Prediction Best 23, Round Zero 2026

[matey]

Thinking about this it’s not an easy task showing the quality of our list that bats deep ……… in order to get through a long gruelling season.

FB: Dimma, Barrass, Battle
HB: Weddle, Siss, Impey
C: Amon, Ward, Mass
HF: Croc, Chol, Moore
FF: Wiz, Lewis, Gunners
Foll: Meek, Newk, Day

Bench: Ginni, Scrimmers, Dear, Frenchie, Nash

With Morrison, Buttler, Reeves, Finn, Mraz, Ramma, Blank, Huss sitting in the wings plus a couple newbies that may debut our bottom six is as good as any!

 

[Liverbird]

Thinking about this it’s not an easy task showing the quality of our list that bats deep ……… in order to get through a long gruelling season.

FB: Dimma, Barrass, Battle
HB: Weddle, Siss, Impey
C: Amon, Ward, Mass
HF: Croc, Chol, Moore
FF: Wiz, Lewis, Gunners
Foll: Meek, Newk, Day

Bench: Ginni, Scrimmers, Dear, Frenchie, Nash

With Morrison, Buttler, Reeves, Finn, Mraz, Ramma, Blank, Huss sitting in the wings plus a couple newbies that may debut our bottom six is as good as any!

Agree with the squad of players and majority of starting 23.

Just think Weddle will be on a wing or fwd of centre player and Butler needs to come into the midfield for tackling, pressure and speed.

Will 4 talls in fwd line work if we don't win enough centre clearances to make it count?

There is depth available to carry a few injuries that will no doubt come.

The midfield after losing Worpel and not trading in a ready made is a little light. Frenchie and Butler have an opportunity presented here.

Go Hawks.

 

[matey]

Agree with the squad of players and majority of starting 23.

Just think Weddle will be on a wing or fwd of centre player and Butler needs to come into the midfield for tackling, pressure and speed.

Will 4 talls in fwd line work if we don't win enough centre clearances to make it count?

There is depth available to carry a few injuries that will no doubt come.

The midfield after losing Worpel and not trading in a ready made is a little light. Frenchie and Butler have an opportunity presented here.

Go Hawks.

Yeah out of Chol, Lewis and Dear ….. if we only go two tall forwards at this stage reckon Lewis and Dear would be fighting it out for that 2nd spot as Chol has been consistently good last couple years and provides a good chop out in the ruck.

Reckon Ward will take Worps spot and has come back post break in awesome shape and looks like a man on a mission. Throw in Croc, Wiz, Moore, Weds rolling through at times our midfield should get the job done!

 

[Bedi]

Yeah out of Chol, Lewis and Dear ….. if we only go two tall forwards at this stage reckon Lewis and Dear would be fighting it out for that 2nd spot as Chol has been consistently good last couple years and provides a good chop out in the ruck.

Reckon Ward will take Worps spot and has come back post break in awesome shape and looks like a man on a mission. Throw in Croc, Wiz, Moore, Weds rolling through at times our midfield should get the job done!

Still processing no Worps or CJ next year

 

[ReturningHawk]

Impey, Barrass, Scrimshaw
Weddle, Battle, Amon
D’Ambrosio, Nash, Morrison
Moore, Dear, C.Macdonald
Watson, Chol, Gunston
Meek, Newcombe, Day
Ginnivan, Sicily, Hardwick, Ward, Butler

We need Mackenzie to push someone out and become a midfield threat, but I have the feeling he’s suited to HB

Edit: looking now I can’t believe that Lewis isn’t there. It’s a real headache.

 

[Hawked Wings]

Hardwick TB Impey
Sicily Battle Amon
Weddle Ward Mass
Moore Lewis Macdonald
Wiz Chol Dear

Meek Day Newcombe


Scrimshaw Ginnivan Gunston Mackenzie Nash

Depth
Maginness Butler Morrison Reeves

Bloody tough to do and the team will never be 100% fit every week. Can see a world where Reeves pushes meek, Gunston and Nash could lose spots for more runners

 

[grumbleguts]

Yeah out of Chol, Lewis and Dear ….. if we only go two tall forwards at this stage reckon Lewis and Dear would be fighting it out for that 2nd spot as Chol has been consistently good last couple years and provides a good chop out in the ruck.

Reckon Ward will take Worps spot and has come back post break in awesome shape and looks like a man on a mission. Throw in Croc, Wiz, Moore, Weds rolling through at times our midfield should get the job done!

A good chop out in the ruck? According to champion data he is the best ruckman in the league. The highest tap to advantage ratio of all ruckmen and the highest team score conversion while rucking

 

[The BIG X]

Thinking about this it’s not an easy task showing the quality of our list that bats deep ……… in order to get through a long gruelling season.

FB: Dimma, Barrass, Battle
HB: Weddle, Siss, Impey
C: Amon, Ward, Mass
HF: Croc, Chol, Moore
FF: Wiz, Lewis, Gunners
Foll: Meek, Newk, Day

Bench: Ginni, Scrimmers, Dear, Frenchie, Nash

With Morrison, Buttler, Reeves, Finn, Mraz, Ramma, Blank, Huss sitting in the wings plus a couple newbies that may debut our bottom six is as good as any!

If any 4 of the bolded can fit in the above team - we are in for a hell of a year.

 

[matey]

A good chop out in the ruck? According to champion data he is the best ruckman in the league. The highest tap to advantage ratio of all ruckmen and the highest team score conversion while rucking

Add in his kicking in general play and chase down tackling he is elite in these areas for a 200cm when giving Meek/Reeves a breather.

The other day I mentioned Chol to a Tigers friend given the connection and he said he was a bit lazy. Maybe I didn’t watch him enough at the Tigers but my Tigers buddy definitely hasn’t been watching him in the brown & gold! He’s got no idea. Love what Chol brings to the side

 

[Manila_Hawk]

A good chop out in the ruck? According to champion data he is the best ruckman in the league. The highest tap to advantage ratio of all ruckmen and the highest team score conversion while rucking

I totally agree with this GG. We always seem to win more clearances when he's rucking.

 

[The Kipster]

Butler helped us win finals and he is being left out?

 

[kazzooka]

B: Hardwick Barrass Scrimshaw
HB: Sicily Battle Impy
C: Weddle Day D'ambrosio
HF: Macdonald Dear Moore
F: Ginnivan Gunston Watson
R: Meek Newcombe Ward
INT: Chol Amon Nash, Butler, Mackenzie

Unlucky but will play heaps of games as never have everyone available and form will fluctuate: Morrison, Lewis, Maginness, Reeves

Depth: Blank, Ramsden, B. Macdonald, Hustwaite, Mraz

Less likely to play: McCabe, JUH, Anderson, first years*.

Real early days. I have high hopes for some of the draftees so practice matches and early VFL form could see Dalton or Greeves jump way up.

 

[grumbleguts]

I think Reeves with the new rules will have a bigger influence than people consider.

 

[Hawkinspired]

I think Morrison and Finn are underrated role players that potentially haven’t reached their peak. Safer selections than younger players that will need to bang down the door at VFL.

Gotta ask why Reeves stays. Must be in the plans but don’t really need him with Chol being elite in the ruck.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

B: Hardwick - Barrass - Battle
HB: Sicily - Scrimshaw - Amon
C: Weddle - Day - D’Ambrosio
HF: Moore - Lewis - Watson
F: Ginnivan - Dear - Gunston
FOL: Meek - Newcombe - Ward
INT: Chol - Nash - Butler - Impey - MacDonald

Plenty close, tough team to pick. Depth is quality.

 

[grumbleguts]

Gotta ask why Reeves stays. Must be in the plans but don’t really need him with Chol being elite in the ruck.

umm... the new rules?

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I totally agree with this GG. We always seem to win more clearances when he's rucking.

I like the way Chol gives the ball an old fashioned roost in the ruck.

Makes me wonder why our other rucks (ie Meek) dont try that more often as it is a real disruptor to the other teams set up round the ruck contest.

Chol is a very good relief ruck, I think it's only his fitness that restricts him from playing that role more often.

 

[Hawkinspired]

umm... the new rules?

I just meant I have no idea how he even gets on the bench. Read the thread, no one else has him in the 23 either.

Obviously depth is important and the new rules favours him. Just hard to see how it all comes together.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

B: Hardwick - Barrass - Battle
HB: Sicily - Scrimshaw - Amon
C: Weddle - Day - D’Ambrosio
HF: Moore - Lewis - Watson
F: Ginnivan - Dear - Gunston
FOL: Meek - Newcombe - Ward
INT: Chol - Nash - Butler - Impey - MacDonald

Plenty close, tough team to pick. Depth is quality.

That back 6 and forward 6 are quality, no weak links

Midfield unit still a case of suck it and see in 2026 I reckon.

 

[parsons nose]

Gotta ask why Reeves stays. Must be in the plans but don’t really need him with Chol being elite in the ruck.

Even if he can’t get a game ahead of Meek, Reeves provides great insurance should Meek go down. You only have to look as far as Brisbane to recognise the value of having two AFL standard specialist rucks on the list. McInerney goes down; no problem, enter Forte. And as good as Chol has been pinch hitting in the ruck, I wouldn’t want to rely on him taking the lion’s share of ruck duties.

 

[grumbleguts]

I just meant I have no idea how he even gets on the bench. Read the thread, no one else has him in the 23 either.

Obviously depth is important and the new rules favours him. Just hard to see how it all comes together.

I think with the new rules, he becomes our best ruck.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

That back 6 and forward 6 are quality, no weak links

Midfield unit still a case of suck it and see in 2026 I reckon.

Midfield group is

Meek, Newcombe, Day, Ward, Nash, Butler/Mackenzie + MacDonald, Moore, Watson etc

There’s still a lot of talent in that, good depth and it only takes one player taking the jump which I believe to be Ward, and it’ll be just as good as the other two ends of the ground.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Midfield group is

Meek, Newcombe, Day, Ward, Nash, Butler/Mackenzie + MacDonald, Moore, Watson etc

There’s still a lot of talent in that, good depth and it only takes one player taking the jump which I believe to be Ward, and it’ll be just as good as the other two ends of the ground.

If Day stays healthy then that makes a huge difference to our midfield group.

Still looks a little light on compared to the absolute best midfielder at Lions, GC, Freo, etc.

Will be crossing my fingers that one of Ward, Butler, etc explodes in 2026

 

[Dewyyyyy]

If Day stays healthy then that makes a huge difference to our midfield group.

Still looks a little light on compared to the absolute best midfielder at Lions, GC, Freo, etc.

Will be crossing my fingers that one of Ward, Butler, etc explodes in 2026

It probably does but feel like Hawthorns backline is better than most and the forward line is aswell.

You don’t need to have all 3 at the very best level to give it a shake, definitely helps tho.

It changes big time if say Ward announces himself as an A Grader to join Day and Newcombe leading the midfield with help from the rest and more growth from Butler, Mackenzie and co

 

[Strebi3]

Thinking about this it’s not an easy task showing the quality of our list that bats deep ……… in order to get through a long gruelling season.

FB: Dimma, Barrass, Battle
HB: Weddle, Siss, Impey
C: Amon, Ward, Mass
HF: Croc, Chol, Moore
FF: Wiz, Lewis, Gunners
Foll: Meek, Newk, Day

Bench: Ginni, Scrimmers, Dear, Frenchie, Nash

With Morrison, Buttler, Reeves, Finn, Mraz, Ramma, Blank, Huss sitting in the wings plus a couple newbies that may debut our bottom six is as good as any!

Rate this side, I'd have Butler for Frenchy currently and think Morrison could definitely find his way in the side. Otherwise it's spot on