Prediction 2026 Best 23 Discussion

[Barnabus]

Hello,

Why is banfield always getting games if he not considered best 23?

Availability and versatility.

 

[chaosball32]

Hello,

Why is banfield always getting games if he not considered best 23?

Same reason Lachie Murphy kept getting games at your club. Most coaches have a ‘minds telling me no, hearts telling me yes’ player that gets gifted games for inexplicable reasons regardless of how crap they are. For us it’s Banfield.

Luckily for you Murphy got the arse and luckily for us Banners is out of contract and should follow suit.

 

[Docker82]

Same reason Lachie Murphy kept getting games at your club. Most coaches have a ‘minds telling me no, hearts telling me yes’ player that gets gifted games for inexplicable reasons regardless of how crap they are. For us it’s Banfield.

Luckily for you Murphy got the arse and luckily for us Banners is out of contract and should follow suit.

If I was to bet on it Banfield will get another contract unless he falls outside the best 30-odd players on our list.

A lot of fans on this board don't like but let's be honest there isnt too many (if any) teams across the league he's not in the best 30-odd for and he's best 23 for a few teams.

Can't see us delisting players in our best 30-odd when most of our list is coming into our prime.

 

[chaosball32]

If I was to bet on it Banfield will get another contract unless he falls outside the best 30-odd players on our list.

A lot of fans on this board don't like but let's be honest there isnt too many (if any) teams across the league he's not in the best 30-odd for and he's best 23 for a few teams.

Can't see us delisting players in our best 30-odd when most of our list is coming into our prime.

I wouldn’t be mad with rolling yearly extensions strictly as depth but I can’t trust JL to not sneak him back in to the side the second we get an injury and keep him there for the whole year no matter what, which is basically what has happened the past few years.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Banners has only got 32 games to reach 150 and life membership. If all goes well he should reach the milestone in Rd 8 next year.

 

[King Huskii]

Banners has only got 32 games to reach 150 and life membership. If all goes well he should reach the milestone in Rd 8 next year.

He will

Most versatile player at our club.

 

[ImperialPurple]

He will

Most versatile player at our club.

Time for you to invest in one these Huskii. Tonga Bob might have a few lying around if you ask him nicely

 

[FreoRicci]

If I was to bet on it Banfield will get another contract unless he falls outside the best 30-odd players on our list.

A lot of fans on this board don't like but let's be honest there isnt too many (if any) teams across the league he's not in the best 30-odd for and he's best 23 for a few teams.

Can't see us delisting players in our best 30-odd when most of our list is coming into our prime.

Banfield is a better winger than JOM, Sharp and NOD. Not sure why he hasn’t got a consistent chance there given NOD and JOM are more insider mid types then runners

 

[Tonga Bob]

I mean Bailey Banfield

41

Bailey Banfield

Age

27

Ht

190cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

2.9

3star

T

3.9

5star

MG

175.5

3star

D

9.5

2star

K

5.3

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

2.8

4star

MG

109.5

2star

D

14.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.2

5star

MG

200.4

4star

is great and all, but Jaren Carr’s where the real action is!!!

 

[ImperialPurple]

I mean Bailey Banfield is great and all, but Jaren Carr’s where the real action is!!!

 

[King Huskii]

Time for you to invest in one these Huskii. Tonga Bob might have a few lying around if you ask him nicely

View attachment 2522766

Merky buckets

 

[Tonga Bob]

 

[poshman]

Banners should be on the list for at least another three seasons. He is a second best back up option in a lot of positions.

The biggest questions this year will be if the coaches think Wagner is a lock on one wing (I think he is). And if so, who will run the other wing?

JOM is in the leadership group but sits just outside our best midfield unit. Ras is looking like the big bodied mid we have needed him to be and Johnson gives us size and flexibility. If Ras plays most games and is allowed to grind through the midfield, we will be a better balanced team.

Draper is the second point of interest this year. He looks like he is now KPD size. Can he get 7-10 games while we manage Pearce through to a GF appearance?

Lastly - I hope Chapman is given license to run and dash when he gets the pill. He could take a lot of pressure off the back half and create opportunities for the forwards. Jordan and Judd will also benefit if he can break the line a few times a game. It could also mean we target him for use out of the back half when Jordy is being tagged. Last year he would get it and think about going and then hesitate, even when no one was close to him. I hope this is the year Chappy takes the next step. Got a full season in last year and is finally around the 60 game mark. With two previous years decimated by injury, I think he can head towards the 80 game mark as a top ten player on our list.

B: Ryan, Pearce, McVee
HB: Chapman, Cox, Clark
C: Wagner, Young, Erasmus
HF: Bolton, Treacy, Reid
F: Jackson, Voss, Switkowski
R: Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw

IC: Amiss, Johnson, Simpson, Frederick, O'Driscoll

Next up: Walker, Draper, Banners, Dudley/Kickett, JOM (Position dependent)

I think that looks like a top four team this year. With some luck, top two.

 

[Docker82]

I wouldn’t be mad with rolling yearly extensions strictly as depth but I can’t trust JL to not sneak him back in to the side the second we get an injury and keep him there for the whole year no matter what, which is basically what has happened the past few years.

Yes - Absolutely agree. As a depth player he should be getting one year deals. And tbh whilst losing depth players isn't ideal, if our list management team (recruitment) and the coaching staff (development) can't replace one or two depth players each off season then someone else should be looking for a new job. As long as we don't have a mass exodus like 2022 or lose top 10 players on our list, I think we're good enough as a club to replace these types of players.

Banfield is a better winger than JOM, Sharp and NOD. Not sure why he hasn’t got a consistent chance there given NOD and JOM are more insider mid types then runners

I don't think there's much between these guys tbh. Certainly an area we need to get better in.

 

[anchor man]

Banners should be on the list for at least another three seasons. He is a second best back up option in a lot of positions.

The biggest questions this year will be if the coaches think Wagner is a lock on one wing (I think he is). And if so, who will run the other wing?

JOM is in the leadership group but sits just outside our best midfield unit. Ras is looking like the big bodied mid we have needed him to be and Johnson gives us size and flexibility. If Ras plays most games and is allowed to grind through the midfield, we will be a better balanced team.

Draper is the second point of interest this year. He looks like he is now KPD size. Can he get 7-10 games while we manage Pearce through to a GF appearance?

Lastly - I hope Chapman is given license to run and dash when he gets the pill. He could take a lot of pressure off the back half and create opportunities for the forwards. Jordan and Judd will also benefit if he can break the line a few times a game. It could also mean we target him for use out of the back half when Jordy is being tagged. Last year he would get it and think about going and then hesitate, even when no one was close to him. I hope this is the year Chappy takes the next step. Got a full season in last year and is finally around the 60 game mark. With two previous years decimated by injury, I think he can head towards the 80 game mark as a top ten player on our list.

B: Ryan, Pearce, McVee
HB: Chapman, Cox, Clark
C: Wagner, Young, Erasmus
HF: Bolton, Treacy, Reid
F: Jackson, Voss, Switkowski
R: Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw

IC: Amiss, Johnson, Simpson, Frederick, O'Driscoll

Next up: Walker, Draper, Banners, Dudley/Kickett, JOM (Position dependent)

I think that looks like a top four team this year. With some luck, top two.

Not knocking, but you see Kickett as the only recruit to make the team during the season?
I would have thought there were a few in front of him.

 

[FreoRicci]

Not knocking, but you see Kickett as the only recruit to make the team during the season?
I would have thought there were a few in front of him.

Every recruit bar Ryda Luke I reckon has a chance. Sweid looks good. Whan should be wing during the season.
Tobyn Murray should play round 1.

 

[poshman]

Not knocking, but you see Kickett as the only recruit to make the team during the season?
I would have thought there were a few in front of him.

That is a fair question. It is a matter of positions and I was looking at the next up in each area of the ground. I don't know enough about Sweid to know if he could play forward. Kickett is a natural forward and he and Dudley should be pressing for a spot if there is an injury.

 

[ubiquitous226]

Tobyn Murray is a decent chance to get an early crack at it, depending on form and fitness of the team.
The others would have to be pushing pretty hard to get in there you'd think, there should be some decent depth and competition for spots.

The backline will be interesting to see what mix they go for, Walker is behind the 8 ball being in rehab otherwise it might have been a tough call on what structure.
Pearce/Cox/Ryan
Chapman/Clark/McVee

Then you have the TTHD and BUTT winner Worner or Draper as the potential 7th defender, unless Wagner doesn't play higher up the ground.

 

[King Huskii]

Banners should be on the list for at least another three seasons. He is a second best back up option in a lot of positions.

The biggest questions this year will be if the coaches think Wagner is a lock on one wing (I think he is). And if so, who will run the other wing?

JOM is in the leadership group but sits just outside our best midfield unit. Ras is looking like the big bodied mid we have needed him to be and Johnson gives us size and flexibility. If Ras plays most games and is allowed to grind through the midfield, we will be a better balanced team.

Draper is the second point of interest this year. He looks like he is now KPD size. Can he get 7-10 games while we manage Pearce through to a GF appearance?

Lastly - I hope Chapman is given license to run and dash when he gets the pill. He could take a lot of pressure off the back half and create opportunities for the forwards. Jordan and Judd will also benefit if he can break the line a few times a game. It could also mean we target him for use out of the back half when Jordy is being tagged. Last year he would get it and think about going and then hesitate, even when no one was close to him. I hope this is the year Chappy takes the next step. Got a full season in last year and is finally around the 60 game mark. With two previous years decimated by injury, I think he can head towards the 80 game mark as a top ten player on our list.

B: Ryan, Pearce, McVee
HB: Chapman, Cox, Clark
C: Wagner, Young, Erasmus
HF: Bolton, Treacy, Reid
F: Jackson, Voss, Switkowski
R: Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw

IC: Amiss, Johnson, Simpson, Frederick, O'Driscoll

Next up: Walker, Draper, Banners, Dudley/Kickett, JOM (Position dependent)

I think that looks like a top four team this year. With some luck, top two.

Perfectly balanced

With a bit more depth than previous years

 

[anchor man]

Every recruit bar Ryda Luke I reckon has a chance. Sweid looks good. Whan should be wing during the season.
Tobyn Murray should play round 1.

It seems that Wahn is in favour at least with media.
Murray seems to be getting good wraps and has a season or so a few others. Looks built for AFL.
But Kickett seems to be doing all the right things at the right time.
I am guessing the game against the Yellas we will a lot of our newbies.

 

[poshman]

Tobyn Murray is a decent chance to get an early crack at it, depending on form and fitness of the team.
The others would have to be pushing pretty hard to get in there you'd think, there should be some decent depth and competition for spots.

The backline will be interesting to see what mix they go for, Walker is behind the 8 ball being in rehab otherwise it might have been a tough call on what structure.
Pearce/Cox/Ryan
Chapman/Clark/McVee

Then you have the TTHD and BUTT winner Worner or Draper as the potential 7th defender, unless Wagner doesn't play higher up the ground.

I am keen to see what Murray produces pre-season. Would be a great story if he can make a position his own.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Perfectly balanced

With a bit more depth than previous years

Your avatar makes Banners look like an international man of mystery.

 

[King Huskii]

Your avatar makes Banners look like an international man of mystery.

He will save the world one day

 

[Suma Says]

He will save the world one day

And that day? September 26, 2026

 

[Hamann188]

He will

Most versatile player at our club.

LOL

Hey Husk, been away for a minute.

Whats up with the profile pic?