Prediction Round 1, 2026 - Best 23

[AFC979810]

Just because ROB is a giant potato isn't a good enough reason to move your elite key forward prospect.

Prospect?

60 goals and an All Australian jumper says he is no longer a prospect.

 

[MsTopG]

There’s going to be very little change. Ignoring Rankine suspension

In - Rankine, Draper and Ah Chee
Out - Smith, Pedlar & Taylor

Berry would be most at risk in the 23. Everyone else is locked in all year unless injured or in Tex’s case, having one of his 4-5 rests.

You forgot Nicks out. Capable coach in. Tex is an overpaid sanfl player unless they wheel him out to the goal square and park him there all match.

 

[1970crow]

You forgot Nicks out. Capable coach in. Tex is an overpaid sanfl player unless they wheel him out to the goal square and park him there all match.

Tex will be controlling the forward line as he has done for the last ten or so years. He won’t be taking a back seat and playing as a 3rd tall, he’ll be the main man as he was all 2025.

 

[MsTopG]

Tex will be controlling the forward line as he has done for the last ten or so years. He won’t be taking a back seat and playing as a 3rd tall, he’ll be the main man as he was all 2025.

Well we won't be playing finals i guess. I just think it's funny how incompetent the club is.

 

[crow2crow]

Tex will be controlling the forward line as he has done for the last ten or so years. He won’t be taking a back seat and playing as a 3rd tall, he’ll be the main man as he was all 2025.

no he wont.. he will play only at home, few sanfl games to keep match fit. be fun to watch tex in the sanfl could **** some defenders up bad

 

[kirky]

no he wont.. he will play only at home, few sanfl games to keep match fit. be fun to watch tex in the sanfl could **** some defenders up bad

He won’t be playing SANFL at all.

He will be rested depending on our fixture.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

FF: Ah Chee - Fogarty - Rachele
HF: Keays - Thilthorpe- Neal-Bullen

Foll: ROB - Dawson - Rankine
C: Milera - Soligo - Curtin

HB: Cumming - Keane - Hinge
FB: Michalaney - Murray - Worrell

Int: Peatling - Draper - Edwards - Laird - Pedlar

 

[crow2crow]

He won’t be playing SANFL at all.

He will be rested depending on our fixture.

sorry to burst your bubble but thats not possible. for match conditioning he will be playing some sanfl. possibly quite a few... but will depend on injuries. those who want him gone wont be waying that if fog goes down.

 

[AFC979810]

Well we won't be playing finals i guess. I just think it's funny how incompetent the club is.

Wut?

A team that finished 1st on the ladder in 2025 won't be playing finals in 2026 because a player who was 8th in the AFL for goal assists and 22nd for goals is playing again?

 

[adelaidecrows]

In the theme of Carlton who had a "Can you smell what the Blues are cooking” membership campaign I have it on good authority the Crows are going with something similar to be launched straight after trade period.

The them of organic growth has always been a strong theme for this legendary successful club.

So be prepared for

"Can you smell what the Crows are growing”

 

[adelaidecrows]

Wut?

A team that finished 1st on the ladder in 2025 won't be playing finals in 2026 because a player who was 8th in the AFL for goal assists and 22nd for goals is playing again?

Finals should be on the agenda. With a tougher draw I suspect we will finish in a respectable position. The squads good just has holes in it. Really the only thing that will stop us is whether Nicks comes with his pathetic game plan again and we get injuries. Or he decides his seniors only selection policy stands for another year.

 

[AFC979810]

Finals should be on the agenda. With a tougher draw I suspect we will finish in a respectable position. The squads good just has holes in it

Finals isn't on the agenda. Its the non-negotiable expectation now.

. Really the only thing that will stop us is whether Nicks comes with his pathetic game plan again and we get injuries.

I actually really liked the way we played footy in 2025. Hopefully another year with the squad together and adding in more talent like Ah Chee will mean we can overcome Nicksy and Murray's tactical issues.

Or he decides his seniors only selection policy stands for another year.

Well considering we only have 2 players older than 31 - i really dont think this will come into play.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Finals isn't on the agenda. Its the non-negotiable expectation now.



I actually really liked the way we played footy in 2025. Hopefully another year with the squad together and adding in more talent like Ah Chee will mean we can overcome Nicksy and Murray's tactical issues.



Well considering we only have 2 players older than 31 - i really dont think this will come into play.

There really is no reason to suspect that things will greatly change, however, he has a nasty habit of panic hanging our game plan to stem the tide of opposition goals. So will Nicks walk away from the finals with an attitude of playing the next generation midfield with an attacking game plan or will he deadset panic and create a defensive game plane to limit the ability of mistakes hurting us on the scoreboard.

 

[Thrillthorpe7]

B: Michalanney, Murray, Worrell
HB: Laird, Keane, Milera
C: Curtin, Dawson, Cumming
HF: Rachele, Fogarty, ANB
F: Keays, Thilthorpe, Ah Chee
R: ROB, Soligo, Rankine
I/C: Peatling, Stevens, Hinge, Draper
Sub: way too early to tell

Petracca pushes any of those 4 on the bench to sub if he comes

If we don’t bring in anyone else, then replace that Stevens spot with any of Taylor, Dowling or Edwards. Tex then comes in when either RT or Fog need a rest or we want to exploit a team with a taller forward line.

Hopefully Toby Murray spends more time developing his ruck craft this pre season as well.

 

[Jetwa5h]

FF: Pedlar - Fogarty - Rachele
HF: Keays - Thilthorpe- Neal-Bullen

Foll: ROB - Curtin - Rankine
C: Dawson - Soligo - Ah Chee

HB: Cumming - Keane - Milera
FB: Michalaney - Murray - Worrell

Int: Peatling - Draper - Edwards - Laird - DraftPick

Wont happen but i still like the idea of Dawson playing a little more Outside

 

[Jcpdragonx]

In the theme of Carlton who had a "Can you smell what the Blues are cooking” membership campaign I have it on good authority the Crows are going with something similar to be launched straight after trade period.

The them of organic growth has always been a strong theme for this legendary successful club.

So be prepared for

"Can you smell what the Crows are growing”

can you smell what nicks is burning

 

[crow2crow]

FF: Pedlar - Fogarty - Rachele
HF: Keays - Thilthorpe- Neal-Bullen

Foll: ROB - Curtin - Rankine
C: Dawson - Soligo - Ah Chee

HB: Cumming - Keane - Milera
FB: Michalaney - Murray - Worrell

Int: Peatling - Draper - Edwards - Laird - DraftPick

Wont happen but i still like the idea of Dawson playing a little more Outside

that draft pick should be hinge. i would move some magnets but otherwise agree. got to get games into edwards and draper

 

[1990crow]

FB: Worrell ~ Murray ~ Michalanney
HB: Cumming ~ Keane ~ Milera
C: Ah Chee ~ Dawson ~ Curtin
R: O'Brien ~ Rachele ~ Rankine
HF: Taylor ~ Thilthorpe ~ ANB
FF: Keays ~ Fogarty ~ Walker
B: Draper ~ Laird ~ Hinge ~ Soligo ~ Peatling

 

[Danger in Texas]

FB: Worrell ~ Murray ~ Michalanney
HB: Cumming ~ Keane ~ Milera
C: Ah Chee ~ Dawson ~ Curtin
R: O'Brien ~ Rachele ~ Rankine
HF: Taylor ~ Thilthorpe ~ ANB
FF: Keays ~ Fogarty ~ Walker
B: Draper ~ Laird ~ Hinge ~ Soligo ~ Peatling

We’d be very weak on small forward impact if all of Ah Chee/Rash/Rankine aren’t primarily forwards

I know it’d rob our middle third of the ground of talent, but we’re in a very tough position

 

[crows dude]

We’d be very weak on small forward impact if all of Ah Chee/Rash/Rankine aren’t primarily forwards

I know it’d rob our middle third of the ground of talent, but we’re in a very tough position

Draper, Peatling and Soligo will be on within 5 minutes and Rankine and Rash then move forward

 

[FR0GGY]

Rankine ain’t playing rd 1…

 

[crows dude]

Rankine ain’t playing rd 1…

Good point.

Think we are just posting best 23 rather than the round one side

 

[MsTopG]

Matthew Nicks

Matthew Nicks

Age

50

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.4

3star

: "Unchanged".

 

[cleanhands]

Matthew Nicks : "Unchanged".

It won’t bother you

 

[Ian Dunross]

FB: Worrell ~ Murray ~ Michalanney
HB: Cumming ~ Keane ~ Milera
C: Ah Chee ~ Dawson ~ Curtin
R: O'Brien ~ Rachele ~ Rankine
HF: Taylor ~ Thilthorpe ~ ANB
FF: Keays ~ Fogarty ~ Walker
B: Draper ~ Laird ~ Hinge ~ Soligo ~ Peatling

Taylor shouldn't be anywhere near the best 23 IMO.

Need Pedlar, Curtin, Draper, Fogarty to spike to make top 4 again.