Training Training updates 2026.

[WanderingDude]

I think we need a good ‘resting’ argument. As in, who should be ‘rested’ for round 0?

I’m leaning towards Cameron - the SOO game in the heat in WA will have done him no favours.

I understand completely. I’m still resting from NYE. My training of regular bottles of red wine seem to help the quality of my rests.

 

[Scodog10]

He won’t be ineffective, but that won’t stop him from being involved in some embarrassing moments where nimbler players expose his pace and aerial inability.

Are you able to provide examples of Zorko and Whitfield being exploited in 2025?

The concern is at the wrong end of the ground. We’ve significantly ramped up our speed of ball off HB based on training footage. We won’t be the quickest, but it will be obvious if we carry it through because we were one of the two slowest in 2025. The reason for the shift is the horrendous shape our forward third is in. In the back half of 2025 we averaged 78ppg with only two 100+ scores since then we’ve lost Mihocek and look unlikely to have Hill for an unknown length of time, we’re introducing one KPF at least and it’s unlikely Elliott backs it up to the same manner at 34 given how far above his prior career best 2025 was. Essentially our forward mix is in shambles for a club aspiring to finish top 4.

If the extra speed off HB goes **** up we could be staring down the barrel of a 2024 Dees type season when they tried to address their ball movement. It would largely depend on injuries to the wrong players in that scenario.

 

[Dtennent94]

Z

Are you able to provide examples of Zorko and Whitfield being exploited in 2025?

The concern is at the wrong end of the ground. We’ve significantly ramped up our speed of ball off HB based on training footage. We won’t be the quickest, but it will be obvious if we carry it through because we were one of the two slowest in 2025. The reason for the shift is the horrendous shape our forward third is in. In the back half of 2025 we averaged 78ppg with only two 100+ scores since then we’ve lost Mihocek and look unlikely to have Hill for an unknown length of time, we’re introducing one KPF at least and it’s unlikely Elliott backs it up to the same manner at 34 given how far above his prior career best 2025 was. Essentially our forward mix is in shambles for a club aspiring to finish top 4.

If the extra speed off HB goes **** up we could be staring down the barrel of a 2024 Dees type season when they tried to address their ball movement. It would largely depend on injuries to the wrong players in that scenario.

Zorko and Whitfield are faster and thus less likely to have a quick player simply run around them into an open goal.

Agree with the rest of what you said.

 

[Bianconeri]

OK, in what position(s) would you play Pendles against Brisbane? Below was their midfield and forward players from the 2025 GF (with Levi Ashcroft on the interchange).

View attachment 2529675

I’d play him as a distributor at half back and leave it up to Brisbane to choose who they want accountable for him. Like we do when Nick or Josh Daicos plays at half back.

 

[magpiewarrior]

Are you able to provide examples of Zorko and Whitfield being exploited in 2025?

The concern is at the wrong end of the ground. We’ve significantly ramped up our speed of ball off HB based on training footage. We won’t be the quickest, but it will be obvious if we carry it through because we were one of the two slowest in 2025. The reason for the shift is the horrendous shape our forward third is in. In the back half of 2025 we averaged 78ppg with only two 100+ scores since then we’ve lost Mihocek and look unlikely to have Hill for an unknown length of time, we’re introducing one KPF at least and it’s unlikely Elliott backs it up to the same manner at 34 given how far above his prior career best 2025 was. Essentially our forward mix is in shambles for a club aspiring to finish top 4.

If the extra speed off HB goes **** up we could be staring down the barrel of a 2024 Dees type season when they tried to address their ball movement. It would largely depend on injuries to the wrong players in that scenario.

Last year we didn’t have Hill in the back half of the season anyway, so we have really only lost Miho and while I am sad to lose him, Buller or West could well offset that. We also get back HH, so I wouldn’t write off our forward setup so quickly. Just my opinion.

 

[sr36]

Lots of love being thrown around today by this board! Love it see it.

Can't wait until someone suggests McStay should play at Full Back this season so we can get stuck in to each other

The training reports are soft. I want them to read like a game day thread. When Buller takes a mark, I want to read which one of our defenders has been a soft, pitiful disgrace to the jumper.

 

[LuckyLee]

I’d play him as a distributor at half back and leave it up to Brisbane to choose who they want accountable for him. Like we do when Nick or Josh Daicos plays at half back.

Well if that’s your tactic, then if I was Fagan, I’d try to get Charlie Cameron onto him. Good luck, Pendles!

(Or Zac Bailey. Or Cam Rayner. Or Kai Lohmann. None of them are good match-ups for us.)

 

[LuckyLee]

Not sure if you’re being wilfully ignorant here but I suspect you know exactly what I meant. A player who’s largely unaccountable defensively but is an excellent distributor. Were you not watching 36 year old Dayne Zorko for the last 2 years?

He’s not going to get embarrassed by anyone, he’ll play his role and the defensive unit will work around him just like they did for year 1 Nick, just like they did with Noble (albeit he was more run and carry than distributor) and they will do it for Pendles.

Pendles was an absolute freak at his peak. The last couple of seasons at worst have shown he’s human but he’s been far from embarrassed at any point. Stop being so dramatic.

So you see Pendles playing as a largely unaccountable backline distributor? Alongside one (or perhaps both?) of our other two largely unaccountable backline distributors, in J Daicos and Houston?

Are IQ and Maynard taking two opponents each?

 

[Bianconeri]

Well if that’s your tactic, then if I was Fagan, I’d try to get Charlie Cameron onto him. Good luck, Pendles!

(Or Zac Bailey. Or Cam Rayner. Or Kai Lohmann. None of them are good match-ups for us.)

If Fagan wants to sacrifice a gun deep small forward up the field to defend Pendlebury so be it.

 

[LuckyLee]

If Fagan wants to sacrifice a gun deep small forward up the field to defend Pendlebury so be it.

Fagan has an embarrassment of riches in terms of who he could “sacrifice” in a match up with Pendles. But I don’t think any of them will be playing much defence. They’ll be looking to get loose out the back and hit the scoreboard.

 

[stormskye]

Fagan has an embarrassment of riches in terms of who he could “sacrifice” in a match up with Pendles. But I don’t think any of them will be playing much defence. They’ll be looking to get loose out the back and hit the scoreboard.

All of those players are nightmares for anyone to match up on. Hence why bris have won 2 flags and on the cusp of playing in 4 straight GF’s. It’s not a pendles issue

 

[Bramax]

Freeman Scharenberg Stephenson all being busts was a massive massive blow.

Yep pick 6 & 10 with Patrick Cripps going at pick 13.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

Yep pick 6 & 10 with Patrick Cripps going at pick 13.

It's the first time Kappa has mentioned The Berg & Freeman.

Let's see where this is going.

 

[Scodog10]

Last year we didn’t have Hill in the back half of the season anyway, so we have really only lost Miho and while I am sad to lose him, Buller or West could well offset that. We also get back HH, so I wouldn’t write off our forward setup so quickly. Just my opinion.

During that period in the back half of the season where we averaged 78ppg and had no Hill we went 6-6. The 6 wins were against 18th, 17th, 14th, 12th, 11th and 5th our inability to score was a bigger factor in our second half of the season malaise than whichever attacking HB is going to be exploited.

To reiterate we’re now worse on a personnel front with no Mihocek and speculative replacements. The likes of Buller, Hayes, West and HH may come on or they could do an Allan bouncing between levels. If we can’t score we won’t be at the pointy end leaving a lot riding on the speed of our ball movement and Pendles playing a critical role.

I don’t expect my take to be popular so I’m sure plenty will disagree like yourself.

Z

Zorko and Whitfield are faster and thus less likely to have a quick player simply run around them into an open goal.

Agree with the rest of what you said.

That to me is like suggesting a snail and sloth are faster than a tortoise because all three are different degrees of slow. What it misses though is the footy IQ and experience all three bring to the table which prevents them being exploited in that way. Along with how the team grid sets up to protect those attacking HB’s.

 

[Pistol Night]

All of those players are nightmares for anyone to match up on. Hence why bris have won 2 flags and on the cusp of playing in 4 straight GF’s. It’s not a pendles issue

Brisbane won’t make the GF this year. Bookmark it

 

[Harry O]

Some really shallow deep analysis of Pendles going on here. Sure this is probably his last season. Sure he will be exposed at certain times. But he will probably set up twice as many scoring opportunities as those he concedes. Was still one of our best 6 players last season. Write him off at your peril. Just enjoy the last dance and experience greatness

 

[Dtennent94]

During that period in the back half of the season where we averaged 78ppg and had no Hill we went 6-6. The 6 wins were against 18th, 17th, 14th, 12th, 11th and 5th our inability to score was a bigger factor in our second half of the season malaise than whichever attacking HB is going to be exploited.

To reiterate we’re now worse on a personnel front with no Mihocek and speculative replacements. The likes of Buller, Hayes, West and HH may come on or they could do an Allan bouncing between levels. If we can’t score we won’t be at the pointy end leaving a lot riding on the speed of our ball movement and Pendles playing a critical role.

I don’t expect my take to be popular so I’m sure plenty will disagree like yourself.

That to me is like suggesting a snail and sloth are faster than a tortoise because all three are different degrees of slow. What it misses though is the footy IQ and experience all three bring to the table which prevents them being exploited in that way. Along with how the team grid sets up to protect those attacking HB’s.

Our front half is likely to be more of a problem, agreed.

I think we will need to get 10-15 goals each out of Houston and Josh and 20+ from Nick. Maybe McCreery and De Goey can pull together full, productive years too and we’ll be in a decent position.

Elliott (60), Schultz (33), Membrey (44), De Goey (48) all have several years where they’ve kicked significant numbers of goals. Hopefully we can build something around that with contributions from Harrison, Hayes, Buller, West, McStay.

 

[Harry O]

Our front half is likely to be more of a problem, agreed.

I think we will need to get 10-15 goals each out of Houston and Josh and 20+ from Nick. Maybe McCreery and De Goey can pull together full, productive years too and we’ll be in a decent position.

Elliott (60), Schultz (33), Membrey (44), De Goey (48) all have several years where they’ve kicked significant numbers of goals. Hopefully we can build something around that with contributions from Harrison, Hayes, Buller, West, McStay.

Any forward line that starts with say Elliott McCreery Schultz JDG Harrison etc will cause a few headaches if it is coming in quickly

 

[ksardog]

Some really shallow deep analysis of Pendles going on here. Sure this is probably his last season. Sure he will be exposed at certain times. But he will probably set up twice as many scoring opportunities as those he concedes. Was still one of our best 6 players last season. Write him off at your peril. Just enjoy the last dance and experience greatness

Pendles belongs in the middle of the ground, im not sure i can be convinced otherwise. can see him being exposed by the opposition going through his direct opponent if a permanent half back

our best bet is Jaicos at half back, can switch play either foot which is a weapon, Pendles is more methodical with ball in hand.

 

[Kirby]

Pendles belongs in the middle of the ground, im not sure i can be convinced otherwise. can see him being exposed by the opposition going through his direct opponent if a permanent half back

our best bet is Jaicos at half back, can switch play either foot which is a weapon, Pendles is more methodical with ball in hand.

Pendles is one of the greatest distributors of the ball the game has ever seen.

 

[ksardog]

Pendles is one of the greatest distributors of the ball the game has ever seen.

which i why i prefer him kicking to our forwards, not having his tongue out trying to keep up with his opponent in the backline
in our side, he is equal with Naicos placing the ball to a leading forward.

 

[sr36]

Pendles belongs in the middle of the ground, im not sure i can be convinced otherwise. can see him being exposed by the opposition going through his direct opponent if a permanent half back

our best bet is Jaicos at half back, can switch play either foot which is a weapon, Pendles is more methodical with ball in hand.

Teams don't tend to play a 6 man forward line after the centre bounce rules. At least 1 of the "defenders" isn't really a defender that holds their position a kick away from the play. The Daicos role (Nick now Josh) has really been an outside mid role from just behind the pack. I'm hoping that Josh and Pendles rotate through that - both with some time in midfield roles. Someone like Ginnivan rolling the dice on them is more likely to be an issue than the gun genuine forwards exploiting them - and that it'll be on anyone playing that role - which is a significant role in our system.

 

[Pistol Night]

which i why i prefer him kicking to our forwards, not having his tongue out trying to keep up with his opponent in the backline
in our side, he is equal with Naicos placing the ball to a leading forward.

His kicks are just perfectly weighted. You’d love leading to him

 

[Horaceg]

His kicks are just perfectly weighted. You’d love leading to him

I’m not sure my hamstrings are up to it but I could see a younger version of myself getting excited.

 

[Daicos Torpedo]

It looks like I can go to the game on Friday. Does anyone know if there's much/any shade there? Also. Is it the Sheehan ground?