2026 Preseason

[KSAS]

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1463900/fully-fit-callum-mills-eyes-first-opening-round-appearance-in-three-years]Fully fit Mills eyes first opening round appearance in three years[/url]
Here's hoping.

Hi TS, there was an error with your link above so i've re-posted it. Hope that's ok, didn't want to steal your thunder!

Interesting article as it also had photos of today's match sim and a big wrap for Ned Bowman who has been impressing down back. He's seen as an heir apparent to Dane Rampe.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1463900/fully-fit-callum-mills-eyes-first-opening-round-appearance-in-three-years

[KSAS]

Video of today's match sim and Mark McVeigh's post match interview now up on the club's website. It encapsulates above the AFL.COM article. I must say Mark McVeigh does come across as a polished media performer, remembering he was a care taker coach at GWS who i thought did well under the circumstances at the time.

[wolftone57]

Twomey says Serong, Edwards, Bowman, Curnow, Rosas, Mills were all very good. I think Twomey has us up there for the flag. It's interesting, Jenkins, Cornes, King don't have us as a Premiership chance, just top 4. But Twomey was very impressed by our training and the understanding the players had. He was also impressed that Cox now had very experienced hands like Goodwin and Laidler to join the team. He now has a full team of coaches.

I saw the 6 minute video and it mainly showed the Red Team, full of Best 22 from last year, bearting the Green team easily. But the green team did hit back a couple of times late. We seem to be easing players back into the team. players like Logan played a little further up the ground. I would love to see more than the 6 minutes that the PR Department put out.

[Thunder Shaker]

Hi TS, there was an error with your link above so i've re-posted it. Hope that's ok, didn't want to steal your thunder!

Thank you for that. I have corrected the link.

It's hard to edit a post to make corrections after posting it because the zealous anti-spam measures will immediately hide it. It's necessary to wait a while, but I don't yet know the length of time to wait until it's safe to make changes.

[Thunder Shaker]

Twomey says Serong, Edwards, Bowman, Curnow, Rosas, Mills were all very good. I think Twomey has us up there for the flag. It's interesting, Jenkins, Cornes, King don't have us as a Premiership chance, just top 4. But Twomey was very impressed by our training and the understanding the players had. He was also impressed that Cox now had very experienced hands like Goodwin and Laidler to join the team. He now has a full team of coaches.

Recent history is not well understood by several so-called experts.

Sydney finished on top of the ladder in 2024 after spending the last two-thirds of the season there. This is the longest run of consecutive weeks that the team has ever spent on top of the ladder.

Sydney started poorly in 2025, after having the longest injury list in the competition in the first few weeks. Sydney went 2-4 in the first six games, with wins over Fremantle (3 points), and North Melbourne (65 points). Losses in that time included Brisbane Lions (4 points) and Port Adelaide (8 points). Sydney had not beaten Port Adelaide in a home and away match for nearly a decade.

After players returned from injury, the team performed much better, winning most games in the last third of the season and having top-4 form.

Sydney recruited strongly in the 2025 off-season, with clear improvements to the list. The 2026 team is arguably stronger than the 2024 team that played in the 2024 Grand Final.

Other teams have made improvements as well. However, it is foolish to dismiss the chances of Sydney in 2026 just because they finished 10th in 2025. Adelaide finished 15th in 2024 and finished on top of the ladder in 2025.

[KSAS]

Hoping one key learning from the 2024 season that we will address is the over reliance on exceptional performances from Chad, Heeney & Gulden to win big games.

Hoping the likes of McInerney & Sheldrick really step up to help increase the quality & depth our midfield plus Mills having a pinch hit run In there at times. Rowie to re-capture his 2024 form.

Another learning was a lack of flexibility with players able to play in different positions in times of break glass. I sense Cox is trying to address this going by his recent interviews in making us less predictable with more modes of attack / defending.

[UUaswan]

I like the sound of Goodwin assessing our list and most probably shaking his head wondering why have we been playing slow

Fresh set of eyes with a game plan and playing a bit taller fwd line, should have us in good stead.

And yes I know we were injured but we did have more available to us then what was being played