Stopped in at training for a little while again tonight and there is certainly an air of enthusiasm coming from the playing group. I know enthusiasm alone doesn't win games of football, but team work, team spirit, fitness and being comfortable with your team mates certainly goes along way and it's obvious that those elements are present amongst this group. There is allot of positive talk on the track and in addition to intense fitness work, they are also doing allot of old fashioned basic skill drills which is pleasing to see. I opened up with the comments on enthusiam and team spirit because over the years I've observed many supposedly talented Perth teams play with no team spirit and achieve nothing; what I observed tonight is a supposedly average talented Perth squad full of enthusiam and spirit - perhaps we could be in for a bit of reverse "karma". (My reference to "supposedly average talented Perth squad" is a reflection on the large number of new faces and unknowns at this level).
Just on the squad, Kyle Reimers was on deck and looks a solid and hard at it type, Chris Billings is definitely training, but looks a wee bit above his playing weight. Chance Bateman looks in terrific condition, as does Paul Bevan who was talking to the squad on a few occaisions. Six big blokes trained away from the main group for a little while, and they were big men. It's difficult to tell who so many of the new ones are, but if Daniel Murray is who I think he is he is a man mountain who moves well for his size and seemed to be well skilled. Christian Eyres and Chad Sandilands were in this group and I'm guessing a couple of the others may have been Lyendekers and Harrison Morgan, perhaps Rowlings as well. The squad is definity taller. Also spotted David Johnson out there and he is a good size to fill a key back position. Moody looks in good nick, as does Brennan Stack and Ali Smith.
I could go on, but on the whole I think the group is coming together nicely and the club should be given credit for the work they've done so far in putting this group together. They also seem to be relating very well to the coaching staff. These are just my brief views and I would urge all members and supporters, particularly those who regularly contribute on this site to get down to training and have a look at what's going on, or at the very least get along to the upcoming scratch matches. I've been a supporter of the club all my life and whilst I've no idea how well we'll go this season, I am prepared to say that there is a sense of change permeating the club and it is change for the better. For the time being, and until proven right or wrong on the playing field, the people driving it should be given the benenit of any doubt we all may have, as well as our support. The fact that we've all hung around for this long says we all have one thing in common - a love of the "Red and Black" and a desire to see the club become a force again.
