Training Pre-season 2026

[THE_GUN]

wait till they do the leg shortening surgery

He will have 3 legs all same size

 

[Nostradumbass]

Taranto name checked McAuliffe in the piece he did for the AFL. It’s only a small sample size, but if the boy gets a clean run at it, he’s an upgrade on Hopper.

Thoughts Groupie_ ?

 

[Groupie_]

Thoughts Groupie_ ?

im waiting for him tarranto to be announced captain in the next fortnight, pass on mcaulfie

 

[lizard man]

Serpell said he can make players run faster so now that he’s had a bit of time with our group I look forward to seeing Taranto and hopper bursting out of the centre square with their new and improved speed

 

[_RT_]

I'm also aware that last time i compared our so-called injury report that originally stated he would be full training in the new year, I was promptly told that February was technically the new year.

So, now it's going to be full training in March? Club is running scared from the fall out if they say he won't be playing until May. That's what happens when you keep making up return dates.

Smillie isn't going to make a difference to how our 2026 season pans out, but if they can get him right and he can have a good 10-15 year career at the highest level then he has every chance of being a real difference maker when we really need him to be. Right now getting him fit and ready to start playing regular footy again is what's important and if that means we don't see him until the 2nd half of the year then who gives a shit.

 

[tiger_tough]

what did he say?

FFS campaigner.

 

[Sneh]

every time we "manage a players load" they end up pulling a hammy in the real stuff as they aren't even remotely ready for the intensity of a full game after Serpell has sat them on the sidelines for a month or two

Hmm

 

[Charlie Pannam]

all in all a positive injury report.
Samson didn’t make the cut, not mentioned.Big fella not even on the high performance radar anymore.

 

[richard parker]

Ben Scalpel only a slight improvement on The Butcher

 

[Bojangles17]

Ben Scalpel only a slight improvement on The Butcher

What I like about this campaign is he’s easing off with the loads. In stark contrast to last years Everest style build up that ended in an epic fail as we had players breaking down like it was going outa style .

Less is more , there I said it

 

[archer the tiger]

Not only are you a Welcher but an even bigger sh!t talker

Pathetic

You know what rhymes with Welcher!

 

[sante]

Ben Scalpel only a slight improvement on The Butcher

How so? All of Hopper, Lynch and Prestia could barely get on the park before he arrived…

 

[lizard man]

Serpell is watching over our players with great care

 

[Tiger1974]

The club has botched his rehab yet pretend all is fine. That's my problem with it.

I can't wait to see him play, but we've been ripped off 6 months due to crap rehab decisions and bad management.

Like a broken record. Everyone knows surgery is the last option. Other options didn't work over a long period of time so he went in for surgery. Simple.

 

[Sneh]

Serpent is watching over our players with great care

 

[prodigy]

I'm a big injury suspicion conspiracy theorist and I was especially calling it out when Meehan was running things. I could see the misinformation and especially the withholding of information.
I don't see it like some others do with Serpell currently.

I feel they've been pretty transparent in the case of Smillie. It's a little annoying that the recovery time post surgery ended up being longer than first anticipated but I'd rather that than rushing him back.

I think we just need to relax a bit.

 

[lizard man]

That’s me, just you’re average everyday Lizardman!

 

[_RT_]

I'm a big injury suspicion conspiracy theorist and I was especially calling it out when Meehan was running things. I could see the misinformation and especially the withholding of information.
I don't see it like some others do with Serpell currently.

I feel they've been pretty transparent in the case of Smillie. It's a little annoying that the recovery time post surgery ended up being longer than first anticipated but I'd rather that than rushing him back.

I think we just need to relax a bit.

It's no fun unless

 

[Coach_Required]

Like a broken record. Everyone knows surgery is the last option. Other options didn't work over a long period of time so he went in for surgery. Simple.

Yeah let him heal from his injuries naturally and then play him again only for him to hurt himself once more, let him take time to heal again for a number of months before we decided to increase training loads in November. only for him to come off sore again so maybe we should send him for scans. Oh no, scans have come back with bad news.
Let's now book him for surgery. Why did it take so long for us to send him for scans after continually watching him reinjure himself?
He has had Hammy & Quad problems since his first injury.

Botched.

 

[Bojangles17]

Yeah let him heal from his injuries naturally and then play him again only for him to hurt himself once more, let him take time to heal again for a number of months before we decided to increase training loads in November. only for him to come off sore again so maybe we should send him for scans. Oh no, scans have come back with bad news.
Let's now book him for surgery. Why did it take so long for us to send him for scans after continually watching him reinjure himself?
He has had Hammy & Quad problems since his first injury.

Botched.

Not necessarily unfortunately some players bodies just ain’t built for elite sport , refer to will day .its less about the program more about their durability or lack of
He’s a worry josh , hoping for the best but can’t help but think we fkd up passing over my boy Murphy Reid

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Players now 24 or older and the games they missed for us last year:

1 Broad, Vlastuin, Taranto, Nankervis
3 Mansell
7 Lynch, Short
10 Balta
11 Ralphsmith, Prestia
12 Dow
16 Young
22 Lefau

Ryan also missed about half the season.

Now ok, not all these guys were best 23. But if they were all available every game, they'd have probably played about an extra 70-75 AFL games between them. That is roughly the amount of matches an AFL team loses from it whole best 23 due to injury each season.

It is simply untrue to say or infer we didn't suffer from absences to mature players in 2025. We did, and to a greater extent than an AFL club would normally suffer.

We were cruelled with injuries...how quickly some forget...and still snagged a few wins!

 

[wegetpumped]

Serpell said he can make players run faster so now that he’s had a bit of time with our group I look forward to seeing Taranto and hopper bursting out of the centre square with their new and improved speed

he said he can get them faster never said anything about keeping them on the track.

 

[tropicaltiger]

Serpell said he can make players run faster so now that he’s had a bit of time with our group I look forward to seeing Taranto and hopper bursting out of the centre square with their new and improved speed

Serpell has recalibrated the treadmills to three times the maximum speed, Jacob Hopper just ran a personal best of 78KPH
View attachment hopper.mp4

 

[docko911]

Yeah let him heal from his injuries naturally and then play him again only for him to hurt himself once more, let him take time to heal again for a number of months before we decided to increase training loads in November. only for him to come off sore again so maybe we should send him for scans. Oh no, scans have come back with bad news.
Let's now book him for surgery. Why did it take so long for us to send him for scans after continually watching him reinjure himself?
He has had Hammy & Quad problems since his first injury.

Botched.

It reads bad but we don’t really know how cautious they are being with Smillie due to his additional growth. The real concern will come if his return is cut short due to another injury.

Not necessarily unfortunately some players bodies just ain’t built for elite sport , refer to will day .its less about the program more about their durability or lack of
He’s a worry josh , hoping for the best but can’t help but think we fkd up passing over my boy Murphy Reid

It’s possible mismanagement is to blame for bodies not holding up in elite sport. At this stage all Smillie has had is soft tissue injuries whilst still growing. We’ll have to reserve our judgement for a couple of years before worrying about Reid.

 

[The Vaucluse]

I don’t necessarily blame Serpell for Smillie’s situation, he’s relying on advice from treating Specialists and tailoring the training plan in consultation with them. The reluctance to commit to surgery may have been due to Smillie still growing and the unique nature of the injury. I can report that Smillie was doing some kicking drills on Monday over a short distance. He’s looking in great “nick” and given his general demeanour appears to be in a good frame of mind.