AFL pre-season watch: See who is firing on the track at your club
The Hawks hit the track for a gruelling session at Waverley, a young Bulldogs star’s pre-season hits a speed bump and all the latest news from around the competiton as pre-season kicks into gear.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Not for the first time, Fergus Greene turned red in the face.
Nearly four weeks ago it was when Mitchell Lewis and James Sicily pranked Greene, who thought he had been called into Hawthorn for a video tribute to departing Box Hill general manager Dan Napoli.
Instead Lewis and Sicily presented the VFL goalkicker with a Hawks guernsey, offering him an AFL contract as a delisted free agent. Greene was shocked and overjoyed.
On Saturday his hue was brightened after sweating through four 1km time trials and fartlek training at Hawthorn’s running session.
Greene, 24, slotted 83 goals in 26 Box Hill games and there was a feeling at Hawthorn last season that he would’ve played if he was on the list.
With Jack Gunston gone there is a position vacant, although new forwards coach Chris Newman said Greene — a former Western Bulldog — had the flexibility to play multiple roles.
“He knows where the goals are and I've really been impressed by his ability to run and create in that front half,” Newman said.
“He's got the capacity running-wise to get up high and rip back, but he’s also got that goalsense,” Newman said.
“He knows our system (having played for Box Hill). He knows how we want to play, so there’s no lag with educating and upskilling with what we want.”
THE TIME TRIALS
Saturday’s time trials started when cult hero Changkuoth Jiath stepped on to the track carrying a boombox under his arm at 7.25am. Who won?
“I don't actually know, because it was a cumulative time,” Newman said.
“But in group one Connor MacDonald looked pretty good, so he’s had a reasonable start to his summer, and then Greene.
“There was some reasonable times, but there's a lot of upside in the group. They’re just feeling out what they can and can’t do, but we encourage them to leave it all out there. It felt like it was a reasonable session.”
MacDonald played 20 games last year and now looks ready to push for a place in a regenerating midfield.
Newman said James Worpel and Jai Newcombe drove high standards as well as driving the ball from the inside to the outside.
Worpel won the best-and-fairest in 2019 — the year departed Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell missed with a broken leg.
Hawthorn looked relatively healthy, with Lachlan Bramble (back stress fracture) and Seamus Mitchell (ankle) appearing to be the only hobbled Hawks.
NEW FACES
Cooper Stephens, nicknamed ‘Sugar’, has impressed with his ears since arriving from Geelong.
“He seems like a really good kid, willing to learn, open to ideas and a really good listener so he'll retain information,” Newman said.
High performance boss Peter Burge has returned to Hawthorn, where he worked from 2005-11, after a decade at Richmond helping the Tigers win three premierships.
Burge was in control on Saturday as the running session took on a slightly different look to other clubs.
“(Burge) brought some some fresh ideas and some different things for the players and coaches,” Newman said.
“We spent a lot of time in the off-season mapping out exactly we‘re after this this pre-season.”
New backline coach Kade Simpson still looks in supreme shape physically, seamlessly partaking in training drills, while ex-Crow David Mackay was also out there on Saturday as a new development coach.
Zane Littlejohn will hold dual roles as new Box Hill coach and Hawthorn development coach in 2023, with the club reverting to the model used when Sam Mitchell coached the VFL Hawks.
WHICH SENIOR PLAYERS ARRIVED EARLY?
Irishman Connor Nash returned from overseas last week and was straight into the club.
The likes of recruit Lloyd Meek (Fremantle), Chad Wingard, Jarman Impey, Dylan Moore, Jack Scrimshaw and Sam Frost were also spotted ahead of schedule last week.
They are not officially due back at the club yet. There was one surprise omission: Max Lynch’s mullet, with the ruckman finding a razor during the break.
ONE TO WATCH
Newman — now in charge of the forwards — said one teenager had caught his eye.
“Jai Serong is one that‘s really impressed,” he said.
“He had his opportunity late last year and we feel like he's got a lot of growth in him.
“His ability to compete in the air, but also his capacity to get up and down the ground and use the footy well is something that could potentially be untapped.
“He‘s presented himself really well, he ran well today and trained really well throughout the week.”
Serong, 19, made his debut in Round 21 and is the younger brother of Fremantle Rising Star winner Caleb.
Newman said his defensive mindset had evolved as he prepared to switch lines from backs to forwards.
“I've got to spend this next couple of weeks trying to form connections with some of those guys in the front half,” Newman said.
“Try and work out how they retain information, what's the best way for them to learn and how do we have a bit of fun doing it?”
“And then just drip feed some of the things that we want and expect from a standards perspective.”
It's a young attack balanced by stars Luke Breust, the club’s only 30-year-old, and Chad Wingard.
LIST MOVES
Expect the Hawks to add four or five players at next week's draft and keep one list spot open for pre-season or next year’s mid-season draft, where they look particularly closely at Box Hill.
Rivals on Saturday expected — in order — Matthew Phillipou, Reuben Ginbey and Jhye Clark - to be their targets at pick No.6.
With only one selection in the first 23 in the heart of a lengthy rebuild, the Hawks are also likely to consider live trading to bring in more young talent.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THE OTHER PRE-SEASON TRAINING NEWS
WHY DARCY HYPE TRAIN HAS BEEN GROUNDED
Scott Gullan, Sam Landsberger, Chris Cavanagh, Rebecca Williams
The Sam Darcy hype train has been grounded momentarily by an ingrown hair.
After creating plenty of excitement with his four appearances last year the Western Bulldogs young gun was only an observer at Skinner Reserve for the return of pre-season training thanks to an inflamed knee.
The minor setback, which was created by an infection courtesy of an ingrown hair, will only have him off the track for a week or so.
There were no such problems for the Dogs’ other much-hyped forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan who was a clear standout throughout the 90-minute session.
The former No.1 draft pick looked in the shape of his life and was moving impressively having trained hard in the off-season in Darwin and Western Australia.
Ugle-Hagan was up the front of the running groups on Friday and there is much expectation in the Dogs camp about a breakout season given he’s now physically ready coming into his third year.
As is the way these days, he was sporting some new ink with a prominent tattoo appearing on his forearm which was, dare we say, Buddy Franklin-like.
POOR RORY
A wet and windy 10-degree day on a training ground in the backblocks of Braybrook in Melbourne’s western suburbs probably wasn’t what Rory Lobb was picturing when he signed on with his new club.
But that was what greeted the former Fremantle big man when he reported for work on Monday, training with the Dogs first to four-year players.
At least the sun poked through for Friday’s session as Lobb got to know his new teammates with around 25 players taking part in the session.
Other senior players to clock in early included veteran Tom Liberatore (who we think had a couple of small additions to his tattoo work), Tim O’Brien, Bailey Dale and Mitch Hannan.
Liam Jones was also there enjoying his second stint as a Bulldog.
CLEANED UP
LUKE Beveridge was in good spirits with the Dogs coach going for a streamlined, clean shaven look for the start of pre-season.
The handlebar moustache which has been on display in recent times was gone with Beveridge looking in mint physical condition.
New senior assistant coach Brendon Lade was familiarising himself with his new digs where he will be in charge of the midfield along with fellow assistant Mark Webb.
Lade, a former Port Adelaide premiership ruckman, spoke earlier in the week about how he was looking forward to working with the ruck combination of Tim English and Lobb.
“He’s (English) getting closer and closer (to being one of the best rucks),” Lade, who arrived from St Kilda after four seasons under Brett Ratten, said.
“He’s a really good size, can cover the ground really well and is improving his ruck craft each year.
“He’ll hopefully add a few little things to his game that will make him more consistent and more competitive – hopefully we can get a great result out of him.
“I think Rory will play a forward-ruck role – he does that as good as probably anyone in the league.
“With his size and mobility, plus his ability to mark the ball in the forward-line and compete in the ruck – he’s an exciting prospect.
“We’ve got a fair few talls now – Jamarra, (Aaron) Naughton, Sam Darcy – so we’ve got some really good young talls with a couple who can probably play both ends of the ground so that’s exciting for us.”
INSIDE THE TIGERS’ FIRST PRE-SEASON SESSION
What does a full day of November training look like for Richmond’s youngsters?
On Thursday it started with a 90-minute training run at Punt Rd, beginning at about 10am.
“We had our main session with a bit of skills and conditioning,” boom youngster Noah Cumberland told the Herald Sun after they had clocked off at 3pm.
“After that we move into the club and have a bit of lunch and hit the showers and the ice baths. Then, after lunch, we move into a thing called fundamentals, which is a bit more craft and the basics – kicking and the technique side of things.
“We’ve got a new strengthening coach named Marcus (Krygger), which is always good to have a fresh face. He’s taking us through our strength program.”
Krygger has crossed from St Kilda to help tone the Tigers. So, who is pumping the biggest weights in the gym?
“Definitely not me, I did my AC joint so I’m sort of in rehab trying to get a little bit stronger,” Cumberland said.
“But you've got your likes of Jack Ross, who is always putting in the hard yards and getting everything out of it.
“Rhyan Mansell’s looking really good. All the young boys are stepping out and getting a lot stronger now and putting in a lot more work in the gym.”
THE TIME-TRIAL
Pre-season officially kicked off with a stopwatch on Monday. The 2km dash was a tough task.
“It was hard work, don’t get me wrong,” Cumberland, 21, said.
“It’s always hard and it’s always nerve-racking. I think a lot of the boys get more nervous for a time-trial than they do for their own game.
“I can second that as well, because I was absolutely s****ing myself. But we all ran well. Hugo Ralphsmith, Jack Ross and (Josh) Gibcus were all up there.”
Those four are arguably the early summer standouts, with fitness staff thrilled at the condition Cumberland, Gibcus, Ross and Ralphsmith returned in.
The word from the west is Marlion Pickett, who is training over in Perth on his break, is also in super nick.
Cumberland – in his third AFL pre-season – now knows this is the time to set up a super season.
“If you put in the hard yards early it makes everything a little bit easier,” he said.
“That’s what I’ve learnt, and that’s what I’ve done this year.
As for who won the time-trial? Ralphsmith, of course.
“He’s a natural athletic human being,” Cumberland said.
“He’s a really good runner, but he puts in the work as well.”
THE RECRUITS
Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper – each signed for the next seven seasons – have made a headstart to their Tiger contracts by joining the kids on the track.
It’s been welcomed.
“They've come down a few weeks early to show their faces and get around the young boys,” Cumberland said.
“You've got Taranto’s skills and his class and then you’ve got Hopper’s strength. They’re very competitive boys, which is something that we (base) our game on.
“They’ve got class. I’ve seen them train these last few days and their skills are another thing, but they’re even better blokes, so it’s good to have them on board.”
Ralphsmith described them as “two of the best blokes I've ever met”.
What about their tattoos?
“I see Taranto’s got a few bad stickers and I think Hopper wants to get a bit of ink, too, he was telling me, just to fit in,” Cumberland said.
They weren't the only ones to arrive early, with Toby Nankervis, Jayden Short, Ross and Robbie Tarrant (who jogged laps) all spotted at Punt Rd.
The Tigers have played 13 finals in the past six seasons, and so it’s no surprise plenty of the decorated champions are still enjoying their time off.
And for anyone considering writing the Tigers off, it’s worth remembering they led in the last quarter of 21 of 23 games in 2022 before landing these GWS guns.
And the two games they didn’t, against Adelaide and Melbourne, they led halfway through the third term instead.
NEW VOICE
David Teague appeared to run Thursday‘s main training session and alongside him was Ben Rutten.
‘Truck’ is back at the Tigers, next to the ‘Teague train’ with both coaches landing at Richmond after their brutal sackings.
Rutten spent 2015-2018 at Punt Rd before crossing to Essendon and so while the kids on the track are fresh faces, there will be plenty of familiarity next season.
“I’ve had a few chats with him and he’s keen to get started. He’s going to take the backline this year and put in the work there and teach us things he knows, which will be handy,” Cumberland said.
“He’s got a lot to give.”
FAMILIAR VOICE
Kane Lambert, the heart-and-soul Tiger who retired this year, is back as a development coach and was also on the track on Thursday.
The players are thrilled that Lambert has stayed. He is so easy to speak to.
“He’s an absolute ripper of a bloke, on and off the field,” Cumberland said.
“So it’s always good to have a bloke that’s really well connected around the club come through and teach us the ins and outs that he knows.
“I always have great confidence going to him to ask questions.”
MAN MOUNTAIN
Triple-premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis stands 199cm and weighs 102kg. Standing next to teammate Mate Colina at a tackling drill he looked small.
Colina, 23, is the AFL‘s tallest player. This bloke is listed at 213cm and 111kg, and lumbering around he made 2020 best-and-fairest winner Jayden Short look like an Auskicker.
That’s no slight on Short, who is, well, Short. That’s just what it’s like looking at Colina.
“I actually was walking in the hallway and ran into him. I literally had to lift my head up to say, ‘Geez, sorry mate’, Cumberland said.
“He’s a monster of a human, and a good bloke. He was in the gym today with us lifting the big weights.”
The Croatian is Noah Balta’s cousin and was playing college basketball in Hawaii before landing at Punt Rd.
Colina played seven VFL games last year and averaged fewer than five disposals. His kicking action needs refining, but there is a big ball of muscle for the Tigers to work with.
And if he breaks through for an AFL debut he will become the tallest player in AFL history, going – and growing – past 211cm rucks Mason Cox (Collingwood), Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle), Ned Reeves (Hawthorn) and Peter Street (Geelong and Western Bulldogs).
Lyon addresses Ratten-sized elephant in Saints room
Ross Lyon addressed the sacking of Brett Ratten in his first speech to the St Kilda playing group.
Lyon’s second stint at Moorabbin officially started on Monday with the new coach revealing he wanted to discuss the elephant in the room before changing focus to the start of a new era.
“I know football clubs are very resilient places and the only constant in AFL football is change,” he said.
“But I think it is important to acknowledge context and not just pretend there has been no tumultuous period here because there has but my job is to pick us up and get us moving and move us forward as a club.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM DAY 1 OF PRE-SEASON
“The human toll, it can be really hard AFL football, there is certainly empathy there but we haven‘t got the luxury of just sitting back and dwelling, we have to get moving and get into action.”
Lyon said he hadn’t spoken to Ratten who was sensationally sacked last month despite having signed a new contract mid-season.
Only 16 players hit the track on a wet and windy day to mark Lyon’s return but only the first-to-four year players were required to be back on deck.
Four senior players including veteran Brad Hill were present for Lyon’s first official day in charge - which had the coach reminiscing about his time at what was then a dilapidated ground 15 years ago.
He was full of praise for the club’s administration for turning Moorabbin into an elite training facility.
“It‘s hard to believe I am standing on the same terraferma,” Lyon said. “The last time I trained here with the wind like this, some corrugated iron just come off the roof and almost decapitated one of the players.”
He then added: “Hopefully the day doesn‘t reflect the year, it’s a bit stormy.”
Lyon revealed his coaching line-up, who he described as “elite cultural drivers” including former Saints greats Robert Harvey, Lenny Hayes and Brendon Goddard, were still working on what game style the 2023 version of St Kilda would be bringing to the table.
Although there was a clear hint that he wanted a more fast-paced Saints with the first move towards that releasing Hill from defence back to the wing.
“I said we could run, I didn’t actually use the term leg speed. But we have got really good endurance athletes here. It talks that you can play a bit more [of a] continuous game. Hopefully an up-tempo game,” Lyon said.
“The design of the game has changed. Geelong were the poster boy for the ability to modify within the design of the game and we will look at that.
“We were a more shape and control team, we‘re looking to adjust that a bit. The coaches are really still putting that together and putting a bow on it still.
“I‘ve handed it over, they will come back to me and we’ll have discussions but we’re not far away from tightening it up.”
What Tipungwuti back playing footy means for Dons
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti wrestled Darcy Parish and honed his goalkicking craft with Michael Hurley.
He completed straight-line sprints on his own after every other player had retreated indoors at Tullamarine.
He hovered near the goalmouth during some full-length match simulation as Andrew Phillips at stages cut in front to take intercept marks.
He absorbed tackle after tackle in a mini handball drill played on the wing.
He was back playing footy – just as those famous song lyrics suggest: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti playing footy.
He wasn’t meant to be. Monday’s training session was for Essendon’s first-to-fourth-year players only ... and ‘Walla’ had retired six months ago.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE KEY TRAINING TAKEAWAYS FROM EVERY CLUB
But the comeback that could help catapult the Bombers towards 100,000 members – a target the club’s executives seated upstairs at The Hangar yearn for, albeit still without a chief executive – is on.
The tweet from November 10 announcing ‘Walla’s’ return remains pinned to the top of Essendon’s page, having been liked almost 2500 times.
“It was pretty upsetting when he left,” emerging midfielder Archie Perkins said on Monday.
“Such a loveable guy — and from fans all around the league as well. So to see him come back, I think we’re all excited to see what he can bring.”
Massimo D’Ambrosio, the halfback jet drafted mid-season, wasn’t even on the list when ‘Walla’ retired.
They met last week because both players had returned to work early to get a jump on 2023 under their new coach Brad Scott.
McDonald-Tipungwuti, 29, clearly has some work to do. But the positives are this — his attitude early has been exceptional and his body shape doesn’t appear drastically different from the 2019 version that lit up the MCG with 7.1 against Brisbane Lions.
The chilly November Monday morning training session would’ve made Walla’s comeback feel real.
It was cold, wet and raining, just like Melbourne’s unpopular winters. Welcome back.
WHO ELSE CAME BACK EARLY?
Sam Weideman (Melbourne) was rocking Aaron Francis’s old No. 10 jumper while fellow recruit Will Setterfield (Carlton) ran out in a jumper without any digits on the back. But the fresh faces signed up to summer at their new club early, as did Dyson Heppell, Jake Stringer, Darcy Parish, Andy McGrath, Zach Merrett and, among others, Kyle Langford. In fact, the only absentees spotted on Monday were Sam Draper, Peter Wright, Mason Redman, James Stewart and Dylan Shiel. It’s worth remembering that training on Monday was only mandatory for the club’s first-to-fourth year players, and so all these names could’ve easily spent the wintry morning tucked in bed on holidays. Captain Heppell, 30, has rocked up early to his 12th AFL pre-season, and Perkins ras rapt he stayed a Bomber. “We all love Dyson. You couldn’t really get a better guy at your footy club. He’s so warm and friendly to everyone. To have him back is great,” Perkins said.
ANY INJURED BOMBERS?
TEX Wanganeen (navicular) and Jye Caldwell (shoulder) jogged laps on Monday while James Stewart (foot) is also unavailable. But the Bombers are fairly healthy for pre-Christmas and have been buoyed by the turnout at Tullamarine, not only on Monday but in recent weeks at informal training sessions led by the players. “We’ve been training pretty hard and in significantly-sized groups where we’ve been able to do pretty good drills,” Perkins said. The young midfielder added that new coach Brad Scott was clearly focusing on player development after a couple of years where the direction was perhaps not as clear. “I think he’s going to drive some really strong standards, which I think we need as a group,” Perkins, who met Scott at last month’s best-and-fairest, said.
WATCHOUT FOR MASSIMO
Former Richmond hard nut Steve Morris is the man to thank for the emergence of Massimo D’Ambrosio. Morris took the halfback jet under his wing when he was overlooked in the 2020 AFL draft and played him in the Tigers’ VFL team last year. Now, D’Ambrosio looks set to spike again. “I feel like I need a pre-season,” he said on Monday. “I felt like at the back-end of games, especially at AFL level, I felt a bit unfit. So a full pre-season will get me going.” With Conor McKenna at Brisbane Lions and Adam Saad at Carlton, the Bombers can now count on Hind and D’Ambrosio to attack from halfback in what shapes as a couple of ticks for list boss Adrian Dodoro.
THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM ST KILDA TRAINING
1. WINDING BACK THE CLOCK
A wet and windy Moorabbin greeted the Saints players, with just 16 fronting to brave the arctic conditions. Included in the group was the oldest player on the list, Brad Hill, with Dan Butler another experienced figure getting out on the track early. “He was bubbly, he’ll probably play less halfback I would think, get him back to his pet position on the wing, free him up a little bit to run,” new coach Ross Lyon said of Hill at his post-training press conference. There were plenty of other senior players hiding behind the glass, working out in the gym, with Lyon set to address them as a collective for the first time on Monday afternoon.
2. COACHING MASTERCLASS
You’re going to have to be on your toes to get a kick even at training given Lyon’s new-look coaching panel includes four all-time greats in Robert Harvey, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard and Corey Enright. All four were required to take part in drills to fill up the numbers with Goddard in particular seeming to enjoy pulling on the boots.
3. TIME TRIAL
It wouldn’t be the start of pre-season without the time-honoured tradition of a time-trial. The Saints walked around the corner to the local athletics track for the dreaded race against the clock with Marcus Windhager getting the nod of approval from the new coach for taking out the victory. “Marcus Windhager won the time trial so great to see a young player really stamping himself on the group,” Lyon said.
4. THE ‘HUMAN TOLL’
Lyon hasn’t spoken to Brett Ratten, but he will address the issue of the sacking of the former coach in his opening address to the playing group on Monday afternoon. “I will address the players for the first time today, and I think it is important to acknowledge context and not just pretend there has been no tumultuous period here because there has. But my job is to pick us up and get us moving and move us forward as a club. The human toll, it can be really hard AFL football and there is certainly empathy there but we haven’t got the luxury of just sitting back and dwelling, we have to get moving and get into action.”
FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM CARLTON TRAINING
1. NEW DO
Teammates have been asking Jacob Weitering if he joined the Army during his time off after he returned to pre-season training with a fresh haircut. The Blues vice-captain has left little hair on top of his head, with even less on the sides. It is little surprise teammates think it resembles an Army buzz cut.
2. WHO WAS MISSING?
Almost all of Carlton’s senior players were out on the training track for Day 1 of pre-season - with one key exception. Vice-captain Sam Walsh was a notable absentee, but there is no need to worry. Walsh was instead in the gym at Princes Park on Monday morning as he is eased back into running after finishing last season with a back injury. Fellow midfielder George Hewett (back) was also missing in action after post-season surgery but isn’t expected to be far away. Ruckman Marc Pittonet (knee) was spotted on the sidelines after his own post-season surgery, while midfielder/forward Matt Kennedy (foot surgery) was running some laps alongside Sam Philp (managed).
3. FIT CRIPPS
Reigning Brownlow Medal winner Patrick Cripps looks fit as he launches into another pre-season. Having overcome lingering injury issues last season, Cripps was sporting no strapping on his arms, shoulders or legs and had a spring in his step out on the track. The Carlton captain spent time in the United States during his break, which included time training at the Nike headquarters in Portland. Teammates Sam Walsh, Zac Fisher and Paddy Dow joined Cripps for training at the high performance facility. Key forward Harry McKay also looked particularly fit and perhaps a touch slimmed down.
4. RECRUIT UP AND RUNNING
Fremantle recruit Blake Acres joined teammates for his first organised training session at Princes Park since joining the club. While not officially required on the track until December 5, Acres was in the thick of it on Day 1. The 27-year-old wingman was identified by the Blues during the trade period as the club looked to add some more outside run to its list. Acres was secured on a three-year deal in exchange for a future third-round selection. Carlton is Acres’ third AFL club, after he started his career with St Kilda. He joined the Blues with 120 games of senior experience under his belt.
5. NEW COACHES
The Blues’ two new off-field additions were both overseeing their first training sessions at the club. Former Port Adelaide champion Brad Ebert - who was at the Power during Michael Voss’ time there - was out in the middle as he began his new role as a development coach. Former Geelong defender Tom Lonergan has also joined Carlton over the off-season in a newly-created role as development and talent manager.
FOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM NORTH MELBOURNE TRAINING
1. NEW FACES
Alastair Clarkson launched into his first session on the track as North Melbourne coach as the club’s first to fourth-year players returned for the official start of pre-season training. Decked in shorts, long sleeves and a blue Kangaroos cap, the four-time Hawks’ premiership coach had the whistle around his neck and was expressive on the field, revving up the players with a few claps after some drills. Fremantle recruit Darcy Tucker joined the young players returned, but spent the session in the gym as he rehabs from knee surgery at the end of the home-and-away season. Fellow recruit and former Docker Griffin Logue is expected to be at the club later this week.
2. WHO WAS SHARP?
Son-of-a-gun Jackson Archer impressed to win the Kangaroos’ 2km time-trial at the start of the training session. Archer – the son of club legend Glenn – showed he was intent on making an impact in his second season in the AFL to take out the honours on day one of the pre-season, while Jack Mahony, Miller Bergman and Bailey Scott also finished strongly in the time-trial.
3. BACK EARLY
Skipper Jack Ziebell led a group of senior players to make an early start to their pre-season campaign, which is not officially due to start until December 5. After recovering from shoulder surgery late in the season, Ziebell helped set the tone for the younger players by joining in most drills. Key backman Ben McKay, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tarryn Thomas, Tristan Xerri and Aiden Bonar also took the chance to make an early start to their pre-season campaigns.
4. EASING IN
Star midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke was another to make an early appearance at training, but he just ran laps of the Arden St ground for the session. But the Kangaroos said there was no injury concern and Davies-Uniacke was just easing into the start of pre-season. Will Phillips continues to make progress after battling bouts of glandular fever during the year, but remains on a modified program as he slowly builds up his training loads.
Pre-season starts now â± pic.twitter.com/Z2Xmbk1VPx
— Richmond FC 🯠(@Richmond_FC) November 20, 2022
We're on. pic.twitter.com/kVyedipEZd
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) November 20, 2022
Welcome back, boys! 🤠pic.twitter.com/S59ByLhIwh
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) November 20, 2022
Originally published as AFL pre-season watch: See who is firing on the track at your club
The players that made Robbo want to do a top 57
The hardest spot to pick in the top 50 isn’t No.1. It’s actually No.50. Robbo names the players he wanted to fit into his annual list – but couldn’t.
Trade live: Our experts answer your burning questions
What are the moves that will unlock the key trades in this year’s AFL Trade Period? Leave your question for Josh Barnes in our live Q&A and FOLLOW LIVE for the latest trade news.