Training today was at a hot Vic Park. It started around 9am and finished about 2 hours later. The cool change thankfully came around 10.30 but it was warm in the sun. A day the boys earnt their money.
I got there about 9.15 and I saw Cotch, Connors, Gourdis and Nahas leaving so they weren't around long. Petts was running along the boundary but left as well shortly after. I didn't see Morton or Patto. Browny didn't do much except have about a 100 snap shots at goal. Adam Thomson left during training so I'm not sure what was wrong with him. Apart from those guys everyone else trained.
As for training itself they first worked on a couple of full ground things for an hour. As well as the usual run and carry and coaches telling them to take their man on they also were working into the drill spreading from little groups placed evenly around the ground. So you would say a 4 on 2 situation in each group with the 4 attackers starting close together with the 2 defenders and then as the ball was kicked towards them the 4 would spread quickly into the space to offer up leading options. I know we're hearing Cousins this and Cousins that but his kicking skills are spot on. Every kick of his is to the advantage of the reciprient and hits the target whereas others were rusty and kicked the occasional pass that landed at the feet of their teammate.
They then changed the drill slightly so it was more game based. Defenders zoning and spread amongst the attacking team while it was one-on-one up forward. The first time the kicked off all 3 kicks missed the target
so Cambo blew his whistle, told them you've got to hit your targets and made them do it again. The skill level improved as the drill went along and players started to pinpoint longer passes that split the defence which gained praise from Cambo. They had Lids, Cuz, Jordie, JON, Schulz, Foley, Whitey and Jacko behind the ball starting from HB as he rebounders. Richo, Jack and Cleve up forward from what I could see. It seemed everyone was encouraged to play on quickly. Even the lead-up targets would mark, take a step back away from the mark and then either dish off a handball to a receiver running past or just play on themselves.
After the run and carry drills they did some punishing back-to-back-to-back length of the Vic Park sprints. Foley finished first by 5m in about all of them followed by Jacko, Whitey and Hislop if my eyes didn't deceive me. Poor big Andrew Browne was feeling it big time afterwards at the drinks break. Hands on the head and gasping for air. Welcome to AFL training. Good on Jack to pat him on the back and to give him encouragement.
They then finished off with some team-based goal scoring. They'd have a group line up 50m out on a line between two cones with 5 defenders in front them. An attacking group would then have to handball and work one of their teammates into space to have a snap for goal. This was done directly in front and on a 45 degree angle. Ummm all I'll say is we were a bit rusty.
Lids and Cuz stayed out of the last 30 minutes of training and did some reflex drills together with a couple of the trainers. The first year guys also did their own thing away from the main group as did the rucks - Simmo, Putt, Vickery and Gus.
As I was leaving I noticed Brian Cousins was watching training. Apparently his mum was there too. Good to see Ben now has solid support around him.
I took some photos myself so I'll post them later on.
