St Kilda Saints’ Anthony Caminiti in the first round selection frame

St Kilda are considering calling up rookie Anthony Caminiti for a first-round debut against Fremantle just a month after he joined the Saints during the additional pre-season selection phase.

With Max King and Jack Hayes out and Tim Membrey highly unlikely to play Dockers at Marvel Stadium, spots have opened up in the forward 50 and Saints sources said Caminiti is in frame after making a huge impression in his month of practice .

The 19-year-old forward, who was overlooked in the national draft, had started training at Carlton’s VFL program and planned to go to university before the Saints invited him to Moorabbin in early February to see if he could get a spot on could win on their list.

He made an immediate impression as he starred in a club game in his first week and was offered a contract before leaving the club that day.

Caminiti is mobile and a strong brand, but he played more varsity football for Carey Grammar during his draft year than Talent League games for Northern Knights, then played as a top-age player for the Knights last year. He was nominated for the midseason draft but was not selected.

However, he combined a good forward with Mitchito Owens in the Saints’ last preseason game against Essendon, taking four points and creating an option within 50. The Saints face a strong defensive line at Dockers next Sunday.

The Saints under returning coach Ross Lyon are an unknown proposition in 2023, but their skipper Jack Steele says they will be stronger defensively this season and show a learning capacity.

He also said he’s curious to see how top-10 draft pick of 2017 Hunter Clark reacts after nearly moving to North Melbourne during the trading period. At the end of the season he is out of contract and under close scrutiny from several opposing clubs, but is expected to put in an effort before even considering whether to stay with the Saints or look elsewhere.