2023 Preseason

[gloveski]

On Monday I got there after 10am so training had been going on for a while before I got there.

- Ball movement drill
Ball gets moved quickly from goal to goal. I have seen this drill numerous times. Kicked from the goal square to back pocket. Who kicks a diagonal ball inside to a player who handballs to a running player. Who kicks to a leading player running to the wing who then kicks a long ball into the attacking 50.

- Handball drill
6 attackers keep possession using handballs in a smallish circle against 3 opposing players. The coaches wanted the attacking players to get a certain number of consecutive possessions. Another point to note is that they were in their positional groups for this drill, presumably to build up cohesion and communication among players who play in the same part of the field. Whilst in previous preseasons, you would see players mixed up for a drill like this.

- 18 vs 15 match sim
I think it was 18 on the attacking team and 15 on the defending team which would give an extra player on each line. It went for about 20-25 minutes. Not heavy contact but the coaches let it flow for a little bit if there was a loose ball. And reset from a stoppage only when it got too messy. If the defending team won possession they could attack as best they could with their lesser numbers. Some of my highlights from where I was watching from.

* Mills got a bit praise from the other players for his defensive cover. A long kick had got over the back of the defence which gave Magor a clear run at it in space. But Mills somehow ran back and seemed to knock it away from him.
* Florent had a few eye catching runs from deep in defence to half way.
* Heeney a few classy moments that you expect from him. Can seem like he is completely covered by the defender, but can run up to half forward, float in the air and cleanly take a contested mark. Also saw him judge the ball and get out the back of a marking pack unopposed for an easy goal.
* Konstanty. First time I have been able to get a good look at him. He did ok and got involved which can be hard sometimes as a young small forward. I saw him make a wrap around tackle on one of the senior mids to get a holding the ball decision. Also seemed to get to a few loose balls in the forward line. And I saw him lead up to space at half forward to take a mark.
* Corey Warner. There was a few times he got possession under immediate pressure. But he stayed composed, looked around at his options and kept possession with a short kick or handpass. Also I saw him regularly use his running ability to get to contests or get to open space to create a passing option.

- Running
End of the sessions was mainly running split up into three groups. Repeat runs of half the boundary of the oval which is probably 225m. I heard the fitness coach praise Fox. You could tell from the boundary Fox has got the ability to run repeat sprints and still be relatively strong at the end.

Also at this time the 1st year players were mainly doing basic skill stuff with the coaches rather than the extra running.

Looks like Corey Warner is carrying on from we’re he finished the season off . Might be one to watch this year


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[rojo]

Thanks again SeanM and also Blood Spirit for your reports. They are like refreshing oases in an information desert!

[707]

So wish I was in Sydney to get to some of these sessions.

Crows have an open training session 15 minutes from my place tomorrow, i could get along there, but ............... nah! :-)

[Mark26]

A huge thanks to Sean and Bloodspirit. These reports are gold, especially for those of us living afar.

[Auntie.Gerald]

its always so good to hear how the emerging players are adapting to the increasing intensity of drills.......as we move closer towards trial games etc

many thanks guys

[SeanM]

On Wednesday I got there at 9.45am and it was well underway. They were off the oval by 10.30am so I think training might have started early to avoid the heat.

- For the first drill I saw, they had split the oval into two lengthwise and split the players into three teams. Team A would attack against team B and when they had scored the goal. Team C would immediately start attacking the other way on the other oval with team A defending. Then once they had scored the goal team B would start attacking from the other oval with team C defending and so on.

I am guessing it was practice in transitioning from attacking on one oval to having to get back into position to defend against the fresh team attacking on the adjacent oval. Also it would give good practice in quickly counter attacking against a side that is still trying to get into position.

- They then split up into positional groups.
* Defenders were at the northern end split into 2 sides. One group would practice working the ball out from the goal square with short kicks. Then the other side would work it back in.
* Forwards were using the 50m arc on the southern end. They were making a series of short kicks to players making leads inside the attacking 50m.
* Mids were near me on the eastern boundary. Cox would kick the ball long and the attacking side would have to get to the loose ball then handpass their way upfield or lock the ball in (rather than turning it over). Interestingly for this drill I think Sheldrick was with the mids rather than the forwards. So like Heeney he may float between groups.

- At the end was unstructured stuff. Several defenders were doing 1 vs 1 contested marking. Mids were practicing picking up ground balls under pressure and ruck taps. A few players having shots at goal or doing basic skill stuff.

[707]

Thanks yet again SeanM, all reports are appreciated. You're doing great work for us that are unable to attend due to time or distance

[707]

Among the new players, Rampe talking up Konstanty and Mitchell

[Auntie.Gerald]

I don't remember that said for last year's recruits?

Go Jacob and go Caleb !

Showing early signs of first year game time like Parker, Gulden, Mills and Heeney etc from years gone past

Excellent pressure to keep pur best 25 or so seriously at the top of their game

[rickmat]

Sean , Bloodspirit, thanks both for the reports from the training. Could you add some of the players you can identify during some of these training exercises who are impressive or not so good, if it's no trouble. Also I notice from the few club videos that the squad are training on the SCG. Also, have you both been into the incredible Hall of Industry where the Swans have their HQ and where players must be heading after training. Just wondering if you can get in and what it's like, to the naked RWO follower. Thanks

[Nico]

Heard on SEN this morning that Sam Reid hasn't started training as yet. The folly of playing an injured player in the GF. Every chance he did himself further damage.

[Mel_C]

Heard on SEN this morning that Sam Reid hasn't started training as yet. The folly of playing an injured player in the GF. Every chance he did himself further damage.

The injury report on the Swans app says he is on a modified football skills program as he works back to full training. Everyone knows he shouldn't have played the GF.

Updates on some other players:
- Marc Sheather (foot) & HHK (knee) on modified programs after off season surgeries.
- Amartey strained his hamstring this week and has 2 weeks recovery with no running.
- Rankin had knee pain before Christmas that got worse. He is doing strengthening work and participating in modified drills and conditioning running.
- Melican sustained a low grade aductor strain last week and will miss 1-2 weeks training.

[SeanM]

Sean , Bloodspirit, thanks both for the reports from the training. Could you add some of the players you can identify during some of these training exercises who are impressive or not so good, if it's no trouble. Also I notice from the few club videos that the squad are training on the SCG. Also, have you both been into the incredible Hall of Industry where the Swans have their HQ and where players must be heading after training. Just wondering if you can get in and what it's like, to the naked RWO follower. Thanks

No I have not been to the new HQ. I have just seen them train on tramway oval in front of the SCG which is usually monday, wednesday or Friday mornings.

[SeanM]

On Friday morning I got there at 9.30am and training was well underway. There had been heavy rain a bit earlier. But for most of the session it was intermittent light rain which created slippery conditions at times.

- First drill I saw was a 5 vs 5 handball drill in a tight narrow corridor. One team had to handball through the other team in a congested space. There was tackling and physical contact equivalent to contested football in a pack of players. And usually the attacking team would fail to be able to handball through.

- Next was about 25minutes of a match sim. I think it was maybe 17 vs 16(?) on the full oval and closest to a proper match that I had seen so far this preseason. There was tackling and moderate physical contact. And the coaches would try to let it flow. They swapped at half time to give both teams a opportunity to have an extra player. It was fairly free flowing. The extra man and the openness of the full oval encouraged the attacking team to move the ball to space, keep possession with shorter passes and use running players when they could.

- Then another handball drill. 4 attackers handballing past 3 opposing players in a narrow corridor. Though there was much more space than the earlier handball drill. And the attacking team would easily be able to use their extra number to get through.

- Next drill used most of the full length and width of the oval. 7 attacking players would move the ball past 5 opposing players. The attacking players started off in 3 wide lanes so it encouraged them to use long diagonal kicks and the width of the oval. But they could also run with the ball and handball their way through.

- Next was 15 vs 12 using the full oval. But more similar to a drill than a match sim. The attacking team would start from a stoppage or loose ball in their defensive half. And then move the ball upfield till they kicked a goal. Then the coaches would reset and start the drill again. So this was more stop start than the earlier 25 minutes match sim.

- When I left a bit after 11am, training was still going and they had started to do some running in groups.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Thanks Sean

Anyone else looking like they are taking a step ahead in their development / skills / intensity?