![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is always the day you look forward to. When you get out on the deck,\u201d Victorian assistant coach Garry Lyon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Bailey Smith is kicking it to Matt Rowell who is kicking it to Zak Butters \u2013 I mean that\u2019s just footy porn for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are all excited.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe AFL have done an outstanding job in throwing a fair bit at this \u2026 They want for nothing these boys.\u201d<\/p>\n
AFL Origin hype taking over Perth | 01:09<\/p>\n
RIDICULOUS MIDS \u2026 BUT DON\u2019T FORGET THE FORWARDS<\/p>\n
We know it\u2019s a stacked Victorian midfield with the likes of Bailey Smith, Nick Daicos, Matt Rowell, Caleb Serong, Marcus Bontempelli, Zak Butters, Noah Anderson and co. but it was the forwards who showed plenty on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Ben King, the late replacement for injured Cats star Jeremy Cameron, was on fire early \u2013 even putting a ball out of the ground when he snapped truly on the run.<\/p>\n
Giants skipper Toby Greene appeared on limited minutes as he repeatedly rotated to the sidelines, but he too made the most of his opportunities to nail a brilliant goal from the square.<\/p>\n
Some quick hands from Bulldogs star Ed Richards set up the Greene moment in promising signs for just how dangerous the Victorian attack is.<\/p>\n
You add in rising star Sam Darcy and there\u2019s plenty to like.<\/p>\n
Vic teammates Sam Darcy and Ben King.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is nearly the one I was most excited to put on the board,\u201d Lyon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s ready to just explode.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis form in the practice matches for the Western Bulldogs up against Rory Lobb and those boys \u2013 they might be having sleepless nights.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s such a formidable presence.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s aggressive, he\u2019s awesome.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he\u2019s in the square and then Nick Daicos is standing next to him, Zak Butters is just sniffing around, then good luck I say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield proved a big presence in attack too, as he and assistant Garry Lyon were vocal in team huddles, gesturing and directing traffic where required.<\/p>\n
Also starting forward alongside Greene and Darcy were Zach Merrett, Marcus Bontempelli, Nick Daicos, Dangerfield, Ben King and Jack Gunston.<\/p>\n
Sam Darcy snaps a goal.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
CATS STAR BACK TO HIS BEST<\/p>\n
It took just minutes for Cats star Tom Stewart to pick off an intercept mark after lining up on Marcus Bontempelli as a forward.<\/p>\n
Missing last year\u2019s grand final defeat through the AFL\u2019s concussion protocols, Stewart showed no signs of rust as he made the most of Jack Gunston\u2019s indecision with the first entry inside 50 of match practice.<\/p>\n
With Nick Daicos starting in attack opposed to Blake Hardwick, the Pies star screamed for the short pass \u2013 which Gunston ignored.<\/p>\n
Instead he opted to go to the pocket where Stewart was back at his intercepting best.<\/p>\n
And that is great signs for the Vics.<\/p>\n
Stewart has been the general for that Geelong backline for a number of years.<\/p>\n
And given the short amount of time this Victorian team has together before Saturday, having a leader like Stewart who can read the play so well and drop off to help out is something that will please Vic coach Chris Scott.<\/p>\n
Tom Stewart was at his damaging best.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
WA DRILL AIMED TO TAKE DOWN OPPOSITION<\/p>\n
It was Western Australia out on the track first, completing a near one-hour session that featured a \u201cKick a Vic\u201d training drill.<\/p>\n
With pressure the sole purpose of the drill, only Luke Jackson, Jesse Hogan, Tom Barrass and Sam Taylor failed to take part as they instead worked on their contested marking.<\/p>\n
But back in the middle it was Swan Chad Warner who impressed with his exit speed, while Eagle Liam Baker laid a few heavy tackles on teammates.<\/p>\n
Warner has already laid the platform for a heated AFL Origin contest, believing there is a hatred between the two States dating back to underage footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they are the same to be honest, they probably hate us as well,\u201d he said earlier in the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t wait to get out there with the boys and do the jersey proud and start that rivalry again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot many people are giving us a chance except maybe for WA people. They are going to get a rude shock. I would love to bring it home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chad Warner fends off Bradley Hill.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
Lions star Charlie Cameron also impressed, showing a clean pair of heels as he got through congestion in promising signs for what\u2019s to come on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Cameron endured tough 2025 season with a Lions career-worst 10 games without a goal. But he turned it around on grand final day to slam home four goals in a near best on ground performance.<\/p>\n
And it will be that form WA will be hoping he can emulate.<\/p>\n
JACKSON STANDS TALL \u2026 AS A MID<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the shift Fremantle has worked towards, and now WA Origin fans will enjoy seeing Luke Jackson the midfielder.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old was a stand out during Thursday\u2019s first training with new teammates ahead of Saturday\u2019s AFL Origin blockbuster.<\/p>\n
Jackson trained solely as a mid, lining up on dual Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps in the centre as big men Tim English and Darcy Cameron shared ruck duties.<\/p>\n
And it was Jackson who had an impact \u2013 easily clearly the congestion amid vocal \u201cDogga\u201d calls from teammates while covering the ground without issue.<\/p>\n
The decision to move the 199cm Jackson to the midfield has been on the cards, but now looks to be locked in permanently.<\/p>\n
Luke Jackson clears by hand.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
Also joining Jackson in the middle was Demons star Kysaiah Pickett, with the attacking roles left to the likes of Cameron and Docker Shai Bolton.<\/p>\n
WA will need all the star power they can get in the centre against the likes of Victorians Bailey Smith, Nick Daicos, Matt Rowell, Marcus Bontempelli, Noah Anderson and Caleb Serong.<\/p>\n
But Jackson\u2019s height makes him a deadly prospect.<\/p>\n
At one stoppage, he won the ground ball and flicked it out to a running teammate. And that teammate found big man Tim English streaming forward \u2013 who delivered the inside 50.<\/p>\n
Fellow ruck Darcy Cameron\u2019s slick hands in WA\u2019s defensive mid-ball movement drill left a number of his teammates in awe, with praise heard on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
But all three of WA\u2019s big men possess ground ball skills that could help try and offset this Victorian midfield.<\/p>\n
HOGAN FIRES UP<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no easy feat to outmark Hawks star Tom Barrass \u2013 but that\u2019s exactly what Jesse Hogan was able to do during Thursday\u2019s training session.<\/p>\n
And he did it repeatedly.<\/p>\n
Hogan got hands to a lot of ball coming his way \u2013 and snapped goals in a boost to his confidence.<\/p>\n
Tom Barrass and Jesse Hogan went head to head.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
The 2024 Coleman Medallist looked to be in great touch as WA opt for a tall attack end.<\/p>\n
He was joined in the forward line by Bulldog Aaron Naughton, Port\u2019s Mitch Georgiades and Eagle Jake Waterman, while Lion Charlie Cameron and Docker Shai Bolton added to the mix at ground level.<\/p>\n
Despite not having played together previously, the WA attack end made plenty of space for one another \u2013 and not getting in each others\u2019 way.<\/p>\n
WHO STOPS THIS MIDFIELD JUGGERNAUT?<\/p>\n
Garry Lyon summed it up best when he labelled it \u201cfooty porn\u201d \u2013 but the silky skills of this Victorian midfield has to be seen to be believed.<\/p>\n
We saw premiership Lion Hugh McCluggage alongside Ed Richards – who was the most vocal of the Vic mids – and Noah Anderson, taking on Caleb Serong, Bailey Smith and Matt Rowell.<\/p>\n
And it was next level entertainment.<\/p>\n
Serong was silky with his passes going forward, Smith bulldozed his way through while the likes of Richards and McCluggage repeated their efforts time and time again.<\/p>\n
Marcus Bontempelli, Bailey Smith and Zach Merrett. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
Rowell and Anderson even came together at one point as Rowell laid a big tackle on his Suns\u2019 teammate and good friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou watch this training session, every single player out there I\u2019m like yeah I\u2019m happy for him to do what he wants,\u201d Lyon said watching it unfold.<\/p>\n
The midfield is so stacked, the likes of Nick Daicos and Marcus Bontempelli started as forwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not short of options in there which is hopefully a big advantage for us,\u201d Victorian Jack Sinclair said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s some amazing players.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly not short of a bit of fire power in there.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what can WA to slow the Vics\u2019 charge through the middle?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s something coach Dean Cox will need to figure out and fast if he wants to give the sold-out Perth crowd something to cheer about.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s the \u201cfooty porn\u201d the AFL community has been waiting for. And with just two days to go…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474648,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,24164,12189,64,63,689,55,639,11295,107014,188554,9203,99693,241952,12923,8001,12148,241955,241949,241950,241945,241957,241956,10145,11288,49317,93961,241941,241776,25303,12102,12141,12181,70801,15626,228970,12157,241951,241947,241946,25890,25844,677,7800,39209,60466,241953,131831,27238,12144,188553,11403,85,241942,241954,241943,241948,19086,69078,12113,220377,53149,102117,241944,3439,698,25581,23510],"class_list":["post-474647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-assistant-coach","tag-attack-end","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-ben-king","tag-blake-hardwick","tag-bradley-hill","tag-catherine-healey","tag-cats-skipper","tag-chad-warner-fends","tag-chris-scott","tag-concussion-protocols","tag-dean-cox","tag-defensive-mid-ball-movement","tag-eagle-jake-waterman","tag-english-streaming","tag-exit-speed","tag-fire-power","tag-footy-porn","tag-garry-lyon","tag-grand-final","tag-grand-final-day","tag-ground-ball","tag-ground-ball-skills","tag-heated-contest","tag-intercept-mark","tag-jack-gunston","tag-jeremy-cameron","tag-jesse-hogan","tag-kysaiah-pickett","tag-luke-jackson","tag-match-practice","tag-matt-rowell","tag-mid-ball-movement-drill","tag-midfield-juggernaut","tag-midfield-move","tag-mitch-georgiades","tag-noah-anderson","tag-oceania","tag-patrick-cripps","tag-patrick-dangerfield","tag-practice-matches","tag-promising-signs","tag-rory-lobb","tag-ruck-duties","tag-sam-taylor","tag-shai-bolton","tag-single-player","tag-sports","tag-tall-attack-end","tag-team-huddles","tag-teammates-sam","tag-terrifying-sight","tag-toby-greene","tag-tom-barrass","tag-tom-stewart","tag-track-watch","tag-training-session","tag-training-track","tag-victorians-bailey-smith","tag-western-australia","tag-western-bulldogs","tag-zach-merrett","tag-zak-butters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474647","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=474647"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474647\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=474647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=474647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}