ST KILDA is set to add Anthony Caminiti to its rookie list ahead of the pre-season supplemental selection period deadline, following a standout trial at Moorabbin on Friday.
The 19-year-old trained with the Saints for the first time on Monday, didn't attend the club's community camp in Wangaratta mid-week, before returning to RSEA Park on Friday, where he produced a dominant match simulation session.
AFL.com.au understands that Caminiti was offered a contract before he left the club on Friday, with the paperwork to be completed on Monday.
With St Kilda searching for key forward depth following long-term injuries to Max King, Jack Hayes and untried youngster Matt Allison this pre-season, the Saints invited the teenager to train with the club last week, after releasing former Bomber Josh Eyre.
Caminiti couldn't have done much more to impress new coach Ross Lyon and recently appointed list manager Stephen Silvagni in the Saints' most extensive match simulation (4 x 15-minute quarters) block of the summer to date, taking more than a handful of contested grabs and kicking a few goals from set shots in just his second session at the club.
While Caminiti will take time to build up his conditioning, the 196cm mobile tall forward has the raw tools – strong, overhead marking ability, leading patterns and goal sense – that could see him play senior football in 2023.
The Carey Grammar product represented Victoria at under-12 level but didn't put his name on the radar of AFL recruiters until he dominated a handful of APS games in 2021, earning a shot at the Northern Knights from there, where he kicked five goals on debut to earn a combine invite off the back of just three NAB League appearances.
A syndesmosis injury impacted Caminiti's 2022 campaign, restricting him to 11 NAB League appearances, but an impressive final against Gippsland Power was another reminder to recruiters of his talent, after attracting interest ahead of the Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
Caminiti had joined Carlton's VFL program during the pre-season where he featured in several sessions with the AFL squad. It is understood that the Heidelberg product held his own against Blues star Jacob Weitering earlier this year, before securing an invite from the Saints.
St Kilda signed former first-round pick Liam Stocker last month after he was delisted by Carlton following 28 games across four seasons at Princes Park. The Saints trialled Eyre across December and January before a hamstring injury ended his trial.
After experiencing success via the pre-season supplemental selection window last year – Hayes made his AFL debut in round one, weeks after being signed, and played five of the first six games before an ACL tear wiped out his season – could St Kilda enjoy more in 2023?
Players signed during the SSP (Dec 5 to Feb 15)
Conor McKenna - Brisbane
Oskar Baker - Western Bulldogs
Liam Shiels - North Melbourne
Jed Anderson - Gold Coast
Tyler Brown - Adelaide
Liam Stocker - St Kilda
Mark Keane - Adelaide
Darragh Joyce - Brisbane
Brodie McLaughlin - Gold Coast
Oscar Steene - Collingwood
Oleg Markov - Collingwood
Hudson O'Keeffe - Carlton
Anthony Caminiti - St Kilda
