Toast Bring on 2026!

[sideswipe]

Really laugh out loud at finishing 3rd a "wasted year". What is the point of playing?

I hope he was wasted when he wrote that.

 

[gouki88]

I hope he was wasted when he wrote that.

Ahhh, maybe 2024 was a wasted year in a similar way to 1991 being a wasted year then

 

[stormskye]

2024 2025 wasted years.
Forgot the future to serve the present.
2026 need to embark on the next generation.
Could have done this in 2024 instead we insist on having to cycle players up which in turn ended up been better at thier first club.
Fast forward to now.
No development made.
We now need to develop.
Glad 2025 is now over and we can put behind this too old too slow mantra once and for all.
2026 the mantra young and quick.
Kind of out with the old in the young.
Time is now Fly.
Picks now.
Like see what cats and lions did after their flags all of a sudden they are plotting their next flag no so Pies.
Teams like these win flag then plot their next one and it happen quicky soon after like in the next year or 2.
Thats why we never ever win that follow up Flag.
Always that long wait time between our next one.
Top teams always do this not us sadly.
Win one then win another.
2023 was great but if you want to look back 1990 was nothing but content for 10 years.
Please dont make the same mistake Pies.
Time for a whole new beginning.

 

[Peters_Nuts]

Really laugh out loud at finishing 3rd a "wasted year". What is the point of playing?

Would be a classic Carlton move.

Make it to the prelim though we lost? Blow it up.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

I hope he was wasted when he wrote that.

He's always like that. An incoherent rambling mess.

Ignore button is my friend.

 

[timokane]

No middle ground now the choices is:

Embark on a 4-5 year rebuild wasting top talent in Nick and Josh Daicos

7

Josh Daicos

Age

27

Ht

178cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

7.3

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.6

5star

MG

230.5

4star

D

16.2

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.5

4star

MG

230.5

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

4.2

5star

Or
Chips in again and chance our luck again for a another tilt

Could call it the fork in the road we had to have

We are either bottom 4 or top 4 in 2026

Depends on their intensions in the next weeks trade period and draft in november

All down to players and picks

 

[WanderingDude]

Great thread. Ended the season in a PF. Things could be better or worse. I loved the season. Now we assess this year and transition to the next.
(Evil word alert)
I have been a part of the game time management not resting group. Now I’m in the resting group with the veteran re-signing over the last period. In 2026 firstly you want the young to push out the veterans. The veteran players would be depth and mentors. The other veterans players we rely on would miss games to remain fresh and develop the younger players. End of season exhaustion seemed an issue for young and veterans this year. Watching the development and who grabs their chance will be fascinating. A rebuilt Jordy and a Bobby return just the start.

 

[timokane]

What do we normally get up to over the off season.
For mine now im on college break and normally go on holidays starting grand final eve for say 4-5 days.
Come back refreshed for another term.
Also chipping along with the occasional work shift.
I tend to get back into footy when trade weeks done and the draft and when the players start to return for pre xmas training.
Kind of say mid late november.
I will be interested in the trade week tho which is only next week.
Most of the time i enjoy getting along to the cricket and play more tennis on weekends now.
Also i play some lawn bowls myself every couple of weeks.
I usally go to the Melbourne cup as well if i can get a ticket.
Apart from that time to focus on other things and keeping well and healthy.
I normally go alcohol free in october as well.
Then xmas comes around nice time of year

 

[jmac70]

What do we normally get up to over the off season.
For mine now im on college break and normally go on holidays starting grand final eve for say 4-5 days.
Come back refreshed for another term.
Also chipping along with the occasional work shift.
I tend to get back into footy when trade weeks done and the draft and when the players start to return for pre xmas training.
Kind of say mid late november.
I will be interested in the trade week tho which is only next week.
Most of the time i enjoy getting along to the cricket and play more tennis on weekends now.
Also i play some lawn bowls myself every couple of weeks.
I usally go to the Melbourne cup as well if i can get a ticket.
Apart from that time to focus on other things and keeping well and healthy.
I normally go alcohol free in october as well.
Then xmas comes around nice time of year

I’m camping down in Lorne at the moment. Pretty chilly but still nice and relaxing, except for the smug Cats fans everywhere.

After the school holidays it will be a flat out term 4. Massive 11 weeks with reports to write and assessment to complete. Summer holidays will be camping and beer.

Then start thinking about the new footy season.

 

[Tadpole]

Flying in to Melbourne tomorrow for a lazy 5 days of a change of scenery for a Tadpole travelling solo for once. Might take in the AFLW game v the Bulldogs on Friday evening, but beyond that just see where the wind takes me. Back to work October 1, and supermarket retail's always fun this time of year. Keep an ear out for Trade winds, and obviously draft news. Then after Christmas, off with family in January for a week on Norfolk Island. Plenty to keep occupied with til Season 2026 starts.

 

[granniewolf]

He’s one im not sure on as I don’t see him making it as a forward. Need to be elite in the air and I haven’t seen that. Reminds me a bit of Krueger without the injuries. Only option to me is 1 year down back

Here's a clip of Noah Howes the day he kicked 5

VFL Showreel, R16: Noah Howes highlights

Enjoy Noah Howes' standout VFL performance for Collingwood

www.afl.com.au

 

[Run n Spread]

Looks like the strategy is to delist the mid range types keep the old boys and use the kids/fas to fill roles
So with mcrae whe Johnson Markov Dean (possibly mitchell) that would be it as not much of a draft hand

 

[Kes1984]

2024 2025 wasted years.
Forgot the future to serve the present.
2026 need to embark on the next generation.
Could have done this in 2024 instead we insist on having to cycle players up which in turn ended up been better at thier first club.
Fast forward to now.
No development made.
We now need to develop.
Glad 2025 is now over and we can put behind this too old too slow mantra once and for all.
2026 the mantra young and quick.
Kind of out with the old in the young.
Time is now Fly.
Picks now.
Like see what cats and lions did after their flags all of a sudden they are plotting their next flag no so Pies.
Teams like these win flag then plot their next one and it happen quicky soon after like in the next year or 2.
Thats why we never ever win that follow up Flag.
Always that long wait time between our next one.
Top teams always do this not us sadly.
Win one then win another.
2023 was great but if you want to look back 1990 was nothing but content for 10 years.
Please dont make the same mistake Pies.
Time for a whole new beginning.

We went in for a challenge this year - we were one win short of a Grand Final.

Only 2 teams of 18 make the Grand Final
Only 1 team of 18 win the flag

Unrealistic to think a Prelim berth is a wasted year - you're expectations are set far too high.

 

[Tadpole]

We went in for a challenge this year - we were one win short of a Grand Final.

Only 2 teams of 18 make the Grand Final
Only 1 team of 18 win the flag

Unrealistic to think a Prelim berth is a wasted year - you're expectations are set far too high.

We didn’t get the ultimate prize, but it was a definite improvement on 2024 when we didn’t even play finals. Premierships are so hard to win. Maybe I’m too easily pleased, but I’ve learned not to expect perfection (it only leads to heartbreak when it doesn’t eventuate). Continuous improvement and concerted effort are far more important to me. We did that this year, so that’s something to be proud of, while still trying to keep taking the next step towards 17.

 

[WanderingDude]

2024 2025 wasted years.
Forgot the future to serve the present.
2026 need to embark on the next generation.
Could have done this in 2024 instead we insist on having to cycle players up which in turn ended up been better at thier first club.
Fast forward to now.
No development made.
We now need to develop.
Glad 2025 is now over and we can put behind this too old too slow mantra once and for all.
2026 the mantra young and quick.
Kind of out with the old in the young.
Time is now Fly.
Picks now.
Like see what cats and lions did after their flags all of a sudden they are plotting their next flag no so Pies.
Teams like these win flag then plot their next one and it happen quicky soon after like in the next year or 2.
Thats why we never ever win that follow up Flag.
Always that long wait time between our next one.
Top teams always do this not us sadly.
Win one then win another.
2023 was great but if you want to look back 1990 was nothing but content for 10 years.
Please dont make the same mistake Pies.
Time for a whole new beginning.

It is all small margins. What is Pendles didn’t go down in the first minutes? At half time we were ahead. Anyone can tear the club apart doing a hindsight assessment. My club had a bad year last year missing finals by a fraction. This year a preliminary final. So good. I am glad they did not throw the towel in and surrender. Now is a time to learn and reload, not blame.

 

[cfc19902010]

We are absolutely shithouse at drafting early too. When was the last time we drafted a long-term contributor with our first pick that’s not a F/S or academy? Jordan Degoey in 2013?

Definitely not freeman stephenson scharenberg !!!

 

[WanderingDude]

The statement “Injuries are never an excuse”. But what a pile of in 2024. We got into the top 4 during the season. There seemed to be a period 4 in, 4 out. We could not get a break. Unless it was a leg. Just did my little mind major stress.

 

[cfc19902010]

I see next season or 2 be a Transition Years where the Old Players Start to make way for Young Talent

Best thing we can hope for is what Happened in 2010

But at this very early Stage I have us in the 6-14 Area on the Ladder

I think your right on the money
Get some games into promising kids next year at the expense of playing safer with older players
6-10 th

 

[foreigner]

It is all small margins. What is Pendles didn’t go down in the first minutes? At half time we were ahead. Anyone can tear the club apart doing a hindsight assessment. My club had a bad year last year missing finals by a fraction. This year a preliminary final. So good. I am glad they did not throw the towel in and surrender. Now is a time to learn and reload, not blame.

Agree on this year, we took a calculated risk and it almost played off. However, I don't think the same tactic is going to work going forward.

We won't be able to last a whole season playing everyone of Pendles, Sidey, Howey, Crisp. For e.g. Sidey started the season brilliantly to fade off later in the year. When we needed to lift against the Lions, there was no one to do it. They all seem to be cooked by the effort to get back in the 2nd quarter. The fact that we still depend heavily on Pendles to lift us, is a.massive cause for concern.

We need to change tact, get a few old agers to gradually retire, rather than go off all at once. Get some youth with experience and build for the future.

Whatever everyone says I don't think we will contend for a flag next year. I just can't see where the improvement is going to come from, especially in the midfield and the forward line.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

I agree with this, but I only see us having one down year and by that I’m expecting us to finish 6-10 on the ladder while we try and consolidate a new/tweaked game plan, new players/recruits to cover the veterans and hopefully some youth to push out guys that are underperforming.

Hopefully we will bring in some key FA or shrewd trades, like King, Curbiw or Butters over the next 2 pre-seasons and be contending again in 27.

This off season would be a good one to get creative to set us up by making some painful calls that can net us some good trade capital.

I’d look at giving up Beau, Crisp, Bobby or Degoey if it could allow us to bring in something elite like a Curnow or Butters.

There is no way I would do Beau or Bobby to Curnow. Curnow’s career averages aren’t dissimilar to Mihocek’s and he’s five years older. Caveat is obviously whatever has gone on with Hill in the background.

We need to retain our young talent.

 

[MattD2308]

We just don't have a consistent squad for the longevity of a season. As i've already stated , losing Pendles early, i knew then, faaarrk, this won't end well. We just can't rely on JDG to break a game open, and when he obviously got thumped (fairly) by Rayner, his impact diminished. Having underdone players on fitness and form, just accentuated our demise after 1/2 time. Stating the obvious, we just don't have the depth of the Lions (Cats also) to run through the middle, who are big bodied, skillful and quick. If we keep a similar squad, IMO we won't make the 8.
Put Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

32

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

, Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

, Hugh McLuggage and Cam Rayner in our side, we'd win a couple of flags.
Had we miraculously snatched that game, i wouldn't cope well with another GF loss.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Make or break year for our clubs long term future next year

Get it wrong and the cliff comes and we turn into West Coast, get it right and we're right back up there fighting for Premierships long term.

Need to absolutely nail recruting, development and team selection for 2026.

• More games into kids like Steele, Parker, Harrison, Reef, Allan, Steene etc
• Give more of the 30 pluses VFL time to act as on field coachesto help fast track the kids, which in turn improves the overall quality of the VFL side and hopefully has the VFL side in finals, which in turn helps the senior side
• Get aggressive with trade/free agency

 

[jmac70]

Make or break year for our clubs long term future next year

Get it wrong and the cliff comes and we turn into West Coast, get it right and we're right back up there fighting for Premierships long term.

Need to absolutely nail recruting, development and team selection for 2026.

• More games into kids like Steele, Parker, Harrison, Reef, Allan, Steene etc
• Give more of the 30 pluses VFL time to act as on field coachesto help fast track the kids, which in turn improves the overall quality of the VFL side and hopefully has the VFL side in finals, which in turn helps the senior side
• Get aggressive with trade/free agency

It’s more likely to be somewhere in the middle.

 

[No SPIN]

Agree on this year, we took a calculated risk and it almost played off. However, I don't think the same tactic is going to work going forward.

We won't be able to last a whole season playing everyone of Pendles, Sidey, Howey, Crisp. For e.g. Sidey started the season brilliantly to fade off later in the year. When we needed to lift against the Lions, there was no one to do it. They all seem to be cooked by the effort to get back in the 2nd quarter. The fact that we still depend heavily on Pendles to lift us, is a.massive cause for concern.

We need to change tact, get a few old agers to gradually retire, rather than go off all at once. Get some youth with experience and build for the future.

Whatever everyone says I don't think we will contend for a flag next year. I just can't see where the improvement is going to come from, especially in the midfield and the forward line.

The challenge will be to win enough games with the kids early in the season, and then have veterans flying by the end of the year.
Basically the reverse of this year.
Big challenge for Wade, but the dumping of the sub will help.

 

[Buckley is my hero]

We just don't have a consistent squad for the longevity of a season. As i've already stated , losing Pendles early, i knew then, faaarrk, this won't end well. We just can't rely on JDG to break a game open, and when he obviously got thumped (fairly) by Rayner, his impact diminished. Having underdone players on fitness and form, just accentuated our demise after 1/2 time. Stating the obvious, we just don't have the depth of the Lions (Cats also) to run through the middle, who are big bodied, skillful and quick. If we keep a similar squad, IMO we won't make the 8.
Put Jeremy Cameron, Zac Bailey, Hugh McLuggage and Cam Rayner in our side, we'd win a couple of flags.
Had we miraculously snatched that game, i wouldn't cope well with another GF loss.

I think many are under the illusion that had we beaten Brisbane we would somehow overcome Geelong. Geelong beat us earlier in the year when we were playing well. In a GF Geelong would have thrashed us. This year's squad was never going going to win a premiership. We struck it lucky to get Adelaide in the QF which catapulted us into the PF. Had we played Hawthorn instead we wouldn't even had made it into the PF. You don't win grand finals by patch up work (Shultz, Houston, Perryman and Membrey). You win premierships by recruiting genuine stars like Bobby Hill or Nick Daicos under the F/S. Brisbane and Geelong have them in abundance. We don't. Time to reboot the team and scour the countryside for young talent overlooked by other clubs, that is talent between the ages of 20 and 25, not 30 year olds who played their last good game two or three years ago.