Prediction Best 23, Round Zero 2026

[peetoo]

Great spot to be in, blessed with options and combinations. Will be an interesting watch all year.

Just as there are questions on how a 2 ruck setup goes, I think Lewis and Gunston in the same forward 50 is a watch.

In 2024 we were elite at locking the ball in our forward 50 and stopping opposition transition. Dear and Chol we know as talls apply elite pressure.

We regressed significantly last year with this, so I'm sure it's and area we are working hard on.

Yes dear and Chol were good in 2024 which many did not expect

 

[Roger Rogerson]

I think fitness is going to be the key for the tall forwards for round 0 selection.

Chol seems to be a bit behind the others fitness wise at present.

As much as Calsher belongs at the top level I’m not sure he’s an automatic if Lewis Chol and Gunners are at peak fitness.

 

[The Kipster]

I think fitness is going to be the key for the tall forwards for round 0 selection.

Chol seems to be a bit behind the others fitness wise at present.

As much as Calsher belongs at the top level I’m not sure he’s an automatic if Lewis Chol and Gunners are at peak fitness.

I agree, especially for the start of the season, it is a long year.

 

[kazzooka]

I don’t consider Gunston a key forward personally.

I’d be picking in order from
Lewis
Chol - dependent on his role as a second ruck
Dear
Then
Ramsden
McCabe/Schubert.

Gunston is clearly a key forward. He was 2nd in the Coleman, gets almost all his goals from balls kicked to him a lead up forward.

If Gunston isn't a key forward neither were Dunstall and Lockett. He sure as shit isn't a defensive pressure or crumbing small forward.

He's not a pack marking beast but neither is Jeremy Cameron, Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Brendan Fevola, Josh Kennedy.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Gunston is clearly a key forward. He was 2nd in the Coleman, gets almost all his goals from balls kicked to him a lead up forward.

If Gunston isn't a key forward neither were Dunstall and Lockett. He sure as shit isn't a defensive pressure or crumbing small forward.

He's not a pack marking beast but neither is Jeremy Cameron, Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Brendan Fevola, Josh Kennedy.

Jamie Elliott is also a player who gets a lot of his goals from lead up play. He’s not a key forward.

Gunston has always been a mobile forward. He’s never been a genuine key forward. Especially with Chol and Dear for example as strong as they are defensively. It doesn’t make an impact picking all 4 with Lewis.

You’ve got 3 genuine key forwards and one of those being a second ruck. Then Gunston plays as a hybrid.

Gunston is different to the players you named anyway.

 

[cryptor]

Jamie Elliott is also a player who gets a lot of his goals from lead up play. He’s not a key forward.

Gunston has always been a mobile forward. He’s never been a genuine key forward. Especially with Chol and Dear for example as strong as they are defensively. It doesn’t make an impact picking all 4 with Lewis.

You’ve got 3 genuine key forwards and one of those being a second ruck. Then Gunston plays as a hybrid.

Gunston is different to the players you named anyway.

What is a “genuine key forward”?

Is Lewis not more of a “mobile forward” given he works further up and across the ground?

Is Chol not more of a “hybrid forward” given his role encompasses two different positions?

Gunston is also officially listed as a key forward on our club website, and categorized as a key forward by Champion Data.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

What is a “genuine key forward”?

Is Lewis not more of a “mobile forward” given he works further up and across the ground?

Is Chol not more of a “hybrid forward” given his role encompasses two different positions?

Gunston is also officially listed as a key forward on our club website, and categorized as a key forward by Champion Data.

Maybe more of a classification around size and play style.

It’s obviously a different viewpoint for everyone.

I just don’t see the point in saying he’s just a key forward. He’s a lead up forward, but he’s also strong on the ground, whilst also being good when needed up the ground. He doesn’t really have the aerial capacity.

In the case of Lewis and Chol they’ve got the size and the aerial game.

Point was more so that Gunston is picked nonetheless, and that having 3 key forwards in Lewis Dear and Chol, doesn’t change that and it could very well work with the new rule especially (extra on the bench.)

 

[ahhhhhh]

Maybe more of a classification around size and play style.

It’s obviously a different viewpoint for everyone.

I just don’t see the point in saying he’s just a key forward. He’s a lead up forward, but he’s also strong on the ground, whilst also being good when needed up the ground. He doesn’t really have the aerial capacity.

In the case of Lewis and Chol they’ve got the size and the aerial game.

Point was more so that Gunston is picked nonetheless, and that having 3 key forwards in Lewis Dear and Chol, doesn’t change that and it could very well work with the new rule especially (extra on the bench.)

Completely agree, Gunston and Jamie Elliot play the same role despite the height difference. Neither are key forwards in the modern game.

 

[Del236379]

Jamie Elliott is also a player who gets a lot of his goals from lead up play. He’s not a key forward.

Gunston has always been a mobile forward. He’s never been a genuine key forward. Especially with Chol and Dear for example as strong as they are defensively. It doesn’t make an impact picking all 4 with Lewis.

You’ve got 3 genuine key forwards and one of those being a second ruck. Then Gunston plays as a hybrid.

Gunston is different to the players you named anyway.

Gunston played all year as the deepest forward. Out of the square.

In modern footy he's a key forward.

Lewis himself said that he sees his role as a true centre half forward now with Gunston playing out of the square. He hopes to hit him up.

At his age, despite moving brilliantly, Gunner has to play the deepest and use all his smarts. Often dragging a quality key defender to the square with him. He can get burnt the other way playing higher up the ground now, hence he played the truest version of full forward the modern game had last year. Culminating in 70 odd goals and AA.

When it mattered in the finals last year, we went with 3 key forwards. So it's incorrect to say playing 4 doesn't impact anything, as the coaching staff felt otherwise.

However, with 5 on the bench I'm sure we will see all 4 given more of an opportunity. Just as I'm sure we will see what 3 and 2 rucks looks like.

 

[kazzooka]

Gunston played all year as the deepest forward. Out of the square.

In modern footy he's a key forward.

Lewis himself said that he sees his role as a true centre half forward now with Gunston playing out of the square. He hopes to hit him up.

At his age, despite moving brilliantly, Gunner has to play the deepest and use all his smarts. Often dragging a quality key defender to the square with him. He can get burnt the other way playing higher up the ground now, hence he played the truest version of full forward the modern game had last year. Culminating in 70 odd goals and AA.

When it mattered in the finals last year, we went with 3 key forwards. So it's incorrect to say playing 4 doesn't impact anything, as the coaching staff felt otherwise.

However, with 5 on the bench I'm sure we will see all 4 given more of an opportunity. Just as I'm sure we will see what 3 and 2 rucks looks like.

Exactly, Gunston last year played as a full forward out of the goalsquare, lead, mark, kick a goal. Exactly like Jason Dunstall.

And when we are having a discussion about how many key forwards to play, Gunston has to be considered 1 of them. The main reason we have the discussion is to determine if we have enough targets to kick to who can kick goals or too many and not enough crumbing and defensive pressure.

Gunston is our slowest and least agile forward so to exclude him and say "we're only playing 3 talls because gunston isn't a key forward".

That said, Play the 4 tall fowards with Chol rucking. Means when chol is in ruck we still have 3 talls and when Meek is in the ruck you play 4 talls.

We used to play Franklin, Roughead, Gunston, Hale together all the time.

 

[cryptor]

Maybe more of a classification around size and play style.

It’s obviously a different viewpoint for everyone.

I just don’t see the point in saying he’s just a key forward. He’s a lead up forward, but he’s also strong on the ground, whilst also being good when needed up the ground. He doesn’t really have the aerial capacity.

In the case of Lewis and Chol they’ve got the size and the aerial game.

Point was more so that Gunston is picked nonetheless, and that having 3 key forwards in Lewis Dear and Chol, doesn’t change that and it could very well work with the new rule especially (extra on the bench.)

The bolded could literally be used to describe Buddy.

I think your criteria is very arbitrary and seems to only serve the point you’re trying to make in this particular discussion.

What’s key (pun intended) here is that regardless of how you classify him as a player, he has/is undeniably playing a key forward role for this team.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

The bolded could literally be used to describe Buddy.

I think your criteria is very arbitrary and seems to only serve the point you’re trying to make in this particular discussion.

What’s key (pun intended) here is that regardless of how you classify him as a player, he has/is undeniably playing a key forward role for this team.

Yeah perhaps. Although I will say again that size may come into it.

Jamie Elliott is exactly that, he’s 177cm but is a very strong lead up forward, and whilst he’s got on ground level and the rest. He is known for being a lead up player.

Same goes even for Hardwick when he played forward aswell. But you wouldn’t exactly call them key forwards right?

That’s sort of where I was thinking, I can see where you’re coming from tho.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Gunston played all year as the deepest forward. Out of the square.

In modern footy he's a key forward.

Lewis himself said that he sees his role as a true centre half forward now with Gunston playing out of the square. He hopes to hit him up.

At his age, despite moving brilliantly, Gunner has to play the deepest and use all his smarts. Often dragging a quality key defender to the square with him. He can get burnt the other way playing higher up the ground now, hence he played the truest version of full forward the modern game had last year. Culminating in 70 odd goals and AA.

When it mattered in the finals last year, we went with 3 key forwards. So it's incorrect to say playing 4 doesn't impact anything, as the coaching staff felt otherwise.

However, with 5 on the bench I'm sure we will see all 4 given more of an opportunity. Just as I'm sure we will see what 3 and 2 rucks looks like.

I said 4 wouldn’t make an impact in 2026.

But yep, Gunston definitely plays the deeper forward role quite consistently, but again. I don’t think he plays the modern key forward role.

The examples I used for others is how I mean it. Whilst again Elliott for example, Hardwick when he played down forward. They are strong lead up players, especially Hardwick considering he would clear out the 50. He isn’t a key forward tho is he?

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Completely agree, Gunston and Jamie Elliot play the same role despite the height difference. Neither are key forwards in the modern game.

Exactly, Gunston last year played as a full forward out of the goalsquare, lead, mark, kick a goal. Exactly like Jason Dunstall.

And when we are having a discussion about how many key forwards to play, Gunston has to be considered 1 of them. The main reason we have the discussion is to determine if we have enough targets to kick to who can kick goals or too many and not enough crumbing and defensive pressure.

Gunston is our slowest and least agile forward so to exclude him and say "we're only playing 3 talls because gunston isn't a key forward".

That said, Play the 4 tall fowards with Chol rucking. Means when chol is in ruck we still have 3 talls and when Meek is in the ruck you play 4 talls.

We used to play Franklin, Roughead, Gunston, Hale together all the time.

Again there’s absolutely no real deal about it.

It’s more of an interesting point, then an anything divisive, again with the couple examples used. You can view him anyway you’d like, he’s obviously not a modern example of a key forward, but if you wanna call him one then sure. I can understand that side of things.

The latter part of your kazzooka is a good point, specifically with the new rules.

I can’t see any other way around it or any one of them missing. It would be extremely difficult to pick who misses out, especially if it can be made to work.

 

[cryptor]

Yeah perhaps. Although I will say again that size may come into it.

Jamie Elliott is exactly that, he’s 177cm but is a very strong lead up forward, and whilst he’s got on ground level and the rest. He is known for being a lead up player.

Same goes even for Hardwick when he played forward aswell. But you wouldn’t exactly call them key forwards right?

That’s sort of where I was thinking, I can see where you’re coming from tho.

You’re cherry picking a strength in a single attribute that’s not even exclusive to key forwards.

You also seem to be placing Gunston into this category of small-medium sized forwards who play out of the goal square when he is 193cm. The same officially recorded height for Roughead and only 2cm shorter than Dear.

Just because there’s so many 200cm+ key forwards getting about the league now doesn’t mean the relatively shorter ones who play that same role for their team are suddenly not that.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

You’re cherry picking a strength in a single attribute that’s not even exclusive to key forwards.

You also seem to be placing Gunston into this category of small-medium sized forwards who play out of the goal square when he is 193cm. The same officially recorded height for Roughead and only 2cm shorter than Dear.

Just because there’s so many 200cm+ key forwards getting about the league now doesn’t mean the relatively shorter ones who play that same role for their team are suddenly not that.

My point is he plays more like a taller version of those mentioned then he does to any of the key forwards at Hawthorn.

 

[Roddy]

I honestly believe that all Lewis needs to be a 60+gpy key forward is a little continuity.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I honestly believe that all Lewis needs to be a 60+gpy key forward is a little continuity.

Spot on

 

[cryptor]

My point is he plays more like a taller version of those mentioned then he does to any of the key forwards at Hawthorn.

Your point sounds like “He’s not a key forward. He’s just a key forward sized version of smaller players who are notable for playing like key forwards”

 

[kazzooka]

Your point sounds like “He’s not a key forward. He’s just a key forward sized version of smaller players who are notable for playing like key forwards”

Also "key forward" doesn't really mean tall forward. It means CHF or FF, or simply Guy they kick the ball too.

Jason Dunstall was shorter than Jack Gunston.

Not every Key Forward is Travis Cloke.

Mark Williams was a key forward. Cyril played as a key forward sometimes. Fergus Greene was a key forward.

Dylan Moore played as a key forward against North in RD25 2024. Patrick Dangerfield was a key forward against us in Rd 17, 2017.

It is the "Key" forward. The important forward. The target of forward 50s. Nobody is busting out of a centre clearance looking for Conor Macdonal or Ginni, they are looking for Gunston leading at them.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Your point sounds like “He’s not a key forward. He’s just a key forward sized version of smaller players who are notable for playing like key forwards”

Fair point.

Also "key forward" doesn't really mean tall forward. It means CHF or FF, or simply Guy they kick the ball too.

Jason Dunstall was shorter than Jack Gunston.

Not every Key Forward is Travis Cloke.

Mark Williams was a key forward. Cyril played as a key forward sometimes. Fergus Greene was a key forward.

Dylan Moore played as a key forward against North in RD25 2024. Patrick Dangerfield was a key forward against us in Rd 17, 2017.

It is the "Key" forward. The important forward. The target of forward 50s. Nobody is busting out of a centre clearance looking for Conor Macdonal or Ginni, they are looking for Gunston leading at them.

So is this.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Personally I've always thought of Gunners as one of the few true "mid sized" forwards in the league.

He's not a 195kg, 100kg powerhouse like Jesse Hogan

23

Jesse Hogan

Age

31

Ht

196cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.0

4star

K

9.3

4star

HB

5.7

4star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

0.0

1star

G

0.0

1star

D

13.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.8

5star

who relays on strength / size.

He gets his goals through knowing when and where to lead and just being an all round football artist. Honestly he would be an absolute nightmare to play on as a defender, if you let your guard down for a second he's going to make you pay.

It's why he was so good at playing that third option down forward behind Rough and Buddy.

It will be interesting to see how they integrate Gunners, Chol, Lewis and Dear into a cohesive unit. We seemed to play best when it was just Chop and Gunners down there but we need to get Lewis into the side.

 

[bigmaxi]

Gunston played all year as the deepest forward. Out of the square.

In modern footy he's a key forward.

Lewis himself said that he sees his role as a true centre half forward now with Gunston playing out of the square. He hopes to hit him up.

At his age, despite moving brilliantly, Gunner has to play the deepest and use all his smarts. Often dragging a quality key defender to the square with him. He can get burnt the other way playing higher up the ground now, hence he played the truest version of full forward the modern game had last year. Culminating in 70 odd goals and AA.

When it mattered in the finals last year, we went with 3 key forwards. So it's incorrect to say playing 4 doesn't impact anything, as the coaching staff felt otherwise.

However, with 5 on the bench I'm sure we will see all 4 given more of an opportunity. Just as I'm sure we will see what 3 and 2 rucks looks like.

The way Wiz is burning up the pre season I see him as a key forward to us winning more games. If Butler swaps with Connor MacDonald I also see him as a key forward to our defensive structure inside 50. I could go on with more semantics but then it is Big Footy and this time of year that’s all I’ve got

 

[kazzooka]

If Butler swaps with Connor MacDonald I also see him as a key forward to our defensive structure inside 50. I could go on with more semantics but then it is Big Footy and this time of year that’s all I’ve got

This would be a mistake. Butler needs to play Mid, we need his toughness and defensive side in there.

I think playing him forward again, where he really struggled to have a big impact. Replacing CMac you knows that forward role so well and is suspect defensively. I like many have high hopes for MacDonald in the midfield and think he can get better at it, but in addition to butler not instead of.

 

[ahhhhhh]

This would be a mistake. Butler needs to play Mid, we need his toughness and defensive side in there.

I think playing him forward again, where he really struggled to have a big impact. Replacing CMac you knows that forward role so well and is suspect defensively. I like many have high hopes for MacDonald in the midfield and think he can get better at it, but in addition to butler not instead of.

I think he will start forward with stints in the middle, like late last year.