Pre-season begins

[i'm-uninformed2]

It will be Rowbottom and he will be good at it

Hell has frozen over. You and I agree on something.

[TheBloods]

Hell has frozen over. You and I agree on something.

Dont act so surprised , im not that bad

[Ludwig]

I feel we need to have a big hitting tagger that will crunch ball carrier a few times. That was a game plan that some other clubs used to affect last year. Not sure we have this player currently. So it will be have to be a team effort. Likely to the a rotation of players. The run with role is likely to be Wicks, Warner or Clarke, Harry and others to help.. (Bell or Mills) Feel the rest are attacking players and a run with role would be wasted.

I don't think we have that kind of player you're looking for either, although Sheldrick could be one for the future. Not tall, but looks very strong. Can get down low and avoid head high tackles.

Another long shot is to turn Will Gould into a tagging midfielder. Certainly has the size and strength, and is quick as well.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Is Gould quick?

[dejavoodoo44]

I don't think we have that kind of player you're looking for either, although Sheldrick could be one for the future. Not tall, but looks very strong. Can get down low and avoid head high tackles.

Another long shot is to turn Will Gould into a tagging midfielder. Certainly has the size and strength, and is quick as well.

If we're going along those lines, Sheather would be a possibility. Big bodied for a midfielder, a bit of pace and can certainly lay a tackle. Not sure how much of a tank he has, though? Or the need to play a tagger?

[liz]

I'm not sure the team necessarily needs a full-time tagger, but if the coaches were looking for one, I don't think being "big-bodied" is necessary. Two of the more effective taggers (at times) that we've seen at the club in the last two decades were Kirk and Jack - neither of whom you would described as big-bodied.

[TheBloods]

Is Gould quick?

why would he have to be , its not Olympic sprinting its tagging . Hewett wasnt quick neither was Clarke , both taggers

[Scottee]

I'm not sure the team necessarily needs a full-time tagger, but if the coaches were looking for one, I don't think being "big-bodied" is necessary. Two of the more effective taggers (at times) that we've seen at the club in the last two decades were Kirk and Jack - neither of whom you would described as big-bodied.

And Crouch.

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[Ruck'n'Roll]

why would he have to be , its not Olympic sprinting its tagging . Hewett wasnt quick neither was Clarke , both taggers

No new leaf turning TheBloods?

[Ludwig]

I'm not sure the team necessarily needs a full-time tagger, but if the coaches were looking for one, I don't think being "big-bodied" is necessary. Two of the more effective taggers (at times) that we've seen at the club in the last two decades were Kirk and Jack - neither of whom you would described as big-bodied.

I agree with you, but Rod was looking for a big-bodied tagger to punish the opposition; an enforcer type.

I'm ambivalent about the type of tagger we might have, but I do think a defensive minded midfielder is a good idea. Every side has at least one damaging midfielder that would be useful to negate. The best taggers are those who can also be damaging offensively and can't be ignored when his team has the ball. A lot of top midfielders don't have much of a defensive game and can be exposed by a good 2 way player with a penchant for defence.

I agree with The Bloods and think Rowbottom best fits this role. I also agree with Dejavoodoo about Sheather being one to consider for this role down the line.

[SeanM]

I am back at work so not been to training since the first week. Got there Wednesday at 9.30am. It was already well underway.

- They were already doing the drill where 8 attackers work the ball past 5 opposing players using short kicks. I always like watching this drill because you see the players having to make decisions and execute their kick. The focus also seemed to be making leads into space to create a passing option.

- Next drill was the players lined up on the 4 points of a square, then ran and handballed to the opposite diagonal. Multiple balls in motion. Then they altered the drill to kicking towards the opposite diagonal.

- Next drill a kicking drill in a triangular direction. Ball kicked from the goal square to back pocket who kicks the ball inside to a player running in to have a shot at goal.

- Next a small match sim for maybe 20 minutes. Not as intense the ones I had seen previously. The attacking side would start with the ball in different scenarios and work it towards goal. Players would swap into the attacking side.

- Then a ball movement drill working the ball upfeld from the goal square using a few leading options.

- Split up into groups. Mids/Rucks were doing tap work from a ball up. Backs/Forwards were doing a 4 vs 4 drill. It was a long ball to 2 tall forwards in the goal square with 2 small forwards running in. Then they altered it to a long ball down the line to 2 tall forwards and the 2 smalls running in. Sometimes they would mix it up and have guys like McCartin or Gould play the tall forward role. During this time the 10 VFL players went off and did their own stuff as a group.

- At the end of the session players split up and did their own stuff. Papley was doing rapid short handballs to another player then quickly snapping for goal. Florent and Rowbottom were running a few laps around the oval together. Gulden and Wicks were doing contested marking against each other. McCartin and Reid were stepping back and forth between cones then kicking presumably to simulate kicking when not fully balanced. Few players were practicing picking up a rolling ground ball under the pressure of a tackle. Blakey, Stephens and Warner were doing leaping marks on Cox who was wearing a padded bag.

I think most of the squad were there. There were only 2 players I don't remember seeing. There were 6 players doing light skill stuff on the side Ladhams, Sinclair, McAndrew, Heeney, Roberts and Sheldrick. Hayward was doing a lot of boundary running. Sheather, Mills and Franklin were doing straight line running on the side. Though later Franklin was doing a 1 on 1 leading and marking against one of the coaches and joined in the ball movement drill.

- Of the new draftees Rankins was the only one training fully today. He looked promising for a late draft pick. In the kicking drill at the start of the session, he seemed comfortable kicking to an open player inside. And trying different types of kicks like kicking off the side of the foot Also very vocal in calling for the ball when he is in space. Seemed to be positioned in defence in the match sim and was marking the small forwards in the 4 vs 4 drill.

[bloodspirit]

Thanks SeanM!