Pre-season begins

[aardvark]

I don't really know if I can do another RWO season of Rowbottom bashing.
It became extremely tiresome and unpleasant.
We'll see.

+1. It's very tedious.

[Bangalore Swans]

I don't really know if I can do another RWO season of Rowbottom bashing.
It became extremely tiresome and unpleasant.
We'll see.

Rowbottom had a promising 2020 and a 2021 where he couldn’t get to his best form.

I’m hoping that 2022 will be a stand out year for him. Guys that have stand out years are usually “crushing it” during the preseason.

Seems like he’s not “crushing it” during this preseason and that has me worried.

[NeonBible]

Rowbottom had a promising 2020 and a 2021 where he couldn’t get to his best form.

I’m hoping that 2022 will be a stand out year for him. Guys that have stand out years are usually “crushing it” during the preseason.

Seems like he’s not “crushing it” during this preseason and that has me worried.

Hi Bangalore,

Yesterday was the first training session of the year. He participated in every training session during the pre-Christmas period. It seems you are worrying about something you don't yet know. There were many others named as missing from yesterday's session, who are more important players for us, like Mills, Papley and Hickey, but you have again put only Rowbottom under the microscope. Let it go for a while.

[Bangalore Swans]

Hi Bangalore,

Yesterday was the first training session of the year. He participated in every training session during the pre-Christmas period. It seems you are worrying about something you don't yet know. There were many others named as missing from yesterday's session, who are more important players for us, like Mills, Papley and Hickey, but you have again put only Rowbottom under the microscope. Let it go for a while.

Great to know that Rowbottom was “crushing it” before Christmas.

Perhaps I was wrong.

Who is crushing it now?

Looking forward to seeing Corey’s progress.

[AB Swannie]

Hi Bangalore,

Yesterday was the first training session of the year. He participated in every training session during the pre-Christmas period. It seems you are worrying about something you don't yet know. There were many others named as missing from yesterday's session, who are more important players for us, like Mills, Papley and Hickey, but you have again put only Rowbottom under the microscope. Let it go for a while.

+6

[SeanM]

Rowbottom was at training on wednesday and fully participated.

[NeonBible]

Rowbottom was at training on wednesday and fully participated.

Mills too, though he was just in attendance and not participating based on the Swans' social media posts. If you didn't see them at training at all on Monday that almost certainly confirms it was COVID-related if it forced them to stay away from the rest of the squad. Even injured players not participating still attend training and make appearances from the sidelines. Perhaps a number of players were awaiting negative tests, or had been close contacts and forced to isolate. This will be commonplace for most of the summer I suspect.

As always, thanks for your reports from training, SeanM. They are much appreciated for us fans south of the border and around the country.

[royboy42]

Rowbottom had a promising 2020 and a 2021 where he couldn’t get to his best form.

I’m hoping that 2022 will be a stand out year for him. Guys that have stand out years are usually “crushing it” during the preseason.

Seems like he’s not “crushing it” during this preseason and that has me worried.

Thank you for referencing my comment.
But did you actually read it?

[liz]

If you didn't see them at training at all on Monday that almost certainly confirms it was COVID-related if it forced them to stay away from the rest of the squad. Even injured players not participating still attend training and make appearances from the sidelines.

I don't believe that is true. Whenever I've attended training there has been a handful of players not participating, some of whom have been in attendance and others not. I suspect those who aren't able to do anything that day are more likely to go along to watch than those who might be doing their own designated work (including those consigned to the dungeon).

[SeanM]

Got there after 9am on Wednesday. They had already started a warmup. Of the listed players missing from Monday, I saw Rowbottom, Papley, McDonald and possibly Sheather. Mills was there but did not fully participate. There was also a few players from the VFL squad.

- In threes kicking the ball to each other. Rampe, Mclean and Sheldrick were closest to me. I could hear Rampe saying "Gus louder let me hear your voice" to encourage Sheldrick to be vocal when making a lead for a pass.

- Split into 3 groups and rotated through 3 skill stations.
* Picking up a ground ball under pressure, get wrapped up then try to get a handpass away
* A handballing drill
* 6 attacking players work their way past 5 opposing players using short kicks

- 6 attacking players handball past 3 opposing players in a small area

- Ball movement drill moving the ball from the backpocket upfield by moving into space and making leads. Structured with multiple 3 vs 2 progressing up the field. The players not immediately involved in this drill practiced making leads to a delivery into the 50m arc.

- 6 vs 6 ball movement drill using a wide area of the field. The 6 attacking players were set up in 4 lanes to encourage them to use the width of the oval.

- Split up into backs, mids and forwards. McVeigh seems to still be coaching the forwards. And Cox the mids. Reid seemed to be with the backs. Heeney and Gulden were with the mids. Roberts joined the mids. Sheldrick and Corey Warner joined the forwards.

*Forwards. Intially practiced crumbing in front of goal. McDonald would tap the ball down to 4 forwards running in from different angles.
Then they practiced delivering the ball to leading forwards inside the 50m arc. 4 attacking players would make leads in the 50m arc against 2 opposing players.
Then they practiced 1 vs 1 contested marking in the goal square from a high ball.

*Mids. Practiced tap work between the ruck and mids. McAndrew would tap down to a 1 vs 1. Then later 2 vs 2. Then 4 vs 4.

* Defenders. 6 vs 6 in the 50m arc. Attacking players would try to make leads and work the ball towards goal. The opposing team would try to track their leads. And then work the ball out if they won possession.

- Running 2 laps of the oval in 3 sets. Though most players did not run all 3 sets. There were 3 groups and the better runners were split between the first 2 groups. Stephens was always 1st in group 1 with Ronke and McCartin behind him. Cunningham and Corey Warner were running strongly in group 2. In the 2nd set Corey Warner caught up to his brother who was in group 1 and then they sprinted each other to the finish for the last 1/4 lap.

[Auntie.Gerald]

SeanM thanks again

What I have noticed over the last 10 years when popping along to a AFL training session is how much more AFL looks similar to the drills at professional Soccer training session.

Indv skills
small team skills
larger team skills
full team skills

[royboy42]

I used to attend training quite a bit when it was easier to do so.
Before the SCG refused anyone but Press.
And when Roosy and, in the early days, the current coach made us feel welcome at Lakeside.
Many favorite memories, but seeing brand new Jetta and brand new Rohan having a flat out 50m sprint took my breath away.
Never forget it.

[Bangalore Swans]

Got there after 9am on Wednesday. They had already started a warmup. Of the listed players missing from Monday, I saw Rowbottom, Papley, McDonald and possibly Sheather. Mills was there but did not fully participate. There was also a few players from the VFL squad.

- In threes kicking the ball to each other. Rampe, Mclean and Sheldrick were closest to me. I could hear Rampe saying "Gus louder let me hear your voice" to encourage Sheldrick to be vocal when making a lead for a pass.

- Split into 3 groups and rotated through 3 skill stations.
* Picking up a ground ball under pressure, get wrapped up then try to get a handpass away
* A handballing drill
* 6 attacking players work their way past 5 opposing players using short kicks

- 6 attacking players handball past 3 opposing players in a small area

- Ball movement drill moving the ball from the backpocket upfield by moving into space and making leads. Structured with multiple 3 vs 2 progressing up the field. The players not immediately involved in this drill practiced making leads to a delivery into the 50m arc.

- 6 vs 6 ball movement drill using a wide area of the field. The 6 attacking players were set up in 4 lanes to encourage them to use the width of the oval.

- Split up into backs, mids and forwards. McVeigh seems to still be coaching the forwards. And Cox the mids. Reid seemed to be with the backs. Heeney and Gulden were with the mids. Roberts joined the mids. Sheldrick and Corey Warner joined the forwards.

*Forwards. Intially practiced crumbing in front of goal. McDonald would tap the ball down to 4 forwards running in from different angles.
Then they practiced delivering the ball to leading forwards inside the 50m arc. 4 attacking players would make leads in the 50m arc against 2 opposing players.
Then they practiced 1 vs 1 contested marking in the goal square from a high ball.

*Mids. Practiced tap work between the ruck and mids. McAndrew would tap down to a 1 vs 1. Then later 2 vs 2. Then 4 vs 4.

* Defenders. 6 vs 6 in the 50m arc. Attacking players would try to make leads and work the ball towards goal. The opposing team would try to track their leads. And then work the ball out if they won possession.

- Running 2 laps of the oval in 3 sets. Though most players did not run all 3 sets. There were 3 groups and the better runners were split between the first 2 groups. Stephens was always 1st in group 1 with Ronke and McCartin behind him. Cunningham and Corey Warner were running strongly in group 2. In the 2nd set Corey Warner caught up to his brother who was in group 1 and then they sprinted each other to the finish for the last 1/4 lap.

Great to hear Rowbottom is doing well.

That Chad and Corey sprint is the future of the Swans before our eyes. Line breakers, executing at intensity.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Excellent reporting and thanks.

Good to hear several times now that Heeney is up, about, having a full-preseason training with the mids. Fingers, toes, everything crossed on him playing 70-80 percent of his time mid or wing. He'll kill it.

And good to hear it confirmed Reid is getting a chance to remake himself as a defender. I'm not 100 percent convinced, but was happy with a one-year, cheap contract renewal to see if he can make a go of it given it's a soft spot on our list. If he does, great.

[wolftone57]

Excellent reporting and thanks.

Good to hear several times now that Heeney is up, about, having a full-preseason training with the mids. Fingers, toes, everything crossed on him playing 70-80 percent of his time mid or wing. He'll kill it.

And good to hear it confirmed Reid is getting a chance to remake himself as a defender. I'm not 100 percent convinced, but was happy with a one-year, cheap contract renewal to see if he can make a go of it given it's a soft spot on our list. If he does, great.

I am certain this is Sam's last year. He will retire after this. I am not sure of him as a defender. He was OK in two matches but as soon as a good opponent came along he got horribly carved up. He is definitely not a lock down defender to play on the Charlie type.

Will Sam even play AFL this season? This would depend on whether we take Paddy wouldn't it? Why have we not made announcement on Paddy? I am confused by this.

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