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Hammering away
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Joel Hamling loves preseason training.
It’s not something you hear often, most players can’t wait to get the summer slog behind them, but Hamling relishes the opportunity to learn and work on his game day in and day out.
It might go a way to explaining why the 22-year-old West Australian won the Chris Grant Award for best first year player after crossing from Geelong as a free agent at the end of the 2014 season.
“For me preseason is massive, as it is for every player, but I probably get a bit more out of it,” he told westernbulldogs.com.au
“It means I can work on things I need to improve on, obviously getting fitter and my all round game, and there’s not as much pressure.
“You can go for the harder kicks in match sim (for example), and that staff sort of pays off when you go into games, you’re fully prepared.
“So for me I like the long hot summer days - the big preseason days.”
Hamling was a revelation down back in his 11 games in 2015, forming a strong partnership with fellow backmen, Fletcher Roberts. But with talented youngsters like Zaine Cordy, Marcus Adams and Kieran Collins staking their own claims for a spot in the 22, Hamling knows he can’t afford to rest on last season’s achievements.
“It’s obviously healthy to have that competition within the Club and for us to get better as a team, we need that, he said.
“Kieran’s (Collins) got a big frame, 98kgs, plays down back as well, and is obviously looking to play in my spot, so the pressure is on me to perform well week in and week out.”
Hamling said that he expected the coaches to continue to turn the screws on the group over the next three weeks in preparation for the season proper, something he is looking forward to.
“I’m just focused on building an all-round better game and becoming an all-round better athlete.
“I want to be fitter, stronger and faster. All of the things that are required to be an AFL player.”
It’s clear that anyone gunning for Hamling’s spot in the 22 is going to have a fight on their hands.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Hammering away
Loved his "spoil of the century" against Carton last year. What a classic.
Officially on the Bus-wagon
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Re: Hammering away
Originally Posted by
F'scary
Loved his "spoil of the century" against Carton last year. What a classic.
Remind us? I forget, or missed it.
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus
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Re: Hammering away
MC Hammer! I hope he can improve on last year as well. He has a bit of a Dustin Fletcher about him with how he gets a spoil in at the last moment.
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Re: Hammering away
Another preseason has done a world of good - looks noticeably bigger.
But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.
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Re: Hammering away
Originally Posted by
Ghost Dog
Remind us? I forget, or missed it.
It made the top 10 most humorous moments 2015 on the AFL website. It's the one where the Hammer beats two Carlton forwards, firstly somehow coming out of nowhere to get his elbow in to spoil an easy chest mark that the Carlton player thought he had already taken (think it was Casboult) and then harassing the same Carlton player when he picked the spilled mark, forcing an ill executed handball to the other Carlton player (who had failed to shepherd Hammer out in the original marking contest) who is then tackled by the Hammer and pinged for dropping the ball.
Officially on the Bus-wagon
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Re: Hammering away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4zs-U5c6FI
Originally Posted by
Ghost Dog
Remind us? I forget, or missed it.
See 2.00-2.15 of above. Gold.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 2 Likes
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Re: Hammering away
Originally Posted by
PeanutsPeanuts
Thanks for that - got to see Redpath absolutely smash Marc Murphy again
Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 2 Likes