Training - 17/12/2018

[mordiboyz]

Firstly, I will say that I have been a bit of a negative bugger regarding the Saints, last year hit my resilience really hard. But hey... what doesn't kill you just makes you stronger.

I have been watching a lot of the saints training sessions in the last 12 months.

Last year I was staggered by what was happening. Groups just standing in circles handballing to each other and then breaking from the groups to take a few pot shots at goal. It seemed really unorganised and quite unacceptable.

This year, the vibe seems to be completely different. The trainers are pushing the group extremely hard. Lots of endurance, lots of work and no slacking off. The fitness guy reminds me of a commando.

A few players review for you.

Lonie - always leading the pack. Seems to have great endurance.
Battle - this guy is looking awesome.
Pierce - was being pushed along by the trainer. Seems to struggle with running, but he has gained bulk.
King and Bytel - no sign of them on the track (but I may be wrong)
Matt Parker - really liking the look of him.
Jack Steven and Ben Long - these guys have bonded - seem to be doing a lot of training together
Paddy - not training with the main group, doing 400m repeats
Membrey - had something on his shoulder. But was running with the main group.
Geary - mid pack in the running drills.
Gresham - being pushed to accelerate in bursts while doing running drills.
Acres - body has changed. May have got taller.

The rest of the guys are looking pretty good.

[Choppa]

Thanks for that.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

We will surprise next year. I'm confident the tweaks and additions made will do the world of good.

[Impatient Sainter]

Excellent post Mordi, agree there is a complete change in the feel at the club since the season ended. I think the new staff and players have completely turned the place around The media dept should also be highlighted their efforts in recent times have been sensational.

[mordiboyz]

And one last thing....

Sam Alabakis

Remember that name

[Zed]

And one last thing....

Sam Alabakis

Remember that name

I can’t recall us ever having one these non footy background guys actually make it. We’ve tried a few over the years and I know we still got one of the Irish guys on the list, but would love to see big Sam make it in a Mason Cox kinda way.

[Premium89]

Excellent post Mordi, agree there is a complete change in the feel at the club since the season ended. I think the new staff and players have completely turned the place around The media dept should also be highlighted their efforts in recent times have been sensational.

Seconded - especially the media team. seen a lot of the saints around the place, even on the main AFL website we seem to be there quite a bit. Certainly haven't put the periscope down after last year.

[Gordo']

mordi mate, ffs, a flowering big thank you for your post and observations.

ffs!!! what staggered you from last season's training, flowering staggers me also mate!!! ffs, beggars flowering belief.

I have been watching a lot of the saints training sessions in the last 12 months.

Last year I was staggered by what was happening. Groups just standing in circles handballing to each other and then breaking from the groups to take a few pot shots at goal. It seemed really unorganised and quite unacceptable.

ff flowering s i'm really really flowering pissed off pissed off by this flowering soft@#^# routine. how the f could that flowering crap have been allowed to go on for a whole flowering season!?! un flowering believable, ffs!!!

and how the f is the man where 'the buck stops' still the choach???

$500k payout??? keeping this incompetent flowering drummer boy chown (i mean chown) is costing our club flowering way more than flowering $500k ffs!!!!


i'm flowering sorry, but ffs, anyone who is flowering defending we all know flowering whom after having this pointed out to them, is flowering not a true St Kilda person! ffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<warning for using the term The Cho Within the The Choach>

[8bloggs]

And one last thing....

Sam Alabakis

Remember that name

Yeah he was at the AGM Tuesday night - he is so tall he almost needs his own weather forecast.

[Stian]

And one last thing....

Sam Alabakis

Remember that name

Yeah he was at the AGM Tuesday night - he is so tall he almost needs his own weather forecast.

Very big boy. Did you notice the video of Roo presenting the jumpers to the new recruits? When he shook Alabaskis' hand, it seemed to be the first time that he had met him and he just reflexively stepped back and said "jesus".

[asiu]

if he's not known as 'jesus' from now on
there's something wrong

[Saintmatt]

if he's not known as 'jesus' from now on
there's something wrong

[outside66]

mordi mate, ffs, a flowering big thank you for your post and observations.

ffs!!! what staggered you from last season's training, flowering staggers me also mate!!! ffs, beggars flowering belief.

I have been watching a lot of the saints training sessions in the last 12 months.

Last year I was staggered by what was happening. Groups just standing in circles handballing to each other and then breaking from the groups to take a few pot shots at goal. It seemed really unorganised and quite unacceptable.

ff flowering s i'm really really flowering pissed off pissed off by this flowering soft@#^# routine. how the f could that flowering crap have been allowed to go on for a whole flowering season!?! un flowering believable, ffs!!!

and how the f is the man where 'the buck stops' still the choach???

$500k payout??? keeping this incompetent flowering drummer boy chown (i mean chown) is costing our club flowering way more than flowering $500k ffs!!!!


i'm flowering sorry, but ffs, anyone who is flowering defending we all know flowering whom after having this pointed out to them, is flowering not a true St Kilda person! ffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<warning for using the term The Cho Within the The Choach>

What?

[DJ Higgins]

Can we relax the cho rule please. Can we use the term choice! Choose? Chop? Etc. I could go on but the point is made.

[Toy Saint]

Can we relax the cho rule please. Can we use the term choice! Choose? Chop? Etc. I could go on but the point is made.

The term was disrespectful but oddly amusing when it was first used, but now it's just boring and I'm finding it increasingly offensive and irritating. I'm not a huge fan of our coach but I'm a 49 year member who likes to be optimistic at this time of year. I'd love to come to this forum and share my hope for our club to have a great season ahead and not be dragged down by negative so called supporters.

[Schillaci]

if he's not known as 'jesus' from now on
there's something wrong

Hahaha. Let it happen.

[Sainter_Dad]

if he's not known as 'jesus' from now on
there's something wrong

Hahaha. Let it happen.

There was a 5 mtr Croc at Currumbin Park in Queensland. He was called Holy - because everyone would turn around the corner into his enclosure and exclaim "Holy 'insert word here'". Kinda rings true with Sam - and Holy goes well with our Sainters.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Can we relax the cho rule please. Can we use the term choice! Choose? Chop? Etc. I could go on but the point is made.

The term was disrespectful but oddly amusing when it was first used, but now it's just boring and I'm finding it increasingly offensive and irritating. I'm not a huge fan of our coach but I'm a 49 year member who likes to be optimistic at this time of year. I'd love to come to this forum and share my hope for our club to have a great season ahead and not be dragged down by negative so called supporters.

Great post. We should all be looking for the positives. Don't let this joint drag you down. I reckon we have made good moves recently and 2019 will show it.

[samuraisaint]

We will surprise next year. I'm confident the tweaks and additions made will do the world of good.

From a family of rank and file members' opinion:
The tweaks (or cuts) from the assistant coaching staff didn't go far enough in my (or in most people's) opinion.
I don't like to name names on the forum, but how some of the assistants survived is absolutely beyond me ( and a lot of others).
To be brutally honest, given that our senior coach survived, more heads needed to roll at the end of the season. Many of our promising players have not been developed as they should have been - and then players are blamed for not having improved in line with the external expectations.
Also felt (as did many others) that of the players delisted or traded, most were not regulars in a shocking season, and some hardly played seniors, if at all. Fringe players were sacrificed or scapegoated for poor coaching and, yes, poor decisions at the selection table.
I am also, frankly, a little surprised at a couple of the players re-signed for next season, given that they hardly had stellar seasons due to injury and form.
You're correct that there have been tweaks but I agree with the majority on here that there should have been major surgery to the list and there wasn't.

If there is an improvement it will come from three things:
1. Better run with injuries, and Bruce and Roberton making full recoveries
2. Fairer fixture - although I will look at our real improvement from our results in rounds 2-9 when the heat is really on.
3. Brett Ratten in the assistant's chair, and Slater as our tackling coach.

[freely]

except i don't think slater is our tackling coach. So hopefully it can come from 2 and a half things.

[skeptic]

except i don't think slater is our tackling coach. So hopefully it can come from 2 and a half things.

What is Slater’s role exactly... not the title per’se but what are we expecting his impact on the group to be

[portosaint]

except i don't think slater is our tackling coach. So hopefully it can come from 2 and a half things.

What is Slater’s role exactly... not the title per’se but what are we expecting his impact on the group to be

Its all about a shift in culture from what I can gather. Basically to imprint his formula for a successful club culture, which in turn hopefully leads to on field success.

The best bit is its not only players on his radar. He is working with the whole club, from the top to the bottom.

I think it has the potential to be the best move we made in the off season. He strives for perfection. I don't think he's the sort of bloke that can do something half arsed. If he is successful in the role it could be huge IMO

[skeptic]

except i don't think slater is our tackling coach. So hopefully it can come from 2 and a half things.

What is Slater’s role exactly... not the title per’se but what are we expecting his impact on the group to be

Its all about a shift in culture from what I can gather. Basically to imprint his formula for a successful club culture, which in turn hopefully leads to on field success.

The best bit is its not only players on his radar. He is working with the whole club, from the top to the bottom.

I think it has the potential to be the best move we made in the off season. He strives for perfection. I don't think he's the sort of bloke that can do something half arsed. If he is successful in the role it could be huge IMO

Def agree with that... am just really curious as to how his role works.

Cultural change in workplaces are pretty tricky, especially if things have been done a particular way for a while

[portosaint]

except i don't think slater is our tackling coach. So hopefully it can come from 2 and a half things.

What is Slater’s role exactly... not the title per’se but what are we expecting his impact on the group to be

Its all about a shift in culture from what I can gather. Basically to imprint his formula for a successful club culture, which in turn hopefully leads to on field success.

The best bit is its not only players on his radar. He is working with the whole club, from the top to the bottom.

I think it has the potential to be the best move we made in the off season. He strives for perfection. I don't think he's the sort of bloke that can do something half arsed. If he is successful in the role it could be huge IMO

Def agree with that... am just really curious as to how his role works.

Cultural change in workplaces are pretty tricky, especially if things have been done a particular way for a while

For sure. Fingers crossed it works. Like you, I'd be interested to know more. Its been a pretty tight lipped situation really

[HitTheBoundary]

Isn't Slaters role part time? Does anyone know how part time?

Just a few hours a week or is he there frequently?