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Training 2026 Training Reports

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I watch a lot of Freo and was massively rapt when we got him across. Was disappointed in how he presented last year but this year has hopefully turned a corner.
yeah, I remember thinking he really showed McKay up from a leadership and organisational viewpoint in his first year. Really hoping he is over his injury concerns and can be the lock down defender, free up Comben to intercept, and allow Dawson to come in without having the weight of too much pressure.
 

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From being at the games, a lot of the time it felt to me that he'd look to where one of our players should have been leading, then to the next place they should of been, then get forced into a bad kick. If we can have Banch and Dovaston playing high half forward on repeat leads for easy outs, his job gets easier. Defensive run by mids also
There is something in this, but the bigger issue with Daniel is his lack of penetration reduces his options. The good rebounders (Nas, Ash, Houston, etc.) all take off as soon as they get the ball. They have gained ten or fifteen metres whilst they assess their options. Combined with being able to kick it further they open up a lot more targets. Daniel props and waits for options to appear whilst the opposition set up their defense.
 
Otherwise Monday is the big one with the whole squad officially back and draftees training and likely 2km time trial

Training (Arden Street Oval)
Saturday, November 22
8.15am-10am AEDT

Training (Arden Street Oval)
Monday, November 24
8.45am-11.15am AEDT

Training (Arden Street Oval)
Thursday, November 27
8.45am-11.15am AEDT

Training (Arden Street Oval)
Saturday, November 29
8.15am-10am AEDT
 
There is something in this, but the bigger issue with Daniel is his lack of penetration reduces his options. The good rebounders (Nas, Ash, Houston, etc.) all take off as soon as they get the ball. They have gained ten or fifteen metres whilst they assess their options. Combined with being able to kick it further they open up a lot more targets. Daniel props and waits for options to appear whilst the opposition set up their defense.
Not to mention the aforementioned lads get way more power and distance on their kicks. Seriously, what were we thinking. If we wanted short precise kicks from a midget, Fisher could've done it
 
Not to mention the aforementioned lads get way more power and distance on their kicks. Seriously, what were we thinking. If we wanted short precise kicks from a midget, Fisher could've done it

If we’re to improve - both of them should be in the vfl.
Both can’t defend and their foot skills/ decision making isn’t good enough to cover for those deficiencies.
Seeing Daniel trying to run back when the opposition is on a fast break - is tortoise and the hare level
 
There is something in this, but the bigger issue with Daniel is his lack of penetration reduces his options. The good rebounders (Nas, Ash, Houston, etc.) all take off as soon as they get the ball. They have gained ten or fifteen metres whilst they assess their options. Combined with being able to kick it further they open up a lot more targets. Daniel props and waits for options to appear whilst the opposition set up their defense.
That's fair. He was the prototype I suppose and there's been an evolution where his contemporaries do it at speed and long kicks.
 

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It’s a hell of a lot more than that. No.1 it’s his huge liability as a defender.
I just mean the reason he can't seem to find targets. Instead of laying blocks, he calls for the handball from 1m away and has no vision ahead of him and then is surprised when he's pressured and has to twist and turn.
 
Caleb Daniel -
1. Can’t defend to the point where you have to set up the back line to cover for him.
2. No intercept possessions, needs to be spoon fed the ball.
3. Has no pace. Not only can’t he break lines, but when he pushes up the ground he gets left for dust in defensive transition.
4. No penetration in his kicking, doesn’t take on the 45deg kick, settles for crab kicks.
5. If it weren’t for kicking in, he would average under 20 possessions.

He’s your prototypical creative rebounding defender.
 
Caleb Daniel -
1. Can’t defend to the point where you have to set up the back line to cover for him.
2. No intercept possessions, needs to be spoon fed the ball.
3. Has no pace. Not only can’t he break lines, but when he pushes up the ground he gets left for dust in defensive transition.
4. No penetration in his kicking, doesn’t take on the 45deg kick, settles for crab kicks.
5. If it weren’t for kicking in, he would average under 20 possessions.

He’s your prototypical creative rebounding defender.
Aside from this, he’s an asset…
 
Caleb Daniel -
1. Can’t defend to the point where you have to set up the back line to cover for him.
2. No intercept possessions, needs to be spoon fed the ball.
3. Has no pace. Not only can’t he break lines, but when he pushes up the ground he gets left for dust in defensive transition.
4. No penetration in his kicking, doesn’t take on the 45deg kick, settles for crab kicks.
5. If it weren’t for kicking in, he would average under 20 possessions.

He’s your prototypical creative rebounding defender.
And he shouldn't be given this duty, imo.
 

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I just mean the reason he can't seem to find targets. Instead of laying blocks, he calls for the handball from 1m away and has no vision ahead of him and then is surprised when he's pressured and has to twist and turn.

The little campaigner does it at training.

Watching him on Thursday with his little dinky 20m kicks sideways, then run for the receive dragging his opponent with him. Turnover.

Compare that to when FOS, or Kerch were doing it. Quick, purposeful 40m passes, where the receiver is away....
 
Our FWD Line is being pieced together to be of an elite AFL standard.

Banch Larkey Zurhaar/Duursma
Curtis Trembath Dovaston

with Matt Whitlock waiting developing in the wings and Darling as the wily veteran that can contribute 1-2 goals per game at AFL level.

Dovaston and Banch will add FWD line pressure to stop the oppo walking out of our FWD line. Also not relying on Curtis at ground level to be the sole front and centre goal sneak.

Will be nice to see a time where we are not over-reliant on Larkey to kick our goals week in week out.
If Trembath could train exclusively with Darling over the entire preseason and learn how to use his body and strength as well as JD, we're going to have an absolute killer on our hands. His hunger is clearly there and physical attributes, if his footy IQ can be improved, he could be anything.
 
I wouldn’t mind playing him as a high half forward simply for the last kick inside 50, which he has proven himself to be adept at pulling off in the back half of the season.
It's dangerous if his opponent plays off him too easily but I don't mind the idea. We haven't had anyone capable of nailing those 20m kicks inside 50 since Harvey. Phillips could do it but that ship has sailed sadly.
 

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