Training Pre-Season 2026 chat

[Gavin Excell]

Yes - and unlike some other posters i dont want any of the talented veteran Geelong players retiring anytime soon and in a clump , otherwise you end up like Richmond , sitting on the bones of your aarse

But your comment lion hearted Blicavs , the thing you want to remember - like all AFL players today he is being very attractively remunerated - its not the 1970s where Monday to Friday hes working on the Ford assembly line , and on Saturday hes got to carry the rucks

True but what we ask of him is ridiculous

 

[CHAWKS2]

It'll be a big cleanout at the end of this year I reckon. As you mention, the only reason Jed, Stevens, and others survived last year is due to how poor the draft was.

I'm not saying all of these players will be gone, but for different reasons, it wouldn't shock me if any of them did:

• Rhys Stanley (retired)
• Jed Bews (retired)
• Jack Martin (retired)
• Patrick Dangerfield (retired)
• Mark Blicavs (retired)
• Jake Kolodjashnij (retired)
• Mitch Knevitt (delisted)
• Oli Wiltshire (delisted)
• Keighton Matofai-Forbes (delisted)
• George Stevens (delisted)
• Joe Pike (delisted)

Dangerfield will get one more year if he wants it, particularly if 400 is within reach. Likewise Blitz, although you never rule out retirement at 35/36.

Stanley and Bews will go. Martin will probably go, unless he really stamps himself this year.

I've only got Kolo there if he has another year like Guthrie has had recently. After promising recent news, I doubt it happens, but I can't rule it out until he's back playing consistently.

The rest just aren't up to it IMO, and I doubt I'll get much pushback on that.

It is a long list….although not dissimilar to the list we could have had each of the past 3-4. Indeed some names have been on that list for that time. And we actually have had a fair amount of turnover each year to be fair (maybe 6-8 names each time?).

For me I am pretty certain Danger and Blitz will go again (indeed I think both have 2 maybe 3 years left). Rhys and Jed you would think can’t possibly go again (but exactly what I said this time last year!). I am hopeful Kolo gets back - if he does it won’t be just for this year. Martin who knows - hard to tell.

In my mind we have 2-3 retire and probably then look for 4-6 to delist. The ones you have mentioned appear to be the most likely on the watch list for sure.

Maybe we trade Polks for Butters!

 

[CHAWKS2]

Finally got to writing my thoughts on last night.

Boy it was flat…I can’t remember being at a game with such little energy. Preseason or not. Last week in Dingly (where we lost by same amount and had 9 goals in a row kicked against us) had much more bounce and atmosphere (despite a fraction of the crowd). Last year losing to Essendon in pre season had much more energy..

This was flat other than Carlton fan buying Jagga (fair enough). Blues fans knew it didn’t matter and Cats fans didn’t seem to care. Not very enjoyable being there to be fair.

And I managed to catch a few of the players afterwards and wasn’t suprised when a few of the “safe in the 23” players mentioned how hard it was to get into the game mentally. To make that extra effort to get to contest. It was evident to me watching Dempsey, Blitz, Mannagh, even Holmes for large parts, Scratcher pre injury….none of them were running that extra bit…

The backline was engaged - even those top 23 - but I think much easier with the ball coming at you all the time. So they looked like Cats football. Indeed I loved what I saw from them - especially COS and Stewart and Henry and Lawson who seriously will be a force in 2026. We could have the best defence in the competition I reckon.

Add to that Tanner who was part of the “new/fringe” brigade which of course were treating it like a real game. And gave us enough to see some depth.

In terms of what does it mean for the “real season”

Result nothing. We have to remember it is pre season but also that we have lost 3 out of the last 4 real games to a poor Carlton team. Those 3 games I have to say have been the worst games (maybe freo 22 at home aside) that I have seen Cats play over that time. Honestly last year we went from playing the best game of the year against then top team Collingwood - playing out of our skin to just win….to the next week losing to a terrible Carlton team (who played terribly but made us play worse). I think against Carlton for some reason they make us play bad - miss targets etc. Add to that the game not being important I was expecting a loss - and got it (but still made me mad!)

In terms of impact on the squad…probably little? But…

Tanner a certainty after that effort…and probably will start the season more back than MF
Backline is set and Lenny and Kolo will have to wait and make watching VFL fun
Clark I think gets wing/bench role.
We are going to have to include Edwards in the extended bench….but I don’t think he is up to it yet. So this is a hard one as we can’t role out in the ruck we showed against Gold Coast and Freeo. We are going to have to debut Edwards just in case. (I am officially worried about this part of the game)
Dempsey will stay wing. Hard to assess the game (given what I said above) but second half tried the “miers/mannagh” forward into contest role and it didn’t work.
Knevitt I really liked - he bobbed up in a few places. But same old issue is he is versitle and almost good enough for lots of positions - just not sure they will pick him ahead of Clark etc
I don’t know what we do opening round forward of the ball. Miers definite out but Jezza 50/50. No Stengle. So does that mean O Henry plays? I think if Jezza plays then no (we will make do with Worple, Bowes rotating forward). If Jezza doesn’t play then maybe (still not 100% as we could use Blitz forward). Love Polks but he will suffer from same thing as O Henry in terms of “fit” and I reckon is still slightly behind Henry in the pecking order

Gold Coast is going to be very interesting!!

 

[cats_09]

Why is the club continually asking Stanley not to retire (when he keeps wanting to retire) if our ruck options are great? Last I checked our rucks are 35 35 and 2 19-20 year olds who are not ready plus Conway who cant string more than half a season of games together.

I note that you didnt actually respond to any of my comments about the other ruckmen I listed. I offered quite reasonable alternatives that would upgrade what we have.

Ladhams is better than what we currently have because a) he actually played decent football last year and b) hes not perpetually injured.

All last season it was Stanley who spoke about wanting to play on into 2026 - so not sure the club talked him out of retirement

 

[year of the cat]

Watching the Suns tonight we’ll be lucky to get within 10 goals of them next week.

 

[Mr Meow]

Watching the Suns tonight we’ll be lucky to get within 10 goals of them next week.

It's all well and good to say that - I think we'll lose by the way - but you might want to check how many games we have actually lost by 10+ goals over the past decade. There aren't many.

Pre-season form is not a reliable guide, but people never learn.

A 1 to 7 goal loss (like most of our losses under Chris Scott) is far more likely than 12 to 15.

 

[year of the cat]

It's all well and good to say that - I think we'll lose by the way - but you might want to check how many games we have actually lost by 10+ goals over the past decade. There aren't many.

Pre-season form is not a reliable guide, but people never learn.

A 1 to 7 goal loss (like most of our losses under Chris Scott) is far more likely than 12 to 15.

Based on no Miers, Cameron underdone. Imo we’ll need everything going our way to make it a contest with them up there early in the year. Happy to be proven wrong of course.

 

[Mr Meow]

Based on no Miers, Cameron underdone. Imo we’ll need everything going our way to make it a contest with them up there early in the year. Happy to be proven wrong of course.

I'm certainly not expecting us to win. If Cameron is ruled out it gets a lot tougher. No Rowell for them does help us though.

I think it's a bit over the top to suggest we should expect a 60-100 point loss in our first game of the season. I can't remember the last time that happened.

How many half decent teams do the Suns actually destroy in Queensland? Maybe this will be that type of statement win but they need to actually do it.

Losing by 20 something points seems more realistic to me. We'll see.

 

[year of the cat]

I'm certainly not expecting us to win. If Cameron is ruled out it gets a lot tougher. No Rowell for them does help us though.

I think it's a bit over the top to suggest we should expect a 60-100 point loss in our first game of the season. I can't remember the last time that happened.

How many half decent teams do the Suns actually destroy in Queensland? Maybe this will be that type of statement win but they need to actually do it.

Losing by 20 something points seems more realistic to me. We'll see.

Admire your optimism. Think it will be closer to 60 than 20 though. Not that I’m writing our season off. Just think that GC up there early in the year in the heat and humidity is a massive assignment these days.

 

[Mr Meow]

Admire your optimism. Think it will be closer to 60 than 20 though. Not that I’m writing our season off. Just think that GC up there early in the year in the heat and humidity is a massive assignment these days.

Hey now. You said we'd be lucky to get within 60. I'm marking you down for 80. I'm at 25. Let's see who gets closer.

 

[lionbear]

I think we lose by 5 goals next week, not many teams (If any) will win in Queensland outside of the two Queensalnd teams.

Homneslty think we are all playing for second place this year anyway, Brisbane have 11 out and they still have a star studded lineup, it is a monster of a side.

 

[year of the cat]

Hey now. You said we'd be lucky to get within 60. I'm marking you down for 80. I'm at 25. Let's see who gets closer.

Make it 70 for me

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

Gold Coast haven’t exactly looked good in their 2 practice games either.

 

[Mr Meow]

Make it 70 for me

No problem. That means we draw the line at 8 goals. More and you take the victory, less and you got a bit carried away. Exciting!

 

[year of the cat]

No problem. That means we draw the line at 8 goals. More and you take the victory, less and you got a bit carried away. Exciting!

Btw, I am actually barracking for you to win the bet. Or even better us both to be wrong.

 

[year of the cat]

Walter gone.

 

[Mr Meow]

Btw, I am actually barracking for you to win the bet. Or even better us both to be wrong.

Geelong winning and both of us looking like fools would be a sensational outcome. It's gonna be tough but I just haven't given up all hope.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

It'll be a big cleanout at the end of this year I reckon. As you mention, the only reason Jed, Stevens, and others survived last year is due to how poor the draft was.

I'm not saying all of these players will be gone, but for different reasons, it wouldn't shock me if any of them did:

• Rhys Stanley (retired)
• Jed Bews (retired)
• Jack Martin (retired)
• Patrick Dangerfield (retired)
• Mark Blicavs (retired)
• Jake Kolodjashnij (retired)
• Mitch Knevitt (delisted)
• Oli Wiltshire (delisted)
• Keighton Matofai-Forbes (delisted)
• George Stevens (delisted)
• Joe Pike (delisted)

Dangerfield will get one more year if he wants it, particularly if 400 is within reach. Likewise Blitz, although you never rule out retirement at 35/36.

Stanley and Bews will go. Martin will probably go, unless he really stamps himself this year.

I've only got Kolo there if he has another year like Guthrie has had recently. After promising recent news, I doubt it happens, but I can't rule it out until he's back playing consistently.

The rest just aren't up to it IMO, and I doubt I'll get much pushback on that.

No i agree.
Bews and stanley as retirements and stevens and kmf as delistings are virtually certain barring a miracle. Stanley stayed because we couldn't get marshall and the other 3 would have been delisted in any other year but we showed how little we rated that draft by taking minimal picks.
Wiltshire and knevitt are likely both gone unless they have really good years.
That's 4 senior and 2 rookie spots without much thought.

Danger and blitz I think you let them go on if they want danger because hes danger and blicavs we structurally need until we trade in a ruck solution.
Martin would be gone ski I think-hes capable but due to age his is the forward spot you would transition.
Kolo depends on his body if hes injured he will go the cam Guthrie way if not injured i think he gets 1 year.
Pike i think is dependent on conway-i can see pike going but if Conway doesnt get on the park you might give pike a 3rd rookie year.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Gee. A lot of negativity about our prospects. Makes this game more interesting if we are expected to lose.
I kind of like being the underdogs

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Shockingly undervalued. Better defender than a few we'll play down back this year.

He probably is but that still doesnt change what's going to happen. He isnt going to play more afl this year than he did last year.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

PO. You are the only one that I've ever seen say that Stanley wanted to retire.

Do you have any info that you can link regarding this?

The person I spoke to is very closely connected to his wife's family and would 100 % know- im very confident of the source-thats all ill say on that one. This is not to say that Rhys hates football he doesnt but hes banged up and would happily retire to his farm but the club keep asking him to sign 1 year deals (because Conway is never fit and they cant get anyone else).

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Watching the Suns tonight we’ll be lucky to get within 10 goals of them next week.

To be fair the suns are losing to a very depleted Brisbane team they havent done much. That said they will pump us.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

FMD. Lions with a heap out still awesome. Meanwhile Dimma filthy at no one standing the mark just then. Could be a tough one up here.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

How many finals do our rucks have to dominate before you stop blindly repeating that a collection of spuds, journeymen or kids "would upgrade what we have" in the ruck?

It's just incredible that you can watch Meek be benched in a prelim final cause Blicavs and SDK killed him and come away thinking our ruck group desperately needs Peter Ladhams.

I could say the same thing about watching journeyman Darcy Fort and McInerney who could barely get out of bed destroy stanley and blicavs in the GF and point out that the worst thing i could ever do is think our ruck group doesnt need fixing.
These things are in the eye of the beholder sometimes.

 

[Tony Barber]

He wanted to retire at the end of 2021. Pretty sure that much was confirmed.

I'm sorry.
I'm just not accepting that one. I knew someone who was talked into doing another 5 years.

But that was finance.

You cant seriously suggest that he wanted out in 21' and his body and mental attitude have held together for another 5 years.

He's had niggles here and there but come on.

And BTW, the finance guy is still going 20 years later. A divorce does that to you. ha ha.