DAY ONE of pre-season comes around every year and with it comes a buzz of energy, the same kind of feeling as the first day of school.
Today, as Melbourne’s AFL program starts its prep for 2026, that exciting energy is in the air, only this time, it’s got a slightly different edge to it.
This season, it’s a clean slate for the Dees. A new senior coach as well as fresh mix of coaching staff. Five new Demons added via the trade and free agent period, with up to five draftees still to come.
It’s an excitement that comes with both the nerves of the unknown and the fun of something new.
MONDAY 10 NOVEMBER | 1 – 4 YEAR PLAYERS RETURN
COACHES’ MEETING | 8:00am
The day starts at AAMI Park with an 8:00am meeting between the coaches. It’s Steven King’s first official day as senior coach, and the first day for a number of new coaches - Jared Rivers, Rory Atkins and Rhett McLennan.
The coaches sit around their desks catching up on their weekends, the NFL playing on the TV in the background.
As the clock rolls over to 8:00am, the chatter starts to slow down and it’s time for the first pre-training chat of the season.
Although it’s his first day on the job, King sits back, reserved and listening.
Selwyn Griffith, the club’s AFL High Performance Manager, kicks things off by running through the players that are in.
The first-to-fourth year players are required these next two weeks, with the sessions non-compulsory for the more experienced Demons.
Griffith runs through the conditioning and expectations from a performance point of view, before handing over to Taylor Whitford, the club’s new head of development, taking on the role following three years as the club’s VFL senior coach.
Whitford explains the training plan as King starts to join in on the conversation. Troy Chaplin is also there – adding in his coaching expertise to the discussion. It seems like the collaborative approach is the way forward for King.
As the meeting rolls on – the coaches getting into the nitty gritty of training – the chatter in the communal area starts to ramp up. Players are arriving for day one of a new era.
FULL PROGRAM MEETING | 8:45am
Staff, coaches and players clamber into the meeting room. The GM of AFL Football Performance Alan Richardson opens the meeting by informally introducing the new coaches, staff and players. Informally, because many have already met and been at the club for some weeks now.
With many senior players absent, this isn’t the usual start-of-the-season meeting, but King is next up and is eager to get across his hopes for the group.
“I hope you all feel as excited about this fresh start as I am,” King said.
“Hopefully the environment is the type that’ll give you a boost and what we want to do as a coaching group is maximise your strengths and make it a really fun workplace.
TRAINING | 9:45am – 11:30am
New Demons Max Heath, Brody Mihocek, Jack Steele, Changkuoth Jiath and Oscar Berry all hit the track for the first time in red and blue.
Among the senior players who join earlier than expected is Tom McDonald who is set to enter into his 16th AFL pre-season.
Despite having graduated to the senior group of players, Bailey Laurie and Harry Sharp get amongst the action alongside fellow experienced players Tom Campbell, Kade Chandler, Tom Sparrow, Harry Petty and Jake Lever.
Keen onlookers at Gosch’s Paddock would see a change in jumper numbers throughout the group, but fans will have to wait until the guernsey digits are locked in following the finalisation of the full AFL list.
LUNCH | 11:30am – 12:30pm
With both AFL and AFLW programs in at AAMI Park - Melbourne’s AFLW side preparing for a semi-final this coming Saturday - the two teams crossed over during lunch chatting about pre-season and debriefing yesterday’s loss.
GYM | 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Next up on the day one schedule is the first gym session. The AFLW program is also completing an off-leg session, so the AAMI Park gym slowly fills with red and blue.
Andy Moniz-Wakefield, who suffered an ACL injury at the beginning of the year, completes specific exercises as he eyes off a return for the 2026 season.
INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS | 1:30pm onwards
For the rest of the day players catch up with performance staff, coaches and admin as they make up for lost time and trade stories from their breaks.
The nutrition and high performance staff check-in with the group to track their progress, while new players get set up with their calendars, emails and swipe passes into the facilities.
It’s the mundane tasks that come with the first day of school, and King's class is now in session.
A grueling two months of training lie ahead before the Christmas break, and the group is eager to impress and earn a place in the new staff’s best 22.
