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

 

[Dark Sharks]

Won’t matter so much if he’s rucking

You honestly think a third year raw KPP that's just turned 20 is going to be rucking majority of games?

Be lucky to end up playing 50% as a ruckman this year IMO.

As much as we all want that percentage to be a lot higher, he's either gonna be sitting on the bench a lot, or once again playing as a FWD and taking set shots again in 2026.

 

[suntagonal]

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

Played his best game in a GF then gets delisted. I always thought that was harsh.

 

[FKASC]

You honestly think a third year raw KPP that's just turned 20 is going to be rucking majority of games?

Be lucky to end up playing 50% as a ruckman this year IMO.

As much as we all want that percentage to be a lot higher, he's either gonna be sitting on the bench a lot, or once again playing as a FWD and taking set shots again in 2026.

Are people seriously writing off Archer already

 

[Dark Sharks]

*

 

[matt_bas]

Anyone at training? Is Dursma TTHD?

 

[Bender_]

Anyone at training? Is Dursma TTHD?

I heard he's already learnt Harley's lazy training standards and left the track 10 minutes early.

 

[KERRPOW]

Anyone at training? Is Dursma TTHD?

couldnt tell, the green barrier was back up.

 

[Seadog]

Duursma and Harley on their way to training.

 

[DorothyG]

Duursma and Harley on their way to training.

Look at that gut on Dursma!! Appalling attitude to training standards. Kid needs a rock and fast!

 

[jdisc]

I'm hearing rumours that Duursma hasn't done his hamstring

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Duursma and Harley on their way to training.

Lol Harley posted that gif under Duursma's post yesterday. I think he's just happy to finally have some young high value talent around him. And I'm pretty sure Duursma said on Triple M yesterday that he's gonna be living with Harley for now until perhaps the Christmas break.

 

[WCEswift]

pretty big pipes

 

[Cuzz09]

Gonna need updates all summer as the cricket is going to do my head in.

can't even hold a bat properly these guys

 

[InTheWings]

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

Or... you could reword this as players who have voluntarily turned up to training when they didn't have to:

4 Sessions:
Yeo
Owies
Bailey Williams
Edwards
Cripps

2 Sessions:
Baker

1 Session:
Young
Brockman
Graham
Cole

Has Duggan also been at training?

 

[Jumpoff Joey]

Query, when do the boys train?

Being the cluster**** of Lathlain, do open sessions get ridiculously busy for shit parking?

It would be nice to have a coffee, Laika, and have a look at how Duursma/Reid/Hewett/CDT go about it.

 

[bzparkes]

Query, when do the boys train?

Being the cluster**** of Lathlain, do open sessions get ridiculously busy for shit parking?

It would be nice to have a coffee, Laika, and have a look at how Duursma/Reid/Hewett/CDT go about it.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with Wednesday being the open session, although some posters have said you can grab a coffee from the cafe and sit on the balcony to watch.

 

[Keys]

You can normally get parking next to the ground or at least within a short walk when it’s gets a bit busier during school holidays.

 

[DorothyG]

Gee my guy,

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

Bit rough of Strasavich.

Guy literally was playing and training 5 weeks deeper into the season than anyone else on our list, and add to that, packing his whole life up and moving across the country

 

[Keys]

Gee my guy,


Bit rough of Strasavich.

Guy literally was playing and training 5 weeks deeper into the season than anyone else on our list, and add to that, packing his whole life up and moving across the country

My understanding is he wouldn’t be required to return until at least a week, maybe two, after the rest of the team because he played in the GF

Robertson might also have the same conditions since he was a Brisbane listed player, but suspect he’ll be there at the first possible opportunity - similar with Macrae and Schoenberg

 

[WCE_4_EVER]

Boys Iam deadass
I saw Ryan Maric and Harry ****ing Barnett at the cricket

Harry’s now in a knee brace and limping around Optus.
How’s this bloke still on our list

 

[kane249]

Boys Iam deadass
I saw Ryan Maric and Harry ****ing Barnett at the cricket

Harry’s now in a knee brace and limping around Optus.
How’s this bloke still on our list

Tall, has a contract

The only 2 reasons

 

[bzparkes]

Boys Iam deadass
I saw Ryan Maric and Harry ****ing Barnett at the cricket

Harry’s now in a knee brace and limping around Optus.
How’s this bloke still on our list

He's been on a knee brace since he got back. It's in the training reports.

 

[Farmer Lister]

Hey guys does anyone know if the draftees have their new numbers yet, and what they are?

Heading to open training on Wednesday and it'd be way easier to spot who's who if I had their numbers.

Although last year it seemed like a lot of the numbers were mixed up sometimes even with the established players so who knows!

 

[Fatty rules]

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

Umps didn't pay the free kick to Sampi, like the rules of the game don't apply at all towards the end of a GF.

 

[Fatty rules]

Question is has he improved his kicking technique

Needs to be taken aside and made to kick 1000+ kicks with his left hand tied behind his back. Get the right-hand ball drop into some sort of order then work on using the left for balance, how it should be. His field kicking is ok but when he shoots for goal, it's a two-handed 'hope this goes ok' drop, doesn't guide the ball down to his foot. People should learn that in juniors...