Training Pre-Season 2026 chat

[TheWoodenSlug]

All last season it was Stanley who spoke about wanting to play on into 2026 - so not sure the club talked him out of retirement

Edit: I didn't actually hear any of these quotes, I just got curious. If they are in any way inaccurate, blame Google not me!

 

[Footy Smarts]

Gee. A lot of negativity about our prospects. Makes this game more interesting if we are expected to lose.
I kind of like being the underdogs

It's pretty impressive.

We got beaten so we're going to get thumped by Gold Coast. Gold Coast got beaten so Dimma is going to have them fired up which means we're going to get thumped by Gold Coast.

To be fair this post won't age well when we get thumped by Gold Coast.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I could say the same thing about watching journeyman Darcy Fort and McInerney who could barely get out of bed destroy stanley and blicavs in the GF and point out that the worst thing i could ever do is think our ruck group doesnt need fixing.
These things are in the eye of the beholder sometimes.

Nobody's saying our ruck group couldn't be improved although destroyed is way over egging the GF when it was about our 500th biggest issue.

Marshall would've been a big improvement and lets you put SDK back to defense permanently. That makes sense.

But I say "we could improve our ruck division by bringing in a quality ruck".

You say "we could fix our ruck division by bringing in Peter Ladhams".

Sorry but there's no way we'd pick him ahead of an SDK/Blicavs ruck combo cause he's very ordinary and they're much better than you give them credit for.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Nobody's saying our ruck group couldn't be improved although destroyed is way over egging the GF when it was about our 500th biggest issue.

Marshall would've been a big improvement and lets you put SDK back to defense permanently. That makes sense.

But I say "we could improve our ruck division by bringing in a quality ruck".

You say "we could fix our ruck division by bringing in Peter Ladhams".

Sorry but there's no way we'd pick him out an SDK/Blicavs ruck combo cause he's very ordinary and they're much better than you give them credit for.

It's funny how even just 5 months on, that GF has already created it's own myths.

Suddenly the key factor was the cripple fight between McInerney, Fort, Stanley, and Blicavs...rather than the sheer quality gap of Ashcroft x2, Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage and Bailey up against Smith, Holmes, and Atkins.

We're ignoring the 95% and concerning ourselves with the 5%. It seems a little backwards.

As you say, we need a real ruckman who is better than what we have. Nobody is denying that. We tried to get that, and it failed.

Bringing in spuds or even more developing rucks isn't the answer.

 

[Footy Smarts]

It's funny how even just 5 months on, that GF has already created it's own myths.

Suddenly the key factor was the cripple fight between McInerney, Fort, Stanley, and Blicavs...rather than the sheer quality gap of Ashcroft x2, Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage and Bailey up against Smith, Holmes, and Atkins.

We're ignoring the 95% and concerning ourselves with the 5. It seems a little backwards.

The issue around here is always the ruck. No matter what. And it would be solved by Soldo Flynn Heath Reidy Ladhams.

 

[Mr Meow]

It's pretty impressive.

We got beaten so we're going to get thumped by Gold Coast. Gold Coast got beaten so Dimma is going to have them fired up which means we're going to get thumped by Gold Coast.

To be fair this post won't age well when we get thumped by Gold Coast.

Yeah my thoughts have nothing to do with pre-season matches. Without a couple of elite small forwards (Miers is practically a first class wingman at the same time), a somewhat competitive loss seems reasonable to me. I never expect us to get absolutely obliterated because it just doesn't happen that much.

 

[Mr Meow]

It's funny how even just 5 months on, that GF has already created it's own myths.

Suddenly the key factor was the cripple fight between McInerney, Fort, Stanley, and Blicavs...rather than the sheer quality gap of Ashcroft x2, Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage and Bailey up against Smith, Holmes, and Atkins.

We're ignoring the 95% and concerning ourselves with the 5%. It seems a little backwards.

As you say, we need a real ruckman who is better than what we have. Nobody is denying that. We tried to get that, and it failed.

Bringing in spuds or even more developing rucks isn't the answer.

Brisbane simply match up well against us too. They find ways to withhold our forwards and ball use better than we can theirs - and the midfield depth almost always overwhelms us in the end.

As great as it was beating them in the QF, every other recent game they have had 1 or 2 quarters where they absolutely smoke us.

There are other teams we don't match up well on too. Brisbane are just the best of them. I agree that the ruck isn't the major issue. There's issues all over the ground against them when we play.

 

[cats_09]

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Edit: I didn't actually hear any of these quotes, I just got curious. If they are in any way inaccurate, blame Google not me!

The Krock one is def legit as I remember posting a Twitter link to the article at the time

 

[Footy Smarts]

Brisbane simply match up well against us too. They find ways to withhold our forwards and ball use better than we can theirs - and the midfield depth almost always overwhelms us in the end.

As great as it was beating them in the QF, every other recent game they have had 1 or 2 quarters where they absolutely smoke us.

There are other teams we don't match up well on too. Brisbane are just the best of them. I agree that the ruck isn't the major issue. There's issues all over the ground against them when we play.

I reckon I'll break out in a cold sweat seeing Harris Andrews on Neale again. He was like an absolute wall and Shannon just couldn't find a way to make an impact. Not for the first time either.

I do wonder how much our second half issues were because with Andrews dominating and Cameron off the ground we tried to be too aggressive in midfield and with our ball use because nothing else was getting through.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Nobody's saying our ruck group couldn't be improved although destroyed is way over egging the GF when it was about our 500th biggest issue.

Marshall would've been a big improvement and lets you put SDK back to defense permanently. That makes sense.

But I say "we could improve our ruck division by bringing in a quality ruck".

You say "we could fix our ruck division by bringing in Peter Ladhams".

Sorry but there's no way we'd pick him ahead of an SDK/Blicavs ruck combo cause he's very ordinary and they're much better than you give them credit for.

I understand where you are coming from although I would say it was much more up the priority list than 500 and this will be a bigger issue under the new rules.

Note I did not say we could fix our ruck issues as in permanently fix them to A grade levels. You are only going to get that by getting luke Jackson type in and that wont happen. What I said is in effect we would improve it enough to go from ineffective to helping us win a flag (which is a different statement) and yes i stand by that. The grand final discussion has irony because brisbane bought fort in cheap and that covered mcinerneys body dying enough for them to win a flag. Now they are hoping Draper will work as a replacement for Mac. Now I dont particularly rate Draper as such but on paper hes not proven to be better than ladhams is. So unless youre suggesting Brisbane's list management with talls is poor then its reasonable to suggest that bringing in an average middle of the road ruck as they have done would improve us.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Mr I hate the Irish and indigenous is back in full force. flipping get a grip

I am half indigenous. You fool.

You feel silly?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I don’t actually
I think he’s good depth and that’s about it

I’ll explain this as nicely as I can, not that you will agree anyway.
There’s a reason why when most kids and most young forwards come into the league but have some time playing back first.
The same reason why 18 year olds go to a backflank, key forwards go defend in some
Vfl games.

Before you can attack, you need to learn how to defend

This isn't martial arts.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

?

Scott makes the same mistake against running teams that spread.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Like usual, you make no sense. AT least you haven't bragged about yourself so that's a bonus.

Give it time.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Good point. Also stifles their natural attacking mindset. They are sh*t scared of making a mistake.
I guess the theory is that as negators they learn the game via the ‘trickle down’ effect. Not convinced that works.
A stint as a mover and shaker in the magoos might be better.

Cockatoo a prime example. He was forced to go away from his natural game after a couple of mistakes before he got injured. I met his mate at work. They kept being conservative when he was right to go and left. No idea what happened after that.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Give it time.

I know.

 

[ShaunWDT]

All last season it was Stanley who spoke about wanting to play on into 2026 - so not sure the club talked him out of retirement

Only people who have ever said Rhys wanted to retire is people on this board, never actually anything from the player himself, media or the club, if anything they've said the total opposite.

 

[calder_daddy]

Watching the Suns tonight we’ll be lucky to get within 10 goals of them next week.

Gold Coast at the start of the year is always going to be a disaster
I’m heading to the game and if we get within 10 goals ill be happy.

This isn't martial arts.

Seems like as age has passed you by so has your knowledge of the game.
Goodnight

 

[calder_daddy]

Make it 70 for me

If Miers, Cameron, Neale and Smith all don’t play

I’ll take 80+
Like you this isn’t season defining or me underrating us
I just agree GC early whether it’s a practice match or not we will lose and lost strongly

 

[CatToTheFuture]

If Miers, Cameron, Neale and Smith all don’t play

I’ll take 80+
Like you this isn’t season defining or me underrating us
I just agree GC early whether it’s a practice match or not we will lose and lost strongly

With a depeleted forward line, our vulnerability to back half rebound exposed by Dan Rioli, a valiant defence that is none the less vulnerable to smalls, a former Norm Smith medallist midfielder we don't have an answer for, and a visibly giddy Damiem Hardwick, this game has the makings of a 2019 qualifier repeat.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Gold Coast at the start of the year is always going to be a disaster
I’m heading to the game and if we get within 10 goals ill be happy.

Seems like as age has passed you by so has your knowledge of the game.
Goodnight

I'll take that as a compliment from someone that rates a 8 disposal a game player.

 

[Sttew]

Scott makes the same mistake against running teams that spread.

All I wanted to know is if he’s back coaching

 

[Footy Smarts]

All I wanted to know is if he’s back coaching

Yeah he was back in the box.

 

[And_ROOS]

We have a horror record up on the GC, this won't make or break our season but unless a few players decide to have break out seasons we are going to be up against it.

Suns will be top 3 this year. We will batter them in Geelong later in the year but Suns are getting us at the right time.

But we will be 4-1 with the run we have after the Suns match.

 

[thejester]

The issue around here is always the ruck. No matter what. And it would be solved by Soldo Flynn Heath Reidy Ladhams.

Geelong midfielders can never fail, only be failed by their ruckmen.