Pre Season 2009 vs Pre Season 2010

[Mofra]

Obviously, we want to take the next step this year and it's not something that will "just happen" - we need to find improvement, and that improvement needs to be greater than 15 other teams.

How do people rate our pre season thus far compared to last year?

A very brief list of Pros:
- Roughead emerges as possibly a better back-up ruck option than Skipper
- Murphy & Cooney have had uninterrupted runs at it
- One of our new recruits (Barry something) seems to have settled in well
- Moles looks to have added depth to our midfield department
- Everitt seems to be working harder
- Hill looks bigger & used his body last NAB cup game
- Hahn looks leaner and more mobile, played back to fill the swingman role
- Williams' injury seems slight; therefore it's the best pre-season he's had

Some cons:
- Minson's interrupted pre season
- Johnson also had an interrupted pre-season
- Tiller & Reid surgery means they are behind the 8 ball
- Wood only just coming back into it as well
- Missing Williams for a NAB cup game - just a pre caution but wont stop fans worrying given his history

[Mantis]

From your list you could comfortably state that we are in a much better position coming into the 2010 compared to 2009 in terms of player readiness. To think that we had 13 or 14 players have off-season surgery and only have a handful still unavailable is a credit to the conditioning staff.

I think I heard correctly that in the first TT after the xmas break that 12 or 13 players produced PB's which all goes well for our fitness levels as well.

To your list you could probably state that Roughead is probably a bit leaner at present due to off-season shoulder surgery which would have kept him out of the weights room, but conversely he has probably done a bit more running which was probably needed.

Wood could probably be wiped off the 'cons' list as he only missed a weeks training.

[EasternWest]

Obviously, we want to take the next step this year and it's not something that will "just happen" - we need to find improvement, and that improvement needs to be greater than 15 other teams.

How do people rate our pre season thus far compared to last year?

A very brief list of Pros:
- Roughead emerges as possibly a better back-up ruck option than Skipper
- Murphy & Cooney have had uninterrupted runs at it
- One of our new recruits (Barry something) seems to have settled in well
- Moles looks to have added depth to our midfield department
- Everitt seems to be working harder
- Hill looks bigger & used his body last NAB cup game
- Hahn looks leaner and more mobile, played back to fill the swingman role
- Williams' injury seems slight; therefore it's the best pre-season he's had
Some cons:
- Minson's interrupted pre season
- Johnson also had an interrupted pre-season
- Tiller & Reid surgery means they are behind the 8 ball
- Wood only just coming back into it as well
- Missing Williams for a NAB cup game - just a pre caution but wont stop fans worrying given his history

Ha ha ha ha.

Poor Tom. I hope (again) this is his year.

[Go_Dogs]

We certainly seem a lot more advanced in our preparation, which should bode well for getting early wins to help secure the crucial Top 4 spot.

The NAB Cup form guide is a good guide. This year we've been playing stronger sides (due to players being available) and have managed to notch a few wins - unlike the previous year where we lost in the first round against the Bombers (albeit by 1 point IIRC?).

Johnson has come out and stated that he'll be right for Rd 1, and with Minson back this week, we basically have a full list of first choice players to choose from, only 2 guys who are in that 20-25 or so bracket of hopefuls are under done. (Reid and Tiller)

So yes, certainly more advanced than previous years. It is a marathon though, and there is long, long season in front of us. Hopefully we can keep the fitness up, and the players bodies together until the last weekend in September. That is now the challenge.

[Mofra]

I think I heard correctly that in the first TT after the xmas break that 12 or 13 players produced PB's which all goes well for our fitness levels as well.
...

Wood could probably be wiped off the 'cons' list as he only missed a weeks training.
The PBs is a good sign - although that really depends on who achieved them in a way.

I have overstated Wood's set-back, in the mix NAB 3 which is a good isgn.

[Mofra]

So yes, certainly more advanced than previous years. It is a marathon though, and there is long, long season in front of us. Hopefully we can keep the fitness up, and the players bodies together until the last weekend in September. That is now the challenge.
Aker said in an article today that he'd be surprised if clubs had "done what we'd done" and sounded pretty confidant we can overrun other sides. He's not a man short on confidence but it is heartening to hear it publically.

[ledge]

We were over running sides last year and with Daveron now having a record from last year things can only get better.
We seem to be ahead of a lot of clubs in a lot of things nowadays, Daveron, Fantasia, Eade, Smorgon and Rose are forward thinkers, its exactly what you need.
An extroadinary group to have at the head of one club, we are blessed looking at where we were.

[Cyberdoggie]

From your list you could comfortably state that we are in a much better position coming into the 2010 compared to 2009 in terms of player readiness. To think that we had 13 or 14 players have off-season surgery and only have a handful still unavailable is a credit to the conditioning staff.

I think I heard correctly that in the first TT after the xmas break that 12 or 13 players produced PB's which all goes well for our fitness levels as well.

To your list you could probably state that Roughead is probably a bit leaner at present due to off-season shoulder surgery which would have kept him out of the weights room, but conversely he has probably done a bit more running which was probably needed.

Wood could probably be wiped off the 'cons' list as he only missed a weeks training.

I think our fitness department and the way we manage injuries have been the biggest improvement at the club in recent years. Going back to our last coach's era it was disgraceful, and i think we really lead the pack now.

[Cyberdoggie]

A few more pro's:

Gia, Griffen and Hill all appear to be chasing and tackling much more than last year.
Griffen regularly and Hill on occasions were seen to be very much 1 way players that lacked any defensive efforts last year. Perhaps with Barry down there i think Hill would be too scared to put in a soft effort.

Some kid called Liam Jones seems to be also impressing many.

[Go_Dogs]

Aker said in an article today that he'd be surprised if clubs had "done what we'd done" and sounded pretty confidant we can overrun other sides. He's not a man short on confidence but it is heartening to hear it publically.

He knows his stuff regarding fitness, so that is good news.

New training regimes though, a lot of unprovens and unknowns. I have confidence our guys have got it right (as they did last year) but it's still a wait and see for mine. The Crows often started brilliantly under Craig and fell to pieces towards the end of the season, and Craig and Walsh have to be some of the most highly regarded people around imo.

[comrade]

Aker said in an article today that he'd be surprised if clubs had "done what we'd done" and sounded pretty confidant we can overrun other sides. He's not a man short on confidence but it is heartening to hear it publically.

It was good to see some extended training footage accompanying Aker's comments on FSN tonight.

Speaking of being fit and strong, Mulligan got some air time and looked pretty composed on the track, squirting out a handball whilst copping a tackle from Crossy and then hitting up a target on the run.

The footage just emphasised how much has changed in 2-3 years. The playing group are (on a whole) fit and physically mature, a world away from the team that got brushed aside regularly by the top teams.

[AndrewP6]

Aker said in an article today that he'd be surprised if clubs had "done what we'd done" and sounded pretty confidant we can overrun other sides. He's not a man short on confidence but it is heartening to hear it publically.

I saw that, and immediately thought "There he goes, pumping us up again"... Aker is a consummate professional in his preparation, but really, does he have an idea what other clubs are doing? Every team talks of their pre-season successes at this stage of proceedings.

Love his work though... :)

[Swoop]

I think our fitness department and the way we manage injuries have been the biggest improvement at the club in recent years. Going back to our last coach's era it was disgraceful, and i think we really lead the pack now.
Not meaning to derail this topic but just touching on what you have mentioned, I believe Nathan Foley at Richmond will have a delayed start to the season mainly due to poor management of his injury last season. My understanding is that the kid bleeds yellow and black and was asked to play through his injury with a certain someone's job on the line when perhaps he shouldn't have. I thought this was interesting nonetheless considering who the culprit was and found it no surprise that he put himself ahead of others.