Prediction Best 23, Round Zero 2026

[Millsie69]

Love Hawforn youf.

Flying all the way to 4th, again.

How good were Norf this arvo? In for another big year.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Can you please drink heavily again before round 0 so you can’t remember the game as it obviously worked a treat in the elim final last year.

I think that can be arranged

 

[local hack]

heck me - GWS injury count continues to grow for round 0. No T Green (season), Taylor, Finn G, Kelly, Bedford, and now Daniels….

 

[Leather Poisoning]

heck me - GWS injury count continues to grow for round 0. No T Green (season), Taylor, Finn G, Kelly, Bedford, and now Daniels….

Will take any advantage we can get. Early season can have some pretty random results.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

B: Hardwick Barrass Battle
HB: Amon Sciily Impey
C: Weddlle Ward D'Ambrosio
HF: McDonald Lewis Ginnivan
F: Watson Chol Dear
Foll: Meek, Newcombe, Nash
Int: Reeves, McKenzie, Butler, Scrimshaw

There we go.

EDIT - subtracted one of the reeves and added a Weddle

So there we go

 

[Roger Rogerson]

B: Hardwick Barrass Battle
HB: Amon Sciily IMpey
C: Morrison Ward D'Ambrosio
HF: McDonald Lewis Ginnivan
F: Watson Chol Dear
Foll: Reeves Newcombe, Nash
Int: Reeves, McKenzie, Butler, Scrimshaw

There we go.

Playing 2 ruckman Reeves and Reeves? Would have thought Gunners stiff. And because I’m in a nice mood you can have an extra on the bench.

 

[Slainte]

B: Hardwick Barrass Battle
HB: Amon Sciily IMpey
C: Morrison Ward D'Ambrosio
HF: McDonald Lewis Ginnivan
F: Watson Chol Dear
Foll: Reeves Newcombe, Nash
Int: Reeves, McKenzie, Butler, Scrimshaw

There we go.

Two Reeves and no Weddle. Something doesn't look quite right.

 

[bigmaxi]

Chatting to a suburban footy coach last night out at dinner talk got round to Hawks midfield, his take was around the silver lining of Day’s sad injury. Jai, Ward Nash start, MacDonald and Mackenzie rotating thru and the Cameos from Weddle, Moore, Watson, Butler the front half of the season then add Day mid season we are definitely in the mix.
Drove home with a big smile on my dial.

 

[Hawked Wings]

heck me - GWS injury count continues to grow for round 0. No T Green (season), Taylor, Finn G, Kelly, Bedford, and now Daniels….

Got a feeling Finn gets up, will be underdone though

 

[grumbleguts]

Could we see Chol do more rucking than now?

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/max-gawn-addresses-new-ruck-rule-changes-after-state-of-origin/news-story/735b51f70f725905bc274f115f6d6575?utm_campaign=EditorialSB&utm_source=news.com.au+Sport&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_content=SocialBakers&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPMTczODQ3NjQyNjcwMzcwAAEeQ4KqZEKKgN3bPAZHuxXy_W6ABE3Ha0bo5Sta7GXnaESG6Z69z89Us-n0mhA_aem_QXwe3oN9A7ICFPnesZ3XYA

Who the hell cites "What the fans want" as the basis for a rule change?

 

[mustang]

Reeves could go to against Gawn or Xeri with the new rules and be favoured to win the tap.

His tapwork is beyond question, and he got involved in general play today including 3 centre clearances himself which is a good sign.

Meek actually had his hands full with SDK jumping all over him early, so he will need to adapt. As Gawn said for that style of ruck (which he is himself).

It will really come down to if Sam wants 4 key forwards more than 2 rucks, which on paper are the 'better' players. But scoring hasn't been an issue for us with 3 only.

I think we saw our midfield mix and how Meek and Reeves will be used in the first 3QTRS today.

Time will tell, but Gabelich has his finger on the pulse and suggests we are likely to do it.

I think Reeves will be our number 1 by season end, Reeves was our number 1 before the rule change that brought Meek into being our number 1 and
Excelling in that role, but now that rule has been changed again back to kind of what the rule was before, and so returning Reeves as our number 1 by season end.

 

[killerspud]

B: Hardwick Barrass Battle
HB: Amon Sciily Impey
C: Weddlle Ward D'Ambrosio
HF: McDonald Lewis Ginnivan
F: Watson Chol Dear
Foll: Meek, Newcombe, Nash
Int: Reeves, McKenzie, Butler, Scrimshaw

There we go.

EDIT - subtracted one of the reeves and added a Weddle

So there we go

Im not 100% sure but aren't there now 5 on the bench?

If so then you could maybe add that Gunston fellow - I believe he's going to be some kind of player

 

[killerspud]

Im not 100% sure but aren't there now 5 on the bench?

If so then you could maybe add that Gunston fellow - I believe he's going to be some kind of player

Also maybe Dylan Moore might be considered.

 

[kazzooka]

I think Reeves will be our number 1 by season end, Reeves was our number 1 before the rule change that brought Meek into being our number 1 and
Excelling in that role, but now that rule has been changed again back to kind of what the rule was before, and so returning Reeves as our number 1 by season end.

Might turn out to be a genius move resigning them both till 2029.

AFL change the rules so big strong rucks can compete, then 2 years later flip it back so it's the tall beanpoles or jumping rucks.

No doubt these new rules will be reversed again for 2027 or 2028. So having a few different types of ruck is going to be valuable.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Just to see where I see the players sitting against one another, I tried a best 23 ranked in a vague pecking order by line, bolded make the cut, the others are depth and * is unavailable. No bench, obviously:

B: Hardwick, Barrass, Battle, Mraz, Blanck
HB: Sicily, Amon, Impey, Scrimshaw, B.Ryan, B.Macdonald, LeRay
C: Weddle, D'Ambrosio, Morrison, Maginness, Dalton
HF: Moore, C. Macdonald, Lewis, Ginnivan, Butler, Nairn*
F: Gunston, Watson, Chol, Dear, Ramsden, Schubert, McCabe, Hill, Anderson
R: Newcombe, Day*, Meek, Nash, Ward, Reeves, Mackenzie, Hustwaite, Greeves, Uhr-Henry

Couldn't decide for the longest time between Reeves and Morrison. In the end I chose to include Morrison as I just can't see us going with the 4 talls at both ends, a KPP-sized wingman, a KPP-sized inside mid and two ruckmen.

 

[tommyk72]

Just to see where I see the players sitting against one another, I tried a best 23 ranked in a vague pecking order by line, bolded make the cut, the others are depth and * is unavailable. No bench, obviously:

B: Hardwick, Barrass, Battle, Mraz, Blanck
HB: Sicily, Amon, Impey, Scrimshaw, B.Ryan, B.Macdonald, LeRay
C: Weddle, D'Ambrosio, Morrison, Maginness, Dalton
HF: Moore, C. Macdonald, Lewis, Ginnivan, Butler, Nairn*
F: Gunston, Watson, Chol, Dear, Ramsden, Schubert, McCabe, Hill, Anderson
R: Newcombe, Day*, Meek, Nash, Ward, Reeves, Mackenzie, Hustwaite, Greeves, Uhr-Henry

Couldn't decide for the longest time between Reeves and Morrison. In the end I chose to include Morrison as I just can't see us going with the 4 talls at both ends, a KPP-sized wingman, a KPP-sized inside mid and two ruckmen.

Really interesting. What that indicates to me is that whilst we have a copmetitive best 23 - most of whom are avaialble right now - we drop off pretty quickly. In all of those lines we become substantially weaker as soon as we lost one of those starting 23. Even if it's the 2nd or 3rd ranked. We're slightly stronger in the R line, but only if Mackenzie lifts his game.

 

[grumbleguts]

I think Reeves will be our number 1 by season end, Reeves was our number 1 before the rule change that brought Meek into being our number 1 and
Excelling in that role, but now that rule has been changed again back to kind of what the rule was before, and so returning Reeves as our number 1 by season end.

Reeves will be #1 at centre bounces and Meek #1 around the ground.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Really interesting. What that indicates to me is that whilst we have a copmetitive best 23 - most of whom are avaialble right now - we drop off pretty quickly. In all of those lines we become substantially weaker as soon as we lost one of those starting 23. Even if it's the 2nd or 3rd ranked. We're slightly stronger in the R line, but only if Mackenzie lifts his game.

For me what I realised was how many small forwards we have crammed into our team!

FWIW I think Mackenzie will be fine, no rush.

 

[Randy Campbell]

Reeves will be #1 at centre bounces and Meek #1 around the ground.

I can see an opportunity to find an advantage.

Be the first to play two and 1/2 rucks before you have too.

 

[ReturningHawk]

I can see an opportunity to find an advantage.

Be the first to play two and 1/2 rucks before you have too.

Two and a half? Who’s the half?

Don’t say Watson!

 

[Blackhawk42]

B. Hardwick Barrass Sicily
HB. Impey Battle Amon
C. D'Ambrosio Newcombe Weddle
HF. Moore Lewis Ginnivan
F. Watson Chol Gunston
Foll. Meek Ward Macdonald

IC. Nash Butler Reeves Mackenzie Scrimshaw


I'm pretty confident of this, other than the possibility of Morrison or Finn for Mackenzie.

 

[Slainte]

B. Hardwick Barrass Sicily
HB. Impey Battle Amon
C. D'Ambrosio Newcombe Weddle
HF. Moore Lewis Ginnivan
F. Watson Chol Gunston
Foll. Meek Ward Macdonald

IC. Nash Butler Reeves Mackenzie Scrimshaw


I'm pretty confident of this, other than the possibility of Morrison or Finn for Mackenzie.

Dear will be in the mix - especially if we go for just one ruck, which might be the go. Meek is a good match up vs Briggs. Their other rucks are pretty green and they used Riccardi as back-up in the sim vs Pies. Chol, Nash, Dear and Weddle can provide chop-outs when Meek needs a rest.

 

[vanders]

B: Hardwick Barass Battle
HB: Weddle Sicily Impey
C: Amon Newk Massimo
HF: Ginni Chol Moore
F: Wiz Lewis Gunston
R: Meek Nash Ward

Bench: Dear Scrim Mackenzie Butler MacDonald

Emerg: Finn Reeves Morrison

 

[Blackhawk42]

Dear will be in the mix - especially if we go for just one ruck, which might be the go. Meek is a good match up vs Briggs. Their other rucks are pretty green and they used Riccardi as back-up in the sim vs Pies. Chol, Nash, Dear and Weddle can provide chop-outs when Meek needs a rest.

He will be in the mix, however if anyone is going to run two pure rucks, it will be us. I feel like it's a real possibility. Lewis looking far too good at the moment to leave out as well.

 

[Slainte]

He will be in the mix, however if anyone is going to run two pure rucks, it will be us. I feel like it's a real possibility. Lewis looking far too good at the moment to leave out as well.

I agree that there will be times when we play Meek and Reeves, but it will depend on the opposition. I am not sure it is warranted vs GWS. It will also depend on who is showing form in the pre-season outing vs Bullies. Dear has had a scratchy pre-season but a good outing in the praccy could be enough to earn him a spot, as his mobility and defensive pressure is much better than Reeves can offer and he is also an x-factor around goal.