Training 2026 Preseason Thread

[PerfectFooty]

There is a lot of criticism we can direct at Lamb for contracts but the Viney extension always felt like a desperation move from the board to make the club look better with the Trac and Oliver drama.

Bit of both, certainly with Oliver and Petracca blowing up at the time they'd want to retain their 'heart and soul' father son to appear to save face.

Feels that we also panicked and crumbled as well because we felt the pressure of north publicly pursuing him which spooked them with Todd being there, so they just extended him past what North where offering

 

[danster168]

Wow can’t believe I’m agreeing with Lord Nev and can’t wait to see Steele line up as our backup ruck and Viney as our 3rd tall forward.

**** our team must be all super slow as well if Culley was able to waltz the ball out of the front of CBAs without being tackled in all our match sims.

Pickett and Windsor must really struggle to get around the park if they can’t even keep up with a slow Culley.

In all seriousness I think Viney is cooked and will struggle to have any meaningful impact before he retires, idiotic Lamb contract. Our midfield will mostly be Pickett, Rivers, Windsor, Culley, Steele with Langford having hits in there while rotating off the wing.

Most exciting midfield combo we have probably seen in over a decade.

I hope you're right. I can't see Langford, Steele, Culley being able to defend even the worst teams midfields. like LDU, Mckercher and Sheezel. But yeah this year doesn't really matter anyway. We have no lock down small/medium defenders unless we play AMW or X.Taylor really turns it on in his first year.

I think Langford should stay in an outside role personally. Wing/Forward with no inside mid time. I think Steele will win our Bnf this year. Or come 2nd behind Pickett.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Lamb's fault for the contract at the end of the day, hes paid to sort that shit out. Mind you I think they were all slaves to Goody, that contract was 50% Goodwin for being a delusional moron and 50% Lamb for being too gutless to tell him no.

 

[Toump Ass]

We signed him until 2028

Anyway, all in the rear-view mirror now. Hopefully Ned Guy can "impact" the list management team in-between doing Innovation and Chief Football duties.

 

[ray_purchase]

So is it the consensus that Steven May

1

Steven May

Age

34

Ht

193cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.5

3star

MG

307.3

4star

D

15.5

4star

K

12.1

5star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.4

3star

T

0.5

1star

MG

378.4

5star

D

12.4

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.8

4star

is now not in our best 22 and Petty is the new full back?

 

[MarcMaverick]

Anybody here done a preseason?

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

So is it the consensus that Steven May is now not in our best 22 and Petty is the new full back?

Think it depends where King decides to play Turner.

 

[Headless]

View attachment 2511507

Get in there and defend your style of posting, Toump Ass.

 

[Headless]

I hope this is what they had in mind when they made me a Community Leader.

 

[Lampers]

So is it the consensus that Steven May is now not in our best 22 and Petty is the new full back?

May could do a Tmac and surprise everyone with a return to form.

But it would be folly to have May as an automatic best 23 given his age, his body letting him down and his erratic 2025 form. Especially as he was given the shove at the end of last season.

Everything I’ve seen from preseason has Petty in the backline. Lever is another who could be in the gun, the game more broadly and King’s game style specifically may have made Jake obsolete.

 

[schmuttt]

Think it depends where King decides to play Turner.

Apparently training back with Petty, I don't think we'll see May at senior level next season unless we have a bunch of injuries.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Apparently training back with Petty, I don't think we'll see May at senior level next season unless we have a bunch of injuries.

It's funny, I'd actually rather May playing Lever's role over Lever.

 

[Lampers]

It's funny, I'd actually rather May playing Lever's role over Lever.

I don’t reckon there will be that “dedicated interceptor” role. It’s too predictable and can be combatted quite effectively. No “Lever role”.

Instead to be less predictable there needs to be a few out there who can do it if required. Turner for sure. Howes is OK at it at VFL level but he hasn’t been asked to do that at AFL level. Taylor maybe in a few years’ time? My concern with Lever is can he be effective as anything other than an interceptor? And is he even great at being an interceptor anymore, or damaging enough when he gets the ball?

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

I don’t reckon there will be that “dedicated interceptor” role. It’s too predictable and can be combatted quite effectively. No “Lever role”.

Instead to be less predictable there needs to be a few out there who can do it if required. Turner for sure. Howes is OK at it at VFL level but he hasn’t been asked to do that at AFL level. Taylor maybe in a few years’ time? My concern with Lever is can he be effective as anything other than an interceptor? And is he even great at being an interceptor anymore, or damaging enough when he gets the ball?

Lever is slow as ****. So is May but May is a better mark and a better kick so I'd prefer him out of the two.

 

[Bluelegs]

I hope this is what they had in mind when they made me a Community Leader.

 

[Daemon]

I'd prefer neither May or Lever in the team but that backline needs a leader and I think Lever is a better leader on/off field. If Petty was playing back the last couple of years I wouldn't care but he needs to get form and confidence back there before considering for a leader role. Of course there is also Riv but it appears he may be playing more midfield time. I'm fact now that I think about it I'd rather Tmac over those two - he was in great form last year.

All this to say I hope we move on quickly from Lever/May/Tmac once we have grown more cohesion and leadership down back.

 

[Daemon]

I don’t reckon there will be that “dedicated interceptor” role. It’s too predictable and can be combatted quite effectively. No “Lever role”.

Instead to be less predictable there needs to be a few out there who can do it if required. Turner for sure. Howes is OK at it at VFL level but he hasn’t been asked to do that at AFL level. Taylor maybe in a few years’ time? My concern with Lever is can he be effective as anything other than an interceptor? And is he even great at being an interceptor anymore, or damaging enough when he gets the ball?

I think we should give Lever a shot to show us what he's got - he's been injured a lot recently which has effected his form. But if he shows he can't adapt or is down on form I think we should move on quickly.

I'm rather excited to see what these young guys can do back there when given a chance. Guys like AMW, Turner (should be a lock), and Taylor.

 

[Lord Nev]

I think we should give Lever a shot to show us what he's got - he's been injured a lot recently which has effected his form. But if he shows he can't adapt or is down on form I think we should move on quickly.

I'm rather excited to see what these young guys can do back there when given a chance. Guys like AMW, Turner (should be a lock), and Taylor.

You've gotta balance it though. We've all lived through the years of putting draftees straight into the team and relying on them to do everything themselves. We've already got a big weak spot in the list for peak age players, so need to resist just "playing the kids" and then hoping they improve without any experience or seasoned bodies around them. Can't pick guys who aren't performing, but don't want to run the kids into the ground as well.

 

[Elixuh]

I hope this is what they had in mind when they made me a Community Leader.

You truly are the best of us.

 

[PerfectFooty]

I'd prefer neither May or Lever in the team but that backline needs a leader and I think Lever is a better leader on/off field. If Petty was playing back the last couple of years I wouldn't care but he needs to get form and confidence back there before considering for a leader role. Of course there is also Riv but it appears he may be playing more midfield time. I'm fact now that I think about it I'd rather Tmac over those two - he was in great form last year.

All this to say I hope we move on quickly from Lever/May/Tmac once we have grown more cohesion and leadership down back.

Lever I think has good football in him, May though is twice the competitor

It also depends on how we structure down back, how we organise and move off halfback, with what type of leader we need

Anyways i'm all for keeping Lever in the team because the melts are entertaining

 

[Daemon]

You've gotta balance it though. We've all lived through the years of putting draftees straight into the team and relying on them to do everything themselves. We've already got a big weak spot in the list for peak age players, so need to resist just "playing the kids" and then hoping they improve without any experience or seasoned bodies around them. Can't pick guys who aren't performing, but don't want to run the kids into the ground as well.

Oh I agree. Not advocating to just play the kids without any support, but support needs to be picked on merit (not reputation or who is mates with coach like in the Goody era). We also have TMac and May there to help out until the kids are ready and hopefully Petty (who is in a good age range) steps up to provide leadership down there.

 

[schmuttt]

It's funny, I'd actually rather May playing Lever's role over Lever.

Not a bad shout, but I reckon his body is too far gone.

 

[schmuttt]

Actually a stacked Casey back 6 with May/Tmac/Adams lol

 

[Demon Attack]

In all seriousness I think Viney is cooked and will struggle to have any meaningful impact before he retires, idiotic Lamb contract. Our midfield will mostly be Pickett, Rivers, Windsor, Culley, Steele with Langford having hits in there while rotating off the wing.

Most exciting midfield combo we have probably seen in over a decade.

I found our midfield pretty exciting in September 2021

 

[Demon Attack]

I'd prefer neither May or Lever in the team but that backline needs a leader and I think Lever is a better leader on/off field. If Petty was playing back the last couple of years I wouldn't care but he needs to get form and confidence back there before considering for a leader role. Of course there is also Riv but it appears he may be playing more midfield time. I'm fact now that I think about it I'd rather Tmac over those two - he was in great form last year.

All this to say I hope we move on quickly from Lever/May/Tmac once we have grown more cohesion and leadership down back.

Bat signal has been put up for Dan to disagree with this.