2026 Pre-Season Thread

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Chill brev we still have the best list with or without him

They’re all grown men and have a job to do which is 3peat and whether or not one of their teammates cheated on their Mrs isn’t going to stop that

 

[StevoJenkins]

i love this club, but the amount of cheating that has happened in the past few years. Vegas, Zorko, and this. It's deeply upsetting. Getting very difficult to cheer for people who openly do terrible things. The only brightside is that they're still good people at this club, such as Cameron, Andrews, Fletcher, Lester. And probably the ashcrofts and the new boys considering they're new here. Regardless, I can't see Lachie as the same person anymore. Cheating is unforgivable. And this isn't a zorko incident given he and his partner had separated by that time. Lachie cheated on his wife with her best friend.

Don't know why you're bringing up Zorko, happened years ago (well before Vegas). Photo got posted, taken down shortly after, seemed to be a misunderstanding than anything else. Can't really bring that up in the same vein as the Vegas trip, or Neale. Being separated for half a year is very different to cheating on a partner.

Well run AFL footy clubs know how to deal with off field stuff. It will be business as usual on the field for 2026. May be some leadership restructuring. Will be interesting to see if he stays at the Lions or not. Leaving won't be the end of the world.

Don't know if it was an off the cuff remark or something serious, but in the interview with Aussie man, Neale mentioned his "expiry" was 2026. Whether that means his time with the Lions, or with Footy (he wants to work in project management in construction after footy) not too sure.

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

What players do behind closed doors is no one's business, don't pretend the club is Home And Away.

 

[Gadzorks]

Can anyone be held to any standard?

Interesting question. History of full of terrible things that happen because one group of people think their standards are more important than other people's.

 

[MacMum]

people have affairs in all vocations.

Yes they do...and it's a dog act and there are always consequences of those actions.

People get hurt e.g. wife/partner, kids, other family/friends who end up getting involved in supporting the betrayed wife/partner.

..then there's the loss of trusting again if they do get back together. Never the same again

The list goes on but the person doing the betraying only thinks of themselves at that time, feels clever, lies, smug..

...and all for a quickie on the side.

Yeah, it's a dog act alright.

Would you like your partner to do it to you?

...make no mistake, this will have ramifications at the club at some level.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Yes they do...and it's a dog act and there are always consequences of those actions.

People get hurt e.g. wife/partner, kids, other family/friends who end up getting involved in supporting the betrayed wife/partner.

..then there's the loss of trusting again if they do get back together. Never the same again

The list goes on but the person doing the betraying only thinks of themselves at that time, feels clever, lies, smug..

...and all for a quickie on the side.

Yeah, it's a dog act alright.

Would you like your partner to do it to you?

...make no mistake, this will have ramifications at the club at some level.

Did you read the post you quoted? I was talking about whether our culture enables things like this to happen which was another persons point I was responding to.

 

[MacMum]

Did you read the post you quoted? I was talking about whether our culture enables things like this to happen which was another persons point I was responding to.

I certainly did.....but I was only responding to the part that shows. A general response to people of all vocations having

quickies or affairs ... and my opinion on that topic which is it's a dog act.

Only the last line of my post brings it back to the current Lachie situation...

Under Fagan's leadership I don't see this as a cultural thing atm but not given the right leadership and it could easily to us or any club

 

[SizeMatters]

Did you read the post you quoted? I was talking about whether our culture enables things like this to happen which was another persons point I was responding to.

I’d suspect all professional sporting clubs have this issue. It’s easy to see why as well. I would assume WAGs world over have accepted these risks of being with an athlete. As much as it sucks.

Not condoning the behaviour, and not saying loyalty doesn’t exist anymore, just that it would take a true gentleman not to be enticed..

But the world moves on. It’s unfortunately what it is and I don’t think there is anything really to reduce these risks esp. in a world where the average punter can get a quickie relatively easy just by booting up an app on your phone.

 

[Happy_Neale]

I’d suspect all professional sporting clubs have this issue. It’s easy to see why as well. I would assume WAGs world over have accepted these risks of being with an athlete. As much as it sucks.

Not condoning the behaviour, and not saying loyalty doesn’t exist anymore, just that it would take a true gentleman not to be enticed..

But the world moves on. It’s unfortunately what it is and I don’t think there is anything really to reduce these risks esp. in a world where the average punter can get a quickie relatively easy just by booting up an app on your phone.

I certainly did.....but I was only responding to the part that shows. A general response to people of all vocations having

quickies or affairs ... and my opinion on that topic which is it's a dog act.

Only the last line of my post brings it back to the current Lachie situation...

Under Fagan's leadership I don't see this as a cultural thing atm but not given the right leadership and it could easily to us or any club

Not even just sporting clubs, I’ve know multiple professors to have affairs with workmates, guys and girls who would be considered some of the smartest in their fields. Not saying it’s good but…yeah it happens

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Not even just sporting clubs, I’ve know multiple professors to have affairs with workmates, guys and girls who would be considered some of the smartest in their fields. Not saying it’s good but…yeah it happens

been happening for ever
It's not an essential requirement to be an effective leader that you're morally 'perfect' in your private life.

 

[Clarkythelion]

I think it's time we moved on. No one yet has mentioned there are 2 little kids involved - just 3 and 1 year old with parents seemingly heading for divorce. It's going to be hard on those kids but not impossible, mine we not much older when I divorced and we stayed amicable out of responsibility for the children. Maybe Lachie and Jules will be the same.

About 44% of Australian marriages end in divorce, to think this situation is unusual or sportspeople should be held to a higher standard than the general public is just silly. Some 47% of the Australian divorces have children under 18 involved, again this situation is not Robinson Crusoe. It's what they do next that matters most and I think people can judge them then on how they manage for the children and how they overcome a 6 hour flight each way so the kids see their mother and father.

Lachie has to go at the end of this season if his kids are in Perth. The have to find a way for those little kids to have both parents as part of their growth.

I'm not judging either of them, time will tell. For now can we just get back to Footy, there is nothing unusual here, just more statistics fitting the social Australian norms.

 

[Elixuh]

Seesh, some of the feedback here for what is a deeply personal matter is very over the top.

He’s a footballer and appears to have stuffed up a personal relationship. I don’t know why people care as much as some suggest they do.

He’s a legend of our footy club. All of that doesn’t get reduced to nil because he has made a grave blue in his personal life by cheating.

 

[SizeMatters]

Seesh, some of the feedback here for what is a deeply personal matter is very over the top.

He’s a footballer and appears to have stuffed up a personal relationship. I don’t know why people care as much as some suggest they do.

He’s a legend of our footy club. All of that doesn’t get reduced to nil because he has made a grave blue in his personal life by cheating.

Exactly. What a wild read though.

 

[Groo2]

So, anything from pre Christmas training?

 

[irel]

So, anything from pre Christmas training?

Apparently Shagga's training the house down.

 

[BrisVegasDru]

So, anything from pre Christmas training?

just extra-curricular push ups it seems

 

[Saucery]

People on here thinking this has no impact on our season is laughable although maybe it all ends up like the lions Vegas trip. We aren’t talking about an average player here we are talking about a 2 time Brownlow medalist and captain of our club who has shagged his wife’s best mate . This goes against everything Chris Fagan would stand for as a bloke . It further emphasises to me that Lachie shouldn’t be the leader of our club and as known to us all Harris is the spiritual leader anyway . People are kidding themselves if they think the chief wag of the club isn’t going to have other players partners asking them some pretty direct questions , and yes while Shane Warne could still perform on the pitch with dramas as another poster alluded to the majority of players it will not be the same . Zorko also didn’t cheat on froggy Lester’s sister as alluded to by one poster his sister is married to Ryan Lester seen a few incorrect mentions of this . Lachie is a dog whether Jules was a ball breaker or not you don’t go poop in your own backyard with your wife’s friend . It’s poor form and says his quality as a person .

The club and every player stood by Fagan when he went through the Hawthorne racism saga, which all seemed to end in the accusations being just that.

Zorko was brought up onto the 2024 stage to hold up the cup at Fagans request. And at the moment who knows the innerworkings of what went on, just salacious rumors.

I really think the hyperbola around the sky falling in over this is all just over blown. Go read Hello magazine you will find plenty of non-stories to salivate over.

 

[Saucery]

High odds on Levi being the breakout player for 2026, trouble is how do we fit him in now?

Survey results: The breakout player of 2026 will be?

The votes have been counted.

www.sen.com.au

 

[janty]

Hasn't Zorko actually played better since his brouhaha? What if Lachie goes to another level?

 

[Lal]

Tiger Woods had 3 or 4 hours sleep around the world for years.

And was able to totally focus on golf once he got out there and decimate his opposition.

When he got sprung in Melbourne partying and canoodling every night he absolutely blitzed that tournament.

It was only once his missus belted him over the head with a driver that the madness of it all seemed to get to him.

She used the golf club to break the car window and get him out of the car when he crashed while trying to escape from her, after she had hit him with a baseball bat.

 

[martinson]

She used the golf club to break the car window and get him out of the car when he crashed while trying to escape from her, after she had hit him with a baseball bat.

Right.

A baseball bat is getting serious isn't it. And probably a good choice.

I don't think she would hit with a driver as well as he could.

 

[SpecialBruce]

What players do behind closed doors is no one's business, don't pretend the club is Home And Away.

For all we know, they might be swingers, and Lachie and Tess went behind their backs.

 

[Perrip]

Still hard to believe Allen & Draper will be playing for us next year.

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

So...Jules is finally single?

 

[Lace Out]

Still hard to believe Allen & Draper will be playing for us next year.
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Will be interesting to see if a fit Draper can get more ruck time than the mighty Darcy Fort