Training Preseason Training Thread - 2026

[Keys]

The below is the OG faux training report from nearly 9 years ago - often imitated but never surpassed

In the absence of Keys I went down for a trundle this morning to check them out on return. Just a few random notes I took down...

• A lot of running work again, clearly a focus even in the heat.
• Duggan looked on and was hitting targets left and right. Set for a huge 2017.
• Giles went up against Vardy in the ruck contests and I'd say that Giles has the inside running at the moment.
• Mitchell looked a class above the other midfielders bar Priddis. Just knew how to find the footy and wouldn't miss a target all session. Shuey was very quiet and seemed to be taking direction from Mitchell. Doesn't bode well for his captaincy credentials, maybe he doesn't want the gig?
• Won't say too much about it in case I was just reading too much into it, but Rioli looked as though he'd enjoyed the Christmas break a bit too much. A few of the coaches pulled him aside and they were having quite an animated conversation before Rioli was sent to do laps for the rest of the session. Good news for Le Cras, I suppose.
• Sheed kicked on his right foot for 80% of the session, I reckon. Nice to see players working on their non-preferred so readily.
• Petrie looked like he was doing a great job 'coaching' the younger forwards in between the drills. Darling in particular seemed to be following him around.
• Gee Venables has some skills. He mainly jogged laps before spending the last half hour or so on set shots - curled a few beauties from behind the boundary line at the end for a bit of fun. Hardly saw him miss a kick.
• What interested me the most was that McGovern split his time between the defenders and the forwards, could be seeing a swingman role in 2017. He was his usual dominant self down back in some match simulation drills before going head-to-head with Mackenzie in a forward role.
• Bayok is very fast - Cripps was in most of the drills with him and couldn't keep up.
• Nelson is pale as buggery and still doesn't really have the body shape you'd expect of an AFL player.
• There was a big bloke who pulled up next to me and I could have sworn it was Suma, but I'm sure I was wrong...
• Masto was the player picked to kick the goal at the end today and nailed it. Celebrations were huge.
• No sign of Cole, Parto or Hill. Couldn't tell you why.

Will upload pics later if I have time. Let me know if you have any questions!

You might wonder why I’ve put this up and stickied it

Because this is the standard all copies should be measured against and it’s a reminder of how high the bar was set

And to hopefully discourage sequels.

If you want to have a crack in my absence, go ahead but if it doesn’t equal the standard set (as judged by me), then expect

• A one week threadban for a first offence
• A two week threadban for a second offence
• A one year threadban for a third offence

Actual training reports, minus discussion, can become found here:

Training - Preseason Training Reports -2025/26

This thread has been setup for training reports only and won’t be open for replies Informative reports from the preseason thread will be copied into this thread so posters have access to the quality work from the likes of LittleFires without wading through pages of general posts

www.bigfooty.com

 

[RanaNaved]

Did you see the guy riding past on a razor scooter? That was me

 

[Boohemian]

I was the guy passing through on the Shetland Pony.

 

[Keys]

Good news is the boys are back training as the countdown to R1 of 2026 commences (62 days until March 15)

Bad news is they’re back on the main oval behind locked gates, which means I had to resort to watching through the mesh fencing from the carpark that’s 50m away from the oval

So there’s going to be gaps as it’s not the best vantage point

Got to the ground about 9.40 where the players were in two separate groups either side of the oval doing what seemed to be an identical skill based drill that was as much a part of warming up as anything else. Not sure what time they started but my guess would be around 20 or so minutes before I arrived

At about 10.00 they went into full ground match sim for about 20-25 minutes, punctuated by a small break halfway through.

That was followed by another 20 odd minutes of non-contact ball movement from HB to FF with two groups operating on either side and a third group resting before they rotated around

Another 25 minutes of match sim took them past 11.00 at which point they split into line groups for some basic skill work and some additional running

Around 11.30 they did a couple of repeat sprints before calling it a day

It wasn’t a heavy training load session and the 45 minutes or so of matchsim was the main feature as they looked to get back in the groove of training. Focus remains on moving the ball quickly although it must be said the matchsim was a bit untidy for the most part without a lot of clean passages of play albeit the intensity and enthusiasm was there

As for individual players:

Unsighted (by me):
• Hutchinson (no surprise)
• B Williams and Long who were training separately on the outside oval per the training report in the West - so they were there but out of my sight
• Rodriguez- he might have been training but I just couldn’t pick him out at any stage

Everyone else I was able to spot at some point during the session albeit the following were on modified programs or rehabbing:

• Sam Allen continues his ACL rehab and ran several laps at decent pace around the main oval. West reported that he did some work with the main group early
• Shanahan and Barnett were jogging/walking laps together. Cole was doing similar but on his own
• Champion also came out later and walked/jogged some laps

All of the above may have done additional work on the outer oval at different stages - I could see some players training on Jamieson Reserve but happy no hope of identifying them or seeing what they were actually doing

• Yeo and Gross were both involved in the skill/ball movement drills but were excluded from the matchsims. Gross seemed to be moving pretty freely, however Yeo looked a bit short of a gallop at one point where I noticed him running through the middle of the ground

So all up 36-37 players did the full session depending on whether you count Rodriguez

Picking out players during match sim I found to be a challenge, partly because the play was quite scrappy with a lot of players around the ball but also because the ball spent a lot of time on the other side of the ground from my vantage point. But this is what I noticed

• Duursma played wing and as someone else has pointed out does look a bit bigger
• Waterman performed strongly and looks ready for a good year
• Our first choice backline is looking pretty well set with Edwards and Young playing as the preferred KPDs supported by Ginbey, Starcevich, Hough, Duggan and Baker. It shapes as our strongest line group
• Lindsay likes to take the game on but got crunched in a Jack Graham tackle at one stage when he didn’t release the ball quickly enough. McQualter was quick to encourage him for taking the game on though which was good to see/hear
• Ginbey is a monster and looks like he’ll have more license to run off Hal back
• Reid continues to be a prime mover through midfield but did spend the second matchsim as a deep forward - shanked two separate set shots from either pocket trying to kick around the corner. Once on his left and the other on his right
• Duggan’s demise isn’t going to come as quickly as some might hope - he remains a big part of our ball movement
• Cripps has a really good hitout with some string repeat efforts through the middle
• Owies had his first matchsim run of the preseason and was quite lively to the point of being a strong contributor. Made the distance with a set shot from the 50m arc but was offline
• Graham seems to be playing a full time HF role
• I had trouble picking out Hewett but could hear his name called regularly so he was spending a lot of time at the coalface as a full time mid
• McCarthy is going to be centre square mid. Any best 23 with him on a wing is automatically incorrect. He makes mistakes but his willingness to run and carry through the midfield shapes as an important addition to our midfield with his line breaking ability
• Flynn will be our first ruck and played both matchsim stanzas there. Reid was his opponent the first time before switching with Jack Williams for the second
• Reid took a nice mark and kicked truly from 30m out on a worse than 45 degree angle
• Johnston had a couple of nice moments as he develops his forward craft. As did Tylah Williams
• Davis, Allan, Hall and the aforementioned Duursma look to be competing with each other for the two wing spots
• Maric and Dewar both got plenty of the ball off halfback with mixed results- some good kicks to set up play but some turnovers as well
• Duff-Tytler played exclusively as a forward but wasn’t as prominent as previous sessions

Think that’s it

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Oh hell yeah!

 

[WCErevival]

Surely that will be done with heavy security or behind bulletproof glass.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

We're back, gents. Jobe looks nice and strapping, and Lindsay looks a decent size already.

 

[bzparkes]

View attachment 2508906

Oh hell yeah!

 

[Farmer Lister]

Good news is the boys are back training as the countdown to R1 of 2026 commences (62 days until March 15)

Bad news is they’re back on the main oval behind locked gates, which means I had to resort to watching through the mesh fencing from the carpark that’s 50m away from the oval

So there’s going to be gaps as it’s not the best vantage point

Got to the ground about 9.40 where the players were in two separate groups either side of the oval doing what seemed to be an identical skill based drill that was as much a part of warming up as anything else. Not sure what time they started but my guess would be around 20 or so minutes before I arrived

At about 10.00 they went into full ground match sim for about 20-25 minutes, punctuated by a small break halfway through.

That was followed by another 20 odd minutes of non-contact ball movement from HB to FF with two groups operating on either side and a third group resting before they rotated around

Another 25 minutes of match sim took them past 11.00 at which point they split into line groups for some basic skill work and some additional running

Around 11.30 they did a couple of repeat sprints before calling it a day

It wasn’t a heavy training load session and the 45 minutes or so of matchsim was the main feature as they looked to get back in the groove of training. Focus remains on moving the ball quickly although it must be said the matchsim was a bit untidy for the most part without a lot of clean passages of play albeit the intensity and enthusiasm was there

As for individual players:

Unsighted (by me):
• Hutchinson (no surprise)
• B Williams and Long who were training separately on the outside oval per the training report in the West - so they were there but out of my sight
• Rodriguez- he might have been training but I just couldn’t pick him out at any stage

Everyone else I was able to spot at some point during the session albeit the following were on modified programs or rehabbing:

• Sam Allen continues his ACL rehab and ran several laps at decent pace around the main oval. West reported that he did some work with the main group early
• Shanahan and Barnett were jogging/walking laps together. Cole was doing similar but on his own
• Champion also came out later and walked/jogged some laps

All of the above may have done additional work on the outer oval at different stages - I could see some players training on Jamieson Reserve but happy no hope of identifying them or seeing what they were actually doing

• Yeo and Gross were both involved in the skill/ball movement drills but were excluded from the matchsims. Gross seemed to be moving pretty freely, however Yeo looked a bit short of a gallop at one point where I noticed him running through the middle of the ground

So all up 36-37 players did the full session depending on whether you count Rodriguez

Picking out players during match sim I found to be a challenge, partly because the play was quite scrappy with a lot of players around the ball but also because the ball spent a lot of time on the other side of the ground from my vantage point. But this is what I noticed

• Duursma played wing and as someone else has pointed out does look a bit bigger
• Waterman performed strongly and looks ready for a good year
• Our first choice backline is looking pretty well set with Edwards and Young playing as the preferred KPDs supported by Ginbey, Starcevich, Hough, Duggan and Baker. It shapes as our strongest line group
• Lindsay likes to take the game on but got crunched in a Jack Graham tackle at one stage when he didn’t release the ball quickly enough. McQualter was quick to encourage him for taking the game on though which was good to see/hear
• Ginbey is a monster and looks like he’ll have more license to run off Hal back
• Reid continues to be a prime mover through midfield but did spend the second matchsim as a deep forward - shanked two separate set shots from either pocket trying to kick around the corner. Once on his left and the other on his right
• Duggan’s demise isn’t going to come as quickly as some might hope - he remains a big part of our ball movement
• Cripps has a really good hitout with some string repeat efforts through the middle
• Owies had his first matchsim run of the preseason and was quite lively to the point of being a strong contributor. Made the distance with a set shot from the 50m arc but was offline
• Graham seems to be playing a full time HF role
• I had trouble picking out Hewett but could hear his name called regularly so he was spending a lot of time at the coalface as a full time mid
• McCarthy is going to be centre square mid. Any best 23 with him on a wing is automatically incorrect. He makes mistakes but his willingness to run and carry through the midfield shapes as an important addition to our midfield with his line breaking ability
• Flynn will be our first ruck and played both matchsim stanzas there. Reid was his opponent the first time before switching with Jack Williams for the second
• Reid took a nice mark and kicked truly from 30m out on a worse than 45 degree angle
• Johnston had a couple of nice moments as he develops his forward craft. As did Tylah Williams
• Davis, Allan, Hall and the aforementioned Duursma look to be competing with each other for the two wing spots
• Maric and Dewar both got plenty of the ball off halfback with mixed results- some good kicks to set up play but some turnovers as well
• Duff-Tytler played exclusively as a forward but wasn’t as prominent as previous sessions

Think that’s it

Nice one thanks Keys. RIP oval 2. Was looking forward to watching Fridays session but I don't think I have the disposition to watch through the fence. Was Young still wearing the yellow cap or is he back to full contact work?

 

[bzparkes]

Nice one thanks Keys. RIP oval 2. Was looking forward to watching Fridays session but I don't think I have the disposition to watch through the fence. Was Young still wearing the yellow cap or is he back to full contact work?

Didn't someone say last year you could just get a coffee and go sit on the deck behind the goals? Or has that been canned?

 

[Farmer Lister]

Didn't someone say last year you could just get a coffee and go sit on the deck behind the goals? Or has that been canned?

Haha yeah pretty sure that was me. Definitely an option but hard to get a seat usually packed with oldies. Just gotta wait outside the big glass rotating doors at 9am and hip and shoulder your way through

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

View attachment 2508906

Oh hell yeah!

View attachment 2508910

They're actually signing contract extensions.

 

[Bender_]

2022 79 series Land Cruiser with everything upgraded, was that your beige mini with the red nose on the front I nudged out of the way in the car part?

Clearly didn't get the reference.

Did they manage to upgrade your micropenis too, old man?

 

[KERRPOW]

View attachment 2508906

Oh hell yeah!

 

[Big_Birdy]

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Harley looks ready to tear the league apart

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Clearly didn't get the reference.

Did they manage to upgrade your micropenis too, old man?

6 foot 4, and happy for you to stare at your micro penis

 

[Astro7]

Great to see Yeo again. Harley and Ginbey beast mode. Hewett and even Maric look to have added bulk. Dev looks like a weapon.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

They're actually signing contract extensions.

To complete the troll, Hutch is now in the number 4

 

[DorothyG]

IF....
Yeo can play 16+ games,
It clicks for Reid,
Waterman playes every game,
Shanahans form doesn't drop off,
Ginbey, HEdwards and Young keep on improving and going to the next level,
Flynns form becomes serviceable and has solid backup from the young cohort
Dursma takes to AFL like a Naicos
The Beagles have stability and actually look like a competent WAFL team.

I can believe

 

[ArdentEagle]

Top 8...I'm telling ya!

 

[Matera92]

Ginbey is going to kill someone if he flushes them accidently.

 

[The_Reaper]

IF....
Yeo can play 16+ games,
It clicks for Reid,
Waterman playes every game,
Shanahans form doesn't drop off,
Ginbey, HEdwards and Young keep on improving and going to the next level,
Flynns form becomes serviceable and has solid backup from the young cohort
Dursma takes to AFL like a Naicos
The Beagles have stability and actually look like a competent WAFL team.

I can believe

We may never lose again

 

[Cuzz09]

Duursma looks like the evil guy from Stranger Things

 

[THE A5]

I don’t want Ginbey back in the middle but he’d be a battering ram in there

 

[Astro7]

I don’t want Ginbey back in the middle but he’d be a battering ram in there

Yeo, Starc and Dev might prove handy there