Strategy Best 23 - 2026

[Mick F]

Having finished third, we’ll cop an even tougher fixture in 2026 than this year.

I find it hard to imagine us finishing higher than any of Brisbane, GC, Hawks, Swans, Freo, Crows, Giants and Cats. Maybe Saints too. So ninth (at best) is my expectation.

But I’m looking forward to seeing us play with a more youthful team and hopefully seeing a few of them really blossom into quality players, to set us up for 2027 & 2028.

Yes. I am expecting the team finishing ninth next year to be a genuinely decent side.

 

[Bogsey]

Quaynor Frampton McInnes
Maynard Moore Jaicos
Houston Long Allen
McCreery McStay Schultz
West Buller Hill
Cameron Perryman Naicos

Rotate the bench between:
Pendlebury Elliott Sidebottom
DeGoey Howe Crisp

This is the way I'd want to see it go.
Time to start ushering in the team for the future and mix in the retirement village from the bench.

Stiff to miss out would be Lipinski, Steele, Parker, Membrey and Sulli, but they're all very decent depth for us.

I'd like to fit Harrison in there as well, but tough to make that call after 12 months out of footy.

 

[Go Woods]

Having another crack.

Maynard Frampton McInnes
Quaynor Moore Houston
Hill Long Allan
McCreery McStay Schultz
De Goey Buller Elliot
Cameron Jaicos Naicos

Pendlebury Perryman Sidebottom
Howe Crisp

Next best:
West, Parker, Steele, HH, Membrey, Lipinski, Sullivan, Hayes, DeMattia, Howes

 

[domus]

Nice.

Here's what I have:

1 Gold Coast
2. Brisbane
3. Fremantle
4. Adelaide


Then..... us somewhere below that. Grim but realistic.

Nothing ever works out the way the mob predict. With all of the recruiting done by GC and Brisbane and an expectation that Freo and Adelaide will simply get better, I have faith in our club based on our long history of making the media predictions look stupid and our ability to get the very best out of the list we have.

I see no reason why we should slide.

 

[Jen2310]

Nothing ever works out the way the mob predict. With all of the recruiting done by GC and Brisbane and an expectation that Freo and Adelaide will simply get better, I have faith in our club based on our long history of making the media predictions look stupid and our ability to get the very best out of the list we have.

I see no reason why we should slide.

It may be less about us sliding persay, but more about others improving.

 

[domus]

It may be less about us sliding persay, but more about others improving.

I'm confident about our chances of contending, Jen. As I said, often teams like the Saints or the Lions who appear to have boosted their stocks, don't take the leap to the next level many are expecting. The Lions are already formidable, but in no way have we been overmatched whenever we've played them in recent years. I don't think Allan shifts the dial all that much nor does Draper as opposed to the Big O and Forte.

I also rate our coach.

 

[Drought Break]

I'm confident about our chances of contending, Jen. As I said, often teams like the Saints or the Lions who appear to have boosted their stocks, don't take the leap to the next level many are expecting. The Lions are already formidable, but in no way have we been overmatched whenever we've played them in recent years. I don't think Allan shifts the dial all that much nor does Draper as opposed to the Big O and Forte.

I also rate our coach.

Mate lions are just getting stronger unfortunately. Young guns in the middle who have there best years to come. Adding another young gun midfielder this draft also. If they get Allen and Draper fit and firing they will improve further.

 

[domus]

Mate lions are just getting stronger unfortunately. Young guns in the middle who have there best years to come. Adding another young gun midfielder this draft also. If they get Allen and Draper fit and firing they will improve further.

We will see.

 

[manicpie]

Mate lions are just getting stronger unfortunately. Young guns in the middle who have there best years to come. Adding another young gun midfielder this draft also. If they get Allen and Draper fit and firing they will improve further.

I'm thinking top 4 again but like you, I think we'll just fall short. We'll need most things to go right

 

[Peters_Nuts]

I'm thinking top 4 again but like you, I think we'll just fall short. We'll need most things to go right

Agree. At face value I have Brisbane and Gold Coast a lock for top 4. Geelong you assume will be there again thanks to their fixture.

I think we'll be fighting for 4th against Freo, Hawthorn and Adelaide. Freo would be my favourite at the moment.

My 2 cents which no one asked for but it's a rainy day:

• I think the Giants are hyped up every season though always fall short so don't have too much confidence in them.
• Hawthorn's midfield is one injury away from being one of the worst in the comp so they need everything to go right for them to finish in the top 4.
• Sydney will improve a lot though their backline is still average
• Adealide SHOULD be there abouts again though did they get better from last season? I think the way they went out will leave some damage to the group.
• Dogs backline still yuck

 

[manicpie]

Agree. At face value I have Brisbane and Gold Coast a lock for top 4. Geelong you assume will be there again thanks to their fixture.

I think we'll be fighting for 4th against Freo, Hawthorn and Adelaide. Freo would be my favourite at the moment.

My 2 cents which no one asked for but it's a rainy day:

• I think the Giants are hyped up every season though always fall short so don't have too much confidence in them.
• Hawthorn's midfield is one injury away from being one of the worst in the comp so they need everything to go right for them to finish in the top 4.
• Sydney will improve a lot though their backline is still average
• Adealide SHOULD be there abouts again though did they get better from last season? I think the way they went out will leave some damage to the group.
• Dogs backline still yuck

Pretty much nailed it

 

[HFF]

If Jaicos isn’t a full mid in 2026 we will. Or have improved

The answers to some of our midfield mix is within.

This is the most obvious move to make.
McCreery at least 80% mid too

Jaicos Naicos JDG, McCreery should be our primary 3 or 4 guys
Long, Pendles, Sidebottom can rotate with the latter two spending time at half back and at half forward respectively

Pendles at half back like Zorko
Sidebottom at half forward because his goal sense crumbing ability is first class and always has been.

We then need to find a way to integrate Reef, Harrison, Parker and Allan as close to first team members permanently as possible
This will help now that we no longer will be calling on guys like Cox, Mitchell, Markov and WHE as the next in line

 

[Run n Spread]

Agree. At face value I have Brisbane and Gold Coast a lock for top 4. Geelong you assume will be there again thanks to their fixture.

I think we'll be fighting for 4th against Freo, Hawthorn and Adelaide. Freo would be my favourite at the moment.

My 2 cents which no one asked for but it's a rainy day:

• I think the Giants are hyped up every season though always fall short so don't have too much confidence in them.
• Hawthorn's midfield is one injury away from being one of the worst in the comp so they need everything to go right for them to finish in the top 4.
• Sydney will improve a lot though their backline is still average
• Adealide SHOULD be there abouts again though did they get better from last season? I think the way they went out will leave some damage to the group.
• Dogs backline still yuck

Agree with most of this thou Gold Coast far from convince me.
Blew a golden chance for top 2 with very winnable games lost.
Who knows for next year? Will be interesting

 

[sr36]

Yeah I get that, but I thought Parker and R Steele showed a lot last year, Perryman was recruited as a mid, Jaicos can become an elite mid, there's quite a bit of improvement there without the unknowns of pre season. Hopefully Reef, West, JDG have a solid preseason and give the selectors something to think about.

I think we will see a different side next year.

Hopefully a few youngsters can become best 23, but any real improvement next year is most likely to come from Hill and JDG.

 

[Matrix10]

West, buller and HDM should play lots of seniors next year. I already have Allen in next year, I think he's in for a big year.

Brother FJ likes this very much

 

[Dtennent94]

Hopefully a few youngsters can become best 23, but any real improvement next year is most likely to come from Hill and JDG.

Hill, JDG, McCreery, McStay, Howe. That’s our list of new recruits for next year, basically.

Jaicos / Pez mid time & Buller the other big wait and see’s.

 

[FatJesus]

Hill, JDG, McCreery, McStay, Howe. That’s our list of new recruits for next year, basically.

Jaicos / Pez mid time & Buller the other big wait and see’s.

Allan, McInnes, Harrison.

 

[timokane]

Who thinks Pies deficiency is the mid field i do.
I think we need a hell of alot more mids.
Focus on mids.
Like in and under types.
Clearence pros and great at stoppage work.
But only real negative is mids at the pies.
Its Nick and then what.
Mostly either ends is ok.
Ill go after mids in the off season.

 

[RobJD]

Who thinks Pies deficiency is the mid field i do.
I think we need a hell of alot more mids.
Focus on mids.
Like in and under types.
Clearence pros and great at stoppage work.
But only real negative is mids at the pies.
Its Nick and then what.
Mostly either ends is ok.
Ill go after mids in the off season.

Agree it's a deficiency, and the trade period showed that the club sees a weakness in the midfiled (albeit one we didn't cover). I don't think we need a lot more of them, we're one quality mid short of a great mid-field, if we only needed volume then we wouldn't have de-listed MacRae and Mitchell.

 

[Pistol Night]

Who thinks Pies deficiency is the mid field i do.
I think we need a hell of alot more mids.
Focus on mids.
Like in and under types.
Clearence pros and great at stoppage work.
But only real negative is mids at the pies.
Its Nick and then what.
Mostly either ends is ok.
Ill go after mids in the off season.

So forwards are our priority?

 

[WanderingDude]

We have mids developing and a lack at the top end. It was a NQR trade period. Simpkin would have been ok but not at the North price. My want was to go again for 17. The club appears to be focused longer.

 

[Finnishpie]

Nothing ever works out the way the mob predict. With all of the recruiting done by GC and Brisbane and an expectation that Freo and Adelaide will simply get better, I have faith in our club based on our long history of making the media predictions look stupid and our ability to get the very best out of the list we have.

I see no reason why we should slide.

Feel free to be positive. Through I'm neither mob nor media.

I was saying last year that this year we'd be fine and I was worried about next one. And I think that's still the likeliest thing.

 

[Finnishpie]

Allan needs to be in the guts. He ain't a winger.

He ain't a winger the way some on this board are. They know how to winge like wingers or old!

 

[Finnishpie]

Who thinks Pies deficiency is the mid field i do.
I think we need a hell of alot more mids.
Focus on mids.
Like in and under types.
Clearence pros and great at stoppage work.
But only real negative is mids at the pies.
Its Nick and then what.
Mostly either ends is ok.
Ill go after mids in the off season.

Mids clearly - see my earlier post.
Key forwards. McStay and Membrey and West? Ain't gonna cut it.

Otherwise we're all right.

 

[Jen2310]

Mids clearly - see my earlier post.
Key forwards. McStay and Membrey and West? Ain't gonna cut it.

Otherwise we're all right.

You can add Buller in our key forwards