Training Pre season training

[akaifu]

I’d be keen to hear supporters views on who you think are the best 5 mids for our side - not wingmen, inside mids:
I’ll start -

Steele
Macrae
Windhager
Clark
Phillipou

I think round 1 it'll be pretty similar to what it was late 2024

But by the end of the season, I hope to see:

Macrae
Steele
Phillipou
Garcia
Windhager

Perfect blend of size, speed, ball use, contest, spread, running ability, versatility

 

[Circus]

Some comments from me on training today:

• extremely light on with the 15 out.
• so saddening that Tauru is not out there to build some excitement.
• I wasn’t able to see TT closely, but I did see amazing movement (as someone else said he just glides, but in a very fn fast way)! In one drill his hands off the deck were excellent.
• Pou and Garcia exciting. Both were in everything. Tbf, with a whole group of senior guys out, then you’d expect them lead from the front. Pou will be elite and pace wise looks completely different than mid last year.
• Jones always very high intensity and his wheels always bring some excitement.
• Carroll still a very odd delisting to me. Great step and nice foot.
• Dow just doesn’t seem to train with that energy.
• I can’t think of a better kick for a couple of decades than Shoe. Any takers? It’s outrageous. I would usually be a little more on the side of caution given he clearly has some weaknesses. But get him in and use his strengths, just like Hawthorn did with DAmbrosio etc.
• Keeler dropped a number of sitters in a row (chest marks). And although he becomes the man with every other KPF out, he does look like he is more authoritative.
• As others have said, Higgins training hard. Looks slimmer from afar?
• Irish impressive with everything except whether his kicking will hold him back. Hard to improve that side of peoples games.
• As Mike said, McLennan an absolute smoky for R1. Hard to get past and reads it well.
• Dodson will be one big boy.
• Hammer must be getting close. Using that shoulder against the mattress with some force. It’s a shame that it holds him back from going full throttle in the gym as I think he needs more size.

Heard a whisper that Tauru doesn't have stress fractures in his back at all. Its just that he's growing so fast, expected to be another 6-7 cms, that they want to leave him alone until Feb next year when he's cracked the 200cm mark. Like I said, it was just a whisper.

 

[snails13]

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

Some of my Bendigo friends involved in footy telling me Tobie has speed and endurance to go with the skills.
.Let's hope so

 

[beside the seaside]

My feeling on the mids:

Steele
Macrae
Phillipou
Clark
Jones

I see Jones and Clark as early locks fitness pending as they were a huge part of our resurgence last year.

This time of year you just want to see players fit. Last year losing Clark, Sincs, Dow and Butler stuffed us early.

For the forwards, I think Butler is crucial. We need him fit and firing. The other player I'm looking at to really step up is Sharman. Went at 1.5 goals a game in the last 9 or so, if he can keep that form going or even improve then it will be massive for us.

Back line, we need an interceptor to step up. For me the huge loss with Battle is his interceptions. We need someone to step in and do something similar, consistently break up opposition attacks by marking the ball and setting up an attack. Doubtful a first year player can do it so looking at Arie, McLennan, Hastie as possibles or maybe Hammer if they go that way.

 

[busso_mick]

Heard a whisper that Tauru doesn't have stress fractures in his back at all. Its just that he's growing so fast, expected to be another 6-7 cms, that they want to leave him alone until Feb next year when he's cracked the 200cm mark. Like I said, it was just a whisper.

I'm suspicious Circus, sounds like a load of Taurus to me.

 

[Mr_R0b0t]

Seems like you're going early there. In 7 games with Sandy he didn't crack 20 disposals once and only kicked multiple goals twice. He's not even a gun at VFL level yet - haven't seen anything to suggest he's a high percentage chance of making it at AFL level

Come on now, it’s not that simple. Half way thru the season he’s switched clubs, came into a new footballing system and club culture which he has to integrate into, and then picked up an injury. He doesn’t need the weight of any initial expectation, let alone a negative one. Judge him now based on a full preseason developed to suit St Kilda’s game plan, not Box Hill FC

 

[Dr Spaceman]

 

[Loading]

Managed to make it down to training today. Will basically repeat the other posters, but some key points:

1. Tobes training with the mids in the main final drill when all players split into fwds, backs and mids. Found that interesting, and didn’t look out of place at all. Boxshall also with them, as well as Dodson with rucking duties. Tobie also donning #5…

2. Schoenmaker seems to be a key guy in the drills, lot of kicks moving through him

3. Mattaes won’t shut up - great to see. Neither does Hill, but that comes as no surprise.

4. Webster looked sharp today, laying down the gauntlet for players wanting to take his spot - won’t make it easy

5. Macrae makes things look easy, will be a great mentor for the young mids coming through. Seems to be enjoying himself too.

6. Very impressed overall with Dodson, think he will play sooner than people expect. Not too skinny, and moves smoothly

7. Echoing the Garcia sentiments of late. Very hungry. Still needs to tidy up his disposal a bit and become a bit smoother before we get too carried away, but very promising signs. Was kicking a bunch of goals from stoppages in drills, if he can add that into his game long term then look out.

About all I can specifically remember on key points

 

[tomjoad]

The Gringo don't follow rules, The Gringo makes new rules that only apply to himself and then goes back to find stiffs that ridicule these new rules and wipes his arse on their napkins. Especially upstart Western Australian ones.

Nobody F*cks with the Gringo.

 

[BrutThough]

Means he never got a mention or included as a mid option..
Confident he’ll debut in ‘25, as will most draftees plus Keeler!

Frankly, it will be a bad season for the club if all them debut.

 

[Yawkey way]

That's probably a bit of a stretch. There are some gun mids in the VFL. I think he was probably a decent target because he seems to have a rounded game and can play high HF as well. Dom Brew is probably the best mid in the VFL or maybe Dawson.

I don’t get the hall love he was very ordinary at sandy, I know he had injury issues but can we see him play a decent game before we get the wagon train happening.

I was looking at the pictures thinking who is that guy, very unfortunate head, lucky he can play football but he’s ruining our look.

Not Tauru or Travagalia material, he’s going to need to be very good to compensate for that, stupid shaved haircut doesn’t help, trade to WB.

 

[austinnn]

What I really want to see from King is some desperation to do the one percenters and be the leader of the forward line.

This includes but is not limited to:

• Bringing the ball down to ground in the contest more regularly
• Applying pressure, making run down tackles, being physical
• More intensity on the lead
• Getting up the ground and then wheeling back inside 50 to the space to be a target

My theory on why the forward line has functioned better without King in the past two seasons is intrinsically linked to the above attributes. Yes, the delivery can be better inside 50. But there is no doubt we give up way too many intercept marks when the ball is in King's vicinity. I also believe the forward line has functioned way better as a defensive pressure unit without him. The defensive side of his game could use a hell of a lot of improvement. I saw defenders regularly taking him on with a baulk, as they knew they would face one half-hearted effort and then be free. King showing more conviction and being more demanding on the lead will help also. For me, there is a whole lot of moving slowly and finger pointing where he wants to football, instead of attacking the space and forcing the kicker to hit him. I also believe he has played some of his best football getting up the ground. It throws out opposition defences, creates space for other forwards and also allows him to get separation from defenders zoning off as he charges back into the 50.

All these parts of his game will bring confidence that will further aid what we want - more goals from him and the team.

A caveat to all of the above is hopefully these things weren't occurring because he was injured the last two seasons. If it's not injury causing it, then it's a real concern because it's effort-based. If that's the case, he needs to turn it around.

In the far reaches of my memory, there is a moment in the late 90's or early 2000s where Barry Hall changed his game and went from handy second tall forward to legitimate full forward target and gun.

In my memory, Dermott Brereton or a similarly ranked pundit of the era had been in the media saying that BigBadBarry was a really good forward witb a great mark and accurate kick, hut he had no second efforts, if he was spoiled or bested in a marking contest, he'd just stop.

I don't know whether he read or heard it, but he must have because it seemed like directly after that, his second efforts improved out of sight and he became so valuable to the team and arguably one of the top key forwards of the comp - Sydney certainly thought so!

If that same light could be switched on in the head of Max King, I think he will finally rip the game apart as much as everyone assumed he would when he got drafted.

 

[CursingFijian]

Is that our train on ruck? Looks very handy.

 

[austinnn]

One of my son's footy coaches helped out with Bevo and reckons he's all about in close skills and empowerment. He believes that full time footballers should be fit as a baseline but touch and initiative can be trained in the small time they have together.

There is sense in his ideas. I like the way the Dogs play as a brand and it looks like his system works even if it looks like his message is a getting a bit tired now.

I have to say, based on recent seasons I would like our coaches to work on skills more. It's great being good at running, but if we kick ourselves out of games, what's the point?

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Some of my Bendigo friends involved in footy telling me Tobie has speed and endurance to go with the skills.
.Let's hope so

Makes Wilson look like Mark McGough

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Is that our train on ruck? Looks very handy.

Those ruck contests were set plays, ie his turn to get the knock to that side.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

I don’t get the hall love he was very ordinary at sandy, I know he had injury issues but can we see him play a decent game before we get the wagon train happening.

I was looking at the pictures thinking who is that guy, very unfortunate head, lucky he can play football but he’s ruining our look.

Not Tauru or Travagalia material, he’s going to need to be very good to compensate for that, stupid shaved haircut doesn’t help, trade to WB.

Finally, someone said it. Like a carton of smashed eggs.

 

[King_Steele]

Makes Wilson look like Mark McGough

Couldn’t he cover the ground. Not!

 

[saintmike65]

I'm suspicious Circus, sounds like a load of Taurus to me.

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

 

[saintmike65]

Frankly, it will be a bad season for the club if all them debut.

Not at all, injuries and drop in form offer opportunities…usually around 35 players get a chance!

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Come on now, it’s not that simple. Half way thru the season he’s switched clubs, came into a new footballing system and club culture which he has to integrate into, and then picked up an injury. He doesn’t need the weight of any initial expectation, let alone a negative one. Judge him now based on a full preseason developed to suit St Kilda’s game plan, not Box Hill FC

Agree that he doesn't need the weight of expectation from people saying he's going to be a gun and we should all get excited about him. Realistically he's competing for a mid rotation spot with Garcia, Dow, Carroll and Jones. Hall is probably at the back of that pack right now.

Someone to be excited about averaged about 43 disposals in his few VFL games this year.

 

[BrutThough]

Not at all, injuries and drop in form offer opportunities…usually around 35 players get a chance!

Sure, say 35 typically get a chance. We have 32 on the list who have already played an AFL game so thats either a lot of players injured or a lot of players going backwards if another 6-8 players are debuting.

Either way, not good for a club who wants to be winning games.

 

[_Maximus_12]

Sure, say 35 typically get a chance. We have 32 on the list who have already played an AFL game so thats either a lot of players injured or a lot of players going backwards if another 6-8 players are debuting.

Either way, not good for a club who wants to be winning games.

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

 

[CaptainRisky]

Hall will be a gun. He has so much natural talent and class - we saw it on show in the latter part of the VFL season, is a lot of what we thought Hotton would be. Just hasn't been able to put it together with such limited continuity and has been extremely unlucky

If he goes injury-free this year, could easily play 10+ games as cover for the half forward/mid role behind Henry, Wilson, Hill, Byrnes etc.

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

 

[ScrappyDo]

Hope you’re right, Carroll stepping up would be a bonus…don’t be surprised if Hugo takes a big leap!

I expect Hugo to be a regular this year. Him and MacKreigh being new additions to our midfield along with Steele, Pou V2, Darcy and a fit Windy. The rest will need to fight for spots but reckon RTB wants his elite running group on the field.