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Prediction Breakout player for 2026

Which player will explode (in a good way) in 2026?

  • McGrath

  • Parish

  • Langford

  • Tsatas

  • Caldwell

  • Fiorini

  • Robey

  • Kako

  • Cox

  • Ridley

  • Sharp

  • Perkins

  • Hayes

  • Gerryn

  • Wright

  • Roberts

  • Durham

  • Jones

  • Bryan

  • May

  • Redman

  • Duursma

  • Caddy

  • Reid

  • McKay

  • Guelfi

  • Clarke

  • Johnson

  • Blakiston

  • El-Hawli

Results are only viewable after voting.

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We need Caddy to play 22 games and kick 50 goals.
We need him tracking like Matthew Lloyd did after his third year though he plays higher up the ground.
But what we need to see is green shoots to grow.
Players such as Kako, Clarke, Reid, Bryan, may, Z Johnson, Visentini, Tsatas, Unwin and El Hawli.
We need players such as Durham and Caldwell to become a grade midfielders.
We need better durability from McKay, Parish, Setterfield, Ridley and Langford.
Lastly we need a few surprise packets to emerge.
Can Dyson Sharp have a Joel Selwood first year?
Can Sullivan Robby show glimpses of Dustin Martin?
Can Jacob Farrow show signs to develop into an elite kick under pressure?
Can Jayden Nguyen establish himself as a tight defender?
Can Lachie Blakiston nullify good ruckman and hold the fought early in the year?
Can Archie Perkins display consistency and competitiveness in 100% of his game time?
Can Kayle Gerryn take Peter Wright’s spot which must surely be up for taking?
We have a lot of question marks but if Caddy, Caldwell, Durham, McKay, Reid and Ridley play 20 games each I think we can be in the battle for 7th to 10th.
 
Voted Kako, with reports of him having a blistering pre season, he seems very assured of himself, even in 2025 was confident.

Can see him going from the current 11.9 possession/0.7 goal a games to Tom Papley type numbers (15 possessions/0.9 goals a game)
 

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ydc55 said:
We need Caddy to play 22 games and kick 50 goals.
We need him tracking like Matthew Lloyd did after his third year though he plays higher up the ground.
But what we need to see is green shoots to grow.
Players such as Kako, Clarke, Reid, Bryan, may, Z Johnson, Visentini, Tsatas, Unwin and El Hawli.
We need players such as Durham and Caldwell to become a grade midfielders.
We need better durability from McKay, Parish, Setterfield, Ridley and Langford.
Lastly we need a few surprise packets to emerge.
Can Dyson Sharp have a Joel Selwood first year?
Can Sullivan Robby show glimpses of Dustin Martin?
Can Jacob Farrow show signs to develop into an elite kick under pressure?
Can Jayden Nguyen establish himself as a tight defender?
Can Lachie Blakiston nullify good ruckman and hold the fought early in the year?
Can Archie Perkins display consistency and competitiveness in 100% of his game time?
Can Kayle Gerryn take Peter Wright’s spot which must surely be up for taking?
We have a lot of question marks but if Caddy, Caldwell, Durham, McKay, Reid and Ridley play 20 games each I think we can be in the battle for 7th to 10th.
Click to expand...
thats a lot that needs to go right mate. At least we are a young side that should have plenty of development in us.


Im not counting on Ridley, Langford, McKay, Reid. IF they go well, great! but they've proven time again to be untrustworthy at the highest level (body wise obviously)
 
Yoda_ said:
thats a lot that needs to go right mate. At least we are a young side that should have plenty of development in us.


Im not counting on Ridley, Langford, McKay, Reid. IF they go well, great! but they've proven time again to be untrustworthy at the highest level (body wise obviously)
Click to expand...
I reckon we have been unlucky for a fair chunk of time.
Maybe we are due. New year and change of luck
 
Sharp & Clarke for me.

Kako will improve but almost had a breakout year in his first.

Think Unwin has a chance to cement his place later in the year alongside Kako.
 
Nothing comes easy in professional sports. You make your own luck. This club has been a basket case for twenty years s hopefully we are on the right track, but time will tell.
 

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ydc55 said:
We need Caddy to play 22 games and kick 50 goals.
We need him tracking like Matthew Lloyd did after his third year though he plays higher up the ground.
But what we need to see is green shoots to grow.
Players such as Kako, Clarke, Reid, Bryan, may, Z Johnson, Visentini, Tsatas, Unwin and El Hawli.
We need players such as Durham and Caldwell to become a grade midfielders.
We need better durability from McKay, Parish, Setterfield, Ridley and Langford.
Lastly we need a few surprise packets to emerge.
Can Dyson Sharp have a Joel Selwood first year?
Can Sullivan Robby show glimpses of Dustin Martin?
Can Jacob Farrow show signs to develop into an elite kick under pressure?
Can Jayden Nguyen establish himself as a tight defender?
Can Lachie Blakiston nullify good ruckman and hold the fought early in the year?
Can Archie Perkins display consistency and competitiveness in 100% of his game time?
Can Kayle Gerryn take Peter Wright’s spot which must surely be up for taking?
We have a lot of question marks but if Caddy, Caldwell, Durham, McKay, Reid and Ridley play 20 games each I think we can be in the battle for 7th to 10th.
Click to expand...

And you need paragraphs. :p
 
I’ve chosen Caddy and Reid. They will change our prospects significantly.

My solid choice though is Durham to take the next step toward elite.

My left field choices who I have an irrational faith in are El Hawli and Gerryn. If we suddenly become competitive against good teams, for some reason I can see those two as being game-changers for us.
 
I ignored the first year players. I was tempted by some of our second year players especially Kako and Clarke but its hard for players to make big inroads in just their second years. Caddy was another consideration but I think with his groin injuries still slowing him down a bit it may be another year away for him.

So ultimately i went for Reid. Reid I think showed what he can do on field last year so I think with a good preseason so far we can perhaps see him do more of that for a full season this time and make the AA Squad if not perhaps the final team.
 

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blitzer said:
I ignored the first year players. I was tempted by some of our second year players especially Kako and Clarke but its hard for players to make big inroads in just their second years. Caddy was another consideration but I think with his groin injuries still slowing him down a bit it may be another year away for him.

So ultimately i went for Reid. Reid I think showed what he can do on field last year so I think with a good preseason so far we can perhaps see him do more of that for a full season this time and make the AA Squad if not perhaps the final team.
Click to expand...
Same
 
I've gone with Zak Johnson.

A former co-captain who actually has good foot skills, I think he has a lot of upside and offers options down back and midfield.

I can also see Nguyen getting more opportunities to impress and piss off the opposition.

Sharp, on paper, will also impress as well.
 
Reckon Roberts will post Brownlow votes on the back of multiple 35+ games

Caddy is the one that we surely all want to see take a solid step towards superstar. Feel it will still be hit and miss for him.

I can’t get a read on May. Our future looks so much brighter if he is a genuine player. I haven’t seen enough to suggest he is, but am still hopeful.

Don’t know if it’s just hopes but surely Reid is ready to play a whole season. He was still growing in those early years but now is the time, if it’s ever going to happen. Outstanding talent who could be top ten in the game if he can just stay on the field and play.

I’m backing Kako as the other breakout star. Went under the radar last year but I was very impressed with his cleanliness, poise and competitiveness. So consistent for a first year but never had that 4 goal breakout game. Feel like it’s coming in 2026.
 

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Prediction Breakout player for 2026

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