Five observations from Adelaide’s 2km time trial as pre-season training continues
Who are Adelaide’s quickest Crows? We found out at the 2km time trial this morning. Read our key observations from the session including the top-five and what it means for the Crows early in pre-season.
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The players might have been back for a week already but pre-season is never officially on until you’ve run a 2km time trial, right?
Adelaide’s players - and some coaches including Paul Thomas - hit the track at the uni loop in North Adelaide on Saturday morning for a 2km TT and skills session.
Players were split into two equal sized groups and separated by about a minute.
HERE’S OUR FIVE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE HIT-OUT:
1. The Crows have picks 6, 22, 23 and 37 in next week’s national draft but if you’re an Adelaide fan then start getting excited by the youth at the club right now.
Chayce Jones (Pick 9) and Ned McHenry (Pick 16) were both taken in the first round last year and 12 months on went 1-2 in Adelaide’s 2km TT this morning.
Both ran in the front group, McHenry and David Mackay were on the front after 1km, McHenry kicked in the home straight but Jones responded and won by a couple of seconds.
“It was a good run by all the boys,” Jones said afterwards.
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“Definitely coming into it I wanted to be around the mark so it was good to run a good time.
“A few of the boys did a practice run a few weeks ago and went a bit over time at the 1km mark so it was just trying to make sure I was around the pace, didn’t matter where I was in the pack.”
2. The top six when times from both groups were calculated was Jones, McHenry, Jake Kelly - who vented his frustration at being pipped on the line - Reilly O’Brien, Brodie Smith and Wayne Milera. I wonder how many of those will be playing midfield next year? All bar Kelly probably but he can push onto a wing so it’s good signs that Adelaide may get some much needed run and leg speed into the middle of the ground.
3. Darcy Fogarty was in the second group and impressed. The big fella who fans have high hopes will make a key forward spot his own this season was top five in the second group, finishing just ahead of small forwards like Lachlan Murphy and Tyson Stengle. For the record, Matt Crouch led the second group home.
4. The list is largely healthy and in good shape. It’s normally taken for granted at the beginning of pre-season but the Crows know how much it hurts to have players behind the eight-ball and playing catch-up at the start of summer. Only a few didn’t run the time trial including Kyle Hartigan and Taylor Walker as fitness staff manage their training loads but they were vocal supporters from the sidelines.
“The better you are at this time of year sets you up for later in the year so I tried to do the best I could (in my break) and I know that’s the same for all the boys coming back,” Jones said.
“Everyone’s come back fit and healthy, we’ve got 45 on the track or however many is here so it’s good to have that group at the start and moving forward all together.”
5. I can see why Matthew Nicks rates McHenry so highly. His football talent is obvious given he went so high in the draft but seeing him up close he is every bit the leader even just in his second pre-season.
All players got around each other after the run but McHenry was particularly vocal and supportive with teammates including Lachlan Sholl who put in a big effort.
“We’ve ran a couple of times together so it’s probably about even, it’s always good competition and makes you better out of it all.,” his teammate Jones said.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
