Who will be better in 2026? Geelong or Gold Coast.

[LeBronco]

Geelong have been better than Gold Coast every year since the Suns entered the AFL and although most people see Gold Coast going past Geelong this year especially after Opening Round there is a reasonable chance of Geelong being better this year in my opinion, they have a top echelon coach in Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

49

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

who is widely renowned as a master tactician plus many weapons in the forward 50 who are capable of scoring quickly and efficiently. I would be interested to see what the general consensus is on this forum as I'm sure people are vary wary by now when it comes to writing off Geelong and predicting them to slide down the ladder and spend a lengthy period of time outside of the finals.

 

[Wojcinski]

 

[CharacterFirst]

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

Good to see the OP asking the hard questions that AI slop will never go near...

 

[BigVic]

11 wins from 4 seasons and only one win last season

Won a flag 8 years ago but has a huge membership base and are the biggest club outside Victoria. Where are the Eagles at in 2026 and beyond?

 

[kane249]

Pretty obvious it's rebuilding?



Youngest list and least experienced, it's all about development for this year and the next couple

 

[stallon]

We are waiting for most of our players to get more games and age a bit more so they can compete with mature players that other teams are full of

 

[Altum Volantes]

BigVic with the breaking news here.

 

[BigVic]

They swapped pick 3 in October 2024 and traded pick 2 in 2022 to North

 

[kaiserchief13]

They swapped pick 3 in October 2024 and traded pick 2 in 2022 to North

The list manager is garbage. Decided Bo Allen + Liam Baker is better than Jagga Smith. Also recruited Jack Graham - he isn't good, just a plodder. He also recruited Young from Richmond and he's rubbish. Of course the list manager is ex Richmond. How he still has a job is beyond me

 

[Scotland]

18th

 

[BigVic]

The list manager is garbage. Decided Bo Allen + Liam Baker is better than Jagga Smith. Also recruited Jack Graham - he isn't good, just a plodder. He also recruited Young from Richmond and he's rubbish. Of course the list manager is ex Richmond. How he still has a job is beyond me

Some interesting decisions with their first rounders in 2022 & 2024. List manager is clueless

 

[kane249]

They swapped pick 3 in October 2024 and traded pick 2 in 2022 to North

Here's the thing though

2023
The Media pre-draft: Eagles should split pick 1 for more draft picks and pass on getting Harley Reid
The Media post-draft: Why didn't the Eagles split the pick?? They could have got more talent in
2025
The Media pre-draft: Eagles should split picks 1 and/or 2 and get more draft picks and pass on Duursma/CDT
The Media post-draft: Why didn't the Eagles split the picks?? They could have got more talent in

Damned if you do, damned if you don't

Media has the memory of a goldfish and flip flops every year on their opinion based on a whim

As it stands though if we hadn't have split the pick in 2022, we likely would have gone with Wardlaw or Cadman as North were locked in to Sheezel. Happy to end up with Ginbey from that pick as he's developing into a good defender and Wardlaw's injury problems. Hewett the wild card there and if he can get over his own injury problems.

Cadman would have been a good get, but another key forward isn't high on our needs when we already have Shanahan, Archer Reid and CDT now with hindsight.

 

[Forward Press]

Do we still have a rule on 'where are they at' threads being started in Round 1?

 

[Footy Smarts]

Some interesting decisions with their first rounders in 2022 & 2024. List manager is clueless

If they genuinely thought Sheezel wouldn't stay in the West then getting Ginbey and Hewett is about as good a result as you could hope for in the 2022 draft.

The 2024 trade for picks was fine. The depth in that draft was strong and those teen picks are worth a lot. The crazy thing was giving one of them up for an out of contract Baker. Could've got him for pick 30 odd or done what Adelaide did with Ah Chee and walked him through the PSD.

 

[kane249]

If they genuinely thought Sheezel wouldn't stay the West then getting Ginbey and Hewett is about good a result as you could hope for in the 2022 draft.

Don't think we were ever a chance for Sheezel, North rated him higher than Wardlaw and didn't seem as interested as Cadman. (They took Sheezel after bidding on Will Ashcroft and took Wardlaw with the next pick in 2022)

They were losing Horne-Francis at the time, so they were more intent on restocking their midfield.

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

Who cares.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

In b4 /move to the bay

 

[Bay53]

Clearly they have been terrible over the past few years. It is unfathomable that a club so big could perform so badly.

But I was at the game last night and there are green shoots.

 

[stallon]

Some interesting decisions with their first rounders in 2022 & 2024. List manager is clueless

Im very happy with Ginbey and Hewett over Wardlaw, 2022 was a draft win by splitting the pick for sure

2024 is too early to sya. Jagga racks up the ball but isnt that damaging with it. Allan doesnt accumulate but is more damaging with it.
Both had ruined 2025 seasons but Jagga has started 2026 better for sure

Jagga should be better than Allan but its far too early to lock in that what Baker brings doesnt balance it out somewhat

 

[PrancingPony]

They have the players to at least pick up a few more wins this year but they still look another 3-5 seasons away from doing any damage.

 

[Obeanie1]

They swapped pick 3 in October 2024 and traded pick 2 in 2022 to North

And?

 

[Obeanie1]

Who cares.

Eagles are 12 months ahead of where they were a year ago.

All about developing the kids and attracting top players.

 

[Lia]

18th on the ladder and will remain there for 18 months, almost like it is a rebuild.

 

[Scotland]

They swapped pick 3 in October 2024 and traded pick 2 in 2022 to North

North traded pick 8 in 2025 for pick 27 in 2024 and pick 28 in 2025.