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Training Report. 16th December.

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warburton lad 



Joined: 26 Aug 2003


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 12:42 pm
Post subject: Training Report. 16th December.Reply with quote

As I leave my abode in Melbourne’s far outer-east, the rising sun kisses the south-facing slope of the gorgeous mountain range that gives my beloved Warburton its unique micro-climate. For a variety of reasons, it has been a long time since I have journeyed to the Westpac Centre and on the hour long trip down on the train, I contemplate the notion of heroism.

Each of us have heroes, people we admire and look up to; in the football sense, I am old enough to remember those players who have worn the Black-and-White with pride and left nothing in the tank in pursuit of team success: Des Tuddenham, Ian Cooper, Kevin Worthington, Stan Magro, Darren Millane, Tony Shaw,Scott Burns, Tyson Goldsack. As resolute and selfless these players were, their courage pales into insignificance when I think of the extraordinary efforts of the men, women and communities in the face of the bushfire apocalypse ravaging mainland Australia.
May God bless these truly heroic folks and keep them safe from peril.

I arrive at Westpac Centre and eagerly await the arrival of the players on the track. Whilst I wait, I devour one of Melbourne’s best fresh-cooked muffins; today it’s old-mate raspberry muffin with a large hot chocolate- a taste of the food they make in heaven that awaits Warburton Lad in the fullness of time. The AFL Rising Stars Academy (Under 18’s) are doing their time trials from around 8-00am under the watchful eyes of scouts from a number of Melbourne-based clubs as well as Kinnear Beatson from Sydney, some cat from Adelaide and Kevin ‘Shifter’ Sheehan. Our man, Derek Hine, was front-and-centre as usual. The endurance skills of these players, even at this age, are something to marvel over.

Just after nine, the ground rumbles as an avalanche of Melbourne Storm players wander across the turf on their way to their training ground- their solid torsos carried by legs that could have been hewn from two hundred year old Oak trees. Hard to believe they play sport at the elite level in one of the nation’s biggest codes; one would not want to miss a ‘shout’ with these lads in a pub.

Others may have different measures of a player’s eagerness to excel, but, for me, early attendance at training is a pretty clear marker. In this sense, it’s pleasing to see Callum Brown, Lynden Dunn, Daicos, Phillips, Levi Greenwood (no strapping on his reconstructed knee) and John Noble lead the boys out closely followed by Quaynor and Hoskin-Elliott who looks in marvellous shape and whose first ‘barrel’ from outside fifty splits the perpendicular uprights. The ground is like a billiard table, barely a blade of grass out of place- not sure on the penetrometer reading, but it does look firm today.

For the record, the following were not sighted on the track by ‘The Lad’: Mayne, Beams, Stephenson, Langdon, Adams.

It is a truism in sport that, “Form is temporary, class is permanent” and so it is with our amazing captain. Time and again, as he has for over a decade at the top level, he gives his teammates silver service, by hand or foot,creating time and space for them where, seemingly, none exists.
At 32, he is looking extremely fit and ready for another stellar season. What impresses me most on this overcast morning is his continually evolving leadership qualities: cajoling, encouraging and directing his colleagues as they go about their business.

Much has been said and written about the need for our young tyros: C.Brown, T.Brown, Quaynor, Noble,Daicos, Murphy, Kelly, Sier, Wills, Bosenavulagi ,Bianco, Tohill, Wilson and Keane to step up and play more significant roles in our progress from contender to genuine threat for a flag- I am paying special attention to their exploits on the track today. Quaynor certainly seems to have bulked up in the arms- with his closing speed and desire to take the game on he could be a weapon in 2020.

Lynden Dunn is an honest broker and his presence on the track is considerable- for a player not currently on the senior list, he is brilliant in the way he gets around his teammates.

Grundy is truly elite- he is a tireless worker and pushes himself from contest to contest.
Mason Cox appears 100% after his off-season surgeries on his eyes- certainly, he is making a concerted effort to take the ball at the highest possible point in the marking contest which automatically puts his opponent out of the equation.

Darcy Cameron is an interesting recruit- he is strong as an ox, but has skills that one would not usually associate with a player of such little experience. Newly-promoted Max Lynch looks increasingly likely- as I have reported in recent times, he works with Grundy almost exclusively and endeavours to match him in terms of running patterns- no easy task!


The new boys: Bianco, Ruscoe and Rantall are working away from the main group- each has attributes which can be built upon: Bianco is a very fine user of the ball who has that innate gift that very talented players do of choosing the right option more frequently than not; he also possesses a very solid frame. Rantall just seems to run non-stop and Ruscoe clearly loves contact and physicality which belies his youth and inexperience- does not seem at all phased by whoever he lines up against.

One has to love the work ethic of Jeremy Howe, Jack Crisp and Jordan Roughead; already established as first-choice defenders, they train as if they are battling for the last spot on the rookie list. The surety of Howe’s marking in the drizzly conditions is a sight to behold- thanks again, Melbourne. During gentle kick-to-kick with Ruscoe, he can be heard voicing encouragement to his young teammate.

For those interested in matters tonsorial, Darcy Moore has gone with a brown, Beatles mop-top this December he warms up with Sier who sports a hairstyle that could be described as an apple that has been two-thirds peeled, starting from the bottom up. Hard to tell what Grundy is running with as he is wearing a black and white beanie with a fetching pom-pom on top!

Of those coming off injury-riddled seasons, De Goey is looking great, kicking well off either side of his body; Tyler Brown looks really solid physically, as does Will Kelly who has the 21st Century footballers physique to die for; hopefully they will deliver in spades this coming season. Ben Reid looks several kilos lighter and trained the house down as did Rupert Wills.

The training drills get under way at 9-40 and are varied; there is a genuine hunger for the players to excel that is evident from the get-go. Again, it is impossible to know what each player is thinking, but there is a focus and drive among the group which is palpable. There appears to be a particular focus on getting to the drop of the ball in marking contests and quick hands to move the ball out of congestion- think western Bulldogs, 2016 style. There is no quarter asked for by those caught in possession and none given; the gladiatorial nature of football at this level is clearly on display.

The match practice was played along the central corridor, if you can imagine fifteen metres outside of the centre square all the way down the ground. Possessions were harder to pick up than the voice of a mute in a hurricane, but the clever players were able to get them at will (or Wills, in Rupert’s case).

Sier was matched up against Tyler Brown and excelled- it helped that Pendles was on the ‘Black’ team with Sier. Varcoe/Scharenberg/Tohill and Moore all played back for the Grey team and Will Kelly was a surprise (and talented) choice up forward for the Greys leading and marking strongly.

Sidebottom (up forward) simply outclassed Nathan Murphy, but Murphy refused to give in and was strong in several contests. Pendlebury racked them up, playing, essentially, off the back of the centre square and marshalling the troops by where he placed the ball. In the second period of match-practice, Scharenberg continued his domination off half back with cool intercepts and precision disposals; his form may have been useful in the preliminary last year.
The pace of the game was frenetic and one could have been mistaken for thinking it was being played a fortnight before the first round.

As the gloom descended, Tyler Brown (with a super blind-turn) and feed-off to Sidebottom who passed to Reid saw a goal to the Greys despite the valiant efforts of Roughead. The spirited encounter seemed to excite some players; Brayden Maynard was notable in the physicality as was Rantall who is physically equipped to play round one.

It appeared to this observer that the Black team and the Grey teams were addressed by Pendlebury and Maynard respectively at the main break. After the break, the match practice freed up as it was a whole-ground exercise. Wills must have swallowed some angry pills as his attack on the ball was ferocious. To see Pendles beaten in a one-on-one contest was like seeing Steve Smith make a first ball duck, but normal transmission soon resumed as he slid back into Rolls-Royce mode.

Cox was engaged in an exciting duel with Darcy Moore with the Texan improving as the period went on. At one stage, the big Texan contested a boundary throw in with Grundy and his persistence and second-efforts drew a free for the Black team.

Whilst Varcoe, Maynard and Cripps were combining with great effect off half back for the Greys, Bosenavulagi tried to up the tempo by breaking a line off the wing- sadly for the fiesty-Fijian, Crisp was onto him and a bone-crunching tackle caused a turnover.

Treloar took a while to warm to his work and he was intermittently tagged by Rantall who appeared to really enjoy the challenge of playing on the brilliant number seven. Rantall was by no means disgraced. By 10-50, the players were taking a very well-earned break from hostilities and were addressed by Buddha Hocking in the middle.

After the break, match sim continues, this time Orange versus Grey- it doesn’t matter what colour he is wearing, it does not take Howe long to elevate and take a strong mark- by this stage, Nathan Murphy is also making his mark with strong spoils and frequent attempts to create play. Clever play by Pendlebury creates an opportunity for Varcoeto stream through the middle but a poor kick ruins a promising entry into the forward fifty- it is the only blemish on an otherwise great training session by the ex-Cat.

Phillips, Noble, Quaynor, Callum Brown, Daicos, Dunn, Greenwood, De Goey and Hoskin-Elliott train away from the main group, but none of these guys appear restricted in any sense of the word as they train solidly. By 10-30, these guys were out in yellow tops (players in recovery) and running very solid laps of the oval. At this stage, I must leave to head back to my mountain refuge, but, sometimes, seeing 100 minutes of training is enough to get a sense of where we are at. There is talent, tenacity and team-spirit aplenty in the squad we have assembled for the crack at immortality; with a degree of luck we may be able to jag a flag.

Again, all of the above are just the opinions and observations of an old guy in the outer but one who is truly a rusted-on follower of our beloved football club. Flags have been as elusive as honesty from politicians and ethical behaviour in the banking industry for our club in the past 61 seasons, but I believe 2020 could be something very special.

Floreat Pica fellow Magpies; long may our club give us pleasure!

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Boogie Knights 



Joined: 18 Sep 2015


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 12:51 pm
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Thank you as always WL. As difficult as it is to believe, you better yourself every year in both content and style.

It is always a highly anticipated time of the 'offseason' awaiting your work and it is appreciated more than words can appropriately convey.
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kashyboy 



Joined: 14 Feb 2014


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 1:07 pm
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A sensational read. Thanks so much for sharing.
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Pies2016 



Joined: 12 Sep 2014


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 1:25 pm
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Always a pleasure to read, W L.
Just one question for you, does Sier look as though he has taken his new contract seriously ?
He strikes me as someone whose body shape would best indicate where his head is at for the coming season.
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warburton lad 



Joined: 26 Aug 2003


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 2:02 pm
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Pies2016 wrote:
Always a pleasure to read, W L.
Just one question for you, does Sier look as though he has taken his new contract seriously ?
He strikes me as someone whose body shape would best indicate where his head is at for the coming season.


Thank you for the question- Sier has presented in excellent shape and trained with high intensity and some vigour- It would appear that the and Pendlebury were paired as midfield partners-in-crime for the majority of match simulation.

His body looked in great nick.

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neil Sagittarius



Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Location: Queensland

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 2:04 pm
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Thanks WL
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PyreneesPie Pisces

PyreneesPie


Joined: 22 Aug 2014


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 2:20 pm
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What a brilliant report WL!!! Thank you so very much for your efforts.

I picked up especially on several points:

Quote:

left nothing in the tank in pursuit of team success: Des Tuddenham, Ian Cooper, Kevin Worthington, Stan Magro, Darren Millane, Tony Shaw,Scott Burns, Tyson Goldsack.

Ian Cooper was a real favourite of mine and it's great to see that someone else remembers him positively.

Quote:
their courage pales into insignificance when I think of the extraordinary efforts of the men, women and communities in the face of the bushfire apocalypse ravaging mainland Australia.
May God bless these truly heroic folks and keep them safe from peril.

Great acknowledgement and empathy for those rural folk who are doing it so hard with the bushfire emergency.

Quote:
“Form is temporary, class is permanent” and so it is with our amazing captain

Yep, he is a huge credit to himself and will always be thought of as one of our most talented players ever.

Quote:
The new boys: Bianco, Ruscoe and Rantall are working away from the main group- each has attributes which can be built upon: Bianco is a very fine user of the ball who has that innate gift that very talented players do of choosing the right option more frequently than not; he also possesses a very solid frame. Rantall just seems to run non-stop and Ruscoe clearly loves contact and physicality which belies his youth and inexperience- does not seem at all phased by whoever he lines up against.

I reckon we did alright with such lower picks in the draft, but we'll see. Wink I just hope they don't have their growing and developing bodies crucified by being flogged on that hard ground.

Quote:

Sier who sports a hairstyle that could be described as an apple that has been two-thirds peeled, starting from the bottom up.

Hard to imagine Laughing, so will look for some photos!!

Quote:
Will Kelly was a surprise (and talented) choice up forward for the Greys leading and marking strongly.

Well, who would've thought he'd be given a go at this end of the field. You make no mention of Mihocek, but I hope he was showing some good form.

Quote:

In the second period of match-practice, Scharenberg continued his domination off half back with cool intercepts and precision disposals; his form may have been useful in the preliminary last year.

Fantastic to hear Schazz was doing what he does best and yes, I was hugely disappointed when he wasn't selected in the PF. Big mistake IMHO.

Just a gem of a report and I thank you again.
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Mossi Leo



Joined: 20 May 2002
Location: Vittorio Veneto TV Italy

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:08 pm
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PyreneesPie wrote:
What a brilliant report WL!!! Thank you so very much for your efforts.

I picked up especially on several points:

Quote:

left nothing in the tank in pursuit of team success: Des Tuddenham, Ian Cooper, Kevin Worthington, Stan Magro, Darren Millane, Tony Shaw,Scott Burns, Tyson Goldsack.

Ian Cooper was a real favourite of mine and it's great to see that someone else remembers him positively.

Just a gem of a report and I thank you again.


Very Happy Yes Ian Cooper .... Loved our Fullback!! At first looks, height and size No one would have given him 5 cents, but he was one that excelled in courage skill and was he tough!! Thanks for the report WL
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MagpiesTheGreat 



Joined: 01 Dec 2014


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 4:45 pm
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Much appreciated!
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warburton lad 



Joined: 26 Aug 2003


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:47 pm
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Mr Pyrenees Pie
Mihocek trained as Mihocek plays- he was super-efficient in all that he did and looks to have come back in shape as have many of the others.

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stui magpie Gemini

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.


Joined: 03 May 2005
Location: In flagrante delicto

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:22 pm
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Thanks Lad, great stuff as always.

Can you please elaborate a little on Darcy Cameron's skills? I assume it was a positive reference.

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K 



Joined: 09 Sep 2011


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:31 pm
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It's good to see you posting, WLad! Does this mean the knee is good?
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Cam Capricorn

Nick's BB Member #166


Joined: 10 May 2002
Location: Springvale

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:46 pm
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Great read, always we have from you.
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Last edited by Cam on Tue Dec 17, 2019 7:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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warburton lad 



Joined: 26 Aug 2003


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 8:12 pm
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stui magpie wrote:
Thanks Lad, great stuff as always.

Can you please elaborate a little on Darcy Cameron's skills? I assume it was a positive reference.


Thank you Mr Stui.
Cameron has some solid skills- is good below his knees and a competent mark- certainly is mobile- not Darcy Moore mobile, but covers the ground well.
He was in the match sim for a fair bit then went and did some running of laps- he is a fit looking young man.
More advanced than Lynch at this stage.

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watt price tully Scorpio



Joined: 15 May 2007


PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 8:45 pm
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Thanks Mr Warburton Lad for your wonderful writing; so enjoyable and informative.
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