Training Report No.2 (2015/16)

[Neil Appleby]

Monday 30th November
Sunny 24 at 9:30

The headline from training today would have to be Sidebottom Loses his Crown. We�d discussed the possibility of this happening as we negotiated Hoddle Street this morning. There was plenty of time for the discussion, as it took 45 minutes to travel from Clifton Hill to The Glasshouse. My partner in crime and a Collingwood fanatic, suggested one of the 4-year players would beat Sidey this year. It should happen we agreed. Sooner or later somebody else should step up. With all the wonderful athletes in the squad, surely it would be soon. We didn�t have to wait long!

On arrival, the Collingwood precinct looked an absolute picture. What a sensational base we now have. No wonder the young recruits want to play with the Pies.

We went straight into the Glasshouse for breakfast. Surprise No.1 for the morning was the price list. Last year in the old caf�, bacon and eggs came in at $14. Today I had 2 poached eggs with bacon on 2 slices of sourdough for $10. Now I know a few people like Neil in Queensland will tell us that they can get that feed for less, but really folks, in metro Melbourne that price is a steal! The coffee is pretty good too. There were some Side By Side biscuits on sale too.

The players started to appear at the same time as brekkie, but no problems, I sat on a stool with the bi-fold windows open looking directly over the ground.

Players arrived on the field at 9:15. Mason Cox was the first to arrive followed by Nathan Brown, Jack Frost and the rookies. By 9:30 the players were into their stretching routine after jogging a lap. The players then moved to the AAMI side to do some up-tempo run-throughs. Jono Marsh was in the front group and won most of the time.

Then the players moved to the Glasshouse side to do the 2km time trial. As the players walked toward us, Brayden Maynard and Bayden Sier walked side by side. Maynard is a young bull, but Sier is very similar in body size and shape. The boy is only 17; what a beast he�s going to be.

The time trial started with new rookie Josh Smith taking an early lead from Sidebottom. Last year Michael Manteit impressed in the first time trail; the young rookies like to impress early.

After one lap Smith lead from Sidey and Levi Greenwood. Sidey took over the lead on the AAMI side and Smith started to fall back as the players completed the second lap. After 2 laps it�s Sidebottom from Greenwood and new draftee Tom Phillips.

On the third lap the order stays the same and as they pass us its Sidebottom from Greenwood and Phillips. At the rear it�s Cox, Grundy and Marsh.

Sidebottom does the usual acceleration on the back straight and Greenwood can�t keep up, but Phillips stays with him. The small band of observers expect Sidebottom to pull away, as Phillips looks to be making no headway, but on the turn at the top of the staight, Phillips accelerates and it�s Sidebottom who can�t respond. Sidebottom hands over the crown after quite a few years to new draft pick Tom Phillips.

Times:
1. Tom Phillips 6:05
2. Sidebottom 6:07
3. Greenwood 6:18
4. Josh Smith 6:22

5. DeGoey 6:23 �
6. Aish �
7. Macaffer �
8. Crisp �

9. Gold 6:32
10. Elliott 6:35
11. Crocker 6:38
12. Reid 6:42
13. Fasolo 6:43
14. Brown 6:44
15. Goodyear 6:45
16. Broomhead 6:46
17. Langdon 6:50
18. Varcoe 6:52
19. Maynard 6:54
Witts �
20. Gault 7:01
21. Darrean Wyatt
22. Mason Cox 7:06
23. Grundy 7:19
24. Sier: 7:24
Marsh: 7:30

Did not participate:
Pendles, Moore, Cloke, Sinclair, White, Howe, Blair, Toovey, Swan, Frost, Oxley, Treloar

A group of rehab players (Frost, Sinclair, White, Swan, Goldy and Blair), did handball drills in front of the Glasshouse.

The main group did a warm down and then moved across to the AAMI side where they worked in groups doing handball drills in close-knit groups of four; kind of a criss-cross pattern involving close in movement.

Next the players moved further apart and did kicking drills on the run.

Now we have two groups working from stoppages to move to the Olympic Boulevard end to shoot for goal. Hard to keep up here but accuracy was not impressive. I only saw two players kick goals; one was Pendles and the other I couldn�t pick. Cloke hit the post but did kick one on his second attempt.

Players were then called into the middle for a strategy chat from Bucks and then moved into 3 groups. Two did a handball keepings off drill in teams of pink and black on the AAMI side, whilst another group did kicking/defending drills at the Yarra end.

The Rehab group have now broken into two groups; one runs very leisurely laps (Swan, Blair, Sinclair, Frost) and the other does sprints (Toovey, Treloar, White, Howe.)

Various stoppage drills followed with two teams moving the ball from contested stoppages, moving the ball to the forward line.

Aish and Varcoe work together beautifully off half back. Very smooth these two.

Haven�t seen Sier hit a target yet; the ball lands at the feet of his teammates on a few occasions, but I�ll cut him plenty of slack because he looks absolutely buggered.

The Rookies and rehab players depart upstairs for a meeting with Bill Davoren. Oxley appears with ice on his knee.

After the meeting Smith and Phillips appear carrying plenty of ice on their legs. My off-sider had noted Smith pull up sore earlier and now he appears with his right hamstring iced. He appears to be favouring the leg too. Maybe he went too hard in the time trial. Tom Phillips has both calves iced.

Welcome to Collingwood you new recruits. If you get any preseason work in at all, you'll be bucking a depressing trend!

Last drill is a match simulation. Marsh plays full back at one end, with Brown and Reid deep back at the other.

At one stage Bucks and Harvey stop the players to clarify the ball movement. Harvey is audible enough to hear until two teenage girls start chatting about hot boys on some dating site; probably here to get autographs.

Aish is a ball magnet. He just keeps getting it across half back and uses his right foot to deliver pretty well perfectly every time.

Sier is on a wing beside Broomhead at first but can�t keep up. Later he stands Cloke and Crocker stands with Broomhead.

Now the drill is stopped and Harvey is asking players to raise their hands; these are the black team attacking players. He is asking for a change of structure I think. Structure through the middle is good but he wants them to look to Reid. Now Bucks joins in. Wish I could hear it all. Bucks wants quicker movement into the forward line.

Player Watch:
Brayden Sier
As I observed earlier, Sier is almost exactly the same size and build as Maynard, but this is where the similarities end. Sier is a big, smooth-moving Rolls Royce of a footballer. With the ball in his hands he reminds me of a cross between Dangerfield and Bontimpelli. What an initiation though! A time trial and then some match play. He stood doubled over a bit towards the end. If he didn�t know before, he now knows how much work he needs to do. It�s understandable that he is a long way behind our other draftees and Rookies; this guy played only two A Grade games last year. His fitness levels would be a long way behind, but at 17, he has plenty of time. Memo Dave The Man: you�re going to fall in love all over again with Sier Dave which is bad news for the rest of us at Nick's.

James Aish
Quicksilver, polish, smooth as silk, these are the expressions that spring to mind watching this boy on the track today. Wasn�t playing man on man in the match-play (nobody was actually) but he just kept getting the ball and he used it beautifully every single time.

I was told (unofficially), that training will be on Wednesday and Friday from now until the Christmas break.

[Rick]

Cheers. How did Rupe go in the time trial? I can't see his name in your summary

[BazBoy]

How did you see the general attitude --I have this feeling there is a lot of
enthusiasm in the place

[roar]

Thanks Neil. The Aish news has put a smile on my face for the first time since Berg's injury.

One question: why would you drive down to training? Even if you hate trains, walking would be quicker.

[watt price tully]

Great stuff Neil.

Any sightings of Adams / Moore / Witts?

[neil]

Thanks Neil
BTW I doubt you can get sourdough in my neck of the woods
Although paying for breakfast while watching Collingwood train is always value for money

[Neil Appleby]

Yep, they were all there WPT, but I concentrated on the new boys today. I was very keen to see Sier in action. After Hine bypassed such well regarded boys in the draft last week, I thought there had to be something special about Sier and there is. I can't really describe it; you just have to see him moving to know what I'm saying.

Adams is always a brilliant trainer. Witts impressed today. He did very well in the time trial; any bloke as big as him who finishes under 7 minutes is impressive. Moore was very vocal in the match play and as the girls behind me noted, has a nice new haircut.

If I were to pick a stand out today it would be Levi Greenwood. He surprised me greatly with his time trial. I guess he shouldn't have, but last year we didn't see him much in the pre-season and today he was just everywhere. He has the ability to go all day and is aggressive to boot. I reckon Levi might become a very important player for us next year if he gets a full pre-season in.

Speaking of pre-seasons though, Ben Sinclair is in the rehab group again. You've got to ask if this boy is ever likely to be fully fit. He's a Buckley favourite I know, but bloody hell!

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Neil. What did you think of the body condition that Sier presented at training today? He just seemed a tad overweight to me from the short video I watched from his highlights reel. Also did he looked overalled during the training with his teammates, or does he exude confidence at training. Also, what's the coffee like at the glasshouse because I've just joined as a social club member and I've got nothing to do on Wednesday (my wife is doing something else in the morning), so I might wander over and look at training.

[Neil Appleby]

Ha! Look I'm very much a strong coffee man and they did a good job this morning. They have a new team running the place and they were a little flighty for my liking; on a busy day they would be found out.

Sier is so far behind the other boys, that it will take him a full season to develop any sort of match fitness or endurance I'd say. I'm sure nobody at the club would think he'd have an impact in 2016, but he is an impressive boy. I can understand you saying that he looked a tad overweight; it kinda looks like puppy fat to me.

As for his behaviour; he didn't look overawed at all, just buggered. I think young Smith only arrived in Melbourne today, so he certainly landed in the frying pan. Hope his hammy is only 'general soreness'.

[Dave The Man]

Sier showing that he is behind most players with his Lack of Being in Elite Programs. With his Fitness Level

[Neil Appleby]

[John Wren]

thanks for the updates neil.

was down there this evening to watch the vfl guys. had a bit of a squiz at the glasshouse and from what i saw it looks impressive. will have to head down when the cafe is open.

[RudeBoy]

Thanks for the info Neil.

It seems that Sier has the physique, skills and smarts to make a great footballer. If he can build up his tank over the coming season he could be a surprise package in 2017. His highlights package, from just 2 games, is damn impressive. Who knows, he may even surprise us all and get some senior game time late next year.

[MightyMagpie]

Thanks Neil. Appreciate you taking the time to post.

[PyreneesPie]

Fabulous report Neil. Thank you.

Great to hear some first-hand impressions of Sier and Aish. Loved the description of the tussle between Sidey and Phillips in the 2km time trial. Even enjoyed the asides about the teenage girls!! You're becoming a very entertaining writer!