Opinion Your big 3 players for 2026 - Who are you backing in?

[Tommy Alvin]

This is harder than it sounds as I have about 10 players who improve in 2026 but the three 'List impact' players:

Smith - Will completely change our midfield. Creative and quick. Exactly what we need.
Moir - Will thrive in the Curnow-less forward line. Ready to fly.
Kemp - Showed signs before injury and when he comes back will be a Kouta styled utility.

The others to shine in 2026: Dean, B Camporeale, Motlop, Chesser, Newman, O Hollands and Ainsworth.

TA

 

[ctwenty1]

My big 3 are

Backs- must clear ball from defensive areas
Centre (including Followers) - must get ball and transition forward (or kick goals if already forward)
Backs - must kick goals

Special mention to VFL Reserves - provide pressure for spots on those plaeyrs in the seniors

 

[marcmurphy3]

Cowan - At breakout age. I want more involvement in offence. 20+ disposals a game.
McKay - Needs to be the main man now. 20+ games and 50+ goals.
Walsh - Need him back fit for 20+ games and playing at AA level.

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Hard because there’s a few to choose from for different reasons…

Mine are youth who provide the next layer who are coming through…

1. Chesser : a fan in his draft year, has had a couple of setbacks but seems to have recovered well, with some good performances in the back half of the season…
High end speed combined with a great tank, great defensive work ethic, kicking skills, runs both ways & can break the lines with speed & overlap…
Multiple positional player…

2. Cowan: There were some nice flashes in the back half of the year in games, where you could see he was beginning to show the confidence like he felt comfortable & belonged at the level, great passages of play from a rebounding standpoint taking the opposition and game on…

Has the ability to also get higher up the ground, wing…

3. Moir: Another talented player who battled an injury throughout his draft year for which the club has taken the conservative approach, shown glimpses of his ability & potential last season when forward or in midfield rotations…

Obviously still building his body for strength/power while addressing the endurance which has improved, and needs to continue, wonderful skills particularly by foot, natural game/goal sense who is good in the air…

Jagga and Dean looking forward to seeing, Carroll Motlop Wilson Ollie Kemp O’Keefe O’Farrell Young Ison Frankie…

 

[GoBlues!]

My 3 big players for 2026 are:

1. Pitto - 104kg
2. Reidy - 104kg
3. Weiters - 101kg.

With a big preseason, McGovern not out of it.

 

[bradfisher14]

Ollie Hollands
Jesse Motlop
Marc Pittonet

27

Marc Pittonet

Age

29

Ht

202cm

Wt

107kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.7

2star

K

2.9

1star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

3.1

5star

HO

22.3

5star

D

8.6

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.0

3star

CL

3.7

5star

HO

25.9

5star

D

5.8

2star

K

1.2

1star

HB

4.6

4star

CL

2.4

5star

HO

16.6

5star

Time for the whipping boys to stand up.

 

[GeoCoulthard]

Really interesting. Could be anyone this year. I tallied up the numbers and so far 27 players have been nominated (as of this post) for big years so that in itself is pretty incredible. I doubt that would have happened in previous years. The nominations so far are:

1. Smith - 13
2. Walsh - 9
3. Moir - 8
4. Cowan - 6
5. Chesser - 5
6. McKay - 5
7. Dean - 4
8. Evans - 3
9. Motlop - 3
10. Newman - 3
11. O'Keefe - 2
12. Wilson - 2
13. Lord - 2
14. Charleson - 2
15. Ainsworth -2
16. O. Hollands - 2
17. Florent - 1
18. Weitering - 1
19. Haywood - 1
20. Cerra - 1
21. E. Hollands - 1
22. Ison - 1
23. Acres - 1
24. Saad - 1
25. Cottrel - 1
26. Kemp - 1
27. Pittonet - 1

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

1. Max Kondogiannis
2. Tom Anastosopoulos
3. Mitch Georgiades

19

Mitch Georgiades

Age

24

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

2.0

5star

D

11.0

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

3.0

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

3star

G

2.0

5star

D

11.0

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

2.0

5star

4. Blake Threadgold (yes - he really is Greek).

 

[GoBlues!]

1. Max Kondogiannis
2. Tom Anastosopoulos
3. Mitch Georgiades
4. Blake Threadgold (yes - he really is Greek).

Reminds me of Con the fruiterer’s daughters - Roula, Toula, Soula, Voula, Foula and ….Agape.

 

[Love the Drake]

1. Smith - is a point of difference. Creative. Light on his feet. Quick of mind. Will have immediate impact.

2. Walsh - if his body is right…watch out!! This fella has built his body up over the last 18 months and looks ready to explode.

3. Newman - most underrated player at Carlton, let alone the league. Great reader of the play. Brilliant decision maker. Excellent foot skills. Rarely loses one-on-one. Top 3 in our B & F in 2023 and 2024. Will be another leader, with a calming influence in the back line.

*SPECIAL MENTION - Lachie Cowan. Looked right at home in the last 10 games of 2025. Will be one of our first picked in 2026.

Great thread

 

[DirtyLeeds]

Jagga Smith
Lachie Cowan
Ashton Moir

To the promise land....

Special mention to Chesser, Ison, Walsh, Haywood

 

[Psychochook]

McKay.

Would have more Coleman's to his name if not for Curnow. Will add another in 2026.

Motlop.

Maybe a soft spot selection. His tenacity and work ethic surprised me last year. Slow burner. Far from the whipping boy he was first half 2025. Very keen to see him take another step in 2026.
I'm calling a zippier, Motlop 2.0 to surprise many.

Florent.

Reckon he'll have a filthy hunger to prove to the Sydney list team the quality they let go.
He'll be massive for us with his fearless overlap and link play.
Massive.

Honorable mention...

Cripps.

He's got a bit more rotational help now and will be able to return to playing his dominant clearance game at full capacity. Feed it out skip, let the runners deliver.

(Superb thread HCJ)