AAMI Practice Match Review: St Kilda vs Essendon — SuperCoach 2026 Takeaways

Sometimes a practice match hands you something you weren't expecting. This one handed us Lachie Blakiston.

St Kilda thumped Essendon 17.13 (115) to 10.12 (72) in Ballarat, and yes, NWM's four goals from midfield will dominate the headlines — deservedly so. But the quiet revolution happened on the other side. Blakiston, a DEF-priced ruckman scoring 86 Fantasy points? At $399k? That's the kind of positional loophole that wins you leagues.

This game was absolutely loaded with SuperCoach signals. Let's unpack them.

The Match in 60 Seconds

An even first quarter gave way to Saints dominance after the main break. St Kilda's midfield — built around Wanganeen-Milera, Sam Flanders, and Mattaes Phillipou — generated relentless forward entries, while Jack Sinclair and Marcus Windhager feasted behind the ball.

Essendon's best moments came through Nate Caddy's crumbing and Kyle Langford/Peter Wright's aerial work, but they couldn't sustain pressure against the Saints' midfield rotation.

Callum Wilkie's first-quarter calf cork is the only Saints concern — he's in danger of missing Round 1. Ryan Byrnes (ankle) also departed in the third quarter looking distressed.

Three Players to Watch for Round 1

1. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (DEF, $1,163,000) — St Kilda

The numbers: 28 disposals, 4 goals, 805m gained, 120 Fantasy points.

Forget everything you thought about NWM as a half-back. St Kilda deployed him as a genuine midfielder with forward rotations, and the result was four goals and elite metres gained. At $1,163,000 he's premium-priced, but the role change could push him from a 95-average defender into 110+ territory. If he's getting midfield time consistently, he's a top-6 DEF lock.

Verdict: Role upgrade confirmed. Price is high but the ceiling just went through the roof.

2. Lachie Blakiston (DEF, $399,000) — Essendon

The numbers: 86 Fantasy points as the primary ruck, strong contested work.

Blakiston went toe-to-toe with Tom De Koning in the ruck and more than held his own. At $399,000 as a DEF-eligible ruckman, he's a cheat code if he holds this role. Scored 41 points at quarter-time alone. The dual-position eligibility means you're getting ruck scoring at a defender's price — that's gold.

Verdict: Must-start. If he's the R1 ruck (and this game says he is), there's no excuse not to have him.

3. Liam Ryan (FWD) — St Kilda

Ryan brought relentless pressure at both ends, including a goal-saving tackle in the second quarter, and showed immediate chemistry with NWM when the latter pushed forward. He's a lock for Round 1 selection and adds a dimension St Kilda lacked last year — genuine small forward pressure and link-up play.

For SuperCoach purposes, Ryan's scoring ceiling is capped by his role, but his job security is rock-solid. More relevant as a Fantasy Classic option than a keeper league stash.

Verdict: Round 1 lock. Pressure machine who'll keep his spot all year.

Other SuperCoach Notes

• Jack Sinclair (DEF, $1,057,000): 39 disposals, 10 marks, 149 Fantasy points. Business as usual. Set and forget.
• Marcus Windhager (MID, $860,000): 41 disposals, 9 marks, 136 points. If he can get the ball like this in the regular season, he's underpriced.
• Dyson Sharp (MID, $302,000): 14 touches and 48 Fantasy points for Essendon. Pressed his case for a Round 1 debut — worth monitoring as a cash cow. This adds a degree of competition risk for other Essendon midfielders like Zak Johnson, who we profile in our Second-Year Leap article.
• Archie Roberts (DEF, $901,000): The only Bomber to crack triple figures. Extra midfield time boosted his output.
• Tom De Koning: Copped an elbow, left bleeding, came back. Tough day against Blakiston but showed he'll be fine.

Injury Watch

| Player | Club | Issue | R1 Impact | |--------|------|-------|-----------| | Callum Wilkie | St Kilda | Calf cork | Danger — in doubt | | Ryan Byrnes | St Kilda | Ankle | TBC — looked distressed | | Brad Hill | St Kilda | Illness | Should be fine | | Tom De Koning | St Kilda | Cut cheekbone | Returned — no concern |

The Bottom Line

NWM through the middle changes St Kilda's ceiling. But Blakiston changes your ceiling. A DEF-priced ruck who scored 41 points at quarter time and went toe-to-toe with De Koning — that's not a punt, that's a structural advantage. If he's named Round 1, he's in your team. No debate.

Dyson Sharp on the Essendon side is worth a spot on your watchlist too. Fourteen touches and 48 points from a kid pushing for debut? That's the sort of emerging talent that pays off by Round 6.

-AG

The AAMI Community Series wraps up the 2026 pre-season. Round 1 kicks off Thursday, March 5. For the full pre-season landscape, check our complete AAMI Series wrap and the Rookie Power Rankings Traffic Light Guide.