Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

[The Dark]

If he turns into a good/consistent player, then I see that as a win/win for both clubs.

In saying that - where George gets to will have a larger say in that argument.

George can be every bit as good and damaging as Jason, and I reckon more consistent, so that's a win in itself.

 

[roos_tt29]

Captain: Sheezel
Vice Captain: Larkey
Leadership Group: Simpkin, Parker, Xerri, Scott

This feels like it'll be 2026 potentially...

Gut feel is it'll be something like:

Captain: Jy
Vice: Larkey, X, Parker (one of)
LG: Larkey, X, Parker, LDU, Scott, Corr

To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing Larkey get a shot at the big C this year either.

 

[roos_tt29]

George can be every bit as good and damaging as Jason, and I reckon more consistent, so that's a win in itself.

That's what we're hoping for!

 

[roos_fanatic08]

He’s a paradox.

At training, he looks like an incredible mover.

During VFL games, he looked like a EDFL thirds ruckman who’d already played a game beforehand.

I mentioned at the end of last year that Goad was getting battered during the week training against X & Free and was often doing extra running/weights during the week too. He was often going into games with general soreness and because of that he was having his game time managed heavily. In a few VFL games last year he had less than 50% game time.

Seems like all that conditioning is already starting to pay dividends though.

 

[Shinboner1]

He's already starting to fill out, coming on quicker than I thought physically, and he will be an absolute meataxe at 23, let alone 28.

Him and Wardlaw for JHF, still a fair way to go on the deal but it is shaping OK so far.

bit like riley thilthorpe but just better

 

[Shinboner1]

This feels like it'll be 2026 potentially...

Gut feel is it'll be something like:

Captain: Jy
Vice: Larkey, X, Parker (one of)
LG: Larkey, X, Parker, LDU, Scott, Corr

To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing Larkey get a shot at the big C this year either.

They'd have to put harry as either VC or leadership group.
Doubt they'd promote straight to captain.

 

[The Dark]

bit like riley thilthorpe but just better

I reckon he ends up playing like Bliczavs (sp?)

 

[Shermanator]

Im not the only one. You think North melbourne FC extends to Big Footy people only? Theres thousands of us.

Wait.. because Luke McDonaldTump is potentially in our leadership team again, THOUSANDS of potential members will sit this one out?..

 

[Loose_Cannon]

To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing Larkey get a shot at the big C this year either.

I'll pay for a second membership if Larkey is the captain and does Damo impersonation every media conference.

 

[Gasometer]

Burn your membership but also burn your credit card because you will be signed up in 2026 on the Grim Reaper known as …


Auto renew …

 

[Amicalola]

This is my first summer living away from Melbourne. I'm missing being able to go check out training more than I expected. I need my footy fix so badly! Thanks to everyone who posts reports, they are appreciated.

 

[Gasometer]

If Jy is stand alone, I will re-sign. If Happy Meal is anywhere near it, I ai t signing up and I aint going to a game. We arent serious, I aint wasting my time or money.

…so thats it for Big Footy then?

 

[Gasometer]

This is my first summer living away from Melbourne. I'm missing being able to go check out training more than I expected. I need my footy fix so badly! Thanks to everyone who posts reports, they are appreciated.

Craigieburn?

 

[DuckYeah]

…so thats it for Big Footy then?

I’ll watch games and whinge on here as usual.

 

[Disco Dew]

I’ll watch games and whinge on here as usual.

 

[shinboner magic]

I’d rather pay for your membership DuckYeah as long as you stop your sad ass posting on yeah

 

[DuckYeah]

I’d rather pay for your membership DuckYeah as long as you stop your sad ass posting on yeah

Nah, I can buy my own. Club doesn’t deserve members if Happy Meal is a captain.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

Yeh last season mabye, but don't write someone off without giving them a chance this season.

He's come on in leaps and bounds this off season going by training reports. That's all you can ask of him at this stage.

Yeah it's almost as if we have to allow these big young men time to develop for some unforeseen reason.

 

[The Dingrel]

Doesn't help when you are played as a full back for a portion of the season.

Unfortunately he was an example last year of where VFL reserves would have been useful.

AFL teams should be able to drop 1 or 2 kids back to the Coates Talent League also imo. Particularly if they swap that selection by bringing a kid up to VFL level from the CTL.

It would be good for the strength of the comp imo.


I said repeatedly, don't judge ruckman like this inside of the first 2-3 years.

McIntosh genuinely couldn't run a lap and get a kick in Port Melbournes reserves in his first season.

Xerri looked undersized and decidedly run of the mill vanilla in year 1. I'd have given him 4 years in the comp if I was generous.


Goad is going to learn off one of the hardest trainers and one of the most physically toughest players in the position in the league.

He will know how to use his body in 2-3 seasons, particularly when he has weight and muscle to actually use. Just like Xerri learned it off Goldstein.


I think we will see him as a recond ruck option from 2026 onwards. If anything else, we know we have a genuine backup option from that point onwards, maybe even middle of this year with any luck.

What would be bone headedly idiotic would be to play CCJ or Teakle as the main ruck at VFL level and shoehorn Goad elsehwere because he's athletic.

Given his athleticism but still undersized for a ruckman, would it be out of the question to give him some VFL time on the wing as a secondary position for his development? Get him involved in play and experience taking marks around the ground (which the best ruckman do).....marking target for kick ins, and outside run into space, looking to link up by hand,,,,,,while looking after his body keeping away from key position contested battering.

 

[gustaaf]

If required, do you think he could play soon as a forward/2nd ruck?

Being so quick off the mark and tall, he’d be very hard to stop/almost impossible if the ball was put out in front of him.

I like this. I always thought that, purely based on his very good draft combine testing results and height, Goad could initially ease his way into the VFL and later the AFL as a forward/2nd ruck before making the transition to full time ruck, which is a tough caper. Admittedly I've never seen him play, not even in videos.

Being a good athlete is increasingly more important across many sports and he clearly is a good athlete. He would obviously have to work on improving his skills to AFL standard given that as a former basketballer he has a very limited football background. He was always a project draftee, so he doesn't need to be rushed. Providing X stays healthy we're good in that department.

 

[The Dingrel]

George can be every bit as good and damaging as Jason, and I reckon more consistent, so that's a win in itself.

Even better if both George Wardlaw and Brayden George can.

 

[Event Horizon]

It's been well documented that we've had one of the largest rehab groups in the league for most of this preseason, which has now started to slowly decrease. On the one hand, it's common sense to manage the load for blokes who came off injuries late last season (Comben, Sheezel et al) but on the other hand, when the total number of blokes in that position reaches a critical point, it would likely affect the list readiness for the start of the season, early rounds especially.

The question to regular track watchers - is this likely to be an issue for us, or have the blokes on managed loads done enough overall to be ready to go when it matters?

 

[DarkPhoenix]

This feels like it'll be 2026 potentially...

Gut feel is it'll be something like:

Captain: Jy
Vice: Larkey, X, Parker (one of)
LG: Larkey, X, Parker, LDU, Scott, Corr

To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing Larkey get a shot at the big C this year either.

Whose dog did Sheezel shit on to get dropped after one year?

 

[roos_tt29]

Whose dog did Sheezel shit on to get dropped after one year?

Apologies - forgot his name in the leadership group.
I mean who knows - could be a VC candidate too!

He'll definitely be up there in 26, but could see his name again in 25 for sure.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

If he's that quick, maybe we play him as a small forward.