What would you do if it was the back half of the preseason, your squad was very fit, and you wanted to keep them physically and mentally fresh?
I reckon the solution was a session henceforth referred to as “Friday Footy Palooza”.
There was barely time for a rest in a non-stop morning where the change-ups would have satiated even the most attention challenged footballer. The weather was gloomy but the action was not.
The memo about preseason training not being fun was obviously misplaced at the start of the session as the red and blue teams competed in grid 4 on 2 that had the banter and laughs echoing down Memorial Drive. Game time like this just doesn’t feel like hard work.
Reality check? It looked like sets of 400 metre runs was in store as the players then lined up at the starting line, but after only a couple of hundred metres the whistle blew and it was time for some 13 on 13 opposed.
Fergo’s crane kick stance needs work
“Gutho you mad….” the excited celebration from Fergo greeted the King as he chased and dived onto a Dylbags grubber kick for the Blue’s first try of the day. A perfectly executed kick and a totally professional finish. Fergo’s energy levels are vintage 2019 during this preseason.
How will the Reds respond?
No time for that question to be answered as the whistle sounds and they’re into simultaneous games of “pole touch footy” – making the touch means exiting the field and running around a pole before rejoining the game. This game keeps the defence at a disadvantage and keeps those fatigue levels rising.
Another whistle soon enough launches the squad into sets of something akin to paired commando rolls. There might have been one call from BA about someone going close to taking a shortcut, but it only takes a word from the boss to see everyone lift.
The next whistle brought about ruck defence drills. For extra authenticity the NRL refs officiated the action here as the defenders worked on their contact and movement off the tackle and back into the defence line. Come on fellas, no penalties!
Another whistle.
It’s looking like a full 400 metres this time as Solomone Naiduki strides well ahead of his group, moving past 300 metres and… there’s that whistle again. Are these mystery runs? Is it a random distance today that the players aren’t aware of?
The pattern continues – opposed 13 on 13, pole touch footy, running, opposed… what the!!!
Whatcha thinking ‘bout Sivo?
Maika Sivo hits Sean Russell Pasifika style – crunching him on a jamming defensive play. And the young bloke is up on his feet. If that was me I’d be phoning in my next session from Westmead Hospital.
It’s back into the pole touch footy and the spaces are opening up as multiple defenders are heading for laps around the poles. There are a few grimaces as the players sprint to these markers so they can rejoin the game as quickly as possible.
More opposed now and it’s a case of revenge being best served ASAP as Sean Russell and a couple of mates return serve on Sivo. He had to feel that one but he’s also straight to his feet.
This passage of 13 on 13 is extending beyond the usual quick changeovers from earlier today and the collisions are seriously match day level. This is getting interesting!
Haze Dunster has a couple of great moments as he fields an awkward bomb on the fly then charges into the defence at top speed. He follows this up shortly afterwards, cutting back infield in the red zone only to be stopped five metres out.
The game heats up as the Red team shift the ball to the right and the grubber kick looks to have found open space near the line, but Penisini quickly defuses it. Nice play.
It’s all Reds now as they apply serious pressure on the defence. And Moses delivers! A brilliant cut out pass opens sideline space for Matthew Komolafe to cross in the corner.
There’s that whistle again!
Just enough time for defence line drills, with some up and down off the ground and some Gutho and Moses banter.
Great sesh!
Enjoy your weekend.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Photos courtesy Eels media – cheers Louis
Hi sixties
just wondering if there has been any focus on out wide defence structures
Yes. But there was also a focus last year. In my mind, it was the individuals who either didn’t adhere to the structures or didn’t communicate as a combination. The reality was that Haze was the only option to make change and he was an unknown (due to COVID). We now know that he and Blake did an admirable job against Souths out wide, even with Souths throwing plenty at that side of the field in the final. Why? They followed the structure. I’m not going into any details about what’s being done for this year because the policy I have about my reports is to provide updates to supporters without providing updates for opposition – if you get my drift.
Good report sixties, & I agree totally in your non disclosure areas in these reports. I think as supporters we need enough info on the training and some areas of it without providing oppositions with details that are not in our best interests as a team and for players themselves.
I am liking the area of the young players where you make mention of their enthusiasm, no doubt to me that they are benefitting by being with the main NRL squad in the training.
I see news out of the NRL that we could be seeing 3 team matches again this year, gee I hope that works & would be ideal for those matches to be fully televised as well.
I thought that you may like the 3 grades Colin
👍 👍 👍
Clubs may need some dispensation for costs. I love watching lower grades, but opening and staffing stadiums extra early is costly. It’s good news if it happens, and if it does I hope punters support it.
Thanks 60s. I really hope that Blake and waqa just had a bit of a misunderstanding based on a couple of things last year. Firstly it seemed Ferguson wasn’t quite himself whether it be the fact that he wasn’t scoring tries -taking away his natural instincts. Or his knee injury. Or having a new centre partner inside him. I really hope one player that takes a leap forward towards his full potential is waqa. He doesn’t seem a natural footy player but he certainly has athletic strengths he should be able to utilise.
Cheers Luke. I’m watching how this unfolds very closely.
Another training report well worth the wait, thanks again Sixties
Thanks Dazboy
Hi Sixties, keeping players fresh should be a key focus as it could have been the reason the results faded in the back quarter of the regular season.
I think for that reason ba has focused on some very good depth signings in key positions to rotate players as the season wears on.
I’ve heard that some teams take some load off in the pre season for this very reason.
Do you think that may happen this pre season or does it seem similar to 2020.
Also we need to take covid into account where there were no byes or origin breaks in 2020, meaning monitoring player loads would be as important as ever.
Sounds intense.
It was mate.
thanks for the report sixties. getting tired just reading about the drills.
It was a great mix in this session.
Hi Sixties – love your reports. From my perspective the Top 13 basically pick themselves with the exception of the left centre position vacated by Michael Jennings. Who do you think is the front-runner for this spot? I would imagine the contenders being Opacic, Oldfield, Dunster. Who looks like getting the nod?
The other positions up for grabs are the bench spots. With Marata suspended for Round 1, who would you have on the bench?
I’m thinking Kafusi, Papail’i, Cartwright and Smith.
Will Penisini should have a crack at the vacant centre spot.
He’s a talent Sneaky but won’t be In the mix in the early rounds as far as I’m concerned.
Hi mate. Opacic has the spot at the moment as far as I’m concerned. I can’t disagree with your round 1 bench – though if he’s elevated, Roache is very much in the mix.
Given our depth I would be disappointed if Will smith gets a guernsey over Lussick and Roche.
Will Smith has no X factor for our side if we are going to be what we want them to be…..then we have to be different to what we have been. If Nickore was available for the first game I would have him ahead of Lane and leave Lane as an opportunity……most of his success came from off the bench when he was at Manly. Another alternative in that first game could be Cartwright instead of Lane…..that would give us an immediate assessment of what he has to offer.
Finally the centre position although a quandry is not necessarily a weakness, Opacic, Oldfield and Dunster are solid options and personally I would have like to seen Fergs in the mix, but if he is doing no preseason in the centres, it won’t happen. Can you confirm he hasn’t been in the centres in the opposed games Craig.
I dont agree about will smith not having x factor, he has scored some good trys from the bench and is deceptively strong for his size, I would even consider him for a shot at centre if others don’t step up
Smith has enjoyed a very good preseason, mostly in the halves. He would be the next halves pick if injury strikes. I don’t think we could fault his play at the end of last season.
Poppa, Fergo has been on the wing, and I think you’ll enjoy today’s report. Opacic has had a very solid preseason as is my tip to get the centre gig. Lane could be a middle option off the bench should we decide to play Cartwright or Hipgrave in the back row.
Mark if they play carty then that might nullify a need for another utility and so smith makes way for another big bopper
I’m still picking Roache as the 14 – though that will probably require an upgrade or dispensation.
Great to read these reports. Cannot wait for the season to start.
Like many I wonder about the depth in the outside backs and who will play centre. However I genuinely have faith in our coaches and also footy staff. They know what they are doing.
It has been so pleasingly quiet on the recruitment front and my guess is one- two of our young outside backs may get promoted and a chance this year. Who knows we might genuinely start to be the development club we should have always been. I think the next 1-2 years will show how wise we were to be patient, not waste top 30 spots on fillers and get our junior pathways system right.
Thanks Shelley. I think that patience and being selective is essential in pathways. The current crop of young players in the NRL preseason have been in the pathways system for at least 5 years. You could possibly add around 2 years by the time they debut. That can be the minimal level of time investment that a development club has to put in to get a young local player to that point. Currently, I’m watching these blokes thrive in this preseason – it’s been great for their development.
Sounds like a good session Sixties and smart of them to change the session up and make them think via changes.
How often is John’s attending training?
As long as our forwards / spine stay relatively healthy we should be ok this year. Depth via youngsters will be beneficial in the end i feel.
Cheers Milo. He generally gets involved twice a week. I have been very busy lately and haven’t had the time to watch his sessions. I had been very pleased with what he’s been doing with the spine in the sessions I have seen.