TRAINING: Wednesday 17th December 2025

It's the last preseason training session of the year and Demonland Trackwatchers braved the rising heat to witness a gruelling session that included a proper Match SIM. Farewell 2025. Bring on 2026.

DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

PRESENT:

2. Jacob van Rooyen

3. Christian Salem

6. Caleb Windsor

8. Jake Lever

9. Jack Steele

12. Koltyn Tholstrup

13. Jai Culley

16. Bailey Laurie

19. Xavier Taylor 

21. Matt Jefferson

22. Blake Howes

24. Trent Rivers

25. Tom McDonald

26. Jed Adams (Wearing #23)

27. Max Heath

29. Tom Campbell

30. Harry Sharp

31. Bayley Fritsch

32. Tom Sparrow

33. Latrelle Sumner-Pickett

34. Kalani White

35. Harry Petty

36. Kysaiah Pickett

37. Kade Chandler

38. Oscar Berry

39. Ricky Mentha Jr

40. Riley Onley

42. Aidan Johnson 

44. Luker Kentfield

REHAB:

1. Steven May (?)

4. Harvey Langford (Concussion)

5. Xavier Lindsay (Foot)

7. Jack Viney (?)

10. Daniel Turner (Hamstring)

11. Max Gawn (Hamstring)

14. Changkuoth Jiath (?)

15. Ed Langdon (Concussion)

18. Jake Melksham (?)

20. Thomas Matthews (PCL)

28. Brody Mihocek (?)

43. Jack Henderson (Groin)

45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield (ACL)

ABSENT

17. Jake Bowey (Foot)

23. Shane McAdam (Achilles)

2 umpires here as well as some ring in players so it looks like there will be another serious Match SIM. I recognise Toby Sinnema and former Demon Deakyn Smith. Some of the Casey boys from the last Match SIM were there too to make up the numbers of the injured players for the Match SIM.

Mihocek (in the “injured” attired) has arrived with Viney and Henderson in same non-training guernsey attire.

CJ & Matthews running laps.

Viney, Henderson, Lindsay & Mihocek setting up things in the shed to do work in there.

Other previous rehab players are participating in the warmups. Will keep you posted on whether they join the match SIM.

Mihocek on the bike. Lindsay on a resistance band pull down machine (?). Henderson doing planks. Viney standing around looking mean.

4 minutes ago, Davos said:

Brutal rehab group.

I’ve listed all the guys in rehab who were in rehab last session like Max, Langford, Melksham, Turner & Langdon. All are doing warmups and look fine. AMW is also doing the warmups.

Melksham now running laps.

Langford (concussion) Langdon (concussion) & AMW (ACL recovery) have split away from the main group to work with a trainer.

The rucks; Max, Heath, Campbell and White have split off to do some work with Mark Jamar.

May has split off from the main group with another trainer to do some sprint work on the boundary. I believe he did this before the last Match SIM too.

Half ground Match SIM presumably as a precursor to the proper thing.

Two fantastic leads from JVR straight up the middle delivered laced out. Love to see it.

Someone mentioned that May was having his foot looked at by one of the physios. He has changed into runners and is now jogging very slow laps. Watch this space. 😱

Players look like they’re getting ready for the Match SIM.

Max & Disco have joined Langford, Langdon & Melksham doing sprints on the boundary.

Match SIM

Blues vs Whites

STARTING MIDFIELD

BLUE: Campbell Steele Windsor Rivers

WHITE: Heath sparrow Kozzy Culley

WINGS:

BLUE: Sharp Onley

WHITE: Chandler Kolt

Windsor everywhere.

Max, Langford, Langdon, Turner and Melksham doing grappling work on the other oval.

May now jogging faster laps.

Mihocek, Viney, Matthews, CJ, Henderson, AMW & Lindsay all doing circuit work in the sheds.

End of First Period:

BLUE: 3.4.22

WHITE: 1.0.6

Taylor has taken some great courageous marks. Can definitely play tall and small.

Campbell outbodying Heath in ruck contests.

FORWARDS:

BLUE: JVR, Kentfield, White, Laurie Mentha

WHITE: Jefferson, Fritsch, AJ, Trelly, Kolt (2nd period).

DEFENDERS:

BLUE: Lever Salem Petty Taylor Deakyn Smith

WHITE: TMac Berry Howes

Trelly tried to take on Salem but was taken down in a beautiful tackle.

Windsor lace out to JVR on a beautiful lead. Goal. More of this in 2026.

Kozzy is a ball magnet. Got a hardball get on the wing, sold candy, left others in his wake, weighted a nice pass to a train-on, kept running got the handball back and drilled a goal on the run from outside 50.

End of 2nd Period:

BLUE: 5.6.36

WHITE: 3.2.20

Maysie has been running laps this whole time. Every now and again he stops and gets work on lower back/upper glute from the physio

Howes (white) floated down from defense and kicked a goal.

Culley bursts out of the pack and snaps a beautiful goal.

Chandler gets a ground ball in the pack and breaks out and tries to take on Riley Bonner (Casey) and he tackles. Ump calls holding the ball.

Kozzy is a ferocious tackler.

Umpires are killing us.

Love to see Kozzy and Trelly linking up.

End of Third Period (Final):

BLUE: 7.8.50

WHITE: 7.2.44

Salo getting a lot of the footy across half back. Skills superb as always.

Grapplers on the other oval are done. Melky back to running laps.

Mihocek, CJ, Lindsay and Henderson all smashing the bikes in the shed.

Match SIM over.

10 vs 7 full ground drill. Max participating as are Langdon & Langford wearing the Fluro no-contact hats.

Steele not participating in the drill and is doing sprints on the boundary.

Boys changing into the runners now.

That’s it from me from preseason training in 2025.

Bring on 2026.

Addendum:

As I was driving off the boys were running around the Tan

FRITTA AND TURNER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Another glorious day at Goschs. Is TMc ever late for anthing.

Guerra and Richo watching on. Guerra always looks like he is enjoying his job.

Tom matthews had a bandage on his leg last friday but it hasnt been seen since. Always under the eye of a trainer and spends much time jogging, not sprinting, the line.

The rehabbers, Langford, langdon, gawn, melksham, disco look ready to go. Langford had the 'paint' across the bridge of the nose, a la Adam Ant.

The non runners were Viney, Miohcek, henderson and Lindsay. Brodie suffering from that military complaint of General Soreness. Would you believe that Viney and Lindsay carried over a 'ski' machine from AAMI. Unbelievable.

Windsor is an absolutely standout.

XT has some really smarts and reads the ball well. At times though he reminds me of the kid down the back of the class who couldnt sit still.

Had 2 senior umps for the match sim.

Onley is nearly as big as Jamar.

It doesnt help when players are in the wrong jumpers.

Campbell beating Heath in the grappling contestants.

Lever and Salem are masters of holding their oppoent in the tackle a second or 2 longer.

Maysie looked uncomfortable, some part of his body aint right. (like duh). Jogging, running the line.

I assume the players loaded up with the fluids as there was much 'watering of the eucalypt trees'.

CJ, can i say poetry in motion, beautiful running.

DEESPENCER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Pickett, Fritsch and Salem were the standouts of the half field drill.

In to full ground sim now and JVR has found the ball 4 times on the half forward line. 1 behind, 2 successful inside 50 kicks, 1 picked off.

The Campbell, Riv , Windsor, Steele midfield on top

Toby Sinnema looks like he belongs. As does the Sudanese fella whoever he is.

Pro: Windsor

Con: Sharp just marked on the wing, took off around Heath, took 4 bounces, burnt the entire open forward line and got run down by Heath and turned it over. Unfortunately King seems to be a nice human being because I wouldn’t send him home.

Xavier "Reg" Taylor’s first instinct to counter attack with fast feet is very real and creates great transition. Plenty for him to work on but it’s always nice to see someone’s best attribute look legit.

GHOSTWRITER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATION

The vibe is great! Everyone: players, coaches and trainers are happy about today because immediately after this session they’re on holidays. 🥳

But…

Jadams just told me they’ve been told this session will be gruelling. Absolutely brutal. Regular sessions are brutal so if Kingy has said it’s gonna be brutal… it’s gonna be apocalyptic.

There are some Casey boys here as well as a couple of umpires so a match is on the cards.

There’s a lovely Casey boy named Jarrod Gatt. I’m sure @Whispering_Jack knows all about this kid.

The other day someone asked about Tom Hawkins and I just spoke with Paul Guerra. It’s still something we’re hoping will come to fruition and we’re confident it will eventuate. Tom needs time to settle in and while he hasn’t committed, he’s interested in taking on the role.

Out on the other oval are Max, Langers, Disco, Melky and the Bison are with Keith the trainer doing a wrestling drill. One player lies on his back with another player lying on top of him. Keith yells out Go! and the player underneath has to throw the other guy off. Melky pinned Max down successfully and kept him down. Max was not happy Jan. 😁

Now these same players are practicing grappling one-on-one in a marking contest. Very serious stuff. It’s like they’re being instructed to grapple hard but without running a risk of giving away a free.

57 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Are there some invitees from Casey here? There are 3 players I don’t recognise.

Lamond, Jarrod Gatt and Toby Sinnema are the Casey boys here today.

Post Match SIM the players are in their Amazing Race teams so I expect we’ll be seeing part two once it’s filmed. Part one is on the website and it’s a great watch. Actually there’s been a little change to the teams. The rehabbers with foot or leg issues have formed a separate group and they’re walking around the Tan instead of running.

Once they’re all back at the marquee they’ll grab their stuff and begin their three weeks off. Three well-deserved weeks off.

Richo and Paul G on the other hand. They get Xmas day and New Year’s Day off. And that’s it.