List Mgmt. The Core - 2026 Onwards

[The Nostradamus]

1. Ldu
2. Larkey
3. Simpkin
4. Zurhaar
5. Xerri
6. Sheezel
7. Wardlaw
8. Mckercher
9. Duursma
10. Hardeman
11. Goater
12. Comben
13. Logue
14. Sleevo
15. Curtis
16. Powell
17. Phillips
18. Fisher
19. Pick 1 this year (Smillie)
20. CCJ (controversial but he’s our best bet atm for CHF)


Others in the mix for the final 3 spots
Ford, stephens, Finnbar, Bergman, archer, tucker, Goad

 

[Twangler]

1. Ldu
2. Larkey
3. Simpkin
4. Zurhaar
5. Xerri
6. Sheezel
7. Wardlaw
8. Mckercher
9. Duursma
10. Hardeman
11. Goater
12. Comben
13. Logue
14. Sleevo
15. Curtis
16. Powell
17. Phillips
18. Fisher
19. Pick 1 this year (Smillie)
20. CCJ (controversial but he’s our best bet atm for CHF)


Others in the mix for the final 3 spots
Ford, stephens, Finnbar, Bergman, archer, tucker, Goad

This is a best 22 list for this year/next year of a bottom 4 quality side. Surely you aren’t suggesting it’s the nucleus for 2026-2028 side that pushes for a premiership?

 

[The Nostradamus]

This is a best 22 list for this year/next year of a bottom 4 quality side. Surely you aren’t suggesting it’s the nucleus for 2026-2028 side that pushes for a premiership?

I think a lot of that 20 just need games pumped into them to be flag worthy and time to develop synergy

 

[7577969923]

Looks great, especially the cloning of McKercher

I've been doing a bit of work in the lab!

 

[Its a Process]

Powell is the most creative ball user in the club by both hand and foot, and he has made great progress this year. I'm confident he will be a gun.

I hope are right but I think he only makes with us a winger or half back.

And so far he hasn’t shown much unless he’s inside mid.

 

[7577969923]

I hope are right but I think he only makes with us a winger or half back.

And so far he hasn’t shown much unless he’s inside mid.

Given he's never played half-back once, I'm not sure how you can come to that conclusion. He will be a mid for us for the next 12 years.

 

[Its a Process]

Given he's never played half-back once, I'm not sure how you can come to that conclusion. He will be a mid for us for the next 12 years.

He’s into his 4th season and he’s a consistent member of the worst performing midfield in the comp.

Personally I think he’s too slight and slow and he’ll be pushed out by Colby, Sheez and whoever we take this year.

 

[Themanbun]

Given he's never played half-back once, I'm not sure how you can come to that conclusion. He will be a mid for us for the next 12 years.

He's one of the easiest blokes to play on going around, doesn't run defensively, and often loses positioning on transition. When he plays inside mid he gives up space and a run way too easily.

He is however very good with ball in hand, though prone to the occasional ball on boot bomb, and has a bit of toe when he gets the ball in tight, and has a knack for hitting the scoreboard.

I have no idea where his best position is but I think he'll be pushed out of our preferred 3 mids and likely even our 4 preferred if LDU stays. LDU, Wardlaw, Sheez, McKercher and Smillie will probably push him out to a flank but with more mid minutes during times of injury.

He suits that half forward playing as an extra midfielder role, but will need to work on his positioning on transition as smart half backs and half forwards will be able to exploit it.

 

[Fart Cummings]

D Sharp slot straight into 2026 team....

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Archer Logue Hardeman
Goater Comben (Bergman)

Xerri (LDU) Wardlaw
Ford (Smillie) Scott

Powell ????? Sheezel
Curtis Larkey (George)

???? = Complete unknown
(Name) = suspected, injury prone or perhaps not in the team in ‘26.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

The way I interpret this thread, is building the blocks for a team capable of pushing for preliminary finals/premiership. Teams that can do this tend to have about 5 elite AA calibre players and about 15-20 players who consistently perform their role to the required standard.

For elite talent, ideally this would be distributed around the ground. The good news is that within the next three years, it’s likely we are on track for this.

We have
Larkey (already AA but caveat that he is reliant on good ball delivery)
Sheezel (very likely)
LDU (very likely)
Comben (decent chance if he stays uninjured)
Wardlaw (decent chance)
McKercher (decent chance)
Duursma (possible)
I’m confident we could get 5 here.

For the role players, this is really where we fall off. Of the players on the list, these are the ones I’m confident can consistently be at the standard in the coming years
Logue
Curtis
Goater (injury permitting)
Xerri
Names above suggested in AA/elite that don’t reach heights of elite

And the maybe’s
Scott (showed last year he can)
Simpkin (as above)
Powell
Ford (more speculative)
Zurhaar (as above)
Draftees within the last two years all fall into the speculative category.

So we only have 5-10 names here. So we are about 10 players short! Brady and co will be busy!

That’s a fair assessment, but it only takes 1-2 of those maybe’s maturing and becoming solid players and it changes our fortunes and the outlook of the team considerably.

I hope are right but I think he only makes with us a winger or half back.

And so far he hasn’t shown much unless he’s inside mid.

I think he'll be fine as an inside mid, a lot of his issues are due to our poor structure. As all our midfielders mature the structure will improve.

 

[hellas_johnny]

Archer comben w.dawson
Goater logue bergman
Scott Ldu Mckercher
Xerri wardlaw sheezel
Ford ??? Duursma
Curtis larkey ???
Powell, simpkin, hardeman, ???

Gone:
Greenwood
Corr
Taylor
Tucker
Shiels
CCJ
Nyuon
Pink
Drury
Free
Hansen Jnr
Stephenson
Sellers (UnLucky)

Still Developing:
Goad

Possibly still around
McDonald
Stephens (contracted)
Fisher (contracted)
Phillips
George
Lazzaro
Harvey
Maley
K.Dawson
Zurhaar (most likely gone)

I honestly think we're not far off. We keep getting games into players they will get better. We clearly still need a chf who can 2nd ruck and a small pressure forward in the starting 18. The last bench spot up in air but I think this team with 2 years more experience will be very competitive. The backline will be solid with defenders who actually defend and but also with good disposal. Someone like smilie in midfield with his big body would complete the midfield group aswell. Things aren't as bleak as they seem.

 

[Makeshift Park]

The core from 2026 onwards needs:

• a chunky contested marking, pack crashing FF
• a pacy, crumbing goalsneak (could it be Fisher if we have George, Mckercher, Sheezel, Bergman and Goater to play HBF?)
• a young big bodied mid (Smillie Ray Cyrus?)
• a small defender workhorse (Hardwick?)
• (along with another tall fwd as depth, which could be Maley or Sellers, lets see)

And that's about it. There will be others added too, obviously.

Best scenario for this coming off-season for me is if we cover off those 4 list holes, with one or two experienced types to act as on-field coaches as well.