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Training Preseason Training Thread - 2026

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The below is the OG faux training report from nearly 9 years ago - often imitated but never surpassed

Carbine Chaos said:
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!
Click to expand...

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
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Keys

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The football cycle continues into another year with preseason training for 2026 set to commence less than two months since Brisbane were crowned back to back premiers.

Players entering their 4th (or less) year on an AFL list and did not compete in finals return to training on Monday 10/11. Their more senior teammates aren’t required to resume duties for a further two weeks but can voluntarily attend training beforehand should they choose to do so

Basically any player brought into the system from the 2022 draft onwards starts back at work on Monday.

When they do return, it will be a new face running the fitness program with Phil Merriman (formerly at the Dockers) replacing Matt Inness as High Performance Manager.

As always, it’s a vitally important preseason for the club as they strive to build up the fitness base and strength of one of the youngest, if not the youngest, playing lists in the comp.

There should be no excuses for anyone turning up out of shape and very few, if any, players should be starting preseason in rehab

This was the final injury position prior to the R24 match against Sydney

Official injury list (9) released 19/8

Season (7) :
• Jake Waterman (Shoulder)
• Oscar Allen (Calf/Achilles/Knee)
• Elliot Yeo (Ankle)
• Bo Allan (Ankle)
• Harley Reid (Ankle)
• Archer Reid (Toe)
• Harry Edwards (Foot) - Was Test

Test (2) :
• Jack Hutchinson (Hamstring) - Was 1-2 weeks
• Tom Gross (Calf) - New

Liam Duggan has been suspended for 2 weeks, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and has also undergone knee surgery

Harry Edwards also had surgery on a minor shoulder issue

The main concern on that list is Elliot Yeo who missed all of the 2025 season due to an ankle (and knee) injury sustained in preseason which required surgery. And then further surgery to remove some hardware that was hampering his ability to build up to the necessary training loads. There was some suggestions that yet more surgery might be needed but, for now, that seems to have been avoided.

The following status update was provided in the Herald/Code Sports as part of a report on the injury position of all 18 clubs

The Eagles are hopeful to have several of their stars back for a strong summer of training. Jake Waterman went under the knife for a serious shoulder injury in May, and the club has been happy with his progression as he continues to build strength and mobility. Elliot Yeo had surgery on an ankle injury, but has also had to rehab a knee issue suffered in the pre-season last year. Harry Edwards was sent for surgery late in the season to repair a shoulder complaint, having had his year ended with a foot injury. By sending the key defender in for surgery before the end of the campaign, the club expects Edwards to be fit for the start of the training period. Bo Allan suffered a low-grade syndesmosis injury but is expected to be fine for pre-season, while Harley Reid has also returned from his own syndesmosis problem that ended his campaign early. Archer Reid had tendon damage in his toe that required surgery, but is progressing well.

No mention there on Liam Duggan and the knee surgery he had after he’d been suspended but as far as I understand that was a minor cleanup that he had done as soon as possible

Brady Hough had his right arm in a sling at the B&F so he’s also had some surgery done, presumably on his shoulder

McQualter was pretty blunt in his assessment at the end of the year that we need to be fitter and reports coming out of the club post season were that the players needed to be prepared for an arduous summer to achieve that goal. Along with a stipulation that they present back to training in the best possible condition

On Monday, we get our first look at how they’ve responded
 
PepperTom32 said:
Good stuff, thanks!
Looking forward to seeing how the dynamics of a bolstered midfield look when the draftees and sign-ons arrive. That and HR arriving in top shape.
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Not expecting the midfield to improve any time soon. It'll be a slow burn imo.
Reid will improve but he's already our best. Hopefully Hewett has more production and consistency.
Remains to be seen if McCarthy will continue developing there, along with Hough who is more required and effective in defence.
Not expecting Dev and any other discards to move the needle much. The mids we draft (or whoever we actually draft that will spend some time in the midfield) will take some time to develop. Not expecting any Harley Reids who can make a significant impact in their first season. A miraculous return for Yeo might still be our best chance of a notably stronger midfield.
 
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Astro7 said:
I'm excited about the preseason, while trying to keep the rose-coloured glasses locked in the top drawer. With the new midfield inclusions and depth, expecting a new dynamic amongst the group, especially with Mini's new 'firm' around him and first real preseason to enable his vision.

A bonus if Hewett can improve to the next level and Yeo regains some form.
While not expecting any HR9's, I'd hope Duursma and Sharp (if selected, or the next best thing in the draft) will have some impact, if not consistent. But then you only have to look at Hewett, Alan, Gross, Hall etc to see how long its taken them (partly due to injuries). Overall, I reckon the new inclusions and regime will lift the group with confidence and belief.

Also expecting a surprise, a bolter, amongst the playing group, possibly Gross or Allan (even a Dev) for example. And really wanting to see a new approach/shuffle in the midfield, with solid ongoing support for Harley. Even Starcevich rotating through there.
Expecting the small forwards to be addressed and the ruck, well that's still up in the air (pardon the pun)

If the playing group return in good shape, a very positive sign of intent.
Click to expand...
Bo should be like a new recruit for us. Not expecting much but would be great if he does well. Gross and Grego is dependant on whether Mini is willing to give them a fair go in the midfield.
 

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We can win more games based purely on being able to run games out. The number of matches in recent years where we've just totally faded out after being competitive for the better part of three quarters is frustrating. If the players are bad that's one thing, but regularly getting belted late in games points to fitness standards which are below where they need to be for an AFL club. Hopefully there's proper buy-in from the players now.
 
Bleedblueandgold said:
Bo should be like a new recruit for us. Not expecting much but would be great if he does well. Gross and Grego is dependant on whether Mini is willing to give them a fair go in the midfield.
Click to expand...
We've seen some good glimpses of what to expect from Gross, but Alan and moreso Grego still a bit of unknown quantity at this stage...things to look forward to.
 
The following list represents the 20 1st-4th year players required back on Monday (technically there are no more 1st-year players on the list until we draft some new kids):

7. Reuben Ginbey (4th year)
8. Elijah Hewett (4th)
9. Harley Reid (3rd)
13. Noah Long (4th)
22. Archer Reid (3rd)
23. Ryan Maric (4th)
24. Harvey Johnston (3rd)
26. Bo Allan (2nd)
27. Tom Gross (2nd)
29. Clay Hall (3rd)
30. Harry Barnett (4th)
31. Lucca Grego (3rd)
35. Jobe Shanahan (2nd)
37. Malakai Champion (2nd)
38. Hamish Davis (2nd)
43. Tyrell Dewar (4th)
44. Jack Hutchinson (3rd)
45. Tom McCarthy (2nd)
46. Jacob Newton (2nd)
? Tylar Young (4th)


The following 18 players are 5th+ year and as such aren't required back until November 24, though they can (and often do) return earlier if they choose:

2. Jake Waterman
3. Liam Baker
6. Elliot Yeo
10. Tyler Brockman
11. Tim Kelly
14. Liam Duggan
15. Jamie Cripps
16. Matt Owies
17. Jack Graham
19. Brady Hough
25. Matt Flynn
28. Tom Cole
32. Bailey Williams
33. Rhett Bazzo
34. Jack Williams
41. Sandy Brock
42. Harry Edwards
? Brandon Starcevich


In making this list I was a little shocked to learn that Brady Hough, Rhett Bazzo, Jack Williams and Sandy Brock are now entering their 5th year in the competition. As such they won't be required back on Monday - though you'd hope given the enormous amount of ground we need to make up on the rest of the competition, that most, if not all senior players return early at some point to help lead the way.


I've done a short write up on each player on where they sit heading into this preseason. Might be interesting to look back on these in March next year when preseason wraps up and see how it all panned out.

  • 2. Jake Waterman: Where is his body at following shoulder surgery in late May? Will be interesting to see whether he's straight back into full training 5 months on from the injury.
  • 3. Liam Baker: Where will the club look to settle him? Following the arrival of Starcevich and Young he may be best utilised in a forward line role next year
  • 6. Elliot Yeo: Probably the most intriguing watch for me. Where's he going to be at after ankle issues ruined his 2025 campaign? As Keys noted he seems to have avoided any post-season surgery so hopefully that means things are tracking in the right direction, but it'll be a telling watch when he does return for training.
  • 7. Reuben Ginbey: He's always been the king of preseason with his extraordinary mix of size, speed and endurance. Wonder if the club will settle him into a key defensive role or more of a rebounding half-back role. He's got the attributes to play both
  • 8. Elijah Hewett: He got his body right in 2025, now the next step for him is really starting to increase his production in the side. Will be interesting to see how he goes this summer and what his role looks like in terms of mid/fwd split.
  • 9. Harley Reid: Reid himself has admitted he didn't get his off-season right last year and he came back unfit as a result, and subsequently had an interrupted preseason with ankle issues. To me he seems determined to make up for those mistakes of the past and seems to have been hanging out with Baker and Graham a fair bit in the off-season. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing a much fitter-looking Harley Reid come Monday. Had his season ended early with a low-grade syndesmosis injury but hopefully he's fully recovered from that now.
  • 10. Tyler Brockman: Has always been a tease at AFL level. Can he take another step forward and become a regular contributor in the side? Will also be interesting to see whether he spends any time training with the mids this preseason, as he often did small bursts in the engine room last season.
  • 11. Tim Kelly: Looked to regain his mojo a bit in the back half of last season. Do we see him playing more of a midfield-heavy role or will he be transitioned into the forward line?
  • 13. Noah Long: Make-or-break season coming up for Longy, the spots are there for the taking in the forward line so he'll hope for a big summer to get his career back on track.
  • 14. Liam Duggan: You'd anticipate he'll be out there on Monday as our sole remaining captain. Had minor knee surgery post-season which means he may start on lighter duties before progressing into the main group.
  • 15. Jamie Cripps: Despite the lack of confirmation from the club he seems to be playing on into next year. A seasoned professional who is now our oldest player on the list, he'll help set the standard on the track for the younger cohort.
  • 16. Matt Owies: A disastrous first season at the club for poor old Owies. Most have written him off completely, but can he turn his career around and return to his goalkicking ways at Carlton? Might seem a long shot but he's done it before and it all starts with a solid preseason.
  • 17. Jack Graham: Another standard-setter on the track, he'll likely place highly in the endurance test when senior players return in a couple weeks. Probably splits his time between the mids and forwards this summer.
  • 19. Brady Hough: Played the final rounds of the season with his right shoulder strapped up and was spotted with his arm in a sling at the B&F, so he's probably had some shoulder surgery post-season. No details on how significant the surgery was but he may be on lighter duties to start with.

  • 22. Archer Reid: Finished the year with a toe concern that required surgery but is progressing well per the Herald Sun report. May also be on a separate training program to start but hopefully it won't inhibit him for too long.
  • 23. Ryan Maric: Spent the 2025 season on the wing and in defence after being drafted as a forward. Where will the club look to settle him this preseason? Has the ability to play multiple roles, though the addition of Tylar Young may mean he plays more on the wing or returns to the forward line.
  • 24. Harvey Johnston: A disappointing 2025 campaign, not featuring at AFL level at any stage and struggling to find form in the WAFL. Clearly has talent but this is a make-or-break year for him - will he continue playing in the backline, or will he be trialled in a new role to try get the best out of him?
  • 25. Matt Flynn: 2025 was a step forward for Flynny but he's still got plenty of work to do before we consider our ruck issues solved. Appears likely to lead the ruck for us next year.
  • 26. Bo Allan: Bo's first season was a bit of a nightmare, battling repeated bouts of illness, suspension and then having his season ended early with a syndesmosis injury. By all reports this was a fairly low-grade syndesmosis so hopefully he's all set to go come Monday. You can almost count him as a new recruit this year, and I'm curious to see where he settles this preseason - staying on the HBF or will he get more midfield minutes?
  • 27. Tom Gross: Had an encouraging debut season as an inside mid but the notion was that like many young players, his tank needs a bit of work. His first full AFL preseason should help to address that issue, and personally I'm really excited to see what he can do next year.
  • 28. Tom Cole: All of a sudden Cole has become one of our veterans, though his spot in the backline might come under threat this year following the arrival of Brandon Starcevich, who plays a similar role to him. We might not be able to see where he sits in the pecking order until match sim starts later this year or early next year, but it wouldn't surprise me if he finds himself in the B team more often this preseason.
  • 29. Clay Hall: Found a bit of a niche in the side last year as an outside mid, becoming a fairly reliable contributor. He'll probably have his eyes on a spot in the engine room next year - could he become that extractor type, perhaps even the BBIMWBLF, to provide support to guys like Reid and Hewett?
  • 30. Harry Barnett: His development at WAFL level has been quite disappointing in the past couple of years, but he's still just 21 years old. Showed glimpses of his potential for the Beagles late last year, and given he's out of contract at the end of next year, perhaps now is the time he starts putting it all together and having a strong preseason. Trained in the backline at times last year but I'm guessing he'll spend most of his time in the ruck this summer.
  • 31. Lucca Grego: Backline or midfield? Played both roles at WAFL level last year and many liked the look of him in the middle, though ultimately he cracked into the senior side as a half-back. Realistically that's probably where he trains this preseason, but the club may have other plans.
  • 32. Bailey Williams: Spent most of 2025 behind Flynn in the ruck order or playing in the 1s as a forward/ruck, to varying levels of success. Probably spends his preseason splitting time between the ruck and forward line, but with the new ruck rules likely to favour athletic types like Bailey, he'll be a watch for me to see whether that changes how McQualter rates him.
  • 33. Rhett Bazzo: Had an interrupted preseason last year with a broken foot but got through the season unscathed, finishing the year in the AFL side. 2026 is a big one for Bazzo, and after a number of challenges to start his career he'll be hoping to put it all together next year and become a regular in the team. Fingers crossed his body holds up for him and he gets a clean run towards Round 1.
  • 34. Jack Williams: Another big year for this guy. Failed to cement his spot in the team even after Waterman and Allen went down with injury and finished the season in the WAFL. To me he looked a touch heavy last year which seemed to impact his agility and exposed him at AFL level. He needs a big preseason to gain back McQualter's trust and hopefully he can help lead our new-look forward line alongside Waterman and Shanahan.
  • 35. Jobe Shanahan: Super excited to see what a full AFL preseason can do for Jobe. Looks set to train with the forwards and hopefully he can add a bit of size to his frame this summer as well. Sky's the limit for this guy.

  • 37. Malakai Champion: According to reports he is still on our list, so I'm assuming he'll be back on Monday. Looks set to be part of the small forward brigade and hopefully he can take some further steps forward with his game over preseason.
  • 38. Hamish Davis: Managed 8 games at senior level in his debut season playing on a wing. I'd say that's where he's likely to train over preseason and he'll hope to build on what was a promising campaign.
  • 41. Sandy Brock: Surprised many after joining as an SSP signing and playing 14 games, not looking out of place in the backline. As preseason progresses we'll learn where Mini rates him amongst the likes of Edwards, Young, Bazzo and whether he can earn a Round 1 spot.
  • 42. Harry Edwards: An encouraging 2025 campaign was ended early by a foot injury and he was sent for post-season shoulder surgery. Per the Herald Sun the club expects him to be available to start preseason, though Edwards technically isn't required back for another couple of weeks. Fingers crossed he can keep injury-free over the preseason because with McGovern now retired, it's his turn to spearhead the backline alongside Tylar Young.
  • 43. Tyrell Dewar: Took another step forward last year in his exciting development trajectory, including earning a Rising Star nomination. Played in all thirds of the ground during his 16 games last year but never truly cemented his spot in the senior side. Will be interested to see where Dewar trains this preseason and whether he can elevate his game again and become a regular member of the team.
  • 44. Jack Hutchinson: Spent much of the 2025 season playing as a midfielder despite being drafted as a medium forward. Didn't set the world on fire but managed 16 games, so where McQualter sees his best footy being played should become apparent this preseason.
  • 45. Tom McCarthy: Took the AFL world by storm after being drafted mid-season, showing skill and composure beyond his experience both in the backline and the midfield. What's super exciting about McCarthy is he produced all of that having never even done a full AFL preseason. With more time in the gym and building his endurance over summer, he could be anything. Will watch closely to see whether McQualter prefers to utilise him in the backline or if he continues his development through the midfield.
  • 46. Jacob Newton: Another mid-season pickup, Newton showed promising signs at WAFL level last year and managed to make his debut in the final round. Earned an extension for 2026 and will look to settle in at the club and impress over preseason, most likely in the forward line to start with. His first full AFL preseason could see him improve his game even further, so Newton is a big watch for 2026 for mine.
  • ? Brandon Starcevich: Finished his 2025 campaign at Brisbane a full month later than the Eagles did, so I'd be surprised if we see him on the track next week. Looking forward to seeing him come in when he does though and help set standards on the track.
  • ? Tylar Young: Surprisingly (to me at least) Young is only in his 4th year and as such will be required back on Monday. Will be good to see him in the blue and gold and should have no injury concerns after playing the last 7 games of 2025 for Richmond.

To summarise, I'd probably expect Yeo, Hough and Edwards to start on light duties, but the rest of the squad should be close to full fitness. Waterman, H.Reid, Duggan, A.Reid and Allan all finished the season with injury concerns of varying severities, but should be right to go come Monday - it's a little difficult to speculate though. There will always be a couple of unexpected injuries that have popped up over the off-season as well, but we'll find out about those in the coming weeks.

Apologies for the lengthy post. Similar to last year, I'll be trying to get down to training as much as possible pre-Christmas and I'll share what I see on this thread. Post-Christmas I'll have less opportunities to get to Lathlain but we'll see how we go.
 
LittleFires said:
The following list represents the 20 1st-4th year players required back on Monday (technically there are no more 1st-year players on the list until we draft some new kids):

7. Reuben Ginbey (4th year)
8. Elijah Hewett (4th)
9. Harley Reid (3rd)
13. Noah Long (4th)
22. Archer Reid (3rd)
23. Ryan Maric (4th)
24. Harvey Johnston (3rd)
26. Bo Allan (2nd)
27. Tom Gross (2nd)
29. Clay Hall (3rd)
30. Harry Barnett (4th)
31. Lucca Grego (3rd)
35. Jobe Shanahan (2nd)
37. Malakai Champion (2nd)
38. Hamish Davis (2nd)
43. Tyrell Dewar (4th)
44. Jack Hutchinson (3rd)
45. Tom McCarthy (2nd)
46. Jacob Newton (2nd)
? Tylar Young (4th)


The following 18 players are 5th+ year and as such aren't required back until November 24, though they can (and often do) return earlier if they choose:

2. Jake Waterman
3. Liam Baker
6. Elliot Yeo
10. Tyler Brockman
11. Tim Kelly
14. Liam Duggan
15. Jamie Cripps
16. Matt Owies
17. Jack Graham
19. Brady Hough
25. Matt Flynn
28. Tom Cole
32. Bailey Williams
33. Rhett Bazzo
34. Jack Williams
41. Sandy Brock
42. Harry Edwards
? Brandon Starcevich


In making this list I was a little shocked to learn that Brady Hough, Rhett Bazzo, Jack Williams and Sandy Brock are now entering their 5th year in the competition. As such they won't be required back on Monday - though you'd hope given the enormous amount of ground we need to make up on the rest of the competition, that most, if not all senior players return early at some point to help lead the way.


I've done a short write up on each player on where they sit heading into this preseason. Might be interesting to look back on these in March next year when preseason wraps up and see how it all panned out.

  • 2. Jake Waterman: Where is his body at following shoulder surgery in late May? Will be interesting to see whether he's straight back into full training 5 months on from the injury.
  • 3. Liam Baker: Where will the club look to settle him? Following the arrival of Starcevich and Young he may be best utilised in a forward line role next year
  • 6. Elliot Yeo: Probably the most intriguing watch for me. Where's he going to be at after ankle issues ruined his 2025 campaign? As Keys noted he seems to have avoided any post-season surgery so hopefully that means things are tracking in the right direction, but it'll be a telling watch when he does return for training.
  • 7. Reuben Ginbey: He's always been the king of preseason with his extraordinary mix of size, speed and endurance. Wonder if the club will settle him into a key defensive role or more of a rebounding half-back role. He's got the attributes to play both
  • 8. Elijah Hewett: He got his body right in 2025, now the next step for him is really starting to increase his production in the side. Will be interesting to see how he goes this summer and what his role looks like in terms of mid/fwd split.
  • 9. Harley Reid: Reid himself has admitted he didn't get his off-season right last year and he came back unfit as a result, and subsequently had an interrupted preseason with ankle issues. To me he seems determined to make up for those mistakes of the past and seems to have been hanging out with Baker and Graham a fair bit in the off-season. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing a much fitter-looking Harley Reid come Monday. Had his season ended early with a low-grade syndesmosis injury but hopefully he's fully recovered from that now.
  • 10. Tyler Brockman: Has always been a tease at AFL level. Can he take another step forward and become a regular contributor in the side? Will also be interesting to see whether he spends any time training with the mids this preseason, as he often did small bursts in the engine room last season.
  • 11. Tim Kelly: Looked to regain his mojo a bit in the back half of last season. Do we see him playing more of a midfield-heavy role or will he be transitioned into the forward line?
  • 13. Noah Long: Make-or-break season coming up for Longy, the spots are there for the taking in the forward line so he'll hope for a big summer to get his career back on track.
  • 14. Liam Duggan: You'd anticipate he'll be out there on Monday as our sole remaining captain. Had minor knee surgery post-season which means he may start on lighter duties before progressing into the main group.
  • 15. Jamie Cripps: Despite the lack of confirmation from the club he seems to be playing on into next year. A seasoned professional who is now our oldest player on the list, he'll help set the standard on the track for the younger cohort.
  • 16. Matt Owies: A disastrous first season at the club for poor old Owies. Most have written him off completely, but can he turn his career around and return to his goalkicking ways at Carlton? Might seem a long shot but he's done it before and it all starts with a solid preseason.
  • 17. Jack Graham: Another standard-setter on the track, he'll likely place highly in the endurance test when senior players return in a couple weeks. Probably splits his time between the mids and forwards this summer.
  • 19. Brady Hough: Played the final rounds of the season with his right shoulder strapped up and was spotted with his arm in a sling at the B&F, so he's probably had some shoulder surgery post-season. No details on how significant the surgery was but he may be on lighter duties to start with.

  • 22. Archer Reid: Finished the year with a toe concern that required surgery but is progressing well per the Herald Sun report. May also be on a separate training program to start but hopefully it won't inhibit him for too long.
  • 23. Ryan Maric: Spent the 2025 season on the wing and in defence after being drafted as a forward. Where will the club look to settle him this preseason? Has the ability to play multiple roles, though the addition of Tylar Young may mean he plays more on the wing or returns to the forward line.
  • 24. Harvey Johnston: A disappointing 2025 campaign, not featuring at AFL level at any stage and struggling to find form in the WAFL. Clearly has talent but this is a make-or-break year for him - will he continue playing in the backline, or will he be trialled in a new role to try get the best out of him?
  • 25. Matt Flynn: 2025 was a step forward for Flynny but he's still got plenty of work to do before we consider our ruck issues solved. Appears likely to lead the ruck for us next year.
  • 26. Bo Allan: Bo's first season was a bit of a nightmare, battling repeated bouts of illness, suspension and then having his season ended early with a syndesmosis injury. By all reports this was a fairly low-grade syndesmosis so hopefully he's all set to go come Monday. You can almost count him as a new recruit this year, and I'm curious to see where he settles this preseason - staying on the HBF or will he get more midfield minutes?
  • 27. Tom Gross: Had an encouraging debut season as an inside mid but the notion was that like many young players, his tank needs a bit of work. His first full AFL preseason should help to address that issue, and personally I'm really excited to see what he can do next year.
  • 28. Tom Cole: All of a sudden Cole has become one of our veterans, though his spot in the backline might come under threat this year following the arrival of Brandon Starcevich, who plays a similar role to him. We might not be able to see where he sits in the pecking order until match sim starts later this year or early next year, but it wouldn't surprise me if he finds himself in the B team more often this preseason.
  • 29. Clay Hall: Found a bit of a niche in the side last year as an outside mid, becoming a fairly reliable contributor. He'll probably have his eyes on a spot in the engine room next year - could he become that extractor type, perhaps even the BBIMWBLF, to provide support to guys like Reid and Hewett?
  • 30. Harry Barnett: His development at WAFL level has been quite disappointing in the past couple of years, but he's still just 21 years old. Showed glimpses of his potential for the Beagles late last year, and given he's out of contract at the end of next year, perhaps now is the time he starts putting it all together and having a strong preseason. Trained in the backline at times last year but I'm guessing he'll spend most of his time in the ruck this summer.
  • 31. Lucca Grego: Backline or midfield? Played both roles at WAFL level last year and many liked the look of him in the middle, though ultimately he cracked into the senior side as a half-back. Realistically that's probably where he trains this preseason, but the club may have other plans.
  • 32. Bailey Williams: Spent most of 2025 behind Flynn in the ruck order or playing in the 1s as a forward/ruck, to varying levels of success. Probably spends his preseason splitting time between the ruck and forward line, but with the new ruck rules likely to favour athletic types like Bailey, he'll be a watch for me to see whether that changes how McQualter rates him.
  • 33. Rhett Bazzo: Had an interrupted preseason last year with a broken foot but got through the season unscathed, finishing the year in the AFL side. 2026 is a big one for Bazzo, and after a number of challenges to start his career he'll be hoping to put it all together next year and become a regular in the team. Fingers crossed his body holds up for him and he gets a clean run towards Round 1.
  • 34. Jack Williams: Another big year for this guy. Failed to cement his spot in the team even after Waterman and Allen went down with injury and finished the season in the WAFL. To me he looked a touch heavy last year which seemed to impact his agility and exposed him at AFL level. He needs a big preseason to gain back McQualter's trust and hopefully he can help lead our new-look forward line alongside Waterman and Shanahan.
  • 35. Jobe Shanahan: Super excited to see what a full AFL preseason can do for Jobe. Looks set to train with the forwards and hopefully he can add a bit of size to his frame this summer as well. Sky's the limit for this guy.

  • 37. Malakai Champion: According to reports he is still on our list, so I'm assuming he'll be back on Monday. Looks set to be part of the small forward brigade and hopefully he can take some further steps forward with his game over preseason.
  • 38. Hamish Davis: Managed 8 games at senior level in his debut season playing on a wing. I'd say that's where he's likely to train over preseason and he'll hope to build on what was a promising campaign.
  • 41. Sandy Brock: Surprised many after joining as an SSP signing and playing 14 games, not looking out of place in the backline. As preseason progresses we'll learn where Mini rates him amongst the likes of Edwards, Young, Bazzo and whether he can earn a Round 1 spot.
  • 42. Harry Edwards: An encouraging 2025 campaign was ended early by a foot injury and he was sent for post-season shoulder surgery. Per the Herald Sun the club expects him to be available to start preseason, though Edwards technically isn't required back for another couple of weeks. Fingers crossed he can keep injury-free over the preseason because with McGovern now retired, it's his turn to spearhead the backline alongside Tylar Young.
  • 43. Tyrell Dewar: Took another step forward last year in his exciting development trajectory, including earning a Rising Star nomination. Played in all thirds of the ground during his 16 games last year but never truly cemented his spot in the senior side. Will be interested to see where Dewar trains this preseason and whether he can elevate his game again and become a regular member of the team.
  • 44. Jack Hutchinson: Spent much of the 2025 season playing as a midfielder despite being drafted as a medium forward. Didn't set the world on fire but managed 16 games, so where McQualter sees his best footy being played should become apparent this preseason.
  • 45. Tom McCarthy: Took the AFL world by storm after being drafted mid-season, showing skill and composure beyond his experience both in the backline and the midfield. What's super exciting about McCarthy is he produced all of that having never even done a full AFL preseason. With more time in the gym and building his endurance over summer, he could be anything. Will watch closely to see whether McQualter prefers to utilise him in the backline or if he continues his development through the midfield.
  • 46. Jacob Newton: Another mid-season pickup, Newton showed promising signs at WAFL level last year and managed to make his debut in the final round. Earned an extension for 2026 and will look to settle in at the club and impress over preseason, most likely in the forward line to start with. His first full AFL preseason could see him improve his game even further, so Newton is a big watch for 2026 for mine.
  • ? Brandon Starcevich: Finished his 2025 campaign at Brisbane a full month later than the Eagles did, so I'd be surprised if we see him on the track next week. Looking forward to seeing him come in when he does though and help set standards on the track.
  • ? Tylar Young: Surprisingly (to me at least) Young is only in his 4th year and as such will be required back on Monday. Will be good to see him in the blue and gold and should have no injury concerns after playing the last 7 games of 2025 for Richmond.

To summarise, I'd probably expect Yeo, Hough and Edwards to start on light duties, but the rest of the squad should be close to full fitness. Waterman, H.Reid, Duggan, A.Reid and Allan all finished the season with injury concerns of varying severities, but should be right to go come Monday - it's a little difficult to speculate though. There will always be a couple of unexpected injuries that have popped up over the off-season as well, but we'll find out about those in the coming weeks.

Apologies for the lengthy post. Similar to last year, I'll be trying to get down to training as much as possible pre-Christmas and I'll share what I see on this thread. Post-Christmas I'll have less opportunities to get to Lathlain but we'll see how we go.
Click to expand...
Awesome write up mate along with Keys
 
Farmer Lister said:
Finally preseason is upon us! It's better than Christmas. No open training sessions scheduled as yet, hopefully they put one on for Tuesday and I can head down and take some photos.
Click to expand...
In the past they've tended to schedule open training sessions on Wednesdays, as these were generally the lightest session of the week. Mondays and Fridays were "closed" sessions as such, although if they're on the outer oval you can still come and watch anyway.
 
Our midfield improvement will come from the likes of Hewett, Gross, and Mcarthy imo. I don’t expect much from Dev or Allan in the midfield if they play there. We need to continue to hit the draft hard for top midfield talent - not half backs that have potential to play in the middle.
 
Looking forward to some awesome pics. Lads are gonna put on some great size. Looking thick. Solid. Tight. Keep us all posted on their continued progress with any new progress pics or vid clips. Show us what they got man. Wanna see how freakin' huge, solid, thick and tight they can get. Thanks for the motivation.
 
LittleFires said:
The following list represents the 20 1st-4th year players required back on Monday (technically there are no more 1st-year players on the list until we draft some new kids):

7. Reuben Ginbey (4th year)
8. Elijah Hewett (4th)
9. Harley Reid (3rd)
13. Noah Long (4th)
22. Archer Reid (3rd)
23. Ryan Maric (4th)
24. Harvey Johnston (3rd)
26. Bo Allan (2nd)
27. Tom Gross (2nd)
29. Clay Hall (3rd)
30. Harry Barnett (4th)
31. Lucca Grego (3rd)
35. Jobe Shanahan (2nd)
37. Malakai Champion (2nd)
38. Hamish Davis (2nd)
43. Tyrell Dewar (4th)
44. Jack Hutchinson (3rd)
45. Tom McCarthy (2nd)
46. Jacob Newton (2nd)
? Tylar Young (4th)


The following 18 players are 5th+ year and as such aren't required back until November 24, though they can (and often do) return earlier if they choose:

2. Jake Waterman
3. Liam Baker
6. Elliot Yeo
10. Tyler Brockman
11. Tim Kelly
14. Liam Duggan
15. Jamie Cripps
16. Matt Owies
17. Jack Graham
19. Brady Hough
25. Matt Flynn
28. Tom Cole
32. Bailey Williams
33. Rhett Bazzo
34. Jack Williams
41. Sandy Brock
42. Harry Edwards
? Brandon Starcevich


In making this list I was a little shocked to learn that Brady Hough, Rhett Bazzo, Jack Williams and Sandy Brock are now entering their 5th year in the competition. As such they won't be required back on Monday - though you'd hope given the enormous amount of ground we need to make up on the rest of the competition, that most, if not all senior players return early at some point to help lead the way.


I've done a short write up on each player on where they sit heading into this preseason. Might be interesting to look back on these in March next year when preseason wraps up and see how it all panned out.

  • 2. Jake Waterman: Where is his body at following shoulder surgery in late May? Will be interesting to see whether he's straight back into full training 5 months on from the injury.
  • 3. Liam Baker: Where will the club look to settle him? Following the arrival of Starcevich and Young he may be best utilised in a forward line role next year
  • 6. Elliot Yeo: Probably the most intriguing watch for me. Where's he going to be at after ankle issues ruined his 2025 campaign? As Keys noted he seems to have avoided any post-season surgery so hopefully that means things are tracking in the right direction, but it'll be a telling watch when he does return for training.
  • 7. Reuben Ginbey: He's always been the king of preseason with his extraordinary mix of size, speed and endurance. Wonder if the club will settle him into a key defensive role or more of a rebounding half-back role. He's got the attributes to play both
  • 8. Elijah Hewett: He got his body right in 2025, now the next step for him is really starting to increase his production in the side. Will be interesting to see how he goes this summer and what his role looks like in terms of mid/fwd split.
  • 9. Harley Reid: Reid himself has admitted he didn't get his off-season right last year and he came back unfit as a result, and subsequently had an interrupted preseason with ankle issues. To me he seems determined to make up for those mistakes of the past and seems to have been hanging out with Baker and Graham a fair bit in the off-season. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing a much fitter-looking Harley Reid come Monday. Had his season ended early with a low-grade syndesmosis injury but hopefully he's fully recovered from that now.
  • 10. Tyler Brockman: Has always been a tease at AFL level. Can he take another step forward and become a regular contributor in the side? Will also be interesting to see whether he spends any time training with the mids this preseason, as he often did small bursts in the engine room last season.
  • 11. Tim Kelly: Looked to regain his mojo a bit in the back half of last season. Do we see him playing more of a midfield-heavy role or will he be transitioned into the forward line?
  • 13. Noah Long: Make-or-break season coming up for Longy, the spots are there for the taking in the forward line so he'll hope for a big summer to get his career back on track.
  • 14. Liam Duggan: You'd anticipate he'll be out there on Monday as our sole remaining captain. Had minor knee surgery post-season which means he may start on lighter duties before progressing into the main group.
  • 15. Jamie Cripps: Despite the lack of confirmation from the club he seems to be playing on into next year. A seasoned professional who is now our oldest player on the list, he'll help set the standard on the track for the younger cohort.
  • 16. Matt Owies: A disastrous first season at the club for poor old Owies. Most have written him off completely, but can he turn his career around and return to his goalkicking ways at Carlton? Might seem a long shot but he's done it before and it all starts with a solid preseason.
  • 17. Jack Graham: Another standard-setter on the track, he'll likely place highly in the endurance test when senior players return in a couple weeks. Probably splits his time between the mids and forwards this summer.
  • 19. Brady Hough: Played the final rounds of the season with his right shoulder strapped up and was spotted with his arm in a sling at the B&F, so he's probably had some shoulder surgery post-season. No details on how significant the surgery was but he may be on lighter duties to start with.

  • 22. Archer Reid: Finished the year with a toe concern that required surgery but is progressing well per the Herald Sun report. May also be on a separate training program to start but hopefully it won't inhibit him for too long.
  • 23. Ryan Maric: Spent the 2025 season on the wing and in defence after being drafted as a forward. Where will the club look to settle him this preseason? Has the ability to play multiple roles, though the addition of Tylar Young may mean he plays more on the wing or returns to the forward line.
  • 24. Harvey Johnston: A disappointing 2025 campaign, not featuring at AFL level at any stage and struggling to find form in the WAFL. Clearly has talent but this is a make-or-break year for him - will he continue playing in the backline, or will he be trialled in a new role to try get the best out of him?
  • 25. Matt Flynn: 2025 was a step forward for Flynny but he's still got plenty of work to do before we consider our ruck issues solved. Appears likely to lead the ruck for us next year.
  • 26. Bo Allan: Bo's first season was a bit of a nightmare, battling repeated bouts of illness, suspension and then having his season ended early with a syndesmosis injury. By all reports this was a fairly low-grade syndesmosis so hopefully he's all set to go come Monday. You can almost count him as a new recruit this year, and I'm curious to see where he settles this preseason - staying on the HBF or will he get more midfield minutes?
  • 27. Tom Gross: Had an encouraging debut season as an inside mid but the notion was that like many young players, his tank needs a bit of work. His first full AFL preseason should help to address that issue, and personally I'm really excited to see what he can do next year.
  • 28. Tom Cole: All of a sudden Cole has become one of our veterans, though his spot in the backline might come under threat this year following the arrival of Brandon Starcevich, who plays a similar role to him. We might not be able to see where he sits in the pecking order until match sim starts later this year or early next year, but it wouldn't surprise me if he finds himself in the B team more often this preseason.
  • 29. Clay Hall: Found a bit of a niche in the side last year as an outside mid, becoming a fairly reliable contributor. He'll probably have his eyes on a spot in the engine room next year - could he become that extractor type, perhaps even the BBIMWBLF, to provide support to guys like Reid and Hewett?
  • 30. Harry Barnett: His development at WAFL level has been quite disappointing in the past couple of years, but he's still just 21 years old. Showed glimpses of his potential for the Beagles late last year, and given he's out of contract at the end of next year, perhaps now is the time he starts putting it all together and having a strong preseason. Trained in the backline at times last year but I'm guessing he'll spend most of his time in the ruck this summer.
  • 31. Lucca Grego: Backline or midfield? Played both roles at WAFL level last year and many liked the look of him in the middle, though ultimately he cracked into the senior side as a half-back. Realistically that's probably where he trains this preseason, but the club may have other plans.
  • 32. Bailey Williams: Spent most of 2025 behind Flynn in the ruck order or playing in the 1s as a forward/ruck, to varying levels of success. Probably spends his preseason splitting time between the ruck and forward line, but with the new ruck rules likely to favour athletic types like Bailey, he'll be a watch for me to see whether that changes how McQualter rates him.
  • 33. Rhett Bazzo: Had an interrupted preseason last year with a broken foot but got through the season unscathed, finishing the year in the AFL side. 2026 is a big one for Bazzo, and after a number of challenges to start his career he'll be hoping to put it all together next year and become a regular in the team. Fingers crossed his body holds up for him and he gets a clean run towards Round 1.
  • 34. Jack Williams: Another big year for this guy. Failed to cement his spot in the team even after Waterman and Allen went down with injury and finished the season in the WAFL. To me he looked a touch heavy last year which seemed to impact his agility and exposed him at AFL level. He needs a big preseason to gain back McQualter's trust and hopefully he can help lead our new-look forward line alongside Waterman and Shanahan.
  • 35. Jobe Shanahan: Super excited to see what a full AFL preseason can do for Jobe. Looks set to train with the forwards and hopefully he can add a bit of size to his frame this summer as well. Sky's the limit for this guy.

  • 37. Malakai Champion: According to reports he is still on our list, so I'm assuming he'll be back on Monday. Looks set to be part of the small forward brigade and hopefully he can take some further steps forward with his game over preseason.
  • 38. Hamish Davis: Managed 8 games at senior level in his debut season playing on a wing. I'd say that's where he's likely to train over preseason and he'll hope to build on what was a promising campaign.
  • 41. Sandy Brock: Surprised many after joining as an SSP signing and playing 14 games, not looking out of place in the backline. As preseason progresses we'll learn where Mini rates him amongst the likes of Edwards, Young, Bazzo and whether he can earn a Round 1 spot.
  • 42. Harry Edwards: An encouraging 2025 campaign was ended early by a foot injury and he was sent for post-season shoulder surgery. Per the Herald Sun the club expects him to be available to start preseason, though Edwards technically isn't required back for another couple of weeks. Fingers crossed he can keep injury-free over the preseason because with McGovern now retired, it's his turn to spearhead the backline alongside Tylar Young.
  • 43. Tyrell Dewar: Took another step forward last year in his exciting development trajectory, including earning a Rising Star nomination. Played in all thirds of the ground during his 16 games last year but never truly cemented his spot in the senior side. Will be interested to see where Dewar trains this preseason and whether he can elevate his game again and become a regular member of the team.
  • 44. Jack Hutchinson: Spent much of the 2025 season playing as a midfielder despite being drafted as a medium forward. Didn't set the world on fire but managed 16 games, so where McQualter sees his best footy being played should become apparent this preseason.
  • 45. Tom McCarthy: Took the AFL world by storm after being drafted mid-season, showing skill and composure beyond his experience both in the backline and the midfield. What's super exciting about McCarthy is he produced all of that having never even done a full AFL preseason. With more time in the gym and building his endurance over summer, he could be anything. Will watch closely to see whether McQualter prefers to utilise him in the backline or if he continues his development through the midfield.
  • 46. Jacob Newton: Another mid-season pickup, Newton showed promising signs at WAFL level last year and managed to make his debut in the final round. Earned an extension for 2026 and will look to settle in at the club and impress over preseason, most likely in the forward line to start with. His first full AFL preseason could see him improve his game even further, so Newton is a big watch for 2026 for mine.
  • ? Brandon Starcevich: Finished his 2025 campaign at Brisbane a full month later than the Eagles did, so I'd be surprised if we see him on the track next week. Looking forward to seeing him come in when he does though and help set standards on the track.
  • ? Tylar Young: Surprisingly (to me at least) Young is only in his 4th year and as such will be required back on Monday. Will be good to see him in the blue and gold and should have no injury concerns after playing the last 7 games of 2025 for Richmond.

To summarise, I'd probably expect Yeo, Hough and Edwards to start on light duties, but the rest of the squad should be close to full fitness. Waterman, H.Reid, Duggan, A.Reid and Allan all finished the season with injury concerns of varying severities, but should be right to go come Monday - it's a little difficult to speculate though. There will always be a couple of unexpected injuries that have popped up over the off-season as well, but we'll find out about those in the coming weeks.

Apologies for the lengthy post. Similar to last year, I'll be trying to get down to training as much as possible pre-Christmas and I'll share what I see on this thread. Post-Christmas I'll have less opportunities to get to Lathlain but we'll see how we go.
Click to expand...

Top shelf stuff as always. Thanks for your efforts. Looking forward to your pre season updates.

Gross Allan Davis and Grego all fascinating watches after getting a taste of it this year.
 

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Keys said:
Players entering their 4th (or less) year on an AFL list and did not compete in finals return to training on Monday 10/11. Their more senior teammates aren’t required to resume duties for a further two weeks but can voluntarily attend training beforehand should they choose to do so
Click to expand...
I know the breaks are mandated in the CBA but if the players are dinkum every single squad member should be on the track next Monday seeking to redeem themselves in the eyes of supporters, media and the wider footy public.

Particularly after an absolute stinker of a season that produced a solitary win.
 
Last edited:
I love Preseason.... #sorrynotsorry

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 2021.
  • 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!
 
RustyShacklefordFalcon said:
Looking forward to some awesome pics. Lads are gonna put on some great size. Looking thick. Solid. Tight. Keep us all posted on their continued progress with any new progress pics or vid clips. Show us what they got man. Wanna see how freakin' huge, solid, thick and tight they can get. Thanks for the motivation.
Click to expand...
Huge, solid, thick and tight - that's a whole new footy vocab right there!
 
Im excited to see what sort of West Coast outfit rocks up in Round 1.

Mini's had his mulligan in the form of the 2025 season. This is where the rubber hits the road and he gets to shape the list and gameday strategy to his liking.

Does he have the chops for the Big Boy chair? Lets find out.
 
matt_bas said:
I love Preseason.... #sorrynotsorry

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 2021.
  • 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!
Click to expand...
matt_bas said:
I love Preseason.... #sorrynotsorry

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 2021.
  • 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!
Click to expand...
**** we've collectively blown our wad early here, even by our standards.
 

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Bleedblueandgold said:
Not expecting the midfield to improve any time soon. It'll be a slow burn imo.
Reid will improve but he's already our best. Hopefully Hewett has more production and consistency.
Remains to be seen if McCarthy will continue developing there, along with Hough who is more required and effective in defence.
Not expecting Dev and any other discards to move the needle much. The mids we draft (or whoever we actually draft that will spend some time in the midfield ) will take some time to develop. Not expecting any Harley Reids who can make a significant impact in their first season. A miraculous return for Yeo might still be our best chance of a notably stronger midfield.
Click to expand...


Me either, just looking for “green shoots” after the debacle of this season. I actually think the Beagles will perform better than the Eagles with the influx of rookies giving greater accountability in the midfield.
 
matt_bas said:
I love Preseason.... #sorrynotsorry

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 2021.
  • 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!
Click to expand...

bombard said:
**** we've collectively blown our wad early here, even by our standards.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Hey matt_bas, how about we give this overused, unfunny joke a rest?
Its right up there with posting Gee on anything to do with Venables and putting in Jack Watts as a poll option as embarrassing crap just clogging up threads.
 
bzparkes said:
Agreed.

Hey matt_bas, how about we give this overused, unfunny joke a rest?
Its right up there with posting Gee on anything to do with Venables and putting in Jack Watts as a poll option as embarrassing crap just clogging up threads.
Click to expand...
Whilst I respect your comments and opinions, I feel once a year at the start of Preseason is acceptable for me to post this.
 
Keys said:
The football cycle continues into another year with preseason training for 2026 set to commence less than two months since Brisbane were crowned back to back premiers.

Players entering their 4th (or less) year on an AFL list and did not compete in finals return to training on Monday 10/11. Their more senior teammates aren’t required to resume duties for a further two weeks but can voluntarily attend training beforehand should they choose to do so

Basically any player brought into the system from the 2022 draft onwards starts back at work on Monday.

When they do return, it will be a new face running the fitness program with Phil Merriman (formerly at the Dockers) replacing Matt Inness as High Performance Manager.

As always, it’s a vitally important preseason for the club as they strive to build up the fitness base and strength of one of the youngest, if not the youngest, playing lists in the comp.

There should be no excuses for anyone turning up out of shape and very few, if any, players should be starting preseason in rehab

This was the final injury position prior to the R24 match against Sydney

Official injury list (9) released 19/8

Season (7) :
• Jake Waterman (Shoulder)
• Oscar Allen (Calf/Achilles/Knee)
• Elliot Yeo (Ankle)
• Bo Allan (Ankle)
• Harley Reid (Ankle)
• Archer Reid (Toe)
• Harry Edwards (Foot) - Was Test

Test (2) :
• Jack Hutchinson (Hamstring) - Was 1-2 weeks
• Tom Gross (Calf) - New

Liam Duggan has been suspended for 2 weeks, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and has also undergone knee surgery

Harry Edwards also had surgery on a minor shoulder issue

The main concern on that list is Elliot Yeo who missed all of the 2025 season due to an ankle (and knee) injury sustained in preseason which required surgery. And then further surgery to remove some hardware that was hampering his ability to build up to the necessary training loads. There was some suggestions that yet more surgery might be needed but, for now, that seems to have been avoided.

The following status update was provided in the Herald/Code Sports as part of a report on the injury position of all 18 clubs

The Eagles are hopeful to have several of their stars back for a strong summer of training. Jake Waterman went under the knife for a serious shoulder injury in May, and the club has been happy with his progression as he continues to build strength and mobility. Elliot Yeo had surgery on an ankle injury, but has also had to rehab a knee issue suffered in the pre-season last year. Harry Edwards was sent for surgery late in the season to repair a shoulder complaint, having had his year ended with a foot injury. By sending the key defender in for surgery before the end of the campaign, the club expects Edwards to be fit for the start of the training period. Bo Allan suffered a low-grade syndesmosis injury but is expected to be fine for pre-season, while Harley Reid has also returned from his own syndesmosis problem that ended his campaign early. Archer Reid had tendon damage in his toe that required surgery, but is progressing well.

No mention there on Liam Duggan and the knee surgery he had after he’d been suspended but as far as I understand that was a minor cleanup that he had done as soon as possible

Brady Hough had his right arm in a sling at the B&F so he’s also had some surgery done, presumably on his shoulder

McQualter was pretty blunt in his assessment at the end of the year that we need to be fitter and reports coming out of the club post season were that the players needed to be prepared for an arduous summer to achieve that goal. Along with a stipulation that they present back to training in the best possible condition

On Monday, we get our first look at how they’ve responded
Click to expand...
LittleFires said:
The following list represents the 20 1st-4th year players required back on Monday (technically there are no more 1st-year players on the list until we draft some new kids):

7. Reuben Ginbey (4th year)
8. Elijah Hewett (4th)
9. Harley Reid (3rd)
13. Noah Long (4th)
22. Archer Reid (3rd)
23. Ryan Maric (4th)
24. Harvey Johnston (3rd)
26. Bo Allan (2nd)
27. Tom Gross (2nd)
29. Clay Hall (3rd)
30. Harry Barnett (4th)
31. Lucca Grego (3rd)
35. Jobe Shanahan (2nd)
37. Malakai Champion (2nd)
38. Hamish Davis (2nd)
43. Tyrell Dewar (4th)
44. Jack Hutchinson (3rd)
45. Tom McCarthy (2nd)
46. Jacob Newton (2nd)
? Tylar Young (4th)


The following 18 players are 5th+ year and as such aren't required back until November 24, though they can (and often do) return earlier if they choose:

2. Jake Waterman
3. Liam Baker
6. Elliot Yeo
10. Tyler Brockman
11. Tim Kelly
14. Liam Duggan
15. Jamie Cripps
16. Matt Owies
17. Jack Graham
19. Brady Hough
25. Matt Flynn
28. Tom Cole
32. Bailey Williams
33. Rhett Bazzo
34. Jack Williams
41. Sandy Brock
42. Harry Edwards
? Brandon Starcevich


In making this list I was a little shocked to learn that Brady Hough, Rhett Bazzo, Jack Williams and Sandy Brock are now entering their 5th year in the competition. As such they won't be required back on Monday - though you'd hope given the enormous amount of ground we need to make up on the rest of the competition, that most, if not all senior players return early at some point to help lead the way.


I've done a short write up on each player on where they sit heading into this preseason. Might be interesting to look back on these in March next year when preseason wraps up and see how it all panned out.

  • 2. Jake Waterman: Where is his body at following shoulder surgery in late May? Will be interesting to see whether he's straight back into full training 5 months on from the injury.
  • 3. Liam Baker: Where will the club look to settle him? Following the arrival of Starcevich and Young he may be best utilised in a forward line role next year
  • 6. Elliot Yeo: Probably the most intriguing watch for me. Where's he going to be at after ankle issues ruined his 2025 campaign? As Keys noted he seems to have avoided any post-season surgery so hopefully that means things are tracking in the right direction, but it'll be a telling watch when he does return for training.
  • 7. Reuben Ginbey: He's always been the king of preseason with his extraordinary mix of size, speed and endurance. Wonder if the club will settle him into a key defensive role or more of a rebounding half-back role. He's got the attributes to play both
  • 8. Elijah Hewett: He got his body right in 2025, now the next step for him is really starting to increase his production in the side. Will be interesting to see how he goes this summer and what his role looks like in terms of mid/fwd split.
  • 9. Harley Reid: Reid himself has admitted he didn't get his off-season right last year and he came back unfit as a result, and subsequently had an interrupted preseason with ankle issues. To me he seems determined to make up for those mistakes of the past and seems to have been hanging out with Baker and Graham a fair bit in the off-season. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing a much fitter-looking Harley Reid come Monday. Had his season ended early with a low-grade syndesmosis injury but hopefully he's fully recovered from that now.
  • 10. Tyler Brockman: Has always been a tease at AFL level. Can he take another step forward and become a regular contributor in the side? Will also be interesting to see whether he spends any time training with the mids this preseason, as he often did small bursts in the engine room last season.
  • 11. Tim Kelly: Looked to regain his mojo a bit in the back half of last season. Do we see him playing more of a midfield-heavy role or will he be transitioned into the forward line?
  • 13. Noah Long: Make-or-break season coming up for Longy, the spots are there for the taking in the forward line so he'll hope for a big summer to get his career back on track.
  • 14. Liam Duggan: You'd anticipate he'll be out there on Monday as our sole remaining captain. Had minor knee surgery post-season which means he may start on lighter duties before progressing into the main group.
  • 15. Jamie Cripps: Despite the lack of confirmation from the club he seems to be playing on into next year. A seasoned professional who is now our oldest player on the list, he'll help set the standard on the track for the younger cohort.
  • 16. Matt Owies: A disastrous first season at the club for poor old Owies. Most have written him off completely, but can he turn his career around and return to his goalkicking ways at Carlton? Might seem a long shot but he's done it before and it all starts with a solid preseason.
  • 17. Jack Graham: Another standard-setter on the track, he'll likely place highly in the endurance test when senior players return in a couple weeks. Probably splits his time between the mids and forwards this summer.
  • 19. Brady Hough: Played the final rounds of the season with his right shoulder strapped up and was spotted with his arm in a sling at the B&F, so he's probably had some shoulder surgery post-season. No details on how significant the surgery was but he may be on lighter duties to start with.

  • 22. Archer Reid: Finished the year with a toe concern that required surgery but is progressing well per the Herald Sun report. May also be on a separate training program to start but hopefully it won't inhibit him for too long.
  • 23. Ryan Maric: Spent the 2025 season on the wing and in defence after being drafted as a forward. Where will the club look to settle him this preseason? Has the ability to play multiple roles, though the addition of Tylar Young may mean he plays more on the wing or returns to the forward line.
  • 24. Harvey Johnston: A disappointing 2025 campaign, not featuring at AFL level at any stage and struggling to find form in the WAFL. Clearly has talent but this is a make-or-break year for him - will he continue playing in the backline, or will he be trialled in a new role to try get the best out of him?
  • 25. Matt Flynn: 2025 was a step forward for Flynny but he's still got plenty of work to do before we consider our ruck issues solved. Appears likely to lead the ruck for us next year.
  • 26. Bo Allan: Bo's first season was a bit of a nightmare, battling repeated bouts of illness, suspension and then having his season ended early with a syndesmosis injury. By all reports this was a fairly low-grade syndesmosis so hopefully he's all set to go come Monday. You can almost count him as a new recruit this year, and I'm curious to see where he settles this preseason - staying on the HBF or will he get more midfield minutes?
  • 27. Tom Gross: Had an encouraging debut season as an inside mid but the notion was that like many young players, his tank needs a bit of work. His first full AFL preseason should help to address that issue, and personally I'm really excited to see what he can do next year.
  • 28. Tom Cole: All of a sudden Cole has become one of our veterans, though his spot in the backline might come under threat this year following the arrival of Brandon Starcevich, who plays a similar role to him. We might not be able to see where he sits in the pecking order until match sim starts later this year or early next year, but it wouldn't surprise me if he finds himself in the B team more often this preseason.
  • 29. Clay Hall: Found a bit of a niche in the side last year as an outside mid, becoming a fairly reliable contributor. He'll probably have his eyes on a spot in the engine room next year - could he become that extractor type, perhaps even the BBIMWBLF, to provide support to guys like Reid and Hewett?
  • 30. Harry Barnett: His development at WAFL level has been quite disappointing in the past couple of years, but he's still just 21 years old. Showed glimpses of his potential for the Beagles late last year, and given he's out of contract at the end of next year, perhaps now is the time he starts putting it all together and having a strong preseason. Trained in the backline at times last year but I'm guessing he'll spend most of his time in the ruck this summer.
  • 31. Lucca Grego: Backline or midfield? Played both roles at WAFL level last year and many liked the look of him in the middle, though ultimately he cracked into the senior side as a half-back. Realistically that's probably where he trains this preseason, but the club may have other plans.
  • 32. Bailey Williams: Spent most of 2025 behind Flynn in the ruck order or playing in the 1s as a forward/ruck, to varying levels of success. Probably spends his preseason splitting time between the ruck and forward line, but with the new ruck rules likely to favour athletic types like Bailey, he'll be a watch for me to see whether that changes how McQualter rates him.
  • 33. Rhett Bazzo: Had an interrupted preseason last year with a broken foot but got through the season unscathed, finishing the year in the AFL side. 2026 is a big one for Bazzo, and after a number of challenges to start his career he'll be hoping to put it all together next year and become a regular in the team. Fingers crossed his body holds up for him and he gets a clean run towards Round 1.
  • 34. Jack Williams: Another big year for this guy. Failed to cement his spot in the team even after Waterman and Allen went down with injury and finished the season in the WAFL. To me he looked a touch heavy last year which seemed to impact his agility and exposed him at AFL level. He needs a big preseason to gain back McQualter's trust and hopefully he can help lead our new-look forward line alongside Waterman and Shanahan.
  • 35. Jobe Shanahan: Super excited to see what a full AFL preseason can do for Jobe. Looks set to train with the forwards and hopefully he can add a bit of size to his frame this summer as well. Sky's the limit for this guy.

  • 37. Malakai Champion: According to reports he is still on our list, so I'm assuming he'll be back on Monday. Looks set to be part of the small forward brigade and hopefully he can take some further steps forward with his game over preseason.
  • 38. Hamish Davis: Managed 8 games at senior level in his debut season playing on a wing. I'd say that's where he's likely to train over preseason and he'll hope to build on what was a promising campaign.
  • 41. Sandy Brock: Surprised many after joining as an SSP signing and playing 14 games, not looking out of place in the backline. As preseason progresses we'll learn where Mini rates him amongst the likes of Edwards, Young, Bazzo and whether he can earn a Round 1 spot.
  • 42. Harry Edwards: An encouraging 2025 campaign was ended early by a foot injury and he was sent for post-season shoulder surgery. Per the Herald Sun the club expects him to be available to start preseason, though Edwards technically isn't required back for another couple of weeks. Fingers crossed he can keep injury-free over the preseason because with McGovern now retired, it's his turn to spearhead the backline alongside Tylar Young.
  • 43. Tyrell Dewar: Took another step forward last year in his exciting development trajectory, including earning a Rising Star nomination. Played in all thirds of the ground during his 16 games last year but never truly cemented his spot in the senior side. Will be interested to see where Dewar trains this preseason and whether he can elevate his game again and become a regular member of the team.
  • 44. Jack Hutchinson: Spent much of the 2025 season playing as a midfielder despite being drafted as a medium forward. Didn't set the world on fire but managed 16 games, so where McQualter sees his best footy being played should become apparent this preseason.
  • 45. Tom McCarthy: Took the AFL world by storm after being drafted mid-season, showing skill and composure beyond his experience both in the backline and the midfield. What's super exciting about McCarthy is he produced all of that having never even done a full AFL preseason. With more time in the gym and building his endurance over summer, he could be anything. Will watch closely to see whether McQualter prefers to utilise him in the backline or if he continues his development through the midfield.
  • 46. Jacob Newton: Another mid-season pickup, Newton showed promising signs at WAFL level last year and managed to make his debut in the final round. Earned an extension for 2026 and will look to settle in at the club and impress over preseason, most likely in the forward line to start with. His first full AFL preseason could see him improve his game even further, so Newton is a big watch for 2026 for mine.
  • ? Brandon Starcevich: Finished his 2025 campaign at Brisbane a full month later than the Eagles did, so I'd be surprised if we see him on the track next week. Looking forward to seeing him come in when he does though and help set standards on the track.
  • ? Tylar Young: Surprisingly (to me at least) Young is only in his 4th year and as such will be required back on Monday. Will be good to see him in the blue and gold and should have no injury concerns after playing the last 7 games of 2025 for Richmond.

To summarise, I'd probably expect Yeo, Hough and Edwards to start on light duties, but the rest of the squad should be close to full fitness. Waterman, H.Reid, Duggan, A.Reid and Allan all finished the season with injury concerns of varying severities, but should be right to go come Monday - it's a little difficult to speculate though. There will always be a couple of unexpected injuries that have popped up over the off-season as well, but we'll find out about those in the coming weeks.

Apologies for the lengthy post. Similar to last year, I'll be trying to get down to training as much as possible pre-Christmas and I'll share what I see on this thread. Post-Christmas I'll have less opportunities to get to Lathlain but we'll see how we go.
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for these, guys. I really appreciate your hard work and insights.
 

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