Best 23 for 2026

[Devil Fish]

Powell is tracking Cunnington. We saw ben dominate pre season hit outs for years and gradually get better at AFL level until his body was physically ready. Powell will go bang over the next 2 seasons its a matter of when. His best was very good its just the consistency he needs as we saw with cunners. Different types of mids of course

I honestly don't see many similarities between Powell & Cunnington.

Cunnington's ball use was absolute top shelf & he had no trouble finding the ball.

 

[Ichiro #51]

My preferred 23 for round 1 based on expected fitness and a view to maximize wins:

LMac - Comben - Pink
Hardeman - Logue - FOS

McKercher - Parker - Simpkin
Xerri - LDU - Sheezel

Konstanty - Larkey - Zurhaar
Curtis - Trembath - Dovaston

Int: Wardlaw, Powell, Darling, Stephens, Daniels

Notes

Backs: LMac probably the most controversial but I still think at this stage has a role to play due to actually being a decent 1on1 defender. Archer the guy to take over in time.

Mids: I think it’s time to have Kerch move to a more attacking role with stints in the middle too. Stephens as a capable interchange for either wing.

Parker remains a centre square mid for me. We need the hard edge and leadership. I expect Wardlaw to continue to be relatively low tog.

Forwards: Looks a lot more promising with Trembath and Dovaston. I would like to see both Larkey and Zurhaar push up to the wings as marking options- an area where we struggle.

Bench: Powell as a somewhat versatile hb/mid/hf option. I think Darling is a lock for the best 23 as a chop-out KPF and ruck. Daniels I would love to see replaced in time by either Goater or George.

 

[The Nostradamus]

My preferred 23 for round 1 based on expected fitness and a view to maximize wins:

LMac - Comben - Pink
Hardeman - Logue - FOS

McKercher - Parker - Simpkin
Xerri - LDU - Sheezel

Konstanty - Larkey - Zurhaar
Curtis - Trembath - Dovaston

Int: Wardlaw, Powell, Darling, Stephens, Daniels

Notes

Backs: LMac probably the most controversial but I still think at this stage has a role to play due to actually being a decent 1on1 defender. Archer the guy to take over in time.

Mids: I think it’s time to have Kerch move to a more attacking role with stints in the middle too. Stephens as a capable interchange for either wing.

Parker remains a centre square mid for me. We need the hard edge and leadership. I expect Wardlaw to continue to be relatively low tog.

Forwards: Looks a lot more promising with Trembath and Dovaston. I would like to see both Larkey and Zurhaar push up to the wings as marking options- an area where we struggle.

Bench: Powell as a somewhat versatile hb/mid/hf option. I think Darling is a lock for the best 23 as a chop-out KPF and ruck. Daniels I would love to see replaced in time by either Goater or George.

Pretty similar to mine

Just with archer in for pink
Duurs in for Daniel

 

[BrownPaperBag]

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

I think for the most part this looks likely . I don’t think Corr will be that close to the squad he’s cooked for all intents and purposes. I reckon they will give Spargo a spot can’t see them recruiting him then not playing him. Looking at that squad perhaps it would be at JKs expense, only other option would be Zane but I think they’ll give him a go.

Will be interesting to see when they pull the trigger on dov and threds

 

[Ichiro #51]

Pretty similar to mine

Just with archer in for pink
Duurs in for Daniel

I think there’s a real chance that Archer plays ahead of Pink against some teams who play a shorter forward line.

I’m hopeful we see the team evolve over the season but reckon we need guys like Archer, Goater, B George, and Duursma to get a good stint of injury-free footy in the twos under their belts first.

 

[zoomba23]

Powell is tracking Cunnington. We saw ben dominate pre season hit outs for years and gradually get better at AFL level until his body was physically ready. Powell will go bang over the next 2 seasons its a matter of when. His best was very good its just the consistency he needs as we saw with cunners. Different types of mids of course

I genuinely thought we weeded out these Kumbaya posters already.

No he won't. He has too many weaknesses. He is a weak tackler, doesn't win contested ball, is a bad defensive tracker, is not quick, and is a terrible, poorly composed kick when in congestion. The only situations he's useful in are when he receives the ball inside 50 and when he receives the ball in quick transition, and the only 'when not if' question for him revolves around who boots him out of the midfield for good

 

[koshari]

I honestly don't see many similarities between Powell & Cunnington.

Cunnington's ball use was absolute top shelf & he had no trouble finding the ball.

cunnington completely destroyed godees one day i remember, they got a nice lead and threatened to break the streak, then ben 10 went into beast mode. the rest is history as they say.

cant see powell ever having a presence like that.

 

[Krakouer Bonar]

B: Archer, Logue, Pink
HB: Hardeman, Comben, O'Sullivan
C: Simpkin, LDU, Sheezel
HF: Curtis, Darling, Spargo
F: Trembath, Larkey, Dovaston
Foll: Xerri, McKercher, Wardlaw
Int: McDonald, Stephens, Zurhaar, Powell, Daniel

 

[BrownPaperBag]

B: Archer, Logue, Pink
HB: Hardeman, Comben, O'Sullivan
C: Simpkin, LDU, Sheezel
HF: Curtis, Darling, Spargo
F: Trembath, Larkey, Dovaston
Foll: Xerri, McKercher, Wardlaw
Int: McDonald, Stephens, Zurhaar, Powell, Daniel

I’d swap McK and sheez

 

[winalotroos]

This is based on the assumption they are match fit.

B, Goater, Logue, Pink
HB, Hardeman, Comben, O’Sullivan
C, Stephen’s, LDU, McKercher
HF, Curtis, Larkey, Zurhaar
F, Dovaston, Trembath, Banch
Foll, Xerri, Sheezel, Wardlaw
Int, Parker, Archer, Powell, Simpkin, Corr/Konstanty.

 

[the big lebowski]

This is based on the assumption they are match fit.

B, Goater, Logue, Pink
HB, Hardeman, Camden, O’Sullivan
C, Stephen’s, LDU, McKercher
HF, Curtis, Larkey, Zurhaar
F, Dovaston, Trembath, Banch
Foll, Xerri, Sheezel, Wardlaw
Int, Parker, Archer, Powell, Simpkin, Corr/Konstanty.

Camden? That’s a new one

 

[Sheezel2Wardlaw]

Archer Logue Lmac
Fos Chom Hardeman
Simpkin Powell Stephens
Spargo Trembath Curtis
Dovastan Larkey Zurhaar
X LDU Sheezel
Colby Parker Wardlaw Goater Darling

 

[Gotta_Bea_Hero]

My team for Round 1:

McDonald. Pink. Logue
FOS. Comben. Hardeman

I’d start with McDonald as Archer has missed a lot of footy. He can be eased back into it via the VFL. The others pick themselves at this stage.

Simpkin. LDU. McKercher
Xerri Wardlaw. Sheezel

Pretty much standard across most teams.

Duursma. Larkey. Spargo
Zurhaar. Trembath. Curtis

I’d be giving Zane every opportunity to shine if he has a good pre season and we recruited Spargo to play in the firsts.

I/C: Powell, Stephens, Parker, Darling, Dovaston

Have faith in the younger guys and have the older ones coming off the bench to pinch hit, ease Dovaston into the big league. Powell & Stephens are the staples.


If this is our team come round 24 we’re in trouble!!

 

[backtothedraft]

These are the players I think are locked in for a spot round 1, with every other spot up for grabs.

B: ……., ……., …….
HB: McKercher, Comben, …….
C: O’Sullivan, Wardlaw, Simpkin
HF: Zurhaar, Trembath, ……
FF: …….., Larkey, Curtis
FOL: Xerri, Davies-Uniacke, Sheezel

Parker, Powell, ……., ……., …….

It will be interesting to see how we choose to structure the bench and if we play a third forward/ruck. I’d probably have Powell, Parker and Simpkins status as locked in most in question.
I think the most competitive spots in the side are:

Key Defender: Logue, W.Dawson, Pink, Corr

Small/Medium Defender: McDonald Hardeman, Archer, Goater, Daniel

Small/Half forward: Spargo, Dovaston, Konstany, Banch, Duursma

Here’s how I think it could play out though I’d probably pick the side differently myself

B: McDonald, Pink, Logue
HB: McKercher, Comben, Hardeman
C: O’Sullivan, Wardlaw, Simpkin
HF: Zurhaar, Trembath, Spargo
FF: Dovaston, Larkey, Curtis
FOL: Xerri, Davies-Uniacke, Sheezel

I: Parker, Powell, Stephens, Daniel, Darling

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Powell is tracking Cunnington. We saw ben dominate pre season hit outs for years and gradually get better at AFL level until his body was physically ready. Powell will go bang over the next 2 seasons its a matter of when. His best was very good its just the consistency he needs as we saw with cunners. Different types of mids of course

FFS!

 

[the big lebowski]

Darling is an interesting watch. He’s heart and soul (despite only being here a year), but with Trembath he’s now not a guaranteed pick.

Especially if we want to have 2 high pressure small forwards running around.

He does provide a chop out in the ruck, which doesn’t have an obvious replacement.

But I think, if we are playing Logue and Pink, Chom could be that guy for 5 mins a qrt.

 

[Gone north]

B: McDonald, Logue, Archer

HB:Goater, Comben, Hardeman

C: O’Sullivan, Wardlaw, McKercher

HF: Zurhaar, Trembath, sheezel

FF: Dovaston, Larkey, Curtis

FOL: Xerri, Davies-Uniacke, Powell



I: Parker, Simpkin, Dawson, Duursma, Konstanty

 

[danj]

All these line ups really highlight our backline deficiencies, LMac?? Logue??? (Is he still carrying a keg?) someone even mentioned CorrWTF.

Are there more opportunities to recruit players before the mid season draft? Clearly we have to get in a key defender with size and skill, preferably two.

Our best hope at this stage is (as others have said) that our midfield can learn to run both ways and defend otherwise all the fire power up forward will count for naught if we bleed like we have done over the past 5-6 seasons

 

[zoomba23]

All these line ups really highlight our backline deficiencies, LMac?? Logue??? (Is he still carrying a keg?) someone even mentioned CorrWTF.

Are there more opportunities to recruit players before the mid season draft? Clearly we have to get in a key defender with size and skill, preferably two.

Our best hope at this stage is (as others have said) that our midfield can learn to run both ways and defend otherwise all the fire power up forward will count for naught if we bleed like we have done over the past 5-6 seasons

Logue's improved condition is well documented, LMac still seems to be copping shit for stuff he did from 2021-2024 rather than last year. Corr is a wtf though, I agree

 

[BrownPaperBag]

B: McDonald, Logue, Archer

HB:Goater, Comben, Hardeman

C: O’Sullivan, Wardlaw, McKercher

HF: Zurhaar, Trembath, sheezel

FF: Dovaston, Larkey, Curtis

FOL: Xerri, Davies-Uniacke, Powell



I: Parker, Simpkin, Dawson, Duursma, Konstanty

I like this but swap konstanty with darling for now

 

[RooInNorthLondon]

I don’t feel I get to watch enough of our complete games or have the benefit of seeing the guys train to really nominate a team with any insight. I just want to say I do think we should listen carefully to what is being said by our staff. I don’t think guys who cannot or will not do the hard yards defensively and to support transition into attack will be getting many starts unless they substantially lift their effort. Zurhaar springs immediately to my mind as one who needs to get the message.

 

[nicko74]

B: McDonald, Logue, Archer

HB: Goater, Comben, Hardeman

C: Simpkin, Wardlaw, McKercher

HF: Zurhaar, Trembath, sheezel

FF: Dovaston, Larkey, Curtis

FOL: Xerri, Davies-Uniacke, Powell



I: Parker, FOS, Dawson, Duursma, Spargo

 

[Chip Scab1]

That backline looks very very sketchy:

Archer coming off a year off
Dawson still a baby
Comben good interceptor but no good 1 on 1.
FOS - tick - not sure how good 1 on 1 he is though.
Logue has been **** on a bull
Daniel - zero defensive attributes.

How anyone can look at our list and place Daniel in the back half (when we can't defend) is beyond me.

That and slow, short, can't kick 40m Jy Simpkin on a wing, it's ridiculous. And then Dyldo Baggins on a wing, another slow squib of squibs.

How we can possibly improve with these 3 deadset-clowns squib cowards is beyond me. I get other teams fans doing it, I don't understand how anyone who supports Norf could want this. They should all be shot out of a cannon.

 

[JZTIME!]

cunnington completely destroyed godees one day i remember, they got a nice lead and threatened to break the streak, then ben 10 went into beast mode. the rest is history as they say.

cant see powell ever having a presence like that.

They are not the same player at all. I was merely stating that it took ben until 24 years of age until his body was developed enough to allow him to do what he did in match sims and the VFL. Powell is similar in that he dominates match sim and lower grades. He played some very good games last year. I'm not sleeping on what he will provide given the focus on LDU and Sheez.

 

[JZTIME!]

FFS!

They are not the same player at all. I was merely stating that it took ben until 24 years of age until his body was developed enough to allow him to do what he did in match sims and the VFL. Powell is similar in that he dominates match sim and lower grades. He played some very good games last year. I'm not sleeping on what he will provide given the focus on LDU and Sheez.
I'm happy to put my hand up if he doesn't go to the 25-30 possession per game group this season.