St Kilda track watch: Draftee Arie Schoenmaker training with the VFL side, Paddy Dow sidelined with injury

St Kilda says there was no off-field incident which led to Tasmanian draftee Arie Schoenmaker being sent to train with Sandringham one night a week. So, what’s behind the move?

St Kilda forward Jack Higgins. Picture: St Kilda FC

St Kilda says no off-field incident has led to draftee Arie Schoenmaker being sent to train with VFL side Sandringham, as the club aims to use the extra session a week to help the teen adjust to life as a professional footballer.

Starting this week, Schoenmaker will spend one night a week training with Sandringham to keep developing his ball skills while doing a heavy conditioning block with the AFL side during day training.

Arie Schoenmaker will spend some time at VFL training. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The youngster was suspended for 10 weeks by Coates League side Tasmania Devils last year after an incident in which the then 18-year-old bought his teammates alcohol after a match.

Rated by some as a top-30 talent, he slipped to No.62 at November’s draft, where the Saints pounced on the prodigious kick.

Schoenmaker’s VFL sessions are designed to help him understand professional standards but are not the result of any particular incident, according to the club.

Instead, Schoenmaker has been attending the extra sessions to help him maintain touch and settle in to living in a new city while being a full-time athlete.

The conditioning block was aimed to help him rapidly increase fitness midway through the 194cm defender’s first AFL pre-season.

Saints list boss Stephen Silvagni said the club was happy to give Schoenmaker a chance at the top level despite last year’s off-field slip up.

“He’s had some adversity in terms of early on in (2023). He had to go back and find some form and prove himself again,” Silvagni said in November.

“That’s a good sign … we’re giving him a chance and hopefully he takes that chance because he’s got some talent.”

The Saints have been impressed with uber-professional draftee Darcy Wilson, with the running machine in the mix for a round 1 debut after a superb summer.

Track watch: Injury blow for Saints recruit

– Chris Cavanagh

St Kilda recruit Paddy Dow will be sidelined for up to a month with a knee injury in a blow to his pre-season preparations.

The former Carlton midfielder had been enjoying a strong first summer at Moorabbin, but was absent from training on Wednesday and is expected to miss between two and four weeks.

The injury comes just over three weeks out from St Kilda’s first scratch match against Essendon, with clubs beginning to ramp up training.

The Saints secured Dow, 24, during last year’s trade period as they looked to bolster their running power, with the former No.3 draft pick having previously played 73 AFL games with the Blues.

Paddy Dow is set to miss a chunk of pre-season. Picture: St Kilda FC

St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall also missed training on Wednesday through illness, but is expected back at the club this week.

Small forward Dan Butler was limited to some light jogging and resistance training as he continues to track behind schedule in his recovery from ankle surgery and an Achilles issue.

The Saints hope Butler will return to main training in coming weeks, but he is likely to miss the start of the season.

Butler was the club’s second-highest goalkicker last year with 33 majors from 24 games.

Key forward Max King trained fully with the main group and was flying for marks during drills.

Max King is looking good for the Saints. Picture: St Kilda FC

The Saints have been thrilled with King’s recovery from surgery on his left shoulder and he has been clocking personal best times during recent running tests.

Midfielder Zac Jones continues to be carefully managed and again trained away from the main group on Wednesday, while draftee Arie Schoenmaker ran laps for most of the session as he completes an individual conditioning block.

However, key forward Anthony Caminiti is back in full training after overcoming a hamstring complaint, while Brad Crouch, Tim Membrey and Dougal Howard all completed the session after being on light duties for last week’s open training.

Crouch was still sporting heavy strapping on his left knee, but moved well in drills.

Liam Henry is fit and firing. Picture: Ian Currie

MARVEL AT HENRY

There is plenty of excitement around what recruit Liam Henry can bring to the Saints on a wing this year.

The former Fremantle young gun has trained strongly across pre-season and looks fit and ready to take Marvel Stadium by storm this season.

A former No.9 draft pick, Henry played 16 games for the Dockers last year, averaging 20.4 disposals and 4.9 marks.

Fellow running machine Darcy Wilson – the No.18 pick in last year’s draft – also continues to impress on the track as he pushes his case for an early-season AFL debut.

Mattaes Phillipou will be looking to find more of the ball in 2024. Picture: St Kilda FC

MORE FOOTY FOR PHILLIPOU?

After an impressive debut season last year, St Kilda forward Mattaes Phillipou appears ready to take his game to another level.

After being snapped up at pick 10 in the 2022 national draft, Phillipou featured in 24 senior matches last season, averaging 12.7 disposals.

But if pre-season training is anything to go by, the silky-skilled and agile player should find some more of the footy this season.

He was regularly used as teammates going forward during ball movement drills on Wednesday, proving a link between the midfield and forward line.

Could he become a star ‘money kick’ player of the competition?

PRE-SEASON SCREAMER

Rookie defender Angus McLennan might have wasted what could have been a Mark of the Year contender on a January training session.

McLennan launched himself over Caminiti on the wing during a drill, pulling down a sizeable speccy which excited teammates and onlookers.

Picked up as a Category B rookie in 2022, the 188cm McLennan is yet to make his AFL debut.

Originally published as St Kilda track watch: Draftee Arie Schoenmaker training with the VFL side, Paddy Dow sidelined with injury