Training 2026 Off-Season & Preseason reports and discussion

[earthworms]

Lewis is capable of playing all the games next year but history suggests it’s unlikely.

FWIW I’d have Allen in the same category as injury prone with a question mark on continued availability and form despite that he’s averaged over 5 more games a year than Lewis.

Lewis gets a lot of leeway because of his potential but he’s also about to turn 27. It’s getting towards the point where he needs to start delivering consistently. He’s shown signs in 22 and 23 but if his body doesn’t hold up his career will end as one big what if.

We should (hopefully) manage Lewis by occasionally resting him in the same manner we did with Barrass and Gunston last year. Our medical team had an overwhelming success with Barrass, who’s back issues had WCE supporters chirping on about how cooked he was and how he hadn’t played 20+ games in a season in years.

 

[grumbleguts]

Thank you to SYL and all the other moderators on Bigfooty for their great work

I too would like to suck up to let the mods know how important they are and what a good job they are doing.

 

[MrPremiership]

HMo is the only whipping boy to survive I think though there will be someone new to rise …

Chol, Finn

 

[matey]

I too would like to suck up to let the mods know how important they are and what a good job they are doing.

I only suck up to one person(s) in life ….. BF mods my wife as we all know happy wife happy life.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Chol, Finn

Feel like both Chol and Finn still feel like theres generally positive feelings as opposed to true whipping (think tom murphy, schoenmakers, CJ and HMo in prior years), I think in terms of predicting the BF board that the likely one will be CMac (forward pockets are vulnerable to being whipping if they aren't getting goals or racking up midfielder possession numbers)

 

[FB19]

HMo is the only whipping boy to survive I think though there will be someone new to rise …

 

[Rushed_Behind]

I think the issue with Hmo is he just does the basic things well so when he’s going good goes unnoticed, but his mistakes are highlighted as you don’t remember the 5 good things he’s done because in essence they’re vanilla but the mistake may be glaring.

 

[grumbleguts]

I think the issue with Hmo is he just does the basic things well so when he’s going good goes unnoticed, but his mistakes are highlighted as you don’t remember the 5 good things he’s done because in essence they’re vanilla but the mistake may be glaring.

I think he does some very difficult things incredibly well. For a relatively small man he rarely gets beaten in the air. Makes everything a contest.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I think the issue with Hmo is he just does the basic things well so when he’s going good goes unnoticed, but his mistakes are highlighted as you don’t remember the 5 good things he’s done because in essence they’re vanilla but the mistake may be glaring.

Harry never looks frantic, yet he's defensively astute, intent and always team minded. It's why he was fave of both Clarko and now Sam, as he's dependable and only the odd skill execution lets him down.

Shouldn't be near our whipping boy conversations, IMO.

 

[Briar Gold]

Harry never looks frantic, yet he's defensively astute, intent and always team minded. It's why he was fave of both Clarko and now Sam, as he's dependable and only the odd skill execution lets him down.

Shouldn't be near our whipping boy conversations, IMO.

Agree

I think people liked whipping Hartung so much they have clung to the next blonde winger without thinking it through

 

[ReturningHawk]

Agree

I think people liked whipping Hartung so much they have clung to the next blonde winger without thinking it through

I mean if you’re a career flanker/wingman you’ve got to brace for it.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I think he does some very difficult things incredibly well. For a relatively small man he rarely gets beaten in the air. Makes everything a contest.

Can lay a bone crunching tackle as well for a guy who would be 80kg dripping wet.

 

[ppphawk]

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

This can’t come soon enough. Will anyone be there to give an update?

 

[unitedhawk2]

Perhaps we could have a season without a whipping boy?

That would be nice - and, in all likelihood, also mean we’re having a ripping season.

 

[JRH]

Perhaps we could have a season without a whipping boy?

That would be nice - and, in all likelihood, also mean we’re having a ripping season.

Nah we need a WB. But we should make it Dangerfield. Please someone touch him up this year. Looking at you fin. Just crunch him good and proper this Easter.

 

[peetoo]

Exciting times ahead. Coming off a prelim.

A healthy Lewis. A healthy Day. A healthy Dear. That alone significantly improves us.

Scrimshaw is a gun. He battled niggles all 2025. Fit and healthy he will go to another level in 2026 (basically a full season of what he showed in the finals).

Same can be said for Sicily. If he gets back to his AA best, again we will be even better in 2026.

Moore. Needs to capture his 2024 form. D'Ambrosio too.Imagine.

Newc is still only 24. Imagine with Day back and Ward improving what his ceiling is. That starts at AA mid.

Weddle and Watson to breakout. Could it finally be Crocs year to truly breakout also?

Ginni keeps elevating his game. Ward looks primed.

Battle and Barrass another year in the system. No more ****ing about with Hardwick forward.

We made a prelim in 2025. But it actually feels like it was on the back of hard work and system. Individually I don't think many players produced their best season outside of Battle, Amon, Ward, Ginni and Watson.

We have so much more to come with this group.

Hardwick being criminally under rated outside the Hawks

Shown by him being selected for big V when actual footy being played

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Love the pump up.

I’ve also been thinking about Butler. He has a lot to offer this team, and this year if fitness allows I think he could provide us with a point of difference in the middle. He’s the one I could picture taking over Worpel’s workload. He brings explosiveness around the ball that we otherwise lack.

I reckon we use Butler as our go to run with player and release Nash for specific roles week to week. He would be perfect for Bailey Smith or a Max Holmes because he's got supreme endurance to go with his speed. We need to get better at neutralising the oppositions best players. I felt last year too many got off the chain and it cost us games.

 

[MrPremiership]

Would love more [PLAYERCARD]Harry Morrison[/PLAYERCARD]'s at the club. So dependable.

 

[unitedhawk2]

I reckon we use Butler as our go to run with player and release Nash for specific roles week to week. He would be perfect for Bailey Smith or a Max Holmes because he's got supreme endurance to go with his speed. We need to get better at neutralising the oppositions best players. I felt last year too many got off the chain and it cost us games.

Sam has seemed reluctant to do this. That may need to change if we are to take the next step.

Imagine if Danger had been neutralised in the prelim...

 

[MrPremiership]

Sam has seemed reluctant to do this. That may need to change if we are to take the next step.

Imagine if Danger had been neutralised in the prelim...

Then one of the other mids would have been freed up and done the same thing.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Sam has seemed reluctant to do this. That may need to change if we are to take the next step.

Imagine if Danger had been neutralised in the prelim...

Finn would have been perfect. The exact matchup we would use him for that in that moment.

 

[Tall Tales and True]

Another 'Dangerfield' would have stepped up??

 

[TONYC3163]

Perhaps we could have a season without a whipping boy?

That would be nice - and, in all likelihood, also mean we’re having a ripping season.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Perhaps we could have a season without a whipping boy?

That would be nice - and, in all likelihood, also mean we’re having a ripping season.

No whip, all rip.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Sam has seemed reluctant to do this. That may need to change if we are to take the next step.

Imagine if Danger had been neutralised in the prelim...

I've never understood fully why Sam doesn't roll with Finn as a hard tagger more often, he really is very effective at this. Probably the best pure tagger in the league.

Of course Sam's not alone in this, most AFL coaches seem very reluctant to utilise a tagger these days.