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2026 Pre-Season Thread

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I watched the whole scratch match and concur with reports from BEP & SM. Rayner had the surest marking hands from early on. Lachie really moving well and Loges also very good. I would add Wilmott to the noteworthy list - just so damaging with his attack on the footy and has a great eye for intercept situations. Brain looked good. Tunstill shifted to the Maroons in defence in the second half but I didn't see anything that would put him ahead of Brain, for example. Oscar looked a bit rusty in the first half and ZZ had the better of him when marking him. ZZ has pretty good closing speed and spoiling technique. I will be interested to see what they do with him over time. I wonder if he is a useful extended bench guy being able to go back, forward or in the ruck under the new 'leaping' ruck rules. Henry Smith clunked some nice marks early but Fort is still a good tap ruckman. Kiddy found space and his kicking was neat, but perhaps a little tentative and seemed to be flexing the leg after short runs, but no strapping. Linc on the other hand was heavily strapped but played a 'full' game. Bruce moves really well in heavy traffic and delivers the ball well. Cody Curtin looked a bit at sea in the first half, though playing on Harris can have that effect. Late in the game he did some bullocking running and shrugged a tackle to set up a goal for the golds so definitely a worthwhile project KPF. He will be a man mountain when he gets into the strengthening.
Jaspa, Dunks and Payne all did some running, but Dunks seemed to get some special trainer guidance, hopefully just a normal part of rehab. The boys have a way to go on the last disposal rules.
Just wanted to add a few words on cultural factors. Harris is such a leader, always directing, teaching and encouraging, including for the VFL players. Speaking of which, have to compliment the efforts of the VFL players who had a crack and a special note to the way in which Darragh Joyce provides contest and leadership. Must be hard being so on the fringe but he puts in. The players greet the fans in a very friendly and natural way. Finally, just casually looking at training you would think Fages was some lowly support staff member as he holds guernseys and picks up markers etc. Sends a great signal.
 

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Perrip said:
According to the Herald Sun:
Click to expand...
Bruce just ran through Annable and the poor kid came out second best. A knock on his shoulder and went off to be looked at. Came back on next qtr.

The question on rookies (assuming first year players) didn’t really notice them. Evan’s running laps with Payne at the start and was struggling. I don’t think he has a tank at all.
 
Malleagle said:
I watched the whole scratch match and concur with reports from BEP & SM. Rayner had the surest marking hands from early on. Lachie really moving well and Loges also very good. I would add Wilmott to the noteworthy list - just so damaging with his attack on the footy and has a great eye for intercept situations. Brain looked good. Tunstill shifted to the Maroons in defence in the second half but I didn't see anything that would put him ahead of Brain, for example. Oscar looked a bit rusty in the first half and ZZ had the better of him when marking him. ZZ has pretty good closing speed and spoiling technique. I will be interested to see what they do with him over time. I wonder if he is a useful extended bench guy being able to go back, forward or in the ruck under the new 'leaping' ruck rules. Henry Smith clunked some nice marks early but Fort is still a good tap ruckman. Kiddy found space and his kicking was neat, but perhaps a little tentative and seemed to be flexing the leg after short runs, but no strapping. Linc on the other hand was heavily strapped but played a 'full' game. Bruce moves really well in heavy traffic and delivers the ball well. Cody Curtin looked a bit at sea in the first half, though playing on Harris can have that effect. Late in the game he did some bullocking running and shrugged a tackle to set up a goal for the golds so definitely a worthwhile project KPF. He will be a man mountain when he gets into the strengthening.
Jaspa, Dunks and Payne all did some running, but Dunks seemed to get some special trainer guidance, hopefully just a normal part of rehab. The boys have a way to go on the last disposal rules.
Just wanted to add a few words on cultural factors. Harris is such a leader, always directing, teaching and encouraging, including for the VFL players. Speaking of which, have to compliment the efforts of the VFL players who had a crack and a special note to the way in which Darragh Joyce provides contest and leadership. Must be hard being so on the fringe but he puts in. The players greet the fans in a very friendly and natural way. Finally, just casually looking at training you would think Fages was some lowly support staff member as he holds guernseys and picks up markers etc. Sends a great signal.
Click to expand...
You are right ZZ does on paper really suit the new ruck rules. Despite being a little short he rucks well and his mobility around the ground will help if they are really throwing up quickly. It would be good for him to show AFL level skills at one end or the other though. Curtin is the other who I can envisage in that role once he has been in the system for a while.
 
Malleagle said:
..... Finally, just casually looking at training you would think Fages was some lowly support staff member as he holds guernseys and picks up markers etc. Sends a great signal.
Click to expand...

Yeah, he's rewritten the head coach guidebook.

"Not saying other coaches aren’t, but talking to him felt like I wasn’t talking to a coach, it was like I was talking to my dad, or my grandad. He won’t like me saying the grandad part, but it’s true.” Oscar Allen.

Must have been refreshing for our new big O (too soon?) to have spoken to a coach who didn't leave him out to dry BEFORE throwing him under the bus and then backing over him.
 
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Saucery said:
Yeah, he's rewritten the head coach guidebook.

"Not saying other coaches aren’t, but talking to him felt like I wasn’t talking to a coach, it was like I was talking to my dad, or my grandad. He won’t like me saying the grandad part, but it’s true.” Oscar Allen.

Must have been refreshing for our new big O (too soon?) to have spoken to a coach who didn't leave him out to dry BEFORE throwing him under the bus and then backing over him.
Click to expand...
The Hawthorn or Eagles one?
 
T Rick said:
Damo also mentioned that key staff were involved in "hundreds and hundreds" of hours dealing with the fallout from Lachie's very public marriage break up. I imagine a lot of this would be with both players and WAGS because Jules was a very strongly embedded WAG within the group. Whatever the truth about the Club response it would seem that we dealt with it proactively rather than let it fester. No surprise whatsoever that Lachie gave up the Captaincy.
Click to expand...

He was mentioned to be giving up the captaincy this year partway through last year. So I think the captaincy change was happening anyway it just became awkward with the personal news because the optics are that he’s dropped the captaincy because of the personal stuff.
 

I only copied the Brisbane bit​

​

Track Watch: All the intel from Brisbane, Collingwood, GWS and Adelaide match sim on Friday​

After a summer from hell off the field, Lachie Neale dominated Brisbane’s first major practice match – and he wasn’t the only standout of note from around the league on Friday.



This was a clear statement from Lachie Neale.
After the summer from hell, the brilliant ballwinner was a clear best-on-ground in the Lions’ first major practice match of the summer on Friday.

With his trademark clean hands and toughness in the clinches, Neale was outstanding as part of a first-choice engine room alongside Zac Bailey and Will and Levi Ashcroft in Maroochydore.

Neale, 32, had the ball on a string in the first half and looked like he will remain one of the top ballwinners in the competition this year despite the storm in his personal life.

West Coast, in particular, will surely make a strong play for him at season’s end so Neale can be closer to his two children in Perth next year.

The superstar midfielder would be hurting over the whole saga and having to step down as captain in January.

But perhaps now there is a bit of a chip on his shoulder and it’s the opposition who will pay.

The Lions have lauded his training over pre-season and despite all the scrutiny of his marriage breakdown, Neale is clearly locked in for a big year on the field in 2026.

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS: GO BEHIND SCENES OF BRISBANE’S THREE-PEAT PREP


[PLAYERCARD]Lachie Neale[/PLAYERCARD] trains with the Lions at Springfield on Thursday morning. Picture Lachie Millard

Lachie Neale trains with the Lions at Springfield on Thursday morning. Picture Lachie Millard
NO DRAPER

New Brisbane ruck Sam Draper has soreness in his foot.

The former Essendon big man sat out the practice match but the Lions are confident the problem isn’t serious as he prepares to undergo more checks with the medical team.

Draper has enjoyed a strong pre-season after overcoming his season-ending achilles injury but won’t take any risks in coming weeks if it threatens to flare-up.

Jarrod Berry (shoulder), Josh Dunkley (shoulder and ankle), Noah Answerth (Achilles) and Jaspa Fletcher (shoulder) all sat out the scratch match too, but are all on track to play in the season-opener against Western Bulldogs.

First-year draftee Daniel Annable, who started in the B-team, wrenched his shoulder but went back on.

Gun key defender Jack Payne (patella tendon) should return to the AFL side in the first month of the season after running laps on Friday.

ALLEN KEY

Oscar Allen will be an A-grade addition to the Lions’ forward set up.

The former West Coast captain shone in attack alongside Logan Morris with the pair slotting a combined five goals – albeit against the B-team backline.

Cameron Rayner also dazzled with three goals in a comfortable win for the A-team and will be a nightmare match-up for opponents with his powerful marking when isolated one-on-one.

His strength in the contest was on show on Friday, bodying his opponents out of the way and snapping cleanly at goal from stoppages.

[PLAYERCARD]Oscar Allen[/PLAYERCARD] at Brisbane Lions training. Picture: Brisbane Lions/FB

Oscar Allen at Brisbane Lions training. Picture: Brisbane Lions/FB
Cam Rayner at Brisbane training on Friday. Picture: Brisbane Lions/FB

Cam Rayner at Brisbane training on Friday. Picture: Brisbane Lions/FB
But Allen is the big addition and the former Eagles has made a seamless transition into the forward set up, taking some strong contested marks in blustery conditions.

He is something of a forgotten man after two years of injuries and a stressful exit from the Eagles.

But Allen, who will surely get the best defender and help release Morris at times, will only strengthen the premiership outfit if he can stay healthy.

His first competitive hit-out was a big tick.

REBOUND MACHINE

The Lions are going to punish teams on the rebound this year.

And the stricter stand rule will only help Dayne Zorko, Darcy Wilmot, Lincoln McCarthy, Keidean Coleman and Bruce Reville, cause more damage with their overlap run.

We laud the midfield brigade and Will Ashcroft is going to win truckloads of the footy this year based on how easily he attracted the ball on Friday.

But it’s the pop from defence which gives the Lions some real weapons on the rebound again, especially with umpires set to come down hard on any movement on the mark.

In the first half alone on Friday there were five 50m penalties for on-the-mark indiscretions.

Zorko is flying, Reville is a booming kick and slotted a goal from 55m, McCarthy has switched to half back, and Coleman is ready to return after a year out.

Watch them cause havoc in 2026 with their line breaking run and polish from defence.
 

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Pacman82 said:
🚨 Media Alert - Fages on SEN this morning, not sure where the old thread went

Click to expand...


I always enjoy listening to Fages but if he was going to spend time with a rugby union team, it might have been a better idea to spend a week or so with the Springboks rather than the All Blacks, who have dropped off significantly over the last decade while the Boks have the top coaching group in the 15 man code at the moment.
 
braddsey said:
If the money lacking in our media department is being spent in the football department, i’ll take that any day over a bunch of insta memes.

I recall the days of having “online content” for fan engagement (anyone want a 4000 degree pie? Thanks Rocky)… I don’t recall the footy being so great.

Winning premierships and a good team bond is all the engagement i need!
Click to expand...

I'd agree with your except ...

1. We are all here for social engagement

2. A lot of us (most of us?) have turned to two amateur podcasters to fill our 'engagement' need. My memories of the grand finals are the game, then the Thursday night live podcast and the long walk to the game.

If the club had to pay for advertising to get this type of engagement they would be paying a fortune.
 
i dont mean this in a negative way but neale is one of the most self-obsessed players in the competition. some of the anecdotes you hear of his mindset go to this. there was the one about him writing the list of things he had to achieve in his afl career on the bathroom mirror (win a brownlow was one) so he would be reminded every day of his goals. was asked what he wanted to be able to accomplish at brisbane and he provided he wanted to be able to be seen as an equal of the threepeat team greats. one of the most devoted trainers to have walked in the door to the club. i think he is someone who is acutely aware of his legacy and will do anything to bolster it.

assuming he leaves at the conclusion of this year, this is likely the last season he has to really build on this (nobody will care what he does at wce aside from their supporters). he is absolutely going to dominate in 2026 if he can stay fit IMO.
 

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LicoriceAllsorts said:
$81 for the Brownlow just saying…
Click to expand...

Our midfield depth + potentially managing him a bit more might be a bit much to overcome. Especially when the pies would prefer that Daicos win a Brownlow over a flag.
 
rye said:
i dont mean this in a negative way but neale is one of the most self-obsessed players in the competition. some of the anecdotes you hear of his mindset go to this. there was the one about him writing the list of things he had to achieve in his afl career on the bathroom mirror (win a brownlow was one) so he would be reminded every day of his goals. was asked what he wanted to be able to accomplish at brisbane and he provided he wanted to be able to be seen as an equal of the threepeat team greats. one of the most devoted trainers to have walked in the door to the club. i think he is someone who is acutely aware of his legacy and will do anything to bolster it.

assuming he leaves at the conclusion of this year, this is likely the last season he has to really build on this (nobody will care what he does at wce aside from their supporters). he is absolutely going to dominate in 2026 if he can stay fit IMO.
Click to expand...

No body, but no body can silo things like elite athletes. The world could be ending, and they would still chase titles.

q9ect8.gif
 
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Elixuh said:
Our midfield depth + potentially managing him a bit more might be a bit much to overcome. Especially when the pies would prefer that Daicos win a Brownlow over a flag.
Click to expand...

They'd like him to win the Copeland Trophy too based on Fly's comments last year 😀
 

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