Training Training Thread 2023

Remove this Banner Ad

Melbourne look scary good, this year.

And yes, I realise that is the ultimate wanky term.

They lost Jackson and Weideman, I wouldn't expect Jefferson to play this year so they are going into a premiership contention year with Brown (1.6 goal average last year) and Old McDonald (1.7) as their go to KPFs.

It is a team you really need competent small/medium defenders against, they will rely heavily on Fritsch and Pickett.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

surely it's not one or the other and both Will and Tom are in our round one team, right?

both are probably in our top 10 most talented players
100% both best 22
They lost Jackson and Weideman, I wouldn't expect Jefferson to play this year so they are going into a premiership contention year with Brown (1.6 goal average last year) and Old McDonald (1.7) as their go to KPFs.

It is a team you really need competent small/medium defenders against, they will rely heavily on Fritsch and Pickett.
They’ve got van rooyen also who had some big games in his first vfl year last year
 
They’ve got van rooyen also who had some big games in his first vfl year last year

Still, you wouldn't want to be banking on a zero game 19 year old when you are in the premiership window... or a guy with suspect knees, or a guy who only played 9 games last year. I hope they didn't pick up Schache to play forward. Actually, scratch that, I hope they did pick him up to play forward.
 
They lost Jackson and Weideman, I wouldn't expect Jefferson to play this year so they are going into a premiership contention year with Brown (1.6 goal average last year) and Old McDonald (1.7) as their go to KPFs.

It is a team you really need competent small/medium defenders against, they will rely heavily on Fritsch and Pickett.

We'll see. They look very hungry.
 
We'll see. They look very hungry.

Yeah, they are a good team, I think if Fritsch goes down though it would be tough for them, they have a wide spread of players who can kick the odd goal but 11 games last year Fritsch kicked 3+. He has an odd head but would love if our smaller forwards hit the scoreboard as consistently as he does.
 
Basically, Clarko better know what the * he's doing, because this magnet shuffling feels a lot like Nobles, just with added communication skills
Stop Calm Down GIF
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

It's not really about that. Mick won three flags, with innumerable finals appearances, and still made a shitshow of it at Carlton.

Granted, there are plenty of factors in our favour that weren't existent during Mick's Carlton tenure, but I'd say the current mindset of a coach is more important than his resume. Atm Clarko's mindset seems extremely brave, and I'm just questioning if the lads have the capacity to immediately repay that faith
I wouldn’t get too hung up on players being trialled in different positions during pre-season… if you can’t try things in pre-season when can you try them?
I don’t mind the idea of Zurharr & Curtis having 5 minute bursts in the midfield during games & likewise Cunners & Greenwood resting forward, they are more than capable & give opposition coaches something to think about.
It also gives more midfield time for the likes of Powell & Phillips. We are still a developing side, looking for the best combos… when we are at the stage that we are pushing deep in finals we will be more settled with our line up
Then again, maybe we won’t… maybe Clarko wants to have a flexible side with players adept at playing multiple positions.
Trust the man… he is one of, if not the greatest coach of the modern era. He certainly should never be mentioned in the same sentence as Noble ever again!!
 
I wouldn’t get too hung up on players being trialled in different positions during pre-season… if you can’t try things in pre-season when can you try them?
I don’t mind the idea of Zurharr & Curtis having 5 minute bursts in the midfield during games & likewise Cunners & Greenwood resting forward, they are more than capable & give opposition coaches something to think about.
It also gives more midfield time for the likes of Powell & Phillips. We are still a developing side, looking for the best combos… when we are at the stage that we are pushing deep in finals we will be more settled with our line up
Then again, maybe we won’t… maybe Clarko wants to have a flexible side with players adept at playing multiple positions.
Trust the man… he is one of, if not the greatest coach of the modern era. He certainly should never be mentioned in the same sentence as Noble ever again!!
That's fair enough. You're right, preseason is the time to try this stuff. I guess I was rattled by the relaying of JZ's interview on here, cos to my ears it sounded like he was mighty keen on the positional switches. The rationale in my mind was if he's keen, then so will the coaches be. But that's not necessarily true, and we are still a month and a half out from season's eve. Time is on our side for the moment
 
It's not really about that. Mick won three flags, with innumerable finals appearances, and still made a shitshow of it at Carlton.

Granted, there are plenty of factors in our favour that weren't existent during Mick's Carlton tenure, but I'd say the current mindset of a coach is more important than his resume. Atm Clarko's mindset seems extremely brave, and I'm just questioning if the lads have the capacity to immediately repay that faith
How about waiting and seeing?
 
. Atm Clarko's mindset seems extremely brave, and I'm just questioning if the lads have the capacity to immediately repay that faith

Well it may appear that way but it isn't. al clarko had actually taken it back to the basics. And is building from there.

Nobles may well have desired say a Goldy to be more aggressive by saying be more aggressive lol. al clarko wouldn't say that to Goldy, would work with his strengths.

Then he also will work to the strengths of the individuals on our list, the game is simple if you're fit enough to get to contests, you'll find the ball.

How many games we win, I don't know, but I don't think many sides will kick our arse, we will run in numbers back and forth, no easy avenues to goal for our opponents, well like it has been.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, actually, we all will be.
 
Maybe I'm rigid minded but not a lot of this sounds good to me. I hated having Ziebs down back and I don't see why that would change regardless of how good a preseason he's had. Unless a good preseason at the age of 31 makes you both faster and better in the air.

CZ in midfield is textbook Peter and Paul etc. etc. We only have two proven goal threats and he's one of them, plus we have a glut of decent onballers anyway

Jy limping off is neither here nor there. But hammies are troublesome.

Basically, Clarko better know what the * he's doing, because this magnet shuffling feels a lot like Nobles, just with added communication skills
Ziebs can organise a defence. No one else on the list can, and that includes our best defenders. We don't have anyone so far and away better than him that it outweighs the benefit to the whole system JZ provides. Clarko is a systems based footballer and JZ provides so much more benefit to said system than anyone else back there bar maybe LMac, who found himself sacrificing his rebound game to hang back and organise defence on too many occasions recently.

CZ won't play much midfield. This is firstly to get his fitness right up there and secondly to ensure he doesn't shit the bed on the very odd occasion we need him there.
 
Last edited:
Maybe I'm rigid minded but not a lot of this sounds good to me. I hated having Ziebs down back and I don't see why that would change regardless of how good a preseason he's had. Unless a good preseason at the age of 31 makes you both faster and better in the air.

He made our top 10 in the B&F in 2021 playing down back and was playing in defence in the back half of that year when there was a pretty positive vibe about the direction we were heading. Based on last year's form he isn't in our best 22 but I think he is capable of being.

CZ in midfield is textbook Peter and Paul etc. etc. We only have two proven goal threats and he's one of them, plus we have a glut of decent onballers anyway

The articles have said he will spend a bit more time there, I think when he stays forward he can go missing for long periods of time, I am guessing Clarkson plans to push him in the middle to get going when he is getting frostbite up forward.

Jy limping off is neither here nor there. But hammies are troublesome.

I wouldn't be surprised if we have a lot of soft tissue injuries this year and I don't think it is due to negligence from our strength and conditioning staff but gut running hasn't been our strong suit and we leak goals like a sieve during red time of quarters due to fatigue. There is no easy way to fastrack endurance training.

Basically, Clarko better know what the * he's doing, because this magnet shuffling feels a lot like Nobles, just with added communication skills

I think he is just preparing players to play a variety of roles. If CZ is on fire up forward and kicking a bag of goals he obviously isn't going to throw him in the middle. When shit isn't working during games and people expect him to make changes during games what is useless magnet shuffling is throwing players in roles they have no clue how to play as a team. CZ is being prepared for what it is going to take to play in the middle because you can't just follow the ball, each line has structures and roles they need to play. You aren't going to learn these roles on gameday, you need to practice them during training.
 
Well it may appear that way but it isn't. al clarko had actually taken it back to the basics. And is building from there.

Nobles may well have desired say a Goldy to be more aggressive by saying be more aggressive lol. al clarko wouldn't say that to Goldy, would work with his strengths.

Then he also will work to the strengths of the individuals on our list, the game is simple if you're fit enough to get to contests, you'll find the ball.

How many games we win, I don't know, but I don't think many sides will kick our arse, we will run in numbers back and forth, no easy avenues to goal for our opponents, well like it has been.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, actually, we all will be.
This is me waiting for preseason game 1.
Pray Game Show GIF by ABC Network
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Training Training Thread 2023

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top