Prediction Best 23 - 2026 edition

[Eastern Rangers]

Hope he continues, but smart oppo turn him inside out.

Rd 1 could be interesting:

Except King didn't kick six against Harry and the problems in the game v Gold Coast were getting slaughter at the source.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Having a crack with prefered positional output
Hough Edwards Duggo
Baker Young Ginbey
Macca Yeo Dursuuma
Hewett Shanahan Graham
Cripps Waterman Dewar
Flynn Reid Dev
A Reid, CDT, Starch, Bo Allen Hutch

Could use a crumbing option or two and more midfield help

Forward half smalls aren't it. Not dangerous enough, not enough closing speed.

Too many natural backs pushing between the archs and not enough competent forwards pushing up between the archs.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Would be a little surprised if Dev doesn't line up rd 1 - we're crying out for that defensively minded mid who can get first touch and release

He'll play, another mid to get sucked into the contests and what will be disappointing is he won't displace Graham.

 

[jdisc]

Forward half smalls aren't it. Not dangerous enough, not enough closing speed.

Too many natural backs pushing between the archs and not enough competent forwards pushing up between the archs.

Noah Long has dropped off the radar a bit but hopefully he can re-capture some of his early career form

 

[Cuzz09]

This was very embarrassing for HEdwards and to be fair to him the rest of the season he was very competitive and did a reasonable job considering the i50 numbers for oppo

 

[Cuzz09]

I think Longs best chance to play is to become a ruckman

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Not sure we need to reopen the book on Harry Edwards. KPD1 on a one-win team and did more than admirably. Set and forget B23 for a few years.

Full backs will have some goals kicked on them or have their head sat on from time to time. Is what it is.

 

[Monsterdarlz]

Forward half smalls aren't it. Not dangerous enough, not enough closing speed.

Too many natural backs pushing between the archs and not enough competent forwards pushing up between the archs.

Not much in reserve at wafl level a veey green champion and Williams. Definetly an over abundance on althetic third back anr hbf types

 

[WCE777]

Forward half smalls aren't it. Not dangerous enough, not enough closing speed.

Too many natural backs pushing between the archs and not enough competent forwards pushing up between the archs.

Agree, this is why I see Baker playing HF role.
Newton & Gross have the potential to take another spot in the forward line, whether thats the SF/HF roles as no one sems to be taking that role and Cripps is still our best at the end of his career.
Brockman needs to take 1 of those spots or he will be depth or delisted.

 

[Doashuey]

It is nice to see we could potentially fill our WAFL side with AFL listed players.
Obviously injuries will happen at some stage but be nice if we can get a good run at it this year.

Depending on how the young guns go in the preseason and availability, I would like to see the backline include the likes of Lindsay, Duursma and T-mac and exclude the likes of Cole Duggan and Baker (as good as he is competing down there, Id like him in the Foward line putting on front half pressure). I think that Mini's game plan relies heavily on fast and accurate counter attacking from back half turn overs so getting rid of the ball butchers and getting in some elite users will transform how we transition and enter the forward line.

 

[Astro7]

Really interested to see how Dev, Schoenberg and Macrae fit in. Reading their profiles, they all seem to have plenty of upside as midfielders, and early to mid 20's.
They seem to be written off as Wafl depth (which is needed).
But we have such a mix of midfielders (and others) now to experiment with this preseason and to take into season proper.
It bodes well, it's exciting, feeling bullish.

 

[WCEConnor23]

Really interested to see how Dev, Schoenberg and Macrae fit in. Reading their profiles, they all seem to have plenty of upside as midfielders, and early to mid 20's.
They seem to be written off as Wafl depth (which is needed).
But we have such a mix of midfielders (and others) now to experiment with this preseason and to take into season proper.
It bodes well, it's exciting, feeling bullish.

Agree. I'm quite bullish on Macrae, he possesses a few qualities we've been lacking in the middle for a while. He can find the pill, run all day, and has good skills.

 

[BSD]

Young will probably play I think you’re right, that just leaves even fewer spots for Lindsay, can’t see him being a regular until Duggan is phased out.

Hall was quite good the back end of last season.

Neither Duggan nor Hall have the foot skills that Lindsay has . He should be picked first before those 2 list cloggers.

 

[uptheWC]

Neither Duggan nor Hall have the foot skills that Lindsay has . He should be picked first before those 2 list cloggers.

Hall and Lindsay’s positions don’t overlap even one bit, stupid to compare.

Duggan will at least start the season ahead of Lindsay.

 

[BSD]

Hall and Lindsay’s positions don’t overlap even one bit, stupid to compare.

Duggan will at least start the season ahead of Lindsay.

Not stupid to compare , anything Hall can do Lindsay will do even better. Lindsay is a far better kick than Dump Kick Duggan even an idiot should be able to recognize that that is the main reason we drafted Lindsay. He will suit Minis game plan better than Duggan. With the influx of new recruits this year Hall will spend most of the year with the Beagles.

 

[FKASC]

Really interested to see how Dev, Schoenberg and Macrae fit in. Reading their profiles, they all seem to have plenty of upside as midfielders, and early to mid 20's.
They seem to be written off as Wafl depth (which is needed).
But we have such a mix of midfielders (and others) now to experiment with this preseason and to take into season proper.
It bodes well, it's exciting, feeling bullish.

Haven’t felt this bullish since preseason 2020

 

[bzparkes]

Not stupid to compare , anything Hall can do Lindsay will do even better. Lindsay is a far better kick than Dump Kick Duggan even an idiot should be able to recognize that that is the main reason we drafted Lindsay. He will suit Minis game plan better than Duggan. With the influx of new recruits this year Hall will spend most of the year with the Beagles.

Lindsay doesn't play midfield, so he's not kicking Hall out of there.

There's certainly an argument for replacing Duggan but let's not kid ourselves and think that'll actually happen next year. Coaches seem to love him.

Perhaps with a much better defence, Duggan can finally just go back to defending and not dump kicking, as there should be more time with the ball to dispose of it properly.

 

[FKASC]

If only our best trainers and senior players weren’t also slow and spudly

 

[Doashuey]

Not stupid to compare , anything Hall can do Lindsay will do even better.

It is stupid. Hall is an inside extractor, Lindsay is an outside flanker/wing with elite foot skills.
Completely different footballers who will play completely different roles. Lindsay would get bashed on the inside so Clay will definitely do that better- seems not any idiot can see that but.
Clay may play a lot of WAFL this year- but it will have nought to do with Lindsay being on the list.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

am curious to know why so many rate Young ahead of Brock

I have both in the side.

 

[WestCoast05]

Forward half smalls aren't it. Not dangerous enough, not enough closing speed.

I'm bullish on Champion - I think he's got the talent and makings.
Interested to see how his pre-season goes.

 

[fullbull]

Young and Brock will be the 2 KPDs we play.

I think HEdwards best chance to play is to become a ruckman

Of all the takes, all of them, this certainly is one of them…

 

[fullbull]

Not stupid to compare , anything Hall can do Lindsay will do even better. Lindsay is a far better kick than Dump Kick Duggan even an idiot should be able to recognize that that is the main reason we drafted Lindsay. He will suit Minis game plan better than Duggan. With the influx of new recruits this year Hall will spend most of the year with the Beagles.

Yeah, it kinda is. It’s like arguing that Hewett is competing with Ginbey for a spot. Lindsay I think will be a far superior player for us, I’m super bullish on him. But Hall is competing with the likes of Hewett, Graham, Dev Rob, Gross etc for a spot. Lindsay is competing with the half backs and wing options. I agree Hall probably won’t player a lot of seniors, but it won’t be because of Lindsay. Lindsay is pushing out Duggan, Cole and maybe someone like a Maric or Dewar.

 

[BSD]

It is stupid. Hall is an inside extractor, Lindsay is an outside flanker/wing with elite foot skills.
Completely different footballers who will play completely different roles. Lindsay would get bashed on the inside so Clay will definitely do that better- seems not any idiot can see that but.
Clay may play a lot of WAFL this year- but it will have nought to do with Lindsay being on the list.

Hall didn't do much inside extracting in my opinion going by the awful team stats. He would be a good candidate for the rookie list next year if he doesn't "Extract " his finger.

 

[bzparkes]

Hall didn't do much inside extracting in my opinion going by the awful team stats. He would be a good candidate for the rookie list next year if he doesn't "Extract " his finger.

That's 'cos he was played on a wing for half the season, for some reason.

His game vs Brisbane early in the year shows what he's capable of as a pure extractor.

They're probably trying to develop his versatility whilst not having him too beat up but he also needed to improve his tank as he was gassed halfway through games. His MAS result was encouraging upon return, finishing 2nd, so I look forward to what he can achieve this year.