Q. At this stage, what players have impressed you after the three week break?
A. I would have to say Ted Richards has really been training well. He is giving it his best shot and a couple of times I saw him at the club over the break doing weights by himself. Dean Rioli is looking fantastic. He is transformed in a lot of ways - his body fats and body weight is lower than it has been since he joined the club. A lot of guys have put on a lot of weight - Joel Reynolds and Jordan Bannister. Dean Solomon is just about moving into game time. It is nearly 12 months since he has done his injury and he looks really good.
Q. Is Solomon a chance to play in the preseason matches?
A. We will introduce him slowly - that is what we will do. He will play a quarter, then three-quarters and then a full game. It doesn't necessarily mean we will play him against the Kangaroos at Manuka on February 22nd.
Q. How has Ramanauskas been going?
A. Ramanauskas hasn't missed one training session. Even though he finished third in the best and fairest, his training has been exemplary. He should really have a good season and be an attacking player for us.
Q.Scott Lucas finished the 2002 season in great form, how has his performance been on the training track over the pre season?
A. Scott Lucas is one of those players you don't notice a lot on the training track because he always has his head down and is working hard. He never misses a training session and he just grinds away. If he can continue the form he showed in the last six games it will be a fantastic bonus for the team.
Q. Now that preseason is half-way through, do you start talking positions with the players?
A. Every coach has got a different idea for position for players and we have to get the balance right for the team. What will happen is out of the preseason is players will actually put themselves in positions - if we look at a player's fitness results and he has gone from say 12 minutes to 10.30 minutes in the Princes Park run, then all of a sudden we will start considering them for a mid-field role. Players will actually tell you through their results from the preseason where you can play them.
Q. With the departure of players, there is a number of positions up for grabs....
A. There are a lot of positions up for grabs. We have lost 40% of our list over the last three years. So positions are always up for grabs and it is a matter of what player puts his hand up and takes the opportunity.
Q. How is Damian Cupido coping with the pre-season?
A. This is probably the first pre season where Cupido hasn't carried some sort of injury. He wants to prove himself at this club, that is one thing I have gauged from him. He is probably one of the most exciting prospects on our list.
