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<\/p>\nTwo Eagles No.1 picks \u2014 one from the national draft and another from a mid-season draft \u2014 are turning heads on the training track.<\/p>\n
Plus the latest from Collingwood, GWS, Brisbane, Adelaide and more.<\/p>\n
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Watch The 2026 AAMI AFL Origin match LIVE on Kayo Sports | WA vs VIC Saturday 14 FEB from 7PM AEDT | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n EAGLES \u2018FREAK\u2019 TURNING HEADS AS \u2018UNREAL\u2019 REID THRIVING<\/p>\n Young Eagle Clay Hall says he\u2019s been left stunned by some of mid-season recruit Tom McCarthy\u2019s match play this pre-season, but insists his rapid improvement is a result of intense hard work.<\/p>\n McCarthy made an immediate impact in a defensive role for the Eagles last year after being drafted with the first pick of the mid-season draft.<\/p>\n But the 25-year-old has been a standout across the summer playing primarily as a midfielder \u2013 a role he\u2019s set to take on full-time in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a bit of a freak, really,\u201d Hall said of McCarthy to reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cTo watch where he\u2019s come from \u2013 local footy, VFL footy, get drafted, play a couple of WAFL games \u2014 (in) the span of a year it has been a ridiculous step for him. Even coming in mid-season and start stringing some good footy together was unbelievable.<\/p>\n \u201cBut now to see the jump he\u2019s taken this pre-season \u2026 He\u2019s such a clean player, which the AFL needs these days. You don\u2019t have the opportunity to fumble it otherwise you\u2019re gone \u2013 and he just doesn\u2019t seem to do that too often.<\/p>\n Tom McCarthy of the Eagles. Picture: Michael Willson\/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing that he\u2019s improved on a lot is he\u2019s really voicing himself now \u2026 and applying himself in a bit of a leadership role.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of the stuff he does sort of comes out of nowhere, but it\u2019s of no mistake. He\u2019s always putting so much effort into his game.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it does stun you at times the things he can do on a footy field.\u201d<\/p>\n Hall also said close mate Harley Reid had put himself in a strong position this off-season to thrive in his third year with the Eagles.<\/p>\n \u201cTo see him come back in the shape he has this year has earned a lot of respect, I think,\u201d Hall said of Reid.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s taken a bit of learning for him, it doesn\u2019t come naturally to everyone. But to see the effort he\u2019s putting into his diet, his fitness, even some of his defensive running through we\u2019ve seen this pre-season has been just unreal so far.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m hoping he can have another good year and see how it goes for him.\u201d<\/p>\n PIES \u2018RECRUIT\u2019 LOOKS TO HAVE \u2018BROKEN THE SHACKLES\u2019<\/p>\n Collingwood coach Craig McRae may have found a boom \u2018recruit\u2019 in the form of a premiership superstar.<\/p>\n A fit and happy Jordan De Goey had seemingly broken the shackles of a setback riddled 2025 when he was one of the standouts at the Magpies\u2019 main session on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The 29-year-old played just 11 games last season \u2013 which included only a half against Brisbane \u2013 after an interrupted start to the year.<\/p>\n De Goey came good by the end of the season and was brilliant in the first final \u2013 but the impact of his absence had already taken a huge toll on the Pies.<\/p>\n There will be solace in seeing that trademark explosiveness ahead of 2026, particularly in a drill called \u201c1v1 fight\u201d that simulated an around the ground ball up or boundary throw in.<\/p>\n Jordan De Goey at Collingwood AFL training. Picture: David CroslingSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n In a wrestle close to the tap, De Goey was undefeated and did so with an element of cheek, laughing at some of his teammates when he won a battle despite forfeiting early position.<\/p>\n Unlocking the best of De Goey has a major domino effect for Collingwood, as less demand will be heaped on Nick Daicos and veteran Scott Pendlebury.<\/p>\n Daicos had arguably a career-best season last year but he and the Magpies needed another ace in the middle to lighten the load.<\/p>\n He sent a shiver down the spine of Collingwood fans last week when he left the track but he returned later that session and suggested a clean bill of health on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Neither De Goey nor Daicos participated in the final drill but the former was in good spirits on the sidelines while the latter completed some goal kicking.<\/p>\n Ned Long, looking leaner and easily covering the ground, was in the group doing extras near the end of the session while Patrick Lipinski and draftee Tyan Prindable trained well.<\/p>\n A deeper trust in De Goey and his body will allow greater flexibility for some of Collingwood\u2019s ageing stars.<\/p>\n Pendlebury spent the line fundamentals portion of training exclusively a part of the backline.<\/p>\n There\u2019s conjecture around whether that is a certain move for the veteran or whether he was filling the void of a defender-heavy contingent of players on light duties.<\/p>\n Jack Crisp, Isaac Quaynor, Darcy Moore, Reef McInnes, Dan McStay and Beau McCreery were on the far wing doing an extended warm up before some slow run throughs.<\/p>\n Pendlebury himself was receiving treatment on a hip region and applied a lower back brace after the warm up but ultimately took part in the session.<\/p>\n McRae likened Pendlebury to a conductor directing an orchestra when he iced a game against Melbourne across half back late last year.<\/p>\n Josh Daicos, Scott Pendlebury, Jordan De Goey and Brayden Maynard at Collingwood pre-season training at Olympic Park. Picture: Andrew HenshawSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n Pendlebury is a certainty to reach Brent Harvey\u2019s games record this year (needing just eight) but he will spring well beyond that if he can play a less demanding role across half back.<\/p>\n Collingwood rolled out a smorgasbord of bite-sized drills on Wednesday, including one designed to sharpen a fading fundamental of the game.<\/p>\n A small drill focused on maintaining possession had a mandatory factor of kicking on your opposite foot.<\/p>\n The craft of kicking on the non-preferred foot has slowly drifted out of the game but the Magpies clearly still see it as a valuable weapon to have.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t the only clever drill or practice in place, with McStay seemingly working on going to ground safely in tackles.<\/p>\n McStay, who has had his fair share of knee troubles, was putting his one-on-one conversation with a coach into action late in the session.<\/p>\n The coach was showing different ways of landing and twisting before they went through a number of light tackles to the ground.<\/p>\n STAR\u2019S GIANT OLIVER WARNING<\/p>\n Reigning Giants best and fairest winner Tom Green has declared the arrival of fellow star midfielder Clayton Oliver will only strengthen, not complicate, the dynamic of the team\u2019s on-ball brigade.<\/p>\n Oliver, a four-time best and fairest winner, triple All-Australian and dual AFLCA Champion Player winner, was one of the biggest names to move clubs during last year\u2019s trade period, leaving Melbourne to link up with the Giants after a difficult past two seasons at Melbourne.<\/p>\n The premiership Demon links up with another star inside ball magnet in Green at the Giants.<\/p>\n Oliver and Green have worked together in the past, with Green crediting the ex-Demon\u2019s advice for his ability to perform strongly in the back-half of recent seasons because of Oliver\u2019s advice.<\/p>\n Clayton Oliver during GWS Giants training. Picture: Phil HillyardSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s absolutely fantastic. He\u2019s been incredible so far,\u201d Green said of working with Oliver. \u201cWe all know what a superstar player he is \u2013 his resume speaks for itself \u2013 and he\u2019s been fantastic to work with.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew him a little bit \u2013 he\u2019s actually helped me out in my career before he came here, which is something I\u2019ll be forever grateful to him for \u2013 and now being able to work really closely alongside him is something that\u2019s been great.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite their similar style and traits, Green insists Oliver\u2019s arrival will only add to what the Giants already have at the coalface.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to developing that chemistry throughout the year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur styles mix with Finn (Callaghan) and the other balance of our midfielders as well, I think it\u2019s actually going to gel really, really well and help everybody\u2019s game out.<\/p>\n \u201cOur roles that we have in the midfield will complement each other because neither of us have to carry as heavier a load in that space. Other parts of our game can flourish as well.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about picking and choosing our moments. We don\u2019t want to both be going for the same ball all the time \u2013 which we haven\u2019t really yet. He\u2019s a really smart player, so we\u2019ve been able to bounce off each other and understand when it is and when it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll take some time for that chemistry to develop throughout the year, but I think it\u2019s something Giants fans will be able to see throughout the year.\u201d<\/p>\n Oliver has been on light duties in recent days due to a minor calf setback.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Green said veteran teammate Stephen Coniglio was looking \u201cexplosive\u201d and \u201creally strong and confident in his body\u201d over the pre-season.<\/p>\n LIONS\u2019 PLAN TO REPLACE FREE AGENT<\/p>\n Dual premiership Lion Ryan Lester believes his side has the defensive depth to cover the departure of Brandon Starcevich this season.<\/p>\n Lester, 33, is part of a Brisbane defensive unit that lost enforcer Starcevich, who after eight years with the Lions moved home to Perth in the off-season to join West Coast Eagles as a free agent.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not many players that play like him (Starcevich) in the competition as well as he does. But you\u2019d probably say Noah Answerth is a pretty similar player and very reliable, can play on those really dangerous small forwards,\u201d Lester told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lose someone of good quality, but we think we\u2019ve got enough quality players to fill that gap.\u201d<\/p>\n Lester said the Lions had a \u201cgood mix of experience and youth\u201d in defence.<\/p>\n \u201cSeven to 10 of us have played a large part in the last couple of years. We lose \u2018Starce\u2019 this year, which creates a hole and someone else to get an opportunity. But we also had \u2018Noz\u2019 (Answerth) and Kiddy (Coleman) miss large parts of last year, so there\u2019s going to be a squeeze.<\/p>\n \u201cGuys like Luke Lloyd and Zane Zakostelsky are really impressing and improving. Like any club, we\u2019ve got lots of options and it\u2019s exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Brisbane Lions\u2019 Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley. Picture: Liam KidstonSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Lester said it\u2019ll be a tough decision in choosing a new Brisbane co-captain should the club again have two skippers this season following Lachie Neale\u2019s decision to stand down.<\/p>\n Neale earlier this month announced he was vacating the captaincy role he shared with Harris Andrews for the previous three seasons due to \u201cpersonal matters\u201d after the well-publicised breakdown of his marriage.<\/p>\n With Brisbane\u2019s captaincy duties decided by a player vote, Lester and his teammates must now decide whether Andrews takes sole possession of role as skipper or it is again a case of co-captains in the Lions\u2019 quest for a hat-trick of premierships.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s vice-captains, star midfielders Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley, seem the obvious candidates to fill the void left by Neale if they Lions opt for the same captaincy model for the fourth successive year.<\/p>\n \u201c(Andrews) could definitely take it (by himself) if that\u2019s the way (it goes),\u201d Lester said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a player vote, so that ultimately will decide it.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Dunks\u2019 and \u2018Huey\u2019, I find them very hard to split if you were going to go down the path of two captains.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one or three for me.\u201d<\/p>\n CROWS DUO \u2018FINE\u2019 AFTER INJURY SCARES<\/p>\n There were a couple of scares at Adelaide on Wednesday, but both star forwards Izak Rankine and Riley Thilthorpe looked to have escaped serious injury.<\/p>\n Rankine looked to have picked up a knee issue early in the session and was seen speaking with the team doctor, before returning to action.<\/p>\n Thilthorpe limped from the field after a knock to his leg during match simulation. While he didn\u2019t return to the field, The Advertiser<\/a> reported<\/a> Thilthorpe was said to be OK.<\/p>\n \u201cYou get a little bit scared, especially when other guys have gone down \u2026 but it\u2019s all part of doing contact training,\u201d Crows ruck Reilly O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw Riley after and he was fine, he just got a knock.<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially when you first get back into it, there\u2019s risk of a few knocks early because you\u2019re not used to that level of intensity.<\/p>\n \u201cRankine had a knock and was fine as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Curtin stretchered from Crows training | 00:36<\/p>\n It was unideal timing for the Crows, considering young gun Dan Curtin\u2019s injury setback earlier this week.<\/p>\n Curtin, who\u2019d been a summer standout for the Crows, dislocated his kneecap during a wrestling drill with captain Jordan Dawson on Monday. If Curtin undergoes surgery, it would rule him out for around three months.<\/p>\n O\u2019Brien defended the Crows\u2019 use of wrestling drills during training.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not putting guys in positions to get injured generally,\u201d O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n \u201cGenerally it\u2019s pretty controlled.<\/p>\n \u201cIt hasn\u2019t had an injury in it for years so it was just disappointing Dan hurt himself.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do stoppage drills and match sim, and guys get injured from that as well, and you\u2019re not going to stop doing that just because there\u2019s an injury.<\/p>\n \u201cOne freak accident in a drill doesn\u2019t discount the merit of such a drill.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Brien said recent recruit Cal Ah Chee had made an immediate impact.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s another guy with such good experience and premiership experience, similar to Alex Neal-Bullen last year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll just elevate our group with his leadership and with his experience, but also with his obvious skill set that he brings.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a threat in the air, very skilful, and above all he\u2019s a real team player, does the little things that you need to in games.\u201d<\/p>\n ELSEWHERE \u2026<\/p>\n \u2013 Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson says veteran midfielder Jack Viney is making positive progress as he battles Achilles soreness. Richardson told <\/a>Zero Hanger<\/a>: \u201cWe expect him to return to full training in the next few weeks. Jack\u2019s been managing that Achilles soreness, and pleasingly has been making some really positive steps through that rehab.\u201d \u2014 Top North Melbourne draftee Lachy Dovaston is well placed for a Round 1 AFL debut, according to the <\/a>Herald Sun<\/a>, after impressing this summer with his speed and agility,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two Eagles No.1 picks \u2014 one from the national draft and another from a mid-season draft \u2014 are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":427216,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[9126,638,54514,16296,12093,64,63,689,55,639,3423,20781,156828,3237,46744,74065,31213,7803,50272,10143,224241,3505,10989,224050,25560,69080,224238,3496,100114,224054,13482,224244,2105,224232,38387,224052,1147,12138,159272,224233,115359,25865,3514,27725,12098,3512,145653,224060,25875,111715,224051,224053,224231,224243,224061,218846,647,7198,1817,10379,221413,677,15645,222600,83949,46,29987,15624,224242,224240,224234,206070,224062,224245,13664,20250,19083,85,50708,224236,224235,30690,224237,25851,222614,1133,224059,102117,64414,224056,14441,107502,660,7067,3439,222603,224239],"class_list":["post-427215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-adelaide-crows","tag-afl","tag-alan-richardson","tag-andrew-henshaw","tag-another-fine-day","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-ben-waterworth","tag-brandon-starcevich","tag-brent-harvey","tag-brisbane-lions","tag-captaincy-duties","tag-captaincy-role","tag-career-best-season","tag-clayton-oliver","tag-coast-eagles","tag-craig-mcrae","tag-crows-duo","tag-daniel-curtin","tag-darcy-moore","tag-defender-heavy-contingent","tag-defensive-depth","tag-defensive-role","tag-defensive-unit","tag-dual-premiership","tag-fairest-winner","tag-final-drill","tag-footy-field","tag-freak-accident","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-giants-training","tag-goal-kicking","tag-group-doing-extras","tag-harley-reid","tag-hugh-mccluggage","tag-immediate-impact","tag-injury-scares","tag-injury-setback","tag-jack-viney","tag-jordan-dawson","tag-jordan-de-goey","tag-josh-dunkley","tag-knee-injury","tag-knee-issue","tag-knee-troubles","tag-lachie-neale","tag-leadership-role","tag-light-duties","tag-line-fundamentals","tag-lion-ryan-lester","tag-luke-lloyd","tag-mandatory-factor","tag-match-simulation","tag-melbourne","tag-michael-willson","tag-mid-season-draft","tag-mid-season-recruit","tag-minor-calf-setback","tag-oceania","tag-on-ball-brigade","tag-origin-match","tag-patrick-lipinski","tag-perth","tag-phil-hillyard","tag-player","tag-player-vote","tag-positive-progress","tag-positive-steps","tag-premiership-experience","tag-premiership-superstar","tag-real-team-player","tag-reilly-obrien","tag-riley-thilthorpe","tag-scott-pendlebury","tag-sports","tag-stephen-coniglio","tag-stoppage-drills","tag-styles-mix","tag-superstar-player","tag-team-doctor","tag-tom-mccarthy","tag-track-watch-updates","tag-trade-period","tag-trademark-explosiveness","tag-training-track","tag-tyler-lewis","tag-valuable-weapon","tag-veteran-midfielder","tag-veteran-teammate","tag-victoria","tag-west-coast-eagles","tag-western-australia","tag-wrestling-drill","tag-wrestling-drills"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=427215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427215\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/427216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=427215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=427215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=427215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u2013 Premiership Cat and All-Australian Tyson Stengle has returned to Geelong, according to <\/a>The Age<\/a>, after being granted leave from the club. He\u2019ll reportedly rejoin the Cats on a modified program.<\/p>\n