Training Preseason Training Thread - 2026

[Keys]

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

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!

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

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Awesome band that 90% of the people on this thread will have no idea about unfortunately.

 

[Keys]

Spy v Spy were a massively underrated band

One of many great Aussie rock bands from the eighties

And this discussion is also why we have a dedicated training reports thread

 

[Vargo hoat]

Below is the list of players who have missed a session to date.
I’ll keep an updated list through preseason.

Kelly x 4
Flynn x 4
Starcevich x 4
Young x 3
Brockman x 3
Graham x 3
Cole x 3
Baker x 2
Yeo
Owies
Bailey Williams
Edwards
Cripps

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

So looking at their respective draft profiles, both Schoenberg & Macrae has speed as one of their weaknesses. Bit of a concern... If the primary focus is for their them to help out our WAFL team, then so be it, but not too enthralled if that is the case.

 

[bzparkes]

So looking at their respective draft profiles, both Schoenberg & Macrae has speed as one of their weaknesses. Bit of a concern... If the primary focus is for their them to help out our WAFL team, then so be it, but not too enthralled if that is the case.

I hear Jack Petruccelle's looking for another opportunity...

 

[stallon]

So looking at their respective draft profiles, both Schoenberg & Macrae has speed as one of their weaknesses. Bit of a concern... If the primary focus is for their them to help out our WAFL team, then so be it, but not too enthralled if that is the case.

Schoenberg and Macrae seem to be the same style, good ball users who specialise in the contested work and accumulation, but lack speed/outside game.
I wonder if we could try them at HFF(mainly Macrae) delivering the ball.

Its worth a look to see if we can integrate one of these types into the side if nothing else, and they would be our best mids in the WAFL.

As far as rookie selections go there arent really many better options that improve the WAFL side and potentially play AFL for us

 

[TheBudgies]

Below is the list of players who have missed a session to date.
I’ll keep an updated list through preseason.

Kelly x 4
Flynn x 4
Starcevich x 4
Young x 3
Brockman x 3
Graham x 3
Cole x 3
Baker x 2
Yeo
Owies
Bailey Williams
Edwards
Cripps

None of these expected right?

 

[Vargo hoat]

None of these expected right?

It’s easy to speculate.
The 3 no shows.

• Kelly - Perhaps other posters more familiar with preseason training would be knowledgeable on if he routinely skips the non mandatory weeks. Does have a reputation and not being present so far hasn’t helped.
• Flynn - Again I’m not knowledgeable on his personal history of attending with the 1-4 years, however has more of a workhorse reputation then Kelly. Is he recovering from a post season surgery we don’t know about?
• Starcevich - Finished the season 5 weeks after the rest of our guys.

 

[Keys]

Below is the list of players who have missed a session to date.
I’ll keep an updated list through preseason.

Kelly x 4
Flynn x 4
Starcevich x 4
Young x 3
Brockman x 3
Graham x 3
Cole x 3
Baker x 2
Yeo
Owies
Bailey Williams
Edwards
Cripps

None of those players are required to be at training until next Monday - not sure you can be counted as missing a voluntary session

If you plan on keeping this list through preseason it’s going to be difficult to maintain it’s accuracy -

• Two of the three sessions each week are closed
• Players in rehab or on modified programs can train away from the main group and are often either out of sight or do track work at a different time

Good luck with it though

 

[Vargo hoat]

None of those players are required to be at training until next Monday - not sure you can be counted as missing a voluntary session

If you plan on keeping this list through preseason it’s going to be difficult to maintain it’s accuracy -

• Two of the three sessions each week are closed
• Players in rehab or on modified programs can train away from the main group and are often either out of sight or do track work at a different time

Good luck with it though

Agreed - It will be especially difficult over the next two sessions without LittleFires reports also.

It’s just interesting to have it summarised. Particularly over the non mandatory sessions.

 

[mentalgrind]

stfu n00b

I've been around since 2001, obviously don't post much but still on here lurking just about every day.

It's always a blast from the past when I see OGs from back in day like yourself posting.

Used to only see a handful of new posts a day on this whole board and now it can take me hours if I want to catch up on one thread (usually just skip to the latest page and join the dots)

 

[Fatty rules]

Been here since 2003, sent my first posts in using the Telex Machine.

Picture below because I am pretty sure that none of you young fu(***s would know what a telex machine was, let alone what one looked like.



View attachment 2476944

I remember the telex well, was transformative for a time. Then along came packet switching.

 

[Boohemian]

When I stared in professional services 18 years ago, a fax machine was ancient tech but still used every now and then. Banks wouldn't accept telegraphic transfer requests via email and a fax was the only way to action.

**** knows what a telex is.

 

[We_The_West]

Anyone heading down to training?

 

[Doashuey]

Anyone heading down to training?

I sent my carrier pigeon down for a look. Will await his return to type up the report and will fax it across once the ink drys.

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

green blockout status???

 

[squashface]

green blockout status???

There was a big blockout who pulled up next to me and I could have sworn it was green, but I'm sure I was wrong...

 

[Bender_]

I think it's time to move on from Kasey Green

Kasey Green

Age

46

Ht

187cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

1.0

3star

and him costing us the 2005 flag, guys.

 

[THE A5]

Anyone heading down to training?

Troy Wilson been dropping some huge ones from outside 50

 

[ghostbat12]

Been here since 2003, sent my first posts in using the Telex Machine.

Picture below because I am pretty sure that none of you young fu(***s would know what a telex machine was, let alone what one looked like.



View attachment 2476944

pfft, that was state of the art tech. Below was my method of comms. And no, its not Tweeting.

 

[Keys]

Made the trek down but not much of note to report unfortunately. Not least because I couldn’t get there until about 9.45 so the session was already 20-30 minutes in and was wrapped up by 10.30

Players seemed to be split into roughly three groups with two groups alternating set drills on either wing and sometimes doing exercises as a larger group. The third group was doing relatively static work in front of the goals at the training centre end and it was near impossible for me to pick out who was in that group- too far away so I didn’t spend any time trying to work out who was there

Overall, it was a pretty low key session. Some fundamental skill drills and a handball exercise in a confined/congested area. No running/sprint work incorporated into what they were doing although some of that could well have happened earlier

Mood was rather subdued without a lot of chirp or chatter. To say they were going through the motions would be unfair because there was a reasonable level of intensity in what they did but it wasn’t a high energy session either

Numbers were a bit down as well with very few senior players there - in fact Flynn was the only one I saw. Others might have been at the far end and/or finished early but I didn’t see them

Some random thoughts:
• Out - Pale as buggery, In - Summer tans. Collectively the playing group look like they’ve spent the offseason at the beach or in a solarium. Most are tanned, even Grego didn’t like as pale as I remember. Maric still didn’t get the memo though
• Harry Taylor was very hands on during the drills talking to and instructing the players. He looks every bit a development/assistant coach in what he’s doing. Also saw Mitch Duncan for the first time as an assistant working in the same area as Taylor
• At one point a player kicked a ball out wide to a female trainer on the opposite side of the oval from me. She marked the ball with ease and moved it on with an impressive fluidity. Not long after that same trainer was in front of my position and it all made sense. Daisy Pearce it out there giving a hand with the rest of the coaching group - looks like she’s still capable of playing

These are the players I did see - if I’ve not mentioned them it’s because I didn’t see them which doesn’t necessarily mean they weren’t there

• Ginbey - only saw him late when he moved away from the end goal group. Looks his usual fit self but wasn’t involved in much
• Hewett - did the full session
• Long - full session, matched up a bit with/against Newton and they look like they’ll be competing for the same spot
• Big Reid - primarily at the far end and only saw him late doing some low intensity contested marking with with Brock and, somewhat bizarrely, Johnston. Looks in good shape
• Maric - full session for him
• Johnston - regularly found him hard to recognise. He’s not jacked as such but looks more physically mature without the noodle arms he had last year
• Flynn - he was doing a little bit of half pace running at the end the session. Looks in quite good condition
• Allen - probably the best trainer out there today. Good intensity in everything he did. Was grouped with Davis and Hutchinson for most of the session and seeing them as a trio it struck me how physically imposing they could be when they mature. All 190cm plus with good speed and running power
• Gross - often 4th musketeer with the trio above so he’s a bit shorter but is getting some definition/size across his shoulders
• Barnett - only sighted at the very end when he come across to sign autographs. Still sporting a sizeable knee brace
• Grego - bit bigger size wise but not significantly.
• Bazzo - like Barnett only saw him at the very end signing autographs. Unlike Barnett he didn’t have a knee brace
• J Williams - no ball work just doing some running on the boundary. Looks quite physically imposing
• Shanahan- saw him in some of the drills but wasn’t particularly noticeable. Was at the far end for parts as well I think
• Champion - ran the boundary with Bateman
• Davis - see Allen. Looks in good shape and ready to go
• Brock - drifted up from the far end late and was involved in a few of the drills. Was doing 1v1 work opposed to Reid and Johnston late
• Dewar - was doing fitness work with Williams when I arrived and left the track a bit after I arrived
• Hutchinson- see Allen
• McCarthy- there was one guy in the drills I couldn’t recognise. Only at the end when he came across to sign autographs did the penny drop as to who it was. Looks a bit bigger than when he arrived mid season
• Newton - see Long

Obviously Harley wasn’t there as he’s over in Melbourne to welcome Will Duursma to the club - making Hall the only other 1st to 4th year player I didn’t see

Might try to sneak down again Friday but not sure on my plans

 

[Goroyals22]

I think it's time to move on from Kasey Green and him costing us the 2005 flag, guys.

He played a blinder in that game on Ryan o’keefe..probably his best game for the club

 

[bzparkes]

Made the trek down but not much of note to report unfortunately. Not least because I couldn’t get there until about 9.45 so the session was already 20-30 minutes in and was wrapped up by 10.30

Players seemed to be split into roughly three groups with two groups alternating set drills on either wing and sometimes doing exercises as a larger group. The third group was doing relatively static work in front of the goals at the training centre end and it was near impossible for me to pick out who was in that group- too far away so I didn’t spend any time trying to work out who was there

Overall, it was a pretty low key session. Some fundamental skill drills and a handball exercise in a confined/congested area. No running/sprint work incorporated into what they were doing although some of that could well have happened earlier

Mood was rather subdued without a lot of chirp or chatter. To say they were going through the motions would be unfair because there was a reasonable level of intensity in what they did but it wasn’t a high energy session either

Numbers were a bit down as well with very few senior players there - in fact Flynn was the only one I saw. Others might have been at the far end and/or finished early but I didn’t see them

Some random thoughts:
• Out - Pale as buggery, In - Summer tans. Collectively the playing group look like they’ve spent the offseason at the beach or in a solarium. Most are tanned, even Grego didn’t like as pale as I remember. Maric still didn’t get the memo though
• Harry Taylor was very hands on during the drills talking to and instructing the players. He looks every bit a development/assistant coach in what he’s doing. Also saw Mitch Duncan for the first time as an assistant working in the same area as Taylor
• At one point a player kicked a ball out wide to a female trainer on the opposite side of the oval from me. She marked the ball with ease and moved it on with an impressive fluidity. Not long after that same trainer was in front of my position and it all made sense. Daisy Pearce it out there giving a hand with the rest of the coaching group - looks like she’s still capable of playing

These are the players I did see - if I’ve not mentioned them it’s because I didn’t see them which doesn’t necessarily mean they weren’t there

• Ginbey - only saw him late when he moved away from the end goal group. Looks his usual fit self but wasn’t involved in much
• Hewett - did the full session
• Long - full session, matched up a bit with/against Newton and they look like they’ll be competing for the same spot
• Big Reid - primarily at the far end and only saw him late doing some low intensity contested marking with with Brock and, somewhat bizarrely, Johnston. Looks in good shape
• Maric - full session for him
• Johnston - regularly found him hard to recognise. He’s not jacked as such but looks more physically mature without the noodle arms he had last year
• Flynn - he was doing a little bit of half pace running at the end the session. Looks in quite good condition
• Allen - probably the best trainer out there today. Good intensity in everything he did. Was grouped with Davis and Hutchinson for most of the session and seeing them as a trio it struck me how physically imposing they could be when they mature. All 190cm plus with good speed and running power
• Gross - often 4th musketeer with the trio above so he’s a bit shorter but is getting some definition/size across his shoulders
• Barnett - only sighted at the very end when he come across to sign autographs. Still sporting a sizeable knee brace
• Grego - bit bigger size wise but not significantly.
• Bazzo - like Barnett only saw him at the very end signing autographs. Unlike Barnett he didn’t have a knee brace
• J Williams - no ball work just doing some running on the boundary. Looks quite physically imposing
• Shanahan- saw him in some of the drills but wasn’t particularly noticeable. Was at the far end for parts as well I think
• Champion - ran the boundary with Bateman
• Davis - see Allen. Looks in good shape and ready to go
• Brock - drifted up from the far end late and was involved in a few of the drills. Was doing 1v1 work opposed to Reid and Johnston late
• Dewar - was doing fitness work with Williams when I arrived and left the track a bit after I arrived
• Hutchinson- see Allen
• McCarthy- there was one guy in the drills I couldn’t recognise. Only at the end when he came across to sign autographs did the penny drop as to who it was. Looks a bit bigger than when he arrived mid season
• Newton - see Long

Obviously Harley wasn’t there as he’s over in Melbourne to welcome Will Duursma to the club - making Hall the only other 1st to 4th year player I didn’t see

Might try to sneak down again Friday but not sure on my plans

In the absence of LittleFires...

 

[Winky]

Made the trek down but not much of note to report unfortunately. Not least because I couldn’t get there until about 9.45 so the session was already 20-30 minutes in and was wrapped up by 10.30

Players seemed to be split into roughly three groups with two groups alternating set drills on either wing and sometimes doing exercises as a larger group. The third group was doing relatively static work in front of the goals at the training centre end and it was near impossible for me to pick out who was in that group- too far away so I didn’t spend any time trying to work out who was there

Overall, it was a pretty low key session. Some fundamental skill drills and a handball exercise in a confined/congested area. No running/sprint work incorporated into what they were doing although some of that could well have happened earlier

Mood was rather subdued without a lot of chirp or chatter. To say they were going through the motions would be unfair because there was a reasonable level of intensity in what they did but it wasn’t a high energy session either

Numbers were a bit down as well with very few senior players there - in fact Flynn was the only one I saw. Others might have been at the far end and/or finished early but I didn’t see them

Some random thoughts:
• Out - Pale as buggery, In - Summer tans. Collectively the playing group look like they’ve spent the offseason at the beach or in a solarium. Most are tanned, even Grego didn’t like as pale as I remember. Maric still didn’t get the memo though
• Harry Taylor was very hands on during the drills talking to and instructing the players. He looks every bit a development/assistant coach in what he’s doing. Also saw Mitch Duncan for the first time as an assistant working in the same area as Taylor
• At one point a player kicked a ball out wide to a female trainer on the opposite side of the oval from me. She marked the ball with ease and moved it on with an impressive fluidity. Not long after that same trainer was in front of my position and it all made sense. Daisy Pearce it out there giving a hand with the rest of the coaching group - looks like she’s still capable of playing

These are the players I did see - if I’ve not mentioned them it’s because I didn’t see them which doesn’t necessarily mean they weren’t there

• Ginbey - only saw him late when he moved away from the end goal group. Looks his usual fit self but wasn’t involved in much
• Hewett - did the full session
• Long - full session, matched up a bit with/against Newton and they look like they’ll be competing for the same spot
• Big Reid - primarily at the far end and only saw him late doing some low intensity contested marking with with Brock and, somewhat bizarrely, Johnston. Looks in good shape
• Maric - full session for him
• Johnston - regularly found him hard to recognise. He’s not jacked as such but looks more physically mature without the noodle arms he had last year
• Flynn - he was doing a little bit of half pace running at the end the session. Looks in quite good condition
• Allen - probably the best trainer out there today. Good intensity in everything he did. Was grouped with Davis and Hutchinson for most of the session and seeing them as a trio it struck me how physically imposing they could be when they mature. All 190cm plus with good speed and running power
• Gross - often 4th musketeer with the trio above so he’s a bit shorter but is getting some definition/size across his shoulders
• Barnett - only sighted at the very end when he come across to sign autographs. Still sporting a sizeable knee brace
• Grego - bit bigger size wise but not significantly.
• Bazzo - like Barnett only saw him at the very end signing autographs. Unlike Barnett he didn’t have a knee brace
• J Williams - no ball work just doing some running on the boundary. Looks quite physically imposing
• Shanahan- saw him in some of the drills but wasn’t particularly noticeable. Was at the far end for parts as well I think
• Champion - ran the boundary with Bateman
• Davis - see Allen. Looks in good shape and ready to go
• Brock - drifted up from the far end late and was involved in a few of the drills. Was doing 1v1 work opposed to Reid and Johnston late
• Dewar - was doing fitness work with Williams when I arrived and left the track a bit after I arrived
• Hutchinson- see Allen
• McCarthy- there was one guy in the drills I couldn’t recognise. Only at the end when he came across to sign autographs did the penny drop as to who it was. Looks a bit bigger than when he arrived mid season
• Newton - see Long

Obviously Harley wasn’t there as he’s over in Melbourne to welcome Will Duursma to the club - making Hall the only other 1st to 4th year player I didn’t see

Might try to sneak down again Friday but not sure on my plans

Hall was on the bike and weights nearly the whole session. Looks trim and worked up a sweat. Brockman similar but not as long on the bike and no weights while I was there

 

[KERRPOW]

He played a blinder in that game on Ryan o’keefe..probably his best game for the club

i recall the 05GF, i could not get out of work, so was listening to the radio broadcast by dialling a number on the landline as radio signal was choppy in the shopping centre (no faken streaming back then young ones).

i managed to watch most of the last quarter at harvey norman on one of their big tv's.