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Opinion Your 2026 R1 team

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Given our inside mid options are:

Cerra
Lord
Hewett
B Campo

…

I think we’ll see Crippa playing a lot more fwd in 26 as a KPF. He’s not getting any younger so he could well be our Danger type option in the fwd line, until at least we have Kemp back. Strong contested mark and leadership will help us in that role.
 
Ald Gardiner said:
Given our inside mid options are:

Cerra
Lord
Hewett
B Campo

…

I think we’ll see Crippa playing a lot more fwd in 26 as a KPF. He’s not getting any younger so he could well be our Danger type option in the fwd line, until at least we have Kemp back. Strong contested mark and leadership will help us in that role.
Click to expand...
I’d like to see this, however, I’d play him up across half forward and let him roam and not deep.
 

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Lachie Cowan - Jacob Weitering - Harry Dean
Nic Newman - Nick Haynes - Ollie Florent

Ollie hollands - George Hewett - Campbell Chesser
Marc Pittonet - Sam Walsh - Patrick Cripps

Ben Ainsworth - Harry McKay - Zac Williams
Ashton Moir - Brodie Kemp - Will Hayward

Adam Cerra - Adam Saad - Motlop - Jagga smith - McGovern .
 
If everyone was healthy, my team would be:

Locks
Weitering, Walsh, Cripps, Hayward, McKay

Kids
Chesser, Evans, Dean, Cowan, Smith, Carroll, Lord, Moir & HOK

Others
Ainsworth, Florent, Newman, Haynes, Pittonet, Cerra, Williams, Hewett, Hollands

Injured
Kemp & HOF

FB: Newman - Weitering - Haynes
HB: Cowan - Dean - Florent

C: Walsh - Cripps - Chesser
F: Pittonet - Smith - Lord

HF: Evans - McKay - Williams
FF: Moir - O'Keefe - Hayward

B: Hewett - Carroll - Cerra - Hollands -Ainsworth
 
Ald Gardiner said:
Given our inside mid options are:

Cerra
Lord
Hewett
B Campo

…

I think we’ll see Crippa playing a lot more fwd in 26 as a KPF. He’s not getting any younger so he could well be our Danger type option in the fwd line, until at least we have Kemp back. Strong contested mark and leadership will help us in that role.
Click to expand...
I agree that it would be ideal if Cripps could move forward. But his late growth spurt in the under 18s meant that he never developed there, and he doesn’t have the craft for it. So I am sceptical. But I don’t disagree that it would work out well if he could develop the skill set.
 
TENACIOUS said:
If everyone was healthy, my team would be:

Locks
Weitering, Walsh, Cripps, Hayward, McKay

Kids
Chesser, Evans, Dean, Cowan, Smith, Carroll, Lord, Moir & HOK

Others
Ainsworth, Florent, Newman, Haynes, Pittonet, Cerra, Williams, Hewett, Hollands

Injured
Kemp & HOF

FB: Newman - Weitering - Haynes
HB: Cowan - Dean - Florent

C: Walsh - Cripps - Chesser
F: Pittonet - Smith - Lord

HF: Evans - McKay - Williams
FF: Moir - O'Keefe - Hayward

B: Hewett - Carroll - Cerra - Hollands -Ainsworth
Click to expand...
Id Chuck Cripps in the HOK position. HOK in the pitto position and bring in another midfielder or runner like Flynn Ison Wilson or one of the campos even a Motlop.
 
It's a really hard thing to pick because I know that we have a lot of players who are up and coming and will take over but it's a matter of predicting when that will happen.


Newman Young Cowan
Saad Weitering Florent
Chesser Cripps Acres
Williams Moir Ainsworth
Hayward McKay O'Keeffe
Pittonet/Reidy Hewett Walsh
Smith Cerra Hollands Carroll Haynes

EM
Motlop McGovern Charleson Wilson Lord Evans Dean McGovern Byrne B Camporeale Cottrell

Missing
O'Farrell Kemp

I think we will see all the above names at times. I think Motlop is probably going to fit in there at some stage, Evans is very close to it and I see Byrne, if his endurance is good enough as being a real bolter.

Acres, Newman and Saad are our older statesmen. Eyes will be on them to see whether they still have it. Pressure increases when list spots get tighter and you're an older player. Wilson and Charleson are going to push hard for games in our defence this season, as will Dean who is physically developed really well and strong enough to play some AFL.

Chesser is our biggest question. Obvious one is that we have a bit of a hole on the wing so he fills it, however he could also fill a hole with our onball group lacking pace in there and also can play half forward and half back. Either way he is definite best 23.

Smith, he plays a multipositional role. Some wing, half forward, possibly half back and in the middle.

I think Cerra is under the pump if our other mids stay fit. He has to elevate. He finished last season poorly and was replaced by Lord who really gave a lot in the middle. Lord will push him and even Hewett this year. Ben Camporeale is also at some stage going to push our existing onballers. Ison and Walker next year will really put the heat on this group and this needs to happen, it's not up to it.

I really like the look of the side as a whole. The onball group lacks balance and some elite movement. Expect this to be addressed next draft/trade period. The forward line is a lot better. The backline is pretty solid. Young will be in a lock down role, we will try and free up Haynes and Weitering and Dean when he plays.

Best 23 round 23. This is more a hopeful side that some of our youth will take over from the older players. All the better for us though if our older players come out really strong and are just too good to move though.

Dean Weitering Cowan
Wilson O'Farrell Florent
Chesser Cripps Cerra
Williams Moir Ainsworth
Hayward McKay O'Keeffe
Reidy Hewett Walsh
Smith Lord Hollands Carroll Kemp
 
My Round 1 Team and then what the likely changes will be throughout the year

B: Saad, Weitering, Cowan
HB: Newman, Haynes, O Hollands
C: Chesser, Cripps, Florent
HF: Ainsworth, O'Keefe, Hayward
F: Moir, McKay, Williams

R: Pittonet, Walsh, Hewett

I: Carroll (D) , Motlop (F), Cerra (M), lord (M), Smith (F, M)

Changes throughout the Year
Backline: McGovern & Young will play some games depending on matchups, Dean will play a bit I hope, McGovern will be the likely one to give up games.
Newman will be a wise head we need back there

Wings: Suspect Florent plays on a wing. I expect Chesser and Blake Acres to be fighting over the wing role, Blake plays tall but sprays kicks, will be interesting

Midfield: expect Jagga to play some games and will replace Docherty games

Rucks: expect Hudson O’Keefe and Liam Reidy to be sharing the Ruck Forward role seeing as Charlie is gone. Can’t see us going sole ruck and forcing Harry to ruck too much.

Forwards: Ainsworth leads to Fogarty dropping games and maybe even Motlop. Hayward slots in and I suspect we play OKeefe or Reidy at times as a Forward/Ruck and Kemp may take a while to be ready.

Other Thoughts
We may give a few games to the Camporeales and or Ison and Byrne depending upon how the season goes

I am hoping we can lower our eyes going forward and now have more mid forwards as options (Hayward/Ainsworth) to change our goal distribution.

Biggest change I hope is better run through the middle via Jagga Smith, development of Lord and a fit Walsh
Also would hope that helps for transition defense
 

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Red_man2008 said:
Ainsworth Moir HOK even Cotterell and Ison on the bench.
Click to expand...
I'd be surprised if Ison played any senior games next year.
He'd have to leap-frog about 14 flankers/wings with senior bodies and experience + Jagga to be considered.

It would be an impressive debut.
 
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Seniors

B McGovern Weitering Saad
HB Cowan Haynes O Hollands
C Florent Cripps Acres
HF Ainsworth McKay Williams
F Hayward Moir O’Keeffe
R Pittonet Walsh Cerra
Int Hewett Smith Newman Lord Motlop

Reserves
B Boyd Phillips Wilson
HB Carroll Dean Charleson
C Cottrell B.Campo L.Campo
HF Chesser L Young Evans
F F.Young Kemp Byrne
R Reidy Fogarty Ison
Int Duffy Monahan White
 
Is it just me, but I barely have Cotts in our best 30 players.

Best 23 winger ? No. Better options Acres, Chesser, Hollands, L Campo, Carroll, Florent

Best 23 hff? No. Better options Ainsworth, Williams, Evans, Jagga, Moir, maybe even Ison

Above assumes Lij isn’t on the list, which is 50/50, if he is Cotts is really toast

I’ll be thrilled if he surprises me in 26, but so many have gone past him for our best 23.
 
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Going to take a slightly different approach.

Going to first guess at our game plan going into next year, then fill out a team to execute.

Our list turnover lost us Doc (start of the year), TDK, JSOS and Charlie from the best 22, with fringe players Fantasia, Cincotta, Durdin, Binns also gone. Harry Lemmey we will call depth, and we will put an asterix on E.Hollands and W.White's position.

We have gained Ainsworth, Florent, Hayward into the best 23 at least with possible additions in Chesser, Reidy, Dean.

The immediate reality is that we are shorter and more mobile as a list.

We cannot play two true key forwards reliably next year, so our forward structure should be based around one key, one mobile-hybrid tall, a resting ruck and smalls.

We still have one true defensive key and several hybrid talls (Haynes, Gov, Newman, Cowan).

In the mid, we still have a very strong contested ball group, but a less well established outside run group.

The gameplan of old, win it at the source and put it deep and try to create repeat entries won't work the same, and arguably wasn't working at all.

So instead we need to switch it up to a style that emphasizes our new strength in medium marking targets.

We should be stretching opposition defences and looking to force mismatches. Having Hayward and Moir and McKay stay well away from each others space will force their defenders out of positions were they can help and create more one on ones.

Out of the backline, we stick Weiters deepest as general, give Haynes the roaming intercept role and have other medium defenders take the most appropriate matchups.

On transition we need run and good use, particularly looking to centralize the ball so that we can most effectively stretch the defence. High half forwards, wings and aggressive halfbacks

So I will go with:

B: Newman Weitering Cowan
HB: O.Hollands Haynes Carroll
C: Chesser Cripps Florent
HF: Ainsworth Hayward Evans
F: Williams McKay O'Keefe

R: Pittonet, Cerra, Hewett

I/C: Smith, Lord, Moir, Walsh, Saad
 
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Backs: Newman, Weitering, Cowan
Half Backs: Saad, Haynes, Hollands
Mids: Acres, Cerra, Walsh
Half Forwards: Ainsworth, Kemp/McGovern, Evans
Forwards: Hayward, McKay, Williams
Rucks: Pitto, Cripps, Hewett
Int: Smith, Motlop. HOK, Moir

HOK and McKay can rotate as the backup ruck.
Kemp or McGovern can play that hybrid forward role.
Evans and Ainsworth are the high half forwards that hit the midfield rotations.
I would have a watch this space on Acres on the wing, Chesser/Hollands should be coming for that role as Acres has a shocking kick and worried his turnovers will hurt.
Motlop will really need to focus on defensive pressure otherwise he may see the ressies himself.
Worried we might be one forward too heavy, so Moir/Motlop/Williams might need to go and if Evans reverts back to his previous form, he could also be on the block.
 
I wont pick a team until we see who gets through training and preseason uninjured. But I will be disappointed if Saad, Acres and McGovern are in the round 1 team. They definitely wont be in my team. I'd rather we move on.
 
Ald Gardiner said:
Is it just me, but I barely have Cotts in our best 30 players.

Best 23 winger ? No. Better options Acres, Chesser, Hollands, L Campo, Carroll, Florent

Best 23 hff? No. Better options Ainsworth, Williams, Evans, Jagga, Moir, maybe even Ison

Above assumes Lij isn’t on the list, which is 50/50, if he is he’s toast

I’ll be thrilled if he surprises me in 26, but so many have gone past him for our best 23.
Click to expand...
Cotts defensive running is under rated. Covers for our mid lack of run
 
I think it's pretty silly doing this as pre-season starts, but something like

B: Newman, Weitering, Dean
HB: Cowan, Haynes, Florent
C: Hollands, Cripps, (Acres/Chesser)
HF: Cottrell, McKay, Ainsworth
F: Williams, Hayward, Evans

Foll: Pitto, Walsh, Cerra

I/C: Hewett, Jagga, Carroll, (HOK/Gov/L Young), (Moir/Lord/Motlop)
 
Have been reticent to do this, but have settled on a preferred line up for early season.

As per reports, I have left Kempy out of the top team purely with the assumption he will take time getting game ready, I would be very happy if he comes to hand quicker. Harry O’Farrell clearly will not be seen before the last month of the year.

I have included some projections and moved past a couple of staples. Clearly if these blokes reproduce something akin to their best, they will retain their spots. Pitto gets first “lick of the ice-cream” however, I am quite optomistic Reidy can somewhat emulate Meek and Cameron before him by elevating in his mid twenties.

B: N.Newman, J.Weitering, H.Dean
HB: L.Cowan, N.Haynes, O.Florent
C: J.Smith, P.Cripps, C.Chesser
Foll: M.Pittonet, G.Hewett, S.Walsh
HF: Z.Williams, H.O’Keeffe, B.Ainsworth
F: W.Hayward, H.McKay, A.Moir.
Int: O.Hollands, C.Lord, A.Cerra, F.Evans, M.Carroll.

Backing Frankie to continue end of season form. Ollie, Cooper and even Cez have a level of versatility and Carroll needs to be nurtured as a future staple post Newy, and Haynes.

Reserves

B: Boyd, L.Young, A.Saad
HB: Charleson, (O’Farrell), Wilson
C: Acres, B.Camporeale, L.Camporeale
Foll: Reidy, Ison, Fogarty
HF: Cottrell, McGovern, Byrne
F: Motlop, (Kemp), F.Young
Int: Duffy, Monahan,

While I regard O’Farrell and Kemp as top team “locks” when fit, listing like this suggests our need for talls may not be as great as some of us have thought. Duffy is KP size and Monahan very close, if they are ready to step up, our tall depth is stronger than perceived.
 

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goreds said:
B: Saad, Weitering, Newman
HB: Florent, Haynes, McGovern
C: Acres, Cripps, Chesser
HF: Ainsworth, O'Keefe, Hayward
F: Moir, McKay, Williams
R: Pittonet, Walsh, Hewett
I: Evans, Dean, Cerra, E.Hollands, Smith
E: Carroll, Lord, Cowan, O.Hollands

I'm about disposal with this team. No longer can we butcher the ball coming off HB.

McG and Acres must play to give us marking players. Newman, Chesser are ELITE by foot, Chesser ELITE across the ground (sorry O.Hollands but he's your upgrade). Moir, Williams, E.Hollands great/elite by foot.

O'Keefe is the wildcard.
Click to expand...
Really like the look of that list and you know what? I'm not missing Currnow at all! Just thinking. What about Jagga? Confident he will be a certain starter
 
Red_man2008 said:
There’s a few senior players that really shouldn’t be seeing any afl this season.
Acres
Fogarty
Cotterell
Boyd
McGovern
L.Young
Wilson
Monahan
Duffy

These nine are so close to being delisted. Arguably there’s about 7 wasted list spots in this group.
Click to expand...
Not the worst list of cloggers to be honest. Besides the Cat B rookies every single one of the players you listed possess at least one positive attribute to the playing group.

Acres - Size
Fogarty - Pressure & handballing
Cotters - Defensive running
Boyd - Kicking
McGovern - Speed
Young - Positional versatility
Wilson - Speed

We can call this the "special" group... for their specialist skills of course.
 

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Opinion Your 2026 R1 team

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