Training 2026 Pre Season & Training Reports

[desie]

Nice! Can’t wait to hear the apologies from all the posters bitching and moaning about the lack of activity from our social media team complaining they aren’t doing anything. When in actual fact they’ve been busy working away behind the scenes.

In fairness you can only comment on what you see, which has been not much to this point.

It now seems they’ve been working away on this in the background so kudos.

 

[rickety]

Don't speak too soon. Wait until we see the vids

 

[DuckYeah]

Knowing Norths media team it’ll be cringe as **** viewing.

 

[itchyscratch]

You know you’re a North supporter when you hear a group of people discussing how great Carey is, terrific athlete, born leader, fearless, best in the team, then just as you’re about to say “shame he shags his team-mates wife” you realise the discussion is about Alex, not Wayne.

 

[pupstar]

In fairness you can only comment on what you see, which has been not much to this point.

It now seems they’ve been working away on this in the background so kudos.

Maybe some should comment more on what they see rather than what they hear.

 

[Ura]

Honestly the club as a whole for me has done a lot of things right this offseason and last.

Bringing in Darling and Parker were big wins. Daniel I still think was good call but wrong price.
Club backed self in to move up the ladder and wanted a KPP that we rated so traded out F1 which although value still to high I don’t hate we are prioritising development sooner.

This offseason we targeted the right kind of players but didn’t pay overs luckily. Just couldn’t get deals across the line. Bought in Dovaston which I don’t think anyone here would be unhappy with (which is very rare) and got abit lucky with bringing in a highly talented high upside defender while keeping F1 intact with FS options next year.
We are obviously talking very aggressively this offseason about our prospects which I like but will be important to put on the field.

Financials of the club in the best position arguably ever. Back to Back AFLW GF and VFLW GF. Just need to see that improvement from the men’s team.

Off-season coming shaping as a massive one. A lot out of contract, aim to secure Mccartny as FS and last draft befor Tassie. If trajectory for the men’s team is not good by year end could be more concerning with that in mind.

I’ll back them though.

 

[zoomba23]

Honestly the club as a whole for me has done a lot of things right this offseason and last.

Bringing in Darling and Parker were big wins. Daniel I still think was good call but wrong price.
Club backed self in to move up the ladder and wanted a KPP that we rated so traded out F1 which although value still to high I don’t hate we are prioritising development sooner.

This offseason we targeted the right kind of players but didn’t pay overs luckily. Just couldn’t get deals across the line. Bought in Dovaston which I don’t think anyone here would be unhappy with (which is very rare) and got abit lucky with bringing in a highly talented high upside defender while keeping F1 intact with FS options next year.
We are obviously talking very aggressively this offseason about our prospects which I like but will be important to put on the field.

Financials of the club in the best position arguably ever. Back to Back AFLW GF and VFLW GF. Just need to see that improvement from the men’s team.

Off-season coming shaping as a massive one. A lot out of contract, aim to secure Mccartny as FS and last draft befor Tassie. If trajectory for the men’s team is not good by year end could be more concerning with that in mind.

I’ll back them though.

In order to grow a tree, you need to first plant the seedling. The seedling in AFL terms requires a **** ton of effort and professionalism. Draftees are nice but are relatively meaningless without good practices.

Clearly our last few off-seasons have not been brilliant, or we wouldn't be where we are.

What do you think would be the determining factor to actually induce positive change? I'm not saying it won't happen, but I am saying that this team has to date looked mighty comfortable being a collection of people paid to play professional sport and nothing more.

What gives, in your view? Do they all suddenly realise that being a finals team means you can't skip out on any aspect of training?

 

[JGreezy]

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.

Is this the efficiency stat where they call any kick over 40m efficient?

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

Banga is impressing every session

 

[Ura]

In order to grow a tree, you need to first plant the seedling. The seedling in AFL terms requires a **** ton of effort and professionalism. Draftees are nice but are relatively meaningless without good practices.

Clearly our last few off-seasons have not been brilliant, or we wouldn't be where we are.

What do you think would be the determining factor to actually induce positive change? I'm not saying it won't happen, but I am saying that this team has to date looked mighty comfortable being a collection of people paid to play professional sport and nothing more.

What gives, in your view? Do they all suddenly realise that being a finals team means you can't skip out on any aspect of training?

I have been to afew of the training sessions and watched the work. For December it hasn’t been bad but feel the younger ones coming through are really pushing harder.

I agree with you we haven’t seen on field yet but I view that as a number of factors.

Firstly accepting mediocrity after losing regularly and effort was enough. I feel like that again was an issue this year but also why having a Parker, Darling and Daniel will help long term. - I think this will be improved by the younger group coming through this year.

Secondly system- obviously the club knows we have issues with our transition defence and to a lesser extent transition offence. I think a lot of the drills from what I have watched at training have been targeting this. Hopefully this sees improvement but the fact they have identified it hopefully means we have a way of improving.

Third belief. I think we are making strides here which we previously haven’t. Last year (which I didn’t like the messaging) was we need to be in games longer. We definitely were in games longer but felt like players accepted that as a win a lot.

If we are to jump this year it’s off the back of the Sheezel group which seems to be the one taking over the club now.

Hopefully for us fans we see it.

 

[Shinboner1]

Banga is impressing every session

best way to secure a spot in the senior team

 

[Ura]

best way to secure a spot in the senior team

Feels this year competition for spots will be very high.

Banch, Dovaston, JK, Spargo, RHJ at least competing for 1 or 2 spots…

 

[zoomba23]

I have been to afew of the training sessions and watched the work. For December it hasn’t been bad but feel the younger ones coming through are really pushing harder.

I agree with you we haven’t seen on field yet but I view that as a number of factors.

Firstly accepting mediocrity after losing regularly and effort was enough. I feel like that again was an issue this year but also why having a Parker, Darling and Daniel will help long term. - I think this will be improved by the younger group coming through this year.

Secondly system- obviously the club knows we have issues with our transition defence and to a lesser extent transition offence. I think a lot of the drills from what I have watched at training have been targeting this. Hopefully this sees improvement but the fact they have identified it hopefully means we have a way of improving.

Third belief. I think we are making strides here which we previously haven’t. Last year (which I didn’t like the messaging) was we need to be in games longer. We definitely were in games longer but felt like players accepted that as a win a lot.

If we are to jump this year it’s off the back of the Sheezel group which seems to be the one taking over the club now.

Hopefully for us fans we see it.

Fair bit in here that needs to go right. 'For December' doesn't fill me with joy, but who knows, I haven't been down to watch in person.

There's system and there's effort. FOS having to run back to try and cover Naughton while the opposition breaks in his first game is a system breakdown. 'Insert midfielder not named George Wardlaw here' deciding to half-arse a tackle attempt because the opponent looks likely to break free is an effort breakdown. We suffer from both.

Agree the young guys will have to take us forward.

Everything you've said would've been applicable this time last year. The only definitive factor in our favour is that the young guys are 20 games more experienced. Anything else will come down to significant changes we're, in all honesty, simply hoping for rather than seeing evidence of.

Edit: Barlow and Littlejohn should both be solid acquisitions. Maybe they hold the keys to our future; I think we've more or less stopped hoping for Clarkson to pull out a rabbit

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

Feels this year competition for spots will be very high.

Banch, Dovaston, JK, Spargo, RHJ at least competing for 1 or 2 spots…

Banch is first in line right now

 

[Ligma]

Did someone say goon? I love to goon

 

[year of the roo]

Nice! Can’t wait to hear the apologies from all the posters bitching and moaning about the lack of activity from our social media team complaining they aren’t doing anything. When in actual fact they’ve been busy working away behind the scenes.

Yeah. Nah. They got a clip cos they'd been doing **** all and have responded. Kudos.

Hopefully this is a sign of things to come when players put in a poor performance in 2026, get a deserved clip, and then respond.

 

[Sillygit]

Yeah. Nah. They got a clip cos they'd been doing **** all and have responded. Kudos.

Hopefully this is a sign of things to come when players put in a poor performance in 2026, get a deserved clip, and then respond.

What's the evidence that this relates to any whinges posted here?

 

[jay317]

How's the dov going? Haven't heard much.

 

[year of the roo]

What's the evidence that this relates to any whinges posted here?

I don't care who it relates to. Whether they responded cos Clarko said so, or cos Nostrils did. They were doing shit, now they are doing better. Bravo.

 

[The Nostradamus]

I don't care who it relates to. Whether they responded cos Clarko said so, or cos Nostrils did. They were doing shit, now they are doing better. Bravo.

When I whinge they listen

You’re welcome bigfooty

 

[shinboner magic]

When I whinge they listen

You’re welcome bigfooty

But you only whinge

 

[Devski]

Knowing Norths media team it’ll be cringe as **** viewing.

Yeh bring on the hard hitting videos.

I want to know if Luke McDonald would rather poo flavored ice cream or ice cream flavored poo.

 

[ferball]

Yeh bring on the hard hitting videos.

I want to know if Luke McDonald would rather poo flavored ice cream or ice cream flavored poo.

Definitely poo flavoured ice cream.

Ice cream flavoured poo is shit.

 

[DuckYeah]

Yeh bring on the hard hitting videos.

I want to know if Luke McDonald would rather poo flavored ice cream or ice cream flavored poo.

I would rather not see Luke McDonald at all

 

[The Nostradamus]

I found this amusing on our site atm
How do we not know when the players first day back is?

Training times

AFL​

TBC