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

 

[Happy Mastenator]

He's OOC, yes.

Can see us picking him up in the RD, a la Venables, if we don't offer another year. Had a very good preseason.

We should not pick him up, even as a rookie list player.

Hasn't shown anywhere near enough, and we have a list crunch coming.

 

[Chris_6678]

Wonder if we rush in an SSP or just wait till the mid season draft.

 

[Boohemian]

Has anyone pointed out that Long is taking up a list spot that could have been used for Charlie Banfield?

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Some players are just horrifically unlucky.

Hope we rookie him next year. Assuming we have the list space

 

[weltschmerz]

weltschmerz

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Maybe i just missed his good games, but i'm not sure why people keep saying Noah Long showed a lot at any stage of his career. Just never saw him as being a plus level AFL player.

 

[Lia]

Is this injury in the same knee that got wrecked in 2024? I was so mad at that Essendon hack Guelfi for that because it was such a rank tackle that caused that injury

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Hope we sign up someone as a SSP.
It's the intended purpose of the initiative.
We also have another of bunch of other players out.
No need to wait for the MSD as we might have more spots open by then.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Maybe i just missed his good games, but i'm not sure why people keep saying Noah Long showed a lot at any stage of his career. Just never saw him as being a plus level AFL player.

His first season was ok until he got injured, but he was playing as a forward who didn't kick goals

Everything was grim but we were grasping at any straw we could. He was the last player drafted in his draft year and probably wouldn't have been drafted at all if he didn't get injured (surprise surprise) and came back as a small forward rather than the midget midfielder he was pre-injury.

I'd still like to see him given another year as a rookie.

 

[WCE777]

Bugger for N Long, no one needs bad luck like Noah, some players seem to injure easily or have bad luck, Noah unfortunately is 1 of them.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Hope we sign up someone as a SSP.
It's the intended purpose of the initiative.
We also have another of other players out.
No need to wait for the MSD as we might have more spots open by then.

Wes Walley to Bradbury his way onto the list?

 

[Elite Pete]

Hope we sign up someone as a SSP.
It's the intended purpose of the initiative.
We also have another of other players out.
No need to wait for the MSD as we might have more spots open by then.

Yep the extra list spots created to help with in part helping the wafl already getting thin again.

Tom Bell key defender training with the crows I think might be a chance.

Richmond and Dogs both added players to have a look at for the next week for SSP so still enough time.

Milan Murdoch might just get his chance.

 

[Keys]

Is this injury in the same knee that got wrecked in 2024? I was so mad at that Essendon hack Guelfi for that because it was such a rank tackle that caused that injury

I believe it’s the same knee and sounds like a similar injury- no ACL damage but significant PCL and MCL that required surgery and took basically the same rehab timeframe as if it was an ACL

 

[Barrybran]

Wonder if we rush in an SSP or just wait till the mid season draft.

I love Longy. I think he'll be the kind of player who'll bob up and kick four goals in a winning final some day. But he needed to show some improvement this season to stay on the list and the rug has been pulled from beneath him.

We know what Longy is and can pick him back up if we want. I think we would be mad not to get Hibbins-Hargreaves down to training while he's a potentially free pick up though. We might not have that chance at the MSD, depending on how NHH goes.

 

[bzparkes]

We should not pick him up, even as a rookie list player.

Hasn't shown anywhere near enough, and we have a list crunch coming.

I wouldn't have thought we have a crunch coming.

Can see both Williams moving on this year, unless Bailey becomes a ruck god under the new rules.

Cole - Gone
HJ - Likely gone
Cripps - Retired
Brockman - incarcerated
Barnett - gone
Bazzo - maybe gone/one more year

That's 5-6 gone. One of those spots will be used to upgrade Maric, presuming he gets one(OOC). Leaves us 4-5 for the ND and a free rookie spot, presuming we retain MacRae and Schoenberg.

Long's shown enough when actually fit and was evidently in Mini's best 23 this preseason. His issue is having 2 season ending knee injuries, not a lack of ability.

 

[Rowan18]

I love Longy. I think he'll be the kind of player who'll bob up and kick four goals in a winning final some day. But he needed to show some improvement this season to stay on the list and the rug has been pulled from beneath him.

We know what Longy is and can pick him back up if we want. I think we would be mad not to get Hibbins-Hargreaves down to training while he's a potentially free pick up though. We might not have that chance at the MSD, depending on how NHH goes.

I agree, we need small forward depth, so give NHH a go now.

We've been pretty lucky to finish dead last in the middle of the season for about 4 seasons in a row. The first 1 or 2 picks in the MSD are usually pretty good, but it falls away quickly. Even if we finish bottom 4 again, there's no guarantee we'll be last in time for mid season, so it would be silly to waste the opportunity now.

Almost guaranteed to have another long term injury, so will have a selection available for MSD if so. Bailey Williams already looking shaky for the season and who knows how Hutchinson progresses.

 

[Underdog]

I like Noah, but I'd probably be letting him go. I'm not sure he protects quality enough to retain. Though, I do think at his best he could be a serviceable AFL footballer.

I'd probably wait until the MSD and see who bobs up in state leagues. If we had have been in this position last year, we probably wouldn't have drafted McCarthy as a SSP.

We have ample players on our list that need game time to see what they can become. Let's give them the opportunities.

 

[WCE777]

Yep the extra list spots created to help with in part helping the wafl already getting thin again.

Tom Bell key defender training with the crows I think might be a chance.

Richmond and Dogs both added players to have a look at for the next week for SSP so still enough time.

Milan Murdoch might just get his chance.

Any insights into Tom Bell's work with the Crows?
I know we were linked to him in his draft year and in serious need of KPD options.

 

[Underdog]

Any insights into Tom Bell's work with the Crows?
I know we were linked to him in his draft year and in serious need of KPD options.

Are we though? We have 4 KPDs not including Ginbey, Hough and Maric (who have all played tall).

Adding another mediocre option doesn't really improve our list.

 

[THE A5]

I like Noah, but I'd probably be letting him go. I'm not sure he protects quality enough to retain. Though, I do think at his best he could be a serviceable AFL footballer.

I'd probably wait until the MSD and see who bobs up in state leagues. If we had have been in this position last year, we probably wouldn't have drafted McCarthy as a SSP.

We have ample players on our list that need game time to see what they can become. Let's give them the opportunities.

Yeah I agree. I love his footy smarts but thats all he got. Even without the injury I didn’t have him b22.

He seems like one of the guys that will get delisted and carve up a dominant state league career.

 

[Wce17]

I wouldn't have thought we have a crunch coming.

Can see both Williams moving on this year, unless Bailey becomes a ruck god under the new rules.

Cole - Gone
HJ - Likely gone
Cripps - Retired
Brockman - incarcerated
Barnett - gone
Bazzo - maybe gone/one more year

That's 5-6 gone. One of those spots will be used to upgrade Maric, presuming he gets one(OOC). Leaves us 4-5 for the ND and a free rookie spot, presuming we retain MacRae and Schoenberg.

Long's shown enough when actually fit and was evidently in Mini's best 23 this preseason. His issue is having 2 season ending knee injuries, not a lack of ability.

Talking about HJ. Longs injury most likely opens up a spot for him as he's been training in the same sort of role all preseason. Brockman is out aswell so the doors open for HJ and would love to see him take it.

 

[bzparkes]

Talking about HJ. Longs injury most likely opens up a spot for him as he's been training in the same sort of role all preseason. Brockman is out aswell so the doors open for HJ and would love to see him take it.

That's a good point I didn't consider.

Hopefully he can take his chance.

 

[WCE777]

Are we though? We have 4 KPDs not including Ginbey, Hough and Maric (who have all played tall).

Adding another mediocre option doesn't really improve our list.

Those players are medium defenders not KPD's.

We have Edwards who is capable and slower FB with his size and speed, we have T Young who looks ok but hasn't played for WC yet apart from 1/2 game against Freo.
We have Brock who looks a capable B grade CHB with his elite ball use.

We have just lost Gov and Barrass in the last year and replaced them with a couple of B grade types in T Young and Brock.
We need to draft 2 highly skilled KPD's to replace them and Edwards longer term, Young who has 3-4 years left and Brock looks ok as depth IMO.

 

[RookiePick]

Look's like Noah's knee injuries also come two by two

Feel for the kid, he's way behind the 8-ball to make it now.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

I wouldn't have thought we have a crunch coming.

Can see both Williams moving on this year, unless Bailey becomes a ruck god under the new rules.

Cole - Gone
HJ - Likely gone
Cripps - Retired
Brockman - incarcerated
Barnett - gone
Bazzo - maybe gone/one more year

That's 5-6 gone. One of those spots will be used to upgrade Maric, presuming he gets one(OOC). Leaves us 4-5 for the ND and a free rookie spot, presuming we retain MacRae and Schoenberg.

Long's shown enough when actually fit and was evidently in Mini's best 23 this preseason. His issue is having 2 season ending knee injuries, not a lack of ability.

Ok, so we have 4-5 spots, and that's not accounting for us bringing in an experienced player (Lachie Neale) and then we have 3-4 spots which puts us right back in the position of having to decide if match on Kenh/Banfield/Shanahan