Training 2026 Off-Season & Preseason reports and discussion

[Coathanger]

For Christ sake just start another thread about SOO, and leave this to preseason.

 

[TylerDurden]

Do players return on the 5th?

 

[Newmo89]

Do players return on the 5th?

Players return to training on Thursday the 8th of January.

 

[Nathan Detroit]

Players return to training on Thursday the 8th of January.

Harsh to have to return on a Holiday like Elvis' birthday!

 

[dermott]

Players from a number of clubs including Hawthorn have been training at the Sorrento oval during the break. Informally of course.

 

[ppphawk]

Players from a number of clubs including Hawthorn have been training at the Sorrento oval during the break. Informally of course.

Nice. Any idea which players?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I'm a big fan of Meek but it's pretty clear we were burning him out playing him as solo rock this year.

If Reeves has improved his agility and all round game then I wouldn't mind getting a bit more of a look at Ned this year.

Still think Lord Meek has number one spot for 2026 but it sounds like Ned is giving it a red hot crack to make it his (competition is never a bad thing).

Meek was getting blocked by mid season. Was a dogs breakfast

 

[To the Hawk]

If he can play a full season, it will be like recruiting a 50 goal key forward for 2026.

 

[Strebi3]

Players from a number of clubs including Hawthorn have been training at the Sorrento oval during the break. Informally of course.

Saw many of what looked like AFL players training there on New Years Eve whilst driving past

 

[dermott]

Nice. Any idea which players?

Info is second hand from my 9;year old grandson but he said Mass Weddle Butler, Ramsden and some young ones he did not recognise have been sighted around Portsea and Sorrento. Apparently CJ and Lipinski are here too.
Probably a lot more as it is chockers here at the moment

 

[The Chad and I]

If he can play a full season, it will be like recruiting a 50 goal key forward for 2026.

Lewis has never played a full season, and is highly unlikely to ever to so.
15-18 games with continuity leading into the finals is my highest expectation.

He's a match-winner at his best, but that was a long time ago.

 

[moginie]

Lewis has never played a full season, and is highly unlikely to ever to so.
15-18 games with continuity leading into the finals is my highest expectation.

He's a match-winner at his best, but that was a long time ago.

Stated with such confidence.

I'll just put it out there; up until last season, Tom Barrass had never played more than 19 games in a year.

He played 25 in 2025.

Now, I'm sure that there are mitigating factors with his game total last season, but still on raw numbers he played 31% more games than his previous best.

Almost a third more.

It can be done. Lewis has had a full preseason up until now. It's up to him. And thankfully we've just moved into a state of the art training facility.

Nothing is definite.

 

[The Chad and I]

Stated with such confidence.

I'll just put it out there; up until last season, Tom Barrass had never played more than 19 games in a year.

He played 25 in 2025.

Now, I'm sure that there are mitigating factors with his game total last season, but still on raw numbers he played 31% more games than his previous best.

Almost a third more.

It can be done. Lewis has had a full preseason up until now. It's up to him. And thankfully we've just moved into a state of the art training facility.

Nothing is definite.

I really want Lewis to play every game, and have rooted for his success since his draft year, but I no longer expect it.

Barrass had played 18-19 games in 6 of his previous 8 seasons.
It's not the same thing, but I wish Lewis the best in 2026.
We need him.

 

[ReturningHawk]

I really want Lewis to play every game, and have rooted for his success since his draft year, but I no longer expect it.

Barrass had played 18-19 games in 6 of his previous 8 seasons.
It's not the same thing, but I wish Lewis the best in 2026.
We need him.

An underrated leader if the group. He must possess some serious grit and determination when you consider he started off as a walking punchline. He’s done everything the hard way. The kind of player you’d love to see put it through after the siren in the granny.

 

[The Kipster]

Yes please!

 

[The Kipster]

Lewis has never played a full season, and is highly unlikely to ever to so.
15-18 games with continuity leading into the finals is my highest expectation.

He's a match-winner at his best, but that was a long time ago.

The same was said about Silk, I will believe upon passing of time.

 

[The Chad and I]

The same was said about Silk, I will believe upon passing of time.

try thinking before you post.

 

[ReturningHawk]

try thinking before you post.

What exactly what insulting or inflammatory about Kipster’s post? Pretty sure he’s just saying that perhaps like Burgoyne, Lewis will eventually overcome his injury problems. Think you might consider easing up a bit.

 

[The Chad and I]

What exactly what insulting or inflammatory about Kipster’s post? Pretty sure he’s just saying that perhaps like Burgoyne, Lewis will eventually overcome his injury problems. Think you might consider easing up a bit.

"The same" was not said about Silk.
They both had very different careers up to the same age.
Silk was changing clubs and programs, and had already demonstrated durability in the years prior to his injury.
Lewis has never been durable.

 

[The Kipster]

try thinking before you post.

How about you fk off Chad and I? Are you an emanate authority on knowledge? an oracle of BS I reckon.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Burgoyne was already an established elite player that had played the majority of each season, for several seasons, prior to his knee injury in 2009.

Meanwhile Lewis has not proven himself yet due to persistent injury issues. He hasn't really had a chance to given he hasn't played a full season to date in the senior side.

Their stories aren't the same and aren't comparable so far - but hopefully Lewis can have a Burgoyne-like second half to his career. He makes such a difference to the side IMO.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Lewis has never played a full season, and is highly unlikely to ever to so.
15-18 games with continuity leading into the finals is my highest expectation.

He's a match-winner at his best, but that was a long time ago.

Bit of a stretch to suggest he can’t play a full season. Consistent niggles and then a bad injury where he was able to reset and spend a big chunk of time playing. Has been great, said himself that it’s the best he’s felt by a mile, in great condition and hasn’t missed a session.

He’s a match winner and star at his best, and he can absolutely get back to that

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Stated with such confidence.

I'll just put it out there; up until last season, Tom Barrass had never played more than 19 games in a year.

He played 25 in 2025.

Now, I'm sure that there are mitigating factors with his game total last season, but still on raw numbers he played 31% more games than his previous best.

Almost a third more.

It can be done. Lewis has had a full preseason up until now. It's up to him. And thankfully we've just moved into a state of the art training facility.

Nothing is definite.

Spot on

 

[ReturningHawk]

"The same" was not said about Silk.
They both had very different careers up to the same age.
Silk was changing clubs and programs, and had already demonstrated durability in the years prior to his injury.
Lewis has never been durable.

It’s completely unnecessary be quite so rude to another poster here just because you don’t share the same opinion. Try the main board.