Training 2026 Pre Season Training Thread

[Adnico26Parker]

McKirdy has an article in the DT on yesterday’s final session (looks like it’s only in the print version, because he’s posted the whole article on his X account).

Here’s an extract:

“Teammates got a first taste of what Curnow could look like as a key forward target when they had a scaled-down match simuation session on Wednesday.

Curnow sat deep near the square but rotated with the likes of Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey to create space across the ground.

A key focus for the Swans in their ball movement during the simulation was attacking the corridor in transition. Cox and his assistant coaches were instructing key midfielders to spread. The likes of Nick Blakey

22

Nick Blakey

Age

25

Ht

196cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.4

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

2.1

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

7.2

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.2

3star

and Matt Roberts provided plenty of overlapping run and found space near the forward-50 arc.

Gulden was one of the strongest performers in the session, while James Rowbottom

8

James Rowbottom

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.6

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

2.5

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

has done plenty of conditioning as he looks to win back his place in the starting midfield group next year.”

 

[Adnico26Parker]

 

[caesar88]

 

[The Blue Max]

His. body is a temple, old, dilapidated and probably cursed.

 

[bedford]

That really could be it , they are one of the worst
The great Bobby Skilton missed a whole season with it

 

[Adnico26Parker]

 

[dosser]

They are making room for Christmas pud.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Mrs DQ is strangely reluctant to put down the iPad.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Mrs DQ is strangely reluctant to put down the iPad.

There's a photo of Heeney and Max King side by side. Max has a llloooonnnnggggg way to go.

 

[RilesMacca]

Dubai Quacker ’s vision for next year

 

[bedford]

There's a photo of Heeney and Max King side by side. Max has a llloooonnnnggggg way to go.

10 years younger ! and how many years has Heens been in the system

 

[Superstar swan]

I know it’s only pre season, but it’s noticeable a lot of players have changed up their conditioning.

The players look harder with mature bodies now. Not an ounce of puppy fat to Be seen

 

[Bonz]

I know it’s only pre season, but it’s noticeable a lot of players have changed up their conditioning.

The players look harder with mature bodies now. Not an ounce of puppy fat to Be seen

To this point, a lot of our team were still in a development phase of their career.

Gulden, McDonald and Warner for instance should still be putting on size.

I think we have just taken our time with our prospects to try and bring them up to speed slowly.

 

[Callipygian]

I dropped by for nearly the last hour of training yesterday. Not much to report except that I didn't spot Taylor Adams

3

Taylor Adams

Age

32

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.9

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

11.4

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.8

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

20.4

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.9

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

18.2

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.2

4star

or Jesse Dattoli. Also Jev Phillipou may have cut his hair super short, which made him difficult to recognise.

Billy Cootee was off legs. He looked very sharp doing some handball drills with two other players (Amartey and Dos I think). But then he was using crutches when they left the oval to head back to HQ. Chad finished early and sat and watched and chatted to some smartly-dressed visiting insider.

In terms of the discussion about the size of players (as in mostly the thickness of their arms), I happened to be noticing that very thing a bit yesterday. The biggest are obviously the rucks (Grundy, Ladhams). Then Charlie, then Tom McCartin

30

Tom Mccartin

Age

25

Ht

194cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.3

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

129.5

2star

D

7.2

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

0.8

1star

MG

87.4

2star

D

9.0

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

168.0

3star

(definitely looking notably thick of arm). Rampe and Mills actually not too far behind. Heeney is lean AND muscly - absolutely NEVER misses a chance to get his kit off. Paps and Cootee also looking muscly.

Malceski looks in great shape. Laidler is in decent shape too. Buchanan not so much and Spike McVeigh looks like his body is seizing up on him - he looks a bit gimpy (but not as much as Leon Cameron

Leon Cameron

Age

53

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

12.4

5star

HB

4.7

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.9

3star

No current season stats available

D

20.8

5star

K

14.4

5star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

who has a pronounced limp that must be from an old injury). Anyway, the coaches aren't the ones who have to perform on the field, so that's by the bye.

Near the end of the session on the oval they were rotating through match play and then going off in groups and doing these running exercises (photographed by Phil Hillyard) which comprised shuttle runs where they had to get on and off the ground at either end of a short shuttle repeatedly for a while. Rowy and Paps' effort and performance stood out in the rotation they were in together. Interestingly, with some of the talls (e.g. Curnow, Melican) they didn't make them get right down on the ground but they made their shuttle runs a little longer (say an extra 2 metres). Rosas appeared to be doing very well and working less hard, so I watched him closely and realised he was shortcutting it a little bit and not running as far as the person next to him. It was only a metre or so less on each 10 metre shuttle run (although possibly a metre at either end) and it made a surprising amount of difference. He also had a different technique for getting up and down where he rolled his body more. I wonder if someone is going to pull him up about the short-cutting. If I noticed then surely someone else did. I think they should. Jai Serong was lagging behind - but at least he was running his full measure.

That's all I've got for now.

 

[bedford]

I dropped by for nearly the last hour of training yesterday. Not much to report except that I didn't spot Taylor Adams or Jesse Dattoli. Also Jev Phillipou may have cut his hair super short, which made him difficult to recognise.

Billy Cootee was off legs. He looked very sharp doing some handball drills with two other players (Amartey and Dos I think). But then he was using crutches when they left the oval to head back to HQ. Chad finished early and sat and watched and chatted to some smartly-dressed visiting insider.

In terms of the discussion about the size of players (as in mostly the thickness of their arms), I happened to be noticing that very thing a bit yesterday. The biggest are obviously the rucks (Grundy, Ladhams). Then Charlie, then Tom McCartin (definitely looking notably thick of arm). Rampe and Mills actually not too far behind. Heeney is lean AND muscly - absolutely NEVER misses a chance to get his kit off. Paps and Cootee also looking muscly.

Malceski looks in great shape. Laidler is in decent shape too. Buchanan not so much and Spike McVeigh looks like his body is seizing up on him - he looks a bit gimpy (but not as much as Leon Cameron who has a pronounced limp that must be from an old injury). Anyway, the coaches aren't the ones who have to perform on the field, so that's by they bye.

Near the end of the session on the oval they were rotating through match play and then going off in groups and doing these running exercises (photographed by Phil Hillyard) which comprised shuttle runs where they had to get on and off the ground at either end of a short shuttle repeatedly for a while. Rowy and Paps' effort and performance stood out in the rotation they were in together. Interestingly, with some of the talls (e.g. Curnow, Melican) they didn't make them get right down on the ground but they made their shuttle runs a little longer (say an extra 2 metres). Rosas appeared to be doing very well and working less hard, so I watched him closely and realised he was shortcutting it a little bit and not running as far as the person next to him. It was only a metre or so less on each 10 metre shuttle run (although possibly a metre at either end) and it made a surprising amount of difference. He also had a different technique for getting up and down where he rolled his body more. I wonder if someone is going to pull him up about the short-cutting. If I noticed then surely someone else did. I think they should. Jai Serong was lagging behind - but at least he was running his full measure.

That's all I've got for now.

Enjoy these , thank you Calli

 

[Nuggetz]

I dropped by for nearly the last hour of training yesterday. Not much to report except that I didn't spot Taylor Adams or Jesse Dattoli. Also Jev Phillipou may have cut his hair super short, which made him difficult to recognise.

Billy Cootee was off legs. He looked very sharp doing some handball drills with two other players (Amartey and Dos I think). But then he was using crutches when they left the oval to head back to HQ. Chad finished early and sat and watched and chatted to some smartly-dressed visiting insider.

In terms of the discussion about the size of players (as in mostly the thickness of their arms), I happened to be noticing that very thing a bit yesterday. The biggest are obviously the rucks (Grundy, Ladhams). Then Charlie, then Tom McCartin (definitely looking notably thick of arm). Rampe and Mills actually not too far behind. Heeney is lean AND muscly - absolutely NEVER misses a chance to get his kit off. Paps and Cootee also looking muscly.

Malceski looks in great shape. Laidler is in decent shape too. Buchanan not so much and Spike McVeigh looks like his body is seizing up on him - he looks a bit gimpy (but not as much as Leon Cameron who has a pronounced limp that must be from an old injury). Anyway, the coaches aren't the ones who have to perform on the field, so that's by they bye.

Near the end of the session on the oval they were rotating through match play and then going off in groups and doing these running exercises (photographed by Phil Hillyard) which comprised shuttle runs where they had to get on and off the ground at either end of a short shuttle repeatedly for a while. Rowy and Paps' effort and performance stood out in the rotation they were in together. Interestingly, with some of the talls (e.g. Curnow, Melican) they didn't make them get right down on the ground but they made their shuttle runs a little longer (say an extra 2 metres). Rosas appeared to be doing very well and working less hard, so I watched him closely and realised he was shortcutting it a little bit and not running as far as the person next to him. It was only a metre or so less on each 10 metre shuttle run (although possibly a metre at either end) and it made a surprising amount of difference. He also had a different technique for getting up and down where he rolled his body more. I wonder if someone is going to pull him up about the short-cutting. If I noticed then surely someone else did. I think they should. Jai Serong was lagging behind - but at least he was running his full measure.

That's all I've got for now.

Great insights, disappointing to hear about Rosas.

 

[Cadsky]

Great insights, disappointing to hear about Rosas.

I'll put it down to how he's been taught for now. I'd say it's nothing more than how he's always done it and probably says more about Gold Coast training standards vs ours.

 

[Nuggetz]

I'll put it down to how he's been taught for now. I'd say it's nothing more than how he's always done it and probably says more about Gold Coast training standards vs ours.

I dunno, it's pretty clear cut. I'm not giving him any excuses, this is his 2nd chance. He knows better, hope it doesn't happen again for a player in his position. He needs to prove himself to others. A little bit of an attitude adjustment.

 

[liz]

I'll put it down to how he's been taught for now. I'd say it's nothing more than how he's always done it and probably says more about Gold Coast training standards vs ours.

Maybe.

Long before the Swans publicly flagged an interest in him I heard comments (in the media) that he wasn’t getting games with GC because he didn’t work as hard as he might.

On the other hand, he may not realise that he’s taking some shortcuts.

 

[bedford]

I dunno, it's pretty clear cut. I'm not giving him any excuses, this is his 2nd chance. He knows better, hope it doesn't happen again for a player in his position. He needs to prove himself to others. A little bit of an attitude adjustment.

This was one persons opinion . i'm sure the club will know more than us and most sessions are filmed these days

 

[Adnico26Parker]

At least we know Billy and Dattoli are doing gym work, as evidenced by the gym IG post. Perhaps being cautions with Jesse if he wasn't out at training from Callipygian's update.

Annoying we don't know what Billy's injury is, even though he's still on crutches from the Newcastle camp 3 weeks ago from where it was first reported. Another delayed start, along with Adams. But at least he's doing the upper body work until he's back on legs.

Bring on 2026!

 

[Kiama Chris]

I'll put it down to how he's been taught for now. I'd say it's nothing more than how he's always done it and probably says more about Gold Coast training standards vs ours.

To my eyes Rosas looked a little (stress the little) underdone when he first turned up. Perhaps he's struggling a bit.
Edit: someone will have noticed and words will be said. Standards.

 

[joeykanga]

I know it’s only pre season, but it’s noticeable a lot of players have changed up their conditioning.

The players look harder with mature bodies now. Not an ounce of puppy fat to Be seen

Just a little bit on Brayden perhaps. Not a dig. He's one of my favourites

 

[Punts]

I'll put it down to how he's been taught for now. I'd say it's nothing more than how he's always done it and probably says more about Gold Coast training standards vs ours.

Same training standard that Dimmas team gave us a flogging with a 10 goal run and we couldn’t keep up?

 

[Cadsky]

Same training standard that Dimmas team gave us a flogging with a 10 goal run and we couldn’t keep up?

I guess I'd rather give the bloke the benefit of the doubt before writing him off as lazy based off one person's perception. Ultimately if his training is not up to team standards he'll pick it up or he won't cut it. Time will tell.