Opinion Your 2026 R1 team

[Blue and Silver]

Taking the worst case injury scenario*:

B: Saad Young Derksen
HB: Florent Dean Williams
C: O. Hollands Cripps Chesser
HF: Ainsworth O'Keefe E. Hollands
F: Fogarty McKay Hayward
R: Pittonet Walsh Smith
I/C: Hewett, Kemp, Reidy, Lord, Byrne

* Unavailable:

Cowan
Motlop
Cerra
Acres
O'Farrell
Weitering
Newman
Haynes
Carroll
Evans
Cottrell

 

[Lukeblueboy]

Taking the worst case injury scenario*:

B: Saad Young Derksen
HB: Florent Dean Williams
C: O. Hollands Cripps Chesser
HF: Ainsworth O'Keefe E. Hollands
F: Fogarty McKay Hayward
R: Pittonet Walsh Smith
I/C: Hewett, Kemp, Reidy, Lord, Byrne

* Unavailable:

Cowan
Motlop
Cerra
Acres
O'Farrell
Weitering
Newman
Haynes
Carroll
Evans
Cottrell

I can’t wait to see Cowan, Carrol and newy back in the team out of that list

 

[Juddernaut08]

Biggest question for me is Lewis Young

33

Lewis Young

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.6

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

197.9

3star

D

4.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

1.0

1star

M

3.0

3star

T

0.0

1star

MG

26.0

1star

D

14.4

4star

K

8.2

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

6.4

5star

T

2.0

4star

MG

181.6

3star

. Looks much improved but can him and Weiters co-exist in the same backline?

In the past Young always looks so nervous and unsure playing with Weiters. It's like the nervous new kid who has been chewed out by the boss too much and can't think clearly.

 

[TerryWallet]

Assuming Motlop, O'Farrell, Cottrell, Haynes, Cerra unavailable:

And i think we might ease Newman back with the 2 pre bye games in the Ressies ideally:

I'm going with:

Cowan Weitering Dean
Saad Young Williams

Ollie Cripps Walsh
Pittonet Hewett Smith

Hayward McKay Ainsworth
Byrne Kemp O'Keefe

Elijah Florent Carroll Wilson Lord

 

[BluStreak]

Biggest question for me is Lewis Young. Looks much improved but can him and Weiters co-exist in the same backline?

In the past Young always looks so nervous and unsure playing with Weiters. It's like the nervous new kid who has been chewed out by the boss too much and can't think clearly.

I believe that he can. There were signs last year when they played in defense together that they could work together. Weiters was even congratulating Young on is defensive work.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Assuming Motlop, O'Farrell, Cottrell, Haynes, Cerra unavailable:

And i think we might ease Newman back with the 2 pre bye games in the Ressies ideally:

I'm going with:

Cowan Weitering Dean
Saad Young Williams

Ollie Cripps Walsh
Pittonet Hewett Smith

Hayward McKay Ainsworth
Byrne Kemp O'Keefe

Elijah Florent Carroll Wilson Lord

Don't mind many aspects of the team, I thought Evans deserves first crack in the forward line.
Not sure I am rushing Dean into our squad, would not mind giving him time to develop.
Is Newman out as well for week 1?

 

[Benaly28]

As much as we’d like to have our full compliment it’s not going to happen and as much as we’d like to beat the swans that’s not happening either,we just aren’t ready yet so if we need to rest a couple so be it.

 

[Juddernaut08]

As much as we’d like to have our full compliment it’s not going to happen and as much as we’d like to beat the swans that’s not happening either,we just aren’t ready yet so if we need to rest a couple so be it.

Plenty of reasons we COULD beat the Swans.

Regardless of team strength, there are plenty of upsets in the first few rounds because teams have scheduled their training loads and taper offs differently, experienced players often manage their runs and tweaks to gameplans are still being ironed out and tested.

If we were playing the full strength Swans in Rd 8, I'd say we're very little chance. As for Opening Round, we're not so far apart that a win isn't plausible. Still unlikely given their home ground advantage and lots of new faces for us, but I'd have it at like 70/30 their way.

 

[Red_man2008]

I reckon Newman gets a gig v Geelong Wednesday and that will ultimately decide if he’s ready for round 1.

 

[TerryWallet]

Don't mind many aspects of the team, I thought Evans deserves first crack in the forward line.
Not sure I am rushing Dean into our squad, would not mind giving him time to develop.
Is Newman out as well for week 1?

Newman's not out, but its just my feeling that he might be.

Evans?, he or Fog could very well be in the team, but you can only pick so many. Id pick Evans over Fog, but i'd pick Byrne over both at this stage.

Dean, i thought about if its better to ease him in....but nah, he's a competitor, let him play. Reserves is a graveyard these days.

 

[bigblueboy]

Taking the worst case injury scenario*:

B: Saad Young Derksen
HB: Florent Dean Williams
C: O. Hollands Cripps Chesser
HF: Ainsworth O'Keefe E. Hollands
F: Fogarty McKay Hayward
R: Pittonet Walsh Smith
I/C: Hewett, Kemp, Reidy, Lord, Byrne

* Unavailable:

Cowan
Motlop
Cerra
Acres
O'Farrell
Weitering
Newman
Haynes
Carroll
Evans
Cottrell

Think Weiters and McGovern play with either or both Dean/Derksen missing out.
Not sure we will play all of Reidy, O’Keefe and Pittonet in the same team … some lumbering wood there.
Fogarty keeps weaseling into games. He’s resilient if nothing else.
Moir?

 

[Blue and Silver]

Think Weiters and McGovern play with either or both Dean/Derksen missing out.
Not sure we will play all of Reidy, O’Keefe and Pittonet in the same team … some lumbering wood there.
Fogarty keeps weaseling into games. He’s resilient if nothing else.
Moir?

Speculating Weitering unavailable.

Gov, well I can't help but hate his brain fades. Not what you want in a senior player.

Fair that we should probably lose one of the rucks, probably add a runner.

Moir needs to play himself into confidence at the VFL level. Needs to play the mid-fwd role where he is up at stoppage to get him involved.

Fog gets a game so long as he

A) tackles

B) hands off a goal + a game

C) makes his defender respect him.

I accept he won't be kicking bags, but with our new small/mediums he doesn't need to, just play his role.

 

[teddy-hopkins]

B Saad, Adam Weitering, Jacob McGovern, Mitch

HB Florent, Oliver Dean, Harry Williams, Zachary

C Carroll, Matt Cripps, Patrick Smith, Jagga

HF Hayward, Will Kemp, Brodie Hollands, Elijah

F Evans, Francis McKay, Harry Ainsworth, Ben

R Pittonet, Marc Hewett, George Walsh, Sam

IC Wilson, Billy Lord, Cooper Byrne, Talor
Newman, Nic Reidy, Liam


I'd leave him out but I know Ollie Hollands will play so I'd assume he replaces Wilson in this team. The other one is Fog - I'd imagine he replaces Carroll if he's still not fit although that's a lot of small forwards.

If the above is the team there's only 10 players from the team who beat Ess by 6 goals in round 24. 13 changes!

Bit of a wait on Carroll and Newman to see if they're fit. I'd guarantee Weit. Turnaround times on ribs is usually very short these days unless it's a puncture. Young may edge out Gov but I doubt it.

 

[teddy-hopkins]

Acres
Weitering
Newman
Carroll
Evans

Not sure these 5 are out of R0.

 

[Blue and Silver]

Not sure these 5 are out of R0.

Worst case scenario

 

[teddy-hopkins]

Worst case scenario

Yeah good point... with Carlton it's probably just "scenario".

 

[The Bighouse]

B Saad, Adam Weitering, Jacob McGovern, Mitch

HB Florent, Oliver Dean, Harry Williams, Zachary

C Carroll, Matt Cripps, Patrick Smith, Jagga

HF Hayward, Will Kemp, Brodie Hollands, Elijah

F Evans, Francis McKay, Harry Ainsworth, Ben

R Pittonet, Marc Hewett, George Walsh, Sam

IC Wilson, Billy Lord, Cooper Byrne, Talor
Newman, Nic Reidy, Liam


I'd leave him out but I know Ollie Hollands will play so I'd assume he replaces Wilson in this team. The other one is Fog - I'd imagine he replaces Carroll if he's still not fit although that's a lot of small forwards.

If the above is the team there's only 10 players from the team who beat Ess by 6 goals in round 24. 13 changes!

Bit of a wait on Carroll and Newman to see if they're fit. I'd guarantee Weit. Turnaround times on ribs is usually very short these days unless it's a puncture. Young may edge out Gov but I doubt it.

Think Fog is a certainty
LY over Mitch.
Carroll shaky on being fit - OH fills the wing

We’ll be bringing through the youngsters c/- GW, it’ll just be interesting on who, when, for how long and how many at a time. Talk of many changes since the last rounds of last season, with the trade-ins as well.

Jagga, HD, Byrne the leading candidates with 2nd years of Carroll, HOK, Wilson, F.Young, Lucas with Lord & Moir trying to cement their in their 3rd years (debuts).

 

[teddy-hopkins]

Think Fog is a certainty
LY over Mitch.
Carroll shaky on being fit - OH fills the wing

We’ll be bringing through the youngsters c/- GW, it’ll just be interesting on who, when, for how long and how many at a time. Talk of many changes since the last rounds of last season, with the trade-ins as well.

Jagga, HD, Byrne the leading candidates with 2nd years of Carroll, HOK, Wilson, F.Young, Lucas with Lord & Moir trying to cement their in their 3rd years (debuts).

It's great that we've got so much depth - just a tad concerning to see that depth being tested so early in the season.

I edge Mitch over LY - the couple of times LY tried to hit a challenging kick in that Bris game were disasters. Mitch gives us more attacking threat coming out of the backline - LY gives us more defense. Even though Mitch had his own poor moments he's a lot better / longer kick than LY and quicker. Dean has to play.

I think Fog is head to head with Franky for the last small forward spot. I can't see Byrne missing.

Moir still developing but I can't see him getting picked for R0 at this stage. Lord will play with Cerra out.

 

[Love the Drake]

Really like the recent signings.
Gives us so much more flexibility.

Would love to see Elijah replace Cerra in the midfield. Rotating forward. Adds a bit more flair and skill. Yet to be proven as a midfielder, but could be a master stroke.

Derksen looks so athletic and can play either end. I see he kicked a lot of goals as a key forward in the VFL. Could easily be trialled as our 2nd KPF if Weiters is good to go, which I think he will be. I think he is a more natural key position player than O’Keefe and Kemp is more a third tall forward.

Key backs - Weiters, young (great end to 2025 & excellent preseason) & Dean.

Key forwards - H, Derksen and Kemp/Moir, with Hayward playing tall when needed.

Gives us so many options.

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Really like the recent signings.
Gives us so much more flexibility.

Would love to see Elijah replace Cerra in the midfield. Rotating forward. Adds a bit more flair and skill. Yet to be proven as a midfielder, but could be a master stroke.

Derksen looks so athletic and can play either end. I see he kicked a lot of goals as a key forward in the VFL. Could easily be trialled as our 2nd KPF if Weiters is good to go, which I think he will be. I think he is a more natural key position player than O’Keefe and Kemp is more a third tall forward.

Key backs - Weiters, young (great end to 2025 & excellent preseason) & Dean.

Key forwards - H, Derksen and Kemp/Moir, with Hayward playing tall when needed.

Gives us so many options.

Nice!

 

[Thrawn]

I believe that he can. There were signs last year when they played in defense together that they could work together. Weiters was even congratulating Young on is defensive work.

Did you enter a wormhole into another universe by any chance?

 

[Uncle Fester]

am i the only one around here who was underwhelmed by Reidy? liked the aggro and all, but the football stuff was very light on from what i saw. fwiw i instantly removed him from my fantasy line ups. to me it looks like Pitt is locked in to be a proper no1 ruck with backup from the big forwards

 

[Sucker for Trade Period]

am i the only one around here who was underwhelmed by Reidy? liked the aggro and all, but the football stuff was very light on from what i saw. fwiw i instantly removed him from my fantasy line ups. to me it looks like Pitt is locked in to be a proper no1 ruck with backup from the big forwards

Yep, weird signing especially given the new ruck rules. There's no way you're playing him, Pitto, O'Keeffe and Young in the same side

Reidy surely has to be purely depth.

 

[The Bighouse]

Chesser / wing under the microscope and how we roll with the bench players for preferences for roles.
Moir in the running for B23 over maybe Byrne + F.Young, LC in the fray too for the wing.

 

[Cringle]

I think with 5 on the bench now we and a lot of other teams will be less resistant to playing two rucks.

Pittonet to ruck 60-70% and the rest off the field.

Reidy or Hudson to ruck the other 30-40% and play another 30-40% up forward.