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FIFA World Cup 2026 posterLevel up: The young Saint ready to "break a game apart"
Jaiden Sciberras • May 28th, 2026 4:30 pm
St Kilda has seen a major spike in one of the game’s most crucial areas, and it has benefitted one of their young guns exponentially.
Despite losing two of their last five including a 30-point loss to Fremantle last weekend, the Saints have shifted the magnets around the ball, resulting in an almighty improvement within their clearance game.
With Hugo Garcia and Max Hall trusted with increased time on the ball, the side has not only climbed in the clearance ranks but have topped the competition rather comfortably.
And according to Champion Data’s Corey Mobilio, their improvement within the contest has resulted in a sharp rise in performance from one of their most prized talents in Mattaes Phillipou.
“They are the best clearance side since Round 7,” Mobilio told SEN Breakfast.
“They have won 27 more than the next best side, so really dominating that part of the ground.
“You look at their mix in that period of time, and they have changed it. They’ve added Max Hall, Hugo Garcia is going really well, Darcy Wilson is going really well.
“The guy I want to talk about today is Mattaes Phillipou. He’s played 55 games now, hasn’t missed a game this year.
“I feel like he is there to break a game apart and really go on with it. You look at him across the last five round – he is a top 100 rated player in the competition. Prior to that, he was outside the top 300.
“I think he is close to really taking a game by the scruff of the neck and going on with it.”
Phillipou and the Saints take on Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium tonight at 7:30pm AEST.
Listen to Mobilio's full Champion Data segment below:
