Training Saints preseason 2026

[Saints4ever]

I don't feel that Henry ever lived up to his potential, except for short occasions. Hope he can get it together.

I thought he was starting to show glimpses before his knee injury.

I’m expecting him to back to his best in 2026.

It was a nasty injury he had to recover from.

 

[jimmytigs]

I don't feel that Henry ever lived up to his potential, except for short occasions. Hope he can get it together.

from what i saw yesterday ive got him in the votes for what i came away excited for in 2026(leaving off the obvious ones like naz)3 caminiti 2 henry 1 tauru,honourable mention to the clear focus on having drills featuring that young core midfield group naz windy wilson hall garcia boxshall dodson and depth now potentially leading to owens and wilkie getting the 3rd or fourth defender/forward

 

[gringo2011]

Dilena as CEO has also been good.

Without being inside the club I'm really guessing what the structures and who the drivers are. I feel like Bassat is the main driver looking from afar. I think choosing Lyon was about bringing in someone who had the experience and the gravitas to build a football department as much as a coach.

Lyon has been able to bring in a lot of proven and professional staff and built the backroom to an industry standard. It's the first time possibly ever at the Saints.

Dilena is a good appointment but I see him as part of the pro staff rather than an architect or driver. I could be wrong though.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Hope Tauru goes forward, if not next season, then eventually. Reckon he would be unreal for us up there. Maybe doing a Gehrig-style apprenticeship.

May sound weird but from a physicality point of view, Tauru reminds me of Ben Long.

You don't want him running into you.

 

[_Maximus_12]

We now have more talent, on and off the field than any period I can recall as a saints fan. The argument will be that we don’t have the top tier we had between 2003-10 but conversely we have so many players who could break out and be elite in their respective roles throughout their career.

Off field, our football department is as impressive as any in the comp. The club is leaving no stone unturned and short of winning a premiership that’s all we can ask for as fans.

 

[gringo2011]

Hedging your bets before the seasons even started….

No, I have been asking for most of the things that they have done for years. They have done everything they could to improve and they deserve a lot of credit. There are no guarantees in life but we have guaranteed a run in the race this time.

It takes all sorts of luck and pieces to fall into place to be a super competitive and sustainable football side. We have done alot of work to get us the chance to be one. Everything else is now up to the players and coaches.

This is the most confident I've been in our direction since Lyon left but I also know that once the emotion of the football season starts I'm likely to melt down and hate them all with a passion at some point. I'm not a very balanced person when footy starts.

 

[gringo2011]

May sound weird but from a physicality point of view, Tauru reminds me of Ben Long.

You don't want him running into you.

Both seem to be from the Steven Baker school of making people earn the ball in a contest. They might get beaten but you aren't getting away from them without feeling like you've been hit by a car.

 

[gringo2011]

We now have more talent, on and off the field than any period I can recall as a saints fan. The argument will be that we don’t have the top tier we had between 2003-10 but conversely we have so many players who could break out and be elite in their respective roles throughout their career.

Off field, our football department is as impressive as any in the comp. The club is leaving no stone unturned and short of winning a premiership that’s all we can ask for as fans.

I'd say we probably just need the media hype and luck to get those top end players now. Nas, Wilkie, Sinclair, King, Hall, TDK, Marshall, Macrae etc all either are A grade or on track and then you have Snags, Flanders, Wilson, Owens, Windhager, Garcia, Phillipou, Tauru, Travaglia, Boxshall, Hastie, Henry, Collard, Keeler types who could all move up level without much imagination. Then a huge support crew of depth and solid citizens like Wood, Hill, JSOS, Butler, Dow etc.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Both seem to be from the Steven Baker school of making people earn the ball in a contest. They might get beaten but you aren't getting away from them without feeling like you've been hit by a car.

Or copping weeks off , he needs to be careful how he attacks the man or he will end up on the pine more than he wants

 

[stfan]

Without being inside the club I'm really guessing what the structures and who the drivers are. I feel like Bassat is the main driver looking from afar. I think choosing Lyon was about bringing in someone who had the experience and the gravitas to build a football department as much as a coach.

Lyon has been able to bring in a lot of proven and professional staff and built the backroom to an industry standard. It's the first time possibly ever at the Saints.

The Drake Huggins era was probably the only era where StKilda offield were a genuine power, and league leaders, in what we were doing including being quite innovative. They transformed the Club. The AFL is now a lot more professional and complex now, but those two were giants of their era.

Dilena is a good appointment but I see him as part of the pro staff rather than an architect or driver. I could be wrong though.

Yes, our best CEO for a while. Too many other CEOs were installed for the wrong reasons, or because they were at the club, or knew somebody. Quite a number were disasters like Nettlefold.

 

[stfan]

No, I have been asking for most of the things that they have done for years. They have done everything they could to improve and they deserve a lot of credit. There are no guarantees in life but we have guaranteed a run in the race this time.

It takes all sorts of luck and pieces to fall into place to be a super competitive and sustainable football side. We have done alot of work to get us the chance to be one. Everything else is now up to the players and coaches.

This is the most confident I've been in our direction since Lyon left but I also know that once the emotion of the football season starts I'm likely to melt down and hate them all with a passion at some point. I'm not a very balanced person when footy starts.

One of best thing about our approach is that it has all been about doing things correctly over years to get to where we are, and where we want to be. Rebuilding not just the playing list, but also the entire offield team.

And listwise they have been very patient. They have culled a lot of players, drafted a lot of youth , now boosted with good established players at the right time. And have even landed what was mythical creature at St Kilda in the long lusted for ""Big Fish"" (TDK).


Even last season the Gap Filler of Harry Boyd was probably just long-term thinking of where last season they needed a "Break-glass" back-up ruck, but did not want to waste any trade, or draft capital, that was better retained on to improve our list for the future. So they just took the best available back up ruck that came for free as 2025 was not the focus. 2026 on was the priority.

 

[stfan]

I don't feel that Henry ever lived up to his potential, except for short occasions. Hope he can get it together.

I was at the Cats game at Kardinia Park where he lit us up. If we can get that version of Henry, we will be a better team.

 

[Joffaboy]

That’s pretty positive still, No?

Yes, was out most of the session, we won't know until he is at full pace though as that is when the problem starts.

 

[bergholt]

Coaching or not, Nas’ family are coming to Melbourne.
Which can only be a good thing for him, and by extension, us.

Surely at this point Bassat should just buy a house in Melbourne for Nas's mum and Terry. Kit it out fully, keep the fridge stocked, tell them they can use it whenever they want. Make sure they're here frequently so Nas feels even less pull back to Adelaide.

 

[Marlo]

Surely at this point Bassat should just buy a house in Melbourne for Nas's mum and Terry. Kit it out fully, keep the fridge stocked, tell them they can use it whenever they want. Make sure they're here frequently so Nas feels even less pull back to Adelaide.

Nas can open his wallet, I reckon

We drafted him, developed him, surrounded him with a promising list, made him the highest paid player of all time

Think the ass kissing and catering can probably wind up at this point

 

[stavro#4]

Yes, was out most of the session, we won't know until he is at full pace though as that is when the problem starts.

Difference being that previously upon build up he felt pain again and we are months of rehab down the line here which includes alter g treadmill or just normal use and nothing occurring.

I think we can feel confident he might be out of the woods and actually be locking in firm Christmas dates for training

 

[Diehard Saint]

No, I have been asking for most of the things that they have done for years. They have done everything they could to improve and they deserve a lot of credit. There are no guarantees in life but we have guaranteed a run in the race this time.

It takes all sorts of luck and pieces to fall into place to be a super competitive and sustainable football side. We have done alot of work to get us the chance to be one. Everything else is now up to the players and coaches.

This is the most confident I've been in our direction since Lyon left but I also know that once the emotion of the football season starts I'm likely to melt down and hate them all with a passion at some point. I'm not a very balanced person when footy starts.

100%

 

[The Jack]

Difference being that previously upon build up he felt pain again and we are months of rehab down the line here which includes alter g treadmill or just normal use and nothing occurring.

I think we can feel confident he might be out of the woods and actually be locking in firm Christmas dates for training

In the frame for round 1 I've heard!

 

[SaintOfLondon]

No, I have been asking for most of the things that they have done for years. They have done everything they could to improve and they deserve a lot of credit. There are no guarantees in life but we have guaranteed a run in the race this time.

It takes all sorts of luck and pieces to fall into place to be a super competitive and sustainable football side. We have done alot of work to get us the chance to be one. Everything else is now up to the players and coaches.

This is the most confident I've been in our direction since Lyon left but I also know that once the emotion of the football season starts I'm likely to melt down and hate them all with a passion at some point. I'm not a very balanced person when footy starts.

You wouldn't be a true support if you remained balanced once the footy starts!

 

[SG34]

I'm feeling 60% glass half full right now.
But we have taken so many steps backwards in the past couple of seasons, it is coming off a low base.
Let's see how the he injury table looks in February.
Meanwhile, I won't raise my glass too high, lest it comes slippin' right out of my hands.

 

[Red White Black]

I just randomly remembered that NAS only got two votes for the Rnd 20 demolish of Melbourne and now my day has been ruined

 

[dudeintheswamp]

I just randomly remembered that NAS only got two votes for the Rnd 20 demolish of Melbourne and now my day has been ruined

Time to watch the last quarter again

 

[TheJackal]

Time to watch the last quarter again

For Viney's heroics?

 

[bergholt]

Nas can open his wallet, I reckon

We drafted him, developed him, surrounded him with a promising list, made him the highest paid player of all time

Think the ass kissing and catering can probably wind up at this point

Meh you do what you have to do, not too proud to say he's important to us

 

[Mystifly]

For Viney's heroics?

To be honest, the voting in this match wasn't even the worst assignment of Brownlow votes in the past two years. The Jack Higgins goal with 11 secs left against Blues had Cripps with 3 votes, when all he did was play one good quarter (the third). People get votes for the most random matches, and Viney was by far the best player on the ground, until the final minute. It will go down in history as meme votes, but Viney actually deserved recognition for what he had done throughout the entire match.