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

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Jesus. NAS is absolutely rolled gold A Grade. He's improved every year and then again moved into superstar class last season in his fourth year.

Waterman is capable of being A Grade. He's shown that when he became the number 1 option in 24, and backed it up when available in 25. He does need to show it again this year though to lock it in. Key forward is the toughest position on the ground, especially for the worst team in the comp, with plenty of key forwards having one or two good seasons and then unable to back it up. Expect there will be no doubt about his A Grade status if he stays fit.

 

[KERRPOW]

Is there training today.

Caught bus 39 and the fenced green tarp was NOT erect.

 

[bzparkes]

Is there training today.

Caught bus 39 and the fenced green tarp was NOT erect.

Were you?

 

[KERRPOW]

Were you?

Always am

 

[bzparkes]

Always am

 

[Keys]

short bus clientele

Excellent work - short bus clientele

Caught bus 39

Posted without comment

 

[Keys]

Thoughts from Harley Reid and Liam Baker

3

Liam Baker

Age

28

Ht

173cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.7

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

7.9

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.7

3star

D

14.6

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

7.9

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.8

3star

CL

0.5

3star

D

14.4

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

8.2

5star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

CL

1.2

4star

on preseason

Lot of love for Harry Schoenberg from both as well as Dev Robertson.

Harley expecting to play more mid-forward than purely on ball which lines up with him spending time deep forward in many of the matchsims

Fair bit of positivity as you’d expect this time of year

 

[Dark Sharks]

Has Priddis Duggan added a yard of pace?

 

[squashface]

Thoughts from Harley Reid and Liam Baker on preseason

Lot of love for Harry Schoenberg from both as well as Dev Robertson.

Harley expecting to play more mid-forward than purely on ball which lines up with him spending time deep forward in many of the matchsims

Fair bit of positivity as you’d expect this time of year

About time too, I sense a legacy game is coming from him soon. Will kick a bag and break a game open.

 

[Barrybran]

Jesus. NAS is absolutely rolled gold A Grade. He's improved every year and then again moved into superstar class last season in his fourth year.

Waterman is capable of being A Grade. He's shown that when he became the number 1 option in 24, and backed it up when available in 25. He does need to show it again this year though to lock it in. Key forward is the toughest position on the ground, especially for the worst team in the comp, with plenty of key forwards having one or two good seasons and then unable to back it up. Expect there will be no doubt about his A Grade status if he stays fit.

NAS is a very good player but he's overrated on what he has produced to date. Waterman has been played at an A grade level longer than NAS has. The hype around NAS is that he's stepped up to that level at such a young age.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

NAS is a very good player but he's overrated on what he has produced to date. Waterman has been played at an A grade level longer than NAS has. The hype around NAS is that he's stepped up to that level at such a young age.

What do you mean? He was clearly one of the top 20 players last year.

This is supported by AFL Ratings where he was rated 11th. He's 22, his rating over his four seasons has gone
2022 - 4.57
2023 - 9.87
2024 - 11.55
2025 - 15.89

There is nothing to suggest his level of performance last year is not sustainable given his development to date and yes his age. It's not like he's all of a sudden became awesome and it was a fluke. He's been building to this.

 

[nameless]

If NAS played for West Coast we'd be saying how he'd be challenging Judd as the GOAT.

Dude's going to go another level.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

About time too, I sense a legacy game is coming from him soon. Will kick a bag and break a game open.

2025 was such a snake bit year for him from the very start. Returning to the club with a gut, getting a concussion in week two of pre-season then having to be off his feet for over a month with scar tissue problems in his leg. Contract crap and catching up on fitness while getting tagged by seasoned players and ragged on by oppo supporters you could see how cooked physically and mentally he was.

Then when he finally started looking right he got the syndesmosis and was iced for the season. A truly wasted year all round. Can't wait to see how he fares this year, looks happy, up and about and in ripping shape.

 

[wctorp]

Yes NWM is a stud but is he on Jedd Busslinger’s level?

 

[Doashuey]

Thoughts from Harley Reid and Liam Baker on preseason

Lot of love for Harry Schoenberg from both as well as Dev Robertson.

Harley expecting to play more mid-forward than purely on ball which lines up with him spending time deep forward in many of the matchsims

Fair bit of positivity as you’d expect this time of year

Not sure you would call it love for Dev, more of an afterthought. After glazing Shoenberg, they also say, oh yeah and Dev was on the track too. Poor old McRae didnt even crack a mention.
But I am happy about the chat around Shoey, could finally be the BIBWBLF

 

[Farmer Lister]

Elsewhere, Baker raised unsung wingman Hamish Davis as a breakout candidate for the Eagles this year.

“He’s just a solid, smart footballer,” Baker said. “I think he’ll play a number of games for us this year.

“He’s one that you don’t have too many people talk about, ‘Hammer’, when we’ve got high draft picks on our team.

“I feel like he needs a shout-out, because his understanding of role, his want to push training standards, running ... he’s elite at all that.

“He played a few games last year, half-forward and a bit of wing. He had that exposure, but I feel the way he knows the game, it’s going to be exciting for us.”

Davis, 19, played eight senior games in his debut season after arriving at Lathlain as the No.65 pick two drafts ago.

Baker said Davis’ “application to role” is his best trait while he continues to develop at the top level.

“He plays on the wing, so it’s a lot of unrewarded running. Up and back, and a lot of people at home watching might think those guys aren’t important, but those wingers are extremely important to winning games of footy.

“So, it’s good to see that there’s a young fella in his second year doing everything he can to play as much footy as he can, and executing his role, which is exciting.”

Go Hammer!

 

[flyinghi64]

What do you mean? He was clearly one of the top 20 players last year.

This is supported by AFL Ratings where he was rated 11th. He's 22, his rating over his four seasons has gone
2022 - 4.57
2023 - 9.87
2024 - 11.55
2025 - 15.89

There is nothing to suggest his level of performance last year is not sustainable given his development to date and yes his age. It's not like he's all of a sudden became awesome and it was a fluke. He's been building to this.
View attachment 2522500

Mmmm, curious as to why Nick Daicos is so low. Isn't he the GOAT and very unlucky, even ripped off, not to have 1 even 2 brownlows?

 

[Dark Sharks]

You don't score additional rating points for wearing a G-string unfortunately.

 

[FKASC]

Why capitalise NAS when his initials are NWM?

 

[Bender_]

Why capitalise NAS when his initials are NWM?

Try and find the ability to nail down in your mind and then coherently communicate what it is you disagree with the other person about without spinning out into an incoherent rage.

 

[bzparkes]

Why capitalise NAS when his initials are NWM?

NASWM

 

[Mighty Eagles]

Who has been the three players who have impressed you most this pre-season?

 

[Astro7]

2025 was such a snake bit year for him from the very start. Returning to the club with a gut, getting a concussion in week two of pre-season then having to be off his feet for over a month with scar tissue problems in his leg. Contract crap and catching up on fitness while getting tagged by seasoned players and ragged on by oppo supporters you could see how cooked physically and mentally he was.

Then when he finally started looking right he got the syndesmosis and was iced for the season. A truly wasted year all round. Can't wait to see how he fares this year, looks happy, up and about and in ripping shape.

I suggest it wasn't a wasted year. He learned a helluva lot from that year as painful as it was to watch at times. There were still a few good highlights. Even getting tagged and scragged by oppo has helped improve him. It's knocked most of the bad traits out of him perhaps. He's matured mentally and physically and understands more the 'team' approach. It's fired him up, steeled him and made him see the light! (hallelujah). The Dusty bond sounds good. He'll definitely cop some attention, nothing will change there, but is fitter and smarter to deal with it, with better quality players around him, should be a blast watching the new improved 2024 Harley!

 

[Elite Pete]

Track watches, Any match sim today?

 

[Avalor]

Track watches, Any match sim today?

Waiting ......waiting .......