Training Pre season training

[Saintos The ITK]

Jones when fit and healthy is definitely in top five.

 

[BrutThough]

The two don’t have to mutually exclusive though. You can win, and you can play some youth.
We have the majority of our list under 24, fast tracking them is critical to winning a flag

Youth should get games when they earn in through performance. I just dont believe for one second that 6-8 untried players/draftees will 'earn' debuts on merit next year.

As much as we all like the players we've drafted, I just think there might be a little bit too excitement about a couple of December drills.

 

[akaifu]

So Hall will be a gun yet he is behind Byrnes, well that gives me a lot to look forward too and if you and others thought Hotton was going to be any good, I better not say anymore or I may cop a ban

Live up to your name for once and say more

 

[aidansbonor]

Mentioned the other day, hard to gauge how good and how vanilla a lot of our players look this year.
Hall, Carroll, Dow, Hastie, Irish, McLennon, Garcia, Boxshall, Said all seem to be the same type of player, quick, neat, good disposal, good tank runs all day, has football iq and just look like AFL footballers.
I might pop over to a Bulldogs training session soon to try and get a handle on intensity and running etc compared to the Saints.
Many are talking up Hall, but honestly to my mug punter untrained eye he is as good as half a dozen others.
One thing is for sure, there are no 'project' players in the recently recruited or drafted. All have skills and all can run.

Jake from SaintsTV came up with some astonishing numbers for our distance covered and sprints for 2024, the last 8 games we covered more distance and outsprinted every team we played.
The absolutely astonishing stat was Darcy Wilson having 9 of the top 25 distance covered in AFL history in his firsts season.
Saints had 5 of the 25 most distance covered in AFL history in 2024.
This is why I can't get a handle, the lot of them all run and train very similarly.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

I went to a dogs training earlier this year and the main difference to me was that their kicking as a team looked elite compared to ours.

Be interesting to hear if anyone else has been to other clubs trainings and anything's stood out.

 

[Banger9798]

Max has become a man .... he now looks like one .... not some skinny teens/early 20s young adult

It's time

He will have great year, and launch himself into the top 5 KPFs in the league.
Big blokes take time...and he is very big.

 

[Banger9798]

Jones when fit and healthy is definitely in top five.

He is, and a McRae, Steele ,Jones CB trio will win alot of clearances

I'd see Pou, Clark and Windy as the next 3

I'm going early on Boxshall, and reckon the kid will be a star, as will Garcia.

How will we squeeze LDU into the rotations???

 

[jwint43]

Wouldn’t have thought that Mason regressed. In fact watching him take all those strong marks at the highest point and do beautiful left foot passes was one of the very few things that I looked forward to, when going to watch us play during that really bleak period in the early/mid part of the year.

Took 8 or more marks in 11 of his 18 games and was top 10 in the comp for marks per game.

His abilty to take those high marks in any part of the ground is incredibly important and so is his running power and versatility. Not to mention his beautiful and long kicking.

He is IMO a hell of an asset to our team and club and that’s why he got a 3 year contract extension, despite being about to turn 31yo.

Most guys his age and profile get just a 1 year deal, so the fact he got 3 suggests that at least 1 other club was offering him 3. Same with Hill.

I would have absolutely hated to have lost him. Blokes with his attributes and skill set don’t grow on trees.

It's still crazy to me how I remember seeing him have a few good games very early on for North and thinking he was the next big thing, and then watching his career go nowhere only to suddenly have a breakout year at age 28. I would have never seen it coming even though he had the talent, it's one of the great surprises and bargian pick ups that worked out for us.

 

[jwint43]

Jones when fit and healthy is definitely in top five.

He really impressed me in the back half of last year, him and Clark being fit made our midfield so much better. Seemed like he finally stopped trying to do too much and take too many people on and played within himself. He and Clark both have the ability to draw players towards them in a unique way. Having both fit and confident will be immense from round 1.

 

[Ads734]

It's still crazy to me how I remember seeing him have a few good games very early on for North and thinking he was the next big thing, and then watching his career go nowhere only to suddenly have a breakout year at age 28. I would have never seen it coming even though he had the talent, it's one of the great surprises and bargian pick ups that worked out for us.

Some real Dempster about that Career arch.

I think ultimately it shows how important being injury free is

Cough Max , Clark etc etc cough

 

[dudeintheswamp]

When do the senior crew get back from NZ?

 

[saintmike65]

He really impressed me in the back half of last year, him and Clark being fit made our midfield so much better. Seemed like he finally stopped trying to do too much and take too many people on and played within himself. He and Clark both have the ability to draw players towards them in a unique way. Having both fit and confident will be immense from round 1.

I’d say Zac’s been in the gym…noticeably bigger in his arms & legs!

 

[saintmike65]

When do the senior crew get back from NZ?

All back for training tomorrow

 

[saintmike65]

He is, and a McRae, Steele ,Jones CB trio will win alot of clearances

I'd see Pou, Clark and Windy as the next 3

I'm going early on Boxshall, and reckon the kid will be a star, as will Garcia.

How will we squeeze LDU into the rotations???

All indications are LDU will stay at North..

 

[Veer Right]

When does the saints website update the playing list?

 

[akaifu]

When does the saints website update the playing list?

Should be when jumper numbers are confirmed and after Harry Boyd/SSP is signed

 

[akaifu]

He is, and a McRae, Steele ,Jones CB trio will win alot of clearances

I'd see Pou, Clark and Windy as the next 3

I'm going early on Boxshall, and reckon the kid will be a star, as will Garcia.

How will we squeeze LDU into the rotations???

More like how will we squeeze Callaghan into rotations (by replacing Wood)

 

[SteeleSaints]

Jones when fit and healthy is definitely in top five.

I also like Jones in the side when he is up and about, he gives us that little attitude edge and gets into the opposition. It is something we need when we have leaders like Steele, who is courageous but you never see that 'f*ck you' attitude we are going to win this. You see it more in our kids like Phillipou and Garcia.

People used to get into Cotchin about some of his antics, but I loved that he had that bit of mongrel and preparedness to do anything to get on top of his opponent/s.

 

[The Cobra]

He really impressed me in the back half of last year, him and Clark being fit made our midfield so much better. Seemed like he finally stopped trying to do too much and take too many people on and played within himself. He and Clark both have the ability to draw players towards them in a unique way. Having both fit and confident will be immense from round 1.

Jones changed his game in the back half - handballed rather than kicked at every opportunity (presumably a coaching instruction as he is not a great kick) - made a big difference

 

[Remboy]

He is, and a McRae, Steele ,Jones CB trio will win alot of clearances

I'd see Pou, Clark and Windy as the next 3

I'm going early on Boxshall, and reckon the kid will be a star, as will Garcia.

How will we squeeze LDU into the rotations???

He'll be keeping Brayshaw and SDK company in the VFL.

 

[Circus]

Your whisper about Tauru is incorrect…I heard him interviewed pre draft & he said he had a back stress fracture & told to rest

Yea that's correct - its due to his rapid growth. His back is stressed by expanding so quickly!

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Do the players go on their break after tomorrow or one more week?

 

[Nutsngum]

Jones changed his game in the back half - handballed rather than kicked at every opportunity (presumably a coaching instruction as he is not a great kick) - made a big difference

Well, he actually started kicking more then handballing really

Zak Jones of the St Kilda Saints AFL Games Played Stats

Zak Jones of the St Kilda Saints AFL games played and stats.

www.footywire.com

But youre right in that he was evidently following coaching instructions to find an easier target who is "shoulders forward" rather then blaze away without looking or taking a riskier shot.

He has always been good at winning the contested ball but really fell away in disposing it after. Hitting up the easy shot is so much better for team play.

 

[saintmike65]

Jones changed his game in the back half - handballed rather than kicked at every opportunity (presumably a coaching instruction as he is not a great kick) - made a big difference

He also started taking the first option instead of trying to do too much

 

[stfan]

Well, he actually started kicking more then handballing really

Zak Jones of the St Kilda Saints AFL Games Played Stats

Zak Jones of the St Kilda Saints AFL games played and stats.

www.footywire.com

But youre right in that he was evidently following coaching instructions to find an easier target who is "shoulders forward" rather then blaze away without looking or taking a riskier shot.

He has always been good at winning the contested ball but really fell away in disposing it after. Hitting up the easy shot is so much better for team play.

Yes I think he was told to focus on his short game. They simplified his role which became to get it out to a better ball user as opposed to a team mate in a damaging position, preferably in space, even if that was backwards.

Sy starter, not play creator.

I remember in past seasons he might win the clearance in the middle, but would just handball it to an opponent or into space.

So this season when he came back he had a much more effective short game.

His role was very much to win the ball and start the play, and not to try and create any damaging play, that was more role of his team mates that his role was to feed.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

He also started taking the first option instead of trying to do too much

He is also injury free .... that's the main thing

Zones had plenty of great games before the injury gods kept striking him down

It's all about continuity and fitness

Great footballer when fit & firing