Pre-season News

[Matt80]

Anyone have any pre-season news???

I had a brief look at Swans training session during the week and picked up a couple of things.

- Apparently they always start at 8.30am at the Bus Loop Oval.

- Adam Goodes was doing his own movement training and was not participating in the match simulation.

- Mike Pyke was doing a lot of specialist ruck work taps to Heeney. I wonder if Heeney is being prepared to play in the senior midfielder early in the season, or maybe Pyke does this with all midfielders?

- In the match simulation Grundy and Richards looked very strong. Richards was not giving Franklin any space.

- Garry Rohan looked bigger. Maybe he has put on bulk, maybe sitting in the stands you don't appreciate how big these athletes are.

[graemed]

Saw all 3 training days last week and there were a number of interesting items:

Monday: The following all left early as part of the rehab group:
Tippett, Goodes, Shaw, Bird, Reid, Mitchell, Pyke and Rohan
McGlynn also trained alone as did Rookie Newman.
When I got there around 9 am they were doing skill work and of the new flock:
Heeney is a stand out, Hiscox has got amazing pace and improving skills (have to admit to bias here, as with Rampe, had a lot to do with Jack through school) and Rose looks solid. Davis is the biggest body and may take longer to develop.
Foote was missing and Melican is a bigger George Hewitt look-a- like. McLaran looks interesting but again with big men will be long term prospect.

Did not see Grundy.

Wednesday:
Long training did not finish till after 11 in the sun. Very hot.
Lots of training drills involving switched of play, outnumbering opposition and long kicking to position. Combining with close quarter skills, handling and ground balls.
Jetta looked fit and eager during these drills but Franklin was outstanding, dominate and commanding. Tippett was present for some of the skill work but trained alone, concentrating on running for the majority of the session. Goodes and McGlynn also had separate programs. Again Heeney was a standout, receiving lots of "atta-boys" from Longmire.

Friday:
Full on Practice match conditions. Tippett played on Grundy and monstered for most of the time, Franklin on T Richards and interestingly only Derickx and Nankervis contested ruck duels. (Pyke was working with Heeney off the ground on centre ruck contests) Sam Reid was playing a swing man role and Allir picked up the third tall at one end and X. Richards did likewise at the other end. Allir looks to have bulked up and looks an improved player
Lloyd, Cunningham, Jones and Towers all made significant contributions. Rampe was outstanding, his field nicking to position was a highlight.
All the regulars look great, Hannebrry, Mcveigh and Jack leading the group.
Shaw was interesting speaking to one of the groups during the break.

Stewart Dew ran most of the drills throughout the week, Mattner was looking at the progress of Newman who is doing rehab by the looks of it because he looks absolutely cut so I doubt its a fitness thing.

Well back to work next week so I will rely on someone else for further reports.

[Auntie.Gerald]

you almost wonder with J Hiscox may get a few runs off the bench as a sub ??

he would light up the pitch for a qtr

[Melbourne_Blood]

Cheers Graeme! Can't wait to see Heeney in action !

[mcs]

Saw all 3 training days last week and there were a number of interesting items:

Monday: The following all left early as part of the rehab group:
Tippett, Goodes, Shaw, Bird, Reid, Mitchell, Pyke and Rohan
McGlynn also trained alone as did Rookie Newman.
When I got there around 9 am they were doing skill work and of the new flock:
Heeney is a stand out, Hiscox has got amazing pace and improving skills (have to admit to bias here, as with Rampe, had a lot to do with Jack through school) and Rose looks solid. Davis is the biggest body and may take longer to develop.
Foote was missing and Melican is a bigger George Hewitt look-a- like. McLaran looks interesting but again with big men will be long term prospect.

Did not see Grundy.

Wednesday:
Long training did not finish till after 11 in the sun. Very hot.
Lots of training drills involving switched of play, outnumbering opposition and long kicking to position. Combining with close quarter skills, handling and ground balls.
Jetta looked fit and eager during these drills but Franklin was outstanding, dominate and commanding. Tippett was present for some of the skill work but trained alone, concentrating on running for the majority of the session. Goodes and McGlynn also had separate programs. Again Heeney was a standout, receiving lots of "atta-boys" from Longmire.

Friday:
Full on Practice match conditions. Tippett played on Grundy and monstered for most of the time, Franklin on T Richards and interestingly only Derickx and Nankervis contested ruck duels. (Pyke was working with Heeney off the ground on centre ruck contests) Sam Reid was playing a swing man role and Allir picked up the third tall at one end and X. Richards did likewise at the other end. Allir looks to have bulked up and looks an improved player
Lloyd, Cunningham, Jones and Towers all made significant contributions. Rampe was outstanding, his field nicking to position was a highlight.
All the regulars look great, Hannebrry, Mcveigh and Jack leading the group.
Shaw was interesting speaking to one of the groups during the break.

Stewart Dew ran most of the drills throughout the week, Mattner was looking at the progress of Newman who is doing rehab by the looks of it because he looks absolutely cut so I doubt its a fitness thing.

Well back to work next week so I will rely on someone else for further reports.

Great report Graeme. Good to hear that Rampe's kicking seems to be improving more - he is going to be incredibly important to our team this season following the loss of Mal.

- - - Updated - - -

Cheers Graeme! Can't wait to see Heeney in action !

It would not suprise me if he is in the team rd 1 - sounds like he is having a very good pre season, and if he is doong drills in combo with pyke, that would suggest to me he is under serious consideration to be in the 1st 22 very quickly

[dimelb]

Good work graemed, lots of info to drool over. I guess all teams work on kicking to position but it's an area where we need to match Hawthorn if we are going to get back to the top.

The only disappointing factor is the size of the rehab group. I didn't realise that there were so many with niggles of one kind or another, including such essentials as Tippett, Pyke and Rohan.

[liz]

It would not suprise me if he is in the team rd 1 - sounds like he is having a very good pre season, and if he is doong drills in combo with pyke, that would suggest to me he is under serious consideration to be in the 1st 22 very quickly

Or it means that they are both on restricted programmes and the work they are doing is a way to do some skills work in a lower intensity way than if they were with the main group. No idea is there is anything up with Heeney, but we know Pyke is still recovering from off-season surgery and not yet back in the main group.

[Mountain Man]

Thanks, Graeme, and how nice to read a post that actually fits with the thread header!

[mcs]

Or it means that they are both on restricted programmes and the work they are doing is a way to do some skills work in a lower intensity way than if they were with the main group. No idea is there is anything up with Heeney, but we know Pyke is still recovering from off-season surgery and not yet back in the main group.

That is most definitely a possibility Liz, and I was aware that Pyke was on a restricted pre-season so far.

But I still think its interesting nonetheless, and might be a sign that the club sees a role for his quickly in the 1st 22.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Heeney will certainly make it tough not to pick him

[Matt80]

Heeney will certainly make it tough not to pick him

I'm concerned that Heeney will get ahead of Mitchell for a midfield birth and make the Swans look like fools for not accepting Carlton's pick 6 for him.

Time will tell!

[dimelb]

I'm concerned that Heeney will get ahead of Mitchell for a midfield birth and make the Swans look like fools for not accepting Carlton's pick 6 for him.

Time will tell!

Would that put us in the running for a father/son pick?

[Ludwig]

I'm concerned that Heeney will get ahead of Mitchell for a midfield birth and make the Swans look like fools for not accepting Carlton's pick 6 for him.

Or not trading Nathan Gibbs for a an obstetrician.

Would that put us in the running for a father/son pick?

Worried that we might get penalised for too many men on the field if it happens during a game.

[goswannies]

I'm concerned that Heeney will get ahead of Mitchell for a midfield birth and make the Swans look like fools for not accepting Carlton's pick 6 for him.

Time will tell!

Or geniuses for keeping him when many ... well some ... ok a couple ... of footy "experts" had him in navy blue via trade because he was so unhappy last year at not getting senior time. Imagine, if you will, both of them developing so well they both form the core of our mid-field for the next decade. Mitchell, the Greg Williams-esque non-electric pace ball magnet who racks up 40+ possessions a game, many of them going to the Gerard Healy-esque Heeney who delivers with laser precision to the 200cm version of a pack-marking Capper in Tippett ...

Oh wait! We let Williams go to Carlton ...

[Nico]

Or geniuses for keeping him when many ... well some ... ok a couple ... of footy "experts" had him in navy blue via trade because he was so unhappy last year at not getting senior time. Imagine, if you will, both of them developing so well they both form the core of our mid-field for the next decade. Mitchell, the Greg Williams-esque non-electric pace ball magnet who racks up 40+ possessions a game, many of them going to the Gerard Healy-esque Heeney who delivers with laser precision to the 200cm version of a pack-marking Capper in Tippett ...

Oh wait! We let Williams go to Carlton ...

My mail was he reluctantly accepted a house in Kew ++++++