Pre-season News

[Ludwig]

Agreed about Bird. Everyone seems to be forgetting that he's probably averaged in our top ten at the end of every year for the last several years. And he's also a different midfielder to the others. Who else do we have who can shut down an opponent as well as him in the midfield?

Agree with your post on Bird. But we really don't use the dedicated tagger as much as some teams do. Harry Cunningham has done a pretty good job in most of his tagging assignments, especially against Stephen Hill.

[Conor_Dillon]

Also, just thought I'd bring up the name of a seemingly forgotten man this year, Lloyd Perris. He's back from a knee reco and seems, from the videos, that he's taking part in regular training. He was all the talk when drafted (another supposed steal), and was having a pretty good year in the reserves before his injury. If anyone knows how he's tracking this year, would be good to hear.

This is a great point, from all reports he was improving with every game in the NEAFL pre-injury and he was right up there in the time-trials so fitness isn't an issue. Would be great to see him get a run around in the NAB challenge.

Can any ressies watchers tell us who in the AFL he might be similar to?

[Nico]

Agree with your post on Bird. But we really don't use the dedicated tagger as much as some teams do. Harry Cunningham has done a pretty good job in most of his tagging assignments, especially against Stephen Hill.

Bird gets the pill, Harry doesn't.

I can't see Ted dropping form just because of age. He has been consistent in a position that doesn't take as much running as a half back or mid. I reckon he has a couple of good years left and he appears to be the sort of bloke who will put his hand up when his time is up. A real team player.

[wolftone57]

Bird is in the age and experience bracket where he should be near the top of his game. His problem in holding his spot is likely more related to younger players pushing past him. He's lacking a bit of pace, but he has most of the other attributes to be a high quality player. He may have to continue to improve, but I don't see why he shouldn't be able to do it.

Although Pyke will be 31 next month, I don't think this is old for a ruckman. Given his late introduction to the game, he could be the kind of player that continues to improve, and could well be playing his best footy at age 33-34. The main thing for him is to stay injury free.

The one most likely to drop off is Shaw, mainly because he needs his pace and evasive skills to be a quality player. Kennelly, who by the way is only a few months younger than Rhyce, was a more skilful player, but once his pace fell away a bit, he was finished.


Also, just thought I'd bring up the name of a seemingly forgotten man this year, Lloyd Perris. He's back from a knee reco and seems, from the videos, that he's taking part in regular training. He was all the talk when drafted (another supposed steal), and was having a pretty good year in the reserves before his injury. If anyone knows how he's tracking this year, would be good to hear.

Was just watching the video of Perris talking about his rehab and just wanting to get amongst it. He does so next week. He will be with the main bunch from Monday onward. Good on him. Had a setback recovering from his ACL. He tore his meniscus. I know how that feels having done that myself. But he seems keen to show how good he is and push for selection. He is going to be very good. Having seen a bit of him before his injury he looked good but not a star YET!
by the way I have been looking at 2012, 2013 & 2014 games and Shaw's pace is not as good as it was. In 2012 he was lightning fast. Early in 2013 he was reasonably fast but late in the season he looked a bit slow. Last year he was mediocre and got caught heaps of times going for his trademark runs.

For those who haven't seen it yet;

Perris back on track - sydneyswans.com.au

[graemed]

by the way I have been looking at 2012, 2013 & 2014 games and Shaw's pace is not as good as it was. In 2012 he was lightning fast. Early in 2013 he was reasonably fast but late in the season he looked a bit slow. Last year he was mediocre and got caught heaps of times going for his trademark runs.

The back 6, continue to provide the most concerns for the coming season. Talls like Roughhead, Pavlich, Ryder, Hawking, et al are our major headaches but watching Shaw last year was disturbing, he is losing pace and the added pressure that is its consequence, at this level, was affecting his disposal efficiency.
His best game was against Geelong but even then his error rate was high.
Nobody has mentioned Reg, so far, but I worry about how his GF performance will dominate his confidence levels.
We cannot afford to have both KPP down on performance. It looked from both the training sessions I attended and the videos from Coffs that Sam is being groomed for a major role.
I, too, was impressed by the little I saw of Melican but he is very raw. Xav. om the other hand, looked cool under pressure, has experience, a significant mentor and has built up, he looks the most likely of the younger brigade to step up to a KP role after Ted or Reg for mine.

[wolftone57]

The back 6, continue to provide the most concerns for the coming season. Talls like Roughhead, Pavlich, Ryder, Hawking, et al are our major headaches but watching Shaw last year was disturbing, he is losing pace and the added pressure that is its consequence, at this level, was affecting his disposal efficiency.
His best game was against Geelong but even then his error rate was high.
Nobody has mentioned Reg, so far, but I worry about how his GF performance will dominate his confidence levels.
We cannot afford to have both KPP down on performance. It looked from both the training sessions I attended and the videos from Coffs that Sam is being groomed for a major role.
I, too, was impressed by the little I saw of Melican but he is very raw. Xav. om the other hand, looked cool under pressure, has experience, a significant mentor and has built up, he looks the most likely of the younger brigade to step up to a KP role after Ted or Reg for mine.

Agree with nearly all you say Graeme but Xav is not the player for the big power forwards like Cloke & Hawkins. He is more likely to play on someone like Riewoldt or Schulz. I see Aliir, Melican and maybe McLaren taking the power forwards in time. funnily enough I don't think Aliir is as far away as people think. Xav is really good on the leading forward or in a marking contest with that type of forward but if you look at the reserves he never really played on the monsters or resting rucks. Tommy Walsh, Aliir etc did. Xav beat all the top forwards in the NEAFL. They all had one thing in common, they were more the leading/one on one marking forward than the pack marking brute like Cloke. By the way I am less worried about the back six than I was before going down to have a look at training and then seeing the footage from Coffs. Sammy might get a run there too which means more mobility.

[Meg]

Rotten pre-season news for this young man and the Demons. Imagine if this had been one of our Academy boys that we had had to forfeit virtually all our picks to draft?
"Melbourne Demon Christian Petracca is set to miss the entirety of the 2015 AFL season after suffering an ACL injury at training on Monday."

No. 2 draft pick Christian Petracca to miss 2015 AFL season | The Roar

[jono2707]

Rotten pre-season news for this young man and the Demons. Imagine if this had been one of our Academy boys that we had had to forfeit virtually all our picks to draft?
"Melbourne Demon Christian Petracca is set to miss the entirety of the 2015 AFL season after suffering an ACL injury at training on Monday."

No. 2 draft pick Christian Petracca to miss 2015 AFL season | The Roar

Wow that's terrible news and as you rightly point out, highlights the real issues with the valuation 'system' the AFL is looking to implement....

[Matt80]

Wow that's terrible news and as you rightly point out, highlights the real issues with the valuation 'system' the AFL is looking to implement....

Awful luck. The competition needs a strong Demons like Rugby League needs South Sydney.

[Auntie.Gerald]

it is such a great reminder how smart the Swans are in easing in the draftees etc into training

we are so careful with the young guys to get them off legs when needed with the end in mind

Heeney has had an ongoing tendonitis issue and this appears to be managed well so far

[JPK12]

Awful luck. The competition needs a strong Demons like Rugby League needs South Sydney.

No it doesnt, demons have a small supporter base, even when they were doing OK they still had a tiny supporter base, south sydney is massive.

If anything its richmond, not the dees.

The AFL could terminate the demons tommorow and the comp would still be the same.

[liz]

it is such a great reminder how smart the Swans are in easing in the draftees etc into training

we are so careful with the young guys to get them off legs when needed with the end in mind

Heeney has had an ongoing tendonitis issue and this appears to be managed well so far

With respect, this is rubbish. It's just a reminder that AFL players are especially prone to ACL injuries and that they strike in the most innocuous circumstances. To suggest clubs can manage training loads to prevent this kind of injury has no basis in fact. If you think otherwise, you might like to let Malceski, Shaw, Perris and Johnson in on your secrets (not to mention Morabito, Menzel, Bailey, Walker, Rich and all the other current and recent players who've been struck down with an ACL at random).

[Matt80]

No it doesnt, demons have a small supporter base, even when they were doing OK they still had a tiny supporter base, south sydney is massive.

If anything its richmond, not the dees.

The AFL could terminate the demons tommorow and the comp would still be the same.

The AFL would never terminate the Demons. One phone call from Garry Lyon to Eddie would keep the show on the road. Besides Eddie would never allow the Demons to fold as it may open up room for another outside Victoria franchise.

[goswannies]

With respect, this is rubbish. It's just a reminder that AFL players are especially prone to ACL injuries and that they strike in the most innocuous circumstances. To suggest clubs can manage training loads to prevent this kind of injury has no basis in fact. If you think otherwise, you might like to let Malceski, Shaw, Perris and Johnson in on your secrets (not to mention Morabito, Menzel, Bailey, Walker, Rich and all the other current and recent players who've been struck down with an ACL at random).

Unfortunately, correct. The forces required to rupture an ACL & mechanism of injury, are typically generally quite predictable. The match & training conditions that give rise to the mechanism of injury cannot be predicted, or trained to avoid.

[Auntie.Gerald]

not many golfers suffer ACL injuries........and that is because they do not suffer the same rigours of training and game day

the opposite is true for AFL players and basket ballers etc

Liz and GS....... i disagree...........i do believe that most physio and training programmes would be fully aware of over straining and over training and hence learning from the fella's that have done their ACL in the past.

It is be far one of the worst ligament injuries and yes 80% of ACL tears occur without contact......... hence even a greater sign that they occur under stress and or post a lot of stress ie over training

I agree you can not put players in cotton wool but any one who has played sport and trained a few days a week generally is carrying a slight niggle into training and into game day

I rarely can think of a time in competitive sport that I didnt have a niggle ie a groin strain, a strain of the lateral ankle ligaments, a slight twinge of the hammy

I do believe that training programmes and body awareness and off legs training is becoming smarter and smarter in trying to prevent serious injuries such as ACL tears where ever possible hence the extreme increase and development of "off legs training" we are witnessing in almost every second interview with players these days.............I know first hand when you try to nurse one injury it so often leads to over compensation in other areas of the body which can then suffer tears or strains