Just got back from a wet Vic Park. Training went from 10am to about 12.30pm. Everyone was present including the injured Tigers. Simmo popped in for a quick hello on crutches with a leg cast up to just above his knee. In the rehab group were Schulz (hammy), Kingsley (hammy done Wed), Hyde (OP), JON (stress fracture foot/leg), Cogs (knee) and Petersen.
Tambo arrived late (we presumed he just got back from Darwin from visiting his sick grandmother). He didn't participate in the drills and did straight line running and kick to kick with the trainer instead. He then joined the main squad in the half-game scratch match and looked fine (in fact he was flying
).
To start off the sqaud was split into 3 groups. The group at the Vic Falls end did foot passing to each other; the second group on the wing practiced contest work around throw-ins; the third group near us at the Sherrin stand end were practising their speccies over a teammate wearing a big padded bag. Richo, Browny, Krak, Pettifer, Hartigan, White, Meyer and Patto were in the final. Best speccie went to White standing upright on the bag. Worst went to one by Petts when he mistimed his leap and ran into the bag
. He obviously saves his best ones for the real stuff.
Next drill was a criss cross handball one at pace with everyone in small groups around the edge of a circle and running from one group to another. Very well done. High intensity, good loud talk and very clean. I'd reckon I only saw only error in the whole time they were doing the drill.
Next up was a foot passing drill. The squad split up into 8 groups, 4 on either side of the centre square (25-30m apart) and a player from each group running, marking then passing across the square. Each side then moved back say 10m to practice their longer kicks (over 40m). More errant passes crept in in the longer distance kicks (I counted about 5 miskicks) but overall it was relatively clean.
Training then finished off with a two quarter scratch match between yellow and white tops with the second quarter played in the rain. The yellow team won comfortably with the likes of White, Tambo and Lids being the stand-outs through the midfield. The yellows seemed younger and faster. Others who impressed were Moore, Krak, Jacko and Riewoldt.
Scores:
Yellow 3.2 5.2-32 (Goals: Jackson 1.1, Riewoldt 1, Tivs 1, Moore 1, Tambo 1, Sugar 0.1
White 0.2 0.3-3 (Goals: Nil... behinds: Polo, Browny? and one I think was rushed at the Vic Falls end)
The game began with 2 points from Polo and Sugar and a out of bounds on the full from Tivs. Wallace wasn't amused and stopped the scratch match and made the whole squad do a 400m as punishment. Nothing like some old fashion training method lol. Thankfully for the boys the goals came after that with Riewoldt nabbing first after a ripper of a strong pack mark. The boy is good
. Later on even Razor got in on the act with a top mark floating back and across an opponent.
Match-ups:
Yellow FB: Gas Moore
White FF: Hughes Browny
Yellow CHB: Joel Polak Raines Connors
White CHF: Knobel Richo Meyer Pettifer
Midfield: Graham - Knobel, Tivs v Foley, White v Tuck, Tambling v Edwards/King, Hartigan v Casserly
Yellow CHF: Krak Patto
White CHB: King McGuane
Yellow FF: Jackson Riewoldt
White FB: Thursfield Newman
Others:
Yellow: Lids, Paddy, Razor
White: Polo, Howat, Clingan
The session finished off with goalkicking practice. Set shots, shots on the run directly in front from 50m and then pings from the boundary with David King joining in with a rugby place kick. Lids nailed most of his with his usual aftergoal celebration.
I'll post photos either later tonight or tomorrow when I get time.
