Training 2026 Pre Season & Training Reports

[DuckYeah]

Reading about Spargo has inspired me to go to the servo & get a pie.

Pizza will do the same thing

 

[Flawed Genius]

* I expected Goad to be heavier..

Surprised they let you get close enough to pick him up

 

[marklovesbeer]

Nah, in the photos he looks massive

We get it DY.

 

[DuckYeah]

View attachment 2487775

We get it DY.

Ohhh, is this because of the pizza comment?

 

[Sphynx]

bit to digest here.

Zurhaar to half back after a 40 goal season?
Curtis to play a 3rd tall out of the goal square?
Clarko sacked by July
Our 3 tall setup is/will be turgid...
Banch (3 games), Dovaston (zero games), JK (doesn't kick goals) all must play.

Don't really like any of it except I don't mind Larks getting up the ground so he can use his tank.

My forward line
Talls - Larks, Trembath, JD
Mid - Cam Z, Curtis
Smalls - JK and Banch

I like the idea of Curtis getting up the ground so we can utalise his field kicking.

Curtis has the highest 1 on 1 win % in the entire league.

He was borderline unplayable in the last 3 rounds when Larkey was out and he was able to play out from the square as the aerial focal point, with Trembath sucking some of the key defenders in the air to facilitate that.

Curtis delivering the ball to anyone should be banned next season.

The forward line needs to be completely centered on him. Hes one of the best forwards in the league.

As for your forward line suggestion. It’s essentially what we have had for the last 3 seasons including 90% of last year and our defensive pressure mimicked a turnstile.

This is no longer Nick Larkey’s forward line, it’s PC’s

 

[DuckYeah]

Curtis has the highest 1 on 1 win % in the entire league.

He was borderline unplayable in the last 3 rounds when Larkey was out and he was able to play out from the square as the aerial focal point, with Trembath sucking some of the key defenders in the air to facilitate that.

Curtis delivering the ball to anyone should be banned next season.

The forward line needs to be completely centered on him. Hes one of the best forwards in the league.

As for your forward line suggestion. It’s essentially what we have had for the last 3 seasons including 90% of last year and our defensive pressure mimicked a turnstile.

This is no longer Nick Larkey’s forward line, it’s PC’s

He’s in the most dangerous forwards in the comp category and should 100% used in that fashion

 

[amaz199]

Adelaide couldn't contain PC and they were the best defensive side in the comp

 

[SunnyBoner]

Interesting chat on the forward line. I think we start with two talls - Larkey and Trembath. Two mids: Cam and PC. Two smalls. Banch and JK/Dovaston/Spargo.

Darling sits on the bench to give the tall forwards a break or a mismatch and also helps relief in the ruck.

Whitlock and Goad spend most of the year developing further in the VFL unless form warrants selection.

 

[itchyscratch]

Whitlock needs bulk.

His neck is longer than his torso, so it’s hard to gauge how much his bulk has increased.

 

[speedy]

The 2025 recruits -
Trembath, Banch, Dovaston & Thredgold cementing a spot in the 23 by the end of 2026 would be massive.

Turbo boost this list build. Area’s of need, speed and athleticism.

I put Thredgold ahead of Dawson because he looks more versatile. Dawson has to come in and play on the gorilla’s. He might need another year of development. And Trembath is physically more ready than Whitlock.

 

[DuckYeah]

The 2025 recruits -
Trembath, Banch, Dovaston & Thredgold cementing a spot in the 23 by the end of 2026 would be massive.

Turbo boost this list build. Area’s of need, speed and athleticism.

I put Thredgold ahead of Dawson because he looks more versatile. Dawson has to come in and play on the gorilla’s. He might need another year of development. And Trembath is physically more ready than Whitlock.

Thredgold will be a feature in late 2027/2028. I would anticipate Dovaston to feature early and play every game.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Curtis has the highest 1 on 1 win % in the entire league.

He was borderline unplayable in the last 3 rounds when Larkey was out and he was able to play out from the square as the aerial focal point, with Trembath sucking some of the key defenders in the air to facilitate that.

Curtis delivering the ball to anyone should be banned next season.

The forward line needs to be completely centered on him. Hes one of the best forwards in the league.

As for your forward line suggestion. It’s essentially what we have had for the last 3 seasons including 90% of last year and our defensive pressure mimicked a turnstile.

This is no longer Nick Larkey’s forward line, it’s PC’s

Problem is Larkey would 100% still think it’s his.

Doesn’t strike me as an overly selfless footballer.

 

[spicerFanClub]

Problem is Larkey would 100% still think it’s his.

Doesn’t strike me as an overly selfless footballer.

He did almost win a Coleman in a team that finished 17th. Would say he has the right to it. Love was more shared this year, sure it'll continue that way.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

He did almost win a Coleman in a team that finished 17th. Would say he has the right to it. Love was more shared this year, sure it'll continue that way.

When every I50 is directed to you, you’d want to be kicking goals.

He needs to be made a more peripheral forward with Trembath and Curtis the main focal points as their ability to win a contest is unmatched in our forward half.

 

[marklovesbeer]

Ohhh, is this because of the pizza comment?

I don’t understand the pizza comment. Unless it’s in reference to the chain of pizzerias I used to run.

Now I want a pizza.

 

[spicerFanClub]

When every I50 is directed to you, you’d want to be kicking goals.

He needs to be made a more peripheral forward with Trembath and Curtis the main focal points as their ability to win a contest is unmatched in our forward half.

Fair. For what it's worth I don't think he needs to step back, but I do feel he needs a bit more team about his play in willingness to do sacrificial leads. Seems to lead up, then lead back to goal, like a solo act. Needs to lead and clear, but he can still be the lead there, there's no doubt he's a great forward.

 

[DuckYeah]

I don’t understand the pizza comment. Unless it’s in reference to the chain of pizzerias I used to run.

Now I want a pizza.

I love pizza. Its my favourite food group.

 

[speedy]

Thredgold will be a feature in late 2027/2028. I would anticipate Dovaston to feature early and play every game.

Tauru and Trainor played plenty in their first year. I don’t want to put limitations on the new recruits until I see them play.

Besides, aren’t Comben, Logue, Corr and Pink on your shit list?

 

[iloveireland]

Wandered down to the session today amongst the drizzle.

Some observations:

* PC looked lean.

* Urquhart looked bigger and stronger.

* I expected Goad to be heavier.

* Brayden George and Trembath were very prominent in the running drills.

* Whitlock needs bulk.

* Dawson's a big lad.

* Dovaston wasn't on the track today.

* Mikunda looks like an athlete. He's not tall.

* FOS went off the track early.

* Banch puts in 100% every drill.

* There were a handful of VFL listed players in the main group.

* Archer, McDonald, Simpkin, Hardeman, Goater, Urquhart, Corr, RHJ, Zurhaar and Duursma amongst those away from the main group.

* McKercher looked quick.

* Spargo needs a lot of work.

How did Cooper and River look if you saw them? It’s do or die for them this year

 

[DuckYeah]

Tauru and Trainor played plenty in their first year. I don’t want to put limitations on the new recruits until I see them play.

Besides, aren’t Comben, Logue, Corr and Pink on your shit list?

Absolutely but the kid isnt a Gippslander like Tauru that eats bears for fun.

I want the young fellas coached and honed on one position.

Trainor has AA backmen around him teaching him the ropes, I would rather let our defenders learn in the VFL until they 1. Put on size 2. Build confidence. Surrounding them with turnips on game day will make them turnips

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Problem is Larkey would 100% still think it’s his.

Doesn’t strike me as an overly selfless footballer.

This is where Clarko has to impose himself as coach and tell Larkey and Zuhaar its not about them solely anymore - they will have an important team role further up the ground.

We finally have other options in the forward line - just like Simpkin being removed from the midfield 4 - the time has come for change in the forwards.

What Clarko does here (and whether he finally loses Daniel) will be a big indication of whether he still has any clue anymore.

 

[zoomba23]

He did almost win a Coleman in a team that finished 17th. Would say he has the right to it. Love was more shared this year, sure it'll continue that way.

He did that because we had no one else, and more to the point, refused to kick it to anyone else. That's not the case anymore and his diva bullshit over the last couple of years should've eroded those goodwill points. Sphynx is bang on, he needs to get tf out of the way

 

[Shinboner1]

Finbar Maley commented on how impressed he was by how hard the Crows players worked in the gym when he arrived. He said the boys there definately do not skip any of their gym sessions.

Shit happens all the time. The newest players are the fittest, our guys leave and then they say the new program is better.
Pretty sure ben brown said the same about Melbourne

 

[Shinboner1]

Spargo looks like he has been on the pies, has a mountain of work to do but was doing everything thing he had to

Why do you think Melbourne said explore your options..

 

[Shinboner1]

Tauru and Trainor played plenty in their first year. I don’t want to put limitations on the new recruits until I see them play.

Besides, aren’t Comben, Logue, Corr and Pink on your shit list?

Problem with north is that our best 23 is rather settled.
Nobody is kicking darling or corr out of a spot if we're trying to win more games than we lose this year.
Leaves 1-2 spots for development players in the team, which I think we've already got in banch, hardeman, Archer and trembath etc.
You'd be praying for injuries for these kids to play