St Kilda’s Callum Wilkie is having comfortably his best season at AFL level in 2022, with the medium defender averaging career-highs in disposals, marks, tackles and one-percenters this year.
That improvement has him firmly as one of Brett Ratten’s most reliable players, while he’s now joined the conversation as one of the AFL’s best one-on-one defenders.
After a starring performance in Saturday’s win over Adelaide – with the former rookie collecting 19 disposals, 10 intercepts and seven marks – AFL great Kane Cornes anointed him as a potential All-Australian.
Cornes detailed his favourite parts of Wilkie’s game on AFL.com.au’s The Round So Far.
“It’s a remarkable story, he is as good a one-on-one defender in the game right now (as anyone),” Cornes said.
“It’s probably Jacob Weitering (number one) and then there’s this guy, he has the ability to actually play one-on-one, but he can also play team-first, if he needs to he’ll come off his opponent and help out.
“He had a goal-saving tackle on (Darcy) Fogarty, he gets his hand in, he follows up, and he’s a really good ball user – he’s quite composed and methodical with his ball use on the left foot.
“He’s absolutely in All-Australian form right now and he did a number on Tex (Walker) tonight (Saturday).”
Wilkie and the Saints will look to keep up their strong run of form when they face a struggling North Melbourne side next Sunday at Marvel Stadium.