Training Friday January 14th

[Saintmike65]

Training was held at an oval in Turner St. Highett.
There were about 26-30 players training, with below players impressive...starting with the new players:

Windhager - has the build of a 25 year old, AFL ready, such a good mover, balanced and confident...will be a powerful player for many years!
Hayes - Good size, likely a Jason Blake mark 2, smart and dependable...great hands and accurate kick for goal & in general play...looks assured and not at all out of his depth, at 24 a ready made.
Peris - Very quick and agile as you'd expect but also a brilliant tackler, despite his diminutive size...uses the ball well and looks a likely type down the track.
Kyle - Very light frame but a nice mover in traffic, skilled & seems a confident young man, not daunted at all!
Owens - Nothing flashy about him but covers the ground well, and was able to keep pace with the best runners in the pack when running laps...neat skills and naturally competitive nature by the look of him...Like Windhager, a mature frame is ready to go!
Wanganeen- Milera didn't train.

Of the players that missed a fair chunk of footy last year, Marshall and Battle look in great shape and were super impressive on the track, with Battle covering the ground the best I've seen him, foot skills also noticeable either foot.
Gresham also looked very good, with his ball use by foot better than I remember...no up and unders!
Jones looked very sharp & no clangers by foot!!
Paton looked good, with his dual sided foot skills on show at various times. Ryder also looks fit but on the downside, Hannebery ran laps with Dean Kent, an all too familiar sight.

In one of the half ground drills, interesting matchups with Paton on Sharman, Battle on Membury Wilkie on King, and Webster on Butler...later on, Hayes was up against Paton.
When the rain came, I was impressed with Hayes and Sharman's clean overhead marking with the greasy ball.

[Impatient Sainter]

Brilliant write up, thanks heaps saintmike65!

Its so positive to know the club has finally got a group of quality kids coming through to put pressure on the senior players, who then have to raise their own standards.

Looking forward to the 2022 season!

Q. Do you think Hayes is worthy of a spot on the list ?

[Ghost Like]

Thanks saintmike65.

If anything it's encouraging Hannebery was running laps.

From that summation and the fact he's the only one invited to train, I hope Hayes gets a spot. The quintessential utility by all reports plus a hunger after having to wait and do the hard yards. (I imagine)

[Mr Magic]

Thanks for the report saintmike65
Were Bytel, Byrnes and Connolly training?

[Saintmike65]

Thanks for the report saintmike65
Were Bytel, Byrnes and Connolly training?

Byrnes and Bytel both trained well and were right up with the gun runners during running session.

[skeptic]

Brilliant write up Saintmike

You should be a reporter as you put a bit of depth and analysis into your write ups

Super excited about Windhager… his highlights pre draft were exciting and it’s great that he’s just slotted in

Love that Paton, Gresh, Marshall and Ryder look fully fit and it’s very exciting that Sharman still appears to be bringing it even if it is just the preseason

[SaintJohno]

Getting excited again. Let's hope there's some selection integrity this year to make them earn their spots. Thanks Saintmike for the info.

[Saints58]

Thanks saintmike fantastic write up.
Did you see Oscar Adams, and Heath train I know Adams had his arm in sling before Christmas.
Windhager reminds me of Banger just by what I have seen in highlights if he is half as good we have a winner there.

[Saintmike65]

Thanks saintmike fantastic write up.
Did you see Oscar Adams, and Heath train I know Adams had his arm in sling before Christmas.
Windhager reminds me of Banger just by what I have seen in highlights if he is half as good we have a winner there.

Oscar Adams has a wrist injury and will have another couple of weeks in a sling.
Heath didn’t train today but would no doubt be managed.

[Saintmike65]

Brilliant write up Saintmike

You should be a reporter as you put a bit of depth and analysis into your write ups

Super excited about Windhager… his highlights pre draft were exciting and it’s great that he’s just slotted in

Love that Paton, Gresh, Marshall and Ryder look fully fit and it’s very exciting that Sharman still appears to be bringing it even if it is just the preseason

yes, I'm also bullish about Windhager...I'm very confident he, Owens, and Wanganeen- Milera will debut this year, likely won't have too long a wait!

[SaintJohno]

Brilliant write up Saintmike

You should be a reporter as you put a bit of depth and analysis into your write ups

Super excited about Windhager… his highlights pre draft were exciting and it’s great that he’s just slotted in

Love that Paton, Gresh, Marshall and Ryder look fully fit and it’s very exciting that Sharman still appears to be bringing it even if it is just the preseason

yes, I'm also bullish about Windhager...I'm very confident he, Owens, and Wanganeen- Milera will debut this year, likely won't have too long a wait!

Didn't Windhager have a back issue or something? Is that not worrying him anymore do you think?

[Saintmike65]

Brilliant write up Saintmike

You should be a reporter as you put a bit of depth and analysis into your write ups

Super excited about Windhager… his highlights pre draft were exciting and it’s great that he’s just slotted in

Love that Paton, Gresh, Marshall and Ryder look fully fit and it’s very exciting that Sharman still appears to be bringing it even if it is just the preseason

yes, I'm also bullish about Windhager...I'm very confident he, Owens, and Wanganeen- Milera will debut this year, likely won't have too long a wait!

Didn't Windhager have a back issue or something? Is that not worrying him anymore do you think?

Yes he did have a back issue, similar to the Bytel injury (bulging disc) but Windhager's not as bad and has responded well to treatment.
He is now in full training, moving really well.

[Saintmike65]

Brilliant write up, thanks heaps saintmike65!

Its so positive to know the club has finally got a group of quality kids coming through to put pressure on the senior players, who then have to raise their own standards.

Looking forward to the 2022 season!

Q. Do you think Hayes is worthy of a spot on the list ?

From what I've seen both at training and watching most of the SA grand final, Jack Hayes is too good a player not to be on an AFL list.

[periosaint]

I have absolutely zero inside information, but from the outside looking in and based on what has happened numerous times prior to NFL drafts, I think it is possible that Windhager's back injury was fully or partially a fabrication, a story propagated by the saints or their proxies leading up to the draft.
Just enough of a story to have him fall outside the top 30, for our benefit.

[cwrcyn]

If the Adams injury is a scaphoid bone injury, he could be out for a while yet. I've had one and it's a bugger of a thing to overcome. It will take at least 8 weeks to heal and he won't have strength in that wrist for a long time. On Windhager, his highlights looked very impressive. If the club stooged heir competition, the well played, I say

[saynta]

If the Adams injury is a scaphoid bone injury, he could be out for a while yet. I've had one and it's a bugger of a thing to overcome. It will take at least 8 weeks to heal and he won't have strength in that wrist for a long time. On Windhager, his highlights looked very impressive. If the club stooged heir competition, the well played, I say

Maybe, but he did injure a disc.

[skeptic]

I have absolutely zero inside information, but from the outside looking in and based on what has happened numerous times prior to NFL drafts, I think it is possible that Windhager's back injury was fully or partially a fabrication, a story propagated by the saints or their proxies leading up to the draft.
Just enough of a story to have him fall outside the top 30, for our benefit.

What’s in it for him though? Is he a lifelong Saints fan?

[Saintmike65]

If the Adams injury is a scaphoid bone injury, he could be out for a while yet. I've had one and it's a bugger of a thing to overcome. It will take at least 8 weeks to heal and he won't have strength in that wrist for a long time. On Windhager, his highlights looked very impressive. If the club stooged heir competition, the well played, I say

I asked James Gallagher about Adams on December 16 what the issue is with him, reply was he has a wrist injury and will be in a sling for 6 weeks.

[Saintmike65]

I have absolutely zero inside information, but from the outside looking in and based on what has happened numerous times prior to NFL drafts, I think it is possible that Windhager's back injury was fully or partially a fabrication, a story propagated by the saints or their proxies leading up to the draft.
Just enough of a story to have him fall outside the top 30, for our benefit.

Understand the scepticism but the injury to Windhager was very real.
He was doing very little training before Christmas…mainly walking laps building up to light jogging.
He played with this issue in his few games available to the Vic kids.
It wasn’t as bad as Bytel’s, therefor was able to be managed without surgery.

[saynta]

I have absolutely zero inside information, but from the outside looking in and based on what has happened numerous times prior to NFL drafts, I think it is possible that Windhager's back injury was fully or partially a fabrication, a story propagated by the saints or their proxies leading up to the draft.
Just enough of a story to have him fall outside the top 30, for our benefit.

Understand the scepticism but the injury to Windhager was very real.
He was doing very little training before Christmas…mainly walking laps building up to light jogging.
He played with this issue in his few games available to the Vic kids.
It wasn’t as bad as Bytel’s, therefor was able to be managed without surgery.

I guessed you knew what you were talking about. Thanks mate.