The Cumberland Throw

Eels Pre-Season Training – December 20, 2023: Stop It Browny, Stop It!

sixties NRL 29 Comments

 

The Eels final field session for 2023 has been completed, and my insanity has been confirmed.

Imagine choosing to stand in the wind and rain to watch a training run! At least I wasn’t on my own.

Yes, the conditions were ordinary, and perhaps that’s why there was no full contact opposed work during the morning. The fields at Kellyville are well-drained, but there was no escaping the slippery surface.

A bit wet!

The enthusiasm levels were high (a two week break starts on Friday) and the pace of the session was quite fast. As far as the structure was concerned, it matched the previous Wednesday.

Once again, the squad was split into Blue and Green teams, and the players rotated quite rapidly between drills. As per last Wednesday, no more than five to ten minutes was spent at a station.

Those stations were as follows:

 

* Four On Three and Seven On Six Touch Football (Red Zone)

This was all out attacking football, with the team in possession having a one player advantage. Though limited to around half a field width, the play was expansive and unstructured utilising a range of passes. There was a high responsibility on the players to present themselves in support.

* Seven on Six Touch Football

Also focussed on unstructured attack in the red zone, the playing area was extended to the full width of the field. A common feature between this and the half width game was players diving for the try.

* Full field, Full Team, Three Tackle Kick Chase

This is an exhausting game as there is a downfield kick every 20-30 seconds. This means that the kicking team have to chase the ball, and the fielding team have to get back behind the ball as quickly as possible and then chase their own kick after just two play the balls.

* Tackle Technique and Malcolms

The tackling involved single and double player tackles, on tackle bags and in the wrestle. It would be a different focus every time they rotated to this station. The same with the Malcolms, which would be over a different distances.

* Six Tackle Footy With Bump Pads

This was as close as it got to players being knocked over during the morning. With the big collision was taken out of this session, players hit the ground after being bumped, then quickly rose to play the ball. The speed of the play gave the attacking team an advantage.

Bump

* Two Hand Touch With Reduced Defence

In this game, the defender and his closest team mate have to stay on the ground, removing two players from the defence line at every play the ball. This creates massive space for the attack and necessitates huge scramble from the defence.

* Full Field Two Hand Touch

Very straight forward, but also very competitive.

 

Noted Highlights

* “Stop It Brownie, Stop It!”

Anyone who’s watched training games with Murf in charge would know how vocal and animated the Eels assistant coach can be. He brings the up-tempo hype, providing commentary, praising players, and making the calls.

In the seven on six, the stage was set for Dylbags to use the open spaces. That he did, and after a number of big moments from the Kiwi half, Murf let him know how good he was going.

As an aside, Dylan looks primed for a huge season. I wish that Gutho was there during the conditioning work as a comparison point because I reckon Brown would push him to his limits this preseason.

* Tuilagi On Show

I’ve sung the new recruit’s praises a number of times, but he keeps demonstrating a skill set that will add an extra dimension to the team. His passing game was allowed to shine during today’s unstructured play.

* Getting Across That Line

Two of the best dives for tries came from Shaun Lane and Sean Russell. We’ve all seen Russell execute the dive into the corner and in the wet conditions he used the sideline and corner post to perfection to register a try. Likewise, the tallest rugby player in the world slid along the slippery surface a couple of times to get over the line untouched.

 

Final Word


That concludes the pre-Christmas section of the preseason. The Eels squad will be back on the training track on January 8. In the meantime, stand by for tomorrow’s post which will cover my selection tips for Round 1.

I’d like to thank all of you for taking the time to read my training reports, and especially those who reply to the posts. We now have thousands of reads for every report which demonstrates the appetite Eels supporters have to learn what is happening during the preseason.

It’s a wrap!

On behalf of The Cumberland Throw I’d like to wish you and your families a joyous and healthy Christmas and New Year. And remember, there will still be posts on TCT over the holiday period. So if you’re kicking back after a big feed or a few drinks, and you need your Parra fix, you know where to head.

Eels forever!

Sixties

       

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29 thoughts on “Eels Pre-Season Training – December 20, 2023: Stop It Browny, Stop It!”

  1. Milo

    Sounds like a v good session and one that we hope can be replicated on the field with the conditions etc.
    I only hope Brown can play consistent quality footy over the season as I’m sure the majority on here would like to see.
    Tuilagi continues to impress- good. We need him.

    Reply
  2. colin hussey

    While I have been missing in action for a while, I have not missed a lot overall. I have to say as a result and ending of this year, that the team has pretty much lifted in each area of their plays, to sixties and the players thanks for the feedback at training and would love to get down there one day to watch the plays/players in the sessions appointed to them.

    While there has been some departures in players, from the sheets I have seen, it would certainly seem that the recruited players have added to the overall skills of the team.

    Well done all involved in the team which is players, coaches and assistants.

    I look forward to next season.

    Reply
  4. Darryl

    The excellent standard of reporting from The Cumberland Throw continues.

    Thanks to everyone involved with the CT.

    BTY, as a school kid in the 60s I went to a skills session organised by a Sydney afternoon paper held by Parra players on Cumberland Oval.

    Like most kids I had hoped to be in a group under Ken Thornett

    I was put into Ivor Lingards.

    In one exercise, we had to tackle another kid running at us.

    I did a Cumberland Throw on the poor kid who ran at me.

    Ivor had a smile on his face as he told the group that no one else should do one and only he was allowed to do it.

    Great memory of a great player.

    Reply
  7. Tanky

    Thanks 60s for your committed updates merry Christmas to you and the Cumberland throw team look forward to 2024

    Reply
  8. Leigh

    Thank you Sixties for all your reports; I find it hard to wait for the next instalment. Merry Christmas to you and all the Cumberland Throw team. Speaking of “team” I am looking forward to your team list prediction post.
    May 2024 be our year.

    Reply
  9. Greg Okladnikov

    Wishing everyone at The Cumberland Throw – the writers, and the readers – a great Xmas, and a blue and gold filled New Year. Looking forward to 2024!!!!

    Reply
    1. sixties Post author

      Greg, Merry Christmas to you and your family and also to the Starr Partners family. Your continued support allows us to do what we do. Go the mighty Eels!

      Reply
  10. Trouser Eel

    Thanks for another great report Sixties. A well earned break for everyon except for the Cumberland Throw crew it seems. Looking forward to your report.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family.

    Reply
    1. sixties Post author

      Merry Christmas mate, to you and your amazing family. Thank you for your support and incredible friendship. PS – I took some liberties with the nature of your procedure in my shout out to you at the start of the podcast.

      Reply
  11. Namrebo

    Thanks for the ongoing updates Sixties. Very much appreciated by me. As I’ve previously stated, living in QLD means I don’t get to see a lot of the younger players coming through. Your updates allow me to a least know a bit about them when they make it to senior grades the first time.

    Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, although I expect it may be a little bittersweet this time around. Just keep remembering all the good times.

    Sincerely,

    Namrebo

    Reply
  12. Tanky

    Wishing you 60s the tct team and all Parramatta die hards a happy and healthy new year looking forward to parra getting there defense in order and bouncing back to premiere contention

    Reply

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