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

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Still kinda confused as to why they didn't send Duursma and CDT over for this

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Still kinda confused as to why they didn't send Duursma and CDT over for this

probably did similar course/content already given they have been around the AFL academy all year?

 

[juice568]

probably did similar course/content already given they have been around the AFL academy all year?

Lindsay and rodreguiz were also in the academy

 

[Evo47]

Still kinda confused as to why they didn't send Duursma and CDT over for this

Too big to fail… big dogs don’t need rules

 

[THE A5]

**** off Jhye

 

[Fatty rules]

Yes I agree, my post was a guess at why Bo might have been playing that role in match sim, but I realise now I never mentioned his name so my post comes across like pointless rambling

In that case it belongs on here!

 

[wadistance]

Hey everyone, I have been a long time reader and now a first time poster. A couple of months ago a fella on YouTube posted a video on his First Use page about West Coast midfield structures.

I was wondering if people who watch the match sim at training can maybe please have an eye on how the midfield structures are looking. Positioning, body contact, movement, connection, reading the play, one touch etc to maybe please comment on any observations surround this. Thanks.

That fella… wonder what he knows about footy eh.

 

[Obeanie1]

Nice report on CDT matching up on Flynn.

It sounds like the kid isnt afraid of body contact and competing against grown men.

Looks like CDT already has a solid core and some size to work with early. Certainly isnt a bean pole 18 yr old ruck / forward.

Refreshing.

 

[Cuzz09]

CDT our modern day Gardy?

Floating from fwd to ruck

 

[Proeagle]

Nice report on CDT matching up on Flynn.

It sounds like the kid isnt afraid of body contact and competing against grown men.

Looks like CDT already has a solid core and some size to work with early. Certainly isnt a bean pole 18 yr old ruck / forward.

Refreshing.

I just hope we dont make the mistake of turning him into a 120kg tall like we did with Nic Nat. The kid excels at ground level and his mobility. We ruined Nic's work around the ground by bulking him up too much, not to mention the extra stress on his knees.

 

[bzparkes]

I just hope we dont make the mistake of turning him into a 120kg tall like we did with Nic Nat. The kid excels at ground level and his mobility. We ruined Nic's work around the ground by bulking him up too much, not to mention the extra stress on his knees.

Pretty sure it was the Uber Eats that bulked NN up and not the club.

 

[Cuzz09]

Pretty sure it was the Uber Eats that bulked NN up and not the club.

and his body type/genes

 

[juice568]

Duggan a no show today. Does he ever train? How can he be captain this year

 

[bzparkes]

Duggan a no show today. Does he ever train?

He trained on Monday.

How can he be captain this year

By being voted in by the players.

 

[WCE777]

Agree. It's not a bad thing. Always good to have some versatility and be able to play in a variety of positions. Now we have a liitle more depth a spot in the side is becoming much harder. If Allan has some versatility his opportunities to secure a spot in the side will increase.

I still feel like long term Allan will end up a defender. Time will tell.

I feel this is why they drafted him, Ginbey type but better midfielder.

I feel J Lindsay is the same, he was drafted for his kicking and elite performances as a HB elite ball distributer for 2 years.
I would not be surprised if he can be turned into a wing/outside mid with all the skills of Gulden in his kicking delivering inside 50!

 

[Keys]

Duggan a no show today. Does he ever train? How can he be captain this year

No he never trains

Ever

Hasn’t been at the club since the B&F and isn’t scheduled to return to training until our preseason game against Port on March 1

In the meantime he’s been doing a leadership course at an American university

Or maybe you could read the training reports where I’ve mentioned him regularly and most recently as Monday where I commented he trained well

Wednesdays are always a light session which senior players or those on modified programs often skip or are on light duties

 

[WCE777]

Hey everyone, I have been a long time reader and now a first time poster. A couple of months ago a fella on YouTube posted a video on his First Use page about West Coast midfield structures.

I was wondering if people who watch the match sim at training can maybe please have an eye on how the midfield structures are looking. Positioning, body contact, movement, connection, reading the play, one touch etc to maybe please comment on any observations surround this. Thanks.

I like his content, it seems well informed and without bias about different club structures and what works.
Jeff White was a very good player, played 268 games for MEL & FREO so he would have a very good knowledge of ruck/midfield/stoppage structures etc. imo.

 

[juice568]

No he never trains

Ever

Hasn’t been at the club since the B&F and isn’t scheduled to return to training until our preseason game against Port on March 1

In the meantime he’s been doing a leadership course at an American university

Or maybe you could read the training reports where I’ve mentioned him regularly and most recently as Monday where I commented he trained well

Wednesdays are always a light session which senior players or those on modified programs often skip or are on light duties

The guy has more days off then yeo. He doesn't set standards. We had to burn a top 3 to lift the intensity. Baker and graham were shocked when they arrived it was at wafl level.

 

[Boohemian]

Duggan a no show today. Does he ever train? How can he be captain this year

Reckon there's a fair bit of sauce applied to this one. Taking it in jest.

 

[Bender_]

Duggan as captain never being at training is why Harley doesn't stay back 10 minutes after sessions.

 

[bzparkes]

Duggan as captain never being at training is why Harley doesn't stay back 10 minutes after sessions.

Reckon he's probably got Duursma and CDT locked up in his garage to stop them from going to the AFL draftee induction this week also.

 

[Astro7]

When do players pix and profiles etc get added to the clubs site AFL team list?
Some are added, some not...

 

[bzparkes]

When do players pix and profiles etc get added to the clubs site AFL team list?
Some are added, some not...

Whenever Telstra pulls their finger out and does it.

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

Anyone from West Coast who plays SOO will be rested from the unofficial scratch match against Fremantle played in the week following

So it’s a practice match or SOO with little difference to risk of injury between those games.

If Starcevich and Baker are fit to play, which I hope they both are, then I have no issue with them playing

Tbh I feel like there is a higher chance of injury in the PS games against the mob down the road. It always feels like they’re keen to get in a low blow if and where they can in the PS games (ala Shep/Fyfe in 2021, Chesser in 2022 etc).

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Didn't Woosha once storm Freo's coaches box during an exhibition Derby in London cos Freo were acting like ... Freo?

They don't make 'em like Woosha anymore