2026 Pre-Season Thread

[PattyKwasagun]

Full recovery under a professional environment vs left to your means. I think Doedee would've preferred to stay on. Even if he's not going to play another game - staying on for 12 months will give him good runway to prepare for life after footy.

While this is true, it's a list spot that we could otherwise be using. Unless we plan to put him on the LTI list and take a mid-season draftee with that spot?

With Payne coming back from injury, I'd think some KPD cover could be really handy if Tom is definitely done.

 

[Nuggo]

Perhaps TomD has only just come to that conclusion. Does happen with players from time to time. Start of the preseason they think they will make it through but just don't.

 

[SizeMatters]

Why would Fagan drop that at some random event? Doesn’t strike me as that kind of guy but maybe it was a slip of the tongue.

Doesn’t surprise me regarding TD though if that’s the case.

 

[BuntonRules]

I have never factored him in my thinking, TBH.

 

[Perrip]

Hmm.
Brisbane Lions rocked by second player split as defender [Payne] separates from partner

 

[mighty_lions]

Hmm.
Brisbane Lions rocked by second player split as defender [Payne] separates from partner

the courier mail have lost the plot ive been waiting to see if they would report this, who cares

 

[LongLion]

Hmm.
Brisbane Lions rocked by second player split as defender [Payne] separates from partner

happens at every club. Bobby Hill again taking extended leave but not getting the headlines the lions' players are. A beat up by a Geelong supporter journo most likely. I won't even read past the headlines.

 

[mighty_lions]

are they going to go through every player that breaks up with someone?

 

[mighty_lions]

happens at every club. Bobby Hill again takin

they are only reporting this because of the lachie stuff, he also had split from his last girlfriend at the start of the year, where's the article on that??? or any players that have broken up with girlfriends

 

[Perrip]

the courier mail have lost the plot ive been waiting to see if they would report this, who cares

Having two players at the same club have personal relationships end the same way in the same time frame, seems like more than a coincidence tbh.

A source close to a confidant of Dagg told Confidential the relationship ended in October with the breakdown allegedly stemming from a loss of trust and “major betrayal.”
The source also said that after the AFL Finals series, in which the Lions won their second consecutive premiership despite Payne missing out due to injury, Dagg felt something had changed.
“After the grand final, she just thought something was going wrong,” the source claimed.
Payne’s season finished in June when he suffered a serious knee injury that ruled him out for most of the year.
After allegedly confronting Payne about her concerns, the source claimed he made an admission.
Following the admission, Dagg ended the relationship.

Idk I might just be paranoid after I read this last week in the Courier Mail.

Within AFL circles, Scoop expects continued off-field scrutiny of the Brisbane Lions after intense public focus on Lachie Neale’s marriage drama, with sources suggesting further revelations could surface in 2026.

 

[ULittleBeauty]

Could be an innocuous comment like "he needs to get confidence in his body back" that's been taken out of context.

Don’t think so. Quoted it exactly as Fages said it. Was pretty clear.

 

[mighty_lions]

Having two players at the same club have personal relationships end the same way in the same time frame, seems like more than a coincidence tbh.

Idk I might just be paranoid after I read this last week in the Courier Mail.

no it absolutely is a coincidence, I could go through so many players that have split from there girlfriends, people break up all the time, he split with his last girlfriend at the start of the year also, where's the article on that?

Rayner split with his girlfriend start of the year also and the one before, like who cares it should be in the new idea or the women's day not the courier mail but thats where's it got to.....anything for clicks

 

[Tom14]

Having two players at the same club have personal relationships end the same way in the same time frame, seems like more than a coincidence tbh.

Idk I might just be paranoid after I read this last week in the Courier Mail.

****en lol

 

[Squizz89]

I’m sure the WAGs group chat would make for interesting reading over the last few weeks.

 

[Tom14]

no it absolutely is a coincidence, I could go through so many players that have split from there girlfriends, people break up all the time, he split with his last girlfriend at the start of the year also, where's the article on that?

Rayner split with his girlfriend start of the year also and the one before, like who cares it should be in the new idea or the women's day not the courier mail but thats where's it got to.....anything for clicks

Having two players at the same club have personal relationships end the same way in the same time frame, seems like more than a coincidence tbh.

Idk I might just be paranoid after I read this last week in the Courier Mail.

I have no inside word but I can’t imagine a more likely coincidence. Two afl players at the same club have relationships that breakdown, who f-ing cares!

This is an embarrassing affront to journalism. Lachie’s thing played out over social media and involved the breakup of a marriage. I don’t like that it is newsworthy these days but it is and Lachie’s only got himself to blame.

Payne is a nobody nationally. This was not his wife, and he doesn’t have kids. No reason this should be a story - he probably didn’t do something great but it isn’t news.

They didn’t bother to write up specific details on relationships being affected after Nashville (cough C Ray… cough).

 

[irel]

Having two players at the same club have personal relationships end the same way in the same time frame, seems like more than a coincidence tbh.

Idk I might just be paranoid after I read this last week in the Courier Mail.

Sorry but I have to

 

[mighty_lions]

I have no inside word but I can’t imagine a more likely coincidence. Two afl players at the same club have relationships that breakdown, who f-ing cares!

This is an embarrassing affront to journalism. Lachie’s thing played out over social media and involved the breakup of a marriage. I don’t like that it is newsworthy these days but it is and Lachie’s only got himself to blame

Payne is a nobody nationally. This was not his wife, and he doesn’t have kids. No reason this should be a story - he probably didn’t do something great but it isn’t news.

They didn’t bother to write up specific details on relationships being affected after Nashville (cough C Ray… cough).

maybe he did something maybe he didnt or maybe he just didnt like her.... who cares

 

[PertRoosOsborne]

Back to back premierships has really pissed some people off

 

[briztoon]

happens at every club. Bobby Hill again taking extended leave but not getting the headlines the lions' players are. A beat up by a Geelong supporter journo most likely. I won't even read past the headlines.

Stengel mia at Geelong. Brockman fighting in a suburban street at 4am in the morning.

Slow news period during the offseason, so every little thing will be reported.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Payne’s split was back in October and wasn’t a long-term relationship. It’s a headline grab for clicks.

 

[PertRoosOsborne]

Lachie Neale should start posting absurdly random images in Instagram to see how these abject failures of journalists respond.

 

[McLuggages]

Not exactly how I remember the Fagan-Doedee discussion.

From memory someone asked where Doedee would fit in team (optimistically implying he'd cover Starc and add to our defence this year) - and Fages poured cold water on it to lower expectations and say there was a lot of work to do to get back to what he was (so don't expect anything quickly) and did say he'd lost confidence.

Edit: I don't recall anything like he'll never play again.

 

[Saucery]

Lachie Neale should start posting absurdly random images in Instagram to see how these abject failures of journalists respond.

 

[Saucery]

I’m sure the WAGs group chat would make for interesting reading over the last few weeks.

Just wait for the FOX (er DANZ) doco.

 

[scoman]

Do we think the 5th interchange will be used for a ruck? I know it's been almost assumed that it would. But after watching Neale in the GF and remembering J Lyons coming on as a sub late in his career, is there an argument for playing another mid on the bench, maybe even giving them limited minutes until the second half? Might we see clubs doing this with their ageing veterans? Could it also be a way to bring another kid into the game, managing their minutes? Could it be a way to get Kiddy into the game in rotation with Zorko?