Training 2026 Preseason

[freo84]

I'd rather Walker playing on the smalls than Banfield.

Banfield looks much better on the wing where he was rated elite at one point.

 

[Superkoops]

I'd rather Walker playing on the smalls than Banfield.

Banfield looks much better on the wing where he was rated elite at one point.

I don’t remember Banfield ever being rated elite but I won’t be arguing that point because I otherwise agree that Banfield could certainly form part of the Wing / HFF options rather than backline. He filled a role in the backline adequately due to personnel issues at one point and then held his spot. Walker was coming hard late but understandably the coaching staff preferred to stick with, in the main the same players.

Banfield had some very good moments equally a few WTF moments. He is a genuine utility. I’d hope he is squeezed out to Peel but then again JLo’s Mrs does like her pearls.

 

[Ge3ks]

Banfield looks much better on the wing where he was rated elite at one point.

Who rated him elite... his mum?

 

[freo84]

Champion Data rates Bailey Banfield

41

Bailey Banfield

Age

27

Ht

190cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

2.9

3star

T

3.9

5star

MG

175.5

3star

D

9.5

2star

K

5.3

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

2.8

4star

MG

109.5

2star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.2

5star

MG

200.4

4star

as third best wingman in the AFL in surprise stat | The West Australian https://share.google/EojwW6qtfC3Qp8yOa

 

[freo84]

Who rated him elite... his mum?

Take it with a grain of salt but the champion data overlords did.

 

[FreoRicci]

I'd rather Walker playing on the smalls than Banfield.

Banfield looks much better on the wing where he was rated elite at one point.

Agree. He’s a better winger than NOD. Not sure why he wasn’t persist more in that role.

 

[wakojako]

Sometimes I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.

You know those games everyone goes on and on about how we play so slow and we just chip chip chip around the backline? especially across back half of 2022 + 2023? WALKER was one of our few players willing to go go go from the backline. And that was before we had a cohesive forward line and before our mids pulled their damn finger out.

Walker hasn't had a chance to play in the same team as a confident and attacking Clark or a 3 pronged uninjured talented forward line or even really when Young has been pushed into the middle.

For some reason in their first couple of seasons Youngy and Chappy got way more of a free pass for their colossal **** ups than Walker. It's not like he's trying to attempt something waaayy above his skill level. It's pretty hard to find an effective option when your mids and forward line are just standing completely still and staring at you like they've never seen a ball before in their life.

I want to see Walker streaming out of defense when he's got Youngy, Caleb, Bruce, literally any of our forwards screaming for the ball almost instantly. People love to blame him for that final loss against the Pies. You know the one, with the worst cat 10s you've ever seen. But who was helping him? Who else was taking the game on? No one.

Clark is an AA rebounder and McVee is a gun. I think Walker would allow them to flourish because he can focus more on the defending while letting Clark and McVee off the chain. Clark had to focus on defending the smalls in the 2025 season which is why we lost some of that aggressive ball movement off HB. Replace Worner and Banfield with McVee and Walker and our defence becomes lethal.

 

[The Feeder Club]

I think Walker is best 23

The best attributes he has as a small defender are his speed and agility, he rarely gets beaten by any pacey small forwards.

His Achilles heel is those small forwards that have core strength and are good overhead, and so can outposition him. So he routinely kills the Nick Watson types but struggles a bit more on the Jack Higgins types.

Michael Walters

10

Michael Walters

Age

34

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

11.0

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.9

4star

G

1.7

5star

D

20.9

5star

K

11.8

5star

HB

9.1

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.3

4star

G

1.0

4star

D

13.0

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.8

4star

would have given him a bath if he ever played on him.

 

[BigRang]

My best football was played as an athletic full back that could beat his man to the ball or catch up and spoil it to the boundary line. I was instructed not to do so but my instinct when i won the ball was to keep running and look to distribute the ball to keep the momentum going. Only problem was that I was a shit kick and if my foot met the ball everyone would put their head in their hands and start rocking in the corner. Oh sorry were we talking about Walker?
Anyway Pearce seems to know when to go and when not to go, hopefully Walker can learn it too.

 

[serial_thrilla]

Who rated him elite... his mum?

Tonga Bob

 

[DocT]

Take it with a grain of salt but the champion data overlords did.

There are lies, damned lies and Bailey Banfield.
Don't get me wrong, I actually have great respect for BB, his versatility more than makes up for his weaknesses. But I don't even think Champion Data would select him ahead of Josh Daicos or Josh Kelly.

 

[pK75]

There are lies, damned lies and Bailey Banfield.
Don't get me wrong, I actually have great respect for BB, his versatility more than makes up for his weaknesses. But I don't even think Champion Data would select him ahead of Josh Daicos or Josh Kelly.

They ranked him 3rd in the league over a 6 week period

 

[King Huskii]

I don’t remember Banfield ever being rated elite but I won’t be arguing that point because I otherwise agree that Banfield could certainly form part of the Wing / HFF options rather than backline. He filled a role in the backline adequately due to personnel issues at one point and then held his spot. Walker was coming hard late but understandably the coaching staff preferred to stick with, in the main the same players.

Banfield had some very good moments equally a few WTF moments. He is a genuine utility. I’d hope he is squeezed out to Peel but then again JLo’s Mrs does like her pearls.

In other words he is shit

 

[Spirit Level]

Who rated him elite... his mum?

His Mum aka footskill

 

[freo84]

There are lies, damned lies and Bailey Banfield.
Don't get me wrong, I actually have great respect for BB, his versatility more than makes up for his weaknesses. But I don't even think Champion Data would select him ahead of Josh Daicos or Josh Kelly.

No one is selecting Banfield ahead of either and I know that. Its just interesting how highly rated he was and then we moved him to the backline where most of us felt he was a liability.

 

[eastfreo75]

Champion Data rates Bailey Banfield as third best wingman in the AFL in surprise stat | The West Australian https://share.google/EojwW6qtfC3Qp8yOa

You lost me at Champion Data.

 

[2big2strom]

Who rated him elite... his mum?

my mum says I'm cool

 

[malpaso]

There are lies, damned lies and Bailey Banfield.
Don't get me wrong, I actually have great respect for BB, his versatility more than makes up for his weaknesses. But I don't even think Champion Data would select him ahead of Josh Daicos or Josh Kelly.

Seeing as Josh Daicos played in defense for the majority of the year and Josh Kelly is washed..

 

[purplerunsdeep2]

Wonder if the full squad is back tomorrow... nice start with the heat expected

 

[Footskill]

In other words he is shit

Sepultura are pretty shit that's a fact lol

 

[Footskill]

His Mum aka footskill

Go have a cry sturts gramps

 

[Raz]

View attachment 2484976

Raz has such a nice physique

Thanks , didn’t think you noticed lol

 

[chaosball32]

Are we really still theorising Banfield in the best 23 in the lords year of 2026?

It’s going to be a long off-season…

 

[Raz]

Are we really still theorising Banfield in the best 23 in the lords year of 2026?

It’s going to be a long off-season…

Until season is going and see the newbies hard to theorise

 

[Tonga Bob]

Who rated him elite... his mum?

Cute question.

Let me answer it with a question of my own - can you fight?