Best 23 for 2026

[kanga kanga kanga]

Now we pretty much know our full list for 2026 except the draft.

What’s our best side in 2026

 

[Moti]

The womens team

 

[ShinboneSpirit]

Best 23 that I think will also be used rather than solely what I want:

B: Archer Dawson Comben
HB: FOS Logue Daniel
C: Simpkin LDU McKercher
HF: Parker Darling Spargo
F: Zurhaar Larkey Curtis
Fol: Xerri Wardlaw Sheezel
Interchange: McDonald/Hardeman Stephens Powell Trembath Banch

Don’t want to see Logue in the side but I’m pretty certain the selection team will have him as the first defender listed. Would have Pink ahead of him but I’m sure Dawson would be the first out. Whitlock and Duursma if either have an excellent pre-season could make the interchange, otherwise I think they’re about 24/25 on the list with Goater there too.

 

[CURVE]

Geez, the backhalf is still a bit of a shit show, but if guys like Archer and Hardeman can stay on the park then perhaps there could be signs of a decent backline forming.

B: Archer Dawson Logue
HB: FOS Comben Hardeman
C: Stephens LDU McKercher
HF: Spargo Trembath Parker
F: Zurhaar Larkey Curtis
FOL: Xerri Wardlaw Sheezel
INT: Powell Darling Banch Pink & McDonald or Simpkin.

 

[zoomba23]

B: Arch Pink McDonald

HB: Hardeman Comben FOS

C: Colby LDU Stephens

HF: Zurhaar Darling Simpkins

F: Trembath Trembaths Curtis

R: X Wardlaw Parker

IC: Sheezel Larkey Konstanty Midget Duo

 

[nicko74]

B: Arch Pink McDonald

HB: Hardeman Comben FOS

C: Colby LDU Stephens

HF: Zurhaar Darling Simpkins

F: Trembath Trembaths Curtis

R: X Wardlaw Parker

IC: Sheezel Larkey Konstanty Midget Duo

2 Trembaths....

 

[zoomba23]

2 Trembaths....

No there aren't. There's one Trembath and one Trembaths

 

[The Nostradamus]

B: Archer Logue McDonald
HB: McKercher Chom Hardeman
C: Simpkin LDU Stephens
HF: Curtis Darling Zurhaar
F: konstanty Larkey Trembath
R: Xerri Sheezel Wardlaw
I: Powell Daniel Duursma FOS Parker

Emg: Harvey spargo fisher corr

 

[nicko74]

No there's aren't. There's one Trembath and one Trembaths

Ok....

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

B: Archer Logue McDonald
HB: McKercher Chom Hardeman
C: Simpkin LDU Stephens
HF: Curtis Darling Zurhaar
F: konstanty Larkey Trembath
R: Xerri Sheezel Wardlaw
I: Powell Daniel Duursma FOS Parker

Emg: Harvey spargo fisher corr

Very close to the pin.

Spargo will be picked if fit.

 

[hellas_johnny]

Round 1 barring injury:
AFL:
FB: Archer, pink, Dawson
HB: O'Sullivan, comben, hardeman
C: Simpkin wardlaw mckercher
R: Xerri, Ldu, sheezel
HF: Spargo, darling, parker
FF: Zurhaar, larkey, Curtis
Int: Powell, Daniel, Stephens, mcdonald, Trembath

VFL:
FB: Goater, Logue, ??
HB: Scott Corr, Fisher
C: Hansen jr Urquhart, George
R: Goad, Duursma, ??
HF: Stevens, Whitlock, Harvey
FF: Banch, Ccj, Konstanty
Int: ??

With goaters injury history i see us taking a conservative approach with him. By end of season he hopefully takes McDonald's spot. Whitlock to take darlings spot and maybe even george taking daniels spot albeit i can't see us not playing daniel considering what we went through to get him. With picks 25, 26 and 46 being used hopefully we can bring in a hybrid defender who can run and defend, key forward and maybe a big body mid to finish off.

 

[koshari]

me mid 2026 after 12 consecutive games with log and daniels in the backline,,,

 

[nicko74]

Round 1 barring injury:
AFL:
FB: Archer, pink, Dawson
HB: O'Sullivan, comben, hardeman
C: Simpkin wardlaw mckercher
R: Xerri, Ldu, sheezel
HB: Spargo, darling, parker
FB: Zurhaar, larkey, Curtis
Int: Powell, Daniel, Stephens, mcdonald, Trembath

VFL:
FB: Goater, Logue, ??
HB: Scott Corr, Fisher
C: Hansen jr Urquhart, George
R: Goad, Duursma, ??
HF: Stevens, Whitlock, Harvey
FF: Banch, Ccj, Konstanty
Int: ??

With goaters injury history i see us taking a conservative approach with him. By end of season he hopefully takes McDonald's spot. Whitlock to take darlings spot and maybe even george taking daniels spot albeit i can't see us not playing daniel considering what we went through to get him. With picks 25, 26 and 46 being used hopefully we can bring in a hybrid defender who can run and defend, key forward and maybe a big body mid to finish off.

Interesting approach with 2 HB and 2 FB lines there for the senior team

 

[hellas_johnny]

Interesting approach with 2 HB and 2 FB lines there for the senior team

Well our defence did need all the help they could get this year

 

[tazaa]

I was searching for this thread yesterday when I posted my 23 in the trade and free agency chat.

Because pre-season hasn’t started I’ll post my preferred 23 as opposed to what I think Clarko will do.
The numbers next to the players name shows how long they have been at the club.
History says when the majority of your 23 has been together for 4-5 years, then that’s when you start competing for finals.

We are 2 years away from exploding.

I can’t believe Larkey and Zurhaar have been at the club 10 years
Where has the time gone


B: Goater.5 Dawson.3 Archer.5
HB: McKercher.3 Comben.7 Hardeman.3
C: Stephens.3 Davies-Uniacke.9 O’Sullivan.2
HF: Parker.2 Darling.2 Zurhaar.10
F: Curtis.5 Larkey.10 Trembath.2
R: Xerri.9 Wardlaw.4 Sheezel.4
I: George.4 Duursma.3 Pink.3 Harvey.4 Kostanty.2
E: Daniel.2 Spargo.1 Powell.6

 

[Passmore]

Hardeman Comben O'Sullivan.

That's a nice HB line.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Questions that'll affect how the best 23 is decided:

• How many pressure forwards? It could be anywhere from one to three. My first hunch is that two of Spargo, Konstanty and Banch get selected, but I'm not sure.
• FOS: does he stay predominately in defence? Or will he be fast-tracked into a midfield role after we couldn't get Windhager?
• With the expanded bench and ruck rule changes, do we still roll with just Xerri and a chop-out option?

 

[remfan101]

Archer - Pink/Dawson - McDonald
Hardeman - Comben - O'Sullivan
Simpkin - Parker - Stephens
Sheezel - Larkey - McKercher
Curtis - Trembath - Zurhaar

Xerri - Wardlaw - LDU

Darling, Logue, Duursma, Powell, Spargo/Konstanty

 

[kool kangas]

B: Archer Dawson Comben
HB: FOS Logue Daniel
C: Simpkin Sheezel McKercher
HF: Parker Darling Spargo
F: Zurhaar Larkey Curtis
Fol: Xerri Wardlaw LDU
Interchange: McDonald Hardeman Stephens Powell Trembath

Banch, Pink and Whitlock as emergencies.

 

[Chadwiko]

Some really tough decisions to be made for 2026, but assuming healthy, here's how I project our Round 1 team to look:





Notes:

• This website I used only allows 4 interchange players. The 5th interchange player would be someone out of Powell/Goater/McDonald, I imagine.
• Noteable players who don't make the cut include Corr, RHJ, Bailey Scott
  8

  Bailey Scott

  Age

  25

  Ht

  186cm

  Wt

  77kg

  Pos.

  Mid

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  10.6

  3star

  K

  5.8

  2star

  HB

  4.9

  4star

  M

  3.1

  3star

  T

  1.5

  3star

  CL

  0.9

  3star

  D

  8.0

  2star

  K

  5.0

  2star

  HB

  3.0

  2star

  M

  2.5

  3star

  T

  1.8

  3star

  CL

  1.3

  4star

  D

  11.8

  3star

  K

  6.0

  3star

  HB

  5.8

  4star

  M

  3.6

  4star

  T

  1.2

  3star

  CL

  0.6

  3star

  , Zane Duursma, Whitlock, Dawson, Cooper Harvey, Banch, and Fisher.
• Obviously also doesn't include any players we might draft or rookie this coming offseason.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

AFL
B: Archer, Dawson, Logue
HB: Hardeman, Comben, O'Sullivan
C: Simpkin, Wardlaw, McKercher
HF: Zurhaar, Darling, Sheezel
FF: Curtis, Larkey, Trembath
Foll: Xerri, LDU, Parker
Int: Stephens, McDonald, Powell, Duursma, Pink

VFL
B: Goater, Corr, Fisher
HB: Harvey, Whitlock, Daniel
C: Scott, Urquhart, RHJ
HF: Banch, Gollant, Konstanty
FF: Spargo, CCJ, George
Foll: Goad, Fairlie, Vellasaris
Int: Pick 25, Pick 26, Pick 46, McPherson

 

[zoomba23]

AFL
B: Archer, Dawson, Logue
HB: Hardeman, Comben, O'Sullivan
C: Simpkin, Wardlaw, McKercher
HF: Zurhaar, Darling, Sheezel
FF: Curtis, Larkey, Trembath
Foll: Xerri, LDU, Parker
Int: Stephens, McDonald, Powell, Duursma, Pink

VFL
B: Goater, Corr, Fisher
HB: Harvey, Whitlock, Daniel
C: Scott, Urquhart, RHJ
HF: Banch, Gollant, Konstanty
FF: Spargo, CCJ, George
Foll: Goad, Fairlie, Vellasaris
Int: Pick 25, Pick 26, Pick 46, McPherson

Like it a lot.

The banana skin is the midget problem. Clarko obviously likes them. Dawson/Pink and Duursma out for Daniel and Spargo/Konstanty

 

[Its a Process]

AFL

FB	G Logue	W Dawson	J Archer
CHB	C Daniel	C Comben	F O'Sullivan
C	J Simpkin	G Wardlaw	D Stephens
CHF	C Zurhaar	C Trembath	T Powell
FF	N Larkey	J Darling	P Curtis
Ruck	T Xerri	H Sheezal	LDU
Bench	C Spargo	L Parker	Z Dursmaa
	R Hardeman	C McKecher	Z Banch

VFL

FB		A Corr	C Harvey
CHB	J Goater	T Pink	L McDonald
C	B Scott	L Urqhart	R Hansen Jnr
CHF	R Stevens	M Whitlock	B George
FF	CCJ	C Harvey	R Stevens
Ruck	T Goad	J Konstanty	Z Fisher
Bench

Couldn't get it to 23 so I've picked a travelling emergency

Big wild cards are players like Goater and George who could add a heap of value if they can get their bodies right. Hopefully big Will Dawson gets first crack at Full Back. Colby is named on the bench but I have him as a wing/inside rotation with Parker rotating through mid and half forward. I would like to see FoS get another year behind the ball as he can actually defend and offer something in the other direction.

 

[Chadwiko]

Not sure why so many people don't have Pink starting. He was our best KPD in 2025 and it wasn't particularly close.

 

[Its a Process]

Not sure why so many people don't have Pink starting. He was our best KPD in 2025 and it wasn't particularly close.

He's my next key defender - I want to see big Will get an extended run next year to see what's there and Comben is a lock. I wouldn't be too fussed if Pink was selected ahead of Logue.