Tom Hawkins still has the occasional nightmare about Dustin Martin’s devastating performance in attack during the historic grand final played at the Gabba in 2020.
Having also played alongside Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield for a decade, the Cats’ games record holder has a full appreciation for what a star onballer can do for a team when allowed to play forward for a period.
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It is why he believes St Kilda has struck gold with Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who was sensational inside the forward 50m arc in a pre-season game against Essendon last week.
The 23-year-old has only kicked 23 goals in 83 matches, but that is due to being positioned off halfback and then through the midfield as he matured in build and confidence.
But he demonstrated just how deadly he could be against the Bombers when kicking four goals last week, with Wanganeen-Milera considered a triple threat now given his capabilities.
Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was blown away by the Saint’s efforts in Ballarat, stating he had become “impossible to coach against” given his versatility.
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Aside from kick goals, Hawkins said that Wanganeen-Milera has the ability to unsettle a defence by his presence alone, which could open opportunities for teammates.
“Nasiah is going to demand the best midsize defender or the best small defender as well if he goes forward,” Hawkins told foxsports.com.au.
“Players of that calibre and talent, they just have this aura about them where defenders just get a little bit nervous, that they start to play slightly outside the team defensive ethos and they worry more about the individual which starts to play into the hands of the forward, so I can see Nasiah having a real impact because he can go forward and if he’s not having an impact forward, he just goes back on ball, or back to the halfback flank.”
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The Fox Footy analyst said that Martin and Dangerfield were extremely hard to shut down because they were able to win the footy in so many different ways, no matter the challenge.
Wanganeen-Milera is similarly capable, with his marking a feature, and his kicking for goal against Essendon was outstanding, which adds to his ability to damage rival sides.
“It is everything. Particularly with Martin and Dangerfield, they could win the ball in lots of different ways,” Hawkins said.
“Respectfully to Danger and Dusty, they are not leading key position forwards, but you develop different ways to find the ball on the lead or winning the contest, or ways to beat your opponent, but these guys can come down, they can play deep, they can have a rest, they can mark the ball on the lead.
“And one of their biggest strengths, particularly Martin and Dangerfield, is that they can just get the ball kicked in their area, whether it’s advantage side or disadvantaged side, whether it’s on the ground, but it is always to their advantage … because they’re just so powerful.”
NCA. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. February 28th , 2026Ã. AFL à St Kilda vs Essendon at Mars Stadium, Ballaratà Liam Ryan and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera of the Saints post game . Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
Senior Bomber Peter Wright was among those who marvelled at the performance of the Saint in the clash in Ballarat, though he did note Essendon did not apply a tag given it was a practice match.
But he said Saints fans have much to look forward to with the gun, who is reportedly the highest-earning player in the league after signing an extension last year.
“He’s pretty special, I think, and clearly he moves really well,” he told Fox Footy in Ballarat.
“You try and tag him but the way they use him – we didn’t try and tag him today – but the way that they use him probably makes it quite challenging because can be resourceful and help with the backs and then kick start their offence. It’s hard to go, I guess, all the way around the ground with him with his running power.
“He’s pretty special, very talented and only young, so he’s going to be a pretty tough player to play against for the next few years. But it’s exciting. You like seeing stars of the competition and he is one who put his hand up last year to be one of the best.”
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Such was the command with which Wanganeen-Milera played in the final pre-season hitout, Hinkley pondered whether he had surpassed Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos given the threat he posed in attack as well as through the midfield, along with his creativity in defence.
“This bloke is the most exciting thing in football,” he said.
Hinkley’s claim prompted discussion among his Fox Footy colleagues given the Saints and Collingwood square off against each in a blockbuster at the MCG on Sunday night.
To be fair Daicos, who is about six weeks older than the Saint, is already a premiership Magpie and three-time All Australian who has finished runner-up in the past two Brownlow Medals.
The 23-year-old is no slouch with the footy in the forward arc either, having kicked 63 goals in 95 games, while champions including Marcus Bontempelli have claims to being the best.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae was quizzed about Wanganeen-Milera on Friday and admires what the Saint can do, but he was in no mood to buy into the comparisons.
“Naz is an incredible player. Wow. What an exciting player. You could build a club around him, so (I have) great respect for what he is doing,” he said.
“But I don’t like comparisons. I actually say to our players all the time, ‘comparisons are evil’, because you can never live up to someone else. Just be the best version of yourself. And Nick’s a pretty good version of himself.”
Asked whether the young stars might engage in a head-to-head battle at the MCG, McRae said “that would be nice to see, wouldn’t it?”.
BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 28: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera of the Saints marks the ball during the 2026 AFL AAMI Community Series match between the St Kilda Saints and the Essendon Bombers at Mars Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But he doubted St Kilda counterpart Ross Lyon would allow it, suspecting he will have others in mind tasked with trying to restrict Daicos. And the Pies are plotting for Wanganeen-Milera.
Former Western Bulldogs premiership defender Jordan Roughead, who played with the Pies as well and is now Collingwood’s defensive coach, was back in his hometown Ballarat last week.
Asked after Collingwood’s practice match against North Melbourne whether he had taken note of the Saint storming out of the square a day earlier, he smiled … perhaps nervously. But he is looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“I certainly did,” he said.
“I mean, it’s an exciting time of year for us and for the competition to see what changes have sort of occurred over the course of the pre-season. And, yeah, I watched … the game with interest.
“(We’re) excited for the challenge of making sure we’re set up and prepared as best we can be for next week. We’re excited and chomping at the bit to get into it.”