Training Saints preseason 2026

[TheJackal]

Might be too early, but any idea where Phillipou is training? I know Ross wants him in the guts, but has he been pushed out?

Personally see him as a midfielder too. That would be some elite kicking with him, Nas and Hall all at a centre bounce.

Will no doubt share his time between the two positions, but he is most definitely training with the midfielders at this early stage.

 

[Joffaboy]

After wading through the piles of rubbish and being attacked by seagulls trying to get a decent meal out of all of the food scraps I managed to find the oval successfully today.

Was again a pretty good session.

Flanders and Nas linked up a fair few times and far out those two in full flight is a thing of beauty! I've really really liked what I've seen from Flanders so far.

Boxshall would have to be a bit taller than 188cm I reckon. Similar in stature to Phillipou, the two of them together have got some real size about them. Hugh trained very well, his fitness really shone through in todays session - only Darcy was (expectedly) ahead of him.

Hall, he's getting a lot of love from us but honestly deserves even more. He is just so good by foot its scary. Its incredible that we got him as a mature ager in a mid season draft. He's been training a lot with the mids and his endurance has improved a lot since last preseason. If I can use a golfing term, he hits a stinger with so much precision and its dead set effortless.

A 'victim' of Hall today was poor old Coops. The bloke was ankled by him so good, word has it Brad Hill is still laughing.

Hastie in the rehab group, the kid is a lot bigger than he looks, as do most footballers up close I guess. Clark and Barrat working together, Higgo sharing his minutes/kms between main training and conditioning.


Windy keeps on surprising me, which he really shouldn't anymore. His kicking seems really assured now, very clean with those short passes.

Keels and Hammer both look really good out there, leaving no stone unturned. Not discounting Dodson either, he's just so smooth for a big kid. Its going to be a squeeze for those talls with Marshall and King to compete with those guys, Sharman, Owens etc.

Armstrong is coming from a very long way back, I couldn't imagine how hard to would be to walk into a professional environment not having been brought up with a footy in hand.

A few famous faces hanging about in Bassat, SOS, Gubby (I think) and the likes. There's a real buzz about the place, its hard to explain without seeing it.

Great report as usual mate.

May have mentioned it in passing and as it was only the first session didn't want to carry on too much, but Wilson in match sim drills looked like Dangerfield running through the guts at times. Big difference his passes on the run are bullets. He is big, quick, insane endurance and can hit targets.
I mentioned Hall as well, took up where he left off, a typical modern day Hawks player we nabbed.
Excited to hear about Flanders, was taking it easy last week great to hear him running at full pace and impressing.
A final note, I think people dont realise the extremes we have to go through for these reports, since the Hawks got their base opened and they have relocated Dingley tip to Linton St, it has becone most difficult, especially for players doing drills with utes and trailers continually backing up in front of them, and tractors filling space in zone work

 

[cooperrules]

thought he looked pretty good last wednesday as well,they were calling out"Joey"a lot so maybe that was him,there was also another player in the 48,didnt notice him as much and he was one that trailed off doing laps,49 kept pace with owens carroll stocker and sharman in a little group of 5 going anti clockwise & not with the main group for some reason

Its campigli. He was a standout.

 

[cooperrules]

Wilson looked good until he kicks the ball sideways.

 

[Leap of Faith]

Great report as usual mate.

May have mentioned it in passing and as it was only the first session didn't want to carry on too much, but Wilson in match sim drills looked like Dangerfield running through the guts at times. Big difference his passes on the run are bullets. He is big, quick, insane endurance and can hit targets.
I mentioned Hall as well, took up where he left off, a typical modern day Hawks player we nabbed.
Excited to hear about Flanders, was taking it easy last week great to hear him running at full pace and impressing.
A final note, I think people dont realise the extremes we have to go through for these reports, since the Hawks got their base opened and they have relocated Dingley tip to Linton St, it has becone most difficult, especially for players doing drills with utes and trailers continually backing up in front of them, and tractors filling space in zone work

With all these reports about Darcy, Max Hall, Flanders and others looking awesome I started to imagine that Darcy Wilson might become another elite player on a similar trajectory to how Nas has developed. Then maybe Max Hall. Then Pou. And we have TDK AND Roma. And we will have the bestest, fastest, elitest, most kick arse-erest midfield of all time.
That time of year when the optimism - ometer is in a very strong uptrend.

 

[Longmembrey]

Sorry, other things i should have mentioned:

Barrat is a big unit now

Boxshall endurance running is excellent. For most, was coming 2nd only to Wilson

Clark always looks in agony when running

Endurance is not Collards go, but he has improved

Notable absentees (ie older players): King, TDK, sos, Ryan, Marshall, sincs, Wilkie, mccrae, Howard

Wood, Higgins and Hill were there doing heaps of running.

Based on this 1 session alone i am most excited about improvement in Wilson & Garcia this year.

 

[saintmike65]

thought he looked pretty good last wednesday as well,they were calling out"Joey"a lot so maybe that was him,there was also another player in the 48,didnt notice him as much and he was one that trailed off doing laps,49 kept pace with owens carroll stocker and sharman in a little group of 5 going anti clockwise & not with the main group for some reason

Jonah Campigli is #49

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Training was cancelled and replaced with a working bee. Players spent the day cleaning up the joint.
Apparently Clark had a bit of trouble lifting the bins. Had to get King to help, and even then they struggled.

How was the lineup in the emu parade?
Any standouts? Who was on the wing?

 

[hayes]

Might be too early, but any idea where Phillipou is training? I know Ross wants him in the guts, but has he been pushed out?

Personally see him as a midfielder too. That would be some elite kicking with him, Nas and Hall all at a centre bounce.

Has to be midfield because there’s just no room for another tall-ish player in the forward line. Even without Caminiti we’ll have all of King, Marshall, Sharman and Owens up forward, add another tall player to that and we might as well start looking at the top picks for the 2026 draft.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Has to be midfield because there’s just no room for another tall-ish player in the forward line. Even without Caminiti we’ll have all of King, Marshall, Sharman and Owens up forward, add another tall player to that and we might as well start looking at the top picks for the 2026 draft.

He's not really a tall though. Can take a mark, but he doesn't play tall.

 

[hayes]

He's not really a tall though. Can take a mark, but he doesn't play tall.

He’s not super tall but when you’ve already got the other guys I mentioned you need Butler/Ryan type agility and speed around them. That’s what all the recent premiership teams have anyway.

 

[Mystifly]

Jonah Campigli, Bailey McKenzie, Billy McGee Galimberti, and Billy Richardson are training with the group at the moment

Training up these guys to set the standard for the VFL team no doubt! Then I wonder whether we dip back into the "we will recruit from the VFL team" playbook..?

 

[SaintWrld]

He’s not super tall but when you’ve already got the other guys I mentioned you need Butler/Ryan type agility and speed around them. That’s what all the recent premiership teams have anyway.

Yep there is only room for one of Owens and phillipou up forward. I have never seen an AFL player so far out of their depth than Mattaes in those last 3 games of the season when he attempted to play Owens role. If he is in the side he needs to be playing at least 40% midfield rotation.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Has to be midfield because there’s just no room for another tall-ish player in the forward line. Even without Caminiti we’ll have all of King, Marshall, Sharman and Owens up forward, add another tall player to that and we might as well start looking at the top picks for the 2026 draft.

Caminiti, Sharman and Owens are probaly competing for two positions in the F50. All have strengths and weaknesses and form will dictate who plays and who doesnt. I love the crash and bash style of Hammer and Mitch, but Sharmans finishing from limited opportunities gives him the edge.

Im the outlier on this, but my belief is someone playing forward should be a consistently accurate shot on goals. There is no point in having a number of shots on goals if they are only a 50/50 chance of scoring a goal. We know Owens brings manic contests in other forms, but his finishing in front of goals has let him down at times. Hopefully Mitch can improve his kicking on goals next season and really take off.

 

[The Punter]

Caminiti, Sharman and Owens are probaly competing for two positions in the F50. All have strengths and weaknesses and form will dictate who plays and who doesnt. I love the crash and bash style of Hammer and Mitch, but Sharmans finishing from limited opportunities gives him the edge.

Im the outlier on this, but my belief is someone playing forward should be a consistently accurate shot on goals. There is no point in having a number of shots on goals if they are only a 50/50 chance of scoring a goal. We know Owens brings manic contests in other forms, but his finishing in front of goals has let him down at times. Hopefully Mitch can improve his kicking on goals next season and really take off.

They all play differently and perform different roles. IMO the roadblocks to Caminiti playing are Marshall and King.

Owens isn't a genuine tall but can do it for short patches, which makes him the idea fourth option, becoming the third option when one of the other three talls are resting on the bench.

I'm clearly in the "three talls forward on the ground at all times" camp. We go in with just Marshall and King in addition to Owens (or Sharman for that matter), I think we miss a trick and lose that get out kick down the line to get us another stoppage.

What I've found interesting is how many people this off season have had us with 2 tall forwards in their best 22 (and one on the bench), but 4 tall defenders (Wilkie, Silvagni, Howard and Tauru). I've got Tauru on the bench at the moment because I think Wilkie can play on smalls at a pinch, but there won't be much game time where all four are on the ground at the same time and tall defenders generally get the least bench time (Wilkie rarely goes off and by the end of the season Caminiti wasn't going off much either).

 

[pebblesofsand]

Caminiti, Sharman and Owens are probaly competing for two positions in the F50. All have strengths and weaknesses and form will dictate who plays and who doesnt. I love the crash and bash style of Hammer and Mitch, but Sharmans finishing from limited opportunities gives him the edge.

Im the outlier on this, but my belief is someone playing forward should be a consistently accurate shot on goals. There is no point in having a number of shots on goals if they are only a 50/50 chance of scoring a goal. We know Owens brings manic contests in other forms, but his finishing in front of goals has let him down at times. Hopefully Mitch can improve his kicking on goals next season and really take off.

Career averages

Sharman - 80.44 = 65%

Caminiti - 38.20 = 65%

Owens - 74.48 = 60%

 

[thekizzler]

Career averages

Sharman - 80.44 = 65%

Caminiti - 38.20 = 65%

Owens - 74.48 = 60%

To be fair to Steeley Boy here, you would probably need to take shots at goal here to get a gage.

Not scoring shots.

Owens would definitely have plenty of shanks and so many punched through within 5m out. I'm going to guess much more than the others.

Despite Owens being a worse kick.... his pressure, intensity and ability to compete would count for more than his inaccuracy in front of goal though.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Max King did a shoulder trying to get a sherrin out from under an old mattress and his knees gave-out in protest.

Don’t. Even.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

They all play differently and perform different roles. IMO the roadblocks to Caminiti playing are Marshall and King.

Owens isn't a genuine tall but can do it for short patches, which makes him the idea fourth option, becoming the third option when one of the other three talls are resting on the bench.

I'm clearly in the "three talls forward on the ground at all times" camp. We go in with just Marshall and King in addition to Owens (or Sharman for that matter), I think we miss a trick and lose that get out kick down the line to get us another stoppage.

What I've found interesting is how many people this off season have had us with 2 tall forwards in their best 22 (and one on the bench), but 4 tall defenders (Wilkie, Silvagni, Howard and Tauru). I've got Tauru on the bench at the moment because I think Wilkie can play on smalls at a pinch, but there won't be much game time where all four are on the ground at the same time and tall defenders generally get the least bench time (Wilkie rarely goes off and by the end of the season Caminiti wasn't going off much either).

I agree, but playing all of King, Marshall, Caminiti, Sharman and Owens in the same side is too top heavy and lacks pressure. I see Marshall or Caminiti best suited to playing that hit up defensive marking outlet role. King gets too gassed when asked to push up the ground so leave him in the square.

Then you think we have Hall, Higgins, Ryan and rotating mids to fit into the F50, so one of Sharman or Owens misses out. Owens might be that in between height but the same as Sharman he basically plays a marking forward role. We will also have the likes of Hill, Henry, Wilson to fit in somewhere.

King played his best year of footy when he had the changing ruck (Marshall) in the pocket beside him dragging away that 2nd up tall defender. So that leaves one other tall position for me thats where Sharman and Owens compete. Owens creates more of a contest and is better at ground level, Sharman is a better set shot for goal.

 

[Saintbloke]

He's not really a tall though. Can take a mark, but he doesn't play tall.

Pou has great footy smarts and skills, but lacks a bit of agility and burst pace off the mark, and IMO not a midfielder at top level- OK at VFL level at that task. He needs to get his body ready and really have a big 2026 as others will pass him by- I see him as a natural goal kicker and should be played across half forward, If Pou,King and Sharman get amongst the goals next season, then that firepower will win us more games. Imagine this season had Pou and King played most of the season up forward.

 

[True Believer]

Pou has great footy smarts and skills, but lacks a bit of agility and burst pace off the mark, and IMO not a midfielder at top level- OK at VFL level at that task. He needs to get his body ready and really have a big 2026 as others will pass him by- I see him as a natural goal kicker and should be played across half forward, If Pou,King and Sharman get amongst the goals next season, then that firepower will win us more games. Imagine this season had Pou and King played most of the season up forward.

Not sure I agree with that on Pou......

Against Sydney (I think) in late 2024 he played as a mid and pretty much tore the Swans a new one.......

 

[True Believer]

I have a bit of a chance to get to training........is there training sessions worth watching on a Friday yet?

 

[Broski]

Not sure I agree with that on Pou......

Against Sydney (I think) in late 2024 he played as a mid and pretty much tore the Swans a new one.......

I think many people forget that he was unable to get going last year. Being injured for 12+ weeks and coming back mid-season would have been impossible to get up to speed with match fitness. Then he just kept rushing himself back.

We all know he is going to be super fit over the preseason. Let's hope he can keep healthy over the next few months, cause a fit Pou in opening round against the Pies at the MCG could be box office.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Pou has great footy smarts and skills, but lacks a bit of agility and burst pace off the mark, and IMO not a midfielder at top level- OK at VFL level at that task. He needs to get his body ready and really have a big 2026 as others will pass him by- I see him as a natural goal kicker and should be played across half forward, If Pou,King and Sharman get amongst the goals next season, then that firepower will win us more games. Imagine this season had Pou and King played most of the season up forward.

I thought that at times last year also, but he is only a baby and will develop into a very good midfielder. He just needs some consistnecy with his body and time in the middle and things will click for him. There are not many kids his age who come in and play full time midfield roles, I think he will be capable of that next year.

 

[TheJackal]

Max King did a shoulder trying to get a sherrin out from under an old mattress and his knees gave-out in protest.

Just on that, it was nice to see Paddy McCartin*** down at training.


***Paddy McCartin wasn't really at training, or hanging out in the trash heap.