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True Believer wrote:Was at training today and Freeman was moving perfectly well - sources tell me he had a very slight calf last week.
Maybe that helps him to stop thinking about the hammy. Who knows?
Freezers biggest concern won't be injury. We bat pretty low in the midfield presently. It won't be easy breaking in to that group.
If he can reach his draft potential he will pressure for a game you would hope?
I will go out on a limb here, and suggest that he may not get a look in this year. Why?
1. as the legend that is tony74 says, midfield bats deep
2. coaches will be conservative and not rush Freezer, just VFL in short bursts to assess progress
3. Pre-season is often a great chance to show off skills and push for early inclusion, but I think Freezer will be held back as per point 2
4. Coaches have openly said we need to be patient with Freezer
Just my guesses as an interested observer.
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
Brutal session today. Full match practice with Razor RAy umpiring. Paddy, Dmac, Carlisle and Sinclair very prominent. It was full on, high intensity. When that concluded was continuous sprint work followed by four one minute endurance runs. Seb and Robbo particularly impressive. Then goal kicking practice while there heartbeat was at its fastest. They're fit.Media and cameras were down at Seaford so if you see any footage or stories about Paddy, Gilbo or Roo don't fret. No problems what so ever.
tony74 wrote:Brutal session today. Full match practice with Razor RAy umpiring. Paddy, Dmac, Carlisle and Sinclair very prominent. It was full on, high intensity. When that concluded was continuous sprint work followed by four one minute endurance runs. Seb and Robbo particularly impressive. Then goal kicking practice while there heartbeat was at its fastest. They're fit.Media and cameras were down at Seaford so if you see any footage or stories about Paddy, Gilbo or Roo don't fret. No problems what so ever.
Sound really great -we are all getting excited about the coming season.
Looking forward to see how everyone goes in the practice matches.
tony74 wrote:Brutal session today. Full match practice with Razor RAy umpiring. Paddy, Dmac, Carlisle and Sinclair very prominent. It was full on, high intensity. When that concluded was continuous sprint work followed by four one minute endurance runs. Seb and Robbo particularly impressive. Then goal kicking practice while there heartbeat was at its fastest. They're fit.Media and cameras were down at Seaford so if you see any footage or stories about Paddy, Gilbo or Roo don't fret. No problems what so ever.
tony74 wrote:Brutal session today. Full match practice with Razor RAy umpiring. Paddy, Dmac, Carlisle and Sinclair very prominent. It was full on, high intensity. When that concluded was continuous sprint work followed by four one minute endurance runs. Seb and Robbo particularly impressive. Then goal kicking practice while there heartbeat was at its fastest. They're fit.Media and cameras were down at Seaford so if you see any footage or stories about Paddy, Gilbo or Roo don't fret. No problems what so ever.
tony74 wrote:Brutal session today. Full match practice with Razor RAy umpiring. Paddy, Dmac, Carlisle and Sinclair very prominent. It was full on, high intensity. When that concluded was continuous sprint work followed by four one minute endurance runs. Seb and Robbo particularly impressive. Then goal kicking practice while there heartbeat was at its fastest. They're fit.Media and cameras were down at Seaford so if you see any footage or stories about Paddy, Gilbo or Roo don't fret. No problems what so ever.
Razor Ray would have loved a bit of pocket money in the offseason... hope he gives us a fair go when the real stuff starts.
White Winmar wrote:Which side did Razor cost victory? Must have been torn as who to crucify.
He might have umpired for a draw, who knows? So nobody wins
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
tony74 wrote:.Media and cameras were down at Seaford so if you see any footage or stories about Paddy, Gilbo or Roo don't fret. No problems what so ever.
Only 1 channel showed Saints
But did Mention Ray, Paddy off but back on and Gilbo
Good to hear Sincs impressed. I've still got hope he can force his way into the team this year - I feel he is the good ball using, creative type we need more of if we want to go all the way. Especially in finals where space is so tight you need as many guys who can hit targets as possible.
The hype keeps building on McKenzie. I'm worried people are building him up too much seeing him as JJ, Shaw and Gibson all rolled into one. Lets just see how he goes in some early praccie games. Good running is one thing, being damaging and consistent in play is another.
Who's burning?
After struggling last year to make an impact matching his serious talent, Jack Billings looks set to consistently deliver the form he has shown only in glimpses thus far. The 21-year-old has been involved in full training this pre-season, something he has not always been able to do. Daniel McKenzie has improved his running and should cement a spot along half-back. Another to catch the eye at training has been Blake Acres. The West Australian looks poised to take the next step, with his big body sure to come in handy if he spends more time in the centre square.
Who's not?
Key defender Jake Carlisle only returned to full training recently after hip surgery early last year. A shoulder reconstruction had confined tough onballer Luke Dunstan to running, but he was involved in match simulation in the new year. The club expects young backman Hugh Goddard to play early in the season as he recovers from a ruptured left Achilles tendon, while a broken bone in his left foot has hampered recruit Jack Steele. - Dinny Navaratnam
Interesting to see what the long game is with Acres. Does the club see him as a genuine starting onballer or do they see his value in being a barnstorming winger who has licence to push forward and be a marking target and rotate through onball. My guess is they are grooming him to be one of the starting onball fab four with his size and tap reading.
Bluthy wrote:
Interesting to see what the long game is with Acres. Does the club see him as a genuine starting onballer or do they see his value in being a barnstorming winger who has licence to push forward and be a marking target and rotate through onball. My guess is they are grooming him to be one of the starting onball fab four with his size and tap reading.
My thoughts are we want Acres to become a Bont type for us. A strong midfielder who wins the ball, breaks lines, is clean with his possession and is able to push forward and take a grab. We've seen all of these things at times from Acres, the key for him is to find consistency - if he can, he probably becomes one of our best and most important players.
Really tough and solid inter club match this morning umpired by an ex Saint. Pretty well all players are set to go next Thursday at Trevor Barker. You won't see Freezer but you'll see all the others. Few of the youngies going off to their "bonding session" this weekend.
tony74 wrote:Really tough and solid inter club match this morning umpired by an ex Saint. Pretty well all players are set to go next Thursday at Trevor Barker. You won't see Freezer but you'll see all the others. Few of the youngies going off to their "bonding session" this weekend.
Thanks Tony.
Would you expect Freezer to make an appearance later in the preseason, or is he in cotton wool till the real stuff??
tony74 wrote:Really tough and solid inter club match this morning umpired by an ex Saint. Pretty well all players are set to go next Thursday at Trevor Barker. You won't see Freezer but you'll see all the others. Few of the youngies going off to their "bonding session" this weekend.
Leigh Fisher? Good to see we are getting actual umpiring in early so none of the new interpretations catch us out.
got down to training today and caught the intraclub, along with a couple of others, good to watch.
seemed like around 15min quarters with Leigh Fisher and another ump officiating
as Tony said, the contest was pretty tough, some good hits and endeavour. skills a bit hit and miss
Darragh Joyce got smashed by a couple of talls in the goal square (for the second time in the game I think), was slow to get up, went off and I don't think re-emerged
running laps - Joey and Freeman, both seemed to be moving fine
hard to track all the action with two full teams of saints and no numbers. observations as best I could make them
major ball winners, Jack Steven, Armo, Mav, Billings, D Mac, Sinclair, Gresh, Nick O'Kearney
Jack Steele was great in the first quarter, in everything, good competitor
Lonie was creative & dangerous
Ben Long kicked at least two, seems to have a handy knack of being in the right place at the right time. Good competitive spirit too
Acres covered the ground well and did some alright things
Billings found a lot of the ball but disposal was below his ability at times
Ray Connellan kicked a ripper goal on the run
Paddy kicked a couple and gave a strong aerial contest when he couldn't mark
Bruce marked well and got a couple I think
Membrey did well also, bringing the ball to ground when unable to mark it
DMac, great drive, good all round, stepping up for sure
Sinclair was good in patches
Gresh ditto, seemed to get better later in the game. Laid a couple of very strong tackles in one passage earlier in the game and was a bit sore
Ed Phillips - nice mover and good kick, seems pretty composed
Bailey Rice - I like this kid, he's no Adonis but he is tough, very competitive, composed and has a nice sharp kick on him. One of those backmen you feel like you can trust. He was good in the VFL final that I saw, good today in the contest
Battle - seemed to do well, got him a bit mixed up with Rowan Marshall
Dunstan, did some good things when he got it, delivers the ball nicely (the best?) inside 50
Seb - didn't notice him that much but when I did he did well
Carlisle - didn't catch my eye
Rucks - pretty competitive - Longer was all over Hickey in the first qtr bounces. They swapped around a lot and all had their moments. Holmesy seems to be improving as is Lewis Pierce (big unit)
Was surprised by Longer, did well, back to his 2015 ruckwork form. Took a mark in F50 but missed shot. None of the rucks really stood out around the ground.
Holmesy was competitive at ground level around the ground
Roo - roaming around, not the greatest playmaker, lacks the vision and execution of the good mids
Nick O'Kearney - goes alright, got a bit of footy and generally does something alright with it. takes a while to make his mind up though, generally shorter options
some recruiting staff were in attendance - Chris Toce, Tony Elshaug, Wayne Hughes
Coaches on the boundary and barking instruction from the roof top
and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
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