2026 Pre-Season Thread

[Grasshopper17]

Until Noah is back

Yes of course. I'm sort of excluding him from my thinking because we'll likely need to find a different solution for a good half of the season.

Obviously Starce missed 3 months in 2025 so Noah got a decent crack at the #1 lockdown role and was terrific by and large. Even then tho did he play much on those larger bodied players I'm thinking about here? My memory of the first half of the season is a bit hazy on that front.

 

[Saucery]

We have plenty of options covering Starce imho. Brain, McKenna, Doedee to start with. Even Wilmott, Lester or Fletcher might be in for a bit of a role change while waiting on an Answerth return.

Sure, Evans, Tunstil or someone else might be given a role in the reserves to see if they could handle it, but I still see those options well down the list, at least for 2026.

Ty

 

[Saucery]

View attachment 2483539

He's on his way!

It's amazing what you can pick up at those police auction.

 

[Dalions]

Yes of course. I'm sort of excluding him from my thinking because we'll likely need to find a different solution for a good half of the season.

Obviously Starce missed 3 months in 2025 so Noah got a decent crack at the #1 lockdown role and was terrific by and large. Even then tho did he play much on those larger bodied players I'm thinking about here? My memory of the first half of the season is a bit hazy on that front.

I think that Reece Torrent would make a pretty decent lock down defender.
Has some speed and really good kicking skills. Just depends on whether he would have the discipline to run with someone full time.
Probably a pretty similar size as Starce as well.

 

[rye]

I think that Reece Torrent would make a pretty decent lock down defender.
Has some speed and really good kicking skills. Just depends on whether he would have the discipline to run with someone full time.
Probably a pretty similar size as Starce as well.

torrent would get murdered for pace by most small forwards on what ive seen

 

[Quigley]

torrent would get murdered for pace by most small forwards on what ive seen

In fairness Starc struggled most against pacey small forwards as well.

I think you just put the best options in there and don’t try and and go like for like.

 

[Saucery]

In fairness Starc struggled most against pacey small forwards as well.

I think you just put the best options in there and don’t try and and go like for like.

Yes, the player who most suits the role is the one who understands it's part in the team's structure as much as capabilities. We don't have a Starc 2.0 at the moment.

 

[rye]

In fairness Starc struggled most against pacey small forwards as well.

I think you just put the best options in there and don’t try and and go like for like.

partly why i hope answerth doesnt lose any pace coming off the achilles.

hes an awesome matchup for the likes of watson, stengle, pickett and rankine.

 

[Elixuh]

I am still backing Cam Rayner down back and I don't care what Elixuh says!

It’s not about what I’ll say. It’s about what I’ll do to you.

 

[Elixuh]

Wonder if Annable would be game to take Starcevich's role. Seems to have the size, strength, added running power. Not sure if he'll adapt to playing defense.

Mpal6 I love you, but that’s your first strike.

 

[Nunez]

It’s not about what I’ll say. It’s about what I’ll do to you.

In moments like this, I ask myself: what would The Hoos do?

 

[Hoos]

In moments like this, I ask myself: what would The Hoos do?

 

[Nunez]

View attachment 2483756

You said it man.

 

[Hoos]

You said it man.

You're killing your father, Nunez.

 

[Nunez]

You're killing your father, Nunez.

You want a Toe Hoos?

 

[Hoos]

You want a Toe Hoos?

The...who the f**k are the Knutsens?

 

[Viceregal]

So Elixuh thinks of Nunez as a James Bond type figure.

The name's Bond, Nunez Bond.

Edit ... not sure why the angry from Elixuh ... I mean I could have read something into his self image but refrained

 

[Nunez]

The...who the f**k are the Knutsens?

They kidnapped themselves.

 

[Nunez]

So Elixuh thinks of Nunez as a James Bond type figure.

The name's Bond, Nunez Bond.

I like my Big Footy banter shaken, not BRABED

 

[Perrip]

Saw Hawthorn starts preseason on Monday, is that the same for us or?

 

[JasRulz63]

Saw Hawthorn starts preseason on Monday, is that the same for us or?

Think the first to fourth years are back this Monday, with everyone else officially due back the Monday after.

 

[JasRulz63]

I think I'm in the camp of not having a like for like replacement for Starcevich, and maybe we can embrace what another option could potentially bring.

For example, while I'm not sure he'll be able to reach this level again, but Doedee was a very good intercept mark at Adelaide and another strong intercept mark could add another dimension in our back line given the way we rebound.

 

[Elixuh]

I think I'm in the camp of not having a like for like replacement for Starcevich, and maybe we can embrace what another option could potentially bring.

For example, while I'm not sure he'll be able to reach this level again, but Doedee was a very good intercept mark at Adelaide and another strong intercept mark could add another dimension in our forward like given the way we rebound off half back.

I mean we had Starce out of the side for extended periods so have an idea of alternatives. I agree, I don’t think we will pigeon hole some Temu starce replacement. It’ll just be a different look.

Perhaps Lachie Neale can play lockdown defender for the twilight years of his career.

 

[Nathan Barley]

I mean we had Starce out of the side for extended periods so have an idea of alternatives. I agree, I don’t think we will pigeon hole some Temu starce replacement. It’ll just be a different look.

Perhaps Lachie Neale can play lockdown defender for the twilight years of his career.

Maybe Fages tests out the hammy and has a run in the preseason?

 

[Dalions]

Maybe Fages tests out the hammy and has a run in the preseason?

Can Fages run?