Banter FOOTY Banter! - Who will be better in 2026? Carlton or Collingwood Part 8

[sr36]

Serong is a very good player but I'm taking the other two ahead of him. They are far harder to stop imo and do more damage around the ground. Strong great at what he does but the others have more to their games

I love Serong.

At their peak you'd take Neale and Cripps over Serong, but Neale and Cripps probably are past their peak and Serong is still approaching his.

Rowell is the other one in the conversation - even more unbelievable around stoppage than those other 3, and last year he added to it with break away power and spread from stoppage. He's the best insider at the moment, Serong would be my second choice.

 

[Fadge]

Ah yes logical and rational. Like using Brownlow odds as evidence of who will be better next year

The original assertion was prior to any reference to betting odds.

The probabilities determined by those who do it professionally merely supports my assertion.

But you guys have got 'blind hope'.

 

[Fadge]

I love Serong.

At their peak you'd take Neale and Cripps over Serong, but Neale and Cripps probably are past their peak and Serong is still approaching his.

Rowell is the other one in the conversation - even more unbelievable around stoppage than those other 3, and last year he added to it with break away power and spread from stoppage. He's the best insider at the moment, Serong would be my second choice.

I agree with this, but Rowell doesn't have the runs on the board of the other 6 to have been CLEARLY ahead of Newcombe since 2023.

 

[Robertio]

I agree with this, but Rowell doesn't have the runs on the board of the other 6 to have been CLEARLY ahead of Newcombe since 2023.

You're picking a team now who do you take Newcombe or Rowell?

 

[sr36]

I agree with this, but Rowell doesn't have the runs on the board of the other 6 to have been CLEARLY ahead of Newcombe since 2023.

Absolutely. Before 2025, Rowell was an inside role player, but he's added that power out of stoppage and spread to get involved after stoppage and now - what a ****ing player. But over 3 years it's one wow year and 2 very good role player years.

 

[sr36]

You're picking a team now who do you take Newcombe or Rowell?

If it was an international sport, Australias starting 18 in the centre square would be Gawn, Rowell, Daicos and Dunkley/Atkins.

 

[Fadge]

You're picking a team now who do you take Newcombe or Rowell?

Rowell.

But that is a very different question to 'Who have been the best performed players over the past 3 seasons'.

 

[Fadge]

If it was an international sport, Australias starting 18 in the centre square would be Gawn, Rowell, Daicos and Dunkley/Atkins.

I'd have Bont in the centre square and let the opposition worry about us.

But definitely Dunkley on the bench.

Amazingly - that's 3 of the 4 bench players in the 2025 AA team, the 4th being Serong!

 

[sr36]

I'd have Bont in the centre square and let the opposition worry about us.

But definitely Dunkley on the bench.

You're right. Bont as sweeper would be awesome.

 

[Fadge]

Hey sr36 - guess who the three faves are for the 2026 Brownlow?

Our starting on-ballers in our Australian International team!

But I guess that's just nuffy bookmakers fleecing desperate addicted gamblers....

 

[Fadge]

Should we ask the Carlton folk who their three starting on-ballers would be in their Australian International team?

Nah, we don't need to.

Obviously they would be Cripps, Walsh and Hewett, with Cerra the first change.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Noah Anderson

15

Noah Anderson

Age

25

Ht

192cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

4star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

vs Jai Spudcombe

2023-2025

2023
BNF: 1st v 2nd
Brownlow: 22 vs 18
AFLCA: 76 vs 63
AA Squad vs AA Squad

2024
BNF: 5th vs 1st
Brownlow: 14 vs 24
AFLCA: 68 vs 69
AA Squad vs Nothing

2025
BNF: 2nd vs 4th
Brownlow: 25 vs 17
AFLCA: 103 vs 44
AA Team vs Nothing

Totals
BNFs: 1 vs 1
Brownlow: 61 vs 59
AFLCA: 247 vs 176
3 AA Squads vs 1 AA Squad
1 AA Team vs 0 AA Team
1 AFLCA vs 0 AFLCA

Would love to know how exactly Noah Anderson

15

Noah Anderson

Age

25

Ht

192cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

4star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

hasn't CLEARLY outperformed Newcombe here too...

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Tbh just looks like another case of Fudge being completely full of crap and not having a clue about the game

 

[carlton_99]

Tbh just looks like another case of Fudge being completely full of crap and not having a clue about the game

No but they speak for EVERYONE remember.

 

[sr36]

Hey sr36 - guess who the three faves are for the 2026 Brownlow?

Our starting on-ballers in our Australian International team!

But I guess that's just nuffy bookmakers fleecing desperate addicted gamblers....

With Heeney starting forward pocket and chopping them out on ball. Where's he in the betting?

And Butters on the bench as the other midfielder. He'd be up there in the betting too, wouldn't he?

 

[Fadge]

Noah Anderson vs Jai Spudcombe

2023-2025

2023
BNF: 1st v 2nd
Brownlow: 22 vs 18
AFLCA: 76 vs 63
AA Squad vs AA Squad

2024
BNF: 5th vs 1st
Brownlow: 14 vs 24
AFLCA: 68 vs 69
AA Squad vs Nothing

2025
BNF: 2nd vs 4th
Brownlow: 25 vs 17
AFLCA: 103 vs 44
AA Team vs Nothing

Totals
BNFs: 1 vs 1
Brownlow: 61 vs 59
AFLCA: 247 vs 176
3 AA Squads vs 1 AA Squad
1 AA Team vs 0 AA Team
1 AFLCA vs 0 AFLCA

Would love to know how exactly Noah Anderson hasn't CLEARLY outperformed Newcombe here too...

Ooh, nice work, you've found one. It only took you an hour and a half.

But probably a gap between the top 6 and Anderson, who just meets the threshold of being CLEARLY better.

So that makes it 7.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Should we ask the Carlton folk who their three starting on-ballers would be in their Australian International team?

Nah, we don't need to.

Obviously they would be Cripps, Walsh and Hewett, with Cerra the first change.

Or Brayshaw ffs

Geez these guys are dumb

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Ooh, nice work, you've found one. It only took you an hour and a half.

But probably a gap between the top 6 and Anderson, who just meets the threshold of being CLEARLY better.

So that makes it 7.

Took me about 5 minutes actually, tipping the others wouldn't take too much longer and will all come up with the same result.

But that's hardly a surprise given how absurd the original statement of Newcombe being a top 7 midfielder in the comp over the last 3 seasons was

 

[Fadge]

Took me about 5 minutes actually, tipping the others wouldn't take too much longer and will all come up with the same result.

Looking forward to it.

So far, if you refuse to regard Newcombe as an A Grade Midfielder, you have 7 A Grade Midfielders across the whole competition.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Looking forward to it.

So far, if you refuse to regard Newcombe as an A Grade Midfielder, you have 7 A Grade Midfielders across the whole competition.

Newcombe has never performed at an A grade level across a season, so he's a B grader.

 

[carlton_99]

Or Brayshaw ffs

Geez these guys are dumb

So you don't rate Brayshaw highly? One of the best two way players in the game? Must be too low on the Brownlow betting ranks I guess!

 

[carlton_99]

Looking forward to it.

So far, if you refuse to regard Newcombe as an A Grade Midfielder, you have 7 A Grade Midfielders across the whole competition.

Or and this may be crazy but your opinion may not be the opinion of others. And there may actually be more than 7 ahead of Newcombe...

 

[Fadge]

Or and this may be crazy but your opinion may not be the opinion of others. And there may actually be more than 7 ahead of Newcombe...

Cool.

Let's see them.

 

[carlton_99]

Cool.

Let's see them.

Dawson, Neale, Dunkley, Cripps, Daicos, Merrett, Brayshaw, Serong, Petracca, Butters, Gulden, Heeney, Bontempelli, and Liberatore are just some off the top of my head.

That's not even including Rowell/Anderson/Green/Day/Warner/McLuggage + a few others who I could make strong arguments for.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Newcombe
BNFs: 2nd, 1st, 4th
Brownlow: 18, 24, 17 = 59 total
AFLCA: 63 ,69, 44 = 176 total
0 AA Teams

Rowell
BnF: 3rd, 4th, 1st
Brownlow: 12, 25, 39 = 76 total
AFLCA: 57, 70, 97 = 224 total
AA Team 2025

McCluggage
BnF: 3rd, 4th, 2nd
Brownlow: 3, 12, 21 = 36 total
AFLCA: 36, 77, 97 = 210 total
AA Team 2025

Dawson
BnF: 1st, 1st, 1st
Brownlow: 20, 18, 27 = 65 total
AFLCA: 74, 59, 90 = 223 total
AA Team 2023, 2025

Merrett
BnF: 1st, 1st, 1st
Brownlow: 17, 18, 14 = 49 total
AFLCA: 76, 80, 51 = 207 total
AA Team 2023

Gulden
BnF: 1st, 2nd, ???
Brownlow: 27, 25, 6 = 58 total
AFLCA: 90, 90, 10 = 190 total
AA Team 2023, 2024

So... Outside of McCluggage pretty much the only one that didn't easily outperform Newcombe is Gulden, and that's only because he had more than half his season wiped out by injury in 2025...