Training 2026 Pre Season & Training Reports

[Ruckle]

That's really not so good. Caleb, and everyone above him, are high because they take their teams kick-ins and play a distributor role in the backline. Caleb really should have a higher number of effective kicks than he does because he kicked-in more often than anyone other than Luke Ryan. He also kicked shorter, taking safer options than the others. He is well down the list of players for metres gained - with his role he should be top five, he is 29th. He is just the wrong player for this role.

Isn't everyone "above" him if he looks up?

 

[RooInNorthLondon]

Caleb wasn't as bad in 2025 as some people on BigFooty want you to believe he was.

Nobody could ever be bad as some people on Big Footy make out but I do think Caleb Daniel comes closest to meeting that impossible standard with an honourable mention for can’t be arsed Duursma.

 

[guapo]

It’s already been said, but if Caleb gets a game before Arch, Stiffy, or even possibly a fit Goater or a role changed Harvey as our medium to small defenders (with Kerch and FOS moving into more attacking roles) then we aren’t even close to shifting out of the bottom bracket. No standout weapons, even Fisher has the edge on him with a bit of toe. Just write it off as an error, blame it on Snoz, and move on

 

[Karanicolas]

Up the ground? Nope, he cant kick over a jam tin. If he could kick 30+ and had the same problem then maybe. Its not the fault of the first line of offensive zone. Other teams know he cant and fill the holes. I thought the same thing then but watched it. He’s too one dimensional

That makes sense.

I like the concept of Harvey playing that role because he is football smart, has all the skills, and most importantly, has that innate confidence that an error will not make him go into his shell (like Zorko).

The question as always is he fit enough to play at AFL level.

 

[DuckYeah]

That makes sense.

I like the concept of Harvey playing that role because he is football smart, has all the skills, and most importantly, has that innate confidence that an error will not make him go into his shell (like Zorko).

The question as always is he fit enough to play at AFL level.

I dont like the concept of reinventing players on a whim. Harvey offers a small lead up forward role, knows where the goals are.. handy POD. I think we need to recruit/draft genuine half back flankers. We have one genuine one, we have a “maybe” one in Goater and the rest are fill ins.

 

[zoomba23]

That makes sense.

I like the concept of Harvey playing that role because he is football smart, has all the skills, and most importantly, has that innate confidence that an error will not make him go into his shell (like Zorko).

The question as always is he fit enough to play at AFL level.

The answer as always is no

 

[Devington]

Caleb shits me, but not as much as the coaches. Feels like the coaches just didn't care about him doing any defending, and were happy for him to just rack up the touches and kms sprinting to bad positions for handball receives and every third kick being a solid 20-30 pass. I'd argue he's the easiest player to dislodge from any prospective best 22. Unless the system we use changed significantly I just can't see him being instrumental back there. Hell, even if we gave him the treatment teams give to their most aggressive mid/forwards and bent over backwards to emphasise his strengths, we would still get routinely shafted by his complete defensive ineffectiveness. He should be mature coverage and teaching kids in the VFL. Talk about him having a great pre season just makes me weary tbh.

 

[DuckYeah]

Caleb shits me, but not as much as the coaches. Feels like the coaches just didn't care about him doing any defending, and were happy for him to just rack up the touches and kms sprinting to bad positions for handball receives and every third kick being a solid 20-30 pass. I'd argue he's the easiest player to dislodge from any prospective best 22. Unless the system we use changed significantly I just can't see him being instrumental back there. Hell, even if we gave him the treatment teams give to their most aggressive mid/forwards and bent over backwards to emphasise his strengths, we would still get routinely shafted by his complete defensive ineffectiveness. He should be mature coverage and teaching kids in the VFL. Talk about him having a great pre season just makes me weary tbh.

They thought he was going to be some kind of general, a quarter back.. he’s alright inside 30 but is arguably the easiest bloke to defend. Not enough weapons. I think we need to write him off and cut losses

 

[DuckYeah]

And they continue to persist…. The doubling down on bad decisions would be admirable if there was some positives? Is there any?

 

[Passmore]

QUOTE="Themanbun, post: 90459997, member: 196447"]
IMO Daniel suffered from doing everything possible to get the handball receive for himself rather than actually playing contests on their merit.

The amount of times he didn't lay blocks, didn't contest, didn't help out his mates (poor FOS copped it way too many times), or called for the ball in a horrible position directly led to a lot of problems for our offensive transition.
[/QUOTE]

As always, Themanbun is on the money.

 

[shintemaster]

It’s already been said, but if Caleb gets a game before Arch, Stiffy, or even possibly a fit Goater or a role changed Harvey as our medium to small defenders (with Kerch and FOS moving into more attacking roles) then we aren’t even close to shifting out of the bottom bracket. No standout weapons, even Fisher has the edge on him with a bit of toe. Just write it off as an error, blame it on Snoz, and move on

Archer needs to get on the ground.
Hardeman will be fine and get games.
Goater also needs to get on the ground and remain available.
Harvey dreams of running as much as Caleb in a game.

So frustrating feeling like the Caleb Daniel fan club - which I unequivocally am not. To be honest couldn't care less if he gets games, the trade is done either way. But some of the criticisms of him whilst a handful of players can barely even fine the ball, nor lay a tackle, nor do anything useful is staggering.

 

[DuckYeah]

QUOTE="Themanbun, post: 90459997, member: 196447"]
IMO Daniel suffered from doing everything possible to get the handball receive for himself rather than actually playing contests on their merit.

The amount of times he didn't lay blocks, didn't contest, didn't help out his mates (poor FOS copped it way too many times), or called for the ball in a horrible position directly led to a lot of problems for our offensive transition.

absolutely, created unnecessary problems in transition offensive play

 

[My Left Foote]

I know it's the offseason, but I was not expecting a 3 day, 5 page discussion on Caleb Daniel

We’re working through the list, one by one, smallest to tallest.

 

[Groucho]

Caleb wasn't as bad in 2025 as some people on BigFooty want you to believe he was.

Cooper Trembath’s Grandma thinks he’s great. That’s good enough for me

 

[JGreezy]

its not that deep bro settle

I bet you say that a lot

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Archer, Hardeman, McDonald, FOS, Goater (if fully fit). All better options than Daniel.

He simply can’t be selected.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Archer, Hardeman, McDonald, FOS, Goater (if fully fit). All better options than Daniel.

He simply can’t be selected.

And Kerch and Harvey

I’d also take fisher ahead of him who at least has speed

 

[Tas]

I just want us to not suck, I don't care who plays or doesn't play as long as we don't suck.

 

[hilly]

gee, I wonder who that could be in the middle there with some decent stats

View attachment 2498283

Those 12m sideways passes really help the efficiency.

 

[Karanicolas]

Those 12m sideways passes really help the efficiency.

It would be great if you could overlay metres gained somehow. Is there a statistician in the house?

But solely based on the eye test, Zorko’s numbers are amazing given that you know in many cases he would have been trying to hit a target in the corridor.

 

[JZTIME!]

Archer needs to get on the ground.
Hardeman will be fine and get games.
Goater also needs to get on the ground and remain available.
Harvey dreams of running as much as Caleb in a game.

So frustrating feeling like the Caleb Daniel fan club - which I unequivocally am not. To be honest couldn't care less if he gets games, the trade is done either way. But some of the criticisms of him whilst a handful of players can barely even fine the ball, nor lay a tackle, nor do anything useful is staggering.

I have to agree, first season in a much less well drilled team. Would have been difficult, players not reading cues or knowing his range etc.... As we changed it up in the last couple of weeks he seemed to get higher up the ground and was pretty bloody good. I'm still glass half full with him, as we win more games the weight of numbers that eventually get guys like he and Mcdonald will be less. This means more petrol in the tank when taking possession, less fatigue and better decision making.

 

[New_Roo]

Archer, Hardeman, McDonald, FOS, Goater (if fully fit). All better options than Daniel.

He simply can’t be selected.

Goater just simply needs to get fit before he should be mentioned in any conversation... its one of Archer or McD and at this stage be LMac as Archer needs to get body right too, FOS will be either mid or wing... so Daniel still the best option alongside Hardy and one of Arch/Mcd

 

[Fish Sticks]

Goater just simply needs to get fit before he should be mentioned in any conversation... its one of Archer or McD and at this stage be LMac as Archer needs to get body right too, FOS will be either mid or wing... so Daniel still the best option alongside Hardy and one of Arch/Mcd

I don’t think Archer or McDonald are vying for Daniel’s spot.
Whether we like it or not, Daniel’s role down back is as a distributor, setting up plays from the back half.
Archer & McDonald are defensive stoppers.
I’m not sure we want Silver having the ball in his hand 25-30 times a game.
Hopefully Hardemann or even Harvey can develop into this player. Goater maybe an option if he can get on the park. Mikunda plays there also.
It’s pretty slim pickings after McKercher & I’m not sure he stays there long term.

 

[King Corey]

Love the lads hanging together like this.

Not just regulation Bali stuff, this is genuine forming lifelong mates kinda time if it works right.

Hopefully mirrors our 90s group.

And yes I know, Carey yada yada

 

[King Corey]

I bet you say that a lot

Genuine lol