Players who need to own 2026

[Bovo]

2026 has to be the year for Draper and Welsh in my opinion. We are crying for an A grade mid and looking for the replacement of Tex after next season (assuming he signs on). Both are promising prospects, but they need to make 2026 theirs. Thoughts?

 

[Crowked]

Rankine

 

[hugecannon]

Pedlar and Cook as the slightly less obvious options.

Curtin and Draper as the 2 to start making the midfield theirs.

Rankine and Rachele as our potentially 2 absolute game breakers.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

Welsh highly doubt will play an AFL game

 

[tiggsy]

20% of Soligo's games are genuinely good. I'd like him to get that up to more like 75%. That would make him a real weapon.

 

[WeeBlake]

Soligo, Rachele, Curtin in that order. We need more a graders.

 

[Bovo]

Welsh highly doubt will play an AFL game

If so, we can assume father/son selections aren’t really us. Max being the exception

 

[happy_knackers]

Pedlar and Cook as the slightly less obvious options.

Curtin and Draper as the 2 to start making the midfield theirs.

Rankine and Rachele as our potentially 2 absolute game breakers.

Im so done with Cook. He's this squads CEY.

Somehow manages to survive on the list for years on end based purely on supposedly "having something" and presumably a fear that he'll turn into an instant superstar the moment he moves to another team (only to eventally move via F.A. and be quietly delisted from new team in quick time without firing a shot there either).

 

[adelaidecrows]

Im so done with Cook. He's this squads CEY.

Somehow manages to survive on the list for years on end based purely on supposedly "having something" and presumably a fear that he'll turn into an instant superstar the moment he moves to another team (only to eventally move via F.A. and be quietly delisted from new team in quick time without firing a shot there either).

Its not cooks fault. I can only assume some players have stayed on the list well beyond what they would normally because of our lack of depth and amount of players we need to get rid off. We were keeping cook above the others we got rid off this off season. Next year he has no where to hide.

 

[GreyCrow]

Im so done with Cook. He's this squads CEY.

Somehow manages to survive on the list for years on end based purely on supposedly "having something" and presumably a fear that he'll turn into an instant superstar the moment he moves to another team (only to eventally move via F.A. and be quietly delisted from new team in quick time without firing a shot there either).

This is a big part of continuity. It takes us so long to work out if a player is good or not

Hopefully Soligo gets over whatever ailed him

 

[bettingonbetts]

Sog and Rach
Love to see Curtin take the next step in the mid
Draper to get consistent games this season

 

[daniel_4tw]

Soligo and it’s not close. Guy has been showing glimpses of being being the guy for years. He’s got all the tools but just can’t seem to consistently string it together for more than 2-3 games at a time.

Also Fogarty. Tex had a better year than him and we’re calling for him to retire. Fogarty has mostly escaped criticism.

 

[spenze]

 

[UcantCme]

These players and moves are important for 2026

• Curtin to the midfield
• Draper takes Curtin spot in the wing
• Ah Chee forward that allows Rankine to play more mid

Rankine owes the team a huge 2026

Time for Rachelle to be AA quality

Soligo needs to find another gear

 

[Velvet George]

These players and moves are important for 2026

• Curtin to the midfield
• Draper takes Curtin spot in the wing
• Ah Chee forward that allows Rankine to play more mid

Rankine owes the team a huge 2026

Time for Rachelle to be AA quality

Soligo needs to find another gear

Why would we move Draper to the wing when he’s a mid? How about we develop our pick 4 mid as a mid?

 

[adelaidecrows]

This Trac guy is a bit of a potato. Sure hope he pulls his finger out!

 

[jackster83]

Rachele and Max need to be pushing the AA squad. They are developing well but need to take the next step towards becoming elite.

Meanwhile 2025 was a wasted year for Nank. He's one who needs to sort his game out over the summer. Would help if we can settle on a position for him.

 

[RePete]

If we are to be top-4 again next year, it will be off the backs of our dangerous players in Thilth, Rach, Rankine. They are are biggest game-winners. Keep them healthy and on the ground and we will be OK for the year.

As for young players...
Cook looked like the one ready to explode over the last month of the season. Took his game to the next level in the SANFL. Needs to but on some more muscle/core strength still so he doesn't get rag-dolled so much at AFL level. That being said AhChee is probably to be first in line if we get him.
Draper - just needs to be played. He will probably spud it up on the odd occasion but it in maybe 15-30games, the gametime will pay off massively. When you are a top-4 side, you can blood these young guys in a good system and get them up to speed, and confident fast. It paid off with Curtin.
Pedlar - the talent is there. Needs a big pre-season and needs to stay injury free.
Taylor - need to try him in the midfield. He is a midfielder. I don't know if he can do enough if we don't play him there. Can see him missing out on the side depending on how his pre-season goes and how our coaches misuse him.
Berry - Needs to learn to get more of the ball. Can see him becoming a depth mid unless he goes to the next level.

Would love to see Ryan and Edwards get their chances at AFL level. Other teams would have blooded these guys by now. There bodies should be ready. Lets see if either can be a gun HBF - we need more run from the back half.

Hard to really say who needs a big 2026 when you think that the only way many of these players will get a chance at AFL level is through injury to one of the usual's...

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Why would we move Draper to the wing when he’s a mid? How about we develop our pick 4 mid as a mid?

Ah Chee is also very capable of playing on the wing when need be. Did it on Saturday well, and Dempsey had no influence on the game despite what the stats say (three of his four goals came in junk-time when Brisbane were in party mode).

This will also allow Cumming to move to HB where he plays his best footy (another player who needs to own next year too should he be played in the right position).

 

[Redline]

Soligo and it’s not close. Guy has been showing glimpses of being being the guy for years. He’s got all the tools but just can’t seem to consistently string it together for more than 2-3 games at a time.

Also Fogarty. Tex had a better year than him and we’re calling for him to retire. Fogarty has mostly escaped criticism.

I think people are hard on Soligo. I get it is somewhat irrelevant but he was only pick 36 in the draft. He is probably performing at his maximum, he was never going to be an elite midfielder. His effort is there,, he just doesn't have the talent.

On the flipside, I agree on Fog. He is almost trade material but he managed to get a six year year contract extension and no club would take that on. I didn't like his efforts in the finals this year. He is 26 now, time to step up.

 

[TRP1996]

Im so done with Cook. He's this squads CEY.

Somehow manages to survive on the list for years on end based purely on supposedly "having something" and presumably a fear that he'll turn into an instant superstar the moment he moves to another team (only to eventally move via F.A. and be quietly delisted from new team in quick time without firing a shot there either).

Excited to learn there's a second global pandemic coming, which will end Cook's career due to his refusal to get vaccinated.

 

[GreyCrow]

I think people are hard on Soligo. I get it is somewhat irrelevant but he was only pick 36 in the draft. He is probably performing at his maximum, he was never going to be an elite midfielder. His effort is there,, he just doesn't have the talent.

I disagree

Doesnt matter where he was picked because ( to me ) he has shown elite talents for stretches of games

It just seemed he went backwards this year

He really should be nervous with Petracca but it should spur him

 

[BRL121]

I disagree

Doesnt matter where he was picked because ( to me ) he has shown elite talents for stretches of games

It just seemed he went backwards this year

He really should be nervous with Petracca but it should spur him

I wouldn't say he's gone backwards this year. My take is that he has been carrying an injury. e.g., groin, which has led him to lose a lot of speed in the second halves of 2024 and 2025. In a couple of matches, he has been actually walking while the oppo race past him: that is not him.

I'm surprised that this has carried on over two years and don't know what the solution would be. Has Burgess been doing his job?

One of Soligo's best characteristics has been his skill and cleanliness in extracting and giving off tight balls in contests, by hand or foot. I will concede that, in the last couple of matches, this has suffered, whether as an effect from being injured/beaten up, I don't know.

 

[Coopers]

If we are to be top-4 again next year, it will be off the backs of our dangerous players in Thilth, Rach, Rankine. They are are biggest game-winners. Keep them healthy and on the ground and we will be OK for the year.

As for young players...
Cook looked like the one ready to explode over the last month of the season. Took his game to the next level in the SANFL. Needs to but on some more muscle/core strength still so he doesn't get rag-dolled so much at AFL level. That being said AhChee is probably to be first in line if we get him.
Draper - just needs to be played. He will probably spud it up on the odd occasion but it in maybe 15-30games, the gametime will pay off massively. When you are a top-4 side, you can blood these young guys in a good system and get them up to speed, and confident fast. It paid off with Curtin.
Pedlar - the talent is there. Needs a big pre-season and needs to stay injury free.
Taylor - need to try him in the midfield. He is a midfielder. I don't know if he can do enough if we don't play him there. Can see him missing out on the side depending on how his pre-season goes and how our coaches misuse him.
Berry - Needs to learn to get more of the ball. Can see him becoming a depth mid unless he goes to the next level.

Would love to see Ryan and Edwards get their chances at AFL level. Other teams would have blooded these guys by now. There bodies should be ready. Lets see if either can be a gun HBF - we need more run from the back half.

Hard to really say who needs a big 2026 when you think that the only way many of these players will get a chance at AFL level is through injury to one of the usual's...

I think all of these guys are still pretty fringe though.

I'd reckon if we recruit 2 (or 3?) best 22 players, Cook is pretty done. I like the games when he plays well, he looks great. Problem is he hasn't cracked the team and will now be something like player #30 on the list. May not get a game.

Draper will get prioritized, Berry probably loses his spot to whoever we trade in. Personally I'd trade him out because of that.

Pedlar and Taylor just need to... get better. They are right on that fringe of the 22 and will stay right about there I think.

I'd love to be wrong about all of them, or even one of them. That would be a big boost to the team to do a Woz style "Hey, I'm like AA level suddenly" breakout year.

 

[Coopers]

But to answer the original premise... It's Rankine.

Time to be all you can be buddy. AA this year. Win a bloody brownlow. He's that good, he just needs to... actually do that.