Open training - Junction Oval - 5:30pm, TONIGHT

[Junction Oval]

Monday night, early, is not a great time to expect lots of supporters there. A weekend training session would have been far more successful, all around. I am sure that a lot of supporters would have like to attend, including me.

Again, poor planning by the Saints - if you want to make it a big "event," then plan accordingly FFS, to maximise attendance

[Spinner]

Monday night, early, is not a great time to expect lots of supporters there. A weekend training session would have been far more successful, all around. I am sure that a lot of supporters would have like to attend, including me.

Again, poor planning by the Saints - if you want to make it a big "event," then plan accordingly FFS, to maximise attendance

But hang on this isn't an 'event' - its training.

Why should they schedule the day against what is necessary to prepare for a game?

To suit some people walking by.

These things don't suit all people so its a bit rich to suggest alternative times.

Bit like me asking to not have Friday night games? - These clash severely with my social calendar.

[Junction Oval]

Spinner said :

Why should they schedule the day against what is necessary to prepare for a game?

A fair point Spinner. My point is that the Junction Oval training was clearly a "media event." It should have been planned properly and held much earlier, when we had the training flexibility to do so.

[saintspremiers]

Stars on 45 - an ultimate 70's throwback disco anthem. Gotta love it!

[gringo]

We were there, great to be able to be there and the players seemed to love it- well they said so anyway. Great to get pics and autographs and the players had lots of time to talk. Lenny and Jack Steven are really generous with their time. Holmes is a friendly guy and really respectful to the fans- he trains as well as anyone at that level. Markworth is a nice guy. Blake Acres isn't playing because he's injured and seems a shy quiet type. Fisher says he had a few set backs and they might hold him back because of it. Jack Steven said he might be running next week but not sure how long he will be missing. Gilbert and Acres were doing rehab work. Fisher sat out as did Jack who is still on crutches. Steven apparently jumped and did his foot and didn't even notice it.

Longer is a very happy go lucky and confident bloke- said he liked being in st Kilda as he goes from Heidelberg or somewhere to training. Tom Lee is the new Milney doing lots of the chatter and keeps the mood lively- beau too. Roberton is surprisingly loud for a guy who seems a bit shy. Eli and Billings look like babies still but both train well and look clean with disposal. Jimmy Webster is much bigger this year and doesn't look like he will get squashed any more. Dunnel is really skilled at training and loves interacting with the crowd, Milera is a really shy guy and almost painfully so.

Lenny is a gent and signed my kids stuff which took ages and offered to personally get him any others he wanted and listened to a myriad of boring folks talking to him including me. These event are greats - I don't get to any training unless its a GF or prelim or something special so I loved it. It's a shame the turn out wasn't better the ground is beautiful.

[kosifantutti]

Spinner said :

Why should they schedule the day against what is necessary to prepare for a game?

A fair point Spinner. My point is that the Junction Oval training was clearly a "media event." It should have been planned properly and held much earlier, when we had the training flexibility to do so.

I'm guessing the cricket club had something to say about the timing.

And live crosses from at least two stations, I reckon that timing is pretty good.

[Verdun66]

Thanks for the reports. Hope Acres gets well soon....

[avid]

We loved walking to the oval and seeing all the boys close up.
Got there at 5.30, as advertised, but only saw about 20minutes worth of training.
They looked really clean and sharp. Very professional -- which was great to watch.
Loved the way they signed autographs and interacted.
Agree with Gringo on much of his character analysis.
Wish a few more fans had turned up. But it was a beautiful evening.
(First major reunion of our footy gang for the season.)

[plugger66]

No one watches training these days whenever it is and thats even at the pies. Footballers can be seen on so many programs that the thrill of seeing them live has disappeared for most. Ive said it many times where you train doesnt matter for players. This worked because it was one off and the TV stations were there. if we trained there more often no one would basically watch and no TV stations would be there unless there are issues at the club. it would have been interesting to see whether the TV stations would have even bothered turning up had training been at 10am which seems like the usual time.

[spiral3]

don't know that the thrill has gone, seeing a 'celeb' in person is quite different to seeing them on the telly. yesterday was just a marketing move to tie in with launch and we are the Peninsula campaign, club got on the telly, good enough.

[plugger66]

don't know that the thrill has gone, seeing a 'celeb' in person is quite different to seeing them on the telly. yesterday was just a marketing move to tie in with launch and we are the Peninsula campaign, club got on the telly, good enough.

Well if it is that exciting and it was pretty advertised why wasnt there many there? And why do all clubs have less at training these days that 20 years ago?

[kosifantutti]

don't know that the thrill has gone, seeing a 'celeb' in person is quite different to seeing them on the telly. yesterday was just a marketing move to tie in with launch and we are the Peninsula campaign, club got on the telly, good enough.

Well if it is that exciting and it was pretty advertised why wasnt there many there? And why do all clubs have less at training these days that 20 years ago?

GWS, Gold Coast, Port and Freo all have more at training than 20 years ago. I doubt that you have done a thorough survey on the rest of the clubs and you're just making that up.

[plugger66]

don't know that the thrill has gone, seeing a 'celeb' in person is quite different to seeing them on the telly. yesterday was just a marketing move to tie in with launch and we are the Peninsula campaign, club got on the telly, good enough.

Well if it is that exciting and it was pretty advertised why wasnt there many there? And why do all clubs have less at training these days that 20 years ago?

GWS, Gold Coast, Port and Freo all have more at training than 20 years ago. I doubt that you have done a thorough survey on the rest of the clubs and you're just making that up.

Its called using common sense based on pictures from training and also the time clubs train now. Yep you got the others right but im not sure you can hang your hat on that. Are you able to give a logical reason for the numbers yesterday? perfect time and apparently where people want us to train and there looked like there was about 100 there. I remember going to Moorabbin even 10 years ago at 2.30 and seeing more there and thats when you could go to training anytime you felt like it.

[kosifantutti]

So when you say all clubs have less, you mean based on your personal experience, St Kilda has less at training than 20 years ago.

[plugger66]

So when you say all clubs have less, you mean based on your personal experience, St Kilda has less at training than 20 years ago.

I thought I mentioned TV cameras and the time they trained. Thats wasnt for the Saints alone. Thats every club bar the ones who obviously didnt exist. Can you tell me why bugger all were there yesterday?

[kosifantutti]

So when you say all clubs have less, you mean based on your personal experience, St Kilda has less at training than 20 years ago.

I thought I mentioned TV cameras and the time they trained. Thats wasnt for the Saints alone. Thats every club bar the ones who obviously didnt exist. Can you tell me why bugger all were there yesterday?

Well I was there, more importantly so were at least three TV stations.

And I really can't remember from TV reports, how many were at say North Melbourne training 20 years ago, compared to today. But I don't have a mind like yours.

[plugger66]

So when you say all clubs have less, you mean based on your personal experience, St Kilda has less at training than 20 years ago.

I thought I mentioned TV cameras and the time they trained. Thats wasnt for the Saints alone. Thats every club bar the ones who obviously didnt exist. Can you tell me why bugger all were there yesterday?

Well I was there, more importantly so were at least three TV stations.

And I really can't remember from TV reports, how many were at say North Melbourne training 20 years ago, compared to today. But I don't have a mind like yours.

I have no ideas on numbers but you get an idea from looking at the TV. It isnt that hard. Yep it was great TV cameras were there. I still havent heard why people think bugger all turned up. Anyway it matters little how many go to other clubs. I can certainly tell less go to the saints than 20 or even 10 years ago. Surely you agree with that otherwise you must have a good reason for a poor show yesterday.

[saintbrat]

vision from the session
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2014-03- ... e-junction

[saintbrat]

and photos
http://commercial.aflphotos.com.au/phot ... ection:AFL 2014 Training - St Kilda 170314&sub_code=all

[philtee]

No wonder the centre wicket area was roped off, and I don't think the players were wearing stops -
cricket semi-final on the ground this weekend -

"Victorian Premier Cricket - Victorian Premier Cricket 1st XI
Round SF - Sat 22 Mar 2014 (10:30AM), Sun 23 Mar 2014 (10:30AM)
St Kilda v Essendon
Venue: Junction Oval [Mel Ref 58 A7]Match ID: 1533283
Umpires: Umpire1: Ashley Barrow Umpire2: Geoff Joshua"