Training Saints preseason 2026

[stavro#4]

 

[Remboy]

How's the ball spinning going?

 

[stavro#4]

How's the ball spinning going?

Spinning…straight through the middle

 

[SaintsofSteel]

The Swans have needed a Curnow since Buddy left and if Warner, Gulden, Heeney and the Lizzard can stay fit they are going to be a better side. Losing Hayward and Florent is losing some of the hard working soldier class that has made them so solid. They could absolutely go either way. They seemed to have the collapse that sides that have been decimated in a GF often have. Losing Gulden, Heeney and a few other injuries really hurt them too.

Collingwood look really old with not much underneath now. They might be competitive but you can easily imagine them crashing. Geelong get such a huge advantage playing down at the Cattery. They'll always be reasonably competitive and are relatively young over all.

GC and Adelaide both had easy draws and good injury runs. They will have confidence ad momentum up but who knows if that's enough to keep rolling forward.

I have said it previously but I don't see Carlton dropping off at all next year. Yes they lost TDK, JSOS & Curnow but the latter two were injured for half the season.

They will get back Newman, Kemp, Smith, Walsh, McGovern from injury. Plus add Dean and Ison at the draft, Dean will fill the JSOS void well.

Hayward and Florents outside speed is something Carlton really lacked, and Hayward kicks some really important goals.

They recruited an under rated Reidy from Fremantle who will be a good back up for Pittonet.

Yes Carlton now have to find another key forward, but they reamed Sydney at the draft table IMO. Is Curnow the missing piece for Sydney well time will tell but I doubt it.

 

[stavro#4]

I have said it previously but I don't see Carlton dropping off at all next year. Yes they lost TDK, JSOS & Curnow but the latter two were injured for half the season.

They will get back Newman, Kemp, Smith, Walsh, McGovern from injury. Plus add Dean and Ison at the draft, Dean will fill the JSOS void well.

Hayward and Florents outside speed is something Carlton really lacked, and Hayward kicks some really important goals.

They recruited an under rated Reidy from Fremantle who will be a good back up for Pittonet.

Yes Carlton now have to find another key forward, but they reamed Sydney at the draft table IMO. Is Curnow the missing piece for Sydney well time will tell but I doubt it.

Newman Kemp Smith are coming off significant LTI. Smith hasn’t even played a game.

Reidy is very average. Pittonet can’t jump. He is a wrestler.

Florent was playing VFL.

McGovern is very average and they wanted to get rid of him.

JSOS allowed Weitering to play off the gun forwards to support. Dean will not allow that luxury and will have to reverse that type of advantage.

Curnow is still an elite key forward when fit. Look what he did to Wilkie in 15 minutes against us last season. Obliterated him.

They also lose the ability to push up as a side very high and contest space with Curnow then marking and wheeling with 60m bombs into players in space.

They won’t be a threat to the 8 next year.

But then they do land Walker the year after and he could be Daicos good unfortunately

 

[akaifu]

Welcome back

 

[BrutThough]

Welcome back

Clearly still pissed we rejected his trade.

 

[The Punter]

Rowan looks so desperately unhappy. Shame on the club for making him stay.

 

[akaifu]

A wild Ronnie Byrnes spotted also. Really hope its as an SSP train-on

 

[CaptainRisky]

Clark was very, very good when moved back there for the last 5 or so games last year and I think his best position is half back at this stage of his career. He can pick off passes that few others can and he has vision and timing that is very unique. I think having the game in front of him helps with his lack of pace.

Replacing the fastest player on the list with the slowest is obviously not a like for like but I think we are better at moving the ball with him in the 22.

Some of the more slippery forwards would have a field day on Hunter , way too slow

 

[stavro#4]

A wild Ronnie Byrnes spotted also. Really hope its as an SSP train-on

He can be taken as a rookie

 

[SaintWrld]

He can be taken as a rookie

He hasn’t nominated for the draft

 

[akaifu]

Going off Instagram posts it looks like Marshall, Wilkie, Chito, Hill, Henry, Dow, Howard, Butler, Sharman, Windy were all on the track this morning as non-1-4 year players

 

[stavro#4]

He hasn’t nominated for the draft

We need to take 3 and caminiti was the only elevation to the senior list. So require 2.

Happy to be corrected but I believe anyone drafted outside of the top 20 is given a 2 year deal. So would be weird if Byrnes was hypothetically drafted and handed a 2 year deal.

We only have 2 senior list spots available- unless a late delisting to add Byrnes back. Which again would be very odd.

 

[Moquo]

Rowan looks so desperately unhappy. Shame on the club for making him stay.

How's the Stockholm syndrome!

 

[akaifu]

We need to take 3 and caminiti was the only elevation to the senior list. So require 2.

Happy to be corrected but I believe anyone drafted outside of the top 20 is given a 2 year deal. So would be weird if Byrnes was hypothetically drafted and handed a 2 year deal.

We only have 2 senior list spots available- unless a late delisting to add Byrnes back. Which again would be very odd.

So just take him as an SSP on a 1 year rookie deal

2 senior spots for Fincher/late pick + Jev/late pick

Byrnes + Wanganeen/rookie pick on rookie list

 

[Pardon me]

This is great by the club! I'll be dragging my kids across for it.

 

[TheJackal]

Going off Instagram posts it looks like Marshall, Wilkie, Chito, Hill, Henry, Dow, Howard, Butler, Sharman, Windy were all on the track this morning as non-1-4 year players

Wood, Nas, Stocker as well. Clark, Higgins and King rehab group.

Tell you what, he's always been fit but I don't think I've ever seen Butler in better shape.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Spinning…straight through the middle

Hopefully, with all the surgeries, they have re-calibrated his knee to J Heatley 1997 mode.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Do you think Dougal has been told if he hurts Max in the pre-season, we are going to send him to the glue or dog food factory?

 

[Saint Ray]

Do you think Dougal has been told if he hurts Max in the pre-season, we are going to send him to the glue or dog food factory?

 

[ARCHIE66]

Going off Instagram posts it looks like Marshall, Wilkie, Chito, Hill, Henry, Dow, Howard, Butler, Sharman, Windy were all on the track this morning as non-1-4 year players

Everyone is buying in. Love to see it

 

[Mystifly]

Everyone is buying in. Love to see it

Probably a sense of "oh shit if I don't pull my finger out, these young guys will take my spot"

 

[spiral3]

had a look at training today, a few thoughts
standouts Cooper (smart) & Hugo (movement)
Nas is ridiculous, had a kinda front on view of him charging through traffic at oppo, it would make your head explode trying to stop him
Love Tauru’s energy and attack on everything
Keeler moving nicely, looks very confident
Armstrong, a lot to learn in traffic, looks better out in the open - nice mo
King doing some small drills, moving like Frankenstein at the moment but good to see him building up
Higgins & Hunter on lap duty
I’m a fan of Boxshall but he gets in trouble with the coaches a bit, learning
Trav, he’s pretty loose, great endeavour but has that scrappy edge that makes me nervous
Flanders - as others have said - neat
terrible shorts

 

[SainterinSydney]

had a look at training today, a few thoughts
standouts Cooper (smart) & Hugo (movement)
Nas is ridiculous, had a kinda front on view of him charging through traffic at oppo, it would make your head explode trying to stop him
Love Tauru’s energy and attack on everything
Keeler moving nicely, looks very confident
Armstrong, a lot to learn in traffic, looks better out in the open - nice mo
King doing some small drills, moving like Frankenstein at the moment but good to see him building up
Higgins & Hunter on lap duty
I’m a fan of Boxshall but he gets in trouble with the coaches a bit, learning
Trav, he’s pretty loose, great endeavour but has that scrappy edge that makes me nervous
Flanders - as others have said - neat
terrible shorts

Sharminator should not be forgotten. Would love him to turn into our Gunston with Hammer and King as the power forwards, with maybe a generational forward like Viking having a brief respite up forward as well .

Keeler to be Paddy Ryder 2.0 or Buddy Franklin is not too much to ask either, is it?