; he's nowhere near ready to be a regular AFL footballer.

Yes, he's getting his body close to ready but for a ruck there is also a significant learning curve.

I don't see Gawn getting much game-time until Jamar is past it to be honest.

Agreed, maybe with an injury (hopefully short term) he'll play a few more games next year, but it will ultimately be better for us to keep gradually working him into the team, people are forgetting he'll only turn 20 next month. Look at the way North worked Goldstein into their side, had his first full season last year & then this year as a 23 yo became one of the premier ruckman in the comp.

While our ruck options mean we could try similar set-ups to both Pies & WC, I think we obviously do something tailored to meet our team strengths & not just try something that worked for another team

I like the idea of playing both Clark & Martin as forwards, Watts/Jurrah treated as 3rd tall or midfield rotation. Martin would be the relieving ruck for the 1st 3 quarters, Jamar plays 80% in the ruck & goes only between ruck & bench, no resting forward. Jamar also doesn't set foot in the forward 50, we've got 2 capable guys playing there who can cover ball ups & boundary throw ins. While Martin is in the ruck you make sure Watts is forward as a marking option. Last quarter Martin can take a longer go in the ruck & Jamar can spend a bit of time forward, especially if the game is more or less decided. Clark can relieve Martin in last quarter if Jamar needs a greater rest

 

[Canary]

Wouldn't mind seeing a Geelong/Ottens situation, where Jamar is rested strategically throughout the season (interstate etc.) to prolong his career and give a few games to Gawn.

 

[goDees22]

Not sure where all this talk of resting Jamar has come up, he's not a Cale Morton sized pipsqueak, he is bigger and stronger than anyone else we have, Gawn looks like being a player but right now he is miles from Jamar (although light years ahead of him at the same age). Pretty sure Jamars only played about ~110 game in 9 or 10 years, and a lot of those he probably played less than a half, so I'd suggest his body is much better off than your average 28-29 year old. No way he should just be rested here there and everywhere like Ottens, whose body was obviously on the way out and had to be primed for finals