Training Pre-Season 2026 chat

[Mattttty]

We'll hear about it a day before Opening Round, while they've known since October that he was never going to play.

Honestly can't think of who else it could be, unless we're stretching the term 'star' a bit.

If it is Cameron though, I wonder if Bucks tries to shape things early in the year to make us a bit tighter defensively, given its always been his style anyway.

Wouldn't be the worst idea, given minus Stengle and Cameron, we're down a bit on potency.

If it is Cameron, it creates a really big opportunity for Henry to step up. It's also still not a bad forward line with Neale developing nicely, alongside players like PFD, Martin, Mannagh and Close.

 

[Munich]

Is Kolo training fully? I haven't read much of this thread

 

[michelzing]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

I am being hopeful that it works like 2022 (where we had injuries to Danger and others in first half) where we can split the first 6-7 games and then go on a run with fresh star back…lets see

Was this "written in the Stars"? - as predicted by our local psychic Janelle Bridge from Lara in the Geelong Advertiser on Jan 1st (ironically reported by Zoe De Koning)

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Ms Bridge felt good about the Geelong Cats’ next AFL season, however predicted some “twists and turns”.

“I feel that gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach again,” she said.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean a loss … and I feel they’ll get very close if they don’t make it to the grand final, but I just feel like there’s going to be some twists and turns in their season as well.

“They may unexpectedly lose a star player to injury.”
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I know its a bit like retro fitting actual events to the predictions of Nostradamus

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Ok…sorry about being cryptic but I can’t say much more. Other than to prepare you all for a pretty tough injury to a good player…. Don’t know when it will come out but will impact the first couple of months of our program.

I am being hopeful that it works like 2022 (where we had injuries to Danger and others in first half) where we can split the first 6-7 games and then go on a run with fresh star back…lets see

First 6-7 games are pretty tough we need go at least 50 % there. Run in to the finals is very soft.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Its an interesting conundrum. Who are the players in order we can least afford to lose this year?
I've got a few for starters , Blitz, Jezza, Stewart, Holmes, Dempsey, and Guthrie ,
(but there are many others!)

Blicavs or sdk by far because we have no rucks.

 

[Tony Barber]

Blicavs or sdk by far because we have no rucks.

Yeah I'm with you.
Just for a bit of fun I'll go for the old mans injury.

Calf to Blicavs.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Yeah I'm with you.
Just for a bit of fun I'll go for the old mans injury.

Calf to Blicavs.

I reckon its Cameron but I would hate if its blicavs.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Was this "written in the Stars"? - as predicted by our local psychic Janelle Bridge from Lara in the Geelong Advertiser on Jan 1st (ironically reported by Zoe De Koning)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms Bridge felt good about the Geelong Cats’ next AFL season, however predicted some “twists and turns”.

“I feel that gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach again,” she said.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean a loss … and I feel they’ll get very close if they don’t make it to the grand final, but I just feel like there’s going to be some twists and turns in their season as well.

“They may unexpectedly lose a star player to injury.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I know its a bit like retro fitting actual events to the predictions of Nostradamus

It's not much of a premonition. Most sides lose 1 or 2 best 22 players to LTIs throughout the season. That's just footy.

 

[small 4wards]

It's not much of a premonition. Most sides lose 1 or 2 best 22 players to LTIs throughout the season. That's just footy.

I predict Bailey Smith is going to do something dumb this year

 

[cooljack17]

Should run a book on when the club breaks the news.

Before or after the Hawthorn scratch match?

Neither club will be advertising it

 

[Commando]

Heard Cameron say last week he hasn't been on tools at the farm since GF week
Made me take notice because we're talking over 4 months!

 

[magic_johnson!]

I could be braced for it go be someone like Cameron, whose injury we know about about and he’s at an age where he’ll he managed anyway.

An injury to a younger player like sdk or Dempsey would make me a little bit more nervous.

 

[jim boy]

Heard Cameron say last week he hasn't been on tools at the farm since GF week
Made me take notice because we're talking over 4 months!

yeah - has been too long - I still have memories of Stoneham and his recovery from a broken leg

 

[Munich]

Heard Cameron say last week he hasn't been on tools at the farm since GF week
Made me take notice because we're talking over 4 months!

That ain't good

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

If it is Jez, makes you wonder if he did more damage by staying on the field in the GF.

 

[Stab Pass]

If it is Jez then it might be the making of Neale. At some point he'll go from thinking he is good enough to knowing he is. He has all the tools to be something exceptional, might just need the responsibility to get him over the top.

 

[CHAWKS2]

Ok. So at the risk of being (maybe correctly) abused the prognosis 2 days after injury is much better.

From a “8-10” week hammy it looks now like a more standard 4 week.

Changes the nature of my view in terms of first 6 rounds. We might only lose 1 or 2 (and some possibility of none but I reckon they might be conservative).

Reinforces why I didn’t mention name given things can turn out different (most of you were close anyway in the narrow list).

Happy to get abuse but take it that I have made your day better today (admittedly haven’t done the opposite a couple of days ago)

Again things can change so maybe it ends up somewhere between zero (fees inlikely but possible now) and 1-2 misses which is much better news.


Happy Wednesday

 

[Cattas_21]

OK so it's not Cameron then as he's done a heap of hammy's. Great news it's not him.

Who was everyone guessing besides him though?

 

[michelzing]

Ok. So at the risk of being (maybe correctly) abused the prognosis 2 days after injury is much better.

From a “8-10” week hammy it looks now like a more standard 4 week.

Changes the nature of my view in terms of first 6 rounds. We might only lose 1 or 2 (and some possibility of none but I reckon they might be conservative).

Reinforces why I didn’t mention name given things can turn out different (most of you were close anyway in the narrow list).

Happy to get abuse but take it that I have made your day better today (admittedly haven’t done the opposite a couple of days ago)

Again things can change so maybe it ends up somewhere between zero (fees inlikely but possible now) and 1-2 misses which is much better news.

I think reason for wrong initial view is not sure this player has done a hammy before (not sure) so might have seemed worse as no prior experience?

Happy Wednesday

Great strategy Chawks - set us up for a terrible outcome and then it becomes a standard injury and now we are all happy (compared to what we were thinking)- LOL
Assuming then it has to be one of our key younger brigade (Dempsey, Humphries, SDK, COS) as the dash brothers have both done hammies and most of the older brigade woul have as well.

 

[CHAWKS2]

Great strategy Chawks - set us up for a terrible outcome and then it becomes a standard injury and now we are all happy (compared to what we were thinking)- LOL
Assuming then it has to be one of our key younger brigade (Dempsey, Humphries, SDK, COS) as the dash brothers have both done hammies and most of the older brigade woul have as well.

I might have got it wrong with hammy history (sorry again). My memory might not be that good - or I look back with rose coloured glasses…. But yes the main point is that I have played with BF emotions but hopefully ended up happy!

 

[STPer18]

Footy is so back.

 

[Schmuck]

Max? Didn’t see him in any intra club photos and haven’t seen him in the Big V unlike our other players

 

[Footy Smarts]

Here's a list of who has been mentioned in press conferences as having a big preseason.

Mitch Edwards has been mentioned a few times. Clearly the leader in training the house down. Dempsey and Atkins definitely name dropped him.

Miers and Stewart were mentioned by Dempsey.

Worpel was talked up by Atkins too.

SDK just pumped up Jhye Clark.

So there's a list of players to expect big things from or accept that preseason is all just fluff when they don't live up to the hype.

 

[Munich]

Wtf do we always play Coll and Carlton within quick succession every year. This time throw Bris into the middle of those games.

 

[michelzing]

Here's a list of who has been mentioned in press conferences as having a big person.

Mitch Edwards has been mentioned a few times. Clearly the leader in training the house down. Dempsey and Atkins definitely name dropped him.

Miers and Stewart were mentioned by Dempsey.

Worpel was talked up by Atkins too.

SDK just pumped up Jhye Clark.

So there's a list of players to expect big things from or accept that preseason is all just fluff when they don't live up to the hype.

Probably the most concerning from all of the players mentioned is the lack of talk about Mitch Knevitt. He was supposedly training the house down last preseason and was selected early before an injury somewhat derailed his potential to improve and/or establish himself.
Now this year (assuming he is fit) he has not been mentioned at all - if he cant break into the side this year does it spell the end for him? - not certain of his contract status
I like him for his size andletic attributes - just cant determine if he is "contact shy" or unable to position himself in the AFL as he does in the VFL