TRAINING: Wednesday 18th February 2026

A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers were blessed with some beautiful Wednesday morning weather to give their observations of one of the final open training session at Gosch's Paddock prior to our first practice hit out against another team this weekend.

DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

It’s a beautiful day down at Gosch’s Paddock for some preseason training.

Previous week's rehabbers CJ, Henderson, Culley, McAdam, Salem are all doing warmups with the squad.

Petty is not wearing the fluoro yellow no contact hat.

Max and Rivers warming up separately with some trainers. Perhaps because of State of Origin. Kozzy warming up with the squad.

Spoke to soon with Petty. Yellow No Contact Hat is now on.

Absent: May (Personal), Viney (Achilles), Campbell (Neck), Johnson (?)

Jake Bowey on the bikes in the shed.

Culley doing warmups that don’t include contact.

Henderson has already head off to do rehab with the trainers.

I’ll update the other rehabbers once they break off from the warmups and training proper begins.

Campbell has arrived still in the neck brace.

Campbell briefly joined Bowser on the bikes.

Drills proper have started and there aren’t any rehabbers out of the usual suspects. Salem, CJ, McAdam, AMW and even Culley are participating in the drills.

3 drills:

1. 8 vs 8 keepings off handball drill. (Mids/Half Forwards/Half Backs)

2. One on One marking drill. Ball kicked high to two players. (Taller Defenders/Forwards)

3. The big Russian Mark Jamar is taking Max, Heath & Kentfield for ruck craft drills in the middle. Earlier JVR was having a one on one tutorial with Jamar and the ruck bag.

AMW, McAdam, Petty & Culley have split off from the drills as they are contact heavy and are working separately with a trainer.

Match Simulation type drill in progress.

Petty, Culley, AMW, McAdam & Kentfield are not participating.

Jefferson limping off and being looked at by the medicos. Looks like an ankle or foot. Just been given tablets by medico (pain or inflammation). Bandaging the ankle.

Petty, Culley, AMW & Kentfield running laps together.

McAdam on a separate running program with a trainer. Shorter faster running.

Jeffo has had his ankle strapped and is back on the field.

he only players that were present and did not participate in the contact drills were Petty, Culley, AMW, McAdam & Kentfield.

Henderson was doing separate rehab.

Everyone else who was present participated in every drill.

May and Viney were absent whilst Bowey and Campbell were present but did not participate in anything other than time on the bike.

FRITTA AND TURNER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Good news is that the Pink Lemonaide Cafe outside of Richmond station has re opened.

Bowey having a short distance kick to kick with J Rivers then on the bike.

Reece Conca was eating a banana.

A couple of players were firmly reminded that they had 5 minutes to be out on the ground. (Some players are out there 40 mins early and others with a minute to go).

No May or Viney. TC arrived late still in the brace, though on him it looks more like a horse collar.

CJ and Tommy Matthews were having their photo taken when Reg walked past and squeezed CJs bottom.

Max, Moose and Luker (no mask) were practising ruck work in the centre with Jamar holding the bag. Moose knocked Jamar to the ground.

Fritta did a warm up on the fence, similar to what I did at pilates last week. I was sore for 3 days.

Jeffo came off to get his foot strapped.

When I was young a broken arm was a plaster cast with 50 signatures. Culley had a large 'bandaid' on his arm.

Nearly everyone took part in the warm up drills. Luker, Petty, Culley, AMW and McAdam did not take part in the contested ball work. This group did some fitness work along the boundary.

Chaplin very vocal.

If Kossy doesnt win the medal it will be because Windsor stole some votes.

KEV'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS

Gorgeous morning for a training run down at Gosch's Paddock.

They were out early again.

Plenty of running in the warm ups. Looks like they are building their aerobic capacity, getting them match fit.

The drills appeared to emphasise pressure and skills.

The sims consisted of two 10 minute periods and a rest after 5 minutes in both. Mainly taken by Rivers who got the mids to set up with gentleness on either side of the midfield, before they floated a ball down back, from where it got more serious.

The attackers were able to create turn overs if the backs weren't tuned in. The tackling remains restrained, competing in aerials is nearly non-existent. Some of the ball movement was fast, very little looking for the central corridor, most taking it around the boundary. The passes into the forwards are improving. Plenty of leads of the back of the pack. The mids continue to work on overlap, causing the defenders to work hard on hand overs as they close the space ahead of them.

I like what Kolt is doing, reads the play well off half-back and gut runs up the field for more possessions. Still learning his position as he makes sure he is in the area delegated to him by asking Lever.

He is not the only one with extensive movement, Adams is also doing it. We will be doing plenty of getting to the contest area in a game, if they persist with full field runs from the backs.

Steele will tackle anything, his field kicking and decision making is great.

Heath loves bringing his runners into the game, presents well and quickly hands off the ball.

Melksham still has his craftiness. His kicking is getting even better.

I am still on the fence with Mathews, beautiful kick but not getting enough of the ball.

Latrelle is a happy and gregarious man.

The set of tall backs on one side were, Turner (also looking good, creates time and has poise), Tmac (doing everything right), and Lever (lots of chasing and captaining the backs).

The set of tall forwards on the same side were, Miochek (mister reliable), Jeffo (getting separation), and JVR (imposing himself).

After the sims they went into their line groups.

Loved that the goal kicking practice was only the forwards. You could see the mids wanted to be in there kicking but no, only forwards. Even Lever wanted into that “sacred” space. Chaplin has them in a structured environment, with plenty of success and connection within that group.

Someone parked their car and then sprinted onto the Paddock with the black mask of Luke in hand. With only 5 minutes of the sim to go it made no difference. My guess as to why Kentfield was on light duties, he forgot it.