Tiger Training

[mightytiges]

want to know how Meyer, Jackson, Hartigan, Moore, Hall and Tivendale are going ...

i guess tivendale is going good since he is in the top 10 for the NAB ... but i am not a key fan of his but i just hope he has a good finish

from now to the end of his career ... i see he on a wing ... thats all!

At this late stage of his career we won't see any major change to the Tivs we've known once the real stuff starts but for all the criticism he cops he is one of our the hardest trainers and his body stands up to it. His preseason has been faultless. Our future will be bright if our youngsters with far more natural footy talent than Tivs follow his lead on the training track. 

Hartigan started behind the others given he was coming back from a broken foot he copped last year. He was in the rehab group prior to Christmas but has joined the main squad since. In the scratch matches so far he has been moved forward to a FP or HFF position. He looks to have regained that run and dash he had prior to his hammy problems. He'd be on his last chance you'd think as this is his 4th year in the system so he needs to a big year.

Jacko has played mainly as a FF/FP over the preseason. You can't fault his endeavour especially this summer but where do we play him? He'd be vying for the same possies as Browny, Petts and Krak but unlike these three he hasn't been someone you can move further up the ground as part of a midfield rotation. More a pinchhitter up forward off the bench.

Meyer has been Meyer. Skill level has been exceptional but he doesn't appear to be naturally athletic.  That's not to say he's not doing the work on the track as he wouldn't be in the top 25 but you won't see him finish first in a run or yet dominate a scratch match compared to Howat, Foley, Tambo or Lids say. So to go to the next level he needs to work hard improving his fitness. Still he's only about to start his 3rd year so I'm prepared to give him time as we did with Petts. Class is something that has been rare at Tigerland so you don't just throw it away because results haven't been instant.

Razor like Tivs is someone who we've probably seen what we are getting but like Tivs his work ethic and training has been very good over the preseason up until the past few weeks when he's picked up an injury of some kind and hasn't trained (my guess a groin?). There's also the Jacko question of where does hit fit? He's had hit and misses as a key defender, he can't ruck and he doesn't have the nouse to play a rebounding role off HB. His position bodytype wise is probably as a tall wingman a la Brett Burton but once again he doesn't have the footy nouse or sheer athleticism for that role.

Moore is one of my smokies for this year along with Matty White. He needed some luck on the injury front and touchwood so far he has gotten through this preseason unscathed. He's played BP on both Browny and Petts in the scratch matches and seems to have now rediscovered the confidence in his body to stand up and compete each week as a third defender. Let's hope for his and our sake this continues as we'll gain a better skilled and footy smarter version of Chubba. 

ps. Btw welcome to OER torch 

[mightytiges]

Good to see Jay have his mind on the job in the last photo.   

Lol. Can't blame him really.

Amazing what the camera sees that the eye doesn't  .

[torch]

when is the next training ???

looking forward for the review and pictures ... LMAO ... thats quaility stuff !

[Harry]

MT

Great reporting.

Thursfield looks to have bulked up in the upper body.  How is his training form, more importantly how is his mobility and pace?  Is he doing all the running with ease, and how is his taking off speed and change of direction?

I've only seen Thursfield once, last year when he got injured, and was mega impressed with him - he killed Riewoldt, absolutely killed him and Riewoldthad no answers.  His closing speed for a big man was awsome and his close checking and spoiling was great.  Had he not got injured we would have won that game.

He along with Moore are vital to our setup.  They are tall, quick and smart footballers.  They will compliment Gaspar and Polak really well, and give Bowden, Raines and Newman further freedom to create.  They are skillful and smart enough to create themselves, but tight and quick enough to be tight checking if required, especially Thursty.

Fingers crossed Thursfield has completely overcome his knee injury because he is a player we have been looking for for a long long time.  Someone that can shut down those quick, tallish, slippery forwards like Riewoldt, O'Loughlin, Hunter etc.

[mightytiges]

Thursfield looks to have bulked up in the upper body.  How is his training form, more importantly how is his mobility and pace?  Is he doing all the running with ease, and how is his taking off speed and change of direction?

Fingers crossed Harry the knee hasn't robbed his mobilty. During the drills he does them without any signs of discomfort or hinderance. Last week or it might have been the week before Thursty, along with Hyde, worked with a trainer running and turning from cone to cone. They both didn't have any trouble doing it. As for speed I haven't seen him do any full-out sprinting at training. The best chance to see it will be in actual games. Thursty hasn't been involved in too many of the scratch matches so in a game situation he still needs to be tested. In the one or two times he has played he's looked rusty but that may be more due to not having played footy for 12 months rather than any loss of pace.

[Moi]

great reporting, MT

[torch]

Thanks MT for the welcome ... just hope we have a good year ... (finals!)

[mightytiges]

I couldn't make the main training session today but I popped into Punt Road on the way to work and Richo was practising his set shots from distance and at various angles with Jade Rawlings on the mark doing the whole wavey arms thing to distract Richo. After each shot Rawlings would discuss with Richo his kicking action. The big fella was pretty much on song too. Had about 10 shots and didn't miss one although the last one went through about waist height.

Someone I know at training said some of the boys were a touch sore from Friday's intra-club match so didn't train (sorry no names) but everyone who played on Friday would be right for Wednesday's training.

[Jackstar]

Oh Dear, Jade Rawlings taking Richo for goal kicking.
Jade Rawlings is the worst kick you will ever see.
Didnt he kick 7 points straight in a game at the doggies ?
Why wouldnt you get someone like eg  Tony Lockett, Gary Lyon,Tony Modra,Alistair Lynch etc. Players who had SOME idea on how to kick goals.

[mightytiges]

Well they are now related lol.

Is Richo still the T@FE teacher of goalkicking? 

[Jackstar]

Everyone was laughing 2-3 years ago when rawlings went to the Dogs, saying what a crap trade it was, then he went to Kangas and spent most the year in the two,s
If Richo would take his brother in law seriously

[letsgetiton!]

Everyone was laughing 2-3 years ago when rawlings went to the Dogs, saying what a crap trade it was, then he went to Kangas and spent most the year in the two,s
If Richo would take his brother in law seriously

just bec one cant kick does not mean he has no idea when seeing a kicking error.  u dont have to be a gr8 player to be a gr8 coach, hafey was a pathetic player but a genius coach

[Jackstar]

Jade Rawlings did have a terrible kicking action, thus his inability to be accurate in front of goal.
Half the reason they tried to play him down back,never mind!

If you have a look at Richos tapes back to 1995, his action has changed dramatically

[torch]

when do we train next ???

i want to see us !

[one-eyed]

when do we train next ???

i want to see us !

Today at 2pm at Gosch's Paddock (Cnr Punt Rd and Swan St, Richmond)

Friday, 2pm at Punt Rd Oval.