Training today was at an overcast Punt Rd Oval. Training started around 10am and went for around an hour and a half. Most of the squad were present from what I saw. The only ones absent were Richo who is training with the Dream Team squad today at the 'G while I didn't see Morton and Kingy out there but may have missed them.
In the rehab group were Howat, with his right calf bandaged, who spent a while just running laps along the boundary. Rainesy had a bit of a kick-to-kick with one of the fitness blokes. He's got a bandage on his knee. Moore did some 100m runs on the far side of the ground as did Gus. Foley and Simmo just did some reflex drills for half and hour as they'll be training with Victoria this week.
The session itself was more like a preseason one in terms of the drills they did. First the squad split into 2 groups with one group getting into 3 small circles of about 6 with 2 players in the middle battling for handballs from those on the rim of the circle. Each clean handball receive and give off was given a point. Joel was trailing Polo 3-6 but Joel took the last 4 points and David King gave him a pat on the head. Cotchin was up against Gourdis and made this drill look so easy. While others were over each other wrestling for front position, Cotch was just too nimble and strong in the hips and had plenty of time to receive and then give off. While that was going on, the second group were working on linking up via hand. Running up to Royal in a line of 6 and then competing 3 attackers vs 3 defenders on the way back. After 15 minutes the 2 groups swapped over. Blingers hurt his ankle halfway through it in a tackle and had to head into the rooms for treatment but he returned 10 minutes and completed training.
The next drill focussed on clearing from a stoppage and entering the forward 50 and goaling. 6 vs 6 mini teams with the attackers linking up via handball and then passing to someone inside 50 who in turn would dish off by hand to someone running past and goaling. A few basic skill errors and missed targets to remind us of Saturday night
. Cass walked off and went into the rooms midway through but I'm not sure what is wrong. Hopefully he hasn't copped another injury
.
They then finished off with some goalkicking across the body. David Kingy was getting a group near him to do it with someone on their tail. Joel, McGuane, Connors, Edwards, Jack, Gourdis, Thursty, Newy, Blingers, Cotchin, Jordie, Patto, JON, Silvester and Cartledge stayed out longer to work on set shots and let go of torp after torp. Jack tried about 3 times going the torp and none of them connected properly so I can see why he went the drop punt. In fact most of the boys couldn't get the torp to go straight. One off-target torp just missed by a whisker a very expensive silver car parked to the side of the goals. Some very relieved faces
Any question just fire away.