AFL Pre-Season news: Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne, GWS and Gold Coast begin 2024 campaigns
Collingwood hit the track for the first time on Monday – and joining most of the big names were three recently delisted rivals. Is one of them the next Oleg Markov?
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Every club has now officially kicked off their 2024 campaign, with premier Collingwood and fellow finalists hitting the track for the first time on Monday.
Last week’s draftees also made their first appearance at training across the country.
See all the photos and the key takeouts below.
COLLINGWOOD: Premiers hunt latest success story
– Sam Landsberger
Collingwood’s search for the next Oleg Markov started on Monday when three delisted AFL players joined pre-season training in the hope of securing the final places on the club’s 2024 list.
Former Bomber Josh Eyre, former Saint Jack Bytel and former Port Adelaide ruckman Brynn Teakle hit the track alongside Magpies’ VFL skipper and best-and-fairest winner Campbell Hustwaite and VAFA star Sam Sofronidis.
But there was no Will Kelly, the son of chief executive Craig Kelly who was delisted last month.
Last year, the Magpies swooped on speedster Markov as a pre-season signing and watched him quickly grow into an AFL staple who played in the premiership team.
Markov had stints at Richmond and Gold Coast before the lovable halfback became a fan favourite at the Pies last year.
A maximum of six players are allowed to train at an AFL club at one time until the cut off date of February 19.
Eyre, a key defender, was drafted by the Bombers in 2020 but delisted in 2022 without playing a game. He trained at St Kilda last season but after failing to win an AFL lifeline he signed with the VFL Pies and played nine games.
Bytel played 22 games for the Saints but was constantly hampered by injuries. Teakle made six appearances for Power (playing in five wins) but was not seen after round 9 last year.
There was plenty of star power on show at Olympic Park on Monday. Dual premiership hero Scott Pendlebury was spotted on the track for what is his 19th AFL pre-season.
Fellow premiership stars Tom Mitchell, Josh and Nick Daicos were also on track alongside prized recruit Lachie Schultz (Fremantle).
The Magpies had been expected to release a detailed injury report on Monday evening. But that will now be published on Tuesday.
MELBOURNE: Big-name Dees return early but no sign of Clarry
– Josh Barnes
A bunch of senior Melbourne leaders joined their younger teammates for day one of pre-season on Monday but Clayton Oliver was not one of them.
As an experienced player, Oliver is not required back into the club until next week, with the first week of training officially only for first to four year Demons.
But the likes of skipper Max Gawn, Jake Lever, Christian Petracca, Christian Salem and Tom McDonald all jumped in to a heavy session in light rain.
Oliver was put on notice over the off-season, with the Demons declaring the star ball-winner needed to adhere to club standards.
Without Oliver, the Demons still had strong representation on the track on Monday, with Salem and Gawn in particular looking lively.
McDonald spent some time as a key defender in an attacking drill, playing alongside Lever, in a throwback to his earlier days at Melbourne as a full-back.
In those drills, Jacob van Rooyen played out of the goalsquare as a full-forward, while recruit Shane McAdam also played as a deep forward at times.
Melbourne is hopeful McAdam can add some excitement to a forward line that became bogged down during a straight-sets finals wipeout in September.
Bayley Fritsch will be a key man to how the Dees set up and he was on his own program away from the group, working through a specific running routine but appeared to move well.
Draftees Koltyn Tholstrup, Caleb Windsor and Kynan Brown largely watched the session before doing some running together, after a lengthy chat with coaching veteran Mark Williams.
Melbourne is yet to announce 2024 jumper numbers but new faces largely took up empty slots.
Windsor was in the No.6 jumper, Tholstrup was in No.39 and Brown wore No.41, the same jumper his father Nathan wore on debut in 1998.
Returning Dee Marty Hore borrowed Jake Melksham’s No.18, with Hore announced as a summer signing by the club on Monday.
Hore, 27, played 14 games for the Dees in 2019 and was delisted two years later but after strong VFL performances with North Melbourne and Williamstown, he has returned to the Melbourne list as a defensive option for coach Simon Goodwin.
Recruit McAdam wore the No.23 jumper he donned at Adelaide before his trade to Victoria, while former Saint Jack Billings trained in No.14.
CARLTON: Robbie, recruits and Voss’ new buzz phrase
– Scott Gullan
Coaches have plenty of buzz phrases this time of the year when everything is new and fresh again.
The start of pre-season training brings with it an enthusiasm, particularly in the messaging department for both players and fans.
Carlton coach Michael Voss knows he is in a far better spot than 12 months ago but he also knows what expectation and pressure can do to a team who thinks their time has come.
The Blues jumped from ninth to third in 2023, defeating Sydney and Melbourne before going down narrowly to Brisbane in the preliminary final.
“Hope and belief are two different things,” Voss said.
“Coming in hoping that you are going to have a good season is one thing as opposed to having belief.
“Belief is purely built off evidence. We have got more evidence to work with but it doesn’t put us in a better position. We are at the starting posts like everyone else.”
He then delivered another buzz phrase: “We assume nothing and we have got to earn everything.”
Voss said he was “energised” about returning to Ikon Park for the start of pre-season training and pleasantly surprised at the number of senior players he saw running around in the rain.
Only the first to four years players were required to turn up but instead everyone on the list, bar four or five, were present and training.
“The expectation wasn’t for them to start until next week,” Voss said. “It’s been somewhat different probably for our group to watch others start when we’re not.
“To be able to have them back and see them energised and really keen to come back at their own choice is particularly pleasing.
“We can say stay hungry but at the end of the day it’s up to the players to be able to show it and certainly they have shown it in numbers today.”
Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow and captain Patrick Cripps were the noticeable absentees while the likes of Sam Walsh, Harry McKay, Jacob Weitering and veteran Sam Docherty slugged it out in the wintery conditions.
Base camp
Voss said the success of 2023 gave his coaching staff something to work from over the summer months.
“There is a real base to work off,” he said. “There are a lot of things that we take away from last year but probably the most important thing was learning how to win and win consistently
“That is something as a football club we still haven’t got exactly right but the main thing for us before we consider anything else is how do we replicate a really high standard throughout the home and away season.
“We do have a very strong sense about what works (now) and a very strong sense about what doesn’t. We understand that coming into this season there will be some greater expectations placed on what we do but what we have learnt through that period of time is to keep our eyes in front of us and make sure we get the work done.”
New recruits
Former Gold Coast Sun Elijah Hollands will get the opportunity to prove himself after a tumultuous start to his time with Carlton. He was banned earlier this month from the opening two rounds of the 2024 session after appearing in court for cocaine possession.
“The one thing I said, and he was keen to do this, is that he gets a fresh set of eyes,” Voss said.
“He has stated this himself, he just wants to go out there and prove himself through the work he brings.
“He gets that fresh set of eyes, what he does and how he behaves will be how he gets treated here.”
On former Essendon and Port Adelaide forward Orazio Fantasia, who the Blues signed as a delisted free-agent, Voss said he was encouraged to see the injury-prone speedster was ready to go from the opening day of pre-season.
“Clearly we thought we could have an impact in getting him out there,” Voss said.
“His talent speaks for itself, he understands what is ahead of him and he understands that the position he is going for is going to have some genuine competition.”
Ooh la la.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) November 26, 2023
Very important business on day one: getting that sweet, sweet new apparel 😠pic.twitter.com/oe2FXoYOPo
Robbie Williams
Voss was beaming about his new best friend, the British pop star, who he met backstage at his Melbourne concert.
“It was a nice experience, we exchanged some notes and he was pretty inquisitive on a few things,” he said. “It’s nice to know he has been watching us and taking some interest. He asked how we were going to go next year and what we think we need more of.
“He had a couple of thoughts around that so we’ll take that on. We might be able to influence some of that strategy going on, we might add some music to our environment.”
GOLD COAST: Dimma’s big call, Bailey’s breakout?
– Callum Dick
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick delivered a bold statement of intent on his first day at the helm declaring the Suns want to be “the best sporting organisation in Queensland”.
The footballs were flying at Heritage Bank Stadium on Monday as the bulk of the Suns playing group returned for pre-season training eager to make a good first impression on their new coach.
Hardwick said the club was “in a hurry to make progress” after a 13-year finals drought and his players got the memo.
Only the first to fourth-year players were required to report for training on Monday however the majority of the list fronted up for a first look at life under the three-time premiership coach.
Personal bests tumbled in the early morning 2km time trial before the footballs came out as Hardwick wasted little time implementing his system at the Suns.
“It will take some time – it will be a little clunky at the start, but I was really happy with what we saw today,” he said.
“The understanding and execution will come. It always happens when a new system comes in, they probably overthink at the start, but once they start to understand the concepts and how they link together they will become a lot more fluent as the season goes on.
“(Former coach) Stuart Dew and his team did a terrific job with the contest and defensive elements of the game plan,” Hardwick added.
“Probably offensively we can work on some things that we can do a little bit better. But primarily I reckon most of the things … are already in place. I’m really looking forward to what we can achieve this year.”
Bailey’s breakout?
Bailey Humphrey says a look in the mirror and some hard-hitting home truths were the catalysts for a gruelling off-season regime that saw him return in peak physical condition for Gold Coast’s first day of pre-season on Monday.
The second-year Sun ran a 20-second personal best in the daunting day one 2km time trial to send an early message to new coach Damien Hardwick that he wants more midfield minutes next year.
The 2022 No.6 draft selection made 19 appearances in his maiden AFL season, playing every game after his debut in Round 4.
Humphrey played predominantly as a forward but was given spells in midfield – a rare treat for a first-year player, particularly in a side as stacked with on-ball talent as the Suns.
Over a four-game stretch from Round 6-9 he averaged 20.5 disposals and a goal. So impressive was his early form that the Suns handed him a four-year contract extension in June.
After tasting life as a midfielder, Humphrey decided he wanted more. It drove him to sit down with high performance coach Alex Rigby at the end of the season for a frank discussion.
“My main focus going into the off-season was my running, that’s probably the main thing I’ve copped all my footy career is I haven’t been a good enough runner,” Humphrey said.
“It wasn’t a message from Dimma it was more me and Riggers – we just wanted to get my running up to scratch.
“I was getting a little bit tired towards the end of the year and that’s why my footy wasn’t up to standard … but yeah, I think it was just off my own bat, I just wanted to get fitter so I could run out games and play more midfield as well.
“I see myself more as a midfielder than a forward – if I can get my running to a better standard then there’s more chance of playing more midfield minutes.”
GWS: ‘It’s going to be scary’: Giants ready for big 2024
– Lachlan McKirdy
Former No.1 Draft pick Aaron Cadman believes he can be the difference in 2024 as the ‘scary’ Giants attempt to go one better than their preliminary final loss this season.
Cadman played 12 games across the year, kicking just the six goals, but feels he is in a strong position to build on what he saw as a successful first season in the AFL.
“All the boys embraced me as well during the year,” Cadman said. “There were a few comments and a few things in the media when I wasn’t up to scratch.
“But I got 12 games under my belt as a first-year key forward, can’t say too many others have done that.
“I’m very happy where I am, and I think I’ll give myself the best chance I can to explode this year.”
The agonising one-point defeat to Collingwood in the penultimate weekend of the season is set to motivate the entire Giants group. But for Cadman, watching on from the sidelines particularly stung as he wasn’t able to impact the result.
It’s a feeling he has bottled up and intends to use for not just this season but for the rest of his career.
“I never want to miss a finals series again,” Cadman said.
“It hurts to watch the team go down like that, but hopefully if I can be a part of it next year it will be a different story.
“We had a slow start to last year, learning game plans and that sort of stuff. But everything has clicked now, so it’s going to be scary I reckon.
“Hopefully we can make our way up on the ladder, get the confidence at the start of the season and make a charge through finals.”
DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME
Leek Aleer and Braydon Preuss both didn’t feature for the Giants in 2023 but look set to play an important role next season.
Aleer was a first-round pick in the 2021 Draft and athletically looks the best he has ever been. He was one of a number of players being put through his paces early as he hopes to put an injury-interrupted year behind him.
Preuss is another who has been working tirelessly to get back on the field. He has been at Giants’ HQ most days at the gym and looked very mobile during their first training session. The 28-year-old ruckman will be competing early on with the likes of Lachie Keeffe to secure that spot in the 22 as Kieren Briggs’ backup.
Originally published as AFL Pre-Season news: Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne, GWS and Gold Coast begin 2024 campaigns
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