Training Saints preseason 2026

[saintmike65]

Is max kicking a ball yet?

Wouldn’t be far off.

He had a few shots at goal but only short distance

 

[stavro#4]

He had a few shots at goal but only short distance

Positive.

 

[Remboy]

Is max kicking a ball yet?

Wouldn’t be far off.

He did some running and short to medium kicking before the rest of the players started doing drills then went into the gym. It was still more than I saw him do at any stage last year. The big test will be to see what he’s doing post Christmas.
Liam Henry moved better than I saw him do at any stage last year too. He’ll be like a new recruit.
Spotted TDK in the gym. It’s early days but the signs are good.

 

[jimmytigs]

only there for 50 minutes,this is what i jotted down 10.25 to 11.15

flanders kick to kick with one coach at one end of ground,after that he ran a couple laps,did nothing at all with the group,didnt look hampered in any way,fixed his shorts problem

clark did one lap then went inside not to be seen again(he may have done more before i arrived)big red bandage looking thing on his leg,but didnt seem to be hampered

may have been butler also doing a lap,if it was he looked to be doing it tough,also went in didnt see again,if it wasnt butler i have no idea who he was,used to seeing butler all smiles,this guy looked mega stressed,but same hair style

keeler still in 37,henry in 4 collard in 23

mitch cleary watching on

irish armstrong,nice slice like pass to his right off his right,but does he have a left foot?

caminiti looks to be in ripping contested marking form

harvey and from a distance enright looked to be in charge

henry did some group drills then ran laps on his own,then laps with the group,looks in great nick,only ever seen him on tv before & either that is very deceiving or he has put on size,when i confirmed the henry/collard number switch they were running together & i know collards a squirt but thought henry was in the same division,but quite a bit bigger than lance

naz hugo wilson windy boxshall wood all in one group with dodson palming it down to them,wood aside got a great view into the future there

all started doing laps,sharman stocker owens carroll and #49 anti clockwise,the rest clockwise,keeler and caminiti tailed off first,collard henry tauru armstrong and #48 tailed off on the 3rd lap,one of the group of 5 was yelling excitedly on 2 of the laps when they passed the big group

as i left i passed the small oval/park on the south road side of the ground,two guys were doing laps,i think one was dougs and another was a young bloke,but cant be certain

absent

higgins
macrae
hill
king
dow
butler???
roma
dougs???
hastie
sincs
wilks
tdk
jsos
ryan

in the time i was there anyway

trav owens stocker carroll collard pou tauru barrat said sharman seemed to do most of their drills on the far side away from me,first close look at carroll when doing laps,looks the part for sure & tauru just has star look all over him,if we cant get him going something is wrong

if dow doesnt have to be at training i guess either does mason wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

32

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

,i really want dow to succeed,but without knowing what he has got on its disappointing not to see him trying to make every post a winner,mason wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

32

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

is an absolute beauty

 

[stavro#4]

He did some running and short to medium kicking before the rest of the players started doing drills then went into the gym. It was still more than I saw him do at any stage last year. The big test will be to see what he’s doing post Christmas.
Liam Henry moved better than I saw him do at any stage last year too. He’ll be like a new recruit.
Spotted TDK in the gym. It’s early days but the signs are good.

Well if he is doing more than what you saw at any stage last year it hopefully means matter resolved.

A month away was what I was told the other day from joining in.

Fingers crossed for the big guy.

 

[SG34]

Obviously, I couldn't give a f what nas says in his pressers, kinda care a bit more about how he footballs. Besides, not everyone can exude charisma every time they step in front of the mic, and the ones that do normally hate adelaide

Shy,

...and that's lucky for him and his manager

'cos he is also clever.

Playing the long game.

They know he will be hounded left, right, up and down.

Starting in the '27 season and building up through the bye.

Every trip to Adelaide will be scrutinized.

Every birthday party.

Coffee shop?

 

[Dr Spaceman]

only there for 50 minutes,this is what i jotted down 10.25 to 11.15

Kicking for goal hasn’t improved

 

[Remboy]

Well if he is doing more than what you saw at any stage last year it hopefully means matter resolved.

A month away was what I was told the other day from joining in.

Fingers crossed for the big guy.

Yep, which will pretty much take him to Christmas. It would be awesome to see him with main group after the break.
Also, to me it seemed Caminiti was working mainly as a forward although I wasn't keeping a terribly close eye on him. Too focused on getting my coffee.

 

[stavro#4]

Yep, which will pretty much take him to Christmas. It would be awesome to see him with main group after the break.
Also, to me it seemed Caminiti was working mainly as a forward although I wasn't keeping a terribly close eye on him. Too focused on getting my coffee.

Camma forward.

Tauru back.

Apparently

 

[Remboy]

only there for 50 minutes,this is what i jotted down 10.25 to 11.15

flanders kick to kick with one coach at one end of ground,after that he ran a couple laps,did nothing at all with the group,didnt look hampered in any way,fixed his shorts problem

clark did one lap then went inside not to be seen again(he may have done more before i arrived)big red bandage looking thing on his leg,but didnt seem to be hampered

may have been butler also doing a lap,if it was he looked to be doing it tough,also went in didnt see again,if it wasnt butler i have no idea who he was,used to seeing butler all smiles,this guy looked mega stressed,but same hair style

keeler still in 37,henry in 4 collard in 23

mitch cleary watching on

irish armstrong,nice slice like pass to his right off his right,but does he have a left foot?

caminiti looks to be in ripping contested marking form

harvey and from a distance enright looked to be in charge

henry did some group drills then ran laps on his own,then laps with the group,looks in great nick,only ever seen him on tv before & either that is very deceiving or he has put on size,when i confirmed the henry/collard number switch they were running together & i know collards a squirt but thought henry was in the same division,but quite a bit bigger than lance

naz hugo wilson windy boxshall wood all in one group with dodson palming it down to them,wood aside got a great view into the future there

all started doing laps,sharman stocker owens carroll and #49 anti clockwise,the rest clockwise,keeler and caminiti tailed off first,collard henry tauru armstrong and #48 tailed off on the 3rd lap,one of the group of 5 was yelling excitedly on 2 of the laps when they passed the big group

as i left i passed the small oval/park on the south road side of the ground,two guys were doing laps,i think one was dougs and another was a young bloke,but cant be certain

absent

higgins
macrae
hill
king
dow
butler???
roma
dougs???
hastie
sincs
wilks
tdk
jsos
ryan

in the time i was there anyway

trav owens stocker carroll collard pou tauru barrat said sharman seemed to do most of their drills on the far side away from me,first close look at carroll when doing laps,looks the part for sure & tauru just has star look all over him,if we cant get him going something is wrong

if dow doesnt have to be at training i guess either does mason wood,i really want dow to succeed,but without knowing what he has got on its disappointing not to see him trying to make every post a winner,mason wood is an absolute beauty

You saw a few that I missed. I thought Higgins was doing laps at one point but wasn't sure with no numbers and different hair cuts.
Clark did a little bit with the rehab group then went into the gym. Had some strapping on his left knee. I think he had an op post season.
Hastie was in the gym, as was TDK.

 

[Joffaboy]

Just as;

There's no harm or foul for any track goer to give their 2 cents, even if it's differing viewpoints of others there also, as it gives those not able to go or hold interest further context as to who impressed whom, with what did people notice or speculate and the differing views of "X player was poor whilst Y surprised me".

So if you do feel that you have anything to add, or an alt thought or instance from attending training just pop it in, and if it's a benefit or alternative to what someone else stated or in line with it, it'll be added to the list of "this might hold interest to people who wish to read just training updates" for thread watchers.

Every little bit helps the unfortunate feel involved, so you won't be spoiling anything.

This. Not everyone can get there all the time, I can't until maybe next Wednesday or Friday, so all thoughts are welcomed. No report is better or worse, it is all info and opinion.
So I wasn't there but learned Henry was out there looking good as he wasn't there on Monday, everything is welcomed.

 

[Joffaboy]

Positive.

Was doing zero in Monday

 

[Joffaboy]

Just some snippets on Flanders, as apparently his load was light today.

On Monday he was chatting to the Boss (Bassat) at the race. I only caught snippets but he said something about getting injections into the L5 in his back in January, said it set him back, but has been doing all the work since the end of the season and will do it all and be right for the season proper.
So Monday he was in every drill and did some of the running but then ran some laps on his own.
Would say he had a lighter load today as part of the program. Doubt there is anything major to be concerned about.

 

[Palantine]

I wasn't down there for very long but was keen to get an early look.

Someone mentioned earlier about the number of young guns now on our list, and I thought this was evident with the likes of Garcia, Trav, Wilson, Barrat, Windy, the Pou etc... looking tall or muscular or a both. Everyone seemed pretty tall including O'Connell and especially Armstrong who looks already physically well-equipped and has a smooth on the run drop punt already.

I thought Henry looked very youthful and was running effortlessly. The way he was twisting and turning in one of the early up and down the flank drills, looking fresh and light. He may get firmly back on our radar if he can get through the pre season. As mentioned already Keeler a good size not just chest but a little thicker in the legs, and agree with comment about Caminiti looking 'ripped' I think it was - he always kind of did but he looks tweaked to AFL necessities to last season in season out.

Flanders looks like a soldier up for a fight. Already getting excited about what he'll do. He looks the happy as a pig in sh*t type around a footy club. But this is big guess work.

With a history of staunch heterosexuality (Seinfeld) Tauru is a thing of pure beauty leaping for the ball with blond hair swishing back. Even just running he looks brilliant. I can't see him not playing forward. The crowd will go mad for his on the lead high mark and picturesque set shot. He's got twenty iconic posters written all over him.

Toby has got shoulders now. Garcia is a little unit now ready to impact fully in the middle. Wilson looks and moves as good as the internet image that did the rounds. Coaching was busy but obviously this is an early early session. They tend to ramp up again when the big boys get back. I didn't see King myself. Disappointed to not spot TDK or JSOS.

What else; Collard looked comfortable and focussed, no evidence of what may be interpreted as poor body language. O'Connell was with a midfield group along with Toby receiving tap downs from Dodson. O'Connell very athletic and smooth moving. I'm not sure if Mitch has stopped added muscle maybe even trimmed slightly. With Marshall playing forward (if the case) they may have more versatile plans for him.

There were three guys I don't know. The smaller player already identified, then there were two blondes with jumpers in late forties. I would guess one was Campigli.

That's probably about my 45 mins worth

 

[Mav3rick]

The wildcard is simply a band aid solution to the vast problems created by the AFL that has made it a two speed competition.
It will allow clubs that are always down the bottom and will never be a chance to win a flag to 'make' finals, while their love children who are gifted top 5 picks year in year out like the 4 fake northern clubs just go on their merry way.
Really Dillon is out of his depth and needs to be sacked.

The overreaction to wildcard round really sums up the AFL community. Idc about Andrew Dillon, but it's clear as day that this is a money move - nothing less, nothing more. And to be fair the 8 team finals was introduced when there were 15 teams (and everyone hated that change as well, go figure) were we really going to have 19, 20 teams and still just 8 finalists?

The 9th and 10th teams are going to be making up the numbers yes, but so do 7th and 8th besides the Bulldogs that one miracle year. And at least there'll be some footy on instead of a bye. Honestly, who cares, nothing would please me more than a wildcard team making a prelim or winning the whole thing and seeing all these whining AFL fans suck lemons.

 

[Mav3rick]

Appeased isn't quite how I'll feel if we fight our way into 7th and then have to re-justify our finals spot by playing a team that finished 10th while the other finalists are having a rest.

If you finish 7th you have made finals. And if you can't take care of 10th at your home ground what chance did you have of doing any damage against the good teams anyway?

 

[Nutsngum]

If you finish 7th you have made finals. And if you can't take care of 10th at your home ground what chance did you have of doing any damage against the good teams anyway?

You cant just redefine the system and then claim everything is okay by that same metric. You have absolutely not "made finals" based on any consideration from the last 25 years if you still have to fight for it.

That bulldogs win wasn't a "miracle". They were sitting a game outside of the top 4 and 2 games off the minor premier, hardly a wide margin and absolutely not one to handwave it as "making up the numbers" to justify a change to the entire system when as you said is just an excuse make money, through gambling mostly.

 

[NextYearPlease]

They’ve gotta get Naz away from the microphone or at least give him some training. He’s terrible to watch. It’s just not his thing.

I don't think there was much wrong with Nas's responses. If anything it was thevreporter who basically asked variations of the same question 3 or 4 times. A bit much to expect Nas to provide a fresh response each time.

 

[Yawkey way]

Was the 1978 season - we had a powerful team that season and we came storming home. Just missed the finals but beat the eventual premiers, runners up and another finalist on that run.

It was the year Essendon squealed like stuck pigs about st Kilda being animals etc after they lost at Moorabbin.

The smashing we received in the press seemed to rattle the club badly. By the time we found our feet again the season was over.

Strange but true from that game Allan Davis former saints champ played for the bombers. Ken Fletcher father of Dustin played, Rex Hunt played for the saints and Jack Mihocek father of Brody played.

We should have played finals that year, interestingly we had big man power, Ditterich, Sidebottom, Sarau.

 

[stavro#4]

Was doing zero in Monday

Didn’t one of you guys say he did some running?

 

[saintmike65]

I don't think there was much wrong with Nas's responses. If anything it was thevreporter who basically asked variations of the same question 3 or 4 times. A bit much to expect Nas to provide a fresh response each time.

He's improved since the B & F...get used to it, he's the one media will want to talk to

 

[XhazzafootyX]

 

[Joffaboy]

Didn’t one of you guys say he did some running?

Lots of running. Repeat 50's and oval work. Zero kicking.

 

[BrutThough]

2024 VFL Premiership Coach.

That good pedigree.

 

[gringo2011]

They WILL disappoint again. All football clubs do, the challenge is to build a robust football club for the next decade. Geelong have hardly been out of the top four for a decade but has only won one flag. Nobody would say that their fans have not been disappointed not to win more, but on the other side it would be hard to say that as a club they have not been a strong success.

I am not bullish about our flag chances. I just think the AFL lovechild clubs up north have hoovered up ll the best players and we really dont have the absolute elite quality that Brisbane, GWS, Gold Coast etc.
We saw what happened in the Grand Final. Geelong is a premiership team and were dismanteld by the elite in the Brisbane team who get ANOTHER top 5 pick for free plus Allen and Draper.

So if the goal is a flag, you will be dissapointed.

Nah, just want finals, an attractive brand, making us proud in big games and respect shown from people outside the club. Happy with progress this point.