Team Mgmt. 2025 Forward Line

[Bombers36]

A few pieces of the 2026 forward line puzzle are currently injured but we certainly have a decent core now;-


Talls - May (20), Caddy (19), Draper (26). Backup talls - 2MP (28) & McMahon (23)

Our medium stocks look decent also if they can stay injury free in 26- Martin (24) Langford (28) & Edwards (25)

Its the small forwards that have me worried - outside of Kako there's really nothing so we need to go to try trade for one and/or go to the draft

 

[jannissary]

be very interested in giving mcmahon a game sometime soon. playing consistently in the magoos

 

[thebigboy]

A few pieces of the 2026 forward line puzzle are currently injured but we certainly have a decent core now;-


Talls - May (20), Caddy (19), Draper (26). Backup talls - 2MP (28) & McMahon (23)

Our medium stocks look decent also if they can stay injury free in 26- Martin (24) Langford (28) & Edwards (25)

Its the small forwards that have me worried - outside of Kako there's really nothing so we need to go to try trade for one and/or go to the draft

El-Ackchar will come onto the list via the draft. If we're going to target someone, I'd prefer it to be a mid-sizer. Becoming hard to rely on Langford with his body, Martin is a midfielder and Edwards feels like a depth option. Not sure of who that person to target is, but that's the position I want to strengthen.

 

[Yoda_]

El-Ackchar will come onto the list via the draft. If we're going to target someone, I'd prefer it to be a mid-sizer. Becoming hard to rely on Langford with his body, Martin is a midfielder and Edwards feels like a depth option. Not sure of who that person to target is, but that's the position I want to strengthen.

Draft one

Sam Cumming, Noah Hibbins~Hargreaves, Lachie Carmichael or Max King could play that role

 

[cavalcade]

Draft one

Sam Cumming, Noah Hibbins~Hargreaves, Lachie Carmichael or Max King could play that role

I agree:
Hf: Dovaston Caddy Kako
F:El Achkar May .....(one of the players you mentioned) Actually Day Wicks might even step up, but we can't really rely on a rookie lister. So yeah Dovaston, El Achkar and a medium is needed.

 

[MiguelM]

A few pieces of the 2026 forward line puzzle are currently injured but we certainly have a decent core now;-


Talls - May (20), Caddy (19), Draper (26). Backup talls - 2MP (28) & McMahon (23)

Our medium stocks look decent also if they can stay injury free in 26- Martin (24) Langford (28) & Edwards (25)

Its the small forwards that have me worried - outside of Kako there's really nothing so we need to go to try trade for one and/or go to the draft

Although probably medium, I would plonk Lual alongside Kako for the next few games.

I am liking his closing speed. Opposition players already looking over their shoulder when he is around.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Clarke and Lual have shown good marking abilities, if they could continue to develop and May can take hold of his opportunity, a possible future forward line could be something like,

Clarke - Caddy - Lual
Kako - May - Achkar

 

[ghostdog]

Things become very interesting for our forward set up, depending on who we draft. A safe bet that we pick up Huss. I would like Dovaston as well but Huss (and if Unwin does okay again v Suns) may mean we don't choose him. On the other hand, if Kako plays more midfield minutes, maybe we do.

McMahon, Edwards and Langford (for now) vie for medium spots. Cumming and NHH could also be options. I reckon Edwards is a sleeper people have forgotten about. He has bulked up considerably during his injury lay-off as well, so he has obviously listened to his coaches. He's coming from a long way back though with his ACL. McMahon has taken his chances. Do we actually need another medium at the moment?

Then Caddy, Wright and May. May I would like to really develop in the VFL for a while and take Wright's spot.

Lual is an interesting one. I want to keep him as a depth forward/wing for now. He has obvious defensive abilities. What I'd really like is for Brad to select teams based on need. If we need Lual to play a defensive running role, select him.

AFL
Langford - Caddy - Kako
Dovaston - Wright - McMahon

Unwin/El Achkar bench/VFL

VFL
Edwards - Gerryn - Lual
Guelfi - May - Unwin / El Achkar

 

[Yoda_]

With the off season seemingly complete, we get a better idea of where the list sits now. Draper gone hurts but presents opportunity for others.

(AFL)

Forward line. Matt Guelfi

35

Matt Guelfi

Age

28

Ht

184cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

6.1

4star

M

3.2

3star

T

2.9

4star

G

0.2

2star

D

10.5

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

5.5

3star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

G

0.0

1star

D

17.2

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

0.2

3star

- Archer May - Kyle Langford

4

Kyle Langford

Age

29

Ht

192cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.7

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

7.3

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

3.3

5star

G

0.7

4star

D

17.4

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.6

3star

G

0.7

4star

D

8.2

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

3star

/ Isaac Kako

Half Forward line. Archie Perkins - Nate Caddy - Isaac Kako / Dyson Sharp / Sullivan Robey

(AFL Depth / VFL)
Rhys Unwin, Dyson Sharp, Huss El~Achkar, Tom Edwards, Liam McMahon, Kayle Gerryn (fwd/ back), Vigo Visentini (ruck/fwd), still missing some but that's the basis of the group.

Hopefully we see HEA by the end of the year, could be a game changer having someone with real closing speed and ground ball presence alongside Kako.

 

[Keystone agony]

I think we could see HEA far earlier, you do need to be a running beast for that small forward role though, so he will need an excellent PS

I expect Scott as usual to start with experience over youth

2MP over A.May
Guelfi over HEA/Unwin

Those latter 2 could challenge poor preseason duo Perkins and Robey for an early spot, but expecting it to be a battle between the latter 2

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Don’t see Wright being left out as long as he’s competing and doing a job. A mature key forward to occupy defenders is a must.

 

[faible]

Don’t see Wright being left out as long as he’s competing and doing a job. A mature key forward to occupy defenders is a must.

Plus the ruck support, assuming we go in with one of Visentini or Blakiston rucking I wouldn't expect them to be doing 90% TOG in there. Wright will need to put in some decent ruck minutes.

Though with 5 on the bench they might play both Visentini and Blakiston plus Wright.

 

[Yoda_]

I think we could see HEA far earlier, you do need to be a running beast for that small forward role though, so he will need an excellent PS

I expect Scott as usual to start with experience over youth

2MP over A.May
Guelfi over HEA/Unwin

Those latter 2 could challenge poor preseason duo Perkins and Robey for an early spot, but expecting it to be a battle between the latter 2

Don’t see Wright being left out as long as he’s competing and doing a job. A mature key forward to occupy defenders is a must.

probably correct, May sounds like he is going really well in pre season, would be awesome to get a freebie un from the MSD. Give more pressure on 2MP moving forward

 

[Duckworth]

With the off season seemingly complete, we get a better idea of where the list sits now. Draper gone hurts but presents opportunity for others.

(AFL)

Forward line. Matt Guelfi - Archer May - Kyle Langford / Isaac Kako

Half Forward line. Archie Perkins - Nate Caddy - Isaac Kako / Dyson Sharp / Sullivan Robey

(AFL Depth / VFL)
Rhys Unwin, Dyson Sharp, Huss El~Achkar, Tom Edwards, Liam McMahon, Kayle Gerryn (fwd/ back), Vigo Visentini (ruck/fwd), still missing some but that's the basis of the group.

Hopefully we see HEA by the end of the year, could be a game changer having someone with real closing speed and ground ball presence alongside Kako.

That looks a bit Grim, are you sure you're not missing anyone? checks Just Gresham. It's worse than I thought.

 

[Yoda_]

That looks a bit Grim, are you sure you're not missing anyone? checks Just Gresham. It's worse than I thought.

don't rate or want Gresham.

 

[Keystone agony]

probably correct, May sounds like he is going really well in pre season, would be awesome to get a freebie un from the MSD. Give more pressure on 2MP moving forward

I think so

Hes physically ready and not exactly a 18/19 yr old

Any ordinary performance from 2MP will see him in. Any injury to Langford will also likely see him in. But, he has time to develop in the VFL if some miraculous reason neither occurs

Also i think in the back half of the year he may just be picked over 2MP as we look advantageously to youth over winning

I dont necessarily agree with it, but Scotts mantra to start the year has been experience over youth. He will want to see what a more experience injury free group can do. There is also some serious candy dangled in that finishing 10th is almost sellable as a finals finish (not that i agree with it), but id say 10th gets him a guaranteed 2027. Which is what he needs, because then you suspect we will be making some decent strides, he just needs to find a way to last till then

 

[Duckworth]

don't rate or want Gresham.

Well, I was actually hoping you'd missed a KPF, That was the intention of my post. Contested marking looks very thin in the forward half.

 

[Keystone agony]

Well, I was actually hoping you'd missed a KPF, That was the intention of my post. Contested marking looks very thin in the forward half.

Theres a reason were favourite to finish 3rd last

A huge pop by Caddy though would help alot

And play a game style around contested marking reliance, create space and beat them with mobility

 

[ghostdog]

In: Robey
Out: Perkins

The sooner that happens, the better.

 

[FootyGuru]

I’m going

Guilfi wright kako
Perkins caddy robey

Probably need to play one of may, cox, jones to straighten us up while 2mp rucks and another rotate Caldwell, Merrett, parish through the forward half.

 

[Bombers36]

Round 1 hoping to see;-

Perkins Langford Merrett
2MP Caddy Kako

2MP will be required to spend time in ruck so we need a tall off the bench who can slot into his spot - options there though with McMahon/May/Edwards/Jones? etc. Perkins and Robey likely competing for that HFF/mid role

 

[King Patty]

RD 1

hf: Durham Caddy Kako
f: Huss Langford Wright
int: Saad
-DUZ Fwd/mid

VFL
hf: Robey May Perkins
f: Gresham McMahon Guelfi
int: Jones, Unwin, Edwards
Robey - Fwd/Mid