Training Pre-season updates 2024-2025.

[domus]

Tommy looks cut. He's ready to prove his doubters wrong.

 

[Matrix10]

I love Reef. I'm so glad they've given him another chance to prove himself. He's too good a player to cut from the list- there's just something about him which suggests he will make it.

Really. What are you seeing ? Last chance saloon for Reef. Hope you’re right. I don’t see it .

 

[Jelly Bean]

Are you saying he can only make it as a shut-down defender? Don't get me wrong I agree this would be useful.

However his speed means he may also be good as a rebounder in the Noble/Markov mould.

Noble and Markov are two very different players.

Noble is one of the best flat out attacking small defenders we've had for a while, just goes and gets the ball and runs with it. He won't be a Noble unfortunately.

Markov is not a rebounding defender at all really.

Either way, I'd love Reef to be an attacking medium defender, sure, but we desperately need a defensive key defender to take pressure off / elevate Moore, so if Reef could do that it would be a hugely valuable thing for us.

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

Noble and Markov are two very different players.

Noble is one of the best flat out attacking small defenders we've had for a while, just goes and gets the ball and runs with it. He won't be a Noble unfortunately.

Markov is not a rebounding defender at all really.

Either way, I'd love Reef to be an attacking medium defender, sure, but we desperately need a defensive key defender to take pressure off / elevate Moore, so if Reef could do that it would be a hugely valuable thing for us.

Fair enough on most of the post.

The only thing I would disagree on is your Markov take. Fair enough he has only played about 25 games for us but he is mostly a get ball and run type, although he doesn't get it much imo. Maybe I am missing something.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Really. What are you seeing ? Last chance saloon for Reef. Hope you’re right. I don’t see it .

Have to say that much like Fin I'm hitting the point of giving up with Reef as well

It's easy to forget both these boys were taken in the same draft (and taken higher) as Beau

Fin will definitely be delisted at the end of 2025, but hopefully Reef finds his feet as a defender.

 

[Anzacday]

Really. What are you seeing ? Last chance saloon for Reef. Hope you’re right. I don’t see it .

I’m with domus.
To answer your question, he has pace and is courageous in the air.
His skills are pretty good also.
Personally, I think he’s been stifled by injuries and a lack of confidence, (in/out of the team).
The run he’s showing in training is a sign of confidence for me.
Aerially he will be fine and with Murph giving him guidance (?) I hope he makes the position his.

PS: @ Reef I just put them on the line for you mate!

 

[sr36]

Noble and Markov are two very different players.

Noble is one of the best flat out attacking small defenders we've had for a while, just goes and gets the ball and runs with it. He won't be a Noble unfortunately.

Markov is not a rebounding defender at all really.

Either way, I'd love Reef to be an attacking medium defender, sure, but we desperately need a defensive key defender to take pressure off / elevate Moore, so if Reef could do that it would be a hugely valuable thing for us.

I'm with you, the running footage looks good, but I want to see aerial stuff. Otherwise he's a general defender behind Bruzzy and IQ and in the queue with Markov, TJ and Ryan.

Bruzzy can play tall, so there could still be a way in for Reef, but it leaves us more exposed in the air

 

[live fast pieyoung]

Just curious, why is the implied consensus that Charlie Dean is safer on the list than Reef?

 

[Harry O]

I'm with you, the running footage looks good, but I want to see aerial stuff. Otherwise he's a general defender behind Bruzzy and IQ and in the queue with Markov, TJ and Ryan.

Bruzzy can play tall, so there could still be a way in for Reef, but it leaves us more exposed in the air

Agreed he needs to win defensive contests to play defence at afl level , but expecting him to take the gorillas is fanciful I think. Third defender Ala Howe should be his target

 

[Freddo]

Correct me if I’m wrong but was Frampton part of Collingwood’s 2023 Premiership team? Someone told me he kept one of the best defenders in the league ineffectual for almost 3/4’s of the match but I could be wrong.

Frampton was never a best 22 player in 2023. He plugged holes. And we were absolutely elite. He played a good role in the granny but no team trots out a 200cm forward pocket each week to touch the ball twice.
If you think we can win the flag with Billy frampton at chb or fb you clearly didn't watch him play last year

 

[Kirby]

Just curious, why is the implied consensus that Charlie Dean is safer on the list than Reef?

Who's implying that?

They are both equally unsafe in that they have this year to prove themselves.

Reef is just talked about more as he is a former high draft pick and Dean is a rookie.

 

[Buckley is my hero]

Frampton was never a best 22 player in 2023. He plugged holes. And we were absolutely elite. He played a good role in the granny but no team trots out a 200cm forward pocket each week to touch the ball twice.
If you think we can win the flag with Billy frampton at chb or fb you clearly didn't watch him play last year

Frampton isn't a forward. Port Adelaide gave up on him and then he went to Adelaide where he played well in the SANFL but did nothing in the senior team as a forward. He has a premiership medal as a forward with Collingwood, but that's a quirk since he was only there because McStay was injured. Premiership teams always produce lucky players who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Key position players can take a long time to mature and Frampton is one of those who has all the qualities to make it as a defensive tall, only needs a little more confidence against the power forwards like Jeremy Cameron to offer support to Darcy Moore.

 

[Dtennent94]

Just curious, why is the implied consensus that Charlie Dean is safer on the list than Reef?

We’ve also seen Reef stink it up for longer and over more games and he can’t use injury as an excuse like Dean can.

I hope both come good.

 

[Harry O]

It’s funny how Reef and Nick are the same age but people seem to think Reef is some failed 25yo

 

[Dtennent94]

It’s funny how Reef and Nick are the same age but people seem to think Reef is some failed 25yo

A vast majority of players have either succeeded or failed by the time they’ve been in the system for 4 years. It’s not unfair for people to expect him to fail at this stage (despite us all hoping for the opposite, obviously).

Some people are realists and some people are eternal optimists.

 

[Mollythedolly]

A vast majority of players have either succeeded or failed by the time they’ve been in the system for 4 years. It’s not unfair for people to expect him to fail at this stage (despite us all hoping for the opposite, obviously).

Some people are realists and some people are eternal optimists.

McInnes averaged 1.44 goals a game (ranked =49th in the league alongside Dylan Moore) in his 9 games in 2024. Only Mihocek and McStay averaged better for Collingwood afaik. Likely to have been higher if he hadn’t been used as the sub in 3 of those games. We’ll likely never know why he wasn’t getting more opportunity but he’s certainly been doing enough to maintain the interests of the club.

 

[Fat Jesus]

McInnes averaged 1.44 goals a game (ranked =49th in the league alongside Dylan Moore) in his 9 games in 2024. Only Mihocek and McStay averaged better for Collingwood afaik. Likely to have been higher if he hadn’t been used as the sub in 3 of those games. We’ll likely never know why he wasn’t getting more opportunity but he’s certainly been doing enough to maintain the interests of the club.

A very interesting stat.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

It’s funny how Reef and Nick are the same age but people seem to think Reef is some failed 25yo

This is slightly disingenuous because while Reef is technically 21, he's 22 in 2 days lol

He was drafted a year before Nick and was in the same draft as Beau McCreery. Beau was taken at pick 44. Reef at pick 23 and was highly touted.

Both Nick and Beau are premiership players and have made themselves key members of the 23.

I don't think it's completely unfair to judge Reef against his literal contemporaries who have gone waaaaay past him.

 

[Jen2310]

Leppa talked about how some players can just pop later than others, I think this is the case for Reef. He looks prime to lock down a position in the defensive half. he looks bigger, stonger and fitter.

 

[Jen2310]

Collingwood’s depth was put to the test during full ground match simulation on Tuesday with the next wave of hopeful stars stepping up in the absence of the more notable Pies names.
22-year old Finlay Macrae was the standout during the session, who flourished with more opportunity in the middle of the ground with trio Jordan De Goey, Josh Daicos and Tom Mitchell all absent.

The Pies said the trio trained inside with Jamie Elliott the only other omission from the outdoor session.

Macrae has struggled to break into Collingwood’s senior side, having only played 21 games in four seasons at the club, but he had plenty of the football during the match sim running alongside and combining well with Nick Daicos through the midfield.

Teams were broken up into black singlets and white singlets with new recruit Dan Houston joining Macrae, Daicos, Brayden Maynard and Darcy Moore on team black.

Former Giant Harry Perryman was a standout for the white side and ran through the middle often as a link in the Pies’ chain going forward.

Scott Pendlebury, Isaac Quaynor and Tim Membrey were the other key performers for the white team.

Jeremy Howe played out of full forward on Isaac Quaynor, alongside Ash Johnson and Dan McStay.

Reef McInnes continued to train down back alongside Billy Frampton and Darcy Moore.

Johnson – who had a great 2023 season before injury cut it short – did get out the back of a contest at full forward, dribbling an impressive goal from a tight angle.

The highlight of the match-sim was Jack Crisp’s long bomb to seal the win for the white team after the whistle.

Close to the boundary, Crisp launched a massive 55-metre drop punt straight through the middle with every teammate on the ground getting over to him to celebrate.

Players who impressed:

Darcy Cameron – the man who made the All Australian Squad in 2024 was impressive in the match sim. Up against project ruckman Oscar Steene, Cameron comfortably outworked his opponent around the ground and in the ruck. Also pushed back on multiple occasions, helping teammate Darcy Moore defend Mason Cox.

Reef McInnes – again training down back, McInnes seems to have adapted to the role seamlessly. Competed very well in the air and is balanced at ground level and was already directing teammates behind the ball.

Tim Membrey – was initially well held in a one-on-one contest at ground level by Brayden Maynard, but followed up into the pocket and snuck a dribbling goal from close range with Maynard on his tail.

Lachie Schultz – the former Docker who kicked 24 goals from his 20 games in his first season as a Magpie, was heavily involved in a fast-paced handball drill with plenty of praise from teammates coming his way throughout the drill. Also did some good things during the match-sim.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-track-watch-pies-young-guns-recruits-shine-at-preseason-training/news-story/c7bfcf1c477ae7638fc62faba5e2f790

 

[Jen2310]

 

[Harry O]

This is slightly disingenuous because while Reef is technically 21, he's 22 in 2 days lol

He was drafted a year before Nick and was in the same draft as Beau McCreery. Beau was taken at pick 44. Reef at pick 23 and was highly touted.

Both Nick and Beau are premiership players and have made themselves key members of the 23.

I don't think it's completely unfair to judge Reef against his literal contemporaries who have gone waaaaay past him.

They are born less than a month apart. Hardly disingenuous

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

This is slightly disingenuous because while Reef is technically 21, he's 22 in 2 days lol

Nick is 22 in 23 days...

So it's disingenuous to compare Reef in age to Nick when they're 21 days apart in age, but not disingenuous to compare Reef to Beau McCreery who's 20 months older than Reef.

 

[BEEG]

Josh been training with the half backs Jen2310 ?

 

[Jen2310]

Josh been training with the half backs Jen2310 ?

He has been there predominately.