Training

[BSA5]

I'm not there but going by the nickname I'd guess it might be Kennedy?

If so then good signs. He's using the ball very well.

[ugg]

Yes it's Kennedy. From a distance looks like Currie too

[giant]

TDL now chalked up 5 on eski and tDhg

[ugg]

TDL = Total Definite Lock for round 1

[caj23]

TDL now chalked up 5 on eski and tDhg

Great signs there, could be the small foward we've been lacking for the last few years.

Possible Supercoach bargain too

[Hartijon]

Great signs there, could be the small foward we've been lacking for the last few years.

Possible Supercoach bargain too

I repeat my point in another thread that sometimes it is easier to get kicks at a higher level if you are a class act because the players around you are better at handballing and kicking to you. For all those who reckon this kid will be outclassed in AFL because the standard is so much higher than WAFL, you just might be wrong.

[liz]

Gee, it was warm out there this morning. And that was just for the spectators!

Good thing that TDL looks a likely type, because he might have to carry the forward line alone next week. Hard to garner much from the game with the limited vantage points on the boundary line. It was also a bit of a distraction having shirtless Goodes, White, B2, Big (and I mean BIG) Mummy, Barlow, Playfair, Hannebery and Vez sprinting past at intervals.

Lewis III didn't dominate by any means but did a couple of very eye catching things - like dart from a posse following the ball, swoop cleanly on the ball and lay it off in one smooth movement. Also saw him do a Davey-like chase down from behind.

Few players not seen at all (not even in civvies, watching from the bye-lines). Anyone else spot Meredith or O'Keefe?

[BSA5]

TDL was great. Genuine class, should definitely be in the side for Round 1.

McVeigh great through the midfield, really taking a lead role. Won clearances, used it well, was everywhere.

Kirk was Kirk. Tireless, didn't stand out but just so often was the bloke forcing the ball forward and getting it to teammates or laying that tackle.

Jetta looked very good. Not sure if he's quite Round 1 material, but he looked very comfortable out there. Should definitely play some senior footy this year.

Sumner did some very classy things. I can see what the coaches were talking about. Not sure how much TOG he had though.

Tadhg looked pretty good. Didn't spend a lot of time on the park but did some nice things. No complaints here.

Seaby looked good. Not great, but solid. I wasn't keeping that close an eye on it, but it looked like he beat Currie, but it was close. Currie looked fairly solid too.

Kennedy was good. Big, bustling, powerful midfielder, broke tackles, and he used the ball well. Wasn't SUPER involved from what I could see, but what he did, he did very well.

Sam Reid's skills were, frankly, bordering on atrocious. Fumbles, shanks, etc. However, his athletic ability and awareness were fantastic. Quick and mobile, knew where to lead (played forward despite being traditionally being a defender), found the footy and did some good off-the-ball work. Very incomplete player, could be a total dud, but he could also grow into a gun defender.

Moore looked very good, had that spark about him as he did in 2008 that was missing last year. Kicked a couple of goals, stood up in tackles, found the ball plenty, used it well, tackled well. Looked fitter too.

Bird has become a lean, mean, football machine. Shed every last gram of his puppy fat, looks fitter than he ever has, quicker, more aware, and more confident. He was kicking through the ball (something he's been hesitant to do unless kicking for goal) and hit plenty of targets as a result. Signing him up for SC immediately!

Rohan looked good. He has really grown, is looking more KPF height now. Played at FF, kicked a couple of goals, looks very classy. Can't see him getting many games this year because he is still a bit skinny, and he's clearly still growing.

Gordon was fairly involved, but shanked a few kicks. Skills not great, but didn't look too out of place. Don't expect much this year though.

Chris McKaigue was not bad, not bad at all. Awareness was great, skills were perfectly fine, used his body very well, took a great overhead mark and was quick. Played in the forwardline, kicked a couple of goals, before going off in the second half to be replaced by Gilchrist (who wore the same number and from a distance looks very similar, VERY confusing!). Gave away a few frees, but very good signs for a bloke new to the game.

Gilchrist wasn't busy, but he was solid enough. Did some nice things. Could definitely be a player, but we'll have to wait and see.

Pyke is a monster! I think he's bulked up even more! Didn't do much, but looks far more confident that he knows what he's doing. There was no wondering around like a headless chook. Still has a long way to go, but now he's playing like a football player, albeit a very rough-around-the-edges one. Good signs, despite an anonymous performance.

Reg was kind of unlucky. He was playing as a key defender, but there were no key forwards to play on! Was beaten to the ball a fair bit as a result, but looked confident, big and strong, and his body work was great.

Heath's ball use from the backline was good, and didn't seem afraid of the tough stuff. Not super-busy, but comfortable.


As for the blokes that didn't play:

Vespa is RIPPED. Like Bird, has shed all of his puppy fat, and he looks very fit. Spent the day doing laps, didn't seem to struggle much, and I reckon he might be ready for big things this year. Here's hoping.

Barlow has more of a footballer's physique now. In other words, he has legs. Difficult to tell how he's going, since most of his problems seem to be psychological, but he looks fitter and stronger than he ever has before.

Goodes just looks like Goodes. Big, strong, fit, ready to take on CHF.

Johnston spent the first half on the bike just a couple of metres to the right of me. I meant to ask him how his foot was going, but forgot, and then he left. But he looked nice and big and strong, if a tiny little weenie bit on the chubby side (by footballing standards!), and wasn't limping at all, so I think whatever injury he has is minor. Also seems like a very nice but shy bloke. He was calling out encouragement to the boys from the sidelines, but not quite loud enough for them to really hear. He also asked me from his bike, very politely, "Excuse me? Hey, would you be able to tell me if this is half-time?" as the players went into a huddle in the shade. Sounds weird, given I'm only a year older than him, but it was kinda sweet, especially since I had absolutely no idea and would have assumed he'd know. And here I was thinking he had a touch of arrogance about him!

Hanners looks very fit for an 18 year old. Sporting some very manly looking stubble as well. Looked like a bit of a kid last year, looks far more mature now. Could be big for us this year.

Hank spent most of his time stretching.

Kristin Thornton is a bad decision waiting to happen. You go into the pub, see this little weedy guy with a funny face, decide to pick a fight, next thing you know this little weedy guy is kicking your arse, and you discover he's basically made of muscle. Stringy, sinewy muscle, not bulgy at all, but I reckon his power-to-weight ratio would be through the roof. Could turn out to be a Leo style defender.

Mumford is big. Like, really big.

White looks big, fit and lean.

That's all I can really remember.

[BSA5]

Few players not seen at all (not even in civvies, watching from the bye-lines). Anyone else spot Meredith or O'Keefe?

Nope. Didn't notice Shaw, Orreal or McNeil either (though I don't really know what McNeil looks like, so I might have missed him, playing or on the sidelines).

[gumby_bolts]

thanks for the detailed report BSA5, much appreciated.

[royboy42]

Nope. Didn't notice Shaw, Orreal or McNeil either (though I don't really know what McNeil looks like, so I might have missed him, playing or on the sidelines).

Shaw, O'Keefe didnt play but Roos said later that O'Keefe would play v carlton. I had trouble finding McNeil..mistook Kennedy for him early and was impressed..So Kennedy obviously played well...Seaby did well v Currie, better than I expected. DL was very very good, even tho he played man to man quite a bit..defence was nowhere as hard as in a club game. I enjoyed Teddy against Pykie for a while..pretty much even steven I thought..Pyke is certainly a more Aussie Rules player than last year, and VERY fit and strong.
Goodesy led Jesse round the track a few times doing some endurance..he is a genuine powerhouse but Jess kept up..Jess reckons he'll be right for 2nd or 3rd preseason game. And McVeigh looked a cut above the rest on the paddock today..always had time and made very few wrong decisions..he is going to have a super year (stay away hammy troubles!)
Jetta goes like lightning, but we're gonna be wincing a lot when we see a big defender lining him up..hope his evasive skills are well developed cos he isn't ..yet! But he sure looks good with the ball in his hands.
Roosy thought they went well..4 20 min contact quarters with hardly any interchanges, and he said they came off not as beat as he expected..a result he reckons, of the full pre season..
Oh. by the way when I got in the car after the game, the temp showed as 41..it WAS hot out there.

[liz]

Nope. Didn't notice Shaw, Orreal or McNeil either (though I don't really know what McNeil looks like, so I might have missed him, playing or on the sidelines).

Shaw was there, watching from the sidelines. Was in casual gear but that was towards the end, so he might have been out training earlier. Saw Orreal doing some work before the practice game started.

Wouldn't recognise McNeil either.

[Hartijon]

thanks for the detailed report BSA5, much appreciated.

Here here!!! Great work!! Thanks!

[Reggi]

Yes great updates. Sounds like TDL is the stand-out, but you would expect a player of his type to be better at this end of the season

Thanks for the updates though really appreciated

Lewis Johnston, not having an opportunity early is disappointing (same with Meredith and Vespi)

[hammo]

Thanks for the reports. Unfortuantely work called for most of us!

What's going on with Goodesy? I took in a bit of training a few weeks ago and he was running laps of Centennial Park. He's obviously on a modified program, any idea why?

Gary Rohan could be anything.