It was a terrific turnout at “Schmitty Day” on Wednesday evening at Xavier College - the Willows first pre-season training session for 2010/11.

On a wet and blustery July night, new coach Peter “Box 1” Marshall took the boys through their paces indoors.

With the exception of the afore mentioned coach… it was a “youthfull” Willows squad who bounced around the nets with a new sense of optimism for the coming season.

“The Wizard” has picked up a hard of pace, while young guns Kyle Goggarty and Antonia Sarria managed to swing the new pink pills at right angles. The likes of Coxy, Richo, and “dad to be” Tim Murphy all looked good with the bat first up too.

Some things never change… Hilly patrolled the clipboard, Chaz called the shots with the batting, Swifty talked rubbish, and we all discovered that Goodies has been in a good paddock!

Kenny showed us that familiar, and “stylish” leave outside off stump, and while the laws of physics would suggest that it is impossible to do so, the new threes skipper seems to have lost a yard of pace with the ball over the off season…

“I’m just warming up” said Kenny, “I don’t want to do a Schmitty at the first training session”.

Andy Fraser, a “notable absentee” from training, discovered that you can’t escape the clutches of new Coach Marshall.

Frase was “sprung bad” when the boys landed for a few “hydrating” ales and a bet on the greyhounds back at the Elgin Inn after training…

Sitting there quietly devouring his 2nd Chicken Parmigana, Frase got the fright of his life when 25 Willows walked through the door.

“I had footy training!!!” claimed Frase.

Strangely though, a football jumper and boots were nowhere to be seen???

See you at training at 8:15 for an 8:30pm start next Wednesday evening at Xavier.