Training Saints preseason 2026

[Username Unknown]

I preface this by saying that I am a 28-year-old man and have zero medical expertise, but I randomly had a dream last night of Max King kicking a goal early in the season and getting swamped by teammates.

Don't know why I am having dreams on behalf of King, but surely this type of salt lamp, astrology, tarot card, diffuser behaviour means something. Anyway, I have seen enough, lock him in for good year.

I had a dream the other night that I was at a festival and super models kept coming to my campsite wanting to sleep with me. I hope both of our dreams come true!

 

[gringo2011]

On these points:

1. Yes
2. Might have to
3. This is a point of difference, the bit unlike what every other team does
4. For me, this is the most likely to happen
5. Forward half score origins.... permit me to flog the dead horse: specialist pressure forward. It's a role, it's important, and it needs to be undertaken by a specialist.

Caminiti is getting to the point where he could at least hold up as deep tall forward. If not Keeler could progress quickly. Pressure specialist isn't as much of need if the whole forward line play with a pressure mindset. Butler is possibly going to be a handy addition if fit still.

Midfield should look a lot better with Nas, Hall, Flanders all capable of elite performance and Windhager not far off A grade at his best. Also have Macrae who is a bit of a forgotten player who's first 1/3 of the season looked like he'd win our B and F in a canter. Phillipou and Wilson pushing up, Dow and Clark types as depth, some strong youth in Boxshall, Travaglia etc. It looks as good as it has for years.

If TDK can stay fit the new ruck rules should allow him to dominate. It has to help midfield out. To me the back 6 is the crucial piece of the puzzle. If we can get it to look as good as it was early in Lyon's second oinnings we should be a lot better off.

Natural progression should make us a much more competitive side at a minimum. If all goes to plan we should be nudging top 4. This is our best list since Lyon left.

 

[gringo2011]

If the club believed that they should have done more to look at a ready made key forward. Say Lewis from Hawthorn.

We don’t have any genuine tall forwards who are AFL level multiple goal kickers outside of King.

Caminiti and Keeler are both potential and are both getting to a point where they could come on fast. Jobe Shanahan is the one. We should throw everything at him next year. I reckon he'll be the next Josh Kennedy. Otherwise throw big offers at Jonty Faull or Luke Trainor at the Tigers and hope that they want success soon rather than build in a bottom 4 side.

 

[stavro#4]

Caminiti and Keeler are both potential and are both getting to a point where they could come on fast. Jobe Shanahan is the one. We should throw everything at him next year. I reckon he'll be the next Josh Kennedy. Otherwise throw big offers at Jonty Faull or Luke Trainor at the Tigers and hope that they want success soon rather than build in a bottom 4 side.

Yeah whomever it may be - if they think King isn’t going to make it.

My point was it’s kinda King or bust in that department as they didn’t both trying to recruit someone for the role. So it should mean we see the guy play a lot of football

 

[Kildonan]

Isn't guessing this sort of stuff the entire purpose of the forum?

I agree this is a discussion forum where we, Saints fans give our opinions on all things Saints.
I may have overreacted to the post and for that I apologise but I dislike it when a player is criticised in an absolute manner. I would be much happier with some sort of reasoning or evidence in support of the assertion.

I have put together a number of best 23 squads with slightly different focuses and I admit it is hard to find a spot for all my favourite younger players and at the same time, it is difficult to say what role Clark among others will play if not in the midfield. I can see how easy it would be to just ignore how much better the team performs when Clark is playing and just defer to what roles each player is best performed at and choose those players.

Our team selection will be a dynamic process with the inclusion of a number of youth to help with their development. Most of the time we will field a team where someone who may have been preferred is not available and every time someone is injured it presents an opportunity for an high end learning experience for someone not yet established as first choice. They will probably be given a set of games with specific instructions and then they might be dropped back to VFL to focus on what they did right, to eliminate the negative aspects of their game.

The coaching of our club seems to focus on a rapid transition process where players must adapt to the different circumstances presented and in doing so must play more than one role.

Sometimes senior players will be dropped back to VFL, but they will be active in the development of our youth and creating an environment where they offer support and provide encouragement

To this end I posit that all our senior players deserve respect and all have a role to play even if they are not always in the AFL 23 - and that there is no fixed best 23, as it evolves all season.

 

[MordySaint]

If the club believed that they should have done more to look at a ready made key forward. Say Lewis from Hawthorn.

We don’t have any genuine tall forwards who are AFL level multiple goal kickers outside of King.

Alternatively the club may think that they can cover without King, thus the load up on TDK, Ryan, Flanders.

The days of the big stand alone forward are over. We need multiple options not one to bomb it long to.

 

[stavro#4]

Alternatively the club may think that they can cover without King, thus the load up on TDK, Ryan, Flanders.

The days of the big stand alone forward are over. We need multiple options not one to bomb it long to.

How are they over?

Brisbane won a flag with Daniher.
Crows were the minor premier with 3.
Cats have Neale
Hawks have a few
Giants have plenty of them.
Suns have plenty of them.
Dogs have plenty of them.
Swans now have a few.

Etc etc.

Would be very weird to think we don’t need one but think 2 rucks instead is the way forward.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

How is big Keels progressing at training?
He’s had a good solid taste of the big time now and shown he can belong.
Has it made him hungrier and more driven? Is he learning from the hard work being put in by the likes of Poo Naz Windy Willy and Flanders?
Is he just coasting along?
Any chance of a breakout because I can see it in him.
Hope so.

 

[Joffaboy]

Ok mofo's, back for post NY preseason. Sick of these other kents getting all my likes and accolades.
Blue training tops are shit, can barely see their white numbers. King and Doogs in red tops, is Doogs injured again?
No rehab group out today. Take that back, JSOS out on the other side. Good size, first time I have seen him up close. Doing groin work and laps.
Everyone looks suntanned except the Irish lads, must have gone home for Xmas.
Good to see TDK and Henry in full training.
Two groups. Repeat sprints by one, the other shuttle runs with a double strapped bag.
TDK peels off to do his own stuff. Slight strapping on the right knee, more a plaster than strapping.
Umpires down so match sim I take it.
So no appearance of King or Doogs in rehab, must by in the gym.
Getting confused with some numbers. If Fincher is no.37, who is no.27? Dont know who 48 and 49 are.
Barratt has legs like tree trunks.
100 people here and no toilets opened.
Split into two groups for warmups before match sim.
Had a chat to the umpire Hird got fined for hating on. Now a umpy coach, watches the young blokes for positioning, intrpretation of new rules etc. Great to see ex umpires putting back.
Blue tops v Yellow bids dont expect in depth analysis, I'll try to do calls of players that stand out.
Caminiti in defence for bibs.
No TDK, Hunts in the guts for Bibs. TDK, Boxshall, laps.
Barrett showing a bit down back for Blue. Both Carroll and Trav hbf for blue, neither getting anywhere near it so far. All the drill about positioning and transition from the stoppage. Reset after every movement back to the centre of the field on a flank for stoppage work. No umpys yet so not full sim.
RTB looks like a special needs kid in his outfit. No offence meant boss, I aint no adonis either.
Just realised, Tauru unsighted. Keels v Roh in the ruck. Pou with a nice mark to Keels with a pack mark centres to Hugo. Noice. New ruck rules will suit Keels.
Roh outworks Keels to get to a goalsquare mismatch but ball doesnt get there, Keels needs to keep tabs on his opponent.
Banfield in bib on Ryan sprints from hb to hf, Ryan goes with him but when he sprints back Ryan cant. Some tough runners in this squad.
So energetic and very quick spread from the stoppage going on.
Reckon 48 is Butler from Sandy.
Keels good below his knees, front and centre off the pack.
Hunts and Dow having a great contest, neither getting it much but their contest is opening the stoppage for Macrae in bib or Hugo and Pou in Blue to get first use. Basically tagging each other out of the contest. Hunts is in and under alot.
Looks like 20 minute match sim to commence.
Dow, Hugo, Macrae, Ryan, Flanders and Hall in the guts for Blue.
Now the drill is 10 minutes and broken up into two groups so not match sim. One forward 50 drills, mids mentioned above mid drills. Henry, Lance, Fincher laps.
Ryan with the mids drill, Caminiti drilling as a back.
Ross in furious conversation with Sandy's Butler, hoping he is telling him to feign an injury.
LOC wins four in a row one on ones in a drill, throws Hastie to the ground to the delight of everyone. Keels emulates LOC on the other side and out muscles LOC when he has a go.
Clark up to the rooms but not into the room of death, looked ok, but knee still strapped so who knows.
Enright in a long discussion with the umpires on intrepration of the new rules.
Group broken up into four groups of runners, still in boots.
Thats all she wrote, kicking practice for the next ten. Most have gone inside.
Adios Amofo's.

PS. Palletgate still an issue.

PPS. Colin Young must live at the club. Down here every time I am.

 

[Ads734]

Training

Not on the track
Howard , wood, Dodson, Tauru king

Silvagni ran laps and TDK did some very light drills.

Training I thought was very stoppage focused and inside 50 focused. Match sim that is.

I thought Mattaes was the clear standout. His marking and hands were on display as was his tenacity around the ball.

I thought Hugo showed some improved movement around the ball to get in and out.

Max hall similarly looks to have continued where he left off.

Naz - as expected. Just makes everything difficult look easy.

I mentioned Banfield last time but seriously impressed with his size and marking. Needs to clean up his kicking but , his energy is infectious. Always possitive feedback and getting around the guys. I think he could surprise. Took a great contested mark.

Owens looked really hard to beat one v one. Was giving the defenders lots of trouble. I still have concernd of he’s one of our main targets due to his set shot kicking.

EDIT
Keeler looks much improved. Looking stronger but also more confident in the air.
I think the exciting thing for Keels, is he hasn’t really started using his skills yet once he does , watch out.

 

[beside the seaside]

Got along today. Will post thoughts later on but just a quick tidbit. Matthaeus looks in outstanding nick and I thought he dominated match sim. Could be the one to really go to another level. A few others impressed too, will post later.

 

[gringo2011]

How are they over?

Brisbane won a flag with Daniher.
Crows were the minor premier with 3.
Cats have Neale
Hawks have a few
Giants have plenty of them.
Suns have plenty of them.
Dogs have plenty of them.
Swans now have a few.

Etc etc.

Would be very weird to think we don’t need one but think 2 rucks instead is the way forward.

Hawks have played with the mid sized Gunston for most of the last couple of successful years due to injury. They have a huge spread of smaller types.

Neale is a bit of a Keeler/ Hammer type of developing tall. Cameron is their gun but he's a hybrid like an even more mobile Mason Wood.

Brisbane also won a flag without Daniher so that off sets that idea. Helped that Logan Morris had a dominant year but he's only 191cm.

Giants have a spread of talls but they haven't done much.

Not saying the days of tall forwards are over but it doesn't make or break a season not having a dominant one. To me we just need to get more guys kicking 35 plus goal this year. Snags, Sharman and Owens were our top 3. Sharman and Owens kicked 59 goals between them. Get both at around 50 goals each and we are looking much more potent.

Hall, Wood, Nas and Wilson our next best.

Ideally we get another 45 from Snags, about the same from Sharman and Owens and then a spread of 25 each from Ryan, Butler, Collard, Keeler, Hammer types. If we get King back it obviously makes life easier because he probably kicks 50 goals if he plays most matches. Hopefully more contribution from mids too with Flanders, Hall and Nas all capable goal kickers.

 

[stavro#4]

Hawks have played with the mid sized Gunston for most of the last couple of successful years due to injury. They have a huge spread of smaller types.

Neale is a bit of a Keeler/ Hammer type of developing tall. Cameron is their gun but he's a hybrid like an even more mobile Mason Wood.

Brisbane also won a flag without Daniher so that off sets that idea. Helped that Logan Morris had a dominant year but he's only 191cm.

Giants have a spread of talls but they haven't done much.

Not saying the days of tall forwards are over but it doesn't make or break a season not having a dominant one. To me we just need to get more guys kicking 35 plus goal this year. Snags, Sharman and Owens were our top 3. Sharman and Owens kicked 59 goals between them. Get both at around 50 goals each and we are looking much more potent.

Hall, Wood, Nas and Wilson our next best.

Ideally we get another 45 from Snags, about the same from Sharman and Owens and then a spread of 25 each from Ryan, Butler, Collard, Keeler, Hammer types. If we get King back it obviously makes life easier because he probably kicks 50 goals if he plays most matches. Hopefully more contribution from mids too with Flanders, Hall and Nas all capable goal kickers.

Shannon Neale is 203 Cms and just came off a 44 goal season as a 23 year old. He is absolutely a bonafide key forward.

Yeah Brisbane did it both ways. but they have a number of elite mids/HFFs/HBFs etc - which is probably the exception and not the rule

Yeah Hawks have a firing Gunston. They also have used 2m Mabior Chol/198cm Lewis/ 195Cm Dear. 2 of those guys would be classified as Key forwards.

I agree we need more of those smaller HFF types to have scoreboard impact. But the key forward is far from dead and all clubs have at least one very good KPF that they can structure around.

 

[akaifu]

Byrnes on the free agents list meaning he only got a one year deal despite being drafted through the national draft

 

[tony74]

The Viking was ill

 

[CursingFijian]

I had a dream the other night that I was at a festival and super models kept coming to my campsite wanting to sleep with me. I hope both of our dreams come true!

Where's that carrot emoji when you need it?

 

[Dr Spaceman]

 

[stavro#4]

those training tops..

 

[CursingFijian]

That green isn't blue.

 

[MordySaint]

How are they over?

Brisbane won a flag with Daniher.
Crows were the minor premier with 3.
Cats have Neale
Hawks have a few
Giants have plenty of them.
Suns have plenty of them.
Dogs have plenty of them.
Swans now have a few.

Etc etc.

Would be very weird to think we don’t need one but think 2 rucks instead is the way forward.

Well, the "hopeful" word is that Max will resume training at the end of the month.

St Kilda "confident" on King, Silvagni injury timelines as De Koning clears early hurdles

Saints GM Lenny Hayes provides an injury update on the important trio.

www.zerohanger.com

Good luck to Max.

 

[Leap of Faith]

If the club believed that they should have done more to look at a ready made key forward. Say Lewis from Hawthorn.

We don’t have any genuine tall forwards who are AFL level multiple goal kickers outside of King.

Yeah that's true. But he hasn't played since rd 16, 2024, has had multiple surgeries and after we were assured he was on track, he went in for another surgery before Christmas. And now he's going to be "back in full training by the end of January". Yep. Sure. Pigs might fly. There are at least a few reasons for not going after another key forward.

1. They're wedded to Max King with his long term contract and to some extent have their head in the sand about his durability. If all the, "he'll be good to go in blah blah weeks" is just spin, then they don't have their heads in the sand. But maybe they do. Wouldn't be the first time STKFC has pinned their hopes on a messiah and don't want to let it go. I have more faith in Bassat et al than that, but it's a 'watch this space' for me.
2. The optics of going after another recognised KPF when we have MK on a contract to 2032.
3. Perhaps they have faith in Camaniti or someone else already on the list and he / they are the back up plan.

Probably the club has faith they can get him back to playing and contributing strongly. I really hope they're right and my scepticism is unfounded. Remains to be seen and his durability is at its very best, questionable.

 

[Nutsngum]

Yeah that's true. But he hasn't played since rd 16, 2024, has had multiple surgeries and after we were assured he was on track, he went in for another surgery before Christmas. And now he's going to be "back in full training by the end of January". Yep. Sure. Pigs might fly. There are at least a few reasons for not going after another key forward.

1. They're wedded to Max King with his long term contract and to some extent have their head in the sand about his durability. If all the, "he'll be good to go in blah blah weeks" is just spin, then they don't have their heads in the sand. But maybe they do. Wouldn't be the first time STKFC has pinned their hopes on a messiah and don't want to let it go. I have more faith in Bassat et al than that, but it's a 'watch this space' for me.
2. The optics of going after another recognised KPF when we have MK on a contract to 2032.
3. Perhaps they have faith in Camaniti or someone else already on the list and he / they are the back up plan.

Probably the club has faith they can get him back to playing and contributing strongly. I really hope they're right and my scepticism is unfounded. Remains to be seen and his durability is at its very best, questionable.

The administration just told our captain of 5 years that his services dont fit our future plan and that moving clubs would be in his best interest and they also bailed on a trade due to prioritizing other movements.

I'm not sure they really care at all about optics or are wedded to any specific player at all.

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Yeah whomever it may be - if they think King isn’t going to make it.

My point was it’s kinda King or bust in that department as they didn’t both trying to recruit someone for the role. So it should mean we see the guy play a lot of football

Should've trialled Wade Derksen over the pre-season at least.
Although, he's signed with Montmorency fc. for 2026.
So its not actually making a statement that he was wanting to be in the Afl again.

 

[Saints4ever]

Ryan has slimmed down.

Flyin to get back to his best this year.

 

[Sab22]

Not sure if you guys are familiar with the basketball player Lonzo Ball, but it's not entirely the same situation as Max King. Lonzo had gone through multiple surgeries on his knee from 2022 to 2024. He only played again last year, and he looked ok initally, but he is now having one of the worst shooting seasons in NBA history and could be traded. Highly talented player. He essentially got a new "knee".

I'm saying all this because I think we should be mindful of the expectations we set with King when he does return. I think at this point, it's a blessing he is still on our list. I'm a big King fan; he is still one of my favourite players to root for and watch, but I think having low expectations is better for our hearts at this point, haha.

Max returning to the field itself will be a big win for our club and the medical team at this rate.