Bigman’s Training Reports

[Scorpus]

Laird back to the middle I reckon

Takes Berry's spot

Glad we didn't hand over our future 1st round pick if that happens

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Good question, I will like to think it's Laird with a 5 man bench rotation? We really need to see if Cook can offer something back there before we cut him loose

Laird and Cook play different roles though .....I'm still seeing Cook as an opportunistic FWD .....much in the vein of GEEL's Gary Rohan

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Barring injury, Milera is a lock. Regardless of form.

No shadow of doubt !!!

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Laird back to the middle I reckon

Takes Berry's spot

That was an act of desperation, with Rankine & Rachele out .....and Soligo tiring

Laird's midfield days have past

 

[Golumless]

Laird and Cook play different roles though .....I'm still seeing Cook as an opportunistic FWD .....much in the vein of GEEL's Gary Rohan

We've had 5 years to tell us that Cook is not that player at AFL level.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

We've had 5 years to tell us that Cook is not that player at AFL level.

You have to admit, he did make strides last season

Cook was always described as being footy immature when drafted ....I wouldn't be writing him off at 23 YO

 

[Thylacinus]

You would think that Tom McGuane's injury setback and rumored injury concerns regarding Sid Draper would give Zac Foot a real leg up. In fact, surely he already has one foot through the door!

 

[Coopers]

You have to admit, he did make strides last season

Cook was always described as being footy immature when drafted ....I wouldn't be writing him off at 23 YO

Last year was his year to make it all happen.

I'd love him to turn it around, but I am now off the wagon. He's lucky to have an extra year on his contract.


Just doesn't have that eye of the tiger about him. He looks timid. That's his main problem.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Just doesn't have that eye of the tiger about him. He looks timid. That's his main problem

I can't disagree with this POV .....you can say that about so many draftee's ....lots of talent, like Cook, but missing the determination & hunger required to be elite

Sometimes, maturity can help ....sometimes the imminent threat of delisting helps

 

[craig crowing]

Thanks again for the report

Really interested in this

Obviously teams want to play clean, precise football. However against top teams especially in September this isn't always possible

I heard Mark Williams speak once and he said that training had to be messy. There needed to be pressure that created errors because that's what games were like. If the ball was moving beautifully, player to player, never hitting the ground at training then that was bad because finals are never like that.

I wonder if:
1) We will use these activities to identify the weaker disposers of the ball and not select them (I have my doubts here)
2) Will players choose safe options (short kicks, backwards, zero hurt factor) so that they don't risk turnover

Other clubs seem to be shying away from worrying about mistakes or things that might go wrong (Chris Fagan: "Run towards the fire"). They accept some errors will occur, take the game on anyway, no fear

Are we going the wrong way by trying to be precise and neat?

It felt like we moved towards a turnover-reduction-focus as last season wore on. The high scoring, free flowing football that suited our forward line but risked being scored against was reeled in. We became more careful and I'm not sure it played to our strengths.

S

Thanks again for the report

Really interested in this

Obviously teams want to play clean, precise football. However against top teams especially in September this isn't always possible

I heard Mark Williams speak once and he said that training had to be messy. There needed to be pressure that created errors because that's what games were like. If the ball was moving beautifully, player to player, never hitting the ground at training then that was bad because finals are never like that.

I wonder if:
1) We will use these activities to identify the weaker disposers of the ball and not select them (I have my doubts here)
2) Will players choose safe options (short kicks, backwards, zero hurt factor) so that they don't risk turnover

Other clubs seem to be shying away from worrying about mistakes or things that might go wrong (Chris Fagan: "Run towards the fire"). They accept some errors will occur, take the game on anyway, no fear

Are we going the wrong way by trying to be precise and neat?

It felt like we moved towards a turnover-reduction-focus as last season wore on. The high scoring, free flowing football that suited our forward line but risked being scored against was reeled in. We became more careful and I'm not sure it played to our strengths.

Great post and strongly agree we got too cute in trying to fix weakness rather than building strengths.
Cudos to our Big Man that gives great feedback on the creation of our 2026 team and playing style .
Also cudos to the maturity of Carl Spangler.

 

[beartoo]

Thanks again for the report

Really interested in this

Obviously teams want to play clean, precise football. However against top teams especially in September this isn't always possible

I heard Mark Williams speak once and he said that training had to be messy. There needed to be pressure that created errors because that's what games were like. If the ball was moving beautifully, player to player, never hitting the ground at training then that was bad because finals are never like that.

I wonder if:
1) We will use these activities to identify the weaker disposers of the ball and not select them (I have my doubts here)
2) Will players choose safe options (short kicks, backwards, zero hurt factor) so that they don't risk turnover

Other clubs seem to be shying away from worrying about mistakes or things that might go wrong (Chris Fagan: "Run towards the fire"). They accept some errors will occur, take the game on anyway, no fear

Are we going the wrong way by trying to be precise and neat?

It felt like we moved towards a turnover-reduction-focus as last season wore on. The high scoring, free flowing football that suited our forward line but risked being scored against was reeled in. We became more careful and I'm not sure it played to our strengths.

I'm sure it didn't play to our strengths. It was bloody stupid, but predictable.

 

[WeeBlake]

Barring injury, Milera is a lock. Regardless of form.

Unfortunately this is probably true. Dawson, TT, Rankine - that’s the kind of player who should still get picked when their form drops. Not a middling flanker.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Milera was pretty good overall in 2025 but it felt like his offensive output was slightly down. Better than expected defensively.

Need more I50s from him. Hurt teams going the other way

The quality of what he did was fine, just not the quantity. A common lament re our half backs / wingers which makes me think it's a tactical issue.

 

[Syd Crow]

You would think that Tom McGuane's injury setback and rumored injury concerns regarding Sid Draper would give Zac Foot a real leg up. In fact, surely he already has one foot through the door!

Attack of the puns!

 

[Floating Doughnut]

G’day bigman

Appreciating your work as usual, we need to get you a press pass somehow for access.
Any news on Cumming would be appreciated

 

[Betts are off]

I'm pretty sure that the rule changes will have a significant change to ruck strategy and personnel.

Rucks will need to be at ball ups much sooner next year as the umpire won't be waiting, making ruck contests needing to be contested by 'impromptu ruckmen ' a common thing in 2026.

Different strategies might even see centre bounce rucks becoming specialists and interchanging off asap after a centre bounces.
Or forward or backline only rucks?

Who knows at this stage but Dan Curtin is an option if needed.

McAndrew is tall. How does this help?
Maley can jump. Useful?
Time will tell?

However, the gut running ROB might have lost his greatest asset to the team as he can't jump or get to all contests quickly.

2026 will require more on field ruck options.

Yeah I think it will be a huge shift. Tall midfield players who can cleanly take the ball out of the ruck could find a lot of space and round the ground clearances. Particularly if the established rucks arent getting to as many ball ups around the ground.

Its gonna be interesting if the hit out stats get impacted downward as the ruck strategies become more fine tuned.

 

[Golumless]

You have to admit, he did make strides last season

Cook was always described as being footy immature when drafted ....I wouldn't be writing him off at 23 YO

Did he? He got three games and was ditched after going missing against Hawks.

I'm comfortable writing Cook off, and have been for two years (seeing I am on record saying he should have been delisted in 2024), he isn't it as a forward (or a winger). At least half back gives him a shot instead of us just waiting out a dud of a contract, and it's a position I've liked him in previously.

 

[Gtowncrow]

Had a discussion about this recently, what we could see is a return to a ruckman playing a kick behind and a more Fwd style ruck. E.G say one of Rob/Maley/McAndrew contest the centre bounce and no further forward than the half forward line and one of say Thilthorpe/Maley do the rucking forward possible rotating 3 of the bench through the forward line or something similar

I can definitely see a ruck hovering behind the play.

 

[Gtowncrow]

I can't disagree with this POV .....you can say that about so many draftee's ....lots of talent, like Cook, but missing the determination & hunger required to be elite

Sometimes, maturity can help ....sometimes the imminent threat of delisting helps

I want Brayden Cook to spend the summer in the boxing ring.

It teaches one to be both a predator and that it's possible to carry on when the punches come. But keep getting stuck into it!

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I want Brayden Cook to spend the summer in the boxing ring.

It teaches one to be both a predator and that it's possible to carry on when the punches come. But keep getting stuck into it!

IIRC the AFL has banned boxing during PS ....but I agree with the principle of your post

 

[Coopers]

I'm pretty sure that the rule changes will have a significant change to ruck strategy and personnel.

Rucks will need to be at ball ups much sooner next year as the umpire won't be waiting, making ruck contests needing to be contested by 'impromptu ruckmen ' a common thing in 2026.

Different strategies might even see centre bounce rucks becoming specialists and interchanging off asap after a centre bounces.
Or forward or backline only rucks?

Who knows at this stage but Dan Curtin is an option if needed.

McAndrew is tall. How does this help?
Maley can jump. Useful?
Time will tell?

However, the gut running ROB might have lost his greatest asset to the team as he can't jump or get to all contests quickly.

2026 will require more on field ruck options.

Is it not just going to be a farce, until reality occurs and we go back to the current status quo?

We have to wait for a nominated ruck, but we're not going to wait for a nominated ruck.



Right.

 

[Coopers]

I want Brayden Cook to spend the summer in the boxing ring.

It teaches one to be both a predator and that it's possible to carry on when the punches come. But keep getting stuck into it!

If he hadn't had like 5 preseasons already to do this, I'd be up for it as a solution.

 

[cmndstab]

You have to admit, he did make strides last season

Cook was always described as being footy immature when drafted ....I wouldn't be writing him off at 23 YO

The problem with this argument is that he's barely earned selection in his five years at the club.

Yes, he was always going to be a late bloomer, but five years in we should be talking about a guy who is an AFL regular but who hasn't broken out yet. Instead, we're talking about him maaaybe improving enough to earn regular selection right near the ass end of our best 23.

Even if he does improve to that point... how much improvement does he have left? Is he really going to move the needle?

He has zero trade value so we might as well see what he's got, but I am doubtful that he will become anything meaningful at AFL level.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

The problem with this argument is that he's barely earned selection in his five years at the club.

Yes, he was always going to be a late bloomer, but five years in we should be talking about a guy who is an AFL regular but who hasn't broken out yet. Instead, we're talking about him maaaybe improving enough to earn regular selection right near the end of our best 23.

Even if he does improve to that point... how much improvement does he have left?

So what timeframe do you accept for what’s called a “ Project Player” ?

Surely developmental timelines can’t be the same for all players ….. Rucks for example can be 6 years plus, maturing at 24

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Even if he does improve to that point... how much improvement does he have left? Is he really going to move the needle?

Confidence gained by a player can make quantum differences in performance IF they have the skillsets

Cook is
Quick, tall, good kick. and great mark …. he’s just lacking confidence & the harder edge aspects of the game