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

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

Are fans able to attend?

It’s not advertised as being open to the public, although my understanding is there’s no fences at the Cockburn training facility where it’s being played. So if you’re feeling brave you could go there provided you’ve been vaccinated for purple fever

 

[The Gtrain]

Anyone have another link to the intraclub game? the WCE link is now gone?

 

[Sneh]

Are fans able to attend?

If your name is Kayo

 

[FKASC]

Anyone have another link to the intraclub game? the WCE link is now gone?

Here you go mate

https://tinyurl.com/bdwa93u9

 

[bzparkes]

Anyone have another link to the intraclub game? the WCE link is now gone?

They replaced it with last year's intraclub that they took down immediately at the time, lmfao.

 

[Dockzy]

Hey lads, good luck for the year ahead

Another Adelaide supporter here to say I’m very happy to see the positive reports about Harry Schoenberg doing well in pre season training and the recent club match

In his first two seasons I truly thought we had found one in Harry. There were some rumours on the club board that going into his third season he might’ve liked partying a bit too much and then the emergence of Soligo, arrival and transition to midfield from Dawson the following year hurt his chances of truly winning a spot back in the best 22. Truly hope he grabs this second chance by the horns and has a good second half to his career. Once again all the best for the year ahead

 

[Alesana]

Anyone have another link to the intraclub game? the WCE link is now gone?

It’s still on the Facebook page

 

[The Gtrain]

It’s still on the Facebook page

Perfect, thanks mate, this worked a treat!

 

[The Gtrain]

It’s still on the Facebook page

Here's the link if anyone needs it

 

[flyinghi64]

Hate that Flynn was voted into the leadership group because ideally imo he shouldn’t even be selected to play. BWill starting off injured probably helps him and the club for the most part sees him as the first option still, but by god he just stinks

It's a LEADERSHIP group. Not a BEST PLAYER group.

There is a very good and strong reason he is in it.

What he does around the club and particularly with the new and young players is amazing and is why he is highly regarded at the club.

You don't need to be an elite player to be in the leadership group.

 

[FKASC]

It's a LEADERSHIP group. Not a BEST PLAYER group.

There is a very good and strong reason he is in it.

What he does around the club and particularly with the new and young players is amazing and is why he is highly regarded at the club.

You don't need to be an elite player to be in the leadership group.

I think the argument is that he will be undroppable as a result

 

[txbyhull]

I think the argument is that he will be undroppable as a result

if this was the case people should blow up about Duggan rather than Flynny

 

[RookiePick]

if this was the case people should blow up about Duggan rather than Flynny

 

[THE A5]

if this was the case people should blow up about Duggan rather than Flynny

Duggan was trash last season but his 2024 was ok. Found bit of the footy and his ball use in general was ok. Hopefully he can return to that form but if not it will be joke that we can’t drop him

 

[Yeahnahmate]

It's a LEADERSHIP group. Not a BEST PLAYER group.

There is a very good and strong reason he is in it.

What he does around the club and particularly with the new and young players is amazing and is why he is highly regarded at the club.

You don't need to be an elite player to be in the leadership group.

Who mentioned elite? A 3rd string ruckman from another club where he played 30 games in 8 years. What I’m talking about is if he ends up out of favour here to get games (and there’s been an argument for that at various stages) it will be a weird vibe to have him as a leader of the group.

 

[UseR2006]

Who mentioned elite? A 3rd string ruckman from another club where he played 30 games in 8 years. What I’m talking about is if he ends up out of favour here to get games (and there’s been an argument for that at various stages) it will be a weird vibe to have him as a leader of the group.

Not Really.

He's not there for the Onfield Leadership. his role would be primarily off-field and within the locker room. Flynn by all reports is a glue type of player that helps with making players relaxed and is easy to open up to.
He's the type of person that will resolve issues before it even hits Duggan/Bakers Desk.

So even if he's playing WAFL that type of leadership is valuable at any level he's playing at.

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

Not Really.

He's not there for the Onfield Leadership. his role would be primarily off-field and within the locker room. Flynn by all reports is a glue type of player that helps with making players relaxed and is easy to open up to.
He's the type of person that will resolve issues before it even hits Duggan/Bakers Desk.

So even if he's playing WAFL that type of leadership is valuable at any level he's playing at.

Guys in the leadership group usually have their spots in the 23 pretty much sewn up and generally not fringe players.

I don’t think the leadership group needs to be your best players but it really shouldn’t be your bottom 4 to 6 either.

 

[EaglesVille]

Watch a training session and you will see

Why he is in the leadership role

 

[gravy_86]

Rebuilding clubs always have young guys moving between the 1’s and 2’s on a week-to-week basis. Having someone senior like Flynn in the same boat but still setting a good example around the club could be really valuable.

 

[Monocle]

Still too slow according to King and Kornes.

 

[Cuzz09]

Are these match simulations the ones where they play like 6 qtrs?

 

[squashface]

Did we ever find out who DY is

 

[Keys]

Are these match simulations the ones where they play like 6 qtrs?

Clubs mutually agree to their own arrangements

The games next week have match conditions set by the AFL

 

[THE A5]

Did we ever find out who DY is

It’s actually Dom Yeed from the impossible

 

[RanaNaved]

Hey lads, good luck for the year ahead

Another Adelaide supporter here to say I’m very happy to see the positive reports about Harry Schoenberg doing well in pre season training and the recent club match

In his first two seasons I truly thought we had found one in Harry. There were some rumours on the club board that going into his third season he might’ve liked partying a bit too much and then the emergence of Soligo, arrival and transition to midfield from Dawson the following year hurt his chances of truly winning a spot back in the best 22. Truly hope he grabs this second chance by the horns and has a good second half to his career. Once again all the best for the year ahead

Appreciate the sentiment but next time be sure to come in peace