Opinion Team Structure 2026

[Chachi]

Anyone else keen on a combo of Georgie, Luko and Whitlock as our tall forwards? Richards, Berry, Durdn, Stephenson, DBJ, Cochrane as the small to medium forwards?
Lord in last chance saloon.

You’re probably spot on though I think Lord will surprise us.
Assuming good fitness, he looks set to finally play consistent football from the training I’ve seen.
I love Jack as well but we need to remember it’s year 2 for him.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Anyone else keen on a combo of Georgie, Luko and Whitlock as our tall forwards? Richards, Berry, Durdn, Stephenson, DBJ, Cochrane as the small to medium forwards?
Lord in last chance saloon.

How would you manage the ruck/resting ruck situation?

 

[Wargreymon90]

How would you manage the ruck/resting ruck situation?

Wouldn’t Whitlock be the resting ruck?

 

[shewho]

Structure wise, the big issue facing all teams is do you pick 2 rucks in your 23. For us this issue is Visentini v Whitlock. Either we go the second ruck or we go the tall forward who can moonlight as second ruck.

Next issue, structure wise, is what your bench looks like. Most likely it will be:

1. Second ruck
2. Forward
3. Midfield
4. Midfield
5. Defender

So team structure has 7 forwards, 7 defenders, 2 Rucks, 7 midfielders.

 

[MrChow]

One thing I do like about this is that the forwards have some mobility to run into space and create space for the other forwards to do their thing.

Would be nice if one of the small forwards comes on leaps and bounds though. Think every team needs at least one elite small forward and Port currently doesn't have one as it stands but it could very well change in 2026.

If we played Rozee/JHF as 50/50 mid forwards. That is the sum of 1.

 

[Pablo Escobar]

Bottom line is that anyone over 6’2” who can read the play, run, jump, mark and kick straight can snag a few goals a game as a tall fwd. It all comes down to gameplan and kicking skills, both of which were sadly lacking under Hinkley.

 

[MrChow]

Structure wise, the big issue facing all teams is do you pick 2 rucks in your 23. For us this issue is Visentini v Whitlock. Either we go the second ruck or we go the tall forward who can moonlight as second ruck.

Next issue, structure wise, is what your bench looks like. Most likely it will be:

1. Second ruck
2. Forward
3. Midfield
4. Midfield
5. Defender

So team structure has 7 forwards, 7 defenders, 2 Rucks, 7 midfielders.

I think the cleanest way to look at this is how many talls you carry across the whole side.

In 2025, the standard setup is 3 tall forwards, 1 ruck, 3 tall defenders — 7 talls in a 22 (31.8%). Firstly, the choice is really 7 talls in a 23 (30.4%) versus 8 talls (34.7%). Some clubs do go 6, with only 2 key forwards.

Longer term, I think 8 talls could suit us, if one of them is really mobile and midfield like — that could be Lukosius, or Dougie. Having a genuine utility is such a great strength.

ATM, our issue is that Lord, Vis aren’t AFL standard as key forwards. So if we play 8/23 we lose a bit across the ground.

if we play 7/23 talls, yes the 3rd spot is Whitlock or Vis. I think you go Whitlock every day of the week, as the development potential is so high by seasons end. Vis is too big and slow to defend the modern game. He only plays if Sweet needs a rest or is injured.

 

[morell]

Bergman is a defender. I know we probably promised him midfield time to get him a new a contract but he doesn't have the right set of skills to be a permanent mid.

And I say that as an unabashed Bergman fan.

He could be our Tom Stewart. That's his spot. Elite hands. Great running capacity. Athletic. Physical. Good long kick. And most importantly knows how to bloody defend especially against modern AFL ranging type forwards.

We have mids coming out our arse. We are very poor defensively. Shifting one of our better defenders where we are weak to an area we are strong makes no sense.

 

[Scodges]

Bergman is a defender. I know we probably promised him midfield time to get him a new a contract but he doesn't have the right set of skills to be a permanent mid.

And I say that as an unabashed Bergman fan.

He could be our Tom Stewart. That's his spot. Elite hands. Great running capacity. Athletic. Physical. Good long kick. And most importantly knows how to bloody defend especially against modern AFL ranging type forwards.

We have mids coming out our arse. We are very poor defensively. Shifting one of our better defenders where we are weak to an area we are strong makes no sense.

If we promised him more midfield, then that’s what needs to happen. He’s a bloody weapon in there, Carr seems to think so.

 

[PearLover5]

If we promised him more midfield, then that’s what needs to happen. He’s a bloody weapon in there, Carr seems to think so.

As long as he kicks it the right way

 

[philthy05]

I mean Amon was AA squad under Ken, and has not done that at the Hawks
Polec was very very good for us and absolute pants at the Roos after that
Duursma was probably about as good for us as he has been for the Dons - particularly when factoring in growth

We just haven't drafted many capable wingers in the first place.

In his last few years, and certainly at his best form Amon was playing as a mid behind the ball rather than what we think of as a winger. Much closer to the way we played Houston rather than duursma.

I reckon when you play Kens chaos game plan, you also aren’t practicing good kicking either.

Yeah that gameplan was all about kicking to numbers. Not very conducive to picking out open targets

Improved fitness will result in improvement of skills.
When you’re gassed the skills take a dive.

The first and most obvious difference you can pick up with rookies in the league is how they can’t maintain skills. Still remember Chad wingard trying to kick with his jelly legs in his first year.

Anyone else keen on a combo of Georgie, Luko and Whitlock as our tall forwards? Richards, Berry, Durdn, Stephenson, DBJ, Cochrane as the small to medium forwards?
Lord in last chance saloon.

I’m so keen to see those 3. Excellent spread of skillsets across those three talls.

I want us to get games into Whitlock, tho I’m also prepared that we might have to manage him.

How would you manage the ruck/resting ruck situation?

Wouldn’t Whitlock be the resting ruck?

Whitlock showed some of the best true natural ruck ability we’ve seen from any of our prospects in a long time.

Admittedly we should and likely will have to manage his ruck time, but we have a ruck in sweet who can play the vast amount of minutes , and hopefully Dante if he’s first ruck you would hope he could too.

Structure wise, the big issue facing all teams is do you pick 2 rucks in your 23. For us this issue is Visentini v Whitlock. Either we go the second ruck or we go the tall forward who can moonlight as second ruck.

Next issue, structure wise, is what your bench looks like. Most likely it will be:

1. Second ruck
2. Forward
3. Midfield
4. Midfield
5. Defender

So team structure has 7 forwards, 7 defenders, 2 Rucks, 7 midfielders.

Bergman is a defender. I know we probably promised him midfield time to get him a new a contract but he doesn't have the right set of skills to be a permanent mid.

And I say that as an unabashed Bergman fan.

He could be our Tom Stewart. That's his spot. Elite hands. Great running capacity. Athletic. Physical. Good long kick. And most importantly knows how to bloody defend especially against modern AFL ranging type forwards.

We have mids coming out our arse. We are very poor defensively. Shifting one of our better defenders where we are weak to an area we are strong makes no sense.

Who on earth watched bergs and says he isn’t a mid? He’s a gun mid. He’s also a gun defender. If he wants to be a mid, and we need a mid in his type, play him in the mid.

 

[Scodges]

As long as he kicks it the right way

And that was against the Crom if I remember correctly

 

[Visenfest]

TBH whoever got that first clearance in the Showdown probably would've kicked it the wrong way. Nobody was in the right mindset.

 

[jakey]

In his last few years, and certainly at his best form Amon was playing as a mid behind the ball rather than what we think of as a winger. Much closer to the way we played Houston rather than duursma..

We must've been watching a different Karl Amon. Karl plays more behind the ball at the hawks. Don't reckon he ever played that way at Port.