Training Preseason Training Thread - 2026

[Keys]

The below is the OG faux training report from nearly 9 years ago - often imitated but never surpassed

In the absence of Keys I went down for a trundle this morning to check them out on return. Just a few random notes I took down...

• A lot of running work again, clearly a focus even in the heat.
• Duggan looked on and was hitting targets left and right. Set for a huge 2017.
• Giles went up against Vardy in the ruck contests and I'd say that Giles has the inside running at the moment.
• Mitchell looked a class above the other midfielders bar Priddis. Just knew how to find the footy and wouldn't miss a target all session. Shuey was very quiet and seemed to be taking direction from Mitchell. Doesn't bode well for his captaincy credentials, maybe he doesn't want the gig?
• Won't say too much about it in case I was just reading too much into it, but Rioli looked as though he'd enjoyed the Christmas break a bit too much. A few of the coaches pulled him aside and they were having quite an animated conversation before Rioli was sent to do laps for the rest of the session. Good news for Le Cras, I suppose.
• Sheed kicked on his right foot for 80% of the session, I reckon. Nice to see players working on their non-preferred so readily.
• Petrie looked like he was doing a great job 'coaching' the younger forwards in between the drills. Darling in particular seemed to be following him around.
• Gee Venables has some skills. He mainly jogged laps before spending the last half hour or so on set shots - curled a few beauties from behind the boundary line at the end for a bit of fun. Hardly saw him miss a kick.
• What interested me the most was that McGovern split his time between the defenders and the forwards, could be seeing a swingman role in 2017. He was his usual dominant self down back in some match simulation drills before going head-to-head with Mackenzie in a forward role.
• Bayok is very fast - Cripps was in most of the drills with him and couldn't keep up.
• Nelson is pale as buggery and still doesn't really have the body shape you'd expect of an AFL player.
• There was a big bloke who pulled up next to me and I could have sworn it was Suma, but I'm sure I was wrong...
• Masto was the player picked to kick the goal at the end today and nailed it. Celebrations were huge.
• No sign of Cole, Parto or Hill. Couldn't tell you why.

Will upload pics later if I have time. Let me know if you have any questions!

You might wonder why I’ve put this up and stickied it

Because this is the standard all copies should be measured against and it’s a reminder of how high the bar was set

And to hopefully discourage sequels.

If you want to have a crack in my absence, go ahead but if it doesn’t equal the standard set (as judged by me), then expect

• A one week threadban for a first offence
• A two week threadban for a second offence
• A one year threadban for a third offence

Actual training reports, minus discussion, can become found here:

Training - Preseason Training Reports -2025/26

This thread has been setup for training reports only and won’t be open for replies Informative reports from the preseason thread will be copied into this thread so posters have access to the quality work from the likes of LittleFires without wading through pages of general posts

www.bigfooty.com

 

[eaglevision]

Is Harry Schoenberg going to be our new Chad Rintoul?

Damien Adkins

 

[KERRPOW]

This is why I'm glad Duursma wants to get around Baker cos he'll show him how to work and prepare. Whoever was 'mentoring' Harley in his first two years should be ashamed. Harley himself said in that random Revo fitness presser that he didn't fully understand how hard you needed to work/train and be fit at the level, which is why he showed up the shape he did to last seasons pre-season. That's diabolical.

didnt yeo take him under his (chicken) wing.

 

[KERRPOW]

Well not that it deserves any particular bragging rights, more so it’s just a unimportant fact, but I can confirm that I am indeed older than Keys

I am officially an “Old Fart” and I am more than happy with that status, because getting old is a privilege that’s not afforded everyone, so I am grateful for it.

Being a father and now a grandparent are two of life’s greatest blessings.

What maters in life is family and friends.

and Flags

 

[KERRPOW]

Is Harry Schoenberg going to be our new Chad Rintoul?

kane munro

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Should be pretty easy for him in the WAFL

Sad thing is it will probably be harder in the WAFL then in the AFL....

 

[twadds]

Is Harry Schoenberg going to be our new Chad Rintoul?

Yes - absolutely. Both ex Adel, both nugget battlers

 

[Eaglemaniac]

I love the pure copium from people on here who think Kelly or Owies are gonna be playing in the WAFL when out of form haha.

Have you not watched WCE for the last 6 or more years?

 

[quackish]

Owies is going to have one of the greatest sophomore seasons of all time. Have faith in Matt Goaties

 

[RanaNaved]

Oh yeah, like Ginbey

Yeah, that opinion belongs to 2020 and earlier.

Jobe, Archer, Hall, Hewett, Gross, Ginbey, Davis and Hough have all bulked up pretty quickly

 

[DorothyG]

Whoever was 'mentoring' Harley in his first two years should be ashamed.

Harleys uncle was his main training coach for his pre AFL days.
Now I'm not trying to throw shade on the guy, but knowing country lads, the training routine probably would have been ending with a few tins.

Good on him, he did a great job to get Reid to where he was, but as all draftees who come from a non academy/FS/PSA/other elite junior pathways find out, the AFL is a completely different beast.

Too Reid's credit, he seems to have figured that part out this off season

 

[DorothyG]

As for setting a standard and leading, some guys aren’t comfortable with that role. Kelly hasn’t really been in a leadership role and I think it’s safe to say he doesn’t see himself as a leader.

Agree.

Every Kelly basher loves to throw around the he is a senior leader etc.

But some people just aren't natural leaders. It's a reasonable assumption to suggest Kelly is one of these people.
Just because you are in the older cohort doesn't mean you by default become a leader or are to be expected of it.

He may need different types of motivation to others, so perhaps just let him focus on that and not burden him with the responsibilities of mentoring young guys.

As long as there are others around to set standards, Baker, Graham, Ginby, Strasavich, even Reid seems to be steeping up this year.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Harleys uncle was his main training coach for his pre AFL days.
Now I'm not trying to throw shade on the guy, but knowing country lads, the training routine probably would have been ending with a few tins.

Good on him, he did a great job to get Reid to where he was, but as all draftees who come from a non academy/FS/PSA/other elite junior pathways find out, the AFL is a completely different beast.

Too Reid's credit, he seems to have figured that part out this off season

Given that Reid was in better shape before his first season than before his second I don't think this can be put on the uncle.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

I love the pure copium from people on here who think Kelly or Owies are gonna be playing in the WAFL when out of form haha.

Have you not watched WCE for the last 6 or more years?

They both played multiple stints in the WAFL last year. Why would that no longer be on the table now that we have more depth at their positions?

 

[WCEswift]

been nothing on bo allan?

 

[Bender_]

Reid's uncle been buying him 6 packs and stick mags coz that's how the recovery session operates in country footy!

Honestly just think he got carried away last off-season with the attention and has learnt his lesson.

 

[squashface]

They both played multiple stints in the WAFL last year. Why would that no longer be on the table now that we have more depth at their positions?

Owies played a grand total of 1 WAFL game last year

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Given that Reid was in better shape before his first season than before his second I don't think this can be put on the uncle.

Had his first ever offseason after being the anointed #1 pick for several years leading up to his draft. Enjoyed it a bit too much, went to the races a fair bit and had more beers than you should. It happens, he’s a child learning how things work. It set him back in a big way to start 2025, before he got back on top of things and returned to carrying the midfield.

Pleasingly, he’s clearly learned from that and come back in ripping nick ready to go. The Harley’s first offseason stuff is surely a non-story at this point, given the only reason to worry was if it was repeat behaviour which it clearly isn’t.

 

[Quinten Kennedy]

They both played multiple stints in the WAFL last year. Why would that no longer be on the table now that we have more depth at their positions?

And a new coach that appears to reward form above all else.

 

[Yeahnahmate]

And a new coach that appears to reward form above all else.

Explain Owies pulling on the jumper 16x last season?

 

[Quinten Kennedy]

Explain Owies pulling on the jumper 16x last season?

As was mentioned, senior players that had "credits" under Simmo were dropped multiple times this year.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Owies played a grand total of 1 WAFL game last year

Oh, so he did. I recall him carving that WAFL game up and getting a recall but thought he did another shift there.

Nevertheless, don’t think dropping seniors to the WAFL proved much of an issue for Mini even when availability was a little thin. Kelly a few times, Owies once evidently, brought Cole back from great form but injury through the WAFL rather than straight in, banished Hunt to the shadow realm, the rucks etc. Think we’ll be ok there.

 

[Goroyals22]

Agree.

Every Kelly basher loves to throw around the he is a senior leader etc.

But some people just aren't natural leaders. It's a reasonable assumption to suggest Kelly is one of these people.
Just because you are in the older cohort doesn't mean you by default become a leader or are to be expected of it.

He may need different types of motivation to others, so perhaps just let him focus on that and not burden him with the responsibilities of mentoring young guys.

As long as there are others around to set standards, Baker, Graham, Ginby, Strasavich, even Reid seems to be steeping up this year.

Being paid an afls footballers wage isn’t motivation enough?? Good enough reason for him not to be paid one

 

[bzparkes]

Harleys uncle was his main training coach for his pre AFL days.
Now I'm not trying to throw shade on the guy, but knowing country lads, the training routine probably would have been ending with a few tins.

Good on him, he did a great job to get Reid to where he was, but as all draftees who come from a non academy/FS/PSA/other elite junior pathways find out, the AFL is a completely different beast.

Too Reid's credit, he seems to have figured that part out this off season

His uncle's a professional sports coach. Baseline followed him around pre-draft. He used to flog him a fair bit. He'd have come back in far better shape if he actually did spend the offseason training with his uncle.

Harley said himself it was hanging out with Zane Duursma that was the mistake. Basically ate the same diet as him and slacked in his training.

May have been taking the piss a bit but ZD didn't exactly have a stellar season either.

I'm sure spending a few weeks at the spring carnival didn't help much either.

 

[DorothyG]

His uncle's a professional sports coach. Baseline followed him around pre-draft. He used to flog him a fair bit. He'd have come back in far better shape if he actually did spend the offseason training with his uncle.

Harley said himself it was hanging out with Zane Duursma that was the mistake. Basically ate the same diet as him and slacked in his training.

May have been taking the piss a bit but ZD didn't exactly have a stellar season either.

I'm sure spending a few weeks at the spring carnival didn't help much either.

Happy to stand corrected.

My point I was trying to convey, albeit poorly, was; he has had a completely different experience to that of high draftees who come from the more "professional" pathways, academies, FS, PSA etc.

 

[bzparkes]

Happy to stand corrected.

My point I was trying to convey, albeit poorly, was; he has had a completely different experience to that of high draftees who come from the more "professional" pathways, academies, FS, PSA etc.

Oh for sure but just in case you happen to be interested.