Prediction Best 22 - 2026

[saintkildaman]

Teams using confirmed inclusions and delistings.

Best 23
B: Silvagni, Wilkie, Tauru
HB: Sinclair, Howard, Clark
C: Wilson, Phillipou, Windhager
HF: Hall, Marshall, Owens
F: Higgins, King, Sharman
R: TDK, NVM, Macrae
Int: Garcia, Hill, Steele, Wood, Hastie

Reserves:
B: Stocker, Barrat, O’Connell
HB: Travaglia, Armstrong, Byrnes
C: Carroll, Jones, Schoenmaker
HF: Henry, Caminiti, Collard
F: Said, Keeler, Butler
R: Dodson, Boxshall, Dow
Int: Heath

Possible inclusions: Aleer, Ryan, Flanders, Mackenzie, Fincher, Voss

Out of contract: Windhager, Jones, Heath, Byrnes, Carroll, Schoenmaker

Best 23
B: Silvagni, Wilkie, Tauru
HB: Sinclair, Howard, Clark
C: Wilson, Macrae, Windhager
HF: Hall, Marshall, Owens
F: Higgins, King, Sharman
R: TDK, NVM, Flanders
Int: Garcia, Hill, Phillipou, Wood, Ryan

Reserves:
B: Stocker, Barrat, O’Connell
HB: Travaglia, Hastie, Byrnes
C: Carroll, Fincher, Banfield
HF: Henry, Caminiti, Collard
F: Said, Keeler, Butler
R: Dodson, Boxshall, Dow
Int: Armstrong

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Best 23
B: Silvagni, Wilkie, Tauru
HB: Sinclair, Howard, Clark
C: Wilson, Macrae, Windhager
HF: Hall, Marshall, Owens
F: Higgins, King, Sharman
R: TDK, NVM, Flanders
Int: Garcia, Hill, Phillipou, Wood, Ryan

Reserves:
B: Stocker, Barrat, O’Connell
HB: Travaglia, Hastie, Byrnes
C: Carroll, Fincher, Banfield
HF: Henry, Caminiti, Collard
F: Said, Keeler, Butler
R: Dodson, Boxshall, Dow
Int: Armstrong

Seems like the coaches see Fincher as a forward flanker
Definitely need another tall there, Hastie at C.H.B is a stretch unless he is like Vlastuin from the Tigers.
Hopefully Armstrong can take a key-position spot, is 195cm now apparently.

 

[jimmytigs]

revised due to cocxup,post 212

 

[saintmike65]

ONES
B WILKIE HOWARD STOCKER
HB SINCLAIR SILVAGNI TAURU
C WINDHAGER MACRAE HALL
R TDK NAZ FLANDERS
HF OWENS MARSHALL SHARMAN
F HIGGINS KING RYAN
I/C GARCIA WILSON POU BOXSHALL CAMINITI
EM TRAVAGLIA HILL WOOD

SECONDS
B FINCHER BARRAT HASTIE
HB CLARK O'CONNELL ARMSTRONG
C TRAVAGLIA DOW HENRY
R DODSON CARROLL BYRNES
HF BANFIELD WOOD HILL
F COLLARD KEELER BUTLER
I/C SAID CAMPIGLI MAGINNESS RICHARDSON BEHNK
EM MCDONALD PECKETT MCKENZIE GALIMBERTI SSP?

tried to get all our listed players on the field,but campigli really looks the goods and behnk and richardson are kpp,i had clark in to begin with but couldnt leave tauru or caminiti out,caminiti gives us so many options,can go down back when needed,but will be ideal for switching with roma when he has a stint in the ruck,or slotting in for sharman owens or king any time

with the sandy millstone off our necks we should seriously win the seconds flag,3 emergencies henry clark are just ready to slot straight in,stocker better be on his game round 1

Fincher and Banfield?

 

[Flandersss]

Wilkie Howard LOC
Sinclair Silvagni Tauru
Hill Flanders Wilson
Hall Marshall Ryan
Higgins King Sharman
TDK Windhager NWM
Phillipou Owens Henry Garcia Macrae

 

[jimmytigs]

Fincher and Banfield?

yep thats what i get for switching things around,i had banfield hff and fincher bp in the twos originally,will have to do a revised version later,going out

thanks

 

[St Steady]

heres my crack for now

cliff notes -
Caminiti to shine as the big boy back of the league
Windy to explode and rise to be sublime and elite as an old school centreman (greg williams like) and let nas/flanders to have the limelight
Roma to think thank fk i stayed and have his best season yet

Wilkie Caminiti Stocker
Tauru JSOS Sinc
Wilson Windy Hill
Hall Sharman Owens
Roma King Higgins

TDK Nas Flanders

Macrae Wood Pou Hugo Ryan

stiff/emg

LOC Keeler Henry Box etc

 

[Yabadoo22]

B: Tauru caminiti silvagni
Hb: travaglia Wilkie Sinclair
C: boxshall Flanders Wilson
Hf: hall Marshall Owens
F: Higgins king Ryan
Foll: TDK windhager NAS
Int: hastie Garcia Sharman phillipou
Hill

Reserves
B: Oconell Howard stocker
Hb: Clark Barret Armstrong
C: banfield dow Byrnes
Hf: Carroll wood fincher
F: butler keeler collard
Foll: Dodson macrae Henry
Int:

 

[jimmytigs]

revised lineups



ONES
B WILKIE HOWARD STOCKER
HB SINCLAIR SILVAGNI TAURU
C WINDHAGER MACRAE HALL
R TDK NAZ FLANDERS
HF OWENS MARSHALL SHARMAN
F HIGGINS KING RYAN
I/C GARCIA WILSON POU BOXSHALL CAMINITI
EM TRAVAGLIA HILL WOOD

SECONDS
B FINCHER BARRAT O'CONNELL
HB CLARK ARMSTRONG HASTIE
C TRAVAGLIA BYRNES HENRY
R DODSON CARROLL DOW
HF HILL WOOD BANFIELD
F COLLARD KEELER BUTLER
I/C SAID CAMPIGLI BEHNK RICHARDSON PECKETT
EM MCDONALD MCKENZIE GALIMBERTI MAGINNESS SSP?

tried to get all our listed players on the field,but campigli really looks the goods and behnk and richardson are kpp,i had clark in to begin with but couldnt leave tauru or caminiti out,caminiti gives us so many options,can go down back when needed,but will be ideal for switching with roma when he has a stint in the ruck,or slotting in for sharman owens or king any time

with the sandy millstone off our necks we should seriously win the seconds flag,3 emergencies henry clark are just ready to slot straight in,stocker better be on his game round 1

 

[Saints4ever]

Depth we have so much depth

 

[Mav3rick]

Fresh 23
B: Stocker, Silvagni, Tauru
HB: Sinclair, Wilkie, Trav
C: Wilsonl, NAS, Wood
HF: Hall, Sharman, Owens
F: Higgins, King, Ryan
Foll: TDK, Flanders, Windy
Bench: Marshall, Macrae, Boxshall, Henry, Pou

Cut not to squeeze Garcia in, imagine Hill, Butler, Caminiti and Clark will play plenty too. Worried about the backline being too small/inexperienced but hopefully our two rucks and big athletic wings covers that.

 

[Armoooo]

FB:	Tauru	Wilkie	Stocker
HB:	Travalgia	Silvagni	Sinclair
C:	Wilson	Flanders	Windhager
HF:	Hall	Marshall	Owens
FF:	Higgins	King	Ryan
R:	DeKoening	Nas	Macrae
I/C:	Sharman	Garcia	Phillipou
Hill	Wood
Emg:	Boxshall	Caminiti	Collard

Its getting tough, I hate that I can't even get Keeler into the emergencies.

Still think we're missing a big full back and a lockdown small defender.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Wood and Hill pushed out of the 23 this year. Would mean that we've had a couple youngsters come on and would be great leadership for the VFL team.

Updated, my bad for not proof reading. Killed the Hall clone and confirming that Hill could be pushed out.

Was moving players around too much and Macrae disappeared somehow

 

[saintmike65]

Updated, my bad for not proof reading. Killed the Hall clone and confirming that Hill could be pushed out.

Was moving players around too much and Macrae disappeared somehow

Very similar to how I'd set the team up, just wouldn't have Stocker or Wood in.
LOC I'd have as a lockdown defender and Boxshall would be on my bench.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Updated, my bad for not proof reading. Killed the Hall clone and confirming that Hill could be pushed out.

Was moving players around too much and Macrae disappeared somehow

Stocker Howard Wilkie
Sinclair JSOS Carroll
Wilson Flanders Windhager
Hall Caminiti Owens
Higgins King Sharman

DeKoning, McRae, Wanganeen-Milera

Marshall, Boxshall, Phillipou, Garcia, Tauru

Its a smart move to develop Carroll as a HBF, if he can show a strong defensive game he has the bullet left foot which would put him ahead of the likes of Travaglia, Clark etc for the 3rd small/medium defender role. I see Jack as a real smokey to win a position in the starting side.

Ryan is not a walkup start IMO.

 

[The Punter]

Stocker Howard Wilkie
Sinclair JSOS Carroll
Wilson Flanders Windhager
Hall Caminiti Owens
Higgins King Sharman

DeKoning, McRae, Wanganeen-Milera

Marshall, Boxshall, Phillipou, Garcia, Tauru

Its a smart move to develop Carroll as a HBF, if he can show a strong defensive game he has the bullet left foot which would put him ahead of the likes of Travaglia, Clark etc for the 3rd small/medium defender role. I see Jack as a real smokey to win a position in the starting side.

Ryan is not a walkup start IMO.

I don't think we need to convert players into a HBF role. We have Sinclair, Clark, Travaglia, Nas (to mix it up)...

What we need are lock down small defenders. It seems the entire league have decided they are not important. Meanwhile Bailey and Cameron ripped Geelong apart in the Grand Final.

I agree on Ryan, and all the small forwards not named Jack Higgins.

 

[stavro#4]

B: Wilkie Howard Hastie
HB: Sinclair JSOS Tauru
C: Windhager Pou Wilson
HF: Hall Marshall Owens
F: Higgins King Sharman
Foll: TDK Flanders NWM
Bench: Hill Ryan Boxshall Garcia Macrae

 

[saintmike65]

B: Wilkie Howard Hastie
HB: Sinclair JSOS Tauru
C: Windhager Pou Wilson
HF: Hall Marshall Owens
F: Higgins King Sharman
Foll: TDK Flanders NWM
Bench: Hill Ryan Boxshall Garcia Macrae

That pretty much aligns with my side...Hastie the one i probably wouldn't have in

 

[ThomasR]

Ryan is not a walkup start IMO.

I see where you are coming from. but you don't trade a 2nd rounder for a 29yo to play VFL. I think they would have done all the analytics on him and he would be firmly entrenched in plans for this year

 

[stavro#4]

That pretty much aligns with my side...Hastie the one i probably wouldn't have in

I really rate Hastie.

I’ve been watching replays of our wins from this season and he is so prominent when it matters in a few - especially as a player coming on late as a sub.

Just big in the key moments. Spoil or a mark or a clean disposal.

190cm and plays smaller. I really think there is a player there to work with.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

I don't think we need to convert players into a HBF role. We have Sinclair, Clark, Travaglia, Nas (to mix it up)...

What we need are lock down small defenders. It seems the entire league have decided they are not important. Meanwhile Bailey and Cameron ripped Geelong apart in the Grand Final.

I agree on Ryan, and all the small forwards not named Jack Higgins.

Carroll has been training in the half back role and I think looking pretty comfortable.

I find it amusing how so many dont believe a player can learn a new role eg half back or even develop into a lock down role. A lot of time they just need opportunity and thats exactly what Carroll will get across half back as he wont break into the midfield.

Nas will play predominantly midfield and subjectively Carroll could play in front of Clark (too slow) and Travaglia (cant kick) and has a way to go.

I see where you are coming from. but you don't trade a 2nd rounder for a 29yo to play VFL. I think they would have done all the analytics on him and he would be firmly entrenched in plans for this year

I partially agree, but from what Ryan has shown at training he is coming from a long way back fitness wise. The small forwards have to get up and back the ground quickly in todays game and I cant see Lyon making allowances for a player struggling to cover the ground regardless of how he was attracted to the club. He is 29yo so there may be a reason WCE were happy to release him from his contract? Again its my opinion but I have never rated his work rate.

 

[The Punter]

Carroll has been training in the half back role and I think looking pretty comfortable.

I find it amusing how so many dont believe a player can learn a new role eg half back or even develop into a lock down role. A lot of time they just need opportunity and thats exactly what Carroll will get across half back as he wont break into the midfield.

Nas will play predominantly midfield and subjectively Carroll could play in front of Clark (too slow) and Travaglia (cant kick) and has a way to go.

To be understood, I didn't mean Carroll couldn't learn a new role. I was questioning why we would want him to learn a new role when it doesn't appear to be a position of dire need for us.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

To be understood, I didn't mean Carroll couldn't learn a new role. I was questioning why we would want him to learn a new role when it doesn't appear to be a position of dire need for us.

Thats the point I dont believe we do...and obviously the club think the same as he is training in that role. Clark is far too slow (back up only) and Travaglia has a lot of work to do to be a first 23 player IMO. Particularly his kicking it is his biggest weakness, he doesnt have any penetration or reliability to be playing that role at present.

So why not give a guy an opportunity, who has a brilliant left foot and can run, a chance to show he is in front of others. Where does this 'new role' phenonoma or hurdle come from, Stocker was drafted as a midfielder, Sinclair as a small forward wingman. Id suggest like Stocker and Sinclair the club have identified that back flank will be Carroll best position?

 

[stavro#4]

Carroll has been training in the half back role and I think looking pretty comfortable.

I find it amusing how so many dont believe a player can learn a new role eg half back or even develop into a lock down role. A lot of time they just need opportunity and thats exactly what Carroll will get across half back as he wont break into the midfield.

Nas will play predominantly midfield and subjectively Carroll could play in front of Clark (too slow) and Travaglia (cant kick) and has a way to go.



I partially agree, but from what Ryan has shown at training he is coming from a long way back fitness wise. The small forwards have to get up and back the ground quickly in todays game and I cant see Lyon making allowances for a player struggling to cover the ground regardless of how he was attracted to the club. He is 29yo so there may be a reason WCE were happy to release him from his contract? Again its my opinion but I have never rated his work rate.

Ryan is an All Australian small forward. He tore us apart in the only game west coast won last year.

Even if he needs to drop a few KGs which I might add isn’t confirmed. It’s pure speculation, he is mercurial and the only small forward we have as good in the air as he is on ground level - whilst having X factor to bust open a game in 5 minutes.

You have been against his recruitment from day 1 and that’s fine. But until he shows everyone else he isn’t worth a spot in our best side in round 1. That’s exactly where he will be if he is fit. He is a good footballer and he will be the 5th or 6th banana after often being the 2nd man on a defensive scouting report for eagles opposition the last few years.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Ryan is an All Australian small forward. He tore us apart in the only game west coast won last year.

Even if he needs to drop a few KGs which I might add isn’t confirmed. It’s pure speculation, he is mercurial and the only small forward we have as good in the air as he is on ground level - whilst having X factor to bust open a game in 5 minutes.

You have been against his recruitment from day 1 and that’s fine. But until he shows everyone else he isn’t worth a spot in our best side in round 1. That’s exactly where he will be if he is fit. He is a good footballer and he will be the 5th or 6th banana after often being the 2nd man on a defensive scouting report for eagles opposition the last few years.

One game doesnt make him a reliable player and he made the AA team 5 years ago. He simply does not impact games consistently with his work rate or goal kicking IMO. He does have X factor but so did Gresham and I put Ryan in the same boat, an enigma.

If Lyon goes off your mantra that he has to prove he is not worth a position in the side then we are faaarked. We are back to the 2009 years when the developing kids had no chance of getting a game consistently. Players getting games on reputation not performance!

 

[gringo2011]

It's always interesting to play this game preseason but in reality it always seems like we have half a dozen best 22 go down injured in Jan/Feb. Usually with mid to long term injuries. I'll wait till about a week out from week one to make my prediction.

It's not a case of being pessimistic. I guarantee everyone's best 22 predictions this time last year would've included Max King. How did that turn out?

Personally, I think of all the predictions for next season the importance of Kings return to his best is the most pivotal.

King is going to be a massive part of our future improvement but realistically the biggest surge will come if we get all those guys going that had below average years, injury or at a point in the development where they might jump fast.

King, Wood, Butler, Dow, Carroll, Stocker, Clark, Henry, Howard, King, McCrae, Phillipou all injured or down years.

Wilson, Windhager, Owens, Boxshall, Caminiti, Collard, Dodson, Garcia, Hall, Nas, Keeler, LOC, Phillipou, Trav, Tauru, Hastie all have massive growth potential.

Throw in the new recruits in TDK, Flanders and JSOS ad we are starting to look very deep.

Even guys like Byrnes and Sharman have the potential to step up still in a better side.