Training Saints preseason 2026

[True Believer]

**** I reckon I should go down for this.

I'm much the same - I reckon I should go down for most things though.........

 

[stavro#4]

I’m surprised the Essendon game (150 year, was it) wasn’t more than 80k. When the Dons were all over us it certainly felt like 300k Essendon fans.

Heap of injuries. A lot of people thought we were probably over performing and the bubble would pop.

Wasn’t there rain that night?

 

[gringo2011]

Breakaway from congestion speed + ability to rack up massive numbers and clearances.

His poor disposal was known but it was assumed he would outweigh that issue with his ability to cause damage with his dynamism.

It just never transpired at AFL level. You see it VFL level.

I actually rated his footy in the AFL late 2024. Less touches more grit. He looked like he was high possession low hurt in the VFL for years. I saw one Carlton v Saints game where he must have had about 45 possessions and doubt one hit a target.

 

[stavro#4]

I actually rated his footy in the AFL late 2024. Less touches more grit. He looked like he was high possession low hurt in the VFL for years. I saw one Carlton v Saints game where he must have had about 45 possessions and doubt one hit a target.

Didn’t he murder us in one praccy game against them at Optus oval?

 

[gringo2011]

Mmm so in other words, he won’t be starting 23 in 26. Poor disposal isn’t gonna be on the wish list.

He seemed to play with his skillset in 2024. He needs to feed it off to the outside and let the good users set up play.

 

[gringo2011]

Didn’t he murder us in one praccy game against them at Optus oval?

Possibly but I was really put off after watching a few of his VFL games. Made Dunstan look like Nas.

 

[The Cobra]

Bloke is fanging it like the T1000 in Terminator 2.. sight to behold

As per Gringo’s stats this kid is building year on year. Who knows what his ceiling is but one things for sure - he will absolutely get the best out of himself.

Wish him every success - doing the work!

 

[CaptainRisky]

What do you like to do besides footy? If it's GP weekend you might be up for a big tariff and limited choices. You might be best with airbnb.

Most hotels will already be 80-85% booked for GP weekend and Any form of rental wont be cheap that weekend , hotels in St Klida road are around $1000 a night . Hospitality is all about supply and demand , the Taylor Swift tour was off the hook

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Yeah I'd be keen to get down to the 'G for that one too, bummer it's the same weekend as the GP.

 

[FraserFridays]

So does anyone actually know if they are training at RSEA? Or at a running track tomorrow?

 

[True Believer]

Most hotels will already be 80-85% booked for GP weekend and Any form of rental wont be cheap that weekend , hotels in St Klida road are around $1000 a night . Hospitality is all about supply and demand , the Taylor Swift tour was off the hook

See that works for me, I'd rather be anywhere except where Taylor Swift is, so everywhere that she is not, is as cheap as chips!!

 

[stfan]

He seemed to play with his skillset in 2024. He needs to feed it off to the outside and let the good users set up play.

Dow, Carrol, Butler, Byrnes and others such as Henry are all part of our having very good depth for the 2026.

All could sneak into a best 23 if in good form, but more likely will just miss out if we have a full list to play from.

All can come in, do their role and play at a good level if we have injuries/suspension or even other players who are in poor touch.


The interesting thing this season is how the Club gets games into our youth. In 2025 due to injuries it was easy to get games into players, and to rotate many through.

In 2026 the focus will be on making finals and winning each week. Will they seek to maximise wins in 2026 with a "Best Available" team each week.

So the Club may favour more the known, than development. But the Club will also know that it needs to develop our youth and get games into them. If the latter they may go for an almost Best Available, with 1 or 2 spots included to develop the best of our youth. ie Tauru, Garcia and Boxshall.



They could view 2026 as a year of using Sandy more for that purpose. ie Trav can play as a mid at Sandy whereas in the seniors he would be more HB. Though Trav is one who. unless he has an impressive preseason, you would expect start at Sandy most likely anyway.

Tauru is an excitement machine, but needs to improve his decision making when disposing. Will the Club go with honing that enormous upside in the seniors, or just get games into him in our VFL Team?

 

[saintmike65]

Dow, Carrol, Butler, Byrnes and others such as Henry are all part of our having very good depth for the 2026.

All could sneak into a best 23 if in good form, but more likely will just miss out if we have a full list to play from.

All can come in, do their role and play at a good level if we have injuries/suspension or even other players who are in poor touch.


The interesting thing this season is how the Club gets games into our youth. In 2025 due to injuries it was easy to get games into players, and to rotate many through.

In 2026 the focus will be on making finals and winning each week. Will they seek to maximise wins in 2026 with a "Best Available" team each week.

So the Club may favour more the known, than development. But the Club will also know that it needs to develop our youth and get games into them. If the latter they may go for an almost Best Available, with 1 or 2 spots included to develop the best of our youth. ie Tauru, Garcia and Boxshall.



They could view 2026 as a year of using Sandy more for that purpose. ie Trav can play as a mid at Sandy whereas in the seniors he would be more HB. Though Trav is one who. unless he has an impressive preseason, you would expect start at Sandy most likely anyway.

Tauru is an excitement machine, but needs to improve his decision making when disposing. Will the Club go with honing that enormous upside in the seniors, or just get games into him at Sandy?

Presume you mean saints VFL side..

 

[SaintWrld]

So does anyone actually know if they are training at RSEA? Or at a running track tomorrow?

The time trials aren’t until the full group returns in a few weeks time, so I would guess it’s at RSEA

 

[stfan]

Any good advice in a handy place to stay. Keeping in mind I’ll probably hang around for a few days and just walk around.

As others have said, CBD and inner city likely to be very expensive.

I just had a look at Glen Waverley, which is walking distance to a train station that on trainline that goes to the MCG.

Two hotels there for $329/360 for two nights total (ie Sat and Sunday nights).

The area around the station and hotel has a large number of restaurants and bars.

It is 30 minutes by train to Richmond (MCG), and Flinders St is the stop after that.

PS dudeintheswamp

 

[stfan]

Presume you mean saints VFL side..

Yes lol. Old habits die hard. Will edit post!

 

[SaintWrld]

Dow, Carrol, Butler, Byrnes and others such as Henry are all part of our having very good depth for the 2026.

All could sneak into a best 23 if in good form, but more likely will just miss out if we have a full list to play from.

All can come in, do their role and play at a good level if we have injuries/suspension or even other players who are in poor touch.


The interesting thing this season is how the Club gets games into our youth. In 2025 due to injuries it was easy to get games into players, and to rotate many through.

In 2026 the focus will be on making finals and winning each week. Will they seek to maximise wins in 2026 with a "Best Available" team each week.

So the Club may favour more the known, than development. But the Club will also know that it needs to develop our youth and get games into them. If the latter they may go for an almost Best Available, with 1 or 2 spots included to develop the best of our youth. ie Tauru, Garcia and Boxshall.



They could view 2026 as a year of using Sandy more for that purpose. ie Trav can play as a mid at Sandy whereas in the seniors he would be more HB. Though Trav is one who. unless he has an impressive preseason, you would expect start at Sandy most likely anyway.

Tauru is an excitement machine, but needs to improve his decision making when disposing. Will the Club go with honing that enormous upside in the seniors, or just get games into him at Sandy?

Yep going to be interesting how they juggle it. Hypothetically if Caminiti and Keeler are dominating at VFL level and banging the door down, who do they drop out of King, Marshall or Sharman to bring them in? I could see both players searching for a trade at years end due to lack of opportunity if I’m being honest, both out of contract and both have had interest from other clubs.

 

[kosifantutti]

Didn’t he murder us in one praccy game against them at Optus oval?

I’m not sure if it was the same game but we played them in a practice match in his first year. I don’t think he murdered us but I thought he looked really good for an 18 year old.

Then I hardly heard of him until he came to play for us.

 

[stavro#4]

I’m not sure if it was the same game but we played them in a practice match in his first year. I don’t think he murdered us but I thought he looked really good for an 18 year old.

Then I hardly heard of him until he came to play for us.

I just checked.

2.1 from 13 disposals

Was pretty good

 

[akaifu]

 

[ScrappyDo]

Ahhhhhh so that’s why the prices are through the roof. It’s like $400 a night. Would have liked to stay somewhere central walking distance to cafes and pubs. Head down Thursday come back Tuesday. Might give it a miss now too exxy.
Not interested in gp only Saints

Find a spot close to a train station.

The Hurstbridge line runs directly to Jolimont station so somewhere around Ivanhoe is a 20 min train ride into the G.

There’s a few serviced apartment places around that neck of the woods.

Everywhere is gonne be overpriced because of the GP but W2L's point is fair.
There's 4 train lines that run north of town and each grant access to some good areas for pubs and cafes.
I'd suggest Thornbury is probably the place to be now days, Brunswick has filled up full of city trash and there's only a couple of places left up that way that haven't gone wank.
Eltham is also worth considering for a tree change at the cost of a bit longer on the train.
I'd also suggest some members here might have lodgings and it would be stupid to miss out when you don't have to.

 

[ScrappyDo]

 

[Saint Kidding]

Very unfair on the teams that finish 7th and 8th. They didn't have much of a chance from there to start with. Now they have to foof around while teams 1st though 6th have a bye to recuperate.
Might as well just run with a final 6.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Everywhere is gonne be overpriced because of the GP but W2L's point is fair.
There's 4 train lines that run north of town and each grant access to some good areas for pubs and cafes.
I'd suggest Thornbury is probably the place to be now days, Brunswick has filled up full of city trash and there's only a couple of places left up that way that haven't gone wank.
Eltham is also worth considering for a tree change at the cost of a bit longer on the train.
I'd also suggest some members here might have lodgings and it would be stupid to miss out when you don't have to.

Great advice from everyone.
Appreciated

 

[stavro#4]

Windhager interview on 7News