Prediction Round 1, 2026 - Best 23

[AFC979810]

Give it a few weeks and guaranteed there will be more of our top 10 players missing through injury

Turn that frown upside down pal.

 

[crows dude]

Unavailable: Rankine, Curtin.
AFL ROUND ONE VS COLLINGWOOD SATURDAY NIGHT 14TH MARCH
F Neal-Bullen Thilthorpe Walker
HF Keays Fogarty Ah Chee
C Cumming Rachele Dowling
HB Michalanney Murray Nankervis
B Worrell Keane Laird
RUCK
McAndrew
Peatling
Dawson

INTER
Bond
Soligo
Hinge
Taylor
Milera

 

[JPetro83]

FF: Walker Thilthorpe Pedlar
HF: Rachele Fog Keays
C: Ah Chee Dawson Cumming
HB: Laird Keane Milera
B: Michalanney Murray Worrell
R: ROB Soligo Peatling

INT: ANB, Hinge, Taylor, Nankervis & Maley

EMG: Bond, Edwards, Butts & McAndrew.

Collingwood beat us over there... like they always do

 

[JPetro83]

Is McGuane & Foote still training on wiht us?

 

[1970crow]

My January predicted round 1 23:

FF: Rachele Thilthorpe Keays
HF: ANB Fogarty Pedlar
C: Ah Chee Dawson Cumming
R: O’Brien Peatling Soligo
HB: Milera Keane Nankervis
FB: Worrell Murray Michalanney

Int: Walker Laird Hinge Marsh Cook

Emergency: Bond, Butts, Taylor

Unavailable: Rankine, Draper, Curtin.

Out: Smith (Ret), Curtin (inj), Taylor (omit), Berry (omit)
In: Nank, Cook, Marsh, Ah Chee

Looks fairly common sense, doubt there’d be any complaints with that.
Not sure Berry won’t make it though, but I’d have him under pressure.

 

[1970crow]

Give it a few weeks and guaranteed there will be more of our top 10 players missing through injury

We’ve had 2 years of pretty good injury runs.

 

[AFC979810]

Out: Smith (Ret), Curtin (inj), Taylor (omit), Berry (omit)
In: Nank, Cook, Marsh, Ah Chee

Looks fairly common sense, doubt there’d be any complaints with that.
Not sure Berry won’t make it though, but I’d have him under pressure.

Yeah I think you maybe right, particularly with Rankine out round 1 Nicks might be more likely to go Berry over Cook.

 

[JPetro83]

Any word on Rachele's knee knock? is he all good?

 

[1990crow]

If I guessing on reports this would be close for round 1:

FB: Worrell ~ Murray ~ Michalanney
HB: Laird ~ Keane ~ Nankervis
C: Cumming ~ Dawson ~ ANB
R: O'Brien ~ Soligo ~ Rachele
HF: Keays ~ Thilthorpe ~ Ah Chee
FF: Walker ~ Fogarty ~ Pedlar
B: Peatling ~ Berry ~ Cook ~ Hinge ~ Milera

I'd prefer Taylor, but with Curtin and Rankine out reckon they'd go Berry.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

If I guessing on reports this would be close for round 1:

FB: Worrell ~ Murray ~ Michalanney
HB: Laird ~ Keane ~ Nankervis
C: Cumming ~ Dawson ~ ANB
R: O'Brien ~ Soligo ~ Rachele
HF: Keays ~ Thilthorpe ~ Ah Chee
FF: Walker ~ Fogarty ~ Pedlar
B: Peatling ~ Berry ~ Cook ~ Hinge ~ Milera

I'd prefer Taylor, but with Curtin and Rankine out reckon they'd go Berry.

You have picked 3 half back flankers on the bench...

 

[1990crow]

You have picked 3 half back flankers on the bench...

There's not much to choose from unless they go Taylor over Cook because of that.
I doubt they pick Dowling.
Marsh is a long shot.
Bond maybe.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

There's not much to choose from unless they go Taylor over Cook because of that.
I doubt they pick Dowling.
Marsh is a long shot.
Bond maybe.

Imo, you are missing a wingman.

Dowling probably my choice.

We found out in the finals what happens when you pick too many defenders...

 

[1990crow]

Imo, you are missing a wingman.

Dowling probably my choice.

We found out in the finals what happens when you pick too many defenders...

Nicks clearly doesn't rate Dowling. And he's been training inside midfield.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Nicks clearly doesn't rate Dowling. And he's been training inside midfield.

Playing Dowling as an inside midfielder in pre-season rather than hiding him up forward like previously suggests Nicks does rate him.

 

[Mutineer]

Hinge’s tip on teammate after breakthrough summer

Mitch Hinge has heaped plenty of praise on a young teammate

www.afc.com.au

Hinge’s tip on teammate after breakthrough summer​

Mitch Hinge has heaped plenty of praise on a young teammate


For defender Mitch Hinge, pre-season isn’t just about working on his own game - it’s also a chance to reflect on the growth happening within the Crows’ backline.

As the coaches continue to explore different looks and roles across the summer, Hinge says the development of fellow defender Hugh Bond has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the pre-season so far.

And Hinge tipped Bond, who has played 12 games since making his debut in 2024, to be pushing his case for a regular call-up after impressing this summer.

“We’ve got Bondy who I am super proud of as a mate and a teammate, I’ve seen him grow from a youngster as an 18-year-old, and I think he’s really growing into a really strong player,” Hinge said.

“He’s so competitive, he’s so hard to play on, and I really feel like he’s developing that offensive side of his game, which to his credit, he’s put a lot of work in.

“I’m loving seeing that from him.”

Hinge, meanwhile, endured a delayed start to pre-season after injuring his ankle during the Crows’ semi-final loss to Hawthorn, resulting in the 27-year-old undergoing Syndesmosis surgery.

While his 2025 season ended in disappointment, Hinge said he was now fully fit and motivated to take his game - and the team’s - to another level this year.

“Obviously it (the end) was really disappointing,” Hinge said.

“I got subbed out against Collingwood which was disappointing personally, and then the next one against the Hawks, I felt like I actually started alright, and then hurting my ankle there.

“I missed probably about seven weeks where I wasn’t running on the legs, so I had a bit of a delayed start, but it was an opportunity to work on my strength, to work on different areas of my game.

“I still feel like compared to the last two or three pre-seasons, this is still the most I’ve ever done, so the body is feeling good and I’ve got full belief that I’ve only got more opportunities to grow and improve, so I am really excited to see what the year has for me.”

The Crows will, however, be without star youngster Dan Curtin when their 2026 campaign starts, as the utility recovers from surgery after dislocating his kneecap.

Hinge praised Curtin’s attitude following his injury and was confident he would attack his rehab well.

“His spirits are high,” Hinge said.

“Obviously at this time of the year, and especially with a young guy like Dan, showing so much promise, he’s been dominating on the track, he’s had a little bit of a setback, which is really disappointing.

“He’s such a well-natured kid… he’s such a lovel person, we love having him around, and he’s been back in the past couple of days, and it’s been great to see him.

“He brings a lot of energy and brings a smile - I feel like I’m smiling talking about him now - he’s an absolute ripper, and it’s really disappointing for him, but knowing him, and knowing he gets to work, he’ll be back in no time and tearing up the field soon.”

 

[Mutineer]

 

[Mutineer]

Spy in the camp...

 

[1970crow]

Yeah I think you maybe right, particularly with Rankine out round 1 Nicks might be more likely to go Berry over Cook.

Even with Rankine, we only have 4 certain high minute mids - Dawson. Rankine, Soligo and Peatling. That’s it. Now apparently Rachele is finally going to get meaningful minutes, but who else is there? Pedlar and Taylor seem incapable of developing the tank and Draper snd Curtin are injured. I can’t see a Dowling/Edwards type overtaking Berry in the short term.

 

[1990crow]

Welsh noticeably trimmer

 

[1970crow]

Imo, you are missing a wingman.

Dowling probably my choice.

We found out in the finals what happens when you pick too many defenders...

Cook perhaps the utility type bench player that can play half forward, but of wing and half back.

 

[conVINCEd]

Hinge up on a wing to replace Curtin’s 2025 role seems the go.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Cook perhaps the utility type bench player that can play half forward, but of wing and half back.

Looks like he is being groomed fot half back, but agree he it a utility.

However, imo we need to develop another full-time wingman.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Hinge up on a wing to replace Curtin’s 2025 role seems the go.

Don't think he has played wing much in pre-season, but you would think we should be trying him there as an option given we have plenty of half backs.

 

[1970crow]

Looks like he is being groomed fot half back, but agree he it a utility.

However, imo we need to develop another full-time wingman.

It's definitely been a weakness, pretty much all recent wingmen have had the 'main job is to keep shape, it's not a role where you're meant to get the ball'. And yet somehow Curtin's best games were the ones where we got a heap of the pill. And whilst I was arguing that Cumming was underperforming, the only credible counterpoint was how well he started in one game (Dogs??), getting about 10 touches before being moved to cover for injury. So getting possessions as a wingman is the object after all???

Anyway, I know stats only tell part of the story, but reality is that the only difference between any of the below is that Cumming hit a handful (but only a handful) of absolutely crisp hit ups. One is considered by many as an absolute lock and not close to performance discussion, the other 2 are depth. Which is which, impossible to tell. I guess one just runs the lines better.

 

[Slim258]

Spy in the camp...

View attachment 2517463

We need to put Ludo on the Thilthorpe the 2024 diet and weights program