All-Australian defender Callum Wilkie names his three toughest opponents

St Kilda’s Callum Wilkie is one of the best defenders in the competition, but even he finds the AFL’s best forwards a nightmare to match up on.

The 2024 Trevor Barker Medallist and 2023 All-Australian has been considered one of the best one-on-one defenders for a few years now, and he was asked which three forwards he’s had most trouble with in recent times by SEN’s Garry Lyon.

No surprise, but Wilkie quickly named three superstars of the competition who are all Coleman Medallists.

“Three is hard because there’s a lot,” Wilkie told SEN Breakfast.

“But Jeremy Cameron always keeps you on your toes, he runs up and down the ground. It’s his athleticism and his ability to kick goals from anywhere.

“Charlie Curnow is pretty hard to stop as well. I think the only times we have stopped him is because we’ve had that much support coming over the top. You don’t want to be left one-on-one with him.

“Those two are obvious, Jeremy Cameron and Charlie Curnow, they’re just bloody hard.

“Another is Jesse Hogan, who is just incredible. Last year I found him very tough to compete against.

“His contest work is just next level.”

Wilkie and the Saints begin their 2025 campaign with a Round 1 clash against Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Listen to his full chat with Lyon and Tim Watson here.