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

 

[jdisc]

Nephew and his Mrs did a breakfast in kings park this morning, said he saw a good portion of boys doing runs up that huge grass strip that goes right through the middle, said only ones he recognised were bakes and ginbey but was about 20 of them there

was the redhead there?

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Schoenberg is a footballer. He may have limitations that will mean he is never an elite footballer, but for his intended purpose of strengthening the bottom end of our list Id much rather have him on our list than guys that are banking one elite characteristic letting them be held on our list for years on the chance they become a footballer, all the while not being able to have a material impact on games at the wafl level.

The onw who deserves the biggest "huh" out of the 3 is Fin Macrae. Just 100% too slow at AFL level but a absolute weapon in the WAFL for us

Id have preferred Will Phillips over Harry/Macrae though myself as fills a greater need of defensive pressure.

 

[shoutsatclouds]

Wellingham, Oh! That's interesting. Do tell more.

Not the rebounding coach we thought we were getting...

 

[Dark Sharks]

Wellingham, Oh! That's interesting. Do tell more.

Well basically...

Across to WELLLINGHAAAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMA! WHELLINGHAM GOALS! in essence.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

 

[SAweagle]

The top of the ladder midfield, probably a touch better than ours

Out in straight sets without firing a shot midfield, Wangahgrabbah A grade is probably better than ours. Lets have some recruiting standards beyond " are they better than us "

 

[bitadash]

+ ThiccNat


Not sure if he might even be including some of the Beagles coaching staff too.

+ Potentially Wellingham

Believe Wellingham is a senior assistant at Perth this year.

 

[THE A5]

was the redhead there?

No TY24 was with me

 

[Dark Sharks]

Believe Wellingham is a senior assistant at Perth this year.

You got me there

Champion ex-Eagles join WAFL club's coaching ranks

The duo finished their AFL careers in 2017.

www.zerohanger.com

What an odd thing to lie about.

 

[Lia]

Put out your trampolines

 

[southcoast]

Believe Wellingham is a senior assistant at Perth this year.

Was reported last week as such and Sam Butler playing a coaching role too, from the same report.

Embedding ourselves into the Demons so we can create an alignment via subterfuge.

 

[EagleMan87]

He played 60 games and did an acl.

2025 was his comeback season post injury.

Was getting great numbers in the reserves.

Was an Achilles against us in 2023, funnily enough.

 

[boondy]

Hard to believe clubs dont delist their best mids

 

[Cuzz09]

Exciting times seeing all these new faces!

Let's go!

 

[Tyberious Funk]

Out in straight sets without firing a shot midfield, Wangahgrabbah A grade is probably better than ours. Lets have some recruiting standards beyond " are they better than us "

Yeah, with those extra rookie spots, we should have recruited... [checks notes]... ummm... ?

 

[KERRPOW]

was the redhead there?

Just a guy that was pale as buggery

 

[ziad]

Out in straight sets without firing a shot midfield, Wangahgrabbah A grade is probably better than ours. Lets have some recruiting standards beyond " are they better than us "

we have and they are - thats the point. we are or have been crook

 

[KERRPOW]

Out in straight sets without firing a shot midfield, Wangahgrabbah A grade is probably better than ours. Lets have some recruiting standards beyond " are they better than us "

In the last 5 years our midfield has been the worst in the comp....its daylight between ours and the 17th best midfield.

Its so bad we've had to throw in baker and graham in there.

With the 3 SSP and fingers crossed yeo is injury free...out midfield will be competitive. Not saying we'll be playing all SSPs but its competition for spots.

 

[Cuzz09]

Really hope a handful of guys step up to their PB seasons, especially through the guts

 

[kane249]

Out in straight sets without firing a shot midfield, Wangahgrabbah A grade is probably better than ours. Lets have some recruiting standards beyond " are they better than us "

2018 premiership had Mark Hutchings in it who was delisted previously

Not everyone has to be a star, you can find handy role players in other teams unwanted ones

 

[Lazzas]

The onw who deserves the biggest "huh" out of the 3 is Fin Macrae. Just 100% too slow at AFL level but a absolute weapon in the WAFL for us

Id have preferred Will Phillips over Harry/Macrae though myself as fills a greater need of defensive pressure.

Has good vision and is a good kick off both feet. Give him a chance not every player has to be quick. Sam Mitchell wasn't exactly quick however he made up for that in spades by his vision and kicking.

 

[Bender_]

The new Vic boys getting a 'Welcome to WA' temp at training today.

 

[KERRPOW]

The new Vic boys getting a 'Welcome to WA' temp at training today.

The green tarped fence will also be reflecting the heat back onto the oval.

Hope the pale as buggery ginger (who ever he is) has a bucket of zinc on him.

 

[FKASC]

The new Vic boys getting a 'Welcome to WA' temp at training today.

Meanwhile their pleb former teammates back home get to train in this

 

[FatPizza]

The new Vic boys getting a 'Welcome to WA' temp at training today.

Haha, was thinking that this morning. Imagine thinking 20 degrees is warm and then coming to Perth to live...