Intra club game

[bobmurray]

Today's scoreboard.

[Scollop]

Saw RoMa running laps

He looked lean ...and happy

Always good to see the big guy smiling

[CQ SAINT]

Looking forward to seeing some footy again, but the real test of our new systems and list will be against Melbourne the week after.

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.
No other way to sugarcoat it, but Owens , Windhager , NWM , Phillipou , Hotton , Bytel give me hope for future.
Will be fit , the amount of running is huge , training is certainly more organised , but we are going to pay the price
for 2019 & 2020 years big time not going hard at the draft .

Really happy with new off field acquisitions ..but really hope media don’t go full Monty, as we are miles off it.

Doesn't sound negative, just realistic. What do you think people are expecting? The excitement is in the quality kids we have taken into 22 and 23 and the prospect of watching it develop. If watching 5 or 6 kids under 21 get a crack at best 22, and it looks like a few of them are genuinely exciting, then that'll do me, and make for a quick turn around.

If Paton, Billings, Mackenzie, Gresh, Higgins, Coffield and Clark all come good and get some consistency, then we are actually improve.

[1971]

Tough year ahead. Are we really that bad?

[Gershwin]

We weren’t that bad last season were we? I mean we weren’t great but not terrible. And we have only lost Ryder (and Long).

[bobmurray]

We weren’t that bad last season were we? I mean we weren’t great but not terrible. And we have only lost Ryder (and Long).

Skills don't look the best and it seems like we'll have no Key Forwards to start the season, that could cause pessimism.

Maybe they'll ruck Campbell and play Roma at Full Forward, just to give us an experienced tall to get the long bombs down to the crumbers.

Otherwise, it's wait and see, that'll be the best guide.

[saynta]

We weren’t that bad last season were we? I mean we weren’t great but not terrible. And we have only lost Ryder (and Long).

No, actually. Hanners and Long were our best two players in our last game... Both goneskie...

[Yorkeys]

- Campbell very good in the air and covers the ground.

Was that a typo or is cambell back out there and moving freely ?

Well Campbell did mark well. In one group drill I was close to he led off a 40m "sprint", looked to have good running technique and none of the group caught him but they started at 10m intervals. My eyes may have deceived me but it seemed to me Mr Campbell from a step easily tapped a point above the goal post padding, just as an afterthought. Padding seemed reasonably high to me. I know I'd need a tall ladder to get that high.

In respect of Mr Cordy, good size, on pace as far as I could see; reminded me of those race horses that look disinterested in the parade but come out and run a cracker of a race. Nothing wrong with his reflexes in close quarter handball drills, good reflexes.

There were a couple of umpiring types in the middle after a while but perhaps the full intra club plan was changed due to the heat.

The Melbourne game will be what we need, expect a few fluffed lines and running wrong lines but will be good exercise.

[lloyd21]

o

Looking forward to seeing some footy again, but the real test of our new systems and list will be against Melbourne the week after.

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.
No other way to sugarcoat it, but Owens , Windhager , NWM , Phillipou , Hotton , Bytel give me hope for future.
Will be fit , the amount of running is huge , training is certainly more organised , but we are going to pay the price
for 2019 & 2020 years big time not going hard at the draft .

Really happy with new off field acquisitions ..but really hope media don’t go full Monty, as we are miles off it.

Doesn't sound negative, just realistic. What do you think people are expecting? The excitement is in the quality kids we have taken into 22 and 23 and the prospect of watching it develop. If watching 5 or 6 kids under 21 get a crack at best 22, and it looks like a few of them are genuinely exciting, then that'll do me, and make for a quick turn around.

If Paton, Billings, Mackenzie, Gresh, Higgins, Coffield and Clark all come good and get some consistency, then we are actually improve.

Think a lot of supporters at training need their expectation levels lowered a fraction…
Unfortunately McKenzie appears to be having lots of calf issues ..Coffield looks in great shape.

[Otiman]

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.

No need to be pessimistic, it's a bit hard to say that without following all the other teams preseasons too.

It's easy to buy into pre-season hype, but also easy to write a team off early.

[Impatient Sainter]

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.

No need to be pessimistic, it's a bit hard to say that without following all the other teams preseasons too.

It's easy to buy into pre-season hype, but also easy to write a team off early.

I doubt there would be any pessimism if we had all our key forwards and full list available.

[Vortex]

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.

No need to be pessimistic, it's a bit hard to say that without following all the other teams preseasons too.

It's easy to buy into pre-season hype, but also easy to write a team off early.

I doubt there would be any pessimism if we had all our key forwards and full list available.

Even then I think we'd still struggle, 2021 and the second half of 2022 were mostly bottom 4 performances. Bassett has created some distraction with the coach change but Ross has exactly the same problems Ratts had...a really poor list. Just have to hang in there and hope last years debutants can turn into likely types and that last years draftees also uncover some likely types. Ross will need every bit of his 4 years to rebuild tbe list.

[realdeal]

I too think it will be a tough year, a transition year if you like. Not dissimilar to Lyon's 1st year back in 2007.

[lloyd21]

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.

No need to be pessimistic, it's a bit hard to say that without following all the other teams preseasons too.

It's easy to buy into pre-season hype, but also easy to write a team off early.

I doubt there would be any pessimism if we had all our key forwards and full list available.

Even then I think we'd still struggle, 2021 and the second half of 2022 were mostly bottom 4 performances. Bassett has created some distraction with the coach change but Ross has exactly the same problems Ratts had...a really poor list. Just have to hang in there and hope last years debutants can turn into likely types and that last years draftees also uncover some likely types. Ross will need every bit of his 4 years to rebuild tbe list.

Well I think he needs at least 2 years of drafting & free agents …confident we have right coach ..
Ross said as much in 1st press conference, stated everything can change quickly after 4 successful drafts.

[saynta]

Saw RoMa running laps

He looked lean ...and happy

Always good to see the big guy smiling

He was only running laps because he had a wedding to attend later in the day.

[Vortex]

Look don’t want to sound negative but unfortunately my eyes are telling me tough ,really tough year ahead.

No need to be pessimistic, it's a bit hard to say that without following all the other teams preseasons too.

It's easy to buy into pre-season hype, but also easy to write a team off early.

I doubt there would be any pessimism if we had all our key forwards and full list available.

Even then I think we'd still struggle, 2021 and the second half of 2022 were mostly bottom 4 performances. Bassett has created some distraction with the coach change but Ross has exactly the same problems Ratts had...a really poor list. Just have to hang in there and hope last years debutants can turn into likely types and that last years draftees also uncover some likely types. Ross will need every bit of his 4 years to rebuild tbe list.

Well I think he needs at least 2 years of drafting & free agents …confident we have right coach ..
Ross said as much in 1st press conference, stated everything can change quickly after 4 successful drafts.

Yeah tend to agree, the list will look a lot different in 2 or more years, Ross might squeeze some extra juice here and there but it's going to need more recruiting brilliance than coaching.

[Banger9798]

If it wasn't for the loss of King and the various back up forwards , I'd say we should be aiming at top 8.
Finished just outside last year and we have good inclusions and natural improvement, a better draw and better coaching panel.

[CQ SAINT]

We don't need to win a lot more games to improve. We just need to bridge the gap between our good wins and our bad losses.
To do that, you need a system and 35 players committed to the process. Thats what we need to achieve this year.
Doesn't mean you will win, but it means you will need to be beaten, not just roll-over.

[Otiman]

If it wasn't for the loss of King and the various back up forwards , I'd say we should be aiming at top 8.
Finished just outside last year and we have good inclusions and natural improvement, a better draw and better coaching panel.

I think losing King may be a positive. We build a forward line without his reliance, then he comes in and adds an extra dimension. Peaks fitness for the finals.

It's a bit like when we were so Riewoldt reliant that when he was out of form or injured, we were stuffed because we were so reliant.

[saynta]

If it wasn't for the loss of King and the various back up forwards , I'd say we should be aiming at top 8.
Finished just outside last year and we have good inclusions and natural improvement, a better draw and better coaching panel.

Plus a fit Billings, Gresh , Paton. Jones , Clark and Coffield.

[8bloggs]

Went to Moorabbin yesterday. Some of my observations have already been posted by others:
- Webster, Keeler and Marshall only running laps (separately)
- Max had a set shot at goal session and well... missed quite a few
- lot of practice plays involving kick-ins, moving into the forward line, etc. rather than full open contested sessions. This made it hard to assess how well the rucks (only Campbell and Moose) and mids perform at centre bounces
- handballs good, kicking bad and good
- Gresham although busy seems to me to regulalry bomb into the forward line instead of trying to hit up a leading forward
- Owens very active and will be more effective once he plays more games
- if Van Es gets any bigger he will scare some oppositon forwards
- think Howard in the forward line was not so much a serious option as a trial to test the backs and provide spol options for the small forwards
- Hammer has good hands, good size and good second efforts. In one play he followed the play up to wing, double backed to mark and goal., leaving Owens verbally abusive
- RTB called out "lack of leadership" in one ofn the drills
- a few boys yelling "more talk: during the open plays
- I will be surprised if fitness will be an issue.

[Otiman]

Not sure if I said it in this thread or another but I'll say it again. Learning to play without King can only be good for us. The reliance on individual players has hurt us in the past, especially if a team has a good match up.

We need a plan B and round 1-8 are as good as any to build it.

[Vortex]

We don't need to win a lot more games to improve. We just need to bridge the gap between our good wins and our bad losses.
To do that, you need a system and 35 players committed to the process. Thats what we need to achieve this year.
Doesn't mean you will win, but it means you will need to be beaten, not just roll-over.

Kicking a winning score is going to be our biggest issue all season, despite predictions King coming back in the first month I'd say based on averages for shoulder reconstructions he's unlikely to get back for R12. My guess is the second half of the year our forward line might start to look a little more productive, going to be ugly early.

[Saintmike65]

There are numerous players that will be playing for their careers:

Jones, Bytel, Byrnes, Connelly, Allison, Cambell are all under the pump.
I would’ve included Billings if not for him still having another 3 years on his contract.
Another is D Mac, not through lack of form but his prolonged calf issue is very concerning.

[saynta]

We don't need to win a lot more games to improve. We just need to bridge the gap between our good wins and our bad losses.
To do that, you need a system and 35 players committed to the process. Thats what we need to achieve this year.
Doesn't mean you will win, but it means you will need to be beaten, not just roll-over.

Kicking a winning score is going to be our biggest issue all season, despite predictions King coming back in the first month I'd say based on averages for shoulder reconstructions he's unlikely to get back for R12. My guess is the second half of the year our forward line might start to look a little more productive, going to be ugly early.

Roumd 12, eh? You are obviously a glass half empty type of guy.