Prediction Round 1, 2026 - Best 23

[1990crow]

he not playing most of the games imo

 

[crows dude]

he not playing most of the games imo

They may rest him for four games instead of two. If not injured thats still 19 games. Unless hes out of form calling to be dropped.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

They may rest him for four games instead of two. If not injured thats still 19 games. Unless hes out of form calling to be dropped.

Remember when we were going to rest Tex for the trip to Perth to play Fremantle?

But then Fog hurt his shoulder so we abandoned that and played Tex.

And didn't subsequently rest him in other games instead

Then had his 300th looming and weren't sure if he was going to be given a contract for 2026 so had to keep him in almost every week just in case

And he finished the season looking pretty tired and slow, worn down

Got his 300th

Then we extended his contract anyway so there had been no need to cram the games into 2025 after all and we could have managed him completely differently

 

[crow2crow]

Remember when we were going to rest Tex for the trip to Perth to play Fremantle?

But then Fog hurt his shoulder so we abandoned that and played Tex.

And didn't subsequently rest him in other games instead

Then had his 300th looming and weren't sure if he was going to be given a contract for 2026 so had to keep him in almost every week just in case

And he finished the season looking pretty tired and slow, worn down

Got his 300th

Then we extended his contract anyway so there had been no need to cram the games into 2025 after all and we could have managed him completely differently

you may prove correct but i think it will be done differently this year

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

you may prove correct but i think it will be done differently this year

We always seem to plan to rest him but when push comes to shove find some reason not to

We need to be stronger with our resolve and understand priorities

A fresh Tex can still contribute with his skills/smarts but he needs to be at close to 100% fit

Can't get by with niggles and sore spots like he used to

 

[1970crow]

Remember when we were going to rest Tex for the trip to Perth to play Fremantle?

But then Fog hurt his shoulder so we abandoned that and played Tex.

And didn't subsequently rest him in other games instead

Then had his 300th looming and weren't sure if he was going to be given a contract for 2026 so had to keep him in almost every week just in case

And he finished the season looking pretty tired and slow, worn down

Got his 300th

Then we extended his contract anyway so there had been no need to cram the games into 2025 after all and we could have managed him completely differently

Tex's 300 was more important to the club than having him at his peak for a finals tilt. Until our HR based philosophies change to being about winning, we're never going to contend over multiple years.

 

[1990crow]

Ok. So all drafts are done minus SPP.
What does our best 23 look like next year?
What should it look like come finals (presuming we make it)?

Round 1:

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

Finals:

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

2027 should be an interesting year of transition for us.
Draper and Curtin taking lead roles?
Do we have Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

or another mid from another club?
Mitch Marsh best 23?
Do Laird, ANB, Keays etc get overtaken by younger players like Edwards, Dowling, Pedlar, Taylor?

 

[jackster83]

Probably just the 23 we had for finals with Ah Chee replacing Smith. Rankine when he returns pushes out one of Berry/Taylor, while Draper may push out the other.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Prediction - Round 1, 2026

Probably worth making this now. What do we think the R1 lineup looks like? Does Tex retire? Do we get Trac? Do we play Dowling/Draper/Cheddar? Will ROB still be shit? My guess B: Michalanney, Murray, Worrell HB: Laird, Keane, Milera C: Curtin, Dawson, Cumming HF: Rachele, Fogarty, ANB F...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[crows dude]

Ok. So all drafts are done minus SPP.
What does our best 23 look like next year?
What should it look like come finals (presuming we make it)?

Round 1:

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

Finals:

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

2027 should be an interesting year of transition for us.
Draper and Curtin taking lead roles?
Do we have Zac Bailey or another mid from another club?
Mitch Marsh best 23?
Do Laird, ANB, Keays etc get overtaken by younger players like Edwards, Dowling, Pedlar, Taylor?

Rankine not there in rnd 1

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

 

[Coopers]

Rankine not there in rnd 1

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

Are Edwards and/or Ryan going to be players?

They've got to be given games if we think so.

Nank probably comes out for Edwards for me.

That said: Maybe there will be a fitness issue somewhere. Maybe Nank will kill it in the preseason. Who knows.

 

[crows dude]

Are Edwards and/or Ryan going to be players?

They've got to be given games if we think so.

Nank probably comes out for Edwards for me.

That said: Maybe there will be a fitness issue somewhere. Maybe Nank will kill it in the preseason. Who knows.

They will get some games this year

 

[1990crow]

Mods could you please merge with the other thread. My bad.

 

[Daniel6]

B: Laird - Butts - Worrell
HB: Michalanney - Murray - Milera
C: Curtin - Soligo - Draper
HF: Ah Chee - Fogarty - Rachele
FF: ANB - Thrilthorpe - Walker
R: O’brien - Dawson - Rankine

Int: Keane - Taylor - Peatling - Keays - Hinge (thanks crows dude)
SANFL 22

FF:Cotton - T. Murray - Ludlowyke
HF:Marsh - Maley - Cook
C: Sholl - Dowling - Cummings
HB: Edwards - Nankervis - Jones
FB: Ryan - Borlase - Bond
R: McAndrew - Berry - Pedlar

Int: Welsh

 

[DJ75]

Best 23 Start of season (including Rankine)

Max M. Butts. Worrell.
Dawson. Keane. Milera.

Soligo. Curtin. Keays.

ANB. Walker. Achee.
Rachele. Fogarty. Thilthorpe.


ROB. Peatling. Rankine.

Laird. Draper. Nankervis. Cumming. Pedlar.

I thought we played better when we had Butts in the team over Murray. It allows Keane to just focus on intercepting.

Lots of flexibility. To my mind, we are a premiership capable team when Dawson can play halfback and isn't needed in the midfield. To get to that point, we need Curtin to develop and so might as well do it from round 1. If he struggles, or starts to look flat, then we can always change it up or manage his minutes.

Towards the end of the season, it might be either Walker or ROB that fall out of the side to provide us more running power come finals.

 

[DJ75]

B: Laird - Butts - Worrell
HB: Michalanney - Murray - Milera
C: Curtin - Soligo - Draper
HF: Ah Chee - Fogarty - Rachele
FF: ANB - Thrilthorpe - Walker
R: O’brien - Dawson - Rankine

Int: Keane - Taylor - Peatling - Keays

SANFL 22

FF:Cotton - T. Murray - Ludlowyke
HF:Marsh - Maley - Cook
C: Sholl - Dowling - Cummings
HB: Edwards - Nankervis - Jones
FB: Ryan - Borlase - Bond
R: McAndrew - Berry - Pedlar

Int:

Let's hope the top ups have a couple of small forward types, because that team is going to be in trouble once the ball hits the ground!

 

[Daniel6]

Let's hope the top ups have a couple of small forward types, because that team is going to be in trouble once the ball hits the ground!

That SANFL side doesn’t really have a key back. Nankervis is more a run off attacking type defender. He’s not a key defender

Poor list management that show plenty of gaps in our list.

• A speedy forward pocket
• A key developing defender
• A developing ruck

 

[crows dude]

B: Laird - Butts - Worrell
HB: Michalanney - Murray - Milera
C: Curtin - Soligo - Draper
HF: Ah Chee - Fogarty - Rachele
FF: ANB - Thrilthorpe - Walker
R: O’brien - Dawson - Rankine

Int: Keane - Taylor - Peatling - Keays

SANFL 22

FF:Cotton - T. Murray - Ludlowyke
HF:Marsh - Maley - Cook
C: Sholl - Dowling - Cummings
HB: Edwards - Nankervis - Jones
FB: Ryan - Borlase - Bond
R: McAndrew - Berry - Pedlar

Int:

Hinge????

 

[Daniel6]

Hinge????

Added and fixed. thanks

 

[Scorpus]

Couple of updates after the trade and draft period (ignoring that Rankine will be unavailable)

B Worrell - Murray - Milera
HB Michalanney - Keane - Cumming

R O'Brien - Dawson - Rankine
C Curtin - Peatling - Hinge

HF Rachele - Thilthorpe - Neal-Bullen
F Keays - Fogarty - Ah Chee

I Soligo - Draper - Laird - Pedlar - Marsh

 

[crows dude]

Added and fixed. thanks

No worries.

I was looking and thinking the numbers are out by 1. Who are you missing. Then saw no hinge.

 

[1970crow]

Probably just the 23 we had for finals with Ah Chee replacing Smith. Rankine when he returns pushes out one of Berry/Taylor, while Draper may push out the other.

I don't think there'll be much change. I see 4 distinct groups of players that are likely to get a game when injuries or suspension occur.

18 Locks - TT, Fog, ANB, Rachele, Keays, ROB, Dawson, Rankine, Ah Chee, Curtin, Cumming, Laird, Max, Keane, Milera, Peatling, Worrell & Soligo

3 that wouldn't want too many weeks of bad form - Hinge, Murray & Berry

3 originally in the mix for final 2 spots - Draper, Pedlar, Taylor

Next up - Marsh, Edwards, Dowling, Bond

Barring a bad run of injuries, I wouldn't think we'd consider anyone outside of that 28, except McAndrew if ROB goes down.

 

[jackster83]

I don't think there'll be much change. I see 4 distinct groups of players that are likely to get a game when injuries or suspension occur.

18 Locks - TT, Fog, ANB, Rachele, Keays, ROB, Dawson, Rankine, Ah Chee, Curtin, Cumming, Laird, Max, Keane, Milera, Peatling, Worrell & Soligo

3 that wouldn't want too many weeks of bad form - Hinge, Murray & Berry

3 originally in the mix for final 2 spots - Draper, Pedlar, Taylor

Next up - Marsh, Edwards, Dowling, Bond

Barring a bad run of injuries, I wouldn't think we'd consider anyone outside of that 28, except McAndrew if ROB goes down.

You can put Tex in the "locks" group too.

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

I don't think there'll be much change. I see 4 distinct groups of players that are likely to get a game when injuries or suspension occur.

18 Locks - TT, Fog, ANB, Rachele, Keays, ROB, Dawson, Rankine, Ah Chee, Curtin, Cumming, Laird, Max, Keane, Milera, Peatling, Worrell & Soligo

3 that wouldn't want too many weeks of bad form - Hinge, Murray & Berry

3 originally in the mix for final 2 spots - Draper, Pedlar, Taylor

Next up - Marsh, Edwards, Dowling, Bond

Barring a bad run of injuries, I wouldn't think we'd consider anyone outside of that 28, except McAndrew if ROB goes down.

No way I would have Cumming and Milera as locks

 

[Coopers]

No way I would have Cumming and Milera as locks

Noone in that list of players is being picked ahead of them.