ST KILDA train-on Anthony Caminiti has made an immediate impact in his audition at Moorabbin ahead of the pre-season supplemental selection deadline next Wednesday.
The 19-year-old was invited for a trial late last week after former Bomber Josh Eyre was released by the club, training for the first time on Monday before producing a dominant performance in match simulation on Friday.
Caminiti didn't go on St Kilda's community camp in Wangaratta earlier this week, but couldn't have done much more to present his case to coach Ross Lyon and new list manager Stephen Silvagni, who was watching on from the balcony at RSEA Park.
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The Northern Knights product hauled in more than a handful of contested marks, converted a few set shots and was quickly moved from a team comprising second-choice players – plus Sandringham Zebras top-up players – to the stronger side in the 4 x 15-minute match simulation session.
With star spearhead Max King, mature-age sensation Jack Hayes and untried youngster Matt Allison all sidelined for the next few months, St Kilda is searching for key targets inside 50 early in the season.
The Saints signed Liam Stocker via the pre-season supplemental selection period rules last month – after he was delisted by Carlton following 28 appearances across four seasons at Princes Park – and still have one spot up for grabs ahead of the February 15 deadline.
Unlike in previous years, clubs don't have the luxury of trialling players in more extensive match simulation or even practice matches – St Kilda did that last year with Jarrod Lienert and Hayes – before making a decision, with the AFL moving the deadline forward by three weeks.
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Caminiti was invited to the 2021 AFL Combine off the back of just three NAB League performances and strong form at Carey Grammar in the APS competition that year, before returning to play for the Northern Knights in 2022, where he kicked 16 goals from 11 games.
The 196cm mobile forward was overlooked in last year's NAB AFL and Rookie drafts and had committed to playing with Carlton's VFL program under Luke Power before Silvagni picked up the phone last week.
King trained indoors on Friday and isn't expected to return until Gather Round at the earliest, after the 22-year-old underwent a shoulder reconstruction.
St Kilda is continuing to tinker with its forward set-up ahead of round one, with the picture to become clearer when it hosts Melbourne and Essendon in practice matches at RSEA Park in the coming weeks.
Tim Membrey will be the focal point in the absence of King – he landed awkwardly at training but shook off the issue and ran laps to finish the session – with Mitch Owens set to spend more time forward in 2023, while Mason Wood and Jade Gresham also looked damaging forward of centre on Friday.
Gresham (PCL reconstruction) and Jack Billings (back surgery) continue to build up towards a return in round one after frustrating 2022 campaigns. Both have been back in full training since the start of the year and are quickly catching up with the main group after delayed starts to pre-season.
Nick Coffield is also back in full training after recovering from a knee reconstruction and hamstring surgery before Christmas. The former top-10 pick got better the longer match simulation went on and is building towards a return after missing all of 2022.
Saints assistants Corey Enright, Lenny Hayes and Robert Harvey drove much of the program across December and January, but Lyon was clearly in control at RSEA Park, pausing drills and match sim, providing individual feedback and demanding more at times. There was one voice heard above all on Friday, and it was the coach who is back on Linton Street for a second stint.
Time will tell if Caminiti lands a gig at the Saints, but the teenager in the No.47 – the same number Hayes wore last year – couldn't have been more impressive on Friday.
