Licca Land...

[magpiesgirl]

I was on the train home from work tonight and I was reading MX (free newspaper you get in the CBD for the interstate people) and I saw this little bit by Licca called Licca Land.

Mainly for Danni's sake and anyone else that's interested,every Friday I'll pinch a copy of the paper on the train and post what Licca has said when I get home!

I suck at story writing so I guess this is my contribution to the whole shebang!

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Licca Land
MX - 8/6/07

After spending six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, I finally got back to footy last week.
And after intially thinking it would be a three week injury, you can imagine how excited I was to return.
After a long deyal, I had a run with Collingwood's VFL affiliate Williamstown and the team had a good win.

The experience reminded me of the many differences between the top tier and the next level of footy.
Training for Willy is at 5pm - at the Pies it's a team meeting at 9.30am followed by traning at 10.45am.
It's much cooler in the afternoon and fighting your way across the West Gate isn't too good.

But after getting used to those difference, I discoverd that training with this group is alot of fun.
While training requires the same commitment, skill and intensity, the think that really stood out is that these guys all work or study full time - football isn't a priority in the same way it is at Collingwood.
That really puts many things into perspective. Sometimes training at the elite level you can forget to have fun and the lads at Willy definitely reminded me what first attracted me to the game.

It was a more suburban-like atmosphere, too.A few faulty light bulbs meant about only half the ground was lit up by the floodlights, the change rooms are much smaller and come complete with a strong deep heat smell and we were rewarded with a hot cup of soup after training to take into the team meeting.
We played the Box Hill Hawks, who are affiliated with Hawthorn.
We didn't have the ten masseurs, two physios, three doctors and a handful of sport science experts to study our body condition pre- and post-game.

Instead, we had a handful of committed professionals who have to deal with 22 players jostling for treatment before a game.
Playing with the younger guys was a lot of fun and really reinforced to me that we have a very talented list with an exciting future.
We won by about four goals and I managed to get through the game unscathed, with a handful of Collingwood-listed players putting their name up for Monday's Queen's Birthday clash with Melbourne.

One thing I've learnt over the past six weeks is the best thing you can do for yourself is to take one day at a time, focus on training well that day, don't think about next week or next month, you'll know if you warrant a place on the senior side.
My philosophy is, if I am training to the best of my ability, running harder, putting myself through the wringer, then the only person keeping me from that spot is me.
So it's a nervous wait for the Collingwood boys to see if we keep our spot in the senior side this week, with an extended squad named last night.

In this climate at Collingwood, no person is a dead cert, we are all fighting for a spot.

[magpiesgirl]

Incase anyone cares other than Danni lol no Licca Land this week as I knocked off work early Friday and didn't get an MX.Should have it next Friday though Dan!

[Bucks5]

I have it but I don't want to type it all out unless someone really wants it. He writes about the break and trip and how for some players it is a refreshing break while he has put his hand up to play for Willy this weekend.

[Proud Pies]

i used to do this on another forum last year......got to be a pain typing it all out.....and then i spoke to Lica about it and he was going to email me the article each week......never happened

i mentioned it again to him...............still never happened. i was pretty disappointed by this, but i can understand it.

[i_luv_licca]

Why dont u just scan it if u have a scanner? lol If not, dot points are just as good!! haha

[magpiesgirl]

Scanner's buggered and by the time I get home from work my brain is like mashed potatos so thinking is kinda outta the questions lol

I type at around 45 words per minute anyway so it takes me like 5 minutes to do it =)

[Bucks5]

Ok Susan, the scanning job is nothing special but I hope you enjoy.

The Title was "Working holiday just the tonic after hell from demons"

[magpiesgirl]

Thanks for that Bucks Muchly appricated!I would assume that also applys from Danni (luvlicca) too

[i_luv_licca]

Hehe Thanks heaps xoxo

[luvlicca]

yes much appreciated!!!

[Bucks5]

You're all welcome.

[magpiesgirl]

Licca Land-Round 12
MX-Friday 22nd June 07

"Injection of youth turns defence into attack for crunch game"

AS far as home-and-away games go, they don't come much bigger than tomorrow night's Sydney-Collingwood match at Telstra Stadium. Anda fter being out of the side for eight weeks with a hamstring injury, I am rapt to be part of it.

But with Jimmy Clement,Simon Presigiacomo,Harry O'Brien and Rhyce Shaw all out of Collingwood's backline because of injury, getting the four points os going to be a massive challenge.

Taking Clement and Presti out robs us of about 450 games of experience.

Shaw has given us plenty of drive from the half-back line this season - maybe his best at the club.

And although O'Brien is still a young man and relatively inexperienced, he is so strong-bodied and so committed that we have come to rely on his as an A-grade defender.

All of them will be badly missed.

But therein lies the great challenge and this team - with the coach always leading from the front - never shies from a challenge.

Thrown on to the big stand and likely to fill Shaw's running role is Irishman Martin Clarke, who has come off the rookie list this season.

The game wil be shown live on TV in Ireland, so even his extended family and friends from back home can share the excitement.

Danny Stanley,Tyson Goldsack and Shannon Cox-with about 10 games between them-are also likely to get jobs against a Swans forward line that boasts some of the game's best in Barry Hall,Michael O'Loughlin,Nick Davis and Ryan O'Keefe.

Shane Wakelin and Nick Maxwell will probably have first crack at the key positions.

Even though Wakes is the old man of the team and has pretty much been there and done that when it comes to footy,the challenge in no less for him.

He's been in and out of the side this year, but must take a real leadership role in defence-and mind Hall at the same time.

Maxwell,who is only a young man himself,will probably have to take on the much-bigger O'Loughlin.

But taking on-and beating-bigger players is something he's been doing for a while.

It's not just the backline that will be under pressure.

It's vital that our midfield group, which I'm part of,gets on top of Sydney's so we can help out our defenders by cutting off the Swan's supply-no easy feat against the likes of Jude Bolton,Brett Kirk and Luke Ablett.

Especially when you consider those players will be fed by two of the best ruckmen in this business, Darren Jolly and Peter Everitt.

And our forwards, who had a down day against Melbourne the last time we played, must be prepaired for the fact that we might concede a few more goals than we would like.

They need to be on fire if we're to kick a winning score.

From a personal point of view, I had a great hit-out for Williamstown in the VFL last weekend.

It was exactly what I needed to get ready for my return to senior footy.

I had more game time than in previous weeks,copped a few hard knocks and got through feeling good, which does wonders for the confidence levels.

I'm ready to go.

[luvlicca]

Yeah!!! Go Licca!!! I'm so looking forward to seeing him running around in the black and white again!!!

Hunni you are a legend for typing this up for me!! Love your work!!!

mwa mwa!!!

[Bucks5]

Licca land was out early. I have posted it in GD for all to enjoy, the link is below.

http://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/viewtopic.php?t=37043

[magpiesgirl]

Sorry DanDan,won't be posting it over to ya this week then The one day I decide I need a "mental health day",it's bloody in the paper!lol