Team Mgmt. 2026 Best 23

[King Patty]

I hope Blackison trains in all three thirds of the ground this pre-season. It would be great to have someone who is forward and 2nd ruck who can go back to defence in a pinch. That could be to cover an injury or swing Reid, McKay or Ridley forward.

Thats solid flexibility.

 

[hurlygurdy]

Last season I thought we looked good on paper. Not sure what I think about half the team now. Langford wtf? Redman? McKay? And half the good players now seem injury prone. I can’t get excited about next year. The team will have to turn a big corner to get me interested

 

[Mikevk123]

B- Ridley McKay Clarke
HB- Redman Reid Roberts
C- Duursma Durham Fiorini
HF- Kako Caddy Martin
F- Sweid Wright Langford
FOLL- Bryan Caldwell Merrett
I/C- McGrath, Parish, May, Perkins, Johnson

 

[Blind Turn]

Last season I thought we looked good on paper. Not sure what I think about half the team now. Langford wtf? Redman? McKay? And half the good players now seem injury prone. I can’t get excited about next year. The team will have to turn a big corner to get me interested

Weird season just gone where most of our established senior players either went backwards or stagnated while our youth got exposure. This has me feeling the same way. All the core players you’d hope were taking us toward contention territory are teetering on the brink of ‘time to move on from them’ territory. Add Parish, Wright, Ridley, Perkins, and McGrath to join the three you’ve mentioned and that’s 8 players who have gone backwards in my estimates of their ability to make us contenders again. Then add Reid going down again, Merrett coming back disgruntled, Marto missing for half the season, Draper not there to ignite us, Bryan losing development games and that’s 13 of our projected best line-up for the start of last season who have been gutted from the core momentum behind what we were building. It’s bleak as **** and we are now very reliant on an upsurge from our youngsters coming through.

 

[King Patty]

Essendon always look good on paper, thats the rose coloured glasses and enables us to blame the coaching staff and fitness department.

 

[Runk]

With Setters now gone what's that now, 10 players from this years list gone? An incredible amount when you think about it.
As for what next year's best 2 look like....who would know?

 

[ant555]

With Setters now gone what's that now, 10 players from this years list gone? An incredible amount when you think about it.
As for what next year's best 2 look like....who would know?

The numbers where always going to be inflated due to us using 4 MSD picks.

 

[Runk]

The numbers where always going to be inflated due to us using 4 MSD picks.

 

[ant555]

What do you not comprehend that by adding 4 players mid season there was always going to be extras moe on ?

 

[jdstorm]

Essendon always look good on paper, thats the rose coloured glasses and enables us to blame the coaching staff and fitness department.

The main issue has been the team has been less then the sum of its parts due to the parts being mismatched.

There’s some good talent on the list but also huge holes and things don’t fit together well.

 

[Keystone agony]

Back 7:
Mcgrath - Mckay - Ridley
Redman - Z.Reid - A.Roberts (A.Clarke)

Fiorini - Zerrett - Duursma (Z.Johnson)
Ruck - Caldwell - Durham (Parish)

Sweid - Caddy - Kako
HEA - 2MP - Langford (Cumming)

23rd (Robey/D.Sharp)

 

[hurlygurdy]

Weird season just gone where most of our established senior players either went backwards or stagnated while our youth got exposure. This has me feeling the same way. All the core players you’d hope were taking us toward contention territory are teetering on the brink of ‘time to move on from them’ territory. Add Parish, Wright, Ridley, Perkins, and McGrath to join the three you’ve mentioned and that’s 8 players who have gone backwards in my estimates of their ability to make us contenders again. Then add Reid going down again, Merrett coming back disgruntled, Marto missing for half the season, Draper not there to ignite us, Bryan losing development games and that’s 13 of our projected best line-up for the start of last season who have been gutted from the core momentum behind what we were building. It’s bleak as **** and we are now very reliant on an upsurge from our youngsters coming through.

Much more eloquently put than my effort.
My optimism is never far behind my pessimism though and i feel like this year has painted us in a far worse light than is realistic. Some years you get players down on form, other years you get bad injuries, but i've never seen a season like that before. Going forward, i remember some mid to late 90's years where we had injuries and were underestimated, and it didn't take many years to prove the haters wrong. Got to hope theres a bit of that this time around as well.

 

[Runk]

What do you not comprehend that by adding 4 players mid season there was always going to be extras moe on ?

 

[jdstorm]

Based on offseason picks

Duz Duz duz
Duz Duz duz
Duz Duz duz
Duz Duz duz
Duz duz duz
Duz Duz kako

 

[King Patty]

What do you not comprehend that by adding 4 players mid season there was always going to be extras moe on ?

Do you think any of our MSD picks will end up long term players?
May I think has best chance, but McMahon and Blakiston have contributed as well.
And Blakiston being tall and can play a bit should be able to stay on a AFL list now he's on one.

 

[King Patty]

Thats a good side Keystone.
I just wouldn't go too early on the draftees.
No certainty we get our academy boys let alone Robey, Sharp, Cumming etc.
Sweid should be matched depending where the bid is IMO.

so take out draftees and what do we have
I would also swap Johnson and Clarke.

Back 7:
Mcgrath - Mckay - Ridley
Redman - Z.Reid - A.Roberts (Z.Johnson)

Fiorini - Merrett - Duursma (A.Clarke)
Bryan - Caldwell - Durham (Parish)

Gresham - Caddy - Kako
Guelfi - 2MP - Langford (Perkins)

23rd (Tsatas)

Yeh Ideally draftees replace the bolded guys but also hoping Scott gives Tsatas and Perkins a chance. Less so Gresham and Guelfi, but he loves selecting senior players and will provide selection pressure. Just need drafteees to dominate VFL for a few weeks and wait for an injury for a spot to open up.
And senior players to get a good preseason so can hit the ground running from round 1.

 

[ant555]

Do you think any of our MSD picks will end up long term players?
May I think has best chance, but McMahon and Blakiston have contributed as well.
And Blakiston being tall and can play a bit should be able to stay on a AFL list now he's on one.

May has the best potential to have a real long-term impact.
McMahon probably a bit of a stop gap / back up.
Blakiston could be interesting. Hopefully we get a good look at him in the ruck next year. Could be one of those guys who stays in the system for a bit as a mature second ruck / back up.

 

[Jack Richards]

Who we having Ruck round 1?

Surely Bryan ain't ready.

 

[eth-dog]

Who we having Ruck round 1?

Surely Bryan ain't ready.

Blakiston if he isn't

 

[Jack Richards]

Blakiston if he isn't

Cheers. Wasnt sure if we unleash Vigo early

 

[Keystone agony]

First 6-8 weeks will be an ongoing battle between blakiston and vigo

And at times could be both, but I think 2MP still the better fwd as backup ruck

 

[Bombers36]

I feel like we are finally starting to trend in the right direction. New president Welsh & he has bought with him some strong ex players (Soloman/Richards) with him plus a bit of a player clean out this year & some new faces still to come in via the draft. Right now I've got our best available 23 (plus emergencies) looking something like;-

Ridley McKay McGrath
Redman Reid Roberts
Fiorini Caldwell Duursma
Perkins Caddy Kako
2MP Langford Gresh

Blaki Durham Merrett

Parish Tsatas Clarke Johnson Guelfi

Emergency: Prior Nguyen May McMahon

Injured: Hayes Cox Martin Bryan

We clearly need a lift out of the players in bold (or to find replacements)- but the good thing is ALL of them are out of contract at the end of 2026..!! I think if we can keep most of that 23 on the park for the majority of 2026 we will finish in the 8 - 15 ladder range (remembering we get to plug Martin and Bryan back into the 23 at some stage). I feel like all going well we can make a serious challenge for the finals in 2027. Things can only get better from here..!!

 

[jdstorm]

Going Full Bevo with the magnets and I don’t hate it.

Roberts Hayes Ridley
Redman Reid Caldwell
Fiorini Martin Dursma
Bryan Durham Merrett
McGrath May Clarke
Kako Wright Caddy

IC Johnson Langford 2xmids(Parish and Tsatsas penciled in) 1x pressure forward (Gresham????)

Mid rotation
A: Martin Merrett Duz
B: Caldwell + 2 bench guys
Pinch hitters with speed Kako + McGrath

VFL

Nguyen McKay Cox
Prior Blackison SEH

Viggo pick 5 pick 6
Jones Perkins Day-wicks

Guelfi McMahon Sweid
Unwin Gerryn Edwards

IC 2x draft picks + VFl players

 

[King Patty]

Going Full Bevo with the magnets and I don’t hate it.

Roberts Hayes Ridley
Redman Reid Caldwell
Fiorini Martin Dursma
Bryan Durham Merrett
McGrath May Clarke
Kako Wright Caddy

IC Johnson Langford 2xmids(Parish and Tsatsas penciled in) 1x pressure forward (Gresham????)

Mid rotation
A: Martin Merrett Duz
B: Caldwell + 2 bench guys
Pinch hitters with speed Kako + McGrath

VFL

Nguyen McKay Cox
Prior Blackison SEH

Viggo pick 5 pick 6
Jones Perkins Day-wicks

Guelfi McMahon Sweid
Unwin Gerryn Edwards

IC 2x draft picks + VFl players

Caldwell to half back interesting.

 

[Keystone agony]

Caldwell to half back interesting.

Its a hill hes dieing on