Training Saints preseason 2026

[bwardi]

Still think it's premature with TT. I'd like to see glimpses of what he can bring this year but I'm expecting 3rd year to be when it really begins to click. By then I reckon we can call whether it's a hit or miss.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Are the lads training today?

I hope so.

Might give people something to discuss other than whether a 12 gamer is a write off.

The words of our new Head of Footy are ringing in my ears... "it takes 75 games to feel comfortable at the top level".

Trav is at least 3 seasons off that.

And people are 'worried' about how a kid performed in a training drill in January.

 

[The Boar]

Yeah, I've got a feeling with TT that they should prioritise bulking him up a bit. He's got a fighter's attitude but nothing much to back it up with. Once he can match it physically out there, I think he'll be way more confident and that'll improve every aspect of his game.

Get him on The Darcy Wilson nutrition program, where you lose no running ability but become He-Man

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Dodson’s slide on draft night was just bizarre. He’s easily gone 35 picks later than what he should have
.I was praying we’d take him at our picks when we chose Barat and Boxshall, he still got to out next pick. I honestly think we had no intention of taking him on the night but it got to a point where he was still there at pick 53 and couldn’t pass it up.
He’s going to be hard to keep given we’ve got TDK long term and both Adelaide teams need a ruckman.

I was hoping we took a midfielder there. Delist. Do not want.

 

[The Boar]

Dodson had as good a first year for a ruck as anyone. I said during the season we should have rethought our entire ruck strategy with him in mind. Alas the club thought better. Regardless imo it’s him and TDK for the future with Roma either traded or playing forward untill the end of his career.

He’s just too good to be not in the AFL team. I’ll be really pissed if we lose him because we’re paying TDK 1.7 mill

TDK ain't the problem, we should have moved Marshall on to clear room for Dodson- still should this off season but it may have been a shrewd holding of Marshall if King can't get on the park. Time will tell.

 

[Saints43]

Dodson had as good a first year for a ruck as anyone. I said during the season we should have rethought our entire ruck strategy with him in mind. Alas the club thought better. Regardless imo it’s him and TDK for the future with Roma either traded or playing forward untill the end of his career.

He’s just too good to be not in the AFL team. I’ll be really pissed if we lose him because we’re paying TDK 1.7 mill

When do you expect Dodson to be better than TDK?

 

[The_Steadier]

Dodson had as good a first year for a ruck as anyone. I said during the season we should have rethought our entire ruck strategy with him in mind. Alas the club thought better. Regardless imo it’s him and TDK for the future with Roma either traded or playing forward untill the end of his career.

He’s just too good to be not in the AFL team. I’ll be really pissed if we lose him because we’re paying TDK 1.7 mill

The strategy is that talented kids like dodson will stick around without getting paid squillions because we are a club that is contending for a flag every year for the next decade (in part because we are paying tdk 1.7mil).

Its a strategy that works- tigers, cats, lions, swans etc etc all keeping most of their best players on unders because they are playing and winning finals regularly

 

[BrutThough]

Are the lads training today?

They are on their AFLPA mandated long week. I think they return Wednesday.

 

[Joffaboy]

Our recruiters have generally done an awesome job at the draft going back to 2021.

2021 MSD: Heath, Sharman
2021 ND: Nas, Owens, Windy, Adams


Drafted our best talent since Riewoldt with our first pick, which seemed like a risk. I was concerned about his ability to win his own footy, being billed as an outsider player only. The NGA boys were both easy picks but at least we didn't screw that up ala WC. Adams is back on an AFL list so clearly had ability, and was a late pick.

Sharman an absolute steal from the MSD and Heath is a solid backup ruck who is always handy to have on the list, acquired for free.

2022 ND: Pou, Van Es, Hotton, Keeler


Pou and Keeler are great picks while the other two were obviously busts. Van Es couldn't get going due to injury, Hotton also had injury troubles but never showed a lot.

2023 ND: Wilson, Collard, Hastie, Garcia, Schoenmaker
2023 PSD: Bonner

Wilson and Garcia look like long term best 22 players. Personally I don't think the Collard pick was great, Hastie's future is up in the air but has shown a bit for a pick 33. Ari was worth a shot late in the draft and I'd be surprised if he isn't lining up for Tassie in a few years. Bonner looked good at training and pre season but was too soft at senior level.

2024 MSD: Hall
2024 ND: Travaglia, Tauru, Barrat, Boxshall, Dodson, Said

Absolutely nailed the Hall, Tauru, Boxshall and Dodson picks IMO. Barrat didn't show a lot in his first year but talls do take time so happy to wait and see there. I personally think taking Travaglia over Reid and Lindsay was a really poor choice. Said will likely be delisted at the end of this year but was a late speculative pick.


Over the span of four drafts we've pretty much assembled half of a senior team which is an outstanding result overall. As the team who took Ball over Judd, Billings over Bont, McCartin over Petracca etc it's tough not to fret over what looks (IMO) to be another big miss early in the draft though.

Agree with most of this. Have said Murphy was my choice and choosing another hbf'er after wanting mids for years was not my favoured strategy.
Looking at our mids and who can run through there, I am pretty happy with who we have there now.
Trav impressed me no end in the u18 champs final off a hbf. We need to let him develop in his position which will be hbf or wing. Also we will be going hard to get another high profile mid this trade period.
Murphy played as a forward this year. Will be interesting how he transitions to midfield and if he is as good.
Really I dont agree Trav has poor skills as some have argued, they are developing, like his running. He turned it over once after indecision, and was caught htb after Higgo sold him the dump with a poor handball.
But thats what training is for, no player comes as a finished product.
We can only really judge after another couple of seasons.
Look at all the clubs who overlooked Hall for four years. Would be better than any of the top 20 of his draft of 2020. Drafting is an inexact science.

 

[snails13]

I couldn't agree more - far too often we have rushed our kids to play at the top level when they haven't been ready.

Every sucessful club over the years has given these type of kids time to grow their game at the lower level.

Ditto

 

[SainterinSydney]

Kosi by a country mile, it's not even close

Geez, we had a good forward line back then.

That piece of !@#% Giansiracusa probably cost us a flag with that hit on Kossie. We must punish the Dogs!

 

[CursingFijian]

Adams is 22, turning 23 in July.

AFL Tables - Oscar Adams - Stats - Statistics

You can see his jump in that video footage from Fridays training.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

#Joffaboy, #saintmike65 & #Stravro#4

I was giving some thought to our SSP vacant position. It was reported Ainsworth has broken down again and now been offerred a VFL position (only) and given there has been no training sightings of Wanganeen Im thinking he is in the same position.

It would appear we havent invited anyone else down, I wonder if the club could be looking at one of the train on VFL players eg Bailey McKenzie, Billy Richardson, Jonah Campiglio or similiar to fill the spot? Richardson in particular could fill a versatile tall role, which I still think we need to fill on the list.

 

[Now is the time]

Be uh

BJ always had elite kicking as his number one weapon though, whereas footskills are Travaglia's number one limitation. In his early years, Goddard often took too long looking for perfect option which lead to him getting caught a bit. Once he got used to the pace of the game he was able to use his pinpoint accurate kicking to tear teams apart, as he did in junior footy. Travaglia's kicking was scrappy even in the under 18s.

 

[Now is the time]

BJ always had elite kicking as his number one weapon though, whereas footskills are Travaglia's number one limitation. In his early years, Goddard often took too long looking for perfect option which lead to him getting caught a bit. Once he got used to the pace of the game he was able to use his pinpoint accurate kicking to tear teams apart, as he did in junior footy. Travaglia's kicking was scrappy even in the under 18s.

My view was that the limitation Goddard had was that he had the turning circle of the Queen Mary, hence off a half back flank ultimately

 

[Imtellingya]

They are on their AFLPA mandated long week. I think they return Wednesday.

King, Wood and Howard working with the S&C guys and Clark running laps.
Another good test of Kings knee.

 

[SainterinSydney]

I've mentioned this a few times, but Lenny highly rates TT and was gushing over him last year. Straight from the man himself at training. Have faith! He will come good--he has a figjam element to him, which I like.

For further context, this was my original post from 1 August 2025:

 

[Mavefromdelburn]

Be uh

Genuinely intrigued, how are you managing this?

Quote - post without any comment.
Quote same thing again - post with comment.

 

[Now is the time]

Whats brave about posting what I saw? Trav is under developed but now with our setup and no pressure to select him in seniors he has a chance to develop both football wise and physically in the twos.

Trav is not in my best 23 at the moment, and while I have had LOC ahead of him, they play different positions. LOC would take Jimmys spot, Trav is a hbf.
In my view Trav has looked better this preseason. Running harder, body developing, learning his craft.

Saints fans aren't used to developing players as we crave instant success. The system we have built allows us what the stable teams like Geelong do, develop their youngsters for a couple of years. It is only recent that Banfield/Barrat/Armstrong types have come into the system physically developed.
Oh and if Fincher was in the drill with Windy, Roh, Macrae, Hugo etc that Trav was involved in, he would have been rag dolled, he is not physically developed yet either.
Let Trav develop. If he is a miss, so be it. Hard to name a miss by this recruiting team this decade.

But how many drafted by Geelong return to their Clubs of origin having played few if any games?

The answer is plenty

And why the fears of Dodson returning to Adelaide?

His progression last season saw him progress to an AFL game where he acquitted himself well during his time on field

You always have your eye on the future

The strategy is that talented kids like dodson will stick around without getting paid squillions because we are a club that is contending for a flag every year for the next decade (in part because we are paying tdk 1.7mil).

Its a strategy that works- tigers, cats, lions, swans etc etc all keeping most of their best players on unders because they are playing and winning finals regularly

We have a core of experienced players on our List

When Brett assumed the Coach position he challenged the youth to make their own names and push past the experienced players making the future theirs

The same applies now - always has and always will because we select our best side every week looking to win every week and if that includes kids pushing experienced guys out, so be it

So Dodson for example will be looking to force his way into the side on performance right now - and into the future taking the opportunity offered by the retirement of an experienced player (noting Marshall is past 30)

And what I would not be doing is pigeonholing Dodson or Keeler as exclusively ruckmen - both are versatile with a raft of skills (as has Marshall)

Taking a gander here, I note some kids who have no exposure or minimal exposure are viewed as A Class - then Travaglia

Well, we will see when it gets serious and the selection committee puts their best side on the park

The lead question at present is the report on Henry who is all class

 

[sauce_head]

Kosi by a country mile, it's not even close

My God I want that team back.

 

[Sab22]

My God I want that team back.

Our team now will be better.

 

[SainterinSydney]

My God I want that team back.

As good as that team was, our current team will be special

 

[sauce_head]

Our team now will be better.

That would be nice. At the moment it’s just cute.

 

[sauce_head]

As good as that team was, our current team will be special

Hope you are correct.

 

[Joffaboy]

But how many drafted by Geelong return to their Clubs of origin having played few if any games?

The answer is plenty

And why the fears of Dodson returning to Adelaide?

His progression last season saw him progress to an AFL game where he acquitted himself well during his time on field

You always have your eye on the future

We have a core of experienced players on our List

When Brett assumed the Coach position he challenged the youth to make their own names and push past the experienced players making the future theirs

The same applies now - always has and always will because we select our best side every week looking to win every week and if that includes kids pushing experienced guys out, so be it

So Dodson for example will be looking to force his way into the side on performance right now - and into the future taking the opportunity offered by the retirement of an experienced player (noting Marshall is past 30)

And what I would not be doing is pigeonholing Dodson or Keeler as exclusively ruckmen - both are versatile with a raft of skills (as has Marshall)

Taking a gander here, I note some kids who have no exposure or minimal exposure are viewed as A Class - then Travaglia

Well, we will see when it gets serious and the selection committee puts their best side on the park

The lead question at present is the report on Henry who is all class

Dont think I have ever mentioned Dodson returning to Adelaide. Sure you quoted the right quote?
As far as Geelong go, they hsve as much churn as any club, not sure what you are driving at there.