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Training Preseason Training Thread - 2026

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The below is the OG faux training report from nearly 9 years ago - often imitated but never surpassed

Carbine Chaos said:
In the absence of Keys I went down for a trundle this morning to check them out on return. Just a few random notes I took down...

  • A lot of running work again, clearly a focus even in the heat.
  • Duggan looked on and was hitting targets left and right. Set for a huge 2017.
  • Giles went up against Vardy in the ruck contests and I'd say that Giles has the inside running at the moment.
  • Mitchell looked a class above the other midfielders bar Priddis. Just knew how to find the footy and wouldn't miss a target all session. Shuey was very quiet and seemed to be taking direction from Mitchell. Doesn't bode well for his captaincy credentials, maybe he doesn't want the gig?
  • Won't say too much about it in case I was just reading too much into it, but Rioli looked as though he'd enjoyed the Christmas break a bit too much. A few of the coaches pulled him aside and they were having quite an animated conversation before Rioli was sent to do laps for the rest of the session. Good news for Le Cras, I suppose.
  • Sheed kicked on his right foot for 80% of the session, I reckon. Nice to see players working on their non-preferred so readily.
  • Petrie looked like he was doing a great job 'coaching' the younger forwards in between the drills. Darling in particular seemed to be following him around.
  • Gee Venables has some skills. He mainly jogged laps before spending the last half hour or so on set shots - curled a few beauties from behind the boundary line at the end for a bit of fun. Hardly saw him miss a kick.
  • What interested me the most was that McGovern split his time between the defenders and the forwards, could be seeing a swingman role in 2017. He was his usual dominant self down back in some match simulation drills before going head-to-head with Mackenzie in a forward role.
  • Bayok is very fast - Cripps was in most of the drills with him and couldn't keep up.
  • Nelson is pale as buggery and still doesn't really have the body shape you'd expect of an AFL player.
  • There was a big bloke who pulled up next to me and I could have sworn it was Suma, but I'm sure I was wrong...
  • Masto was the player picked to kick the goal at the end today and nailed it. Celebrations were huge.
  • No sign of Cole, Parto or Hill. Couldn't tell you why.

Will upload pics later if I have time. Let me know if you have any questions!
Click to expand...

You might wonder why I’ve put this up and stickied it

Because this is the standard all copies should be measured against and it’s a reminder of how high the bar was set

And to hopefully discourage sequels.

If you want to have a crack in my absence, go ahead but if it doesn’t equal the standard set (as judged by me), then expect

• A one week threadban for a first offence
• A two week threadban for a second offence
• A one year threadban for a third offence

Actual training reports, minus discussion, can become found here:

Training - Preseason Training Reports -2025/26

This thread has been setup for training reports only and won’t be open for replies Informative reports from the preseason thread will be copied into this thread so posters have access to the quality work from the likes of LittleFires without wading through pages of general posts
www.bigfooty.com www.bigfooty.com
 
Last edited:
flyinghi64 said:
Wow, so if that's it then I might have to go and have some updates on the main board with the Richmond and North are way ahead of eagles and Sheezel and Wardlaw are better than Reid threads.
Makes for some funny reading.
Click to expand...
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Liam Ryan wasn’t there smh
 

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RustyShacklefordFalcon said:
**** me Suma is a big dumb oaf. Jacko nipping at his heels for a spot on the flog podium too.

Even if they are both just earning a living, I find making a career post-footy out of pot-shotting the club that you bled for to be a contemptible choice. There are plenty of things you can do post-football that actually help young players, lift them up and support them. This is doing the opposite.
Click to expand...
That is a very crowded podium. Not sure either actually makes it at the flog national champs but yea Suma would place for the WA comp. Jacko is probably not making it.
 
jdisc said:
ok so if either of them play in round 1 i assume Jako will get on the radio and admit he got it wrong, right?
Click to expand...
Nah, they have to play and the whole team has to do well. Or he can say "see i was right the Eagles are in a worse hole than we even thought."
 

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The pre-Christmas training block of just 3 weeks (5 for 1st-4th year players) has now wrapped up with players expected to return in early January. That’s only 9 weeks ahead of our R1 trip to the Gold Coast to play the Suns. Time flies

Hard to draw any definitive conclusions from a sample size of just 10 sessions involving the full list but there’s been some encouraging signs both individually and collectively

Overall the squad looks pretty fit and physically bigger, albeit not substantially so. The main focus has been on skills and ball movement (at speed) coupled with an aim to get some miles in the players legs - mainly during drills but also with some extra running which has often been more repeat type sprints as opposed to endurance running

Whilst there’s been a reasonable amount of competitive matchsim type work it’s not usually been the real combative/high intensity contests that you’d expect to see in the new year

I suspect McQualter would be quite pleased with what’s he’s seen from the group overall and that we’ve got through this block relatively unscathed on the injury front - although there has been some setbacks that I’ll get to in my views on individual players

Standouts in bold, injured in red

1. Willem Duursma- the no.1 pick has come as advertised. Smooth mover with good skills who’s impressed in his short time mainly playing through midfield. Comparisons to Bontempelli aren’t stupid albeit he’s going to need time to mature physically as he’s quite lightly framed

2. Jake Waterman- built into this block slowly as he quite was often in and out of drills but showed his class in matchsim last Friday.

3. Liam Baker- missed the last week or so with a minor hammy but looks ready to resume full training after the break. Always a positive voice out on the track encouraging his teammates

4. Brandon Starcevich- what a unit. His big frame is going to be an asset down back along with his experience and calmness under pressure. Probably more steady than spectacular so far but is getting the work in

5. Josh Lindsay- his kicking has already been a highlight playing mainly off half back. Can be a little left sided though but that’s being hyper critical. Won’t be surprised to see him get a game early if a spot opens up

6. Elliot Yeo- simply seeing him participating in training was a welcome sight. Is on a managed program and finished this block a few days early to get married but has been moving pretty well when he has trained.

7. Rueben Ginbey- has done a fair run Forrest run impersonation has he seemed to spend almost entire sessions jogging around the boundary. Feels like they’ve been purposely holding him back because he doesn’t have gears to move through - it’s simply an on/off switch for him that’s mainly stuck on. Was gradually incorporated back into the main group and finished training fully. Looks primed for a big year

8. Elijah Hewett- has got through this block training every session fully from what I’ve seen which is a first for him. Important because he does need to build his tank after successive compromised preseasons. Has generally been fairly effective in match play. Should be happy with his output so far

9. Harley Reid- the standout of preseason. Returned in good shape and hasn’t put a foot wrong. Seems more engaged and comfortable on the track. In any ball movement exercise, whether it be contested or a non-contact drill, he’s been dominant and has stayed involved with repeat efforts. Can’t have done more to set himself up for a breakout 2026

10. Tyler Brockman- been a touch on the quiet side so far. Been on a modified program which has seen him sit out parts of most sessions and hasn’t been all that noticeable in the matchsims he has been part of

11. Tim Kelly- has been solid. Wasn’t fully training early and seemed to be doing extra running but is now doing full sessions. Being performing pretty well in match play and been involved in some good link up work through midfield

12. Sam Allen- was drafted coming off an ACL in May of this year so has been restricted to rehab work that’s predominantly been straight line running as the fitness strengthen his knee and get him ready for a progression in his rehab. Will be some time still before we see him doing anything competitive

13. Noah Long- been something of a quiet achiever who’s low key put together a nice little block of work. Been more than handy as a high half forward in matchsim and looks to be over any lingering issues from his 2024 knee injury that held him back somewhat in 2025

14. Liam Duggan- had minor knee surgery in the offseason so was gradually phased into training but is now doing so fully, albeit on a veteran’s program. Been playoff half back in matchsim and been one of the better performers when he does play. Anyone hoping for his demise are set to be disappointed and remains the type of leader who could quite easily be voted in as captain again

15. Jamie Cripps- now the oldest player on the list, he’s no longer one of the standout trainers and is often managed through each week and within sessions. That’s not to say he isn’t fit or isn’t contributing as he is both. Still a clever link up player who can find a goal and will be in the side come R1. Doing what a professional does this time of year

16. Matt Owies- has spent almost the entire training block working away from the main group, only joining a couple of the non contact drills in the last session or two. Been doing plenty of running, so whatever injury he’s carrying, if any, is likely to be an upper body issue.

17. Jack Graham - like a few of the senior players he’s not done all the work but is travelling along well enough doing what’s needed.

18. Tom McCarthy- new number, new position. Looks set to be playing a far more midfield oriented role and his run and carry during matchsim is adding a different dynamic through there. Has been impressive

19. Brady Hough- quietly going about his business without drawing attention like he so often does. Has been held out of some drills but looks to be going well enough after off season shoulder surgery. No midfield time for him that I’ve seen - played exclusively in defence

20. Tylar Young- slightly delayed start following offseason shoulder surgery so trained away from the main group before being slowly integrated into main training, albeit with the fluoro yellow no contact cap. Has looked solid in defence when he has played as he competes for a spot with the other KPDs

21. Cooper Duff-Tytler- have to admit I was against drafting him earlier in the year and whilst I warmed to the idea as the draft approached, I never completely let go of the notion we’d be better off trading down for extra picks with a focus on improving our midfield. Now it’s an admittedly small sample size, but I don’t think i could’ve been more wrong. CDT has improved every session. For a player his size his speed and agility are impressive, as are his skills. Playing predominantly forward and pushing up to the wings, he’s shown some tantalising attributes and if I was picking a side to play this weekend, he’d be in it. Stoked with what I’ve seen from him

22. Archer Reid- close to being in bold based purely on his physical development. Has put on significant size and has quite an imposing presence now. With Bailey Williams and Barnett both rehabbing injuries, Reid has primarily played as a roaming ruck in opposition to Flynn during matchsim. Moving well and has done a full preseason so far which is a first for him. Has also improved his set shot goal kicking

23. Ryan Maric- been training back in defence as the club seems to be wanting to further develop his back half distributor role. Still turns it over on occasion but is improving. Probably borderline best 23 atm

24. Harvey Johnston- after an underwhelming 2025, McQualter has moved Whopper to a half forward role with promising results so far. Providing some good ball use in addition to his usual hype man energy. Long way to go obviously, but it’s been a good move so far

25. Matt Flynn- working hard as usual and has got through without incident as he looks to get a full preseason in. Remains to be seen how he copes with the rule changes that look to favour more athletic rucks

26. Bo Allan- started decently enough but sustained a wrist fracture a week or so ago that’s limited him to running laps. Expectation is he should be right to resume training after the break. Had been playing primarily on a wing prior to his injury

27. Tom Gross- virtually unsighted so far, barring the odd appearance on an exercise bike as he recovers from a reported, but unconfirmed quad injury. Shame that we haven’t really seen anything from him as he was someone we all hoped would get a full preseason in to build his tank. No word in the club’s injury report of him even being in rehab, let alone an estimated return to training date

28. Tom Cole- at 28, Cole is another one of our senior citizens (6th oldest), but has been in all of most sessions. Still playing across half back he’s been very solid and showing he’ll give the match committee some headaches as they settle on their best backline combination

29. Clay Hall- training well alternating between midfield and wing. Looks fit but is going to be fighting for a midfield spot

30. Harry Barnett- incurred a PCL injury over the offseason that has kept him in rehab this side of Christmas. Joined in some low scale football work in the last session but per the club’s injury report won’t return to full training until late January. Started well back in the pecking order so this hasn’t helped him to change that

31. Lucca Grego- probably doing what you’d expect for a player doing his first full preseason. Building his tank and has been going ok playing as a half back without being a standout

32. Bailey Williams- another of the rehab crew who’s been mostly unsighted due to a persistent groin problem that has only just shown signs of improvement. Not expected to rejoin the main group until late January which won’t leave him much time to catch up to Flynn and Reid as a ruck option

33. Rhett Bazzo- needed a full preseason after a series of interruptions in prior years that stalled his progress and so far so good. Nothing spectacular but the main aim should be getting through unscathed and build his fitness base which he’s doing well enough

34. Jack Williams- spent the early part of this block working on his fitness base with a fair chunk of extra running with good results. Is arguably the fittest of the KPP/rucks and has mainly been playing as a KPF but would be behind the other options at this stage

35.Jobe Shanahan- looks to have added some size to his upper body and continues to impress as a forward with sticky hands. Showing all the signs you’d want from a KPF entering his second season. Hopefully he can work further with Waterman to build their chemistry together

36. Tylah Williams- hadn’t participated in all the work the other first years have but has gradually been more involved. Looks to have nice agility and a tidy left boot

37. Malakai Champion- had an injury scare when he went down clutching his knee early last week but looks to have escaped any issues. Had some nice moments during matchsim as he fights for a small forward spot

38. Hamish Davis- something of an unlikely standout but he’s been excellent. Already one of the fittest players at the club, he’s excelled playing as the open side wingman. Been very impressive and would be the current favourite for a spot there for R1

39. Fred Rodriguez- showing some nice signs for a first year rookie. Is a good size and hasn’t looked out of place albeit he’d be a fair way off a debut at this point

40. Deven Robertson- another who had offseason shoulder surgery which has kept him out of much of the contact work so far. Looks fit though as he’s done a fair bit of running. Was handy in the small amount of matchsim work he did do

41. Sandy Brock- pretty unobtrusive so far but has done most of the sessions so far. Interesting competition between he, Young and Bazzo for the second KPD spot awaits

42. Harry Edwards- looks to be training as the deepest defender anchoring the backline. Becoming confident as he develops into the main man down back following the departures of Barrass and McGovern

43. Tyrell Dewar- has been in and out of training a bit so far. Played halfback early before moving up to the wing after Bo Allan was injured. Had some good moments

44. Jack Hutchinson- was training very early but soon disappeared into rehab with what has been revealed to be a stress fracture in his ankle that required surgery. Will be out of action for at least 10 weeks when he’s anticipated to be able to resume running. Probably the one significant casualty of our preseason program so far

45. Finn Macrae- been solid enough albeit on a bit of a modified program due to offseason shoulder surgery. Is a good size and will be a good leader for our WAFL side at worst

46. Jacob Newton- made a really encouraging start to this preseason playing as a high half forward. More recently, however, has been on a modified program and not participating in contact work. Hopefully it’s nothing major and he can resume full training when they return next year because he was showing some really good signs

47. Harry Schoenberg- I felt he was the least enticing of the three mature aged SSP signings we brought in, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far. Has been really solid during matchsim linking up through the midfield.

48. Archie Watt- he’s become a bit of a board meme, but our WAFL signing from Victoria has been training fully with the AFL group and hasn’t looked out of place. No idea what undertakings we’ve given him regarding a future list spot if one opens up ahead of the MSD but he’ll have an opportunity to press his claim playing for the Beagles where he shapes to be a handy addition

Look forward to seeing how the players return in the new year where we should have close to a fully fit list - only Allen and Hutchinson project to be unavailable beyond the end of January
 
Byron_Clanger said:
Was listening to 6PR Wide World of Sport tonight with Mark Readings and Jako was on tonight and he doesn't seem to think either CDT or Duursma will play round 1. 'I've been down to training and the size of those guys and how they look, they look miles off, or West Coast are in a deeper hole than I thought'

Is Jako turning into the new Summa or something? The f*ck?
Click to expand...
I haven’t listened to it, and not going to - so in the style of 2025 I’m going to twist what he said out of context and take it as gospel:

2x Reid’s, JW (x2 again), Davis, Gross, HJ + others have all put on significant size and improved their fitness meaning the draftees look more like kids when joining our squad than previous years.


I’m sure it is in no way what Jacko was saying, but it is now part of the evolution of the squad that 2nd/3rd year players will start to look more and more like professional AFL athletes rather than fresh faced kids!
 
Keys said:
The pre-Christmas training block of just 3 weeks (5 for 1st-4th year players) has now wrapped up with players expected to return in early January. That’s only 9 weeks ahead of our R1 trip to the Gold Coast to play the Suns. Time flies

Hard to draw any definitive conclusions from a sample size of just 10 sessions involving the full list but there’s been some encouraging signs both individually and collectively

Overall the squad looks pretty fit and physically bigger, albeit not substantially so. The main focus has been on skills and ball movement (at speed) coupled with an aim to get some miles in the players legs - mainly during drills but also with some extra running which has often been more repeat type sprints as opposed to endurance running

Whilst there’s been a reasonable amount of competitive matchsim type work it’s not usually been the real combative/high intensity contests that you’d expect to see in the new year

I suspect McQualter would be quite pleased with what’s he’s seen from the group overall and that we’ve got through this block relatively unscathed on the injury front - although there has been some setbacks that I’ll get to in my views on individual players

Standouts in bold, injured in red

1. Willem Duursma- the no.1 pick has come as advertised. Smooth mover with good skills who’s impressed in his short time mainly playing through midfield. Comparisons to Bontempelli aren’t stupid albeit he’s going to need time to mature physically as he’s quite lightly framed

2. Jake Waterman- built into this block slowly as he quite was often in and out of drills but showed his class in matchsim last Friday.

3. Liam Baker- missed the last week or so with a minor hammy but looks ready to resume full training after the break. Always a positive voice out on the track encouraging his teammates

4. Brandon Starcevich- what a unit. His big frame is going to be an asset down back along with his experience and calmness under pressure. Probably more steady than spectacular so far but is getting the work in

5. Josh Lindsay- his kicking has already been a highlight playing mainly off half back. Can be a little left sided though but that’s being hyper critical. Won’t be surprised to see him get a game early if a spot opens up

6. Elliot Yeo- simply seeing him participating in training was a welcome sight. Is on a managed program and finished this block a few days early to get married but has been moving pretty well when he has trained.

7. Rueben Ginbey- has done a fair run Forrest run impersonation has he seemed to spend almost entire sessions jogging around the boundary. Feels like they’ve been purposely holding him back because he doesn’t have gears to move through - it’s simply an on/off switch for him that’s mainly stuck on. Was gradually incorporated back into the main group and finished training fully. Looks primed for a big year

8. Elijah Hewett- has got through this block training every session fully from what I’ve seen which is a first for him. Important because he does need to build his tank after successive compromised preseasons. Has generally been fairly effective in match play. Should be happy with his output so far

9. Harley Reid- the standout of preseason. Returned in good shape and hasn’t put a foot wrong. Seems more engaged and comfortable on the track. In any ball movement exercise, whether it be contested or a non-contact drill, he’s been dominant and has stayed involved with repeat efforts. Can’t have done more to set himself up for a breakout 2026

10. Tyler Brockman- been a touch on the quiet side so far. Been on a modified program which has seen him sit out parts of most sessions and hasn’t been all that noticeable in the matchsims he has been part of

11. Tim Kelly- has been solid. Wasn’t fully training early and seemed to be doing extra running but is now doing full sessions. Being performing pretty well in match play and been involved in some good link up work through midfield

12. Sam Allen- was drafted coming off an ACL in May of this year so has been restricted to rehab work that’s predominantly been straight line running as the fitness strengthen his knee and get him ready for a progression in his rehab. Will be some time still before we see him doing anything competitive

13. Noah Long- been something of a quiet achiever who’s low key put together a nice little block of work. Been more than handy as a high half forward in matchsim and looks to be over any lingering issues from his 2024 knee injury that held him back somewhat in 2025

14. Liam Duggan- had minor knee surgery in the offseason so was gradually phased into training but is now doing so fully, albeit on a veteran’s program. Been playoff half back in matchsim and been one of the better performers when he does play. Anyone hoping for his demise are set to be disappointed and remains the type of leader who could quite easily be voted in as captain again

15. Jamie Cripps- now the oldest player on the list, he’s no longer one of the standout trainers and is often managed through each week and within sessions. That’s not to say he isn’t fit or isn’t contributing as he is both. Still a clever link up player who can find a goal and will be in the side come R1. Doing what a professional does this time of year

16. Matt Owies- has spent almost the entire training block working away from the main group, only joining a couple of the non contact drills in the last session or two. Been doing plenty of running, so whatever injury he’s carrying, if any, is likely to be an upper body issue.

17. Jack Graham - like a few of the senior players he’s not done all the work but is travelling along well enough doing what’s needed.

18. Tom McCarthy- new number, new position. Looks set to be playing a far more midfield oriented role and his run and carry during matchsim is adding a different dynamic through there. Has been impressive

19. Brady Hough- quietly going about his business without drawing attention like he so often does. Has been held out of some drills but looks to be going well enough after off season shoulder surgery. No midfield time for him that I’ve seen - played exclusively in defence

20. Tylar Young- slightly delayed start following offseason shoulder surgery so trained away from the main group before being slowly integrated into main training, albeit with the fluoro yellow no contact cap. Has looked solid in defence when he has played as he competes for a spot with the other KPDs

21. Cooper Duff-Tytler- have to admit I was against drafting him earlier in the year and whilst I warmed to the idea as the draft approached, I never completely let go of the notion we’d be better off trading down for extra picks with a focus on improving our midfield. Now it’s an admittedly small sample size, but I don’t think i could’ve been more wrong. CDT has improved every session. For a player his size his speed and agility are impressive, as are his skills. Playing predominantly forward and pushing up to the wings, he’s shown some tantalising attributes and if I was picking a side to play this weekend, he’d be in it. Stoked with what I’ve seen from him

22. Archer Reid- close to being in bold based purely on his physical development. Has put on significant size and has quite an imposing presence now. With Bailey Williams and Barnett both rehabbing injuries, Reid has primarily played as a roaming ruck in opposition to Flynn during matchsim. Moving well and has done a full preseason so far which is a first for him. Has also improved his set shot goal kicking

23. Ryan Maric- been training back in defence as the club seems to be wanting to further develop his back half distributor role. Still turns it over on occasion but is improving. Probably borderline best 23 atm

24. Harvey Johnston- after an underwhelming 2025, McQualter has moved Whopper to a half forward role with promising results so far. Providing some good ball use in addition to his usual hype man energy. Long way to go obviously, but it’s been a good move so far

25. Matt Flynn- working hard as usual and has got through without incident as he looks to get a full preseason in. Remains to be seen how he copes with the rule changes that look to favour more athletic rucks

26. Bo Allan- started decently enough but sustained a wrist fracture a week or so ago that’s limited him to running laps. Expectation is he should be right to resume training after the break. Had been playing primarily on a wing prior to his injury

27. Tom Gross- virtually unsighted so far, barring the odd appearance on an exercise bike as he recovers from a reported, but unconfirmed quad injury. Shame that we haven’t really seen anything from him as he was someone we all hoped would get a full preseason in to build his tank. No word in the club’s injury report of him even being in rehab, let alone an estimated return to training date

28. Tom Cole- at 28, Cole is another one of our senior citizens (6th oldest), but has been in all of most sessions. Still playing across half back he’s been very solid and showing he’ll give the match committee some headaches as they settle on their best backline combination

29. Clay Hall- training well alternating between midfield and wing. Looks fit but is going to be fighting for a midfield spot

30. Harry Barnett- incurred a PCL injury over the offseason that has kept him in rehab this side of Christmas. Joined in some low scale football work in the last session but per the club’s injury report won’t return to full training until late January. Started well back in the pecking order so this hasn’t helped him to change that

31. Lucca Grego- probably doing what you’d expect for a player doing his first full preseason. Building his tank and has been going ok playing as a half back without being a standout

32. Bailey Williams- another of the rehab crew who’s been mostly unsighted due to a persistent groin problem that has only just shown signs of improvement. Not expected to rejoin the main group until late January which won’t leave him much time to catch up to Flynn and Reid as a ruck option

33. Rhett Bazzo- needed a full preseason after a series of interruptions in prior years that stalled his progress and so far so good. Nothing spectacular but the main aim should be getting through unscathed and build his fitness base which he’s doing well enough

34. Jack Williams- spent the early part of this block working on his fitness base with a fair chunk of extra running with good results. Is arguably the fittest of the KPP/rucks and has mainly been playing as a KPF but would be behind the other options at this stage

35.Jobe Shanahan- looks to have added some size to his upper body and continues to impress as a forward with sticky hands. Showing all the signs you’d want from a KPF entering his second season. Hopefully he can work further with Waterman to build their chemistry together

36. Tylah Williams- hadn’t participated in all the work the other first years have but has gradually been more involved. Looks to have nice agility and a tidy left boot

37. Malakai Champion- had an injury scare when he went down clutching his knee early last week but looks to have escaped any issues. Had some nice moments during matchsim as he fights for a small forward spot

38. Hamish Davis- something of an unlikely standout but he’s been excellent. Already one of the fittest players at the club, he’s excelled playing as the open side wingman. Been very impressive and would be the current favourite for a spot there for R1

39. Fred Rodriguez- showing some nice signs for a first year rookie. Is a good size and hasn’t looked out of place albeit he’d be a fair way off a debut at this point

40. Deven Robertson- another who had offseason shoulder surgery which has kept him out of much of the contact work so far. Looks fit though as he’s done a fair bit of running. Was handy in the small amount of matchsim work he did do

41. Sandy Brock- pretty unobtrusive so far but has done most of the sessions so far. Interesting competition between he, Young and Bazzo for the second KPD spot awaits

42. Harry Edwards- looks to be training as the deepest defender anchoring the backline. Becoming confident as he develops into the main man down back following the departures of Barrass and McGovern

43. Tyrell Dewar- has been in and out of training a bit so far. Played halfback early before moving up to the wing after Bo Allan was injured. Had some good moments

44. Jack Hutchinson- was training very early but soon disappeared into rehab with what has been revealed to be a stress fracture in his ankle that required surgery. Will be out of action for at least 10 weeks when he’s anticipated to be able to resume running. Probably the one significant casualty of our preseason program so far

45. Finn Macrae- been solid enough albeit on a bit of a modified program due to offseason shoulder surgery. Is a good size and will be a good leader for our WAFL side at worst

46. Jacob Newton- made a really encouraging start to this preseason playing as a high half forward. More recently, however, has been on a modified program and not participating in contact work. Hopefully it’s nothing major and he can resume full training when they return next year because he was showing some really good signs

47. Harry Schoenberg- I felt he was the least enticing of the three mature aged SSP signings we brought in, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far. Has been really solid during matchsim linking up through the midfield.

48. Archie Watt- he’s become a bit of a board meme, but our WAFL signing from Victoria has been training fully with the AFL group and hasn’t looked out of place. No idea what undertakings we’ve given him regarding a future list spot if one opens up ahead of the MSD but he’ll have an opportunity to press his claim playing for the Beagles where he shapes to be a handy addition

Look forward to seeing how the players return in the new year where we should have close to a fully fit list - only Allen and Hutchinson project to be unavailable beyond the end of January
Click to expand...
Absolute legend Keys, thanks for the comprehensive report that allows us mad supporters who can't attend training the most valuable part of the off season, insights and hope:thumbsu:
 
Keys said:
The pre-Christmas training block of just 3 weeks (5 for 1st-4th year players) has now wrapped up with players expected to return in early January. That’s only 9 weeks ahead of our R1 trip to the Gold Coast to play the Suns. Time flies

Hard to draw any definitive conclusions from a sample size of just 10 sessions involving the full list but there’s been some encouraging signs both individually and collectively

Overall the squad looks pretty fit and physically bigger, albeit not substantially so. The main focus has been on skills and ball movement (at speed) coupled with an aim to get some miles in the players legs - mainly during drills but also with some extra running which has often been more repeat type sprints as opposed to endurance running

Whilst there’s been a reasonable amount of competitive matchsim type work it’s not usually been the real combative/high intensity contests that you’d expect to see in the new year

I suspect McQualter would be quite pleased with what’s he’s seen from the group overall and that we’ve got through this block relatively unscathed on the injury front - although there has been some setbacks that I’ll get to in my views on individual players

Standouts in bold, injured in red

1. Willem Duursma- the no.1 pick has come as advertised. Smooth mover with good skills who’s impressed in his short time mainly playing through midfield. Comparisons to Bontempelli aren’t stupid albeit he’s going to need time to mature physically as he’s quite lightly framed

2. Jake Waterman- built into this block slowly as he quite was often in and out of drills but showed his class in matchsim last Friday.

3. Liam Baker- missed the last week or so with a minor hammy but looks ready to resume full training after the break. Always a positive voice out on the track encouraging his teammates

4. Brandon Starcevich- what a unit. His big frame is going to be an asset down back along with his experience and calmness under pressure. Probably more steady than spectacular so far but is getting the work in

5. Josh Lindsay- his kicking has already been a highlight playing mainly off half back. Can be a little left sided though but that’s being hyper critical. Won’t be surprised to see him get a game early if a spot opens up

6. Elliot Yeo- simply seeing him participating in training was a welcome sight. Is on a managed program and finished this block a few days early to get married but has been moving pretty well when he has trained.

7. Rueben Ginbey- has done a fair run Forrest run impersonation has he seemed to spend almost entire sessions jogging around the boundary. Feels like they’ve been purposely holding him back because he doesn’t have gears to move through - it’s simply an on/off switch for him that’s mainly stuck on. Was gradually incorporated back into the main group and finished training fully. Looks primed for a big year

8. Elijah Hewett- has got through this block training every session fully from what I’ve seen which is a first for him. Important because he does need to build his tank after successive compromised preseasons. Has generally been fairly effective in match play. Should be happy with his output so far

9. Harley Reid- the standout of preseason. Returned in good shape and hasn’t put a foot wrong. Seems more engaged and comfortable on the track. In any ball movement exercise, whether it be contested or a non-contact drill, he’s been dominant and has stayed involved with repeat efforts. Can’t have done more to set himself up for a breakout 2026

10. Tyler Brockman- been a touch on the quiet side so far. Been on a modified program which has seen him sit out parts of most sessions and hasn’t been all that noticeable in the matchsims he has been part of

11. Tim Kelly- has been solid. Wasn’t fully training early and seemed to be doing extra running but is now doing full sessions. Being performing pretty well in match play and been involved in some good link up work through midfield

12. Sam Allen- was drafted coming off an ACL in May of this year so has been restricted to rehab work that’s predominantly been straight line running as the fitness strengthen his knee and get him ready for a progression in his rehab. Will be some time still before we see him doing anything competitive

13. Noah Long- been something of a quiet achiever who’s low key put together a nice little block of work. Been more than handy as a high half forward in matchsim and looks to be over any lingering issues from his 2024 knee injury that held him back somewhat in 2025

14. Liam Duggan- had minor knee surgery in the offseason so was gradually phased into training but is now doing so fully, albeit on a veteran’s program. Been playoff half back in matchsim and been one of the better performers when he does play. Anyone hoping for his demise are set to be disappointed and remains the type of leader who could quite easily be voted in as captain again

15. Jamie Cripps- now the oldest player on the list, he’s no longer one of the standout trainers and is often managed through each week and within sessions. That’s not to say he isn’t fit or isn’t contributing as he is both. Still a clever link up player who can find a goal and will be in the side come R1. Doing what a professional does this time of year

16. Matt Owies- has spent almost the entire training block working away from the main group, only joining a couple of the non contact drills in the last session or two. Been doing plenty of running, so whatever injury he’s carrying, if any, is likely to be an upper body issue.

17. Jack Graham - like a few of the senior players he’s not done all the work but is travelling along well enough doing what’s needed.

18. Tom McCarthy- new number, new position. Looks set to be playing a far more midfield oriented role and his run and carry during matchsim is adding a different dynamic through there. Has been impressive

19. Brady Hough- quietly going about his business without drawing attention like he so often does. Has been held out of some drills but looks to be going well enough after off season shoulder surgery. No midfield time for him that I’ve seen - played exclusively in defence

20. Tylar Young- slightly delayed start following offseason shoulder surgery so trained away from the main group before being slowly integrated into main training, albeit with the fluoro yellow no contact cap. Has looked solid in defence when he has played as he competes for a spot with the other KPDs

21. Cooper Duff-Tytler- have to admit I was against drafting him earlier in the year and whilst I warmed to the idea as the draft approached, I never completely let go of the notion we’d be better off trading down for extra picks with a focus on improving our midfield. Now it’s an admittedly small sample size, but I don’t think i could’ve been more wrong. CDT has improved every session. For a player his size his speed and agility are impressive, as are his skills. Playing predominantly forward and pushing up to the wings, he’s shown some tantalising attributes and if I was picking a side to play this weekend, he’d be in it. Stoked with what I’ve seen from him

22. Archer Reid- close to being in bold based purely on his physical development. Has put on significant size and has quite an imposing presence now. With Bailey Williams and Barnett both rehabbing injuries, Reid has primarily played as a roaming ruck in opposition to Flynn during matchsim. Moving well and has done a full preseason so far which is a first for him. Has also improved his set shot goal kicking

23. Ryan Maric- been training back in defence as the club seems to be wanting to further develop his back half distributor role. Still turns it over on occasion but is improving. Probably borderline best 23 atm

24. Harvey Johnston- after an underwhelming 2025, McQualter has moved Whopper to a half forward role with promising results so far. Providing some good ball use in addition to his usual hype man energy. Long way to go obviously, but it’s been a good move so far

25. Matt Flynn- working hard as usual and has got through without incident as he looks to get a full preseason in. Remains to be seen how he copes with the rule changes that look to favour more athletic rucks

26. Bo Allan- started decently enough but sustained a wrist fracture a week or so ago that’s limited him to running laps. Expectation is he should be right to resume training after the break. Had been playing primarily on a wing prior to his injury

27. Tom Gross- virtually unsighted so far, barring the odd appearance on an exercise bike as he recovers from a reported, but unconfirmed quad injury. Shame that we haven’t really seen anything from him as he was someone we all hoped would get a full preseason in to build his tank. No word in the club’s injury report of him even being in rehab, let alone an estimated return to training date

28. Tom Cole- at 28, Cole is another one of our senior citizens (6th oldest), but has been in all of most sessions. Still playing across half back he’s been very solid and showing he’ll give the match committee some headaches as they settle on their best backline combination

29. Clay Hall- training well alternating between midfield and wing. Looks fit but is going to be fighting for a midfield spot

30. Harry Barnett- incurred a PCL injury over the offseason that has kept him in rehab this side of Christmas. Joined in some low scale football work in the last session but per the club’s injury report won’t return to full training until late January. Started well back in the pecking order so this hasn’t helped him to change that

31. Lucca Grego- probably doing what you’d expect for a player doing his first full preseason. Building his tank and has been going ok playing as a half back without being a standout

32. Bailey Williams- another of the rehab crew who’s been mostly unsighted due to a persistent groin problem that has only just shown signs of improvement. Not expected to rejoin the main group until late January which won’t leave him much time to catch up to Flynn and Reid as a ruck option

33. Rhett Bazzo- needed a full preseason after a series of interruptions in prior years that stalled his progress and so far so good. Nothing spectacular but the main aim should be getting through unscathed and build his fitness base which he’s doing well enough

34. Jack Williams- spent the early part of this block working on his fitness base with a fair chunk of extra running with good results. Is arguably the fittest of the KPP/rucks and has mainly been playing as a KPF but would be behind the other options at this stage

35.Jobe Shanahan- looks to have added some size to his upper body and continues to impress as a forward with sticky hands. Showing all the signs you’d want from a KPF entering his second season. Hopefully he can work further with Waterman to build their chemistry together

36. Tylah Williams- hadn’t participated in all the work the other first years have but has gradually been more involved. Looks to have nice agility and a tidy left boot

37. Malakai Champion- had an injury scare when he went down clutching his knee early last week but looks to have escaped any issues. Had some nice moments during matchsim as he fights for a small forward spot

38. Hamish Davis- something of an unlikely standout but he’s been excellent. Already one of the fittest players at the club, he’s excelled playing as the open side wingman. Been very impressive and would be the current favourite for a spot there for R1

39. Fred Rodriguez- showing some nice signs for a first year rookie. Is a good size and hasn’t looked out of place albeit he’d be a fair way off a debut at this point

40. Deven Robertson- another who had offseason shoulder surgery which has kept him out of much of the contact work so far. Looks fit though as he’s done a fair bit of running. Was handy in the small amount of matchsim work he did do

41. Sandy Brock- pretty unobtrusive so far but has done most of the sessions so far. Interesting competition between he, Young and Bazzo for the second KPD spot awaits

42. Harry Edwards- looks to be training as the deepest defender anchoring the backline. Becoming confident as he develops into the main man down back following the departures of Barrass and McGovern

43. Tyrell Dewar- has been in and out of training a bit so far. Played halfback early before moving up to the wing after Bo Allan was injured. Had some good moments

44. Jack Hutchinson- was training very early but soon disappeared into rehab with what has been revealed to be a stress fracture in his ankle that required surgery. Will be out of action for at least 10 weeks when he’s anticipated to be able to resume running. Probably the one significant casualty of our preseason program so far

45. Finn Macrae- been solid enough albeit on a bit of a modified program due to offseason shoulder surgery. Is a good size and will be a good leader for our WAFL side at worst

46. Jacob Newton- made a really encouraging start to this preseason playing as a high half forward. More recently, however, has been on a modified program and not participating in contact work. Hopefully it’s nothing major and he can resume full training when they return next year because he was showing some really good signs

47. Harry Schoenberg- I felt he was the least enticing of the three mature aged SSP signings we brought in, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far. Has been really solid during matchsim linking up through the midfield.

48. Archie Watt- he’s become a bit of a board meme, but our WAFL signing from Victoria has been training fully with the AFL group and hasn’t looked out of place. No idea what undertakings we’ve given him regarding a future list spot if one opens up ahead of the MSD but he’ll have an opportunity to press his claim playing for the Beagles where he shapes to be a handy addition

Look forward to seeing how the players return in the new year where we should have close to a fully fit list - only Allen and Hutchinson project to be unavailable beyond the end of January
Click to expand...
Thanks Keys .

Just a thought on CDT. Given his running ability, size and skills, could he develop into a Nick Reiwoldt type? Nick in his prime just burnt through defenders due to his running ability, he would oppo up almost all over the ground, as a marking target, and double back into goals as well. Late era Matty Richardson is another similar type.

Obviously Nick (and Matty Richardson) was a generational key forward, and I'd assume that CDT just doesn't have the forward craft at this stage, but is it something he could develop?
 

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Happy Mastenator said:
Thanks Keys .

Just a thought on CDT. Given his running ability, size and skills, could he develop into a Nick Reiwoldt type? Nick in his prime just burnt through defenders due to his running ability, he would oppo up almost all over the ground, as a marking target, and double back into goals as well. Late era Matty Richardson is another similar type.

Obviously Nick (and Matty Richardson) was a generational key forward, and I'd assume that CDT just doesn't have the forward craft at this stage, but is it something he could develop?
Click to expand...

Has the skill set to eventually be a key forward that pushes hard up and down the wing dragging defenders out and working back to goal, running them ragged. The key to being a great in that category though is having elite game sense which is yet to be determined
 
Happy Mastenator said:
Thanks Keys .

Just a thought on CDT. Given his running ability, size and skills, could he develop into a Nick Reiwoldt type? Nick in his prime just burnt through defenders due to his running ability, he would oppo up almost all over the ground, as a marking target, and double back into goals as well. Late era Matty Richardson is another similar type.

Obviously Nick (and Matty Richardson) was a generational key forward, and I'd assume that CDT just doesn't have the forward craft at this stage, but is it something he could develop?
Click to expand...

CDT already has a leg up, he won't be spraying them in front of goal peak Richo like and sulking/blaming his teammates when he doesn't get it lace out from 55m from a contest.
 

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