Prediction Best 23 - 2026 edition

[sharps24]

After 6 games I see it like this:

Players who are locks every week, no question over them at all. Starting back and moving forward:

Tier 1: Ginbey, Baker, Lindsay, McCarthy, Allan, Davis, Yeo, H Reid, Kelly, B Williams, Duursma, Shannahan, Waterman, Murdock.

14 players locked in. Solid spine and all talented.

Players who are currently under little to no scrutiny due to either injuries or being slightly ahead of their competition:

Tier 2: Duggan*, Hough, Schoenberg, Young, Brock.

Players who are being carried but it is positive for development:

Tier 3: CDT, A Reid, Hewett

Thats 22 of 23 players who are either locks or you either couldn't mount a strong case for dropping or count make a strong case for keeping..

Players who are in the seniors but have to go down to WAFL immediately:

Tier 4: Cripps. * Duggan is playing like a tier 4 player but has the immunity cloak of captaincy. He could be genuine tier 2 in a different role though, even go back to tier 1 if he makes it his own. Unlike Cripps, who is just genuinely cooked physically.

WAFL players who deserve to be elevated for selection integrity:

Champion, Owies, maybe Cole, maybe Flynn.

Players who have done enough in the WAFL to displace one of the tier 3 or tier 2 players: Definitely Cole, and any of J Williams, Greggo, Bazzo, Maric or Gross acceptable inclusions to play for their spot. Flynn an edge case, like Cole has consistently shown he's too good for WAFL but a liability at AFL level- could be done for sure but proceed with caution.

AFL listed players who currently belong in the WAFL: Hutch [too few games, stocks will rise], Hall [stocks crashed], Johnston [meh], Williams [too young].

Inured players who are in the mix to press for senior selection upon return: Graham, Edwards.

Unknown quantity: Allen. Looks a gun though.

Not this year: Robbo, Newto, SoLongo

This is a definitive guide and nothing here is debatable to anyone who has a solid grasp of AFL football.

 

[WCE777]

After 6 games I see it like this:

Players who are locks every week, no question over them at all. Starting back and moving forward:

Tier 1: Ginbey, Baker, Lindsay, McCarthy, Allan, Davis, Yeo, H Reid, Kelly, B Williams, Duursma, Shannahan, Waterman, Murdock.

14 players locked in. Solid spine and all talented.

I mostly agree with your tier rankings, except Yeo & Kelly are 2 years away from not being on our list and Davis is a solid contributor but a better player would relegate him to depth.
Waterman is a great player and our best KPF, he is definitely carrying an injury and after that there is Shanahan, very thin.

Players who are currently under little to no scrutiny due to either injuries or being slightly ahead of their competition:

Tier 2: Duggan*, Hough, Schoenberg, Young, Brock.

Duggan, Schoenberg, Brock really are depth. Young has improved but he is a solid B grade if we had better.
Duggan probably won't be dropped but his role should be the defensive mid, tag role to complete his career as he offers no more than experience as his disposals are mostly ineffective.
Hopefully Edwards returns healthy in the last half of the year but he is limited in his role, big bodied KPF's and full health is a B+.

Players who are being carried but it is positive for development:

Tier 3: CDT, A Reid, Hewett

Thats 22 of 23 players who are either locks or you either couldn't mount a strong case for dropping or count make a strong case for keeping..

Hewett has talent no doubt but unless he forces his way into the midfield soon he will be a HF who pushes into the midfield for rotations as his body isn't allowing him to be a full time mid.

Players who are in the seniors but have to go down to WAFL immediately:

Tier 4: Cripps. * Duggan is playing like a tier 4 player but has the immunity cloak of captaincy. He could be genuine tier 2 in a different role though, even go back to tier 1 if he makes it his own. Unlike Cripps, who is just genuinely cooked physically.

Cripps has father time catching him, he should be in his last year. The biggest problem is our stocks to fill his position are thin, Champion is building and next in line, Owies is depth at best, Williams too young.

WAFL players who deserve to be elevated for selection integrity:

Champion, Owies, maybe Cole, maybe Flynn.

Players who have done enough in the WAFL to displace one of the tier 3 or tier 2 players: Definitely Cole, and any of J Williams, Greggo, Bazzo, Maric or Gross acceptable inclusions to play for their spot. Flynn an edge case, like Cole has consistently shown he's too good for WAFL but a liability at AFL level- could be done for sure but proceed with caution.

Cole is better than most but realistically he is depth, better skills than Duggan but should be kept as depth.
Flynn is depth. If we get another quality ruck through FA then he is WAFL.
Bazzo is a WAFL player, every time he steps up he doesn't take someone's spot.
JW is genuine depth, not breaking into the side in front of Shanahan makes him a solid depth player.
Maric is depth, his deficiencies are his defensive game, solid depth.
Hutch is depth, has mostly good skills except he's not a mid of high quality as he isn't clean enough to make any more than depth player. Could be strong enough in the forward line.
Gross & Grego are building and look genuine chances to make it with time.

AFL listed players who currently belong in the WAFL: Hutch [too few games, stocks will rise], Hall [stocks crashed], Johnston [meh], Williams [too young].

Johnson just not going to make it.
Hall is a depth player and will be strong at WAFL.
McRae isn't WAFL standard.

Inured players who are in the mix to press for senior selection upon return: Graham, Edwards.

Unknown quantity: Allen. Looks a gun though.

Not this year: Robbo, Newto, SoLongo

This is a definitive guide and nothing here is debatable to anyone who has a solid grasp of AFL football.

Allen looks a gun.
Rodriguez looks to be ok when he gets a run.
Long I dont think makes it, behind Murdoch/Newton/Champion.

Realistically depending on trades/draft there is a case that 7-8 players that need replacing pretty much now.
Bazzo
Cripps
Johnston
McRae
Barnett
Brockman
Long

Flynn: keep if can't replace
Maric: depth
Cole: depth

Desperately need someone behind Waterman/Shanahan: trade J Walter.
Desperately need KPD's: trade J Butts/draft 2 this year.
Desperately need an upgrade on Flynn & BW: if can't replace Flynn keep and keep developing CDT & A Reid.
Desperately need more midfield stocks: draft the best or 2/trade L Neale.

 

[sharps24]

I mostly agree with your tier rankings, except Yeo & Kelly are 2 years away from not being on our list and Davis is a solid contributor but a better player would relegate him to depth.
Waterman is a great player and our best KPF, he is definitely carrying an injury and after that there is Shanahan, very thin.

Duggan, Schoenberg, Brock really are depth. Young has improved but he is a solid B grade if we had better.
Duggan probably won't be dropped but his role should be the defensive mid, tag role to complete his career as he offers no more than experience as his disposals are mostly ineffective.
Hopefully Edwards returns healthy in the last half of the year but he is limited in his role, big bodied KPF's and full health is a B+.

Hewett has talent no doubt but unless he forces his way into the midfield soon he will be a HF who pushes into the midfield for rotations as his body isn't allowing him to be a full time mid.

Cripps has father time catching him, he should be in his last year. The biggest problem is our stocks to fill his position are thin, Champion is building and next in line, Owies is depth at best, Williams too young.

Cole is better than most but realistically he is depth, better skills than Duggan but should be kept as depth.
Flynn is depth. If we get another quality ruck through FA then he is WAFL.
Bazzo is a WAFL player, every time he steps up he doesn't take someone's spot.
JW is genuine depth, not breaking into the side in front of Shanahan makes him a solid depth player.
Maric is depth, his deficiencies are his defensive game, solid depth.
Hutch is depth, has mostly good skills except he's not a mid of high quality as he isn't clean enough to make any more than depth player. Could be strong enough in the forward line.
Gross & Grego are building and look genuine chances to make it with time.


Johnson just not going to make it.
Hall is a depth player and will be strong at WAFL.
McRae isn't WAFL standard.

Allen looks a gun.
Rodriguez looks to be ok when he gets a run.
Long I dont think makes it, behind Murdoch/Newton/Champion.

Realistically depending on trades/draft there is a case that 7-8 players that need replacing pretty much now.
Bazzo
Cripps
Johnston
McRae
Barnett
Brockman
Long

Flynn: keep if can't replace
Maric: depth
Cole: depth

Desperately need someone behind Waterman/Shanahan: trade J Walter.
Desperately need KPD's: trade J Butts/draft 2 this year.
Desperately need an upgrade on Flynn & BW: if can't replace Flynn keep and keep developing CDT & A Reid.
Desperately need more midfield stocks: draft the best or 2/trade L Neale.

Fred Rodreigez! Knew I'd forget at least one, cheers.

Anyway WCE777 your a good egg and I appreciate that you are among the 5 people on the board who still like my posts.

But I did say this list was definitive and not up for debate. Thats a block for you son.

edit: nah just kidding. I'd never block you my post to like ration is in dire straights.

 

[WCE777]

Fred Rodreigez! Knew I'd forget at least one, cheers.

Anyway WCE777 your a good egg and I appreciate that you are among the 5 people on the board who still like my posts.

But I did say this list was definitive and not up for debate. Thats a block for you son.

edit: nah just kidding. I'd never block you my post to like ration is in dire straights.

take the block with pleasure
if I can't stand someone or their opinion I have found the block button works wonders, your not in there, yet after calling me son!!

 

[Bender_]

Anyway WCE777 your a good egg and I appreciate that you are among the 5 people I haven't blocked yet.

Fixed

 

[KBLT]

Fixed

Sometimes I wonder what the board looks like for ol' sharpy

 

[txbyhull]

this must be some old school BF beef that I have no clue about

 

[Pottering]

I mostly agree with your tier rankings, except Yeo & Kelly are 2 years away from not being on our list and Davis is a solid contributor but a better player would relegate him to depth.
Waterman is a great player and our best KPF, he is definitely carrying an injury and after that there is Shanahan, very thin.

Duggan, Schoenberg, Brock really are depth. Young has improved but he is a solid B grade if we had better.
Duggan probably won't be dropped but his role should be the defensive mid, tag role to complete his career as he offers no more than experience as his disposals are mostly ineffective.
Hopefully Edwards returns healthy in the last half of the year but he is limited in his role, big bodied KPF's and full health is a B+.

Hewett has talent no doubt but unless he forces his way into the midfield soon he will be a HF who pushes into the midfield for rotations as his body isn't allowing him to be a full time mid.

Cripps has father time catching him, he should be in his last year. The biggest problem is our stocks to fill his position are thin, Champion is building and next in line, Owies is depth at best, Williams too young.

Cole is better than most but realistically he is depth, better skills than Duggan but should be kept as depth.
Flynn is depth. If we get another quality ruck through FA then he is WAFL.
Bazzo is a WAFL player, every time he steps up he doesn't take someone's spot.
JW is genuine depth, not breaking into the side in front of Shanahan makes him a solid depth player.
Maric is depth, his deficiencies are his defensive game, solid depth.
Hutch is depth, has mostly good skills except he's not a mid of high quality as he isn't clean enough to make any more than depth player. Could be strong enough in the forward line.
Gross & Grego are building and look genuine chances to make it with time.


Johnson just not going to make it.
Hall is a depth player and will be strong at WAFL.
McRae isn't WAFL standard.

Allen looks a gun.
Rodriguez looks to be ok when he gets a run.
Long I dont think makes it, behind Murdoch/Newton/Champion.

Realistically depending on trades/draft there is a case that 7-8 players that need replacing pretty much now.
Bazzo
Cripps
Johnston
McRae
Barnett
Brockman
Long

Flynn: keep if can't replace
Maric: depth
Cole: depth

Desperately need someone behind Waterman/Shanahan: trade J Walter.
Desperately need KPD's: trade J Butts/draft 2 this year.
Desperately need an upgrade on Flynn & BW: if can't replace Flynn keep and keep developing CDT & A Reid.
Desperately need more midfield stocks: draft the best or 2/trade L Neale.

Personally I'd just ruck Archer Reid and Cooper Duft-Tuytler from here on in.

B Williams and Flynn are never going to get any better as ruckman, so why just keep trotting them out and watch them get towelled up?

I'd actually like to see if B Williams could be made into a key defender. He's shown he's not a key forward, but he has the physical attributes to be a key defender. Whether he's got the nous or concentration to be a key defender, who knows. But rather than having playing ruck at WAFL level and get 100 hit outs, stick him down back and see what he's got.

 

[ziad]

Personally I'd just ruck Archer Reid and Cooper Duft-Tuytler from here on in.

B Williams and Flynn are never going to get any better as ruckman, so why just keep trotting them out and watch them get towelled up?

I'd actually like to see if B Williams could be made into a key defender. He's shown he's not a key forward, but he has the physical attributes to be a key defender. Whether he's got the nous or concentration to be a key defender, who knows. But rather than having playing ruck at WAFL level and get 100 hit outs, stick him down back and see what he's got.

B Williams contested well against Freo, and was useful at ground level. Key defender?? who know - we never know if we don't go. I do however think CDT and Archer are too physically immature to ruck on their own.

 

[stallon]

Personally I'd just ruck Archer Reid and Cooper Duft-Tuytler from here on in.

B Williams and Flynn are never going to get any better as ruckman, so why just keep trotting them out and watch them get towelled up?

I'd actually like to see if B Williams could be made into a key defender. He's shown he's not a key forward, but he has the physical attributes to be a key defender. Whether he's got the nous or concentration to be a key defender, who knows. But rather than having playing ruck at WAFL level and get 100 hit outs, stick him down back and see what he's got.

BW has been fine since he got into the side, a million times better than Flynn

BW is undroppable right now

 

[Pottering]

BW has been fine since he got into the side, a million times better than Flynn

BW is undroppable right now

Being better than Flynn is nothing to hang your hat on. BW has been around long enough to see he'll never be anything more than a C grade AFL ruckman, see if he can be made into a key defender I say.

 

[stallon]

Being better than Flynn is nothing to hang your hat on. BW has been around long enough to see he'll never be anything more than a C grade AFL ruckman, see if he can be made into a key defender I say.

What?
He doesnt need to be **** all other than a C grade ruckman because our alternative is a 18 year old or an E-grade ruckman

Why would you talk about turning our best ruckman into a KPD, this is a thread about the 2026 best 23 remember

 

[Mighty Eagles]

Gross has been very unlucky not to be selected tomorrow.

 

[Pottering]

What?
He doesnt need to be **** all other than a C grade ruckman because our alternative is a 18 year old or an E-grade ruckman

Why would you talk about turning our best ruckman into a KPD, this is a thread about the 2026 best 23 remember

Because our "best ruckman" has shown conclusively he can't compete against the league's best. Flynn was brought in after he lost the role at GWS to Briggs and was immediately our number one ruckman. Of course that didn’t last long because it was shown he too wasn't up to par and he and Williams have basically been rotating in and out ever since. Before Archer Reid got injured I would have been happy to have gine with him and CDT sharing the role 50% each. If they got towelled up Gawn or Grundy for example then at least they might learn a bit, but for Williams and Flynn the learning stage is well past.

Given there is basically no scope for improvement in either Williams or Flynn I can't see any thing to lose in trying Williams out as a key defender (at WAFL level). He has the physical requirements, whether he has the nous or aptitude is unknown. But we know our key defender stocks are at rock bottom, with Harry Edwards possibly one concussion away from retirement. Are we really going to progress with Young, Brock, Bazzo and an undersized Ginbey as our CHB/FB options?

 

[Pottering]

Brock is decent

Can't agree. Was a rookie draft selection for Gold Coast, but was delisted two years later not playing an AFL game. Unfortunately we've seen why, he's just not up to it. He's 198cm tall but plays like someone 15cm shorter. Is constantly pushed off the ball by stronger opponents. I'll grant he's a decent kick, but that would be a bonus if he brought strong defensive skills. But he doesn't.

 

[stallon]

Because our "best ruckman" has shown conclusively he can't compete against the league's best. Flynn was brought in after he lost the role at GWS to Briggs and was immediately our number one ruckman. Of course that didn’t last long because it was shown he too wasn't up to par and he and Williams have basically been rotating in and out ever since. Before Archer Reid got injured I would have been happy to have gine with him and CDT sharing the role 50% each. If they got towelled up Gawn or Grundy for example then at least they might learn a bit, but for Williams and Flynn the learning stage is well past.

Given there is basically no scope for improvement in either Williams or Flynn I can't see any thing to lose in trying Williams out as a key defender (at WAFL level). He has the physical requirements, whether he has the nous or aptitude is unknown. But we know our key defender stocks are at rock bottom, with Harry Edwards possibly one concussion away from retirement. Are we really going to progress with Young, Brock, Bazzo and an undersized Ginbey as our CHB/FB options?

So whats your plan for the ruck this year then?
Archer and CDT aren't able to do it 50/50 yet(even if Archer was fit). JWilliams isnt capable at AFL level this year it seems, hes clearly out of favour, and too much of a downgrade to justify moving Bailey to KPD.
BW is only 25, hes not there to learn hes there to fill a role until CDT is ready lol, CDT is the one learning and he cant do that as the number 1 ruckman at 18 years old

You want BW to move to KPD this year, the only way that can possibly happen is Flynn who is FAR worse than BW to be our ruckman???
You are not serious

Unless there is another ruckman BETTER than BWilliams coming in this next off-season(HIGHLY unliekly) it makes 0 sense to move him around lmao

Our KPDs can be fixed in the offseason, our ruck situation is FAR more dire/urgent than our KPDs. Ginbey and Edwards is a fine pairing, not elite but not awful.
We have awful rucks we need to just survive until CDT can do it

 

[Pottering]

So whats your plan for the ruck this year then?
Archer and CDT aren't able to do it 50/50 yet(even if Archer was fit). JWilliams isnt capable at AFL level this year it seems, hes clearly out of favour, and too much of a downgrade to justify moving Bailey to KPD.
BW is only 25, hes not there to learn hes there to fill a role until CDT is ready lol, CDT is the one learning and he cant do that as the number 1 ruckman at 18 years old

You want BW to move to KPD this year, the only way that can possibly happen is Flynn who is FAR worse than BW to be our ruckman???
You are not serious

Unless there is another ruckman BETTER than BWilliams coming in this next off-season(HIGHLY unliekly) it makes 0 sense to move him around lmao

Our KPDs can be fixed in the offseason, our ruck situation is FAR more dire/urgent than our KPDs. Ginbey and Edwards is a fine pairing, not elite but not awful.
We have awful rucks we need to just survive until CDT can do it

We have a dearth of ruckmen, doesn’t really matter who's in there. If our key defenders can be fixed in the off-season then why wasn't that done last off season?

We're easily the most scored against team coming into round 8, so I'm not sure how that isn't a dire/urgent issue. If Ginbey wasn't playing out of his skin as an undersized key back imagine how bad it could be. We need key defenders desperately and we have minimal opportunities this year to get a decent one in. Both rucks and key defenders are on the list for next year, nobody is disputing that. Lloyd Meek couldn't gat a game at Freo, but Hawthorn picked him up. That forced Ned Reeves back to the VFL. Now they're the best ruckman combo going around. Did we look either?

So what about this year? What can we do that might work this year and which might ease the pressure next year? Try something different. If the only reason not to try Williams in defence is because we need him to run around and get beaten in the ruck, then that's not a reason.

 

[txbyhull]

We have a dearth of ruckmen, doesn’t really matter who's in there. If our key defenders can be fixed in the off-season then why wasn't that done last off season?

We're easily the most scored against team coming into round 8, so I'm not sure how that isn't a dire/urgent issue. If Ginbey wasn't playing out of his skin as an undersized key back imagine how bad it could be. We need key defenders desperately and we have minimal opportunities this year to get a decent one in. Both rucks and key defenders are on the list for next year, nobody is disputing that. Lloyd Meek couldn't gat a game at Freo, but Hawthorn picked him up. That forced Ned Reeves back to the VFL. Now they're the best ruckman combo going around. Did we look either?

So what about this year? What can we do that might work this year and which might ease the pressure next year? Try something different. If the only reason not to try Williams in defence is because we need him to run around and get beaten in the ruck, then that's not a reason.

I think you have got your priorities around the wrong way a little bit. The reason all our defenders look so ****ing shocking is because of the ease of entry into our d50 and the quality of entry that we give up. That comes from teams walking it out of our forward 50 (way too tall and poor smalls), and losing it out the back of stoppage consistently (combination of the worst rucks in the comp and the knock on effect of that). If those 2 things were fixed I think we would be infinitely better.

That being said obviously we do need to improve stocks, its not to say that we dont. But we don't have the set up both in the coaches box and in the forward line to play a team defence with average players like Collingwood does, and nor do we have an elite key back to carry the defence like a Carlton do. Worst of both worlds