Opinion Your 2026 R1 team

[SurreyBlue]

If McGovern plays back again, Voss has learnt nothing.

 

[haveago]

Jagga straight into midfield/wing rotations

Gov still best 22 imo....Come at me

Not writing off Blacres.

Florent not sure about but hopeful. Will have to earn a spot IMO.

Newy back is bloody brilliant.

Love the look of Taylor Byrne.... A small forward that can take a grab, GOLD.
Could be a real smoky. Will put pressure on Jessie.

Hoping Reidy is an upgrade on Pitto?

Wii young Dean be race ready? The mail is he is so straight in.

Lij.......I think he will pull his head in and become a very good player.
Fingers crossed he does and gets that spot.

Newy Weiters Dean

Ollie Gov Haynes

Blacres Cerra Jagga

Lij Hayward Moir

Williams Harry Evans (if he plays like last few games)

Reidy Crippa Walsh

Saad, Lord, Cowan, Hewy, Jessie

Emerg Byrne, Cotters, Pitto

 

[GoBlues!]

Newy Weiters Dean

Ollie Gov Haynes

Blacres Cerra Jagga

Lij Hayward Moir

Williams Harry Evans (if he plays like last few games)

Reidy Crippa Walsh

Saad, Lord, Cowan, Hewy, Jessie

Emerg Byrne, Cotters, Pitto

I think Ainsworth and O’Keefe should be in the 23. Chesser and Florent would also be contenders for the team or at least the emergencies.

 

[GoBlues!]

If McGovern plays back again, Voss has learnt nothing.

Agree Surrey - with Weiters, Haynes, Newman, Cowan, Saady, Carroll and now Dean and Florent - you would expect there’s no need (apart from depth) for McGovern in the backline.

Throw him up forward until Kemp gets in. Who knows without CC McGovern could thrive as the second key banana up forward.

As far as McGoverns concerned, the backline should be:

 

[reubsblues]

Same with Pittonet in the Ruck and Acres on the wing

 

[swuzzlebubble]

 

[Revenant1995]

Haven't renewed membership for 2026 yet, so I'll give it a go.... drawn on an anniversary date, so who knows...

 

[Bluechip66]

I’m not sure how Evan’s seems to be a walk up start to our best team..
He was absolute bog average (which everyone agreed btw) until 2 games at the end against 2 bog average teams.
He’s an emergency at best. Nice to b proven wrong, but can’t see it.

 

[Bletch]

I’m not sure how Evan’s seems to be a walk up start to our best team..
He was absolute bog average (which everyone agreed btw) until 2 games at the end against 2 bog average teams.
He’s an emergency at best. Nice to b proven wrong, but can’t see it.

Would argue that the turnaround came in the round 20 match v Melbourne when he was ironed out by May. After missing the next week with concussion, he played the last four rounds, and was a pretty decent contributor in all.

 

[Crazyjoedevolamk11]

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

C: Ollie Hollands - Patrick Cripps - Campbell Chesser
Foll: Marc Pittonet - Sam Walsh - Zac Williams (lots of rotations)

HF: Ben Ainsworth - Hudson O'Keeffe (Kemp if fit) - Elijah Hollands (if gets a spot)
F: Ashton Moir - Harry McKay - Will Hayward

Int: Adam Cerra - Adam Saad - Jesse Motlop - Jagga Smith - Mitch McGovern

EMG - Hewitt, Cotters (if fit), Lord

Didn't Hewett just win our B&F & Cerra finish 3rd? All of this depth we seem to have on the list is really going to make selection tough and pressure on performance to hold your spot is just what we have craved for years!!

 

[Stamos]

I’m not sure how Evan’s seems to be a walk up start to our best team..
He was absolute bog average (which everyone agreed btw) until 2 games at the end against 2 bog average teams.
He’s an emergency at best. Nice to b proven wrong, but can’t see it.

Just going to ignore the month before the last 2 games?
He forced his way back into the team through VFL performances.
Was playing well against the Dees before getting KO’d.
Came back in and kicked 11 goals in the last 4 matches, playing with speed, nous and kicking ability.

When was the last time we had a small forward put together form like that?
I was a big sceptic of the Tank. Couldn’t understand why we picked him in the SSP, and thought he was a bust. But the footy that he played in the last month of the year means as of right now he’s got his hands on a spot in our best team.

 

[The Blue Weirdo]

Just going to ignore the month before the last 2 games?
He forced his way back into the team through VFL performances.
Was playing well against the Dees before getting KO’d.
Came back in and kicked 11 goals in the last 4 matches, playing with speed, nous and kicking ability.

When was the last time we had a small forward put together form like that?
I was a big sceptic of the Tank. Couldn’t understand why we picked him in the SSP, and thought he was a bust. But the footy that he played in the last month of the year means as of right now he’s got his hands on a spot in our best team.

Franks acheivements are still being down played by many here, while Mots, Moir, Elijah, Kemp, even Williams are treated like demigods in comparison.
Even Ainsworth and Hayward have proven nothing yet for Carlton.

Apart from Harry and Charlie, it would be fair to say that our entire forward line has set the bar pretty low in recent times.

I hope they all 'click' and evolve into a Brisbane-like multi faceted dangerous forward line, but no player deserves to be locked in.

 

[Soapy V]

I have no idea how Round One will line up. More importantly I want to see:

1. A mobile forward line with lots of options and a better spread of goal kickers
2. More connection between mid/fwd
3. More run and creativity from defence
4. Better mix and more options through middle. Need to stop reliance on just a few
5. A ruckman that just battles and creates space all day for our runners. A Witts/Nankervis type game each week would be perfect
6. Us playing fun and attacking football and a real connection between players
7. Names not considered jump up and become best 23 very quickly

 

[Soapy V]

If McGovern plays back again, Voss has learnt nothing.

Depends on availability

Everyone being fit then McGovern needs to be forward now. Question is is he then best 23? Has the ability

I really want to see Weitering, Dean, HOF become our core defence supported by runners. We need more run and creativity

As good as they have been I hope many of our youngers players start pushing Newman (33) & Saad (31) out. Means our youth are stepping up

 

[SurreyBlue]

Depends on availability

Everyone being fit then McGovern needs to be forward now. Question is is he then best 23? Has the ability

I really want to see Weitering, Dean, HOF become our core defence supported by runners. We need more run and creativity

As good as they have been I hope many of our youngers players start pushing Newman (33) & Saad (31) out. Means our youth are stepping up

McGovern can’t play KP and therefore should not be in the backline no matter.
I agree with everything else.

 

[Blue and Silver]

If Hewett, Florent, Hayward and Newman all play in Opening Round, then that will be the first time they have played together since the 2018 Elimination Final against GWS.

Playing against them that day was Zac Williams and Nick Haynes

26

Nick Haynes

Age

33

Ht

192cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.4

4star

K

11.4

4star

HB

4.9

4star

M

6.2

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

326.8

4star

D

17.4

4star

K

13.9

5star

HB

3.5

2star

M

8.0

5star

T

1.5

2star

MG

326.8

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.2

4star

 

[marcmurphy3]

Update 05/12/2025
B: Newman Weitering Haynes
HB: Florent Dean Saad
C: O.Hollands Cripps Acres
HF: E.Hollands O'Keefe Williams
F: Hayward McKay Ainsworth
OB: Pittonet Walsh Hewett
IC: Cowan Cerra Jagga Moir Evans

Unlucky: Lord, Chesser, Motlop, Wilson

More what I expect the team to be vs what I'd love it to be. If a few younger guys can push a few older ones out, that would be ideal. But realistically, in a contract year, I expect Voss to give the veterans 1st crack.

Lord I find most difficult to place. Definately deserves to be in our 23, but adds more of the same to our midfield, and we have better wing options. Im pretty confident he'll be there, just not sure where.

Kemp if fit probably gets the O'Keefe spot.

 

[teddy-hopkins]

As good as he was intercepting I'm not sure Haynes is a lock for R1. His kicking is still an issue - though it did improve throughout the year.

 

[Christou2Kouta]

Depends on availability

Everyone being fit then McGovern needs to be forward now. Question is is he then best 23? Has the ability

I really want to see Weitering, Dean, HOF become our core defence supported by runners. We need more run and creativity

As good as they have been I hope many of our youngers players start pushing Newman (33) & Saad (31) out. Means our youth are stepping up

Agreed. Not sure if the transition happens this year or next but:

• Gov -> Dean
• Saad -> Wilson
• Newman -> Carroll
• Haynes -> O’Farrell

These four to support Weitering, Cowan and Florent. Makes me feel like we’re well placed to transition to a more youthful team as soon as they’re ready.

 

[BlueJet]

If Cow is fit he plays, showed at the back end of last year he is the future and nothing will p1 ss young talent off more than yoyoing them in and out of the side.. Give him the spot and let him shine.

If he earns it, certainly. We've got to move away from giving players games just because they have some ability.

 

[haveago]

If he earns it, certainly. We've got to move away from giving players games just because they have some ability.

So, we should pick players without ability?

We have done more than enough of that in the last couple of decades......

Seriously though there is going to be very healthy competition for spots across all lines
and I fully expect Cow will crack a spot based upon his form from later last year, but he will certainly have to earn it.

 

[BlueJet]

So, we should players without ability?

We have done more than enough of that in the last couple of decades......

Seriously though there is going to be very healthy competition for spots across all lines
and I fully expect Cow will crack a spot based upon his form from later last year, but he will certainly have to earn it.

Lol.. no.
However, for clarifications sake, my response to someone stating that we should "give him a spot" was that he should earn it. (Hardly controversial)
The last couple of decades we've routinely given games & even added players to the leadership group based on being an early selection in the draft.
If they need to work on their game, send them down.
Make sense?

 

[sticks74]

B: Saad Weiters Newman
HB: Smith Dean Haynes
C: Walsh Crippa Acres
HF: Ainsworth Harry M Hayward
FF: Moir HOK Williams
Foll: Pitto Hewy Cerra
Int Florent Cow Chesser O Hollands Lord
Emerg McGovern Motlop Reidy Byrne

 

[HereComesJuddy]

B: Saad Weitering Carroll
HB: Florent Dean Wilson
C: Chesser Cripps OHollands
HF: Ainsworth Harry Smith
FF: Hayward HOK Williams
Foll: Reidy Walsh Cerra
Int Cowan Lord Hewett Moir Evans

Not so sure we would play a team like this but I really like it. So much run in all areas of the park and I think the spark of our youth will be infectious.

- Smith to play more forward than back with plenty of stints in the midfield.

- Moir to get amongst the mids with stints up forward.

- Cowan to play 50/50 midfield / back. Let’s put him around the ball more and watch him come of age.

Honourable mentions: Charleston, BCampo & Ison. Expect these guys to be there abouts. After a chat with a knowledgeable chap yesterday, I think we have some youth on our list ready and raring to go. I especially love our forward types of Hayward, Evans, Ainsworth, Moir, Williams and Jagga. A very nimble, mobile attack group we now have which will trouble plenty of backlines.

A team that’s full of players playing for the jumper is what I want to see in 2026. Quick, exciting, daring are all words I think our team in 2026 will be associated with

 

[Soapy V]

B: Saad Weitering Carroll
HB: Florent Dean Wilson
C: Chesser Cripps OHollands
HF: Ainsworth Harry Smith
FF: Hayward HOK Williams
Foll: Reidy Walsh Cerra
Int Cowan Lord Hewett Moir Evans

Wouldn't this be a change and fun to watch. Quickest side since the mosquito fleet.