Training 2026 Off-Season & Preseason reports and discussion

[Fleabane]

Got nothing to add other than I can't wait for the season to start!

 

[Mrzohs]

I think it's actually common that players with multiple preseasons will train with different line areas. CMAC knows his half forward role perfectly.

I think this is a leaver Sam wants to have available. We are thin in the midfield, injuries may occur or our preferred mix may not be getting the results. This preseason ensures CMAC can step into a bigger role if needed.

The club has a very high opinion on Mackenzie, he's 3 preseasons in and nearly 50 games. Against a red hot Giants early last year he stood up as BOG in the midfield. It was that impressive even Lloyd suggested he will be a future AA. Then injuries and dealing with that hurt him.

Regardless of the hype around CMAC, I just can't see him leaping Mackenzie to start the season.

I think CMAC will take the role of Moore as the 5th/6th rotation, in a predominantly forward split.

Mackenzie will get his chance as a key part of the first 4 mids, which is exciting and will have a huge say in how far we can go. He has all the talent, time for the application.

I rate both C-MAC and Mackenzie. Both are tracking along nicely to have growth seasons in their respective roles.

I hope they find the balance to have both regularly included. I thought last season our break away from stoppage and ability to run with the top teams 2 ways hurt us.

With the current midfield Nuke,Ward, Nash. HH could also be in that mix.
They are going to need some fleet footed players around at stoppage and across the ground to assist those players and use the ball.

I have full confidence in the skipper and Wardy who will both get some attention from the other teams. The rest will need to be well planned and executed rotations to take the next step for success.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Butler for mine, got the attitude and the engine now, plus had a taste last year and will definitely find more of the ball this year. Hard as a cats head and he’s a different look too, to the 2 Macs, he’ll be crunching a few bodies this year and Sam is going to love him for it.

Butler is your defensive mid/forward that plays on the game breakers like your Max Holmes or Bailey Smith. This is where we can change the narrative of how we will defend ball movement. Butts has a big tank and can run all day. Somebody like Holmes or Smith won't take him deep forward either as I've never seen it happen so far if getting hard tagged. I'd save Finn for the specific matchups for certain teams. As we know he is who we missed dearly in the Prelim as he would have gone straight to Danger when he started to run riot.

 

[To the Hawk]

Butler is your defensive mid/forward that plays on the game breakers like your Max Holmes or Bailey Smith. This is where we can change the narrative of how we will defend ball movement. Butts has a big tank and can run all day. Somebody like Holmes or Smith won't take him deep forward either as I've never seen it happen so far if getting hard tagged. I'd save Finn for the specific matchups for certain teams. As we know he is who we missed dearly in the Prelim as he would have gone straight to Danger when he started to run riot.

Danger did all his damage from centre bounce. We've never started Finn in CBAs, even if tagging a centre mid.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Loved this.

Highlights were Schuey edging TB under the ball but mostly, Matt Hill!

Gee his electric speed and run that turned into shot on goal is a rare quality to have. Coupled with his chase down tackle.

Would be excited if he earns a debut this year.

If Hill can develop that little bit more the small pressure forward role is he's got the taking. That's the missing bit of spark we need to force more forward half turnovers like our threepeat team made an art form.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Danger did all his damage from centre bounce. We've never started Finn in CBAs, even if tagging a centre mid.

Wasn't just centre bounce it was everywhere. A win would have been to neutralise him enough to force him to go forward again.

 

[Blackhawk42]

This kid has a beautiful kicking technique!

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First thing I noticed when I went to the open training day. He was kicking absolute bullets to Bodie Ryan.

Confident he'll grow into an absolute weapon. Can do all parts of the game well.

 

[kazzooka]

He has been training in his best position all pre-season and that's not midfield if anything he may sneak forward for a qtr or two.

Impy had a few really good patches forward last season. And if we are expecting more midfield from Macdonald, Watson, Moore and Ginnivan we may have a gap to fill up forward at times. Though I suspect Butler and maybe Anderson are good for that as they can both play Mid and small forward.

 

[SSSSSS]

Maybe it was 9 mins long originally but there was something that needed to be cut out in case it revealed too much?

Schubert is going to be an absolute titan when he bulks up. He looks huge out there already.

 

[To the Hawk]

Wasn't just centre bounce it was everywhere. A win would have been to neutralise him enough to force him to go forward again.

He had 4 centre clearances in the 3rd term. And they were elite out the front of stoppage that resulted in goals. Was the game changer as our mids got totally stunned by it.

I think this focus on momentum and maturity across preseason relates to this.

Rayner did a similar thing to us in round 23 in the second half. Whilst GWS blitzed us from centre bounce in the 3rd of the elimination final to storm back.

I think going the other way, Watson will be our own version of Danger and Rayner who could light up a 15 min patch from centre bounce. Especially in the second half when sides are more fatigued.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Impy had a few really good patches forward last season. And if we are expecting more midfield from Macdonald, Watson, Moore and Ginnivan we may have a gap to fill up forward at times. Though I suspect Butler and maybe Anderson are good for that as they can both play Mid and small forward.

Not sure about Anderson just yet. We have Finn ahead of him I reckon.

 

[SSSSSS]

There were a few impressive players in there who have yet to debut, Bodie Ryan and Schubert to name a couple.

But what Hill can do is electrifying. I saw a couple of Box Hill games early last year and he looked an AFL player in waiting. He does everything at pace but doesn’t look flustered. I’m still dreaming of a forward line with him and the Wiz.

Play Wiz higher up the ground. Let him rack up touches and link the play up. His delivery I50 is up there with the best in the league.

Hill deep forward.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Play Wiz higher up the ground. Let him rack up touches and link the play up. His delivery I50 is up there with the best in the league.

Hill deep forward.

We lose a lot if Wiz is further up the ground he just brings so much to that forward line and we need him kicking goals.

Its a balancing act

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Once the origin starts this Saturday, we will have a long run of footy being back. Which is exciting, feels like time has flown and that the pre-season hasn’t lasted as long as normal.

 

[cryptor]

Schubert is going to be an absolute titan when he bulks up. He looks huge out there already.

Definitely. The follow through on his kicks looks super weird though, but can’t argue with the result if they’re goals.

 

[Roddy]

Got nothing to add other than I can't wait for the season to start!

Only three weeks now!

 

[bigmaxi]

So it was actually seven minutes long

Watching this and I immediately thought of Sam and what will he do with such a broad brush around the ground, he now has a playing list of a solid 25-30 ready to go players, time will tell on their immediate impact and combining but gee there are some solid pieces to play with. Impey as a half back juggernaut, a solid 5-6 core of mids with some exciting cameos for CBA’s, a forward line with so many options and the wall of China across the back. Enjoy Sam, your time starts now!

 

[ahhhhhh]

So it was actually seven minutes long

Jeez Hustwaite and Schubert were impressive in that.

 

[Dr.J]

Jeez Hustwaite and Schubert were impressive in that.

Yep HH on the inside was impresive
(I guess leg speed isn’t as important on the bottom of a pack )
His disposal by both hand a foot was dare I say elite. Whilst I know he was dancing with his sister he looked stronger and more confident than I’ve seen before

Perhaps he’s not the write off we’d all assumed

 

[jaygee]

Yep HH on the inside was impresive
(I guess leg speed isn’t as important on the bottom of

Yep HH on the inside was impresive
(I guess leg speed isn’t as important on the bottom of a pack )
His disposal by both hand a foot was dare I say elite. Whilst I know he was dancing with his sister he looked stronger and more confident than I’ve seen before

Perhaps he’s not the write off we’d all assumed

a pack )
His disposal by both hand a foot was dare I say elite. Whilst I know he was dancing with his sister he looked stronger and more confident than I’ve seen before

Perhaps he’s not the write off we’d all assume

It's the defensive pressure that I didn't see that worries me. Looked good with the ball but that was it. That's what I saw anyway.

 

[Dewnior]

Play Wiz higher up the ground. Let him rack up touches and link the play up. His delivery I50 is up there with the best in the league.

Hill deep forward.

I think Mitch will use the blueprint the $wans created for Papley and Wix is an upgrade.

 

[Changa10]

Sic with a nice little gut punch 'spoil' on the big Cholly

 

[Dr.J]

It's the defensive pressure that I didn't see that worries me. Looked good with the ball but that was it. That's what I saw anyway.

Yep fair point - you can only comment on what you see - not sure they’re going to post any vision of a players weakness so I take it with a grain of salt - I think the point I was making was the vision showed improvement in specific areas of his game

 

[kirbatron]

Ward, Croc & Frenchie. It's now your time.

How much these guys can lift output in the middle will determine a lot of our fate

 

[Tanami]

Just a short video but boy the game has really sped up.
No stop starting its all system go.
These new rules are going to change the game immensely.
HH will come into his own.
So good with his hands.