Remove this Banner Ad

Training Saints preseason 2026

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Reader mode
TheSaintsAreComing! said:
Yeah, fair call on Hally, Maso, Windy and Clark laying the groundwork — great effort getting us within range.


But just rewatched that last quarter too… you know, the one where Higgo (Jack Higgins, in case we’re pretending not to know) kicked two of his four goals in the last quarter , plus that slick assist to Sharmo to keep the scoreboard ticking?


Kicked 4 goals for the match but like most small forwards(see Charlie Cameron in the grand final) as Dwayne Russell would say they “get lost in the wash”
Click to expand...
Snags & Coops no doubt had huge quarters too.

Mainly finishing off the work of the 4 I mentioned.

I was more identifying the influence of Clark after the discussion on here last week.
gringo2011 said:
Steele was actually pretty good from memory too but I haven't rewatched it.
Click to expand...
Kicked a clutch goal after a great one handed grab… got a few HBs to release the pill outside but wasn’t as big an influence as the others.
 
Saintbloke said:
You need to throw Coops in there- set up a goal, then kicked two inspiration goals himself.
Click to expand...
Basically it was a team effort to get us back into the game so that NAS could add the final minutes of brilliance under big pressure.

But we wouldn’t have been in that position without the huge contributions of the others, so their efforts should not go unappreciated.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

gringo2011 said:
I'm not a big replay watcher. Ive seen the highlights packages but not sat down and done the whole quarter.
Click to expand...
Time you did...folklore stuff
GunnersFantasy said:
Thoughts on Wilson's role in 2026? do you see him getting inside minutes or anything off HB? Or will he still be a winger/HF?
Click to expand...
Wing but part of the rotation for going inside
 
BrutThough said:
Garcia is a good prospect and having a good preseason.

But I do think others are having more noticable impact in the match sim and at training so we might be at the point where 'good' isnt enough to crack into the starting midfield if we remain healthy. It's a much better place to have the list in.
Click to expand...
Maybe a horses for courses scenario with our side this year.
Hugo would be a tremendous tagger against Daicos opening round with his relentless attack on the ball and body, elite running & massive competitive nature.
 
Saintscomemarchingin said:
As usual? You obviously didn't read my previous message stating Hill's sneaky, dribbling goal as one inspiration for the win.
When we are losing games, Hill's non-tackling can be a real issue.
When we are winning he gets on the end of chains.
But he's not that much of an important cog in the machine, especially now with our emerging talent.
Get games into them, gotta be looking beyond Hill now.
But, it was right to give him & Wood the extensions they did, because both are great role models & we have better depth in the list now.
Click to expand...
These days Hill would be ideal cameo player coming off the bench
 
BrutThough said:
Kid is a potential superstar.

The prospect of having him and Nas at full flight in the midfield is going to be a game changer.
Click to expand...
Imagine if it came to fruition…


🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 would be about right
 

Remove this Banner Ad

I can envision a full-time midfield consisting of Boxshall, Nas & Pou.
The vision of Boxshall giving P.Cripps the dont argue in lasts years pre-season game, has to excite most.
He might not be as talented as the other two, but he will be the war-horse.
Chuck in Banfield & Wilson on the wings & is gonna be a taller midfield too where we can out-mark the oppo.
 
saintmike65 said:
Time you did...folklore stuff!
Click to expand...
That whole qtr is just remarkable, also considering we needed something like 5 goals in the last 8 minutes or so. Stars aligned, Dees missing sitters, ball running across the face of the goal not going through to score them the 'handy point' ahead, Oliver missing the lot with 1.50 on the clock, the magical mark and goal and then the fact Melbourne already had infringed on 666 earlier and did so with 8 seconds to go and didn't cover the fat side.
Any one of those things don't go our way and it is just another loss. It was a fluke and a miracle but it IS OUR fluke and miracle for all time.
 
BrutThough said:
Without a doubt. I also think Wilson is on that trajectory.
Click to expand...
If Pou and Wilson happen to have breakout years this year and Nas continues his trajectory, that alone could significantly transform our side.

Pou was so far off his best in those 7 games he played last year it wasn’t funny, so if he gets through the preseason unscathed, he’s virtually a brand new recruit, along with the 4 blokes we brought in.

And same with Henry. He likewise was a shadow of his former self in his 6 games. So if he’s back at or near full fitness, he’s like another new recruit.

Dow another, and Carroll isn’t far off, as he too had an interrupted preseason last year, and then more momentum-interrupting injuries from there.

Then two of our best 3 players going into last year (Sincs and Roma) also went into the season significantly underdone, and had less influential years as a result (especially Ro), but they seem to have done the whole thing this time around (touch wood!).

Then you’ve got 3 of our tall kids who are likely to be better for another preseason, in Caminiti, Keeler and Tauru (two of whom also missed much of last preseason), so they could be a lot more ready to play against the big boys this year.

There’s just so much scope for obvious improvement all over the ground.

Probably the biggest query is who replaces Webster, as that’s not an easy role to play.
 
Last edited:
stavro#4 said:
Imagine if it came to fruition…


🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 would be about right
Click to expand...
It is what a champion team needs a couple of out and out champions, a group of high quality next level players then some good soldiers.
there is usually a couple of killers in the guts. Richmond had Dusty and Cotchin, Geelong and Lions have champs in the mids.
We know what NAZ is becoming, if Pou can put together a season like that 4 week block in 2024 where he dominated, we have the making of a team that can compete. No guarantee of ultimate success, but at least we can have a real legit crack.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Joffaboy said:
It is what a champion team needs a couple of out and out champions, a group of high quality next level players then some good soldiers.
there is usually a couple of killers in the guts. Richmond had Dusty and Cotchin, Geelong and Lions have champs in the mids.
We know what NAZ is becoming, if Pou can put together a season like that 4 week block in 2024 where he dominated, we have the making of a team that can compete. No guarantee of ultimate success, but at least we can have a real legit crack.
Click to expand...
Yep.

I’m ready for it all to start tomorrow. I want answers on all of the questions we have.
 
Re Garcia, and where he sits in the pecking order etc, I think the mere fact he was given such an important role for so much of the season last year- including ahead of Jones, and then Windy, at just 20yo- tells you how highly they rate him, and how important they thought it was to get those games into him.

It’s worth remembering that not only was he getting some decent touches himself, but in the back half of the year, Windy had been sent out to the wing, and Hugo was the one sent to the oppo’s main man, and he did some terrific jobs in there.

Against Freo in Perth for instance, he had the job on Brayshaw, and had a game-high 10 clearances, plus 12 CP’s, while Brayshaw had just 2 and 6, while against Hawthorn, he again had a game-high number of clearances (8), while keeping Newcomb to just 7 touches to half time, and 22 for the game.

Then the next week he had the job on Chad Warner, and held him to 20 disposals and minimal influence.

Losing him for the following game against Geelong was a blow, as he would have had the job on either Smith or Holmes.

And all that was in just his second year, so I for one am very keen to see how he goes with another preseason under his belt.

One of the most promising things about him is how much he seems to be able to improve the parts of his game he’s working on. Eg when he first started it was almost like his main focus was to tackle blokes, but they trained that out of him, then he responded really well to a spell in the VFL, so any weaknesses he does have, he’s as good a chance as anyone to be able to improve them, given how dedicated and professional he is.

I agree with whoever it was who said they think he’ll be a better kicking version of Windy. He’s got a piercing left foot when he hits them well, and Windy’s good kicks aren’t that good.

It really will be fascinating to see how the midfield lines up though, if all of Nas, Macrae, Flanders, Pou, Windy and Hugo are fit and firing. Normally you have the 4 main guys, and that’s 6, before we even get to Hall, etc.
 
Last edited:


St Kilda is certain to unleash prized Carlton recruits Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni in the club’s Opening Round blockbuster against Collingwood.

The former Blues began the new year under an injury cloud, but De Koning dispelled any doubts over his fitness sparkling in match simulation as part of a gruelling two-hour session in Maroochydore on Monday.

It means the ace big man will be available to lead the new-look ruck division alongside Rowan Marshall in both of the club’s preseason games against Gold Coast and Essendon next month.

TDK will be out there when the Saints open their season.
TDK will be out there when the Saints open their season.
Silvagni is also on track to re-join main training next month and take on the Magpies on Sunday, March 8 after stepping up his recovery with a 12km running and kicking session on the club’s preseason camp on Monday.

And in a surprise, spearhead Max King also remains in the frame to make a return from his knee nightmare in the early rounds as the club weighs up whether to use him in a restricted role off the bench.

The move to scrap the substitute and increase the interchange bench to five men this year means the Saints are considering using King early in the season deep forward with a minutes limit.

King ran at about half-pace on Monday as part of a two-hour work-out following recent surgery to remove the troublesome meniscus which wiped out his 2025 season.

The Saints had tried to repair the area in multiple surgeries last season but have removed the tissue causing the problems in the latest procedure.

The full forward is optimistic he is finally over his knee setbacks following the change in approach towards the knee pain and limitations which have plagued him over the past 12 months.

The big man, who has not played since round 17, 2024, remains hopeful of pressing to play against the Magpies in round zero after pulling up well from recent work-outs including Monday’s heavy session in hot conditions.

The Saints will be cautious with one of their most important assets but are open to deploying him as the fifth man on the bench early in the season if his recovery remains on track next month.

Max King is recovering well. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Max King is recovering well. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
The extended bench will give clubs capacity to play some returning stars including King for as little as 50 per cent of game time after the call to scrap the sub for 2026.

King’s return alongside the addition of De Koning and Silvagni will provide a huge aerial boost to the spine in 2026 as the Saints aggressively plot a return to finals this year following last year’s trade raid.

And the club is hoping to start the season with a near fully-available list with veteran utility Mason Wood and key backman Dougal Howard also set to return from minor calf niggles in coming weeks.

The Saints, who saved millions of dollars in the salary cap while they hit the draft in recent years, also bolstered the engine room landing Gold Coast ballwinner Sam Flanders and West Coast premiership forward Liam Ryan.

Flanders is tipped to spend considerable time in the engine room this season next to re-signed superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Mattaes Phillipou in place of former captain Jack Steele who was traded to Melbourne last year.

Wanganeen-Milera was a stand-out in match simulation with his brilliant line breaking run and skill out of the middle on Monday.

The South Australian turned down bumper offers to head home when he re-signed a $2 million-a-year deal at St Kilda and looks set to become one of the top players in the game this year.

Gun defender Callum Wilkie, who is tipped to become the new captain, also one of the best along with strong-bodied forward Mitch Owens in the match play.
 
Great, they’ve just jinxed them, fancy calling someone a “certain starter” 40-odd days out from a game, especially if they’re injury-prone!

facepalm GIF
 
Joffaboy said:
That whole qtr is just remarkable, also considering we needed something like 5 goals in the last 8 minutes or so. Stars aligned, Dees missing sitters, ball running across the face of the goal not going through to score them the 'handy point' ahead, Oliver missing the lot with 1.50 on the clock, the magical mark and goal and then the fact Melbourne already had infringed on 666 earlier and did so with 8 seconds to go and didn't cover the fat side.
Any one of those things don't go our way and it is just another loss. It was a fluke and a miracle but it IS OUR fluke and miracle for all time.
Click to expand...
I wanted to leave at three quarter time but my son convinced me to stay. Forever grateful to him.
 
Reader mode

Remove this Banner Ad

Similar threads

Chief
Win Prizes Saints AFL Tipping - Now Open for 2026 - 🔥 - Reply IN when you join
Replies
11
Views
356
Mavefromdelburn
Mavefromdelburn
bergholt
  • Poll Poll
Prediction Who won't be on the Saints list in 2026?
2 3 4
Replies
75
Views
9K
Saintscomemarchingin
S
CHBench
    • Like
2026 Fixture
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
164
Views
8K
gringo2011
gringo2011
T
    • Like
    • Love
VFL St Kilda VFL 2026
Replies
16
Views
994
BrutThough
BrutThough
Saintos The ITK
    • Like
Opinion Saints Royalty
Replies
17
Views
746
Verdun66
Verdun66
Diehard Saint
    • Like
Discussion 2026 General AFL Discussion
Replies
22
Views
1K
gringo2011
gringo2011
no1saint66
    • Like
2026 Membership tally
2
Replies
41
Views
5K
True Believer
True Believer

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom