Training Training updates 2026.

[Dtennent94]

Do you think this was only about his endurance or that Fly tended to go with the older core like Sidebottom, Pendlebury etc getting some extra time than Long because he trusts the tried and true? I havent read anything from training reports that says Long is struggling with endurance. Long played a very good final against the Crows so maybe the coach will trust him more now.

Yeah, I agree. My first insinuation was exactly that.

 

[cityslick1]

Not just hearsay but his ex's hearsay. Normally of course you can rely on someone who's been dumped to say the nicest things about their ex.

Nothing to do with his ex. Directly from the club

 

[No SPIN]

I was having a bit of fun rather than having a shot at No Spin. It just reminded me of school reports where you say the kids got talent but doesn't work harder enough to show the results of it, while at the same time you are wondering whether the ability to succeed is really there in the first place. Which is pretty much where we are at with Allen.

No offense taken mate -all good

 

[ANewDawn]

No offense taken mate -all good

No offence intended!

 

[JuniorB]

Biggest difference is that Shaw follows the path almost all the good players do of playing early and often while HDM is not.

There were criticisms of Shaw early but he was playing seniors. He arrived at Collingwood as 17 yo and debuted as a young 18yo playing 5 games at the end of 1978 including 2 finals. 15 games the next year and 18 in his 3rd season including the Grand Final. He turned 20 late in July that year. (HDM was 20 in Sept 25 for comparison, his 2nd season)

Basically at the age HDM is now Shawry had played 38 senior games including 6 finals and a GF. He would go onto play 20+ plus games a year for the next 6 seasons.

Shaw may have struggled a little with senior footy early but he was a senior player early and played little 2nds footy after his 1st season. HDM is a mile off that.

They did start younger in those days, though.
Rene Kink was 16.

 

[manicmagpie]

Nothing to do with his ex. Directly from the club

Port is the ex in this scenario.

 

[Jen2310]

Training - Wed Feb 11th.

No Swadling.
Nick or Cameron (SOO)

Rehab:

Moore
Mcstay, but he was doing a fair bit of drills.
Howes
Buller

*Reef was in and out, but he did most of things also as he keeps building toward full fitness.

A few of the boys started some running in the rehab group such as Crisp, Josh, Houston, but they joined the drills soon later.

Howes, not sure what has happened to him. He started to come out, but then he went back inside. Later saw him on the bike near the entrance to the glasshouse.

Buller was doing some running, didn't seem too hampered. Then he did the kick in duties to 1v1 drills between Mcstay and Reef.

Moore completed some running and a couple drills, which is progress to what he normally had been doing. In other news, Peter Moore made an appearance and interacted with some of the players.

Solid session as they worked with skills, handballing drills in pressure situations, ball movement drills and a mini match sim for about 10 minutes before they finished up.

Saxena was one of the final players left on the track as he practiced his goal kicking for 5-10 minutes after most of them had already gone inside. As they say, practice makes perfect, and apart from one that hit the post, he rarely missed - whether that was from out front or from the pocket.

West had a solid session as he took some nice marks on the lead and performed strongly in the 1v1 fight drills they did amongst their line groups.

Harrison supporting a taped up elbow, but trained strongly as he aims for a round zero spot.

Mccarthy did pretty well in the marking drills against some of the other forwards, reading the ball well and using his leap and athleticsm.

 

[cfc19902010]

I’d be surprised if it’s a focus area. Feeding the ball to the likes of Naicos, Jaicos, Steele and Crisp seems his go and the work to take a poor kick to an average kick at the top level is monumental.

His biggest issue to work through IMV is taking his ball winning game from average to above average whilst sticking to structure. For a guy to be first choice midfield and averaging 3.5 clearances and 8 contested possessions isn’t cutting it against the likes of Newcombe, Neale, Danger, Serong, Rowell etc. if he’s not a first choice mid what is he?

Adding an aerial presence seems a cherry on top to me, but it’s a significantly greater need than improving his ball use.

Players that use the ball well and make good decisions in the engine room are the money men
Making quick, accurate decisions and disposal under intense pressure is crucial to maintaining possession and thus not giving the ball back to the opposition

 

[Scodog10]

Players that use the ball well and make good decisions in the engine room are the money men
Making quick, accurate decisions and disposal under intense pressure is crucial to maintaining possession and thus not giving the ball back to the opposition

I agree hence why I named the 4 I did who unlike Long are the money men (along with Pendles up to end of 25 it seems and JDG) because they’re the guys you want ball in hand in motion. Long feeding them more often with increased contest numbers will provide bigger bang for buck than working on being better at their job.

 

[Gone Critical]

Completely different era's though doc. There's no way Tony would have played 200 games in today's footy. HDM would probably have been a gun back then. Harry's VFL form would have stood up back then. Ray was a much better player and he chose to leave to play VFA, just to put it into context. Neville was the most talented of all 3 but he was a loose cannon.

Not really my point. Whatever the requirement of the era the good players will establish a place in the seniors. Shaw at his time had what was needed so played senior footy as a young 18yo. For comparison Shaw was playing in finals matches for Collingwood at the equivalent year that HDM was playing TAC cup.

Small mediums who don't play at all in their 1st 2 seasons have very little history of going on to have a good career. In any era.

 

[Swooop]

Could anyone confirm the start time for Friday’s training session / Open Day?
Thanks

 

[Gone Critical]

They did start younger in those days, though.
Rene Kink was 16.

Only good ones started younger as a rule. If you were John Greening you played at 17 and were established from the get go. Likewise Nick D could have easily played seniors in his TAC cup year of allowed. But it wasnt as if everyone was debuting at 17. It was a marker at that time of the supertalents.

 

[JuniorB]

Only good ones started younger as a rule. If you were John Greening you played at 17 and were established from the get go. Likewise Nick D could have easily played seniors in his TAC cup year of allowed. But it wasnt as if everyone was debuting at 17. It was a marker at that time of the supertalents.

I agree with you, but the point I was trying to make was more about having played a certain number of games by a certain age.
Now players aren't drafted until they are 18, or thereabouts, so we can only really compare by a player's time in the system.
As others have commented, the desirable physical attributes are different now, so we can't compare like for like.
That said, exceptional talents like Nick are ready to go from day 1.

 

[Jen2310]

Could anyone confirm the start time for Friday’s training session / Open Day?
Thanks

4pm

 

[Gone Critical]

I agree with you, but the point I was trying to make was more about having played a certain number of games by a certain age.
Now players aren't drafted until they are 18, or thereabouts, so we can only really compare by a player's time in the system.
As others have commented, the desirable physical attributes are different now, so we can't compare like for like.
That said, exceptional talents like Nick are ready to go from day 1.

Agreed and only commented on Shaw when the comparison had been bought up previously.

Best comparison is like for like in the current system. I have looked at that pretty closely over recent years and I can't find any small medium, who isn't injury effected, who doesn't play seniors in his 1st 2 seasons, who then goes on to be a good or better AFL player.

In short the concept of small mediums needing time and a number of seasons to get picked in the seniors team is largely a furphy

 

[Swooop]

4pm

Thanks Jen.

Lots to look forward to lots, esp new modification of game style which looks really positive and exciting to watch.

But also the gap or lack thereof, between the latest batch of recruits ie Prindable, Swadling, Anderson, McCarthy and Saxena and the likes of Allan, HDM, Cochran and Hayes, also HH - and how they’re all individually progressing.

Ruck options with DC resting for the State game will also be really interesting to see what’s our plan B and plan C.

No injuries please!!

 

[manicpie]

Agreed and only commented on Shaw when the comparison had been bought up previously.

Best comparison is like for like in the current system. I have looked at that pretty closely over recent years and I can't find any small medium, who isn't injury effected, who doesn't play seniors in his 1st 2 seasons, who then goes on to be a good or better AFL player.

In short the concept of small mediums needing time and a number of seasons to get picked in the seniors team is largely a furphy

I don't understand why we would extend Harry's contract for 2 years if they don't think he's going to make it. We had the likes of Titch, WHE, Sidey, Pendles and crisp ahead of him, and we've been all in for a flag the last 2 years. Add Nick and Long and you start to see why there's no need to rush him.

 

[WanderingDude]

I don't understand why we would extend Harry's contract for 2 years if they don't think he's going to make it. We had the likes of Titch, WHE, Sidey, Pendles and crisp ahead of him, and we've been all in for a flag the last 2 years. Add Nick and Long and you start to see why there's no need to rush him.

The rush might be rust, corrosion or old age.


I’m impatient.

 

[Ctracks]

Were there new/unfamiliar faces training with the AFL guys yesterday?
Didn't notice De Bolfo.
Who is #36 in black top (skinny match sim)

 

[Jen2310]

Were there new/unfamiliar faces training with the AFL guys yesterday?
Didn't notice De Bolfo.
Who is #36 in black top (skinny match sim)

Believe that was Parker

 

[sr36]

I agree hence why I named the 4 I did who unlike Long are the money men (along with Pendles up to end of 25 it seems and JDG) because they’re the guys you want ball in hand in motion. Long feeding them more often with increased contest numbers will provide bigger bang for buck than working on being better at their job.

I'm hoping Long devleops his defensive game. That's the more realistic way he can become a top-liner. To me guys like Dunkley and late career Cotchin are the blokes who enable the headliners to really attack and shine without the team getting hurt in the opposite direction. Stars around stoppage - without the big numbers around stoppage.

 

[Gone Critical]

I don't understand why we would extend Harry's contract for 2 years if they don't think he's going to make it. We had the likes of Titch, WHE, Sidey, Pendles and crisp ahead of him, and we've been all in for a flag the last 2 years. Add Nick and Long and you start to see why there's no need to rush him.

I think its been a bit of a trend at the club. I suspect it relates to the age of the list and the lack of good youth. We have tied up average young players for longer than has been done in the past.

Ed Allen was contracted for 2 extra years in Feb 23 during his ist pre season.

Jacob Ryan was given 2 extra years in July 23 during his 1st season

Harry DeMattia was given 2 extra years in Dec 24 at the end of his 1st season.

At this point IMHO Allan is a some chance of being a 100 game player while the other 2 are very unlikely to add much to their current games tally. These 3 are entering their 4th season/3rd seasons respectively and only Allan is even in consideration for a round 1 spot. Thats not a good pedigree.

 

[Mick F]

I think its been a bit of a trend at the club. I suspect it relates to the age of the list and the lack of good youth. We have tied up average young players for longer than has been done in the past.

Ed Allen was contracted for 2 extra years in Feb 23 during his ist pre season.

Jacob Ryan was given 2 extra years in July 23 during his 1st season

Harry DeMattia was given 2 extra years in Dec 24 at the end of his 1st season.

At this point IMHO Allan is a some chance of being a 100 game player while the other 2 are very unlikely to add much to their current games tally. These 3 are entering their 4th season/3rd seasons respectively and only Allan is even in consideration for a round 1 spot. Thats not a good pedigree.

We haven’t had many top five picks, to draft elite talent. The FD are doing their best, as are the young blokes on our list.

 

[Chronz]

Any details released about the GWS practice match on Feb 20th? Will it be free entry or ticketed? Thanks!

 

[Jen2310]

Any details released about the GWS practice match on Feb 20th? Will it be free entry or ticketed? Thanks!

Would be pretty hard to ticket tbh. Its just a match sim, I would imagine just free to enter.