Pre-season 2020

[bloodspirit]

Well, I swung by training this morning. I don't have a lot to report (I didn't run into Tom Harley again) but here it is:

The good news first

* It seemed that pretty much everyone was there. I didn't notice anyone missing, except I don't think I saw McCartin (but I think he was there two weeks ago). Maybe someone else saw him?

* Dawson AGAIN crossed the line first in the time trial - this time ahead of Fox, Heeney, Rampe and Mills. I think they were the first five across the line. He even finished ahead of Lloyd Perris who is used as a pacesetter. He is setting himself for a super season - I'm so excited to see what he'll deliver. It's incredible how much he is stepping up.

* Knoll ran well again. Rampe seemed to approach it like a Melbourne Cup, he seemed to take it pretty easy for the first half of the time trial and then flew home, overtaking plenty. I don't think they all started together and for all I know he had the best time.

* The 'rehab group' seemed fairly small maybe half a dozen or so. I think they included: Buddy, Reid, COR, Ling, Naismith.


The bad news:

* Ling is still (again?) in the rehab group. When is he ever going to come good? He was the last player I recognised, that's how little I've seen of him.

* Squizzy Taylor doesn't just look "heavy", he IS out of shape. He and Amartey were the last to finish the time trial. I can't see him playing round 1 in the midfield at this stage. Not an auspicious beginning.

* Papley was towards the end of the players to cross the line in the time trial.

Random extra:

* I saw Horse go over to Papley and engage in a bit of banter, they were both smiling and laughing. But I thought it was a touch awkward also.

* I didn't see Tom Harley but Charlie Gardiner was there. He was with another guy, maybe Brian Tyson from the Board? That's just a guess but whoever it was was dressed in executive gear unlike all the coaches and trainers and I think he was there two weeks ago also.

* There were some extras training, I'm not sure who they were. I saw Hebron. Not sure if Bartholomaeus was there. Ditto Johnson. And there were others including small kid with dark hair that a couple of players got around at the end of the time trial. I wondered if he might be Errol Gulden.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think Parker ran the time trial either.

Fox, Reynolds, BOC, Dawson were all training with the backs.

[Markwebbos]

Thanks Bloodspirit, your Monday training reports are essential reading.

[Molly dooker]

Thanks Bloodspirit, your Monday training reports are essential reading.

+1 Much appreciated news.

[dazedjosh]

Thanks Bloodspirit! I basically signed up to this board after I found your pre-season reports.

Papley had shoulder surgery in the off-season didn't he? So he might not be pushing himself just yet.
Parker had a clean up op on his knee after the season, so him not running isn't too much of a concern for me. Fun fact, this is the earliest he has ever started a pre-season, even when he was a young guy, because we were always playing finals. I suspect he would have been told to rest up and relax as much as possible. I suspect that would have been the case for a few guys.
Considering Ling's early injury issues I wonder if they're just easing him in.'
Taylor finishing last in the time trial is a surprise. I would expect him to be doing much better. Amartey is still a young big man, they can be slow. What I'd be really interested in knowing is if he improved on his time from last year.
I'm really keen to see how Heeney goes next year. He would have taken a battering the first few seasons of his career and the early rest and full pre-season should treat him well.

[bloodspirit]

Thanks Bloodspirit, your Monday training reports are essential reading.

+1 Much appreciated news.

Thanks Bloodspirit! I basically signed up to this board after I found your pre-season reports.

Wow! Thanks. I'm chuffed.

I enjoy having some more concrete information than we get from the media to work with too. Especially fun to see the time trials (the main reason I targeted these two Mondays).

If I go back to watch training again at some stage (and I'm encouraged to do so although I have no particular ideas about when - maybe after the draftees arrive, but not next Monday), I'll try and have a chat with a Swans staff member again and see what I can glean.

[Ralph Dawg]

Thanks Bloodspirit! I basically signed up to this board after I found your pre-season reports.

Papley had shoulder surgery in the off-season didn't he? So he might not be pushing himself just yet.
Parker had a clean up op on his knee after the season, so him not running isn't too much of a concern for me. Fun fact, this is the earliest he has ever started a pre-season, even when he was a young guy, because we were always playing finals. I suspect he would have been told to rest up and relax as much as possible. I suspect that would have been the case for a few guys.
Considering Ling's early injury issues I wonder if they're just easing him in.'
Taylor finishing last in the time trial is a surprise. I would expect him to be doing much better. Amartey is still a young big man, they can be slow. What I'd be really interested in knowing is if he improved on his time from last year.
I'm really keen to see how Heeney goes next year. He would have taken a battering the first few seasons of his career and the early rest and full pre-season should treat him well.

Squizzy was never renowned for his endurance at the Lions. Plus, there was a feeling amongst my Lions supporting mates that he could be a touch lazy. It was most probably what held him back going to the next level and also allowed Cameron, McCarthy and Christensen to move past him.

Having said that, I'm disappointed that he has arrived to us out of shape. Given his size and position, he should be able to do better than last! I'm sure the next few months are going to be extra torrid for him. Let's hope he embraces it, starts the season in good nick and takes his game to the next level with us.

[bloodspirit]

Article about Swans pre-season, with a bit of focus on Buddy and how there's hope he will return to training at full intensity before Christmas but will be heavily monitored for the time being: Who is this skinny kid called Lance? Bud light, popular Pap close to PB - AFL.com.au.

Also alleges that Papley ran close to a PB. I'm raising my eyebrows about that. Not that I know what he ran or what his PB is but I reckon it's partly trying to smooth over his re-entry to the club after recently expressing his desire to go elsewher.e

[Markwebbos]

"close to a PB" if that isn't spin, then what is?

[dazedjosh]

Of course it's spin, but every club does it. We'll handle Paps with kid gloves for a little bit in the pre-season and make sure he feels comfortable around the boys again. His girlfriend has moved to Melbourne after all and we are pretty good at keeping players happy about staying in Sydney. Sometimes a bit of TLC from the club can go a long way.

[Blood Fever]

Of course it's spin, but every club does it. We'll handle Paps with kid gloves for a little bit in the pre-season and make sure he feels comfortable around the boys again. His girlfriend has moved to Melbourne after all and we are pretty good at keeping players happy about staying in Sydney. Sometimes a bit of TLC from the club can go a long way.

Longmire mentioned close to PB for Papley as well. More than half questions asked of him were about Buddy. Wonder if he tires of them.

[Markwebbos]

Squizzy was never renowned for his endurance at the Lions. Plus, there was a feeling amongst my Lions supporting mates that he could be a touch lazy. It was most probably what held him back going to the next level and also allowed Cameron, McCarthy and Christensen to move past him.

Having said that, I'm disappointed that he has arrived to us out of shape. Given his size and position, he should be able to do better than last! I'm sure the next few months are going to be extra torrid for him. Let's hope he embraces it, starts the season in good nick and takes his game to the next level with us.

Reckon the Swans would be livid. Or do you think we'd have known from his medical that we were trading in a tub of lard?

[bloodspirit]

* It seemed that pretty much everyone was there. I didn't notice anyone missing, except I don't think I saw McCartin (but I think he was there two weeks ago). Maybe someone else saw him?

McCartin was there too - there's an image of him in this gallery: Gallery: Full squad back - sydneyswans.com.au.

[bloodspirit]

Great to see young leaders Heeney and Mills go so well in the time trial too! Hopefully they will have excellent seasons and go to the next level.

Got to say, I'm often suprised when I see Mills in person at how tall he is. He's taller and bigger than he often seems on tv. He's listed at 189 cm (compared to Heeney's 186 cm). I forget he's that big. And he's pretty solid these days too. Would be excellent if we could send him into the midfield to see what he can do there. Hayden Young could be a dream recruitment if we got him if it makes it easier for us to release Mills.

[bloodspirit]

* I didn't see Tom Harley but Charlie Gardiner was there. He was with another guy, maybe Brian Tyson from the Board? That's just a guess but whoever it was was dressed in executive gear unlike all the coaches and trainers and I think he was there two weeks ago also.

* There were some extras training, I'm not sure who they were. I saw Hebron. Not sure if Bartholomaeus was there. Ditto Johnson. And there were others including small kid with dark hair that a couple of players got around at the end of the time trial. I wondered if he might be Errol Gulden.

The two figures I'm talking about can be seen in successive frames of this video at about the 0:16 mark: Senior players return to 2km time trial - sydneyswans.com.au. The 'executive' is wearing a white cap and a blue shirt and standing in the background, just inside the fence. Then a moment later it cuts to the players running, and the kid I'm talking about is between James Bell and Michael Knoll. Can anyone place him? barracuda? Mr Magoo? ugg? Is it Errol Gulden?

[Mr Magoo]

The two figures I'm talking about can be seen in successive frames of this video at about the 0:16 mark: Senior players return to 2km time trial - sydneyswans.com.au. The 'executive' is wearing a white cap and a blue shirt and standing in the background, just inside the fence. Then a moment later it cuts to the players running, and the kid I'm talking about is between James Bell and Michael Knoll. Can anyone place him? barracuda? Mr Magoo? ugg? Is it Errol Gulden?

Not Gulden - he did his time trial yesterday morning with the rest of the 18's squad