Training Saints preseason 2026

[Joffaboy]

I'm quite a young supporter and this feels like the first time I can confidently say that every year I am genuinely expecting a kid to take the next step - unlike the late 2010s where it was just blind hope

The last few years have been that Nas/Windy/Owens group. I was loving Hall's VFL performances in 2024 but his breakout this year still came as a massive surprise

For the next 1-2 years, I am confident we will see at least one or two breakouts from this Pou/Wilson/Garcia/Collard/Hastie/LOC group

Beyond that, its out of 'blonde Pou'/Boxshall/Tauru/Barrat/Dodson/Banfield/Fincher etc.

Then there's the continual development of some of the 'older young' blokes such as King, Sharman, Flanders, Henry, Owens, Windy

Truly exciting...until they all flop and I look like an idiot

The only thing a supporter has when their team has been an also ran for 15 years is hope.

I was giving up on hope, felt that while we drafted well, the fake northern clubs while winning flags and making top 8 were just getting gifted top 10 players year after year.

From what we have been able to draft and recruit as you show above, the administration has restored a sense of hope. They are doing everything within the confines of the corrupt AFL and its incompetent leader Dillon.

We really haven't had a dud draft since 2020, maybe 2022 was iffy with Van Es and Hotton but we still have Pou and Keeler is still coming on well. Apart from Arie, every draftee looks the goods.

5 years of successful drafting with absolutely no help from the AFL has given us tremendous depth, with recruits like Dow and Carroll really adding to that depth and flexibility. Both are good soldiers who are next man up types.

This years recruits adds even more depth without that absolute superstar billing. Reminds me of what Richmond did when they recruited Prestia, Caddy and Nankervis in 2016. None absolute superstars but they added to the already impressive depth of the Tigers seniors team.
While I am not saying we will do what the Tigers did but we all know what they achieved from 2017 to 2020.

The hope has been restored.

 

[Remboy]

The only thing a supporter has when their team has been an also ran for 15 years is hope.

I was giving up on hope, felt that while we drafted well, the fake northern clubs while winning flags and making top 8 were just getting gifted top 10 players year after year.

From what we have been able to draft and recruit as you show above, the administration has restored a sense of hope. They are doing everything within the confines of the corrupt AFL and its incompetent leader Dillon.

We really haven't had a dud draft since 2020, maybe 2022 was iffy with Van Es and Hotton but we still have Pou and Keeler is still coming on well. Apart from Arie, every draftee looks the goods.

5 years of successful drafting with absolutely no help from the AFL has given us tremendous depth, with recruits like Dow and Carroll really adding to that depth and flexibility. Both are good soldiers who are next man up types.

This years recruits adds even more depth without that absolute superstar billing. Reminds me of what Richmond did when they recruited Prestia, Caddy and Nankervis in 2016. None absolute superstars but they added to the already impressive depth of the Tigers seniors team.
While I am not saying we will do what the Tigers did but we all know what they achieved from 2017 to 2020.

The hope has been restored.

No chance we do what the Tigers did. We're winning four in a row!

 

[SaintsofSteel]

I'm quite a young supporter and this feels like the first time I can confidently say that every year I am genuinely expecting a kid to take the next step - unlike the late 2010s where it was just blind hope

The last few years have been that Nas/Windy/Owens group. I was loving Hall's VFL performances in 2024 but his breakout this year still came as a massive surprise

For the next 1-2 years, I am confident we will see at least one or two breakouts from this Pou/Wilson/Garcia/Collard/Hastie/LOC group

Beyond that, its out of 'blonde Pou'/Boxshall/Tauru/Barrat/Dodson/Banfield/Fincher etc.

Then there's the continual development of some of the 'older young' blokes such as King, Sharman, Flanders, Henry, Owens, Windy

Truly exciting...until they all flop and I look like an idiot

Its no surprise that our supporters new hope stems around finally getting our recruitment and football dept right. As you and Joffa have correctly mentioned, we finally have a group of kids we can honestly have faith in their talent taking us back to the finals. We are leading edge when it comes to list management and the ruthlessness required to lift our club and give us the chance of the ultimate sucess.

Kudos to our President Andrew Bassat and board for finally addressing what most supporters could see was an anchor holding us back for the preceding 15 years. Hopefully Andrew has the energy to go on in the role and acheive what he has set out to do - win flags.

Richardson and Ratten were hamstrung with their available resources, lists etc, but both couldnt have managed the club like Lyon has since his return. Neither had the corporate nous or acumen Ross has to see and make changes to the bigger picture.

Its subjective but the one thing that hadnt improved since Lyon's return was injury management. Hopefully we can get that right as it seems the players are now being more closely managed with individual programs to start the preseason. Past years we just seemed to want to get big km's into their legs and as soon as the contested stuff started they were dropping like flies. Hopefully this a sign of change and assists in our player injury preparation and prevention.

Its important to have list depth, but to have your best 23 available for the majority of the year is the clincher.

 

[stfan]

I think that’s the image people had because of Ciaran’s looks (blonde highlights etc) however he is one of the most unassuming people you will meet. Never was mouthy on the pitch and was out digging trenches at 7am on a Monday morning after playing in Croke Park the day before. Heard Ciaran and some family members will move over with Kobe which will hopefully help him settle in.

Yes the Saints are now very mindful of looking after not just the Irish recruit, but making their family feel well supportedand engaged too.

Eamonn's parents were vey happy in this regard when I spoke with them, including with the host family that he was living with along with Dodson. The wife of that family was a close friend of Windhager's mum.

They also said that they will be back again for a few weeks in 2O26 to watch their son play.

LOC's family were brought out for his AFL seniors debut game in 2025.

 

[stfan]

Its subjective but the one thing that hadnt improved since Lyon's return was injury management. Hopefully we can get that right now.

Ironically the club seems to be handling this differently this pre-season for all of our players with injury issues, King, Pou, Clark etc who all seem to all be on bespoke training regimes erring on the cautious side, but it is also oddly to me the main area that some on this forum seem to be complaining about.

ie that King is not in full training with the main group yet.

 

[Armoooo]

No chance we do what the Tigers did. We're winning four in a row!

We just need to hope we dont meet Freo in the '27 prelims. Mason Cox could cause a few headaches.

 

[bergholt]

Hopefully not just yet.
Give Bassat some more time to see some of the fruits of his labours.

I’m probably nowhere near it, but Gil seems a bit like a smooth mover for me, Bassat more the don’t-give-a-continental scrapper.

Yeah big difference between a guy who made a huge company exist with his own two hands, and a lawyer who had a bit of fun schmoozing people for a few years.

 

[beside the seaside]

Ryan will be a very good pickup. Is a proven gun. In a good forward line he will be a nightmare matchup.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Ryan will be a very good pickup. Is a proven gun. In a good forward line he will be a nightmare matchup.

I'd temper expectations there...he averages 1.3 goals per game across his career and that average was about the same back when he was in his prime and playing finals. He also gets injured most seasons so around 20 goals would be the expected return in 2026.

 

[Imtellingya]

Good luck to anybody trying to write a report today. Very busy day out on the track. Players in and out of rehab, swimming in the pool, on the bikes in the gym etc. Bulk of them doing skills and game simulation training. Difficult to tell players because some haven’t been given their numbers yet and players were in a out of vests. In relation to the rehab group this included TDK, King and JSOs who all seemed to be on individual conditioning programs.

 

[beside the seaside]

I'd temper expectations there...he averages 1.3 goals per game across his career and that average was about the same back when he was in his prime and playing finals. He also gets injured most seasons so around 20 goals would be the expected return in 2026.

He's an impact player, makes things happen. I'm not expecting loads of goals but he will have an impact.

Also 1.3 goals a game is still very decent.

 

[ESPN8 The Ocho]

I see no real difference between our running programmes over the prior two years and this year.

Liam Ryan

1

Liam Ryan

Age

29

Ht

181cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

2.7

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.3

5star

D

9.9

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.6

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.6

5star

, for one, wishes he didn’t have to run so much.

 

[Joffaboy]

No chance we do what the Tigers did. We're winning four in a row!

One in a row is fine by me ATM

 

[Saintbloke]

Its no surprise that our supporters new hope stems around finally getting our recruitment and football dept right. As you and Joffa have correctly mentioned, we finally have a group of kids we can honestly have faith in their talent taking us back to the finals. We are leading edge when it comes to list management and the ruthlessness required to lift our club and give us the chance of the ultimate sucess.

Kudos to our President Andrew Bassat and board for finally addressing what most supporters could see was an anchor holding us back for the preceding 15 years. Hopefully Andrew has the energy to go on in the role and acheive what he has set out to do - win flags.

Richardson and Ratten were hamstrung with their available resources, lists etc, but both couldnt have managed the club like Lyon has since his return. Neither had the corporate nous or acumen Ross has to see and make changes to the bigger picture.

Its subjective but the one thing that hadnt improved since Lyon's return was injury management. Hopefully we can get that right as it seems the players are now being more closely managed with individual programs to start the preseason. Past years we just seemed to want to get big km's into their legs and as soon as the contested stuff started they were dropping like flies. Hopefully this a sign of change and assists in our player injury preparation and prevention.

Its important to have list depth, but to have your best 23 available for the majority of the year is the clincher.

Having the best players available during the season is definitely one big key to success, and the pressure will be right on our fitness and conditioning crew from now on, as we seemed to lack strength across the ground in pressure games this season- especially in one on one contests. Hoping to see an improvement there.

 

[gringo2011]

Yea I think this year in particular any of the feeling.

This season improvmenets
and long term potential

Boxman C+ > B+ A grade
Garcia C+>B+ A grade
Pou C+ >A A+ grade
Wilson B>A A+ grade
Trav D >B A grade
Tauru B+>A A+ grade
Hall A->A A grade
Owens B+>A A grade
Windhager B+ > A A grade
Fanders B+ >A

That i still not including guys like
King
Henry
Sharman

Garcia and Hall are both potential A+ IMO. Garcia's ceiling is Zac Butters. Hall is probably in the conversation for the best high half forward in footy and he's just completed his first season of AFL level footy. He could move into the midfield and become and absolute superstar. I reckon his current output is A grade now. Owens is probably a B- at the moment, Windy slightly ahead of him but probably still a B. Both massive improvement left. Windhager looked on track to be a very good player late in the season.

 

[Joffaboy]

I see no real difference between our running programmes over the prior two years and this year.

Liam Ryan, for one, wishes he didn’t have to run so much.

First two weeks there was less running. Full list back it seems similiar to previous preseasons, maybe a little less intense.

 

[Joffaboy]

Garcia and Hall are both potential A+ IMO. Garcia's ceiling is Zac Butters. Hall is probably in the conversation for the best high half forward in footy and he's just completed his first season of AFL level footy. He could move into the midfield and become and absolute superstar. I reckon his current output is A grade now. Owens is probably a B- at the moment, Windy slightly ahead of him but probably still a B. Both massive improvement left. Windhager looked on track to be a very good player late in the season.

That is a big wrap on Hall from someone not normally one to go OTT with hyperbole.
I am sitting up and paying attention.

 

[akaifu]

 

[gringo2011]

Not that it means anything. But interesting to see how something else compares lists.

Draft guru has their player and list ratings up for 2026.

• Top 4 for for the amount of B graders on the list
• Bottom half of the league for A Graders
• 7th most amount of C Graders
• Least amount of D grade rated players in the league.

10th for average age 24.5, which is the same as Freo
8th for average Games 76.2
11th for average goals 41.7
12th for average coaches votes 48.3
14th for average brownlow votes 8.9

AFL Club Lists for 2026 - Draftguru

www.draftguru.com.au

Hall and Wilkie are both A grade IMO. You look over other lists and guys like Treloar are classed as A graders.

Hawks 'A's are Sicily, Newcombe, Moore, Battle and Gunston. Moore had a shit year and Battle was around the same player he was at the Saints. Not sure there is anything in these rankings other than a bit of a rough guide.

I wouldn't have Macrae as A after 2025. Marshall was once but lost his mantle after a crap year. Our actual As are Nas, Sinclair, Wilkie and Hall. Another half a dozen are potential A's especially King, Flanders and TDK but there are a heap of kids that could easily step up as well. And of course a few older guys could easily step back up.

 

[gringo2011]

That is a big wrap on Hall from someone not normally one to go OTT with hyperbole.
I am sitting up and paying attention.

I reckon he was unbelievable this year. Apart from Nas getting noticed by the footy world I'd say he was the best thing about 2025. Absolutely loved his season.

 

[gringo2011]

The only thing a supporter has when their team has been an also ran for 15 years is hope.

I was giving up on hope, felt that while we drafted well, the fake northern clubs while winning flags and making top 8 were just getting gifted top 10 players year after year.

From what we have been able to draft and recruit as you show above, the administration has restored a sense of hope. They are doing everything within the confines of the corrupt AFL and its incompetent leader Dillon.

We really haven't had a dud draft since 2020, maybe 2022 was iffy with Van Es and Hotton but we still have Pou and Keeler is still coming on well. Apart from Arie, every draftee looks the goods.

5 years of successful drafting with absolutely no help from the AFL has given us tremendous depth, with recruits like Dow and Carroll really adding to that depth and flexibility. Both are good soldiers who are next man up types.

This years recruits adds even more depth without that absolute superstar billing. Reminds me of what Richmond did when they recruited Prestia, Caddy and Nankervis in 2016. None absolute superstars but they added to the already impressive depth of the Tigers seniors team.
While I am not saying we will do what the Tigers did but we all know what they achieved from 2017 to 2020.

The hope has been restored.

I think all four recruits are potentially high level still. Flanders had an elite 2024 season, TDK just got gifted a set of ruck rules that should make him dominant in his position and Ryan and JSOS are both underrated high quality players. There is a fair bit of potential in there. I've got hope back.

Arie was a shame, he had talent but list spots got tight. Van Es and Hotton both really unlucky with injury. Both probably would have been still listed if not for a bit of bad luck. Nothing wrong with any of those picks. We have improved drafting a lot.

 

[SainterinSydney]

He's an impact player, makes things happen. I'm not expecting loads of goals but he will have an impact.

Also 1.3 goals a game is still very decent.

Flyin Ryan could be a game changer for us. He will be refreshed and out of that hell hole WCE. I expect him to be a fan favourite very quickly.

 

[gringo2011]

Flyin Ryan could be a game changer for us. He will be refreshed and out of that hell hole WCE. I expect him to be a fan favourite very quickly.

I still think his biggest impact could be allowing us to move Hall on ball.

 

[saint66au]

Statement also mentions a net loss of $137,000. Which is it lol?

 

[The Punter]

Statement also mentions a net loss of $137,000. Which is it lol?

It appears to be very close to the amount the member's equity reduced over the financial year, which is essentially net assets.

In short, the club is worth $137,000 less than it was last year. This is almost all down to a lower value of non-current assets such as property, plant and equipment.