Collingwood Training, Monday January 10th

The premiers are finally  back at training on a day that had Melbourne written all over it. Before they arrived at Gosch's however, they had their time trial (as they had done after every break thus far during the pre-season) at Olympic Park. Here's a few notes I put together.


Time Trial

• About to start the time trial. The group have a warm up lap followed by some light stretches.
• Notable absentees included: Shaw, Swan, Wellingham and Maxwell
• A few Soccer balls rolling around with Victory training on the grass inside the track, no prizes for guessing who starting playing around with one (Didak).
• There's a slight drizzle as the players warm up, and this turns into some decent rain as they are about to start.
• It was a 2km (5 laps)

Good = 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc
Bad = last, second last etc

Lap 1 :  Good / Reid, Thomas, Steele, harry, Johnson.
              Bad / Wood, Jolly, Sinclair

Lap 2: Good / Reid, Tarrant, Thomas, Steele, Harry
            Bad / Wood, Jolly, Sinclair

Lap 3: Good / Thomas, Tarrant, Steel, Harry, Dick
            Bad / Wood, Sinclair, Reed, Shae-Mac

Lap 4: Good / Harry, Thomas, Steele
            Bad / Wood, Sinclair, Shae-Mac
Lap 5: Good / Harry, Steele, Thomas, Pendles, Dick, Tarrant, Beams
            Bad / Wood, Sinclair, Shae-Mac

I was standing outside the fence at the start of the final 100m straight so there may be a few alterations with final placings etc. Harry took front spot at the start of lap four and just worked his ass off for 2 laps and won by  at least 50m. Wood struggled from lap 1 and was last by about 3/4 laps (300m). Someone I was impressed with was Keefe, was around the top 8 at lap four, not sure how he ended up but was doing nicely for his size. Whilst all this happened Cloke and Caff spent the time running in the opposite direction as the main group, ticking the legs over.


Gosch's

The players roll in at Gosch's 20 minutes later.

• The first thing I notice was how much Beams has bulked up. His Shoulders/arms are huge!
• They split into different coloured shirts. Yellow = Backs, Red = Midfield, Blue = Forwards.
• Two notable players with respect to their colour are pendles in blue (forward) and Leon in yellow (Backline)

Leon in the Backline

• Don't be surprised if you see Davis playing in the backline this year. I've seen him on numerous occasions (3-4 times) at training doing drills as a defender, especially drills where it only involved the Defensive group. Hopefully he can fit into this position nicely through the pre-season and he can rejuvenate his career, because really, we all want to see a premiership medal around his neck (a real one!). 

 

• Maxwell has been spotted. Not sure if I missed him at the time trial?
• Macaffer and Didak not in colour.
• Casual kick to kick, the usual.

 

• Throughout the session I've noticed Krak and leon with each other at every opportunity. Obviously formed a great bond.
• Nathan Brown turns up with strapping on his right shoulder
• Didak is having a kick with the trainer. Skills are perfection. 

• As you can see in that video, the main group were doing a weave type handball drill.
• Lappin running the next drill. Short passes. Good call bringing the cones out after 2 mins, it was way too congested. nathan Brown training with the main group and looks fine in this drill. Plenty of talk from all and great skills.

 

• Harry doesn't shut up! (in a good way)
• Tarrant with strapping on his left knee

• A bit more rain starts to come down and the skill level drops.
• That marks the end of that drill.
• Didak leaves at 10:14 (roughly 40 minutes since the start) after a very light session with the trainer.
• The main group split up into their colours, however Dick goes with the reds even though he has a blue jumper.
• One group keeps to one end of the ground and does some keeping off style work, whilst the other 2 groups look at zonal work.
• Firstly it's reds by themselves (separate drill), blues forming the zone and yellow starting with the pill. 
• Johno, Reid and Leon have shots at starting off the drill. Leon is playing very deep, usually the first line of players as the ball comes out. More signs of what may come in season 2011.

 

• Macaffer is running by himself up and down one side of the ground.

• Harry get's hold of one from about 50 out and goes BANG!
• Caff now off kicking with the trainer.
• Still in their colour groups, both drills end and switch around.
• Now it's the forwards working through the midfield's zone.
• Pendles lying deep forward.
• Get's onto one 30 out and sprays it wide on his non-preferred right foot, Beams gives it to him (jokingly of course)
• We're going quite wide with our kicks.
• They switch again and it's the midfield's role to get through the defenders' zone.
• Macaffer leaves at 10:30 with Cloke leaving straight after at 10:34
• Krak finished off a great play from the midfield with a goal. Let's hope that isn't the last time we something like that this year.
• Tarrant with a very nice smother.
• Whole group comes in as Bucks chats to them
• Midfield and Backline doing push-ups, not sure why.
• Kick to kick in smallish groups (2-4). The usual people paired up: Johno + Taz, Dale + steele, Krak + Leon etc.
• Scott Reed leaves early (10:46)
• After 10 minutes of kick to kick I decide to leave and make my way to Punt Road to watch Richmond.