Training Saints preseason 2026

[sammm]

Never forget the Josh Bruce segment on the news where he was glowing about how he no longer has to run in preseason and then he was unfit all season.

i remember him glowing about his pre season and how it was much better at the dogs

 

[gringo2011]

Biggest thing nobody has commented on from my report is Carroll with the backs and LOC in the mids.
Maybe JC a Webster replacement. LOC seemed alot more filled out as well.

People mentioned that LOC was playing midfield in the VFL later in the year. I want him forward. I still remember him and Boxshall dominating the preseason match against Carlton.

 

[gringo2011]

Maybe they’re grooming LOC as a winger or a tagger?
Seems odd with our dearth of small backs

He's actually pretty tall. he's 6'2' or 189cm. 11 cm taller than Higgins. He might be a bit gangly on the true smalls.

 

[tommo7]

Biggest thing nobody has commented on from my report is Carroll with the backs and LOC in the mids.
Maybe JC a Webster replacement. LOC seemed alot more filled out as well.

Saw LOC today at a servo. A lot taller than I first thought

 

[gringo2011]

Saw LOC today at a servo. A lot taller than I first thought

I'm 190cm and saw him up close. He looks taller than me but might be because he's slim.

 

[CursingFijian]

How good.

 

[Saints4ever]

Wet and windy. Doogs, Hunter, Max, Butler and Marshall sitting in the foyer, King just in flip flops. Probably working inside today.

Storm has passed, Paddy Dow makes an appearance, good to see Doogs out in full training.

Absolutely freezing, shorts dont help. Windy AF

Henry and TDK in red tops/rehab. TDK doing runthroughs. Henry looks proppy, running slow laps.

What has happened to skinny draftees? Banfield already has definition and looks a good size.

Banfield No.27

Fincher No.29

JSOS out in a red top.

Henry's problem looks like an abdominal or chest muscle pull. Up to the rooms.

Hastie back in full training.

As we are in Melbourne, now sunny and not as cold.

Have we purchased injured players? JSOS and TDK in rehab, Flanders in the gym on a bike.

Lots more running than the first two weeks.

Doogs and Hastie running laps not in main running drills.

No.41 Ainsworth?, Ryan, Banfield, and Fincher. In a group doing repeat run throughs.

So none of the four recruits in full training today.

TDK doing repeat 80 metre run throughs.

I take it back, Flanders in the main training group.

Pou in the gym in red on the bike. Hope this is all their early preseason program.

Dont know WTF is wrong with JSOS, but not filling me with confidence.

TDK is fine, running ok, will be in the main group soon if no setbacks.

Gringo's avi taking a drill of ground ball gets and evading a defender.

Two other groups doing ball work to a lead.

TDK has the squekiest runners I have ever heard.

Biscuit boy taking the ball work/hitting the lead drill.

Rowan looks shattered to be still at the club. Not. Laughing his head off.

Pretty intense ground ball get, attack on the body drill. Doogs grabs Stocker and carries him 10 metres to the delight of everyone.

Ross makes an appearance.

Clock not started, RTB and Boris chatting, Gringos avi alerts them.

Armstrongs kicking improving. Still has to concentrate, needs it to be a bit more natural for AFL level. He is really well balanced with good evasive skills.

Next drill three groups. All three the same, in close contested ball work. Green bibs defending. Flanders nice in close.

Group2 Wilson and Hugo, good hands in close.

41 cant be Ainsworth, would be too small. Maybe Will Phillips

Dodson on the bike in the gym.

So possible injuries ( dont take as gospel and looks like nothing serious so far)

TDK calf – will be back very soon

Dodson hammy – on the bike

Henry abdominal muscle? Probably not too serious, a bit discomforted

Pou? – not sure if injured

JSOS? – not sure if injured

Max

Next up,12 minute half field drill.

Carroll HBF, Armstrong playing back for jerseys, Tauru back for bibs.

Marshall two good contested marks in defence/ midfield.

Flanders, NAZ, Wilson, Hugo mid for jerseys. Great chase down by Butts in bibs, or was it Hall? Cant tell.. Another mark to Rowan.

Trav hbf for jerseys. All willing, a little bit off but early in preseason.

Hastie’s disposal off, turnover then Lance cuts off a handball with a rundown.

Marshall another mark but straight turnover to Paddy Dow with a kick across goal. Nice to see him looking sharp. Dow another get, double bob, for a shot on goal. He and Carroll looking good. Confirmed, Carroll with the backs.

Hall , Dow, LOC in the mids with NAZ, Windy Flanders, Wilson, Hall, Hugo and Roh.

Usual Forwards, Wood, Higgo, Hammer, Coops, Butts. Owens.

Backs, Doogs, Wilks, Viking, Trav, Armstrong, Carroll.

Really impressed with the size of Banfield for a draftee. Quite a bit bigger than Fincher. Banfield has the hallmarks of the modern day winger.

The four, no.41, Banfield, Fincher and Ryan running laps. Ryan trails off. Looks slimmer but may be a bit underdone. Maybe the black top makes him look slimmer?

Banfield looks to have some running endurance, has dropped Fincher now, and Ryan is blown. Don’t think Ryan has ever been an aerobic beast. No.41 keeping up with Banfield.

Ok, full group repeat running. Draftees taking shots at goal. I will take my leave.

Adios amigos

Thank you for your in depth report.

Amazing as always.

I love the trial of Carroll across Half back.

There’s just something beautiful about a quality left footer setting up off half back.

Would love for this to work out as when I’m doing my best 23 the other half back flank that Sincs isn’t on is the position I’m most struggling to fill that makes me comfortable.

Sincs and Carroll of half back could be elite.

This teamed up with our talls and intercept defenders.

 

[stfan]

So EVERYONE is back on the St Kilda Bandwagon now. All aboard for 2026!

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

I'm 190cm

we're all friends here gringo

 

[St Neil]

Wouldn’t surprise me if McLachlan joins the board in the next few years.

A flourishing career at Tabcorp and a few years separation from being the CEO of the AFL.

 

[stfan]

How quick is JC?

I have heard he has been crucified for not being quick enough.

 

[stfan]

People mentioned that LOC was playing midfield in the VFL later in the year. I want him forward. I still remember him and Boxshall dominating the preseason match against Carlton.

Wasn't he wing in that game?

 

[akaifu]

Kobe McDonald set to train with Mayo to build his strength & conditioning ahead of joining us mid-2026

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Speaking of Macrae, have not sighted him this preseason

One of my sources suggested that he’s trialling at Full Back for the Chihuahuas.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

And play full back

Oh no, I’ve been Sandra Sully’d

 

[TheJackal]

My two cents on Max, he was running and doing some light kicking with Dougs on Monday. Testing out the knee, lots of lateral movement stuff but not hampered by it like last year (to the eye at least). He's clearly on the slow road back from a big injury but its the best I've seen him move for a very long time.

He's clearly got a program to get him back but I really don't think there's an effort to keep him away from prying eyes or anything.

 

[SainterinSydney]

My two cents on Max, he was running and doing some light kicking with Dougs on Monday. Testing out the knee, lots of lateral movement stuff but not hampered by it like last year (to the eye at least). He's clearly on the slow road back from a big injury but its the best I've seen him move for a very long time.

He's clearly got a program to get him back but I really don't think there's an effort to keep him away from prying eyes or anything.

He is training in the RSEA basement with Marilyn Monroe, JFK and Princess Diana. Stop making up lies!

 

[Nutsngum]

He is training in the RSEA basement with Marilyn Monroe, JFK and Princess Diana. Stop making up lies!

Elvis is their PT from what the guys sending codes over the number stations have been telling me.

 

[CursingFijian]

LOC, Stock and one smoking Carroll?

 

[hayes]

Surely Carroll would be more a flanker than a lockdown? I don't think I've ever seen him lockdown on a player before and I feel like his speed, kicking, and burst is more suited to rebounding. Good height at 188cm too so can do a bit of intercepting without having to be too accountable

When building my best 23s its always that Nas replacement at HB that I have no clue who it might be to fill in whether its Clark/Hastie so I feel like there's definitely a hole there

I can defo see a backline in this sort of mould:

Stocker Howard Wilkie
Sincs JSOS Carroll
Tauru - I/C

LOC as a mid screams Steele replacement as that big-bodied defensive mid who can tag. I still hope he asserts himself as a lockdown defender and that this midfield stuff is still to just develop his offensive game. Probably hints at releasing Windy as a ball-winning mid, and Boxshall to remain on a wing with Wood pushing forward - as you reported too

If I were him I’d be putting my hand up for it because lockdown defender gets him in the team, flanker keeps him at Sandy.

 

[gringo2011]

View attachment 2486157

How good.

Even better if they give us discount flights with our memberships.

 

[gringo2011]

Wasn't he wing in that game?

I can't remember but he scored a few goals so I assumed he was camping up front when not running end to end. From memory one was a contest but the others were being on the end of others getting the ball to him. His game was overshadowed by Boxshall straight arming Paddy Cripps but he looked really good.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

View attachment 2486157

How good.

Lucky Jayson Daniels is no longer with us otherwise you’d never find the place again.

 

[TheJackal]

He is training in the RSEA basement with Marilyn Monroe, JFK and Princess Diana. Stop making up lies!

I never mentioned where I saw him running. BTW, Norma says hi!

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Are you sure that's not in support of the Manangatang-Tooleybuc Saints?

The sign (and old grain bin) is in the Southern Riverina region of NSW.