Training 2026 Training Reports

[PrancingPony]

I think they probably do. I'd maybe "save him" for Adelaide with a 6 game turn around, but I ain't no coach.

They'd have played him Round 1, Round 0 or Round Minus if he was available, so I think Justin will be keen in to get him in. Unlucky OMac.

McDonald has been more than serviceable these past couple of weeks but yeah, time to head back down to Mandurah if Cox is ready.

 

[Quazar2]

McDonald has been more than serviceable these past couple of weeks but yeah, time to head back down to Mandurah if Cox is ready.

Pretty much. It's harsh but that's the nature of the beast. OMac would know this

 

[s_wd6]

Better for Cox to get a warm up game in v Richmond than to “save” him to play a much stronger Adelaide forward line while he’s a bit rusty.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Better for Cox to get a warm up game in v Richmond than to “save” him to play a much stronger Adelaide forward line while he’s a bit rusty.

Is he able to back it up on a 6 day break?

I don't mind the idea of keeping him fresh for next week, and maybe 1 or 2 others as well e.g Darcy rested for Cox.

I think with the repeated hamstring injuries, we need to look after people where we can.

 

[stax on the mull]

Bit above a jog here for Young - but as mentioned with a six day break between Richmond and Adelaide and wet conditions on Saturday, doubt we'll bring him back.

Sub posts on this tweet mention B. Cox in the main group and O'meara "moving nicely".

 

[Shoeless Joe]

It would make a lot of sense to play Big Cox this week against Richmond. Rest Darcy and he is primed for a crack at Adelaide next week. Just don't like the idea of Darcy having a 6 day break going into the Crows game

 

[Spirit Level]

I would be quite against playing Cox this week given the weather, 6 day turnaround and fact that Lynch/Nank aren't playing

 

[Taylor]

Playing Sean Darcy

4

Sean Darcy

Age

27

Ht

203cm

Wt

111kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.1

3star

K

3.4

1star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

2.4

4star

HO

28.8

5star

D

6.8

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.8

4star

HO

20.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

6.8

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

32.0

5star

might mean the rest of the team gets an easier lead in to the following game. Tigers have been really competitive in the centre clearances this season, winning the stat against the Blues (4 point loss), winning against Gold Coast (68 point loss)

So I don't think we want to surrender that contest, Tigers score about 42% of their inside fifties.

 

[King Huskii]

Playing Sean Darcy might mean the rest of the team gets an easier lead in to the following game. Tigers have been really competitive in the centre clearances this season, winning the stat against the Blues (4 point loss), winning against Gold Coast (68 point loss)

So I don't think we want to surrender that contest, Tigers score about 42% of their inside fifties.

And Cox couldn't tap the ball to advantage?

He's statistically the best tap in the game.

 

[Doctor J]

And Cox couldn't tap the ball to advantage?

He's statistically the best tap in the game.

Yes, but only percentage of taps going to advantage. He just doesn't get that many taps

 

[Count Moriarty]

Cox may well win more of the centre taps with the new rule.

 

[Taylor]

And Cox couldn't tap the ball to advantage?

He's statistically the best tap in the game.

He was at the bounce last year, that's true, from very limited opportunity.

I will list two players stats, one of them is Mason Cox, one of them is Liam Reidy.

Centre Bounce Ave: 12, Hitouts to Advantage Ave: 4, Hitout to clearance %: 38.9%, Score Involvements: 3.0
Centre Bounce Ave: 6.3, Hitouts to Advantage Ave: 2.7, Hitout to clearance %: 38.5%, Score Involvements: 2.8

This is Darcy:
Centre Bounce Ave: 17.9, Hitouts to Advantage Ave: 7.9, Hitout to clearance %: 40.5%, Score Involvements: 3.2


Mason Cox and Sean Darcy compare fairly well in terms of marks inside fifty, goal average and contested marks. That's where we would expect to see a similar game from swapping Darcy for Cox.

 

[Taylor]

Granted, coming up against Mykelti Lefau would be like watching Jackson against Essendon's teenage giraffes last year.

 

[worsemim]

Also: hit-outs, or even hit-outs to advantage aren't the total picture with ruck contests. A hit out means you control the ball (which could go straight to oppo and you'd still get the hit-out stat next to your name) and even a hit-out to advantage has gradations. Hitting it down to congestion, where Serong is getting clobbered by two opponents—yeah it's a HTA advantage on the stat sheet, but it's not a decisive bit of play. If you can place it somewhere more precise, more unexpected, you can get much higher quality clearances.

Really excellent rucks can shape the ball more minutely. (It's also why, in my opinion, mobile rucks like Jackson aren't often as dominant for entire games—harder to get that fine control of the ball while you're also having to throw yourself through the air like that.)

It's also why it's worth throwing everything at Gawn. Even if he's dominating the hit-outs (we lost 34-24), a more even contest prevents Gawn from getting those really killer taps where it's directly into the hands of Kozzy streaming through. Even though Gawn was dominant against us around the ground, we actually ended up the Melbourne game with more aggregate Hit-Outs to Advantage (10-9) and we weren't allowing that easy first access at the contest that Gawn gave his midfielders against the Saints (where Melbourne HO 44-25 and won HTA 10-8).

 

[Taylor]

Also: hit-outs, or even hit-outs to advantage aren't the total picture with ruck contests. A hit out means you control the ball (which could go straight to oppo and you'd still get the hit-out stat next to your name) and even a hit-out to advantage has gradations. Hitting it down to congestion, where Serong is getting clobbered by two opponents—yeah it's a HTA advantage on the stat sheet, but it's not a decisive bit of play. If you can place it somewhere more precise, more unexpected, you can get much higher quality clearances.

That's why I was using the hitout to clearance percentage. I could have referenced the hitout to first touch percentage, where the ball hits the hands of the team mate and then compare that to the hitout to clearance percentage to see how many are going to hands but immediately tackled.

 

[Minz]

Bit above a jog here for Young - but as mentioned with a six day break between Richmond and Adelaide and wet conditions on Saturday, doubt we'll bring him back.

Sub posts on this tweet mention B. Cox in the main group and O'meara "moving nicely".

If I jogged like Young "jogs", I would've played a lot more high level footy!! These blokes are all freaks honestly. And I mean that in the nicest way

Had a bit of a giggle at how big Freddy's shoes look, lousy quality video on a big screen makes things look weird!

 

[Quazar2]

If I jogged like Young "jogs", I would've played a lot more high level footy!! These blokes are all freaks honestly. And I mean that in the nicest way

Had a bit of a giggle at how big Freddy's shoes look, lousy quality video on a big screen makes things look weird!

Now now

 

[Minz]

Now now

Fashion trends - from minimalist to maximalist in running shoes. I'd assume the kids these days would call that "sneakermaxxing"

 

[worsemim]

That's why I was using the hitout to clearance percentage. I could have referenced the hitout to first touch percentage, where the ball hits the hands of the team mate and then compare that to the hitout to clearance percentage to see how many are going to hands but immediately tackled.

Completely agree about HTC being a far more representative stat, just getting on my usual soapbox about the subtleties of ruck craft. I really don't think there's any stat that can actually capture the full picture (even HTC is going to have the confounding factor of how good respective midfields are at clearing the ball).

 

[Quazar2]

Fashion trends - from minimalist to maximalist in running shoes. I'd assume the kids these days would call that "sneakermaxxing"

I was suggesting something more.....rude. Not sure if you picked up on that, but irrespective. Carry on

 

[Midnite65]

Playing Sean Darcy might mean the rest of the team gets an easier lead in to the following game. Tigers have been really competitive in the centre clearances this season, winning the stat against the Blues (4 point loss), winning against Gold Coast (68 point loss)

So I don't think we want to surrender that contest, Tigers score about 42% of their inside fifties.

Who will ruck for them without Nankervis?

 

[BREATHLESS_987]

I’m still a bit unsure as to what role Texan Cox would actually play, if Darcy was rested/dropped (which he won’t be).

Would the idea be that he plays exactly the same role as Darcy, basically either handling rucking duties or on the pine?

Or would he be a forward/ruck chop out for Jackson, who would handle the bulk of the rucking? I think that’s what the pre season games looked like, right?

I guess my point is, I’m not sure I’d wanna throw Jackson into doing most of the ruck work this week if he’s a bit sore and heading into a short week.

 

[Superkoops]

If I jogged like Young "jogs", I would've played a lot more high level footy!! These blokes are all freaks honestly. And I mean that in the nicest way

Had a bit of a giggle at how big Freddy's shoes look, lousy quality video on a big screen makes things look weird!

It was a bit blurry on my iPhone but Young didn’t look totally natural. Wasn’t going full pelt either. I’d say he is a couple of weeks away.

 

[Superkoops]

McDonald has been more than serviceable these past couple of weeks but yeah, time to head back down to Mandurah if Cox is ready.

He was not serviceable vs Geelong. After a scratchy start vs Melbourne he played very well. He found his groove some nice intercept marks and kicking was good. in the first quarter I remember thinking why didn’t we play Hugh Davies after a couple of errors. Cox is an upgrade.

I don’t mind Cox and JOM playing straight up. JOM played all three PS games (SOO, Eagles and Adelaide), and Cox played 2 PS games (Bunbury Intraclub and Eagles). Whereas APearce and Darcy missed the lot. I could understand APearce being managed back through round 1, but Darcy should have played round 1 at Peel.

 

[E Shed]

I know its wrong but I get disappointed to hear that O'Meara is with the main group.
Happy for him but I just hope he's not seen as an automatic best 23 if fit.
Hopefully JL will back in the incumbents that got it done.
Which of course doesn't apply to Cox replacing O'Mac. Oops.