Training Pre-Season 2026 chat

[Footy Smarts]

Anyone know how many will play against the Hawks?

We've got 6 play SOO. Conway and Barker are definitely out. Kolo and Stengle probably won't play either?

It's always interesting to see which of the youngsters get a run. Do we see Hoffman? Molier? Polkinghorne? Hunter Holmes?

 

[CHAWKS2]

Anyone know how many will play against the Hawks?

We've got 6 play SOO. Conway and Barker are definitely out. Kolo and Stengle probably won't play either?

It's always interesting to see which of the youngsters get a run. Do we see Hoffman? Molier? Polkinghorne? Hunter Holmes?

They have often done a squad of 26 with a bunch of players doing 3 quarters. But it might be different with the 6 origin players (doubt Jezza plays for Cats given pulled out of O)…so I wonder if they just do 23 or 24?

If you start with last year GF we have those 6 out (actully 5 as Stewart didnt play GF) plus Stengle out and Stanley I assume…so there is 7 new roles even if we stick with squad of 23.

We have Worple and Bruin definite ins. Would say Knevitte for sure and George Stevens and assume Bews. And I reckon they give O Henry a crack.

That is therefore 6 I reckon in for sure. So at least 1 more and maybe say 4?

(Of course there maybe others that they manage or rest too?)

If Mitch Edwards isn’t injured he will play too.

After that I would guess Lenny might be in the mix, with Wiltshire and Polkinghorne?

Reckon the others play VFL practice game when it comes up?

Going to be an interesting game (albeit zero reflection on the year).

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Anyone know how many will play against the Hawks?

We've got 6 play SOO. Conway and Barker are definitely out. Kolo and Stengle probably won't play either?

It's always interesting to see which of the youngsters get a run. Do we see Hoffman? Molier? Polkinghorne? Hunter Holmes?

Last year from memory we played about 25 in the PS games so I would expect that.
Hoffman will definitely play i would say they will really want a look at him. Polkinghorne maybe they will want a look at him with stengle out (although I think that spot goes to a small).

I think a lot of the focus of the PS games will be seeing how Clark knevitt and bruhn go in particular rather than how the first and 2nd year guys go.

 

[Footy Smarts]

They have often done a squad of 26 with a bunch of players doing 3 quarters. But it might be different with the 6 origin players (doubt Jezza plays for Cats given pulled out of O)…so I wonder if they just do 23 or 24?

If you start with last year GF we have those 6 out (actully 5 as Stewart didnt play GF) plus Stengle out and Stanley I assume…so there is 7 new roles even if we stick with squad of 23.

We have Worple and Bruin definite ins. Would say Knevitte for sure and George Stevens and assume Bews. And I reckon they give O Henry a crack.

That is therefore 6 I reckon in for sure. So at least 1 more and maybe say 4?

(Of course there maybe others that they manage or rest too?)

If Mitch Edwards isn’t injured he will play too.

After that I would guess Lenny might be in the mix, with Wiltshire and Polkinghorne?

Reckon the others play VFL practice game when it comes up?

Going to be an interesting game (albeit zero reflection on the year).

Any news on Molier from your track watcher? I thought he looked a massive talent in the VFL last year but haven't really heard much about him so far in preseason.

 

[cats_09]

 

[cats_09]

More photos at - https://www.geelongcats.com.au/albu...pe=gallery&playlistId=1951763&playlistSize=30

 

[CatToTheFuture]

More photos at - https://www.geelongcats.com.au/albu...pe=gallery&playlistId=1951763&playlistSize=30

That is some a grade photgraphy

 

[Sneh]

Less running but leaner

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Less running but leaner

Diet would be doing 80% of the lifting. It's the same for anybody.

Hypothetically, he could literally do zero training, but if his calories are on point, he'll still drop weight. The opposite is impossible.

Whether it impacts his in game fitness is another matter, but I'd say the club know what they're doing when nursing an older body through a summer by now.

They've got plenty of experience, and PFD will know himself better than anyone.

 

[jim boy]

Diet would be doing 80% of the lifting. It's the same for anybody.

More like 95%. It seems counterintuitive but exercise has almost no effect on weight loss

 

[CHAWKS2]

Any news on Molier from your track watcher? I thought he looked a massive talent in the VFL last year but haven't really heard much about him so far in preseason.

Not much to be honest. And when I went and had a watch he didn’t stand out. But did a couple of nice things which at this stage in career is enough to keep me excited - as I agree with your view on the signs in VFL last year.

I think 2026 is a chance to consolidate and become one of our best VFL players and then build AFL career from there

 

[CHAWKS2]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

I am being hopeful that it works like 2022 (where we had injuries to Danger and others in first half) where we can split the first 6-7 games and then go on a run with fresh star back…lets see

 

[CoolCat75]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

I am being hopeful that it works like 2022 (where we had injuries to Danger and others in first half) where we can split the first 6-7 games and then go on a run with fresh star back…lets see

Yikes, don’t keep us guessing. You’ve proven to be a non-bs poster. Let us know please!

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Was it Motlop's vest?

Relton Roberts made him some turtle soup.

 

[you pick one]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

I am being hopeful that it works like 2022 (where we had injuries to Danger and others in first half) where we can split the first 6-7 games and then go on a run with fresh star back…lets see

O/K no names but which is it GOOD PLAYER or STAR?

 

[Is that you Jimmy?]

O/K no names but which is it GOOD PLAYER or STAR?

Its an interesting conundrum. Who are the players in order we can least afford to lose this year?
I've got a few for starters , Blitz, Jezza, Stewart, Holmes, Dempsey, and Guthrie ,
(but there are many others!)

 

[jim boy]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

sounds like a good guessing game. By the sounds of it, must a top ten player - wont be any of the players in the SOO obviously. If there was a training accident, we would already know, and Stengle is a known out so I reckon we are talking about Cameron? There was a mention of 'complications' with the arm as to why he is missing SOO.

 

[you pick one]

Its an interesting conundrum. Who are the players in order we can least afford to lose this year?
I've got a few for starters , Blitz, Jezza, Stewart, Holmes, Dempsey, and Guthrie ,
(but there are many others!)

Bailey Smith Miers Atkins Danger all can and will go through the middle ahead of Zach

 

[Footy Smarts]

Should run a book on when the club breaks the news.

Before or after the Hawthorn scratch match?

 

[Munich]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

I am being hopeful that it works like 2022 (where we had injuries to Danger and others in first half) where we can split the first 6-7 games and then go on a run with fresh star back…lets see

Not Stewart

 

[STPer18]

Should run a book on when the club breaks the news.

Before or after the Hawthorn scratch match?

Round 15.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Its an interesting conundrum. Who are the players in order we can least afford to lose this year?
I've got a few for starters , Blitz, Jezza, Stewart, Holmes, Dempsey, and Guthrie ,
(but there are many others!)

J. Henry, Stewart, Smith, Holmes, Cameron, Miers. It's really the spine IMO + Gryan.

There's others that will hurt, but those are the core pieces that really set us back and make me think twice when going into any game.

The spine for obvious structural reasons, and we've seen how much our mid/forward connection breaks down without Miers, and it isn't pretty.

Reads like CHAWKS2 is talking about Cameron to me, so we might be in a bit of trouble if Neale, PFD, Henry, and maybe Polk can't step up in he and Stengles' absence.

 

[you pick one]

J. Henry, Stewart, Smith, Holmes, Cameron, Miers. It's really the spine IMO + Gryan.

There's others that will hurt, but those are the core pieces that really set us back and make me think twice when going into any game.

The spine for obvious structural reasons, and we've seen how much our mid/forward connection breaks down without Miers, and it isn't pretty.

Reads like CHAWKS2 is talking about Cameron to me, so we might be in a bit of trouble if Neale, PFD, Henry, and maybe Polk can't step up in he and Stengles' absence.

Yeah my money would be on Cameron to.

 

[Munich]

J. Henry, Stewart, Smith, Holmes, Cameron, Miers. It's really the spine IMO + Gryan.

There's others that will hurt, but those are the core pieces that really set us back and make me think twice when going into any game.

The spine for obvious structural reasons, and we've seen how much our mid/forward connection breaks down without Miers, and it isn't pretty.

Reads like CHAWKS2 is talking about Cameron to me, so we might be in a bit of trouble if Neale, PFD, Henry, and maybe Polk can't step up in he and Stengles' absence.

He was my first thought

 

[Kobe Gryant]

He was my first thought

We'll hear about it a day before Opening Round, while they've known since October that he was never going to play.

Honestly can't think of who else it could be, unless we're stretching the term 'star' a bit.

If it is Cameron though, I wonder if Bucks tries to shape things early in the year to make us a bit tighter defensively, given its always been his style anyway.

Wouldn't be the worst idea, given minus Stengle and Cameron, we're down a bit on potency.