On the Track (training updates) 2024

[The Black and White Lion]

My SSP thoughts and observations from afar given the latest Murphy incident:

Eyre: Could help cover any KPB as well as insurance for Murphy if he goes down again.
Sofronidis: Promising enough, could he sign with Pies VFL instead
Bytel: Looks and sounds to be just ahead of the other SSP mids.
Hustwaite: Has the maturity and appears to have the body, not sure about the speed. Strangely he looks taller in the AFL jumper than the VFL jumper. Will he stay at the Pies VFL or join his bro at Box Hill if he's not taken?
Sullivan: Looks tough but doesn't appear to have an edge over anyone yet to me, not so sure he's as versatile as Bytel and may just be that VFL best level.
Teakle: Could be insurance for Ruck and KPF and to release Frampton to concentrate on KPB if needed.

Right now I'm thinking the PIES will take Eyre and Bytel as SSPs and hold a spot in the MSD.
Begg seems to have shown enough to get more of a go as the Ruck back up whilst Frampton is insurance. Eyre can cover the KPB to give further insurance if Frampton needs to ruck or play forward or is injured himself. Don't think Will Kelly is coming back given Eyre's showing and Markov's all round game in 2023.
Bytel appears more versatile than the other SSPs and looks good linking up or leading up so I'm edging that way.

It's hard to tell what the FlyHineWright brains trust is thinking though I'm guessing we will find out in the next few weeks if train on players stop turning up or if SSPs are signed. Still doesn't help the early season anxiety though.

[gurugeoff]

Why don’t the ssps not taken all play vfl with us, and we pick one in the mid season draft on a needs basis.

Speaking of vfl, if we have the depth we think we do, then I’d like to see them having a great year too

[warburton lad]

^

Great to hear a report from you WL.

There was a lot of chat on Big Footy about practice reports and many people mentioned you - not sure of you get across to look at these posts or not.

Interesting that Jen is a gem as well in her thoughts on the practice but for some reason was coping stick from some posters on Big Footy.

Good afternoon Mr Think Better-
I rarely venture onto Big Footy (into my 21st year on Nicks and loyal to a fault). I am a very humble individual and don't seek praise as a rule..

However, thank you for passing on the praise- I just post because I love the Club and want to share with those who also have the passion/curse!!

I cannot understand why people would give Jen stick- she calls it as she sees it and makes very fine observations to boot.

I think 2024 will be a hell of a ride for the Pies- the intensity of competition for spots (in the team and on the list) will see a number of selection quandaries to be resolved.

Floreat Pica

[Culprit]

^^Jen knows her stuff. Anyone who knocks her simply doesn't.

[LaurieHolden]

Pre-season training: January 29th c/- Jen @ BF

Casualty Ward
Josh Daicos and Jakob Ryan were out and about, doing some running and their own stuff away from the squad and they deal with their own recoveries from niggles.
It was nice to see Mihocek back in full training after his calf injury.

Maynard and Ash Johnson were also not training.
This is the 2nd session for Ash -- with Friday he was absent too. Last wed he did hurt his lower leg, but played out the session. So maybe he pulled up sore and its management.


Today's session First thing that was noticeable was that none of the SSP's came out onto the ground to train. Did discover later they were up above on the balcony were the coaches watch training. Not sure how many were up there, but I did find it strange if they were there, why not have them train. Must have been some reason. Guess we'll see come wed if they are all back training or not. on ball movement from D50 to F50, stoppages and a bit of match play which was separated into groups of threes. Whites, Blacks and yellow vests.

They also did the pressure drill, also some tackling, goal kicking. Felt lighter than usual. Wed and Fridays might be the days that's more intense

Reef looked very strong with his marking, and pressure.
Lippa played well, was involved in a lot of chains through the ground, and contested plays.
Begg was playing in defence, not sure this is because we were a key defender short with Eyre not participating, or if this is something they are trying out.
Elliott was back up forward most of the session.
Noble was good down back, setting the play up.
DC was the dominant ruck. Seems he is getting that #1 ruck mantle back.
Kreuger did a couple good things up forward.

Live training footage c/- Ultimate Greatness
https://youtu.be/Now6yh2CyI4?si=sStaw3arxDM8E6LZ

A few observations I (LH) had as follows -
Carmichael (#15 white) is right in contention to stake a claim for a midfield position. He was in everything.
Ed Allan (#15 black) has put on noticeable bulk over the past 12 months. Looks keen to get amongst it.
TJ - we've got one here. Haven't seen a first-year player read the play and move as well as he does for some time. He did a great spin out of congestion at one stage. What he lacks in bulk is made up in his evasive qualities, dash and creativity.
JDG is in great nick doing JDG things.
Elliott covering the ground well and looks as fit as any pre-season to date.
Howe vocal in directing traffic and impacting as you'd expect.
Naicos simply operates on a different plane, embarrassed a few today that simply couldn't go with him.
Frampton moves as quickly as pouring vegemite out of a jar.
Kreuger teasing again, looks ready to go as usual.
Cox looks to be earmarked to spend time deep forward. Plenty of drills where to replicate ball coming to ground allowing the rovers to do their thing.
Cameron moving well, clearly the dominant ruck.
Macrae perhaps not as clean today as previous sessions where he simply didn't fumble. The few that didn't stick were more due to poor delivery from teammates.
Reef's leading patterns and second efforts noticeable. Looks ready to go.
Lipinski, IQ, Jiath and Macrae leading the running drills.

[gurugeoff]

full page story on Sofronidis in the herald sun this morning.

He is only 24, looks older with no hair. Played TAC, Did not play in 2020, 2021 due to injury and covid. He olayed TAC with Nathan Murphy.

among the quotes in the article

from collegians teammate and former Hawthorn defender, David Mirra - "He's as good as i've played with. He's a star"

from Lions offical Michael Cove - "he runs like a 5'10" midfielder and marks like a 6'8" forward.

i wonder if the paper has got a whisper from the club?

[Boot]

^

I haven't read the article in the Herald Sun but those are great quotes that give the impression that we have a potential champion looking for a spot on our list. However, I haven't seen any reports on the pre-season training form at Collingwood that indicate Sofronidis is staring when pitted against the rest of the list. At 24 he may be a late developer but I doubt he is going to set the competition on fire. I assume the talent judges at the club will have got a good enough look at the young man during this pre-season to determine his full potential and will make the right call on who from the five or six players trying to secure the last few spots on our list for the coming season. I agree with the idea of having those who don't make the cut in Feb play with the Collingwood VFL team with a view of demonstrating their worth by the time the mid season draft arrives.
I gather that the lack of attendance at any of the Collingwood pre-season training sessions by Will Kelly means he is definitely going to be left off the Collingwood list moving forward. I think that is a pity since I thought he showed a lot of promise in the limited game time he got at the AFL level and we all know that tall players take longer to fully develop to their full potential. For a team that doesn't have a lot of depth in key position players I was surprised Kelly wasn't given another year to continue his development.

[gurugeoff]

no full page stories on the other guys trying out - is that a sign?

[lazzadesilva]

I just wonder why the Lions and Hawks people mentioned didn’t immediately notify their clubs about this potential champion player in Sofronidis?

[LaurieHolden]

I do like these one-on-one repeat performance drills. 2nd efforts are very much of Fly's DNA.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2v3vxNv ... _copy_link

[LaurieHolden]

Pre-season training: January 31st c/- Jen @ BF

Wednesdays are generally known as 'fight day' and that's what this morning was focused upon.

Fight.
Stoppage.
Contest.
Fight.
Fight.

Fight with your own. (sounds like Nicks Match Day thread - LH...)
Fight with those you are against.
What do you have in you? Let's find out.

It was more of a less a full squad on deck for a session in cool and windy conditions. Only Dan McStay and Josh Daicos were absent from this morning's festivities.

Back from his minor accident on the weekend, Maynard was free to resume full training, and he participated in every drill. Even match sim, so back from his shoulder injury he has been cleared to do it all. Good signs for the upcoming pre-season games which are not too far ahead of us now.

Ash Johnson was back from whatever ailed him the last few sessions.
Jakob Ryan continued to work himself back from his shin issue he had previously been dealing with. He did some running, change in direction and helped out with some drills. He wouldn't be too far away from resuming.
Markov I noticed just did a running session away from the squad. He didn't seem to be worried about anything physically, so maybe just a bit of deloading more than anything that's wrong with him.

-- >

They worked through some rotations, and one of them near me was stoppage work including the likes of Lippa, Carmichael, Bytel, Hustwaite, Allan, even the likes of Beau was included in this specific drill.

The group also separated in 2-3 individual teams where they would work through a handball game, that required running through a 20-30 metre passage from one end to another, you must handball to your teammate without getting caught out by the opposition.

In between drills and before and after match play the talls would have to do 1v1 fight drills against one another. Sometimes it was forwards v defenders, and sometimes it was forwards v forwards and defenders v defenders.

Then there was around 15-20 mins of match play to end the session. The teams were mixed up, I assume they have been doing this all pre-season so to make the teams even on both sides so not to have a one dominant side and one who cant' score.

The teams went as follows:

Black forwards
Teakle, Reef, Kreuger, Schultz, Richards, Beau.
v
White defenders:
Eyre, Frampton, Dean, WHE, Maynard, TJ

Black midfield
Sullivan, Pendles, Nick
Carmichael & Allan on wings
Cox
v
White midfield
Jordy, Fin, Mitchell
Sidey & Hustwaite on wings
Steene

White forwards
Jamie, Johnson, Hill, HH, Bytel, Checkers
v
Black defence
IQ, Noble, Crisp, Sofronidis, Moore, Howe


Sullivan looked really impressive. What he can do an extractor, and then push forward. He's big body physic He's able to push through packs and through contests. I've really started to notice him a lot more post Xmas.
IQ had a minor issue when he got a knock during the handball game, I was initially concerned, but thankfully he was able to come back on and finish off the season; albeit with tape around his shin.
Kreuger did some good things, you start to have hope he can have some sort of impact this season, but then you always worry he'll get injured any moment now.
Noble was active in defence, and around up and around the midfield.
Allan I thought was really good. Minus a couple mistakes, but thought his use of the footy and his run along the wing was really strong.
Harrison is looking good. The way he'll just speed past any opponent and ran into F50 with ease, it's a sight to see sometimes. He's one to look out for.
Eyre was solid and almost took this huge mark over the top of a couple players as it came into D50, but given the ball basically landed in between his hands and forearms, when he came down to ground, it spilled out of his hands. But geez it was exciting to watch at the time.

Live training footage c/- Ultimate Greatness
Click Here To Check Out And Subscribe to his Channel On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srAsgAZ ... eGreatness

[Quincy]

[Rd10.1998_11.1#36]

Hi all, can anyone confirm if open training will go ahead tomorrow Fri 2 Feb @0930?

Thanks

[WhyPhilWhy?]

Good info Annabelle, but geez, wind it back a bit…

[nomadjack]

^^^Thank Christ it wasn't just me...