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

 

[KERRPOW]

Sorry to dissapoint folks, no update from me today.

 

[Goroyals22]

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.

Was at the game and from my angle from behind the pack thought Judd had marked that last kick..

Just hearing the Leo Barry commentary gives me ptsd and makes me swear unconditionally for seconds afterwards

 

[WCEswift]

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

it sucks the open trainings are the low intensity wednesday sessions. open up one high intensity session and let people see the boys smash in

 

[LittleFires]

https://archive.md/V3NLu#selection-1239.0-1242.0

Training report from The West:

• No Harley Reid (in Victoria presenting pick 1 with his jumper)
• Tylar Young spotted "for the first time" but limited to working on exercise bike
• Ash Johnson on track
• Harry Barnett sporting left leg brace but moved freely
• Flynn on track despite not being required back until Monday

So nothing new or insightful apart from Flynn being there (although we already knew that thanks to Keys) and spotting Young on the exercise bike.

 

[Keys]

https://archive.md/V3NLu#selection-1239.0-1242.0

Training report from The West:

• No Harley Reid (in Victoria presenting pick 1 with his jumper)
• Tylar Young spotted "for the first time" but limited to working on exercise bike
• Ash Johnson on track
• Harry Barnett sporting left leg brace but moved freely
• Flynn on track despite not being required back until Monday

So nothing new or insightful apart from Flynn being there (although we already knew that thanks to Keys) and spotting Young on the exercise bike.

Forgot to mention Ash Johnson. He was out there but I only saw him running the boundary briefly- didn’t do any drills

Watt was out there in all the drills again

 

[KERRPOW]

Forgot to mention Ash Johnson. He was out there but I only saw him running the boundary briefly- didn’t do any drills

Watt was out there in all the drills again

Is that the ex pie ash johnson....or a monkier?

 

[Keys]

Is that the ex pie ash johnson....or a monkier?

Ex pie

Appears he’s signed up to play for the WAFL side but is training with the main group like Ruscoe did a couple of years back

 

[Byron_Clanger]

An account called J Zap photography uploaded like 100 pics from todays session on Facebook

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Daisy's out there as well. Love it.

 

[THE A5]

An account called J Zap photography uploaded like 100 pics from todays session on Facebook

Facebook

www.facebook.com

View attachment 2480580

Daisy's out there as well. Love it.

Man who the **** is that ranga? Been trying to find out since last week.

Has HoneyBadger35 suddebly infiltrated our training and no ones noticed?

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

Man who the **** is that ranga? Been trying to find out since last week.

Can't have been trying too hard, it's on this very page.

 

[LittleFires]

Man who the **** is that ranga? Been trying to find out since last week.

Archie Watt, a recent signing for our WAFL side

 

[DJMac]

Archie Watt, a recent signing for our WAFL side

Hard to identify all of them especially with their tans.

 

[LittleFires]

An account called J Zap photography uploaded like 100 pics from todays session on Facebook

Facebook

www.facebook.com

View attachment 2480580

Daisy's out there as well. Love it.

Great photos, cheers.

Players in these pics that Keys didn't list:

• Brockman
• Hough
• Hall (spotted him in the background of one of the photos on the exercise bike)

Leaves Waterman, Baker, Yeo, H.Reid, Kelly, Duggan, Cripps, Graham, Owies, Cole, B.Williams, Edwards and Starcevich as the likely no-shows today - bar Harley, all 5th+ year players so it's not hugely surprising to see them miss the lighter mid-week session.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Man who the **** is that ranga? Been trying to find out since last week.

Has HoneyBadger35 suddebly infiltrated our training and no ones noticed?

Imagine thinking I wouldn’t be using my secret club access to provide the most detailed training report in the official thread.

 

[Cuzz09]

Im hoping all these talented Talls we're accumulating can get Barnett going somehow

 

[flamingEMBERS]

An account called J Zap photography uploaded like 100 pics from todays session on Facebook

Facebook

www.facebook.com

View attachment 2480580

Daisy's out there as well. Love it.

Long looking in quality nick

 

[Dark Sharks]

Look let's all just be thankful that at this stage Jamieson hasn't yet taken up real estate running laps on the outer oval.

 

[Keys]

Look let's all just be thankful that at this stage Jamieson hasn't yet taken up real estate running laps on the outer oval.

Jamieson Oval is itself in rehab

 

[FKASC]

Archer looks to be filling out decently

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Someone tell me if the Duursma, CDT, and Lindsay show up to training today, I need to melt about their lack of work ethic.

 

[We_The_West]

Archer looks to be filling out decently

Question is has he improved his kicking technique

 

[Farmer Lister]

Next Wednesday's the first open training session I'll be able to attend and it's gonna be a doozy! I'll take a boatload of photos of the new recruits. After knowing next to nothing about Lindsay I just watched his highlights he looks a ripper player. Pumped for '26

 

[FKASC]

Question is has he improved his kicking technique

Won’t matter so much if he’s rucking

 

[matt_bas]

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

Amazing post mate! My biggest take away is Taylor being so hands on. Hopefully his coaching is the key we need to unlock Edwards potential

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

I think Harley's just always destined to have a little bit of a gut

View attachment 2478920

It’s literally the way he stands. You can see the curvature in his lower spine and it’s not just becuase he has a fat a**. He seems to naturally push his hips forward that pushes his belly out.

He’s clearly in better shape than any other time he’s been at the club. You can see it in his face and in his arm definition.