Training Saints preseason 2026

[stfan]

So a few questions over the past 5 pages.
1. Paddy Dow. Completed all pre season. Not standing out, a bit vanilla, lets see his progress after Xmas

Yes is coming from a long way back. But he can be a back up mid.

2. Isaac Keeler. An improver this pre season. Up against Marshall in the absence of TDK and Dodson has held his own and shone on occasions

He has the talent, he has the tools...and he is now well on the way to building the body and strength that he needs to have. This season we should get more an ide if he has the workrate, application and focus.

3. Howard. Short memories from some on how much we needed a key back in 2025. Had Camminiti on a 15 cm taller Darcy.
Howard has looked good in the back six, seems to straighten it up more.

I ama Howard fan, despite his brain fades. He is a great spoil and works in well with the qualities that our other backs have.

Caminiti will need to continue his improvement to displace hi, But to have both as an option for Fullback is a positive.

4. Carroll. Has looked extremely good off a hbf, could be a smokie.

Yes agree. With Nas likely to be more mid in 2026 we need another good distributor across HB.
Hastie an option, but I believe that at this stage that Carroll can use the ball better.

4. The Irish. LOC doing everything expected of him, could be in the mix gor a small back position.

Yes LOC, Stocker or Hastie all battling fora position in the back 6. Though LOC could well end up in other positions too.

Armstrong looks terrific, but needs a bit more development and game time.

Yes very raw with no AFL Rules footy experience before joining us.

Whereas LOC played some AFL in Years 5 and 6 in Perth, WA when was at ages to 4-11.

 

[Xxxx66]

So a few questions over the past 5 pages.
1. Paddy Dow. Completed all pre season. Not standing out, a bit vanilla, lets see his progress after Xmas
2. Isaac Keeler. An improver this pre season. Up against Marshall in the absence of TDK and Dodson has held his own and shone on occasions
3. Howard. Short memories from some on how much we needed a key back in 2025. Had Camminiti on a 15 cm taller Darcy.
Howard has looked good in the back six, seems to straighten it up more.
4. Carroll. Has looked extremely good off a hbf, could be a smokie.
4. The Irish. LOC doing everything expected of him, could be in the mix gor a small back position.
Armstrong looks terrific, but needs a bit more development and game time.

I think you are right with Carroll, if he can stay fit could be a very good player. His track record of staying fit not so good.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Keeler can absolutely make this rebuild. If he gets close to his ceiling we'll have an incredibly talented tall from a pick in the 40s.

TDK and Keeler would be a crazy mobile ruck duo. Keelers composure/skills are pretty rare for his size too.

 

[Sully111]

Keeler can absolutely make this rebuild. If he gets close to his ceiling we'll have an incredibly talented tall from a pick in the 40s.

TDK and Keeler would be a crazy mobile ruck duo. Keelers composure/skills are pretty rare for his size too.

I'm really excited about this dude. Could be anything.

 

[The Boar]

Keeler can absolutely make this rebuild. If he gets close to his ceiling we'll have an incredibly talented tall from a pick in the 40s.

TDK and Keeler would be a crazy mobile ruck duo. Keelers composure/skills are pretty rare for his size too.

Paddy Ryder type operator, fingers crossed he can get there!

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

How are the Irish boys looking? Is McDonald here yet?

No, mid-year after he finishes his schooling.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

I am chomping at the bit for the 2026 Season.

Could this be the only time it's actually ok to champ someone on bigfooty?

 

[Diehard Saint]

I think you are right with Carroll, if he can stay fit could be a very good player. His track record of staying fit not so good.

Hopefully he’ll do a “Wood”
Bad injury record at North - much improved with us.

 

[sasaint]

All points that I agree with.

Yes we still need to improve. Personally I have no doubt that we will. How quickly we will is unknown.

But right here and now we are in much better shape that we were going into 2025.

Nas and Hall both emerged as very good players. Now with Hall he has only played 23 games, but it is HOW he plays the game that is so telling. He just makes things happen, and when he uses the ball he uses it to great team advantage.

Just on King, who seems to be many people's "Black Cloud". The way I see it with Max is that we can a good season without him. But with him it will be much easier to have a really good season.


Now to actually active be a Flag Contender in 2026 we would need many things to go right, and there are still quite a number of unknowns such as for example how good, or bad, will Pou be in 2026?

Will Garcia step up? Will Windy continue to track upwards? Will Ryan be good for us. Overall though we now have a lot more options for most positions, and this is one reason I think we will have a better year. If Ryan flops, we still have Higgins, Butler, Hall, Henry and the young Collard. No King, we have Marshall and Sharman, while Caminiti, Keeler, Tarau will all be stronger and more advanced too.


I think that we are very capable without Max of having a good enough season to play finals. Can we better than that to actually be a competitive finalist? Too early to say.

But I have seen enough to be of the view that as a fan I can go to games in 2026 and enjoy the day a lot more than I have in the main since we were last a flag contender.

So much to watch in 2026:

• Can Flanders be the extra damaging mid that we crave
• Will Pou arrive
• Windy, can he be more than a great tagger?
• Will Flying Ryan, actually Fly?
• Is Howard back game fit?
• Wilson looks amazing now, but will be be in games?
• Will Nas keep improving?
• How will Marshall handle a role where he is playing more forward, as well as being a Follower around the ground.
• How will TDK go with the new ruck rule with Nas, Flanders, Hall, Macrae and others like Pou and Garcia all ready to be fed.

I am chomping at the bit for the 2026 Season.

I’m confident we will be a much better and competitive team in 2026, however how that impacts ladder position I am less confident. That’s because I also see a huge improvement in the teams around us and the teams that should be falling like the Pies and Cats just seem to find a way to win games. Then there are the teams that seem unassailable due to the gifts provided to them by the AFL. Brisbane being the prime example. Will be a tough year I fear but watching our stars develop will be a joy.

 

[Saintbloke]

We have a pretty good list of players now and we need to form it into a team that can win at least six more games than the season just gone- so a lot of work needs to be done pre season to get the right players playing in the right positions

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Overall though we now have a lot more options for most positions, and this is one reason I think we will have a better year.

I think that we are very capable without Max of having a good enough season to play finals. Can we better than that to actually be a competitive finalist? Too early to say.

So much to watch in 2026:

• Can Flanders be the extra damaging mid that we crave
• Will Pou arrive
• Windy, can he be more than a great tagger?
• Will Flying Ryan, actually Fly?
• Is Howard back game fit?
• Wilson looks amazing now, but will be be in games?
• Will Nas keep improving?
• How will Marshall handle a role where he is playing more forward, as well as being a Follower around the ground.
• How will TDK go with the new ruck rule with Nas, Flanders, Hall, Macrae and others like Pou and Garcia all ready to be fed.

I am chomping at the bit for the 2026 Season.

Some very perceptive thoughts and questions stfan. Like many I am confident most of your questions will be a significant yes.

We will be a better side with Max King playing, but our list now has the depth to improve without him.

• Flanders will become the most damaging midfielder we have had for sometime.
• Pou, Garcia, Windy and Wilson will go to new levels.
• Nas will continue to elevate his stardom, with a top 3 Brownlow finish.
• TDK and Marshall will become the No 1 rucking/forward duo in the comp.
• Caminiti is the perfect swingman and under rated for his age and development.
• Its looking like Carroll will step into Nas's hbf role with aplomb.
• Ryan is working hard and its looking as if he will reward the the club for investing in him.
• Keeler and Dodson will continue to take huge steps to full time readiness.
• The two draftees Banfield & Fincher will get game time at some stage throughout the year.
• The Irish lads will come from the clouds and will make a contribution going forward.
• Even with the depth we will still need some long deserved luck with injuries.

The pressures for positions in the side are going to be unlike anything since 2009/2010, people around the place can sense something big is evolving. Hopefully we can also see the VFL side progress up the ladder, as there sucess is so important for our AFL side and player development.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I'm really excited about this dude. Could be anything.

Just watched his 2025 highlights. He has a lot for his 11 games.

Sometimes he just takes a mark and goals it, but a lot of his stuff is not part of the playbook.
Incredible crumber for a guy that size.

 

[beside the seaside]

Just watched his 2025 highlights. He has a lot for his 11 games.

Sometimes he just takes a mark and goals it, but a lot of his stuff is not part of the playbook.
Incredible crumber for a guy that size.

Needs to get AFL fit. His fitness was a liability at times, his opponent was able to run off him and he spent large chunks of games just completely anonymous.

If he can sort that part of his game he can become a weapon. He is really skillful, great hands, good kick for goal. It sounds like he has improved his strength which is a good sign in terms of his conditioning.

 

[Broski]

Needs to get AFL fit. His fitness was a liability at times, his opponent was able to run off him and he spent large chunks of games just completely anonymous.

If he can sort that part of his game he can become a weapon. He is really skillful, great hands, good kick for goal. It sounds like he has improved his strength which is a good sign in terms of his conditioning.

Spot on. I don't expect him to become an aerobic beast or the strongest player on the list, but he needs to be able to run out games consistently next season if he wants to make it. Being on a one-year deal should be a motivator.

The fitter he is, the more likely he will be able to stay involved and display the obvious AFL level traits that he has. Keeler is the type of player that will frustrate, because everyone can see the talent. It's just hoping it clicks for him next season.

There will be several opportunities next year if he wants to work hard enough. It seems like he is do that this preseason.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

 

[Jade Buddha]

The other thing I remember about Keelers 2025 was his work off the ball. Little taps, positioning, assists. He’s far from the product yet but he is a smart footballer that works for his team mates.

 

[Windtagger]

Fantastic that both NAS has bought a big house in Melbourne and Lance has moved in with him.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Paddy Ryder type operator, fingers crossed he can get there!

No pressure ,

 

[CaptainRisky]

Needs to get AFL fit. His fitness was a liability at times, his opponent was able to run off him and he spent large chunks of games just completely anonymous.

If he can sort that part of his game he can become a weapon. He is really skillful, great hands, good kick for goal. It sounds like he has improved his strength which is a good sign in terms of his conditioning.

Yeah he spent a fair bit of time in the Banger pose but the difference is Banger wasn't gassed, Needs to work on his tank big time

 

[bergholt]

reckon they should tweak the subtitles a little bit

 

[NuffNuff]

Good hearing Flyin talk about being excited to have Max back on the park. Gives me a bit of hope that he isn't cooked

 

[gringo2011]

I’m confident we will be a much better and competitive team in 2026, however how that impacts ladder position I am less confident. That’s because I also see a huge improvement in the teams around us and the teams that should be falling like the Pies and Cats just seem to find a way to win games. Then there are the teams that seem unassailable due to the gifts provided to them by the AFL. Brisbane being the prime example. Will be a tough year I fear but watching our stars develop will be a joy.

It might not be 2026 but at some point the pay off will come. We have a good pool of players that have huge potential growth.

You only need a few of Phillipou, Wilson, Garcia, Keeler, Tauru, Travaglia, Boxshall types to go up a level to consistently B grade while a few from Windy, Owens, Shaman, Flanders, TDK types move up a level and then the current good players to maintain their level and you can get a really quick jump up.

Adelaide went from bottom 4 to top of the ladder in a year. Tigers won a flag after finishing bottom 4. Both had a significant progression from a few additions and natural internal improvement. Brisbane haven't missed finals after a similar progression .

 

[phantom13]

So a few questions over the past 5 pages.
1. Paddy Dow. Completed all pre season. Not standing out, a bit vanilla, lets see his progress after Xmas
2. Isaac Keeler. An improver this pre season. Up against Marshall in the absence of TDK and Dodson has held his own and shone on occasions
3. Howard. Short memories from some on how much we needed a key back in 2025. Had Camminiti on a 15 cm taller Darcy.
Howard has looked good in the back six, seems to straighten it up more.
4. Carroll. Has looked extremely good off a hbf, could be a smokie.
4. The Irish. LOC doing everything expected of him, could be in the mix gor a small back position.
Armstrong looks terrific, but needs a bit more development and game time.

Howard is listed at 199, Camma at 196.

Not sure the 3cm difference is gonna make any difference at all on Darcy.

 

[thekizzler]

Keeler has the skills and potential to be a star - no doubt.

But the three things he lacks is aggression, tenacity and fitness.

Improve all three to a high level and you have a gun.

Improve two and you get a solid player.

Improve none and you get a flashy player capable of moments and periods in games.

That's the bottom line.

 

[Parkysp]

It might not be 2026 but at some point the pay off will come. We have a good pool of players that have huge potential growth.

You only need a few of Phillipou, Wilson, Garcia, Keeler, Tauru, Travaglia, Boxshall types to go up a level to consistently B grade while a few from Windy, Owens, Shaman, Flanders, TDK types move up a level and then the current good players to maintain their level and you can get a really quick jump up.

Adelaide went from bottom 4 to top of the ladder in a year. Tigers won a flag after finishing bottom 4. Both had a significant progression from a few additions and natural internal improvement. Brisbane haven't missed finals after a similar progression .

Why not us?

I'll see myself out...