OK, so I wandered down to look at some training before the Xmas break. The boys were right into it, with good intensity; I later read that they were doing match simulation. Some observations:
- G. Logue looks polished. Immediately knew where to turn to and kick before he received the ball. Also a good user - hit targets; if he keeps his hairdo, there’s no way a Freo supporter will miss seeing him on the field.
- B. Hill is a jet; lots of pace, and also knows where to run, to receive the ball and where to pass it off (S. Hill was running laps).
- Cam Mac looks bigger in real life than in pictures or video. Moved really well.
- Coach Lyon was embedded in the training, but spent lots of time with small gatherings of players to emphasise points while the rest of the players continued with the match simulation.
-maybe it was just when I was there, but there seemed to be a lot of time spent on movements getting the ball out of defence and moving the ball into the forward line.
Now, the bad bits (for me):
-worrying to see that some players routinely dropped incoming kicks, even though clearly, the amount of pressure put on them was minimal (the emphasis seemed to be on ball movement). I know it’s practice, but surely you can mark balls without much pressure? A couple in our forward line seemed to have trouble doing this.
-again, albeit being practice, many kicks for goal were off-target during the match simulation. Practice session, I know, but there was no pressure, and I would have expected more certain goals that I saw.
<Caveat: small sample size, one training session only, 2nd last one before Christmas>
