Training 2026 Off-Season & Preseason reports and discussion

[cryptor]

Perez couldn't be played according to AFL rules.
With Jack & Mabs both in Dear taking a break to give Schu a run. That alone should tell you how highly rates Schu is internally - to be given some pre-season minutes over someone who'll be starting in Round 0.

I'm more excited for Hill. Hope he's given a good crack at it

I think the shock with Perez (at least for me) is that it possibly indicates that he still hasn't been offered a contract by us.

After his great game against the Cats and the fact we have 2 list spots available, it's just a bit perplexing why we haven't moved to lock him up.

Looked AFL quality and has a skillset that suits our style.

 

[Mopar Jason]

Noticed Amon is not playing Friday night, is he injured or just being rested because he is definitely in our best side.

 

[Roddy]

Extremely disappointed to not see Calsh in there.
I really did think we'd be pushing to see how two rucks goes too.

Puzzling and upsetting.

 

[thehardway]

Solid team.

No Dear or TB

Or Amon

 

[Bardo State]

A bit more going on than a full dress rehearsal.

Happy for Hill. I think a make or break year for him. It's just getting more involved. If he can't do that, he'll be out of the league (unfortunately most likely at this point). If he can up his touches and get to more contests, he's probably on track to be an elite player. Oddly I think it's not much in between for him.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

They get to play for Australia.

Nothing to do with Origin really. International rugby league is behind origin and club footy in terms of prestige these days.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

He'll get Naughton. Wont be easy.

I reckon Battle has that job, he usually takes the most athletic forward.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Most intriguing non-selection is Reeves, I reckon.

Does this mean we won't start the season with a dual ruck policy or is Sam playing mind games?

Edit: Does BHH have any pre-season hit-up this weekend?

 

[CobberRodgers]

Most intriguing non-selection is Reeves, I reckon.

Does this mean we won't start the season with a dual ruck policy or is Sam playing mind games?

Who knows what will happen next week, but Meeky is the number one ruck and we might not want to waste a spot on a ruckman that is only effective for the bounce of the ball and minimal parts of the game, in place of an attacking runner etc.

 

[thehardway]

Who knows what will happen next week, but Meeky is the number one ruck and we might not want to waste a spot on a ruckman that is only effective for the bounce of the ball and minimal parts of the game, in place of an attacking runner etc.

We didn't sign big Ned up until the end of 2029 to be just a depth player. But yeah, I'm surprised he's not playing tmrw. Maybe just resting up for GWS game.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Wonder what the reason is for not playing Dear, that seems rather surprising.

But it will be good to see Mraz and Schubert in action again.

Hopefully Mackenzie has a better game and gets some significant midfield time.

 

[parsons nose]

who'll be starting in Round 0.

Will he thought? I don’t think he’s (Dear) a lock.

 

[Big Hotdog]

Just watching Toby from the Today show this morning... then some feedback on twitter..."By Toby’s terms this means he’s gonna poke that little campaigners eyes out"...in regard to ginni suggesting GWS are ripe for the picking.

God i love Toby

 

[Baz_hawk]

I think we probably have a few plans on how to best utilise the 5th bench player so this will be a test with a single ruck to see how that goes. Or maybe it's a calculated risk to avoid some sort of freakish double injury ahead of the real stuff?

THEORIES

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Most intriguing non-selection is Reeves, I reckon.

Does this mean we won't start the season with a dual ruck policy or is Sam playing mind games?

Edit: Does BHH have any pre-season hit-up this weekend?

Game before hawks dogs

 

[I got the outside word]

I think we probably have a few plans on how to best utilise the 5th bench player so this will be a test with a single ruck to see how that goes. Or maybe it's a calculated risk to avoid some sort of freakish double injury ahead of the real stuff?

THEORIES

I don’t know for sure, but some inside sources are suggesting it has something to do with Iranian cloud seeding.

 

[eldorado]

Happy for Hill. I think a make or break year for him. It's just getting more involved. If he can't do that, he'll be out of the league (unfortunately most likely at this point).

He is a Cat B rookie, who has been here one season.

 

[SSSSSS]

Like the Schu, Hill and Mraz selections. Exciting to give them a run. Hopefully they get some good minutes instead of warming the pine.

Dear copped a heavy knock in the praccy match against Geelong. Maybe they're just letting him sit this out. Seeing him on the emergencies list so he's obviously still in condition to play but perhaps they're being conservative.

 

[burger09]

Do we think Dear will play in the Box Hill game?
Seemed to cop a knock against the Cats at one stage.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Most intriguing non-selection is Reeves, I reckon.

Does this mean we won't start the season with a dual ruck policy or is Sam playing mind games?

Edit: Does BHH have any pre-season hit-up this weekend?

Might be that Sam just wants to look at how a Meek/Chol ruck combo works with the new rules.

 

[Dipper]

Will he thought? I don’t think he’s (Dear) a lock.

I doubt he is either, I wouldn't run with 4 talls forward, Chol/ Gunston are locks and Lewis seems ahead of Dear.

Picking Schu ahead of him can't be seen as a positive for Dear either (unless he's got an injury).

 

[ReturningHawk]

Wouldn’t read too much into Dear’s absence. Probably sore ribs.

Can’t see Schu replacing him in the side anyway. Marking presence, yes, but if we play Lewis, Schubert and Gunston in the same forward line we’ll get murdered on the rebound, especially by GWS. Dear and Chol have the defensive pressure element that allows us to play so many talls

 

[Strebi3]

Praccy games are mostly to experiment and trial things that are too risky to do in the real stuff. Good to see Hill, Schubert and a few on the outer get a run with some senior players. Cant play Schubert and Bmac with Dear and Amon in the side. I’m sure Sam and the team are all on the same page and know what’s likely happening in a weeks time. This is just a final hit out

 

[CobberRodgers]

We didn't sign big Ned up until the end of 2029 to be just a depth player. But yeah, I'm surprised he's not playing tmrw. Maybe just resting up for GWS game.

I’m happy we signed him. But let’s not pretend Meek has been anything short of outstanding during our rise over the last two seasons, and if we don’t want to waste a spot on a second ruckman then unfortunately Reeves is starting from behind.

Big Lloyd does some great work around the ground, has sticky mitts and converts when he goes forward. Also the Cholinator is a very underrated back up, has ignited us in the middle at times last year.

As someone else mentioned, Reeves will get plenty of cracks, through rotation of not only players but tactics.

The fact GWS have Briggs who plays like Lloyd might also be a factor early.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Just watching Toby from the Today show this morning... then some feedback on twitter..."By Toby’s terms this means he’s gonna poke that little campaigners eyes out"...in regard to ginni suggesting GWS are ripe for the picking.

God i love Toby

"He's soft as butter with her"

"Daddy was f****n s**t tonight"

Irony lost on the producers it seems.