Prediction Best 23 - 2026 edition

[EagleMan87]

Yep. Been discussing this with my mates a lot this off-season. Problem is our bigger achilles' is our midfield and key defensive roles. But yes, Champion and TWilliams will be in their second and first years at the highest level respectively. Hopefully Owies has a cracking season on the back of a very mediocre first year at the club.

Honestly, when was the last time a player came to us and hit the ground running? Even Reddog and Jetta took at least a year to settle in.

 

[garlic munchers]

Honestly, when was the last time a player came to us and hit the ground running? Even Reddog and Jetta took at least a year to settle in.

Judd?

I know, I know....

Ross Glendenning?

 

[ronpingwins]

Honestly, when was the last time a player came to us and hit the ground running? Even Reddog and Jetta took at least a year to settle in.

Uh, Baker won the B&F. Exception though

 

[EagleMan87]

Uh, Baker won the B&F. Exception though

Shit, how'd I forget that...

 

[BSD]

We can probably adjust this for what id say are training patterns. So far it seems

• Baker will play defense
• Yeo will play midfield
• Hutchison will continue to play midfield
• Maric will go back to defense
• Archer as a full time ruck
• McCarthy as full time midfielder

I then think all of this

• rules Duursma and Allan out of defense
• rules Kelly out of the full time midfield spot.
• Puts Duggan into a more Mr Fix it role as opposed to Baker who did it last year

So with the changes in mind ill go with

FB: Hough, H.Edwards, Ginbey
HB: Starcevich, Young, Baker
C: Duursma, Yeo, Allan
HF: Davis, Waterman, Cripps
FF: CDT, Shanahan, Brockman
R: B.Williams. Reid, McCarthy
I/C: Duggan, Graham, Maric, Hewett, Kelly
EMG: Hutchinson, A.Reid, Hall, Dev, Gross

You have said Archer will be a full time ruck and you haven't even got him in your team, Jack Williams and Archer will share the back up ruck role, Dev will be in the team before the likes of Kelly, Allan and Davis as will Josh Lindsay.

 

[Obeanie1]

Ooh yeah. Just like the good old days when we were playing Cox, Naitanui and Lycett in the same side.

No more sub and a 5th bench spot is one difference.

Will be interesting which clubs got tall and who goes fast.

And who plays a utility.

Likely a week to week proposition depending on opposition. Something new for the media to over analyse.

 

[Obeanie1]

Duggan H.Edwards Hough
Starcevich Ginbey Baker
Duursma Kelly Graham
Cripps Shanahan Gross
J.Williams Waterman Champion
Flynn Yeo H.Reid
McCarthy Hewett Dewar Maric Bazzo
EME: Robertson Macrae Hall Brockman

Playing for the careers
Cripps (likely to retire)
Cole
Long
Johnston

Develop in the WAFL
A.Reid
B.Allan
Duff-Tytler
Lindsay
S.Allen
Grego

2026 make or break
Barnett
Bazzo
Brock (contracted to '27)
Brockman
Flynn
Maric (trade bait)
Newton (R)
Owies (contracted to '27)
B.Williams (trade bait)
J. Williams

Nice post.

Duggan is under pressure to perform.
Kelly another.
Duursma straight onto the wing. Possible with a 5th bench player.

Feel Dev would be better at centre than Kelly. Dev blocks and defends, shovels it out to Harley , Hewett, Yeo or Kelly on the move. Dev shares that role with Graham.

We need a small forward to come good for sure. Champion or Tyler. Have alot to learn and grow. Brockman and Long will be the early preferences if fit IMO.

 

[mattyc75]

Nice post.

Duggan is under pressure to perform.
Kelly another.
Duursma straight onto the wing. Possible with a 5th bench player.

Feel Dev would be better at centre than Kelly. Dev blocks and defends, shovels it out to Harley , Hewett, Yeo or Kelly on the move. Dev shares that role with Graham.

We need a small forward to come good for sure. Champion or Tyler. Have alot to learn and grow. Brockman and Long will be the early preferences if fit IMO.

Newton will play before long, possibly brockman too especially seeing as brockman has had no influence in the forward line at all so he was moved into the midfield to try to get his hands on the ball

 

[Astro7]

Parking newbies aside, of our pre-existing list, and stating the obvious probably, reckon these players will go to the next level in 2026 - Harley, Hewett, Bo Allan and Gross.
There are others of course like Hough, McCarthy and Shanahan, but the above four should be the stand outs from last season.

There are many variables/flexibility at play in the best 23 mix, with more depth across the lines and now finally, real competition for spots.
2026 should provide a return to footy enjoyment again and no doubt throw up some great surprises.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Not really sure where to put this but the AFL site did a list age/experience chart. No surprises here (except for those folks who claim our list isn’t actually that young because once you’re 20 you’re a senior player).

Average age: 23.5 (18th oldest)
Average games: 54.1 (18th most experienced)

List analysis: Where your club ranks for age and experience

Who has the oldest list, who has the youngest, and which club has the most experience heading into 2026?

www.afl.com.au

 

[BSD]

Ginbey?

Duggan may just be exploring options at the end of this season.

Its getting more and more difficult to find him a spot.

One option he can explore is to try and join his mate Oscar at Brisbane.

 

[beatlesmith]

I think we’ll probably see something like this to start:

F: Owies, Waterman, Reid
HF: Brockman, Shanahan, Cripps
C: Maric, Reid, Duursma
HB: Baker, Young, McCarthy
B: Starcevich, Edwards, Ginbey

R: Flynn, Yeo, Graham
INT: Robertson, Hewett, Hough, Kelly, Duggan

Players in bold don’t or shouldn’t have nailed on spots.

Newton, Champion, Long and Williams will be in the mix for the small forward spots.

BWilliams, JWilliams and CDT competing for Reid’s spot.

Davis, Allan, Hutchinson, Dewar and Lindsay in the mix for the wing and bench midfield/HFF spots.

Brock and Bazzo competing for the CHB spot.

I wonder whether McCarthy makes the move to the wing, or Baker to the forward line - simply because medium defenders are our strongest and deepest position. This might also prompt us to prefer a shorter backline with Ginbey as the third tall and Maric as an emergency option.

My hope is that Cripps, Kelly and Duggan are phased out during the year and that a couple of Davis, Allan, Hutch, Maric and Dewar can really cement themselves as consistent contributors.

I’d give Owies a first shot at the forward pocket position with the hope that he had first-year blues, much as many of our successful recruits have had in the past. But I’d have no problem experimenting with youngsters if he doesn’t cut the mustard.

 

[Keys]

Not really sure where to put this but the AFL site did a list age/experience chart. No surprises here (except for those folks who claim our list isn’t actually that young because once you’re 20 you’re a senior player).

Average age: 23.5 (18th oldest)
Average games: 54.1 (18th most experienced)

List analysis: Where your club ranks for age and experience

Who has the oldest list, who has the youngest, and which club has the most experience heading into 2026?

www.afl.com.au

In order of least experienced to most (average age in brackets):

54.1 - West Coast (23.5)
57.7 - Essendon (23.6)
58.7 - Richmond (23.8)

63.9 - Gold Coast (24.1)
64.9 - Port Adelaide (24.4)
67.2 - Fremantle (24.3)

71.4 - Hawthorn (24.3)
72.0 - North Melbourne (24.1)
72.6 - Adelaide (24.7)
73.4 - Western Bulldogs (24.8)
74.4 - St Kilda (24.2)

77.0 - GWS (24.3)
79.0 - Melbourne (25.4)
79.3 - Carlton (24.9)

84.9 - Sydney (25.0)
88.6 - Brisbane (25.3)
89.3 - Geelong (25.3)

94.7 - Collingwood (25.6)

Melbourne and Carlton both in no mans land with old/experienced lists but in the bottom half of the ladder. Not a great spot to be with Tassie on the horizon albeit they both have good draft hands for 2026 courtesy of the Curnow and Petracca trades respectively

Collingwood are approaching a pretty steep cliff that can be justified if they can win a flag but the drop could be beautifully ugly