Opinion Your 2026 R1 team

[Coona Blues]

Well he played reserves so I assume he isnt really in calculations. Think they want to go more mobile up forward to start the year is my guess.

Not the case. We tried playing without the second KPF designate and combining our two “main” rucks. Though a small sample Skull has done the second ruck job adequately in the past, admittedly a small sample. While having some claims, Reidy is well behind Pitto at this stage. Someone playing 20-30% game time in the ruck needs to have more strings to their bow to claim a spot on the, now, five man bench. O’Keeffe has tenure there and played well in the twos. Likely Lewis Young could get a ruck chop out gig before Reidy if not required in defence.

O’Keeffe reportedly received a decent corkie early in the “sim” against Brisbane which may have contributed to the selections.

Obviously two rucks is a possibility, but IMO highly unlikely given we have a “forward” just as capable of an adequate ruck chop out.

 

[JustaBattler]

Its a pity Weitering, Cowan and Carroll along with HOK all with good pre-seaosns under their belts have all copped late pre-season injuries...add Cerra and Haynes/Cottrell to the list and the usual pre-season disasters emerged - again. Every one of these players coudl be argued to be startng 23 good enough if not better...

I gues the good news is that team selection will only get better leading up to rond 1+2 after the Sydney game...and. bye after round 2 ....finger crossedfor all these blokes.

idle Sunday thought ended now.

 

[Lukeblueboy]

Obviously want weiters back in the team.
But I’m really excited to get Carrol back in that side asap.
Was just about the standout of pre season. Will really add to our needs once his back imo

 

[Poorman53]

Not the case. We tried playing without the second KPF designate and combining our two “main” rucks. Though a small sample Skull has done the second ruck job adequately in the past, admittedly a small sample. While having some claims, Reidy is well behind Pitto at this stage. Someone playing 20-30% game time in the ruck needs to have more strings to their bow to claim a spot on the, now, five man bench. O’Keeffe has tenure there and played well in the twos. Likely Lewis Young could get a ruck chop out gig before Reidy if not required in defence.

O’Keeffe reportedly received a decent corkie early in the “sim” against Brisbane which may have contributed to the selections.

Obviously two rucks is a possibility, but IMO highly unlikely given we have a “forward” just as capable of an adequate ruck chop out.

Never said I'd play Reidy

This thread is predicting a round 1 team. My guess is Lewis Young will be our extra tall/ruck support. I think he'd be selected ahead of Dean for this game for match up reasons. Not saying they both wouldn't be selected either though.

 

[Coona Blues]

Obviously want weiters back in the team.
But I’m really excited to get Carrol back in that side asap.
Was just about the standout of pre season. Will really add to our needs once his back imo

Carroll is a ripper. Too many on here do not yet appreciate his ability. He is a star of the future, providing we use him right. I hope the club deploy him in a more attacking than defensive role.

He shares a rare talent with another young HBF in Cowan. That being the ability to spot up 50, or even 60metre passes to break the lines. IMO Cowan has been asked to too much lock down defending and hasn’t been able to use his flair. Carroll has been allowed a little more licence it seems in his fairly limited games. His spectacular pre season saw the club explore him in a more attacking role on a wing with resounding success. The likely rise of Chesser, to join Ollie as our first choice wings, may limit the time Carroll gets on a wing, but his left foot certainly adds a point of difference in the role.

Again iMO, while we have some decent prospects, our proven young medium backs are limited to Cowan and Carroll, so he is likely to play back there in the short term as we move past our veteran options. Fortunately both are conceivably All Australian quality (again IMO)

 

[OurBoysInBlue]

Would really love to see Talor Byrne get selected.

Has a great ability to hit the scoreboard from limited opportunities and genuinely worries opposition defenders. Little nuggety player who love a tackle and can draw a free kick- exactly the type of player we've been missing!

 

[Gokz]

Derksen Weitering Cowan (if N/A Gov)
Florent Young (Boyd/Saad)
Hollands Cripps Chesser
Lij Kemp Evans
Ainsworth McKay Hayward
Pitto Lord Walsh

Jagga, Williams, Dean, Byrne, Hewett

 

[bigblueboy]

Expecting this. There’s a couple of changes I’d like to see.

Backs
Saad Weitering McGovern
Florent Young Williams

Mid
Cheeser Cripps O Hollands
Pittonet Walsh Smith

Fwds
Ainsworth Kemp E Hollands
Fogarty McKay Hayward

Int: Hewett Derksen Byrne Lord Reidy

emg: Dean Moir O’Keefe

inj: Carroll, Cowan, Newman, Evans, Acres

 

[CJMB]

Dean Weitering Boyd
Williams Derksen Florent

O.Hollands Hewett Chesser
Pittonet Cripps Walsh

E.Hollands McKay Smith
Ainsworth Kemp Hayward

Cowan Lord Carroll Byrne O’Keeffe

 

[JJBagger]

Why are people so confident Dean won’t play? Hes apparently been on the ‘A’ team for every match sim, started on the ground in both practice games, and the wraps on him from the club are huge. Sounds like he’ll be one of the first picked, if anything

 

[bigblueboy]

Why are people so confident Dean won’t play? Hes apparently been on the ‘A’ team for every match sim, started on the ground in both practice games, and the wraps on him from the club are huge. Sounds like he’ll be one of the first picked, if anything

I see it as a choice between Dean and Derksen. Derksen has been impressive and maybe a little more role flexible.

 

[macky99]

Expecting this. There’s a couple of changes I’d like to see.

Backs
Saad Weitering McGovern
Florent Young Williams

Mid
Cheeser Cripps O Hollands
Pittonet Walsh Smith

Fwds
Ainsworth Kemp E Hollands
Fogarty McKay Hayward

Int: Hewett Derksen Byrne Lord Reidy

emg: Dean Moir O’Keefe

inj: Carroll, Cowan, Newman, Evans, Acres

l would expect Harry Dean & Derksen to play in defence, l feel McGovern may struggle to be a regular need to freshen up our defence, Saad &Gov and Haynes are all possibility in their last year.

 

[bigblueboy]

l would expect Harry Dean & Derksen to play in defence, l feel McGovern may struggle to be a regular need to freshen up our defence, Saad &Gov and Haynes are all possibility in their last year.

I agree we need to start transitioning away from the old firm down back but Voss has had a tendency to select conservatively in the past … McGovern is a certainty for round 1 if that holds true.

 

[gbatman]

Well he played reserves so I assume he isnt really in calculations. Think they want to go more mobile up forward to start the year is my guess.

That would be silly considering they were playing Pittonet and Reidy forward in the practice matches and both were liabilities. O'Keeffe is more mobile and talented forward.

 

[gbatman]

I’d easily go HOK over Young

Reasons

1. HOK is better Ruck and more aggressive which helps our midfield
2. Better forward and I feel McKay needs another genuine big fwd to help especially with ball down line. Don’t want Kemp busting packs or battling 3-4 defenders. Not his go
3. At worst HOK creates a contest. Young is iffy at best
4. Derksen rise allows for enough cover on defence

100% HOK is also the only player on the list who can play both ruck and forward.

With only McKay forward when we have to go long we don't have enough to go to. Opposition can setup far too easily to make him an intercept point.

We can't make the opposition talls accountable enough with just McKay which means McKay gets double teamed and they can block up the corridor easily.

Moir and Kemp cop taller opponents each week if it's just McKay. It's super important that the two tallest defenders to go McKay and O'Keeffe each week.

Young is a clear no for me as forward and/or ruck. Very much a break glass option. Not physical enough in aerial contests.
The two big targets gives us a lot when the pressure is on and the opposition are defending well. CHF FF options. We can go long down the wings to a big strong target and long inside 50 as well. IF we have to play that sort of footy, we have to be good at it and good teams will demand we play this way at times.

I will be spewing if it's Reidy and Pittonet, it just doesn't work. Teams with good opposition analysis will eat this alive when they are forward. Opposition best intercept defender will go to them and they will do what they want. Our forward structure needs to factor in good opposition analysis and tactics which means you can't be resting hopeless players forward, lumbering ruckmen, playing forwards with no overhead game etc.

 

[JJBagger]

I see it as a choice between Dean and Derksen. Derksen has been impressive and maybe a little more role flexible.

That’s fine if you think that, but all the talk and action out of the club suggests he’s going to play

 

[Poorman53]

That would be silly considering they were playing Pittonet and Reidy forward in the practice matches and both were liabilities. O'Keeffe is more mobile and talented forward.

Yes I can not see that working going forward. I saw that as not cooking Pittonet a week out and giving a new player a crack in the preseason. I'd like to see O'Keeffe, just don't think it will be this week.

 

[Love the Drake]

B: Saad, Weitering, Dean
HB: Florent, Young, Williams
C: Ollie Hollands, Hewett, Elijah Hollands
HF: Hayward, Kemp, Ainsworth
F: Evans, Harry, Jagga

Foll: Pitto, Walsh, Cripps

I/C: Fog, Lord, Byrne, Derksen, Reidy

• Byrne is ready.
• Evans is ready.
• Young has been very good as our 2nd KPD. Need his height against the Swans talls.
• Kemp is ahead of Moir at this stage.
• Reidy to give a chop out against Grundy, who is an A grade ruckman.
• McGovern is now depth.

Forward line looks dangerous. A good spread of goal kickers.

Backline is solid. Dean and Derksen can play tall or medium.

Midfield pretty good - Pitto looks fit. Crippa, Walsh, Hewett, Jagga & Lord are a well-rounded unit.

 

[Crippa#9]

B: Saad, Weitering, Dean
HB: Florent, Young, Williams
C: Ollie Hollands, Hewett, Elijah Hollands
HF: Hayward, Kemp, Ainsworth
F: Evans, Harry, Jagga

Foll: Pitto, Walsh, Cripps

I/C: Fog, Lord, Byrne, Derksen, Reidy

• Byrne is ready.
• Evans is ready.
• Young has been very good as our 2nd KPD. Need his height against the Swans talls.
• Kemp is ahead of Moir at this stage.
• Reidy to give a chop out against Grundy, who is an A grade ruckman.
• McGovern is now depth.

Forward line looks dangerous. A good spread of goal kickers.

Backline is solid. Dean and Derksen can play tall or medium.

Midfield pretty good - Pitto looks fit. Crippa, Walsh, Hewett, Jagga & Lord are a well-rounded unit.

Good team, my only changes to it:

Moir & Chesser IN
Fogarty and Reidy OUT

 

[teddy-hopkins]

Good team, my only changes to it:

Moir & Chesser IN
Fogarty and Reidy OUT

I was seriously disappointed with Chesser a few times in the match against Geelong. The number of times he ignored a short option in space in front of him was worrying. He either turned around and kicked it backwards or bombed it down the line. This is the behaviour we're trying to trade out of the club not add more of the same.

He did one really nice step around the man on the mark and hit a teammate on the lead on the wing so he can do it.

Still finding his feet but for me that's got to be in the VFL at this stage.

 

[David Sylvian]

Is this the Default preview thread for our Opening Round?

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

I was seriously disappointed with Chesser a few times in the match against Geelong. The number of times he ignored a short option in space in front of him was worrying. He either turned around and kicked it backwards or bombed it down the line. This is the behaviour we're trying to trade out of the club not add more of the same.

He did one really nice step around the man on the mark and hit a teammate on the lead on the wing so he can do it.

Still finding his feet but for me that's got to be in the VFL at this stage.

With Acres and Carroll underdone, reckon Chesser gets his chance...

I'd like to see Reidy out there, as Grundy (and others) will poo his pants (soft as)... especially if weather is good. I've seen Reidy at WAfL level take some very good marks...not yet with CFC. A WIP perhaps...

forecast in sydney is very good, if not a bit warm (but no warmer than our game in Brisbane)... 29 max. cooler by kick off...

 

[GoBlues!]

B: Saad, Weitering, Dean
HB: Florent, Young, Williams
C: Ollie Hollands, Hewett, Elijah Hollands
HF: Hayward, Kemp, Ainsworth
F: Evans, Harry, Jagga

Foll: Pitto, Walsh, Cripps

I/C: Fog, Lord, Byrne, Derksen, Reidy

Very good line-up. Only concern is going in with Reidy as a 2nd ruck. Young can provide relief ruck, and Harry has also been used for short stints to get into games.

I’d make one change - McGovern in for Reidy.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Dean Weitering Boyd
Williams Derksen Florent

O.Hollands Hewett Chesser
Pittonet Cripps Walsh

E.Hollands McKay Smith
Ainsworth Kemp Hayward

Cowan Lord Carroll Byrne O’Keeffe

Change HoK with Young and IMO, that is the team.

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Evans news hopefully gives Byrne a chance, maybe it allows Moir to hold his spot, Young could also be given a chance…
Highly likely that the selectors will go with Fogarty again…

Boyd Weitering Dean
Williams Derkson Florent
Chesser Walsh Hollands
Hayward McKay Elijah
O’Keefe Kemp Ainsworth

Pittonet Cripps Jagger

Young Hewett Lord Byrne Saad

Reidy Fogarty Moir