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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
www.bigfooty.com www.bigfooty.com
 
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PepperTom32 said:
Four new pages on the preseason forum and only a handful of posts about the preseason. Stop reminiscing, people, and give me updates on how many laps Barnett ran shuffled today!
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I want BarnettWatch this pre season. I want change in running style, leaping style, I want to know if his hairstyle changed. **** the cornrows I want him to shave a lightning bolt on the top of his head and run around wearing a red cape

Its the year of the Barnett peoples
 

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We_The_West said:
CDT has nothing on Barnett.

Primed to realise his potential this season
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Im expecting Don Pyke to be at training every week watching Barnett run around through binoculars like its Gai Waterhouse watching a horse during a trial

Gai%20a.jpg


"Oooh yes, thats my boy"
 
Monocle said:
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
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stfu n00b
 
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.
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thanks for the effort and a nice summary to begin Preseason expectations for 2026 ..
 

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quackish said:
I’m banned from the AFL sub because I told the hawks mod to “eat shit” after he removed my comment from a match thread because I said something about the hawks getting the rub of the green. Does that count?
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I got banned for saying Mason Cox was a grub, having the comment removed, then saying it again while calling the mods bitches.

Then I just made a new account and still post there.
 

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MeltMan said:
I just like fishing 🪝
Click to expand...

Mr Q said:
Yeah, but you caught a Goroyals22 - you want to throw that back.
Click to expand...

Goroyals22 said:
No way..Harley’s safe as houses… he has to get past Duggan ,Kelly Bailey cymbals Williams and Cole first.

Nothing like bit of fishing to get the usual suspects on the hook though
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OI, just because no one saw my post in a different forum doesn't mean you can copy it here! get your own zippy quips!
 
Debating taking some time off posting and how funny having a training report that is all just Reid is. Worried it might end up on news.com though.
 
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