I’ll make no apologies for the brevity of today’s report. Even at 8:30am the heat at Saleyards had me seriously questioning my sanity as I stood watching the backs work through a skills session. With Joey Grima running the blokes through their drills, it was an opportunity to observe a smaller group of players.
A Typical Wednesday
From my experience, this was the usual pre-season midweek fare. The forwards do their pool session (didn’t they luck out this morning!) and the backs work on specific skills. During November and December, Parramatta employed the services of Brett Kimmorley for about half a dozen of these sessions. I was able to catch one of these in November and it was very impressive. The word filtering out from the football department suggests that they felt similarly. It will be interesting to see whether Noddy will be utilised again during 2017.
Joey’s Work
I enjoy watching Joey’s coaching. He has a long association with the club and much like BA, he’s blue and gold to the core. There’s always something going on with him during the extras each day and his innovative methods are an eye opener. (As an example, I once watched him utilise a table so a player with a lower back problem could practise his handling skills without having to bend over.) Brad Arthur certainly makes astute use of the contributions from Murphy, Gentle and Grima.
Joey Grima – “Blue and Gold, never fold!”
Joey’s animated body language means that you don’t need to be within earshot to get the gist of each drill. This was essential today as most of the action occurred at the far end of the field.
Here’s a quick run down of the drills:
* Hand/eye coordination using tennis balls
* Picking up rolling footballs, with a focus on foot, body and hand positioning
* Short kicks and grubber kicks – delivering and fielding/catching
* Fielding grubbers against an approaching defender
* Fielding rolling footballs on the run
* Forcing bouncing footballs in-goal
* Catching AFL style
* Catch and tap back
The sequence of the drills took the players from static positions to fast paced handling in different directions. The execution of these plays during a match doesn’t happen by chance. Clubs practise these skills. Today was evidence.
Shortly after 9am the session was complete and I welcomed the early finish. No doubt the players did too.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Thanks for report mate. The short, sharp session certainly commonsense in today’s heat.
Cheers mate. Stick a fork in me! I was done by the time they finished.
Another well written and understandable insight to a training session without players names and giveaways re our approach to certain aspects of our preparation ,im sure other clubs read this site , well the smart ones maybe !!
Thanks Bubbles – I like to think that we are a unique NRL supporter site.
Thanks for the very swift report, posted within an hour or two from completion of training. Very impressed!
One thing seems apparent from these reports and that is that the coaching staff seem to be leaving no stone unturned when it comes to training specifics. I’d love to know just how much more advanced training is compared to when Stuart or SK etc were here?
Anyhow, the nines are only 3 weeks away!
To be fair, I see differences in how BA trains the team each year. That’s what it’s about. Being different and being better every year.
Nice work Sixties. Ill keep up today’s while I, away over the next week.
Hope you’re sitting back enjoying a sherbert or lemonade….
Black champagne- Coke Zero!
Enjoy Tasmania mate.
Thanks for the insight guys. I really enjoy the read.
Keep up the great work 👍👍👍
You’re welcome mate. Will do.
Joey Grima is one of my all time favourite Eels people, just an out-and-out Parramatta man. He loves the place. We are so very lucky to have him on our coaching staff.
Good work on avoiding the heat Sixties!
Couldn’t agree more Clint. As for the heat, even that early there was no avoiding it!
I worked with Joey years ago when he was with the dept. of immigration. He is a top bloke who I always had heaps of time for. No surprise he is excelling again with the Eels. He is the sort of bloke you can’t help but listen too – regardless of what he was talking about.
Could t agree more. He is so enthusiastic with everything he does. I’ll mention your comment to Joey next time I speak to him.
Nice. Tell him Scotty Campbell from stage 1 at Villawood says hi. Its been 10 years so not sure if he’ll remember me.
Mate, about 28 years ago I worked there – for a short time in the old CES office. Pretty quiet there back then!