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

 

[Shueygod]

I don't bother reading your posts cause they're usually rubbish, I just saw Astro's comment about Ginbey

It’s okay to admit when you’re wrong and you simply lack the intelligence to follow a discussion.

Don’t respond to me in the future without first reading the post and following the conversation, wasted both of our time with more of your typical garbage.

 

[WoodenJosh]

Yeo, Starc and Dev might prove handy there

Brisbane Lions in tears

 

[bUCKET__]

It’s okay to admit when you’re wrong and you simply lack the intelligence to follow a discussion.

Don’t respond to me in the future without first reading the post and following the conversation, wasted both of our time with more of your typical garbage.

Your discussion wasn't particularly clear about who exactly you were referring to in every post, pretty easy mistake to make when the referent is left ambiguous.

Speaking of typical garbage, how about our midfield, right? If we ran Liam Ryan through there regularly last year, in a desperate attempt to find any point of difference beyond the miserable status quo, then I reckon we're justified in continuing to give a range of players a look in this year too. Starcevich included, even if he's not had any recent experience.

 

[Shueygod]

Your discussion wasn't particularly clear about who exactly you were referring to in every post, pretty easy mistake to make when the referent is left ambiguous.

Speaking of typical garbage, how about our midfield, right? If we ran Liam Ryan through there regularly last year, in a desperate attempt to find any point of difference beyond the miserable status quo, then I reckon we're justified in continuing to give a range of players a look in this year too. Starcevich included, even if he's not had any recent experience.

Godfather was just jumping over himself excited at the chance to try catch me out being wrong. Still salty that I exposed him for the idiot he is for his waterman opinion (which he still holds).

Our midfield is definitely awful and I can see Starcevich running through there if we get desperate. However, I would be disappointed to see him wasted there. Think the only way he’d play midfield is in a defensive role and there’s probably 4 or 5 players I’d rather see there given I don’t think he’d be significantly better than them, and he’s an A grade player in another position.

Main midfield group should be:
Reid
Mccarthy
Hewett
Defensive mid from Hall/Roberston/Schoenberg/Hough/Macrae/Yeo (limited minutes)

 

[FKASC]

Starcevich included, even if he's not had any recent experience.

According to Godfather32 he played midfield as recently as 2024

 

[swingdog]

 

[Godfather32]

Godfather was just jumping over himself excited at the chance to try catch me out being wrong. Still salty that I exposed him for the idiot he is for his waterman opinion (which he still holds).

Our midfield is definitely awful and I can see Starcevich running through there if we get desperate. However, I would be disappointed to see him wasted there. Think the only way he’d play midfield is in a defensive role and there’s probably 4 or 5 players I’d rather see there given I don’t think he’d be significantly better than them, and he’s an A grade player in another position.

Main midfield group should be:
Reid
Mccarthy
Hewett
Defensive mid from Hall/Roberston/Schoenberg/Hough/Macrae/Yeo (limited minutes)

I don't know what you mean about Waterman, I think he's a great player. What opinion do you think I have on him?
You on the other hand with your ridiculous Chesser obsession....
Sure I mistook your discussion about "Stretch" for Ginbey who you both also mentioned in your posts

 

[Farmer Lister]

It's pretty well known that part of the pitch to lure Starcevich over was the chance to have a crack in the midfield. He's probably not going to be lining up at first centre bounce, but surely having more midfield options, especially a quality player like Starc can only be a good thing.

Having seen him up close at training he's bloody yuge, a mature body and a more enticing prospect in the middle than players like Kelly/Duggo. Yeo himself says his midfield days are limited, so if Dev/Schoenberg/Macrae don't bring the goods we are pretty thin in that area.

McCarthy is an absolute weapon but this is his first proper preseason, we can't expect too much

 

[Seadog]

Anyone going to training?
I'll be there in my Leyland P76, everything upgraded.

 

[southcoast]

Stretch is definitely a quality back man, when has he ever shown to be a midfielder?

Unironically Ginbey has more credentials as a midfielder at AFL level than both.

I see a number of posts extolling Starch's qualities as a defender. Granted they were clearly on show in the Lions team.

I do wonder how he will go in our team with, in my opinion, below standard midfield and forward line pressure. I'm hoping Mini and the relevant line coaches have been working on this aspect of oour game plan too.

 

[Barrybran]

It's pretty well known that part of the pitch to lure Starcevich over was the chance to have a crack in the midfield. He's probably not going to be lining up at first centre bounce, but surely having more midfield options, especially a quality player like Starc can only be a good thing.

Having seen him up close at training he's bloody yuge, a mature body and a more enticing prospect in the middle than players like Kelly/Duggo. Yeo himself says his midfield days are limited, so if Dev/Schoenberg/Macrae don't bring the goods we are pretty thin in that area.

McCarthy is an absolute weapon but this is his first proper preseason, we can't expect too much

I envisage Starcevich having a go at what we tried to do with Hough last year

 

[Astro7]

The only time he played midfield was at juniors, majority of WAFL colts/State were both in defence.

He’s not a natural midfielder and shouldn’t be shoehorned there, could I see him as being slightly better in the midfield than Duggan? Probably.

Would the gap of them through the middle be as big as the gap between them in defence? I doubt it.

That's right, he played midfield in his teens as I said. Now you're agreeing with me after accusing me of being blatantly wrong.
To say he's not a natural midfielder and shouldn't play there is just hubris on your part, contradicting the coach's opinion, who you'd think may be better informed than yourself.
Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. It's not a biggie, we will all be better informed as the training ramps up and the scratchies begin, otherwise like most things on BF it's all speculation and opinion. Until then I disagree with your opinion.

 

[Yeahnahmate]

I personally was disappointed. When I compare them- one was passed over by every team in the competition in the main draft and the other was Banfield.

That makes me even happier. I think F-Rod is going to pay off big time. Not the athletic profile, but genuine two way game and reads the play really well, and is a leader.

Pity he’s working through a small foot stress fracture, hopefully back in main training in Feb

 

[Shueygod]

That's right, he played midfield in his teens as I said. Now you're agreeing with me after accusing me of being blatantly wrong.
To say he's not a natural midfielder and shouldn't play there is just hubris on your part, contradicting the coach's opinion, who you'd think may be better informed than yourself.
Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. It's not a biggie, we will all be better informed as the training ramps up and the scratchies begin, otherwise like most things on BF it's all speculation and opinion. Until then I disagree with your opinion.

Every non tall that makes the state team plays midfield at juniors. He was also in the WAFL colts side from about 16 so wouldn’t have played genuine midfield minutes since then.

If by early years you actually meant local u16s then fair enough, you got me, given the discussion was around him being a “proven quality midfielder”, I doubt that’s the case. Fear you’re another that can’t admit when you’re wrong.

It’s not an opinion to say that Starcevich is not a proven midfielder at AFL level, it’s a fact at this stage.

 

[Astro7]

Every non tall that makes the state team plays midfield at juniors. He was also in the WAFL colts side from about 16 so wouldn’t have played genuine midfield minutes since then.

If by early years you actually meant local u16s then fair enough, you got me, given the discussion was around him being a “proven quality midfielder”, I doubt that’s the case. Fear you’re another that can’t admit when you’re wrong.

It’s not an opinion to say that Starcevich is not a proven midfielder at AFL level, it’s a fact at this stage.

It's not a contest here, no-ones trying to 'get you'? There was never any mention of him being a proven midfielder? Twisting the narrative there. You seem obsessed with getting people to admit they're wrong. Are you aware that you can reply to posts in a friendly if not polite tone, without being self-righteous and combative?
As mentioned you're welcome to your so called 'facts' and opinions, I disagree with them.
Mini has a greatly improved mix of players at his disposal now, I hope he experiments with players+positions, continues to try new things to get the utmost from his group.

 

[Shueygod]

Wow, Starcevich is a proven quality backman/midfielder, a double grand finalist with 132 games under his belt.

There was never any mention of him being a proven midfielder? Twisting the narrative there. You seem obsessed with getting people to admit they're wrong. Are you aware that you can reply to posts in a friendly if not polite tone, without being self-righteous and abrasive?
As mentioned you're welcome to your so called 'facts' and opinions, I disagree with them.

The quoted post started this entire discussion, I then asked when he’d proven to be a quality midfielder, with you responding saying his early years.

I’ll leave it now, hopefully for all our sakes Starce can play in defence where he excels as the defensive midfielder position is being adequately filled by one of the mature recruits.

 

[Bender_]

The quoted post started this entire discussion, I then asked when he’d proven to be a quality midfielder, with you responding saying his early years.

I’ll leave it now, hopefully for all our sakes Starce can play in defence where he excels as the defensive midfielder position is being adequately filled by one of the mature recruits.

Geez, lighten up a touch mate.

 

[Shueygod]

Geez, lighten up a touch mate.

Don’t take kindly to my time being wasted through repeated doubling down of incorrect takes and misread posts, then being told I twisted the narrative and the initial claim was never mentioned despite it being in plain sight.

 

[Godfather32]

I don't take too kindly to my time being wasted....proceeds to pedantically argue for hours on end

 

[Shueygod]

I don't take too kindly to my time being wasted....proceeds to pedantically argue for hours on end

Read that one did you?

 

[Godfather32]

Read that one did you?

JFYI I take great delight in wasting your time

Also still waiting on you to tell me what I supposedly think about Waterman

 

[Balls In]

Down here with my daughter and her friend. You can definitely tell the players who have been in the AFL system for a while, noticeably bigger than the newbies. We are going to need patience with this squad. Players like Schoenberg for example they just have that extra size that will help over the next couple of years while those kids fill out.

Ginbey standing next to Starcevich has every bit his build, prototype footballer. I wish we had 5 of him out there.

Flynn hurt his finger in a marking drill and was getting it taped up. CDT was in the same drill, missed a bit of body positioning in a few early ones but improved as it went on and took a few nice clunks at the end. Can't read anything into that one way or another but he is a man mountain huge thighs on him almost look nuggetty until you see him next to the midfielders - looks every inch a key forward.

Lindsay just now sizzling a 45 m worm burner onto the chest of Coop

 

[juice568]

Fred rodreguiz on crutches at training

 

[Doashuey]

Down here with my daughter and her friend. You can definitely tell the players who have been in the AFL system for a while, noticeably bigger than the newbies. We are going to need patience with this squad. Players like Schoenberg for example they just have that extra size that will help over the next couple of years while those kids fill out.

Ginbey standing next to Starcevich has every bit his build, prototype footballer. I wish we had 5 of him out there.

Flynn hurt his finger in a marking drill and was getting it taped up. CDT was in the same drill, missed a bit of body positioning in a few early ones but improved as it went on and took a few nice clunks at the end. Can't read anything into that one way or another but he is a man mountain huge thighs on him almost look nuggetty until you see him next to the midfielders - looks every inch a key forward.

Lindsay just now sizzling a 45 m worm burner onto the chest of Coop

YEah there was a lot of chat about CDT not being useful to us for 2-3 years as a skinny tall who will take years to develop but he looks very well built for an 18 year old tall. His old man is bloody uge too so can see him being a factor this year for us.
The first part of the bolded text is also interesting. Forget who, but one of his team mates mentioned how rapidly he picks up things- what you have just said there aligns with this. I can't wait to watch him develop this year.

 

[RanaNaved]

YEah there was a lot of chat about CDT not being useful to us for 2-3 years as a skinny tall who will take years to develop but he looks very well built for an 18 year old tall. His old man is bloody uge too so can see him being a factor this year for us.
The first part of the bolded text is also interesting. Forget who, but one of his team mates mentioned how rapidly he picks up things- what you have just said there aligns with this. I can't wait to watch him develop this year.

Think it was Waterman who said that