Analysis 2026 - The Way Forward

RedOrWhite · Oct 13, 2025

Bonz said:
Ok thinking if we bring in Curnow (and lose both Hayward and Florent).

This is what my crack at best 23 looks like.

Cunningham - Melican - Rampe
Wicks - McCartin - Blakey
Gulden - Warner - McInerney
Campbell - McDonald - Rosas
Papley - Curnow - Amartey
Grundy - Chad Warner - Heeney
Sheldrick - Rowbottom - Jordon - Lloyd - Serong

Depth: Bice, McLean, Corey Warner, Adams, Dattoli, Ladhams, Roberts, Hanily, Hamling, Snell, Edwards and draftees.

That's a really balanced and powerful team with decent depth.

Using Amartey as second ruck here.

Mills? Otherwise I think this would be pretty close to the 23. Edit Chad's there twice so assume one of those is Mills.

Bonz · Oct 13, 2025

Punts said:
Lloyd isn’t in the best imo

Up to Dattoli, Bice, Roberts & co to push him out.

His late season form up forward was good.

caesar88 · Oct 13, 2025

Add 2022-2024 Rowbottom & Curnow into our team and we're off to the races.

(This group's inability/unwillingness to defend and overall lack of physicality remains the elephant in the room holding us back, but trying to be positive.)

RilesMacca · Oct 13, 2025

Probably the most uncertain I've ever felt about heading into a next season. Whilst our contest numbers improved our identity of strong and slick ball movement faded away in spades this year, will it turn around. Do we mitigate our lack of pressure, physicality and defence. Cox has come across in his first year with a very dilligent persona, no doubt will be a big 2026 for him. Good to see we've brought over some aid in Goodwin and Laidler.

Part of me feels do we even have the ticker to go again and contend, alas I'm keen and willing to go with the flow. See us ruffle the feathers a bit and go chips in with some moves. Evolving and tweaking the list is something that just might be needed given our GF defeats.

The King! · Oct 13, 2025

Clubs trying on and off field so far, maybe it works maybe it doesn't

The King! · Oct 13, 2025

I tried drinking water after every goal for luck this year but ended up dehydrated.

I am going to start a try wearing black socks every week and eating a piece of cheese pre game .

crankygeese · Oct 13, 2025

RilesMacca said:
Probably the most uncertain I've ever felt about heading into a next season. Whilst our contest numbers improved our identity of strong and slick ball movement faded away in spades this year, will it turn around. Do we mitigate our lack of pressure, physicality and defence. Cox has come across in his first year with a very dilligent persona, no doubt will be a big 2026 for him. Good to see we've brought over some aid in Goodwin and Laidler.

Part of me feels do we even have the ticker to go again and contend, alas I'm keen and willing to go with the flow. See us ruffle the feathers a bit and go chips in with some moves. Evolving and tweaking the list is something that just might be needed given our GF defeats.

Lack of pressure is the key.

It is a pressure based game. You can't let the opposition get easy use of the ball, and once you have it you need to create space.

Hopefully the lack of pressure in 25 was just a matter of adjusting. If we're easing up on pressure in our gameplan, then we're in big trouble. At which point trading away future picks and pressure players like Hayward will look even worse.

Wheresbuddy · Oct 13, 2025

crankygeese said:
Lack of pressure is the key.

It is a pressure based game. You can't let the opposition get easy use of the ball, and once you have it you need to create space.

Hopefully the lack of pressure in 25 was just a matter of adjusting. If we're easing up on pressure in our gameplan, then we're in big trouble. At which point trading away future picks and pressure players like Hayward will look even worse.

Agree. Whoever brings the most pressure and tackles the hardest will win the big games.

crankygeese · Oct 13, 2025

Wheresbuddy said:
Agree. Whoever brings the most pressure and tackles the hardest will win the big games.

For sure.
Brisbane's ability to get the ball out and away from opposition pressure, and then move it around until they find an opening has been elite throughout their run.

The modern game is all about pressure. How you apply it when you don't have the ball. How you negate it when you do have the ball.

caesar88 · Oct 13, 2025

If certain moves go ahead as expected, my early best 23 for next year...

B - Callum Mills | Tom McCartin | Harry Cunningham
HB - Nick Blakey | Lewis Melican | Sam Wicks
C - Errol Gulden | Chad Warner | Justin McInerney
HF - James Jordon | Charlie Curnow | Logan McDonald
F - Tom Papley | Joel Amartey | Malcolm Rosas Jnr.
Foll - Brodie Grundy | Isaac Heeney | James Rowbottom

IC - Braeden Campbell, Angus Sheldrick, Peter Ladhams, Jai Serong, ?

? - Take your pick from Jesse Dattoli, Dane Rampe, Riley Bice, Caiden Cleary, Matt Roberts, Corey Warner or Tom Hanily, based on needs and match-ups each week.

Like we'll ever have full personnel available anyway.

JackHiscoxWasFast · Oct 13, 2025

caesar88 said:
If certain moves go ahead as expected, my early best 23 for next year...

B - Callum Mills | Tom McCartin | Harry Cunningham
HB - Nick Blakey | Lewis Melican | Sam Wicks
C - Errol Gulden | Chad Warner | Justin McInerney
HF - James Jordon | Charlie Curnow | Logan McDonald
F - Tom Papley | Joel Amartey | Malcolm Rosas Jnr.
Foll - Brodie Grundy | Isaac Heeney | James Rowbottom

IC - Braeden Campbell, Angus Sheldrick, Peter Ladhams, Jai Serong, ?

? - Take your pick from Jesse Dattoli, Dane Rampe, Riley Bice, Caiden Cleary, Matt Roberts, Corey Warner or Tom Hanily, based on needs and match-ups each week.

Like we'll ever have full personnel available anyway.

Exciting isn’t it !

Kiama Chris · Oct 13, 2025

Bonz said:
Ok thinking if we bring in Curnow (and lose both Hayward and Florent).

This is what my crack at best 23 looks like.

Cunningham - Melican - Rampe
Wicks - McCartin - Blakey
Gulden - Warner - McInerney
Campbell - McDonald - Rosas
Papley - Curnow - Amartey
Grundy - Chad Warner - Heeney
Sheldrick - Rowbottom - Jordon - Lloyd - Serong

Depth: Bice, McLean, Corey Warner, Adams, Dattoli, Ladhams, Roberts, Hanily, Hamling, Snell, Edwards and draftees.

That's a really balanced and powerful team with decent depth.

Using Amartey as second ruck here.

Chad twice. Did you mean Mills in the centre?
Bice instead of Rampe. Time to move on.
McCartin plays interceptor while Melican and Serong play lockdown.
Prefer to leave Lloyd out but that means Campbell or Corey or Bice covering the wing unless you push Blakey up. Tough call.
Think structurally Amartey on the bench and can we get Dattoli in?
Fun game!

Nuggetz · Oct 13, 2025

Bonz said:
Ok thinking if we bring in Curnow (and lose both Hayward and Florent).

This is what my crack at best 23 looks like.

Cunningham - Melican - Rampe
Wicks - McCartin - Blakey
Gulden - Warner - McInerney
Campbell - McDonald - Rosas
Papley - Curnow - Amartey
Grundy - Chad Warner - Heeney
Sheldrick - Rowbottom - Jordon - Lloyd - Serong

Depth: Bice, McLean, Corey Warner, Adams, Dattoli, Ladhams, Roberts, Hanily, Hamling, Snell, Edwards and draftees.

That's a really balanced and powerful team with decent depth.

Using Amartey as second ruck here.

You've got Warner twice, assume you mean Mills for one of them.

I'd go Ladhams for Lloyd, I don't want to risk Amartey body in the ruck, neither Logan nor Charlie can ruck. It would've been perfect if Amartey could ruck with confidence in his body but not worth it imo.

I'd also go Serong for Rampe & bring another younger player onto the bench depending on conditions/match ups.

Imo Lloyd & Rampe should only be considered as depth next year.

Nuggetz · Oct 13, 2025

Kiama Chris said:
Chad twice. Did you mean Mills in the centre?
Bice instead of Rampe. Time to move on.
McCartin plays interceptor while Melican and Serong play lockdown.
Prefer to leave Lloyd out but that means Campbell or Corey or Bice covering the wing unless you push Blakey up. Tough call.
Think structurally Amartey on the bench and can we get Dattoli in?
Fun game!

I'd like to see Blakey on the wing a bit more, he's a goal scoring & creating threat from that position imo.

Nuggetz · Oct 13, 2025

Basically health is wealth. I've liked reading about possible team lists, there's a bit of flexibility in our squad.

Kiama Chris · Oct 13, 2025

Nuggetz said:
I'd like to see Blakey on the wing a bit more, he's a goal scoring & creating threat from that position imo.

I like the idea of playing him in the back 7 but positioning him loose and forward at HHB to intercept early or pick up first receipt on exit and create chaos rather than getting dragged back into the full back line or running backwards and forwards on the wing, either of which waste him. Then he can charge into that HF area where he can do real damage.

Bonz · Oct 14, 2025

RedOrWhite said:
Mills? Otherwise I think this would be pretty close to the 23. Edit Chad's there twice so assume one of those is Mills.

Nuggetz said:
You've got Warner twice, assume you mean Mills for one of them.

I'd go Ladhams for Lloyd, I don't want to risk Amartey body in the ruck, neither Logan nor Charlie can ruck. It would've been perfect if Amartey could ruck with confidence in his body but not worth it imo.

I'd also go Serong for Rampe & bring another younger player onto the bench depending on conditions/match ups.

Imo Lloyd & Rampe should only be considered as depth next year.

Kiama Chris said:
Chad twice. Did you mean Mills in the centre?
Bice instead of Rampe. Time to move on.
McCartin plays interceptor while Melican and Serong play lockdown.
Prefer to leave Lloyd out but that means Campbell or Corey or Bice covering the wing unless you push Blakey up. Tough call.
Think structurally Amartey on the bench and can we get Dattoli in?
Fun game!

Yeah meant Mills in the centre (and fixed it now).

Still think Lloyd was in decent form late in the season so he starts, but I'm hoping he gets overtaken this offseason, I do like the thought of Blakey on the wing, but will see where he is positioned over the preseason.

Same thoughts about Rampe, think he was in good touch late season and want to see someone overtake him.

Maddo11 · Oct 14, 2025

Nuggetz said:
I'd like to see Blakey on the wing a bit more, he's a goal scoring & creating threat from that position imo.

Kicking is too erratic. Needs to be Errol or Jmac with ball in hand around that 70m out mark

JackHiscoxWasFast · Oct 14, 2025

Rowy as an option for a pressure forward to keep the ball locked I50 is very interesting. Needs Jordon / Gus to cover in mids

crankygeese · Oct 14, 2025

So who will our double ups be? We finished in the middle 6 so it will be 1 from the top 6, 3 from the middle 6, 1 from the bottom 6 correct?
And middle 6 teams include the 2 teams knocked out of the elimination finals rather than ladder position I believe, so the groups would look like this if I'm right.

GWS is default. Carlton will be a certainty after this trade period. But we don't have any beef with anybody else. I'd imagine we'll get one of the easy beats as a booster for a Coleman tilt. I'm hoping for Collingwood from the top 6 because I think they'll be the weakest. Then.......Bulldogs I guess.

Collingwood, GWS, Bulldogs, Carlton, West Coast maybe?

Adelaide	GWS	Port Adelaide
Geelong	Fremantle	Melbourne
Brisbane	Bulldogs	Essendon
Collingwood	Sydney	North Melbourne
Gold Coast	Carlton	Richmond
Hawthorn	St Kilda	West Coast

JackHiscoxWasFast · Oct 14, 2025

Are we expecting all 4 players training with Billy Knowles to line up round 1 ? Logan paps jmac Joel

crankygeese · Oct 14, 2025

JackHiscoxWasFast said:
Are we expecting all 4 players training with Billy Knowles to line up round 1 ? Logan paps jmac Joel

Was it JMac? I thought it was Edwards, McDonald, Papley, Amartey?

They should all be ready for the first day of preseason. None of the end of season reports sounded like they would be missing preseason, let alone any part of the regular season

Membling · Oct 14, 2025

Real question is, does our engine room stack up in both talent and grinding out wins? Currently thi k we are a bit too harlem globetrotters and get killed in pressure situations.

See how it goes next year but think we missed a trick by not going for hard nosed bruising mid.

Crust · Oct 15, 2025

I feel like we have almost 7 new players in:
Curnow
Rosas
J Serong
Logan McDonald
Riak Andrew
plus Mills with a full preseason
and a full season of Errol

Plus any draft picks.

Maddo11 · Oct 15, 2025

Going to have a crack at a line up assuming everyone's fit.

B: Serong, McCartin, Rampe.
HB: Blakey, Melican, Wicks
C: Jmac Mills Gulden
Fol: Grundy, Warner, Rowwy
HF: Heeney, Lmac, Papley
FF: Amarety, Curnow, Rosas.

Int: Jordon, Lloyd, Sheldrick, Campbell, McLean.

Unlucky; Roberts, Bice, Cleary, Co.Warner, Cunningham

Log In or Create New Account

Analysis 2026 - The Way Forward

I have friends everywhere

🤺🤺🤺

Hall of Famer

Close checking with Kane Cornes

Chosen One

Chosen One

Team Captain

Premiership Player

Team Captain

Hall of Famer

800m Record Holder

Brownlow Medallist

Norm Smith Medallist

Norm Smith Medallist

Norm Smith Medallist

Brownlow Medallist

🤺🤺🤺

Norm Smith Medallist

800m Record Holder

Team Captain

800m Record Holder

Team Captain

Brownlow Medallist

All Australian

Norm Smith Medallist

Analysis 2026 - The Way Forward

Similar threads