St Kilda coach Scott Watters says Lenny Hayes is on track to play in the pre-season cup after recovering from a knee injury which restricted the ex-skipper to just two games last AFL season.
Onballer Hayes played the first three quarters of an intra-club trial game at St Kilda’s Seaford training base on Friday.
The 32-year-old ran laps of the oval during the last quarter with other key players including goalsneak Stephen Milne and captain Nick Riewoldt.
Watters says Hayes is having an excellent pre-season.
“He’s very keen to play. We’ve just got to hold him back a little bit at the moment,” Watters said.
“He’s going well. It has been a really solid preparation for him and he has got a lot of confidence out of it.
“He’ll play some of it (pre-season cup). He won’t play all of it.
“We’ve got to prepare him for round one and hopefully to play early in the season so it will be the right preparation to get him ready for round one.”
Horsham Demons teenager Seb Ross was handed the big task of tagging dual All-Australian Brendon Goddard in midfield.
“He kicked a good goal at the end, Seb. I thought Seb was really solid,” Watters said.
“He’s a really mature young kid. He has already probably got a body that can handle AFL football.
“He’s really composed in a contest. He did his selection chances no harm at all today.”
Watters said he was impressed with mature-aged recruits Ahmed Saad, 22, and Terry Milera, 24.
“Both of them were good. Beau Wilkes (a 25-year-old who has played 23 games with West Coast) was really solid down back,” Watters said.
The 194cm Wilkes can play at either end but, at this stage, he’s being aimed for the backline, Watters says.
While the first-year coach said he was happy his squad avoided any major injuries on Friday, one concern was utility Nicholas Winmar who left the field with suspected mild concussion.
“We got through healthy. That’s probably the most pleasing thing,” Watters said.
“It was a good solid hit-out.”
Watters said he was almost certain Winmar didn’t suffer a facial injury.
“He’s dazed – maybe mild concussion,” Watters said.
The Saints play Geelong and Sydney in the first round of the pre-season cup on February 24 at Etihad Stadium.
St Kilda travel to AAMI Stadium to take on Port Adelaide in round one of the AFL season on April 1.
