Training 2026 Off-Season & Preseason reports and discussion

[The Chad and I]

Maginness has always had the ability to kick goals.
Defensive forward may be his best spot.

 

[stemline]

Finn's definitely been working on his forward craft since they've returned to training. Might be a positional move or maybe just be to improve his versatility and give him more options in game.

 

[ppphawk]

Love jars’ press conferences. Seems super genuine and a decent person.
Put him in charge of the afl once he retires.

 

[LRobbo]

Thought Schubert really competed well in the one on ones he was doing with Weddle yesterday
Very skinny but does have some good forward craft.

 

[NigelTufnel]

Finn's showed flashes of being a very good contested mark, I'd love to see that used more up forward

 

[TheFourPillars]

Finn's definitely been working on his forward craft since they've returned to training. Might be a positional move or maybe just be to improve his versatility and give him more options in game.

In fact his last few AFL games have been playing as a high half forward

 

[threesixpio]

Love jars’ press conferences. Seems super genuine and a decent person.
Put him in charge of the afl once he retires.

Nice, intelligent and seems to have integrity. Are you sure he is right for the job?

 

[threesixpio]

In fact his last few AFL games have been playing as a high half forward

Was going to say the same

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

McLOCKED IN: According to Paul Amy, Brodie McLaughlin is set to train with Hawthorn as a SSP (supplement selection period) sign on.

The 28-year-old will commence training with the club this Thursday. McLaughlin starred for Williamstown throughout 2025, booting 71.40 to nab the Jim Miller Medal as leading goalkicker. He also placed third in the club's Best and Fairest.

“It looked like I might have been a sniff but (Hawthorn) picking up a couple of forwards in the national draft didn’t help,” McLaughlin commented. “Now they’ve invited me to try out. So I’m going to have a crack at Hawthorn.

“I did feel the interest (from AFL clubs) wasn’t as high as I was hoping prior to this … I wasn’t super-confident about getting a spot again. It wasn’t looking too flash and this kind of came out of nowhere. They weren’t a club I was expecting to call, just because they’ve got a quality key forward brigade as it is.

“Very grateful for the opportunity. Lucky the Hawks came knocking. If it works out, awesome. If it doesn’t, at least I was given another crack at it, one last go at it.”

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Hopefully not an MCL

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Ok, I can share this now.

McLaughlin went down in a drill holding his foot/ankle and stayed down for a few minutes, was seriously distressed as he limped from the ground as he knew he’d done something serious.
He looked like he’d done something to the navicular possibly, and after attending the medicos he slowly made his way into the rooms and had a number of assistants and staff check on him as he wandered in.

Horrible luck for him, as he was odds on to get a spot on the list.

 

[Agent Smith]

Great report SYL and re Moore, Ward and Croc all coming back training really well they all seem to be on a mission …… will be interesting to see over the coming weeks who will put their hand up for more midfield time but I think it will be more of a case where it will be shared across a few with rotations

Mass has come back in ripping shape.

View attachment 2490890

God D'Am brosio

 

[SSSSSS]

Ok, I can share this now.

Mclachlin went down in a drill holding his foot/ankle and stayed down for a few minutes, was seriously distressed as he limped from the ground as he knew he’d done something serious.
He looked like he’d done something to the navicular possibly, and after attending the medicos he slowly made his way into the rooms and had a number of assistants and staff check on him as he wandered in.

Horrible luck for him, as he was odds on to get a spot on the list.

Far out we're a curse for foot injuries.

 

[Tall Tales and True]

Sign McLaughlin to Box Hill. He did it 'under our watch', we, obviously, saw something in him, & he's the reigning 'Frosty' Miller medallist. Team him up w the young gun from the VAFA (just recruited) and let 'Gunners' do his magic and we may still have a player. We know he's quality VFL, for starters. What cruel, dumb luck!?? (Wishful thinking, I expect.)

 

[Bugs1977]

Great report SYL and re Moore, Ward and Croc all coming back training really well they all seem to be on a mission …… will be interesting to see over the coming weeks who will put their hand up for more midfield time but I think it will be more of a case where it will be shared across a few with rotations

Mass has come back in ripping shape.

View attachment 2490890

Might need a new nickname… MassDestruction

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Percy Burgoyne and Ben Crawford out on track with the squad today, as well as a couple of eastern ranges/Gippy kids.

 

[streetspirit]

It will be a fun off-season of playing "spot Cooper Hodge" won't it?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Simon Crawshay]

What a crap outcome.

I'm pretty sure I read he was heading bush to play country footy next year (on big bucks no doubt) before he got the call up to train with the Hawks.

Now he's got probably a whole year out of footy, that's such awful luck.

It really is a cruel game at times

 

[hardway]

What a crap outcome.

I'm pretty sure I read he was heading bush to play country footy next year (on big bucks no doubt) before he got the call up to train with the Hawks.

Now he's got probably a whole year out of footy, that's such awful luck.

It really is a cruel game at times

Stress fracture was a ticking time bomb.

 

[KermitJagger]

Percy Burgoyne and Ben Crawford out on track with the squad today, as well as a couple of eastern ranges/Gippy kids.

I'd all but given up on the Crawford boys!

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

I'd all but given up on the Crawford boys!

Is there anything about him? First I heard he was around

 

[CD Xbow]

Stress fracture was a ticking time bomb.

So he had a known stress fracture? Is this what was once quaintly called a fact?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

What a crap outcome.

I'm pretty sure I read he was heading bush to play country footy next year (on big bucks no doubt) before he got the call up to train with the Hawks.

Now he's got probably a whole year out of footy, that's such awful luck.

It really is a cruel game at times

It’s 10 to 12 weeks, and the hawks have yet to put a line through him.

 

[Atch]

Stress fracture was a ticking time bomb.

He probably felt a tingle but decided to push through the feeling/pain, causing the break. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak.