Training Saints preseason 2026

[Joffaboy]

Being the old bastard I am, was watching the Jeff White

Jeff White

Age

48

Ht

195cm

Wt

97kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

8.2

3star

HB

6.3

4star

HO

18.7

5star

No current season stats available

D

6.2

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

1.6

2star

HO

3.0

5star

analysis in the mid afternoon a few days back and had a nanna nap just as he started talking about TDK.
Went back and had a look yesterday and he mentioned the dynamic between Marshall and TDK and how we now had a left and right sided ruckman. Found this very interesting as I had never really thought about how being left sided for example could change rucking technique, the hand they tap with and positioning of themselves to clear the ruck by hand or foot.
Got me thinking of the possibilities can exploit with this ruck combo and possibly also why Marshall worked so well with Paddy Ryder, dont know, just spitballing. Certainly can be difficult for an opposing ruck and may be an unthought of advantage using the TDK/Marshall combination.
Also this is a great example of a high quality ruckman at AFL level looking into detail and instantly recognising the potential and a little known fact that nobody else has recognised.

Will be interesting to watch later in the preseason when they are play simulating.

 

[Broski]

Yep he's closer to turning 24.

(Last July)

(The most recent one)

From my understanding, Max is 25 until he turns 26, and he stopped being 24 when he turned 25. Importantly, he won't be 27 until he stops being 26. Hope this provides some clarity to everyone involved.

 

[The Punter]

Max King

Multiple players found. Use birthday to differentiate. eg [PLAYERCARD="23/11/1962"]Joe Smith[/PLAYERCARD]

was born on the 7th July, 2000.

 

[Joffaboy]

Max King was born on the 7th July, 2000.

When was Ben born?

 

[SG34]

Don't be ridiculous please.
There’s no offence.
And ethics has nothing to do with it.

Merely pointing out that comparing two first year players, with different skills, and who had the better output and why is pointless at this stage.

I think it is condescending of me to suggest you took offence, personally. I didn't mean that.
Sorry, I learnt now...

But...

I will say, there is something kind of ethical going on here. I merely made a point that Travs and Tauru's trajectories took a different course.
Tauru had a slow start and finished flying, and Trav started flying and cooled down. The key point, is that any suggestion that they over invested in Trav early on was shot down, without any study of the nuance. Shot down by blanket morality..

• give the kid a chance
• silly comparison
• its only natural
• just leave it

The facts are that Trav started at 73% TOG in the first couple of games, and 2/3 through the season he came back from the seconds and played barely half the game on the ground.

Now that is a note of interest.　We have Hastie too. So it is interesting to speculate what is going on!

And in some ways, it is the inverse of what happened in Pou's first season, in a way (again, I hear, 'don't compare' bla bla) They just played and played Pou, game in, game out for very little return and all the fans just cheered him on. I don't think it did Pou or the team any good. Perhaps they are changing the approach?

 

[saintkildaman]

Trav’s tackling ability is very underrated, pulled off some quality HTB’s this year and a few kgs time I think it’ll be a strength of his. Has a great technique.

Wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being the one replacing Webster in the back 6. Maybe some concerns with leg speed playing against the oppositions best small forward but that seems to be an issue for others competing for a similar role (Stocker, Hastie, LOC, Clark). Strong overhead, good one on one and can provide run and dash, will be interesting to see if he doing preseason with the mids or defenders.

 

[kosifantutti]

When was Ben born?

Not sure because he never played for the Saints.
But Shane and Darryl Wakelin had different birthdays.

 

[ESPN8 The Ocho]

It’s amusing when right handed people suddenly discover left handed people exist.

 

[beside the seaside]

Max has already proven he's a gun. It doesn't really matter how old he is, if he gets on the park regularly he will be a weapon for us. If not then he'll be a wasted talent.

 

[stfan]

From my understanding, Max is 25 until he turns 26, and he stopped being 24 when he turned 25. Importantly, he won't be 27 until he stops being 26. Hope this provides some clarity to everyone involved.

Though this process does take a day longer every fourth year.

 

[Joffaboy]

It’s amusing when right handed people suddenly discover left handed people exist.

Well I am left handed, but carry on being a smartarse.

 

[borderbarry]

I was born at midnight on 30th of June. Mum was given the choice of registering me as 30/6 or 1/7. So 1/7 it is.

 

[nikkig98]

Bit late to the Travaglia Discussion Party, but my 2 cents are that he's gonna be a Hayden Young

26

Hayden Young

Age

24

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

3star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

2star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

CL

0.2

2star

. Likened to him in the draft comparisons, as players who are all known for their work off half-back, but also have the attributes to move into the midfield either as part of a rotation. I can also see him following the same career trajectory.

Hayden Young

26

Hayden Young

Age

24

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

3star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

2star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

CL

0.2

2star

started off very slowly in his career as well and injuries aside this year, he's a key impact player for that Freo midfield and stands out on a team that has Brayshaw and Serong pigging it up already. Plus he accumulates more than Hayden does.

My firm belief is that you cannot make a call on a draft pick till their 3rd season, atleast. So the idea of wanting something from him even this season is still off.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Bit late to the Travaglia Discussion Party, but my 2 cents are that he's gonna be a Hayden Young. Likened to him in the draft comparisons, as players who are all known for their work off half-back, but also have the attributes to move into the midfield either as part of a rotation. I can also see him following the same career trajectory.

Hayden Young started off very slowly in his career as well and injuries aside this year, he's a key impact player for that Freo midfield and stands out on a team that has Brayshaw and Serong pigging it up already. Plus he accumulates more than Hayden does.

My firm belief is that you cannot make a call on a draft pick till their 3rd season, atleast. So the idea of wanting something from him even this season is still off.

View attachment 2466051

Spot on Nikki

As I've mentioned a few times, Lenny's theory is that it takes 75 games to feel comfortable at the highest level & start to produce your best footy.

Young hit #75 half way through 2024.

Pretty much exactly when he really exploded as a bonafide gun AFL player.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Well I am left handed, but carry on being a smartarse.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Well I am left handed, but carry on being a smartarse.

Ha, ha. Me too!

 

[Remboy]

Spot on Nikki

As I've mentioned a few times, Lenny's theory is that it takes 75 games to feel comfortable at the highest level & start to produce your best footy.

Young hit #75 half way through 2024.

Pretty much exactly when he really exploded as a bonafide gun AFL player.

It took Petracca six seasons to become the player he became. Players need at least fifty games and sometimes more than that.

 

[Remboy]

It’s amusing when right handed people suddenly discover left handed people exist.

As a former right handed opening batsman I thought there should be a law against left handed opening bowlers.

 

[nikkig98]

As a former right handed opening batsman I thought there should be a law against left handed opening bowlers.

****ing nightmare to face over the wicket when you're as limited as i was. Angle over the wicket was always garbage to play them on the leg side and very rarely would you get the width to play them on the offside. Not to mention the inswingers

 

[Remboy]

****ing nightmare to face over the wicket when you're as limited as i was. Angle over the wicket was always garbage to play them on the leg side and very rarely would you get the width to play them on the offside. Not to mention the inswingers

The first ball was always a nightmare to face. No idea where it was going, would it move in or away, early or late. Just play forward and hope it didn't kick off short of a length lol.

 

[Falchoon]

It’s amusing when right handed people suddenly discover left handed people exist.

My boy's a lefty, it's a guaranteed 4 points in basketball the first 2 trips down the court.

More interesting in football are the left handers / right footers. Voss, Ricciuto and Harvey, Riewoldt too (probably why his ball drop was a bit shyte ) Hodge and Franklin were the opposite.

Our Robert Harvey made a career of going left to handball and bounce, & going right to kick, I still don't think the AFL world have worked it out.

 

[akaifu]

Bit late to the Travaglia Discussion Party, but my 2 cents are that he's gonna be a Hayden Young. Likened to him in the draft comparisons, as players who are all known for their work off half-back, but also have the attributes to move into the midfield either as part of a rotation. I can also see him following the same career trajectory.

Hayden Young started off very slowly in his career as well and injuries aside this year, he's a key impact player for that Freo midfield and stands out on a team that has Brayshaw and Serong pigging it up already. Plus he accumulates more than Hayden does.

My firm belief is that you cannot make a call on a draft pick till their 3rd season, atleast. So the idea of wanting something from him even this season is still off.

View attachment 2466051

The club has huuuge wraps on him for a reason

 

[Circus]

That was superb. Jackson Warne is an absolute gem of a bloke and Max revealed depth and strength of character that was previously not obvious to me. I predict a big future for both of them!!

 

[saintbill]

Max turns 27 this season. He should be in his prime. I'd say 15 games for 28 goals would be very disappointing.

18 games for 40 goals for be a pass for me. Not great, but okay. 50+ goals per season should be the minimum return that we're getting from him if the final 3-5 years of his career are considered successful.

King's best season was 2022, and he faded hard that year as well. I think 50 goals is super unlikely. He has been figured out a little bit I reckon.

The knock on him predraft was he had a limited tank and he never got on his bike. That remains a huge issue. When u watch him live it is frightening now easily he gets gassed. Throw in the fact he is physically weak, he just doesn't have an AFL ready body.

I am willing to accept he works hard, but perhaps he is just one of these guys that has a poor genetic profile.

Doesn't matter how talented u are, it is not easy to dominate when your opponent is both fitter and stronger every week.

I hope to be wrong, but I see a seriously limited player. He definitely improves us, but I would be shocked if he has a big year next year.

Outside of a 10 week patch in 22 he has had a pretty average career to date.

 

[g_TRAIN]

King's best season was 2022, and he faded hard that year as well. I think 50 goals is super unlikely. He has been figured out a little bit I reckon.

The knock on him predraft was he had a limited tank and he never got on his bike. That remains a huge issue. When u watch him live it is frightening now easily he gets gassed. Throw in the fact he is physically weak, he just doesn't have an AFL ready body.

I am willing to accept he works hard, but perhaps he is just one of these guys that has a poor genetic profile.

Doesn't matter how talented u are, it is not easy to dominate when your opponent is both fitter and stronger every week.

I hope to be wrong, but I see a seriously limited player. He definitely improves us, but I would be shocked if he has a big year next year.

Outside of a 10 week patch in 22 he has had a pretty average career to date.

While he may have some individual deficiencies, his genetic profile is identical to that of his twin.