Training report Monday 21st January

[warburton lad]

The omens were great leaving Richmond (Epicentre of Mediocrity) Station today. Two young Magpies warbled as I walked under the elms, a sign for the opera Carmen was on the famous Nylex silos.

It was an overcast morning and there was an eerie smoke haze reminding us that the heroics of sports stars are nothing compared to those courageous men and women fighting the fires in Gippsland. God bless them all.

Harry and Sidey were first on the track quickly followed by the rest of the group. The rehab group was large, Trav, Grundy, Ramsay, Daisy, Goldy, Tooves, Reid, Caff, Young, Faz, Keefe, Gault.

Ball was the only senior player not in attendance today.

The rehab group wore white, the senior group wore either grey or black and the coaches wore blue. Rocca an immense man...

Reid and Caff, Tooves and Goldy walked, then ran laps. Daisy and Young did a variety of activities but neither kicked on their preferred foot. Most of the rehab group did boxing which began with low intensity, working up to a very high intensity, then stretching beside the fence. They were off the track after a little over an hour.

The senior group really worked very hard. One activity 'Pizza Triangles' saw the players drilling the ball by foot over thirty to forty metres to a leading teammate. Broomhead, Yagmoor, Kennedy and Witts were most impressive in this drill. Pendles was sublime, as expected and Harry appears to have a lower ball drop this year, his kicks were floating less as a consequence.

In between this and the next drill, Buckley, again in the overseer role, barked for the players to lift their intensity.

The handball drill (Kamikaze Torture Drill ) saw players running the gauntlet of Hahn and Tarks to share the ball through a maze with a partner. Elijah Edwards, Krak and Josh Thomas were superb in this drill and it was great to see young lads like Kyle Martin and Sam Dwyer take the hits but still dispose to a teammates advantage.

Another handball activity saw eight versus eight. If a team lost possession or fumbled the ball, they had to drop for twenty push-ups.

After about an hour of practice, those fit enough to do so, joined in match-simulation. The Black team had the first picked midfielders and the best forwards of those not in rehab and the Grey team had the elite back men.

The first ball up saw: Jolly v Witts, Swan v Dids, Pendles v Josh Thomas, Blair v Broomhead, Sidey v Kyle Martin. Seedsman (Black Team) played as a centre an/wingman versus Johnno.

Jolly got the first tap, but Witts got the clearance and his forty metre pass hit the fast leading Oxley on the lead.

Swan and Pendles soon got on top at the clearances and gave constant quality supply to Q-Stick and Paine who played as deep, leading forwards. Krakouer and Kennedy played as small forwards matched up by Shawry and Maxy.

Another ball up, another Jolly tap out to advantage to Blair who was winded by a crunching Witts tackle. Witts is a guy who is very persistent, that's for sure.

Swan burst clear of a tackle and fed to Pendles who drilled a goal from the fifty. Football Nirvana!!

Of the young or new guys, I can report the following.

Broomhead- wonderful composure and blessed with very good disposal.
Josh Thomas- be very excited, think mini-me of D.Swan.
Oxley- a real smoky, quick, can mark well and great disposal. Thanks Mr Hine!
Hartley- development is very obvious. Twelve months away but a real prospect.
Yagmoor- much, much better today. Physically stronger and an elite kick.
Q-Stick- just what the doctor ordered. Will occasionally frustrate, but often deliver in spades.
Russell. Every good game he plays will infuriate Carlton fans. Worth it.
Kennedy-a true rover, not frightened to back himself.
Paine. Impressed with his multiple efforts at the contest.
Hudson. The Artist formerly known as The People's Beard. Worked hard on the track. Very encouraging of his teammates. 3rd in the rucking order but good depth.
Seedsman. Should play every game in 2013. Will be an elite outside mid in no time. Has worked on thighs and is now a penetrating kick.

There are many more important things than football but I make no apologies for sharing what I saw today. My blessings and best wishes to those affected by the fires and those many Pies fans who never get to see our boys train.

Floret Pica and God Bless you all...!

[The Voice of Reason]

Man, you should be on the match committee, you seem to cover things that are never in the press.

This report is fabulous... A real bonus now we live up at Mildura and can't get to training. All country people love The Lad!!

No mention of Ben Richmond by the way. Was he there?

[The Voice of Reason]

Ok

[warburton lad]

Ben Richmond was in the rehab group and walked laps with Grundy. My bad for omission from original posting. Sorry

Get very excited about Witts by the way. He will give us pleasure and opponents pain as he tosses them aside like cheap lingerie at the Playtex sale...!!!

[stui magpie]

Thank you Lad for another excellent write up.

I like your excitement about Witts, you seem impressed with his follow up work and disposal, how has his ruck work developed? Jolly was able to beat him for the hit outs?

[warburton lad]

[woftam]

Thanks WL. Can't wait to see Josh Thomas get a real crack at it this year. Our patience with his constant foot problems will be rewarded. How did young Frost train? Like the look of him as well.

[warburton lad]

[watt price tully]

Thank you once again for an informative piece.

Having a 'sneak peak' at work.

Your reports fill me with pleasure (not in the biblical sense) & make me look forward to the year ahead.

I think they should bring back the Queens honours & you should be knighted by Lizzie Hapsburg for services to Nicks & Collingwood.

Are you able to say more on the "Prophet" Elijah?

[warburton lad]

[Dave The Man]

Thanks Again LAD for the Training Report

[loki04]

Thank you Mr.Warburton lad if I could i would vote you poster of the year for your great training reports.

How did JT go in terms of getting his hands on the pill vs Pendles at the clearences?

[Jezza]

Mr.Lad, you are the best analyst of Football I've ever seen on this forum. Kudos to you sir

I like the sound of Ben Kennedy. A lot of people doubted whether we should have drafted him because of his small height, but I think along with Grundy, this guy is going to be a gem.

The new recruits such as Hudson, Russell and Lynch all seem to be doing well on the training track. Hopefully it transpires into good performances in our matches.

[warburton lad]

[warburton lad]