Prediction 2025 Most Important Player

[Kane McGoodwin]

Have done this thread a few times in the past.

Rank our list by most important to the success of our team next sesson... as opposed to order of best player. Ie. Who can we least afford to lose.

1 Rankine - our best matchwinner
2 Dawson - our captain is most influential behind Rankine
3 Thilthorpe - reckon he can become almost unstoppable. No Berg to backup
4 O'Brien - ranked high, because we have no other quality ruck option & stuffed if he is injured
5 Fogarty - integral part of our forward line
6 Soligo - very important to our midfield movement
7 Worrell - our best tall defender imo who reads the play so well & holds our defence together
8 Crouch - our best clearance midfielder
9 Murray N - this season showed how much we missed him structurally
10 Michaelanny - reckon he will go up another level & he plays better with Worrell
---
11 Hinge
12 Cumming
13 Keays
14 Walker
15 Rachele
16 Neal-Bullen
17 Peatling
18 Sholl
20 Keane
21 Curtin
22 Pedlar
23 Laird
24 Bond
25 Butts
26 Jones
27 Taylor
28 Nankervis
29 Berry
30 Milera
31 Edwards
32 Ryan
33 Pick 4 midfielder
34 Dowling
35 Cook
36 Borlase
37 Murray T
38 Schoenberg
39 Murphy
40 Smith
41 Strachan
42 Welsh
43 Burgess
44 Gallagher

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Would have Dawson over Rankine. Dawson's skillset is too important, very much the glue of the team.

Think Dowling will be best 22. Don't see much use for Berry, Milera, Laird, Jones.

 

[Moonwatcher]

10 Michaelanny - reckon he will go up another level & he plays better with Worrell

Don't know how Michalanney could play any better

 

[Crow till I die]

Rankine. If he stays fit and healthy all year playing out of centre, he could be a browlow medalist and be abig reason why we win lots of games.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Would have Dawson over Rankine. Dawson's skillset is too important, very much the glue of the team.

Think Dowling will be best 22. Don't see much use for Berry, Milera, Laird, Jones.

Think it its going to be like arguing who is more important out of McLeod & Ricciuto...

We don't have any player like Rankine & imo he is our best matchwinner.

Dawson is more consistent & think we can cover him better than Rankine... just.

Not sure Dowling has enough X factor, but no one really knows what he can become.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Don't know how Michalanney could play any better

Reckon he still has plenty of upside & that he is our new Ben Hart. He was a much better player when Worrell was playing as they were able to cover most inward contests between them

 

[whattagun07]

1. Rankine clear no.1 imo.
He has something no one else in our squad has. We saw enough of his time in the midfield this year, that indicated he can become a premier mid in the comp. If he gets to be a 20-25 disposal per game, 30-40 goal mid, we are flying.

2. I'd have Thilthorpe.
Came back from injury looking like a beast, and in his last 4 games of the year, averaged 6+ marks and just over 2 goals a game. If he can continue this form he will turn into a 50 goal forward.

3. I'm going a combo - Worrell and Murray.
Stability in defensive 50 is vital for a winning team. These two have a great mix of attributes between them, and are our best 'talls' down back. If we can get 22 games from each, we will be much more settled down back. They only played 4 games together last season (R21-24). Muzz will be far better for the run, and another pre-season. I expect him to have a very good year. And Worrell is a personal favourite of mine. Unlucky to cop the arm injury this year. He's my first picked in the D50 every week.

 

[40porpoise]

Top 5.

Rankine, Dawson, TT, Murray, Crouch

 

[1970crow]

I wouldn’t have Crouch near the top, our midfield goes fine without him. As long as we have Dawson, Soligo and Rankine as the mainstays and the guys beneath come on, Crouch will be holding us back.

 

[Pea Nut]

I think your list is very close to what I would come up with as well. Except I'd have Murphy stone cold last. Just because that's where he belongs !!

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

1. Rankine clear no.1 imo.
He has something no one else in our squad has. We saw enough of his time in the midfield this year, that indicated he can become a premier mid in the comp. If he gets to be a 20-25 disposal per game, 30-40 goal mid, we are flying.

2. I'd have Thilthorpe.
Came back from injury looking like a beast, and in his last 4 games of the year, averaged 6+ marks and just over 2 goals a game. If he can continue this form he will turn into a 50 goal forward.

3. I'm going a combo - Worrell and Murray.
Stability in defensive 50 is vital for a winning team. These two have a great mix of attributes between them, and are our best 'talls' down back. If we can get 22 games from each, we will be much more settled down back. They only played 4 games together last season (R21-24). Muzz will be far better for the run, and another pre-season. I expect him to have a very good year. And Worrell is a personal favourite of mine. Unlucky to cop the arm injury this year. He's my first picked in the D50 every week.

I like your list... we will be going well if Dawson isn't in our best 5 assuming he doesn't miss games.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I wouldn’t have Crouch near the top, our midfield goes fine without him. As long as we have Dawson, Soligo and Rankine as the mainstays and the guys beneath come on, Crouch will be holding us back.

Crouch imo is our best clearance midfielder & will be better off with quicker players around him.

We just cannot have Crouch & Laird or Berry in the midfield.

 

[TBM]

Given our poor ruck depth, ROB has to be at or near the very top of this list.

ROB doing something like a ACL would force Strachan and/or Thilthorpe to shoulder majority of the load - would definitely impact our team structure both in the midfield and up forward, and we saw how Thilthorpe’s absence hurt us in 2024.

Toby Murray could surprise but he’s more a chop-out option.

So yes, without adequate cover, ROB is Top 3 for mine.

 

[whattagun07]

I like your list... we will be going well if Dawson isn't in our best 5 assuming he doesn't miss games.

The skipper is important no doubt. We will be pretty stuffed if he gets injured.

I went more for players who need to take the next step for us to get to the next level. Thats pretty important this year.

 

[WAG]

Surely Murphy is our number 1. How else are we expected to keep shape?


For mine, I'd have Thilthorpe as our number 1. With the decline of Tex, he gives us a real legitimate target in the f50. When his confidence is up, he has the ability to turn 'ok' delivery into a score. Chopping out in the ruck as another bow.

Dawson is 2. Probably the only player atm who can drag the rest of the squad with him.

Rankine at 3. Can turn a match on a dime. I think out of everyone, he will benefit from having Peatling in the middle.

Unfortunately ROB is top 5, because who else do we have?

 

[adelaidecrows]

Have done this thread a few times in the past.

Rank our list by most important to the success of our team next sesson... as opposed to order of best player. Ie. Who can we least afford to lose.

1 Rankine - our best matchwinner
2 Dawson - our captain is most influential behind Rankine
3 Thilthorpe - reckon he can become almost unstoppable. No Berg to backup
4 O'Brien - ranked high, because we have no other quality ruck option & stuffed if he is injured
5 Fogarty - integral part of our forward line
6 Soligo - very important to our midfield movement
7 Worrell - our best tall defender imo who reads the play so well & holds our defence together
8 Crouch - our best clearance midfielder
9 Murray N - this season showed how much we missed him structurally
10 Michaelanny - reckon he will go up another level & he plays better with Worrell
---
11 Hinge
12 Cumming
13 Keays
14 Walker
15 Rachele
16 Neal-Bullen
17 Peatling
18 Sholl
20 Keane
21 Curtin
22 Pedlar
23 Laird
24 Bond
25 Butts
26 Jones
27 Taylor
28 Nankervis
29 Berry
30 Milera
31 Edwards
32 Ryan
33 Pick 4 midfielder
34 Dowling
35 Cook
36 Borlase
37 Murray T
38 Schoenberg
39 Murphy
40 Smith
41 Strachan
42 Welsh
43 Burgess
44 Gallagher

I am going Thilthorpe. Tex is beyond his best years and Fogarty cant handle the best defenders. Thilthorpe needs to stand up and take us into a post Tex era. Rankine is a match winner but Thilthorpe needs to dominate the forward line.

 

[Cromulant]

Thilthorpe for me.

The forward-line transformed when he was put into it late in the season. Becomes even more important now with the cliff coming for Tex.

Rankine a close second, we simply dont have anyone else like him. Few teams do.

Dawson next, can plug and play him almost anywhere and he'll do it better than most.

 

[MrBarry]

Thilthorpe for me.

The forward-line transformed when he was put into it late in the season. Becomes even more important now with the cliff coming for Tex.

Rankine a close second, we simply dont have anyone else like him. Few teams do.

Dawson next, can plug and play him almost anywhere and he'll do it better than most.

Id argue nobody in the competition does.

 

[Shifty Crow]

Rankine - the player opposition teams will be putting the most work into - he can be unstoppable on his day.

ROB - he’s a barometer, his level of competitiveness seems to mirror our team performances.

Worrell and Thilthorpe - footy industry in general underestimated the impact of having both players unavailable for large chunks of 2024 Critical to our structure and the way we play

Rachele and Siligo - both signed long term deals and need to start to put their stamp on this team and be the future of this club

Fog - time to over take Tex as the forward line leader and have a 50+ goal season

Dawson - needs to be absolutely demanding of the group



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[Thrillthorpe7]

Neal-Bullen for me. Purely because he allows Rankine to play as an 80-90% midfielder and we don't lose out up forward (like what Melbourne had the luxury of doing with Petracca).

Thilthorpe is a very close 2nd, absolutely no chance of finals if he misses an extended period again.

 

[Amacca 23]

Neal-Bullen for me. Purely because he allows Rankine to play as an 80-90% midfielder and we don't lose out up forward (like what Melbourne had the luxury of doing with Petracca).

Thilthorpe is a very close 2nd, absolutely no chance of finals if he misses an extended period again.

Im thinking exactly the same and expect thilly to have a huge year

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[Samcro24]

Neal-Bullen for me. Purely because he allows Rankine to play as an 80-90% midfielder and we don't lose out up forward

ANB ain’t gonna kick many goals though

 

[Cromulant]

ANB ain’t gonna kick many goals though

If he can get his 20 thatll do.

I dont think Rankine plays 80-90% midfield next year either, 50-60% would be ideal.

 

[JPetro83]

Rankine and Thilthorpe... both need to stay fit and Rankine needs more time in the midfield. he needs to be this generations Mcleod.

 

[Danger in Texas]

This is by no means a ranking of our 1st to 10th best players, btw

1: Thilthorpe - this might be projecting a bit given how dominant I think he can be next year, but we really need both him and Fog to be firing in order to compete. Taking away our ‘Bear in the Square’ leaves us playing a much worse presence in Burgess or a not yet developed Turray
2: Rankine - he’d be number 1 if we didn’t bring in Peatling and his speed. When he didn’t play last year we looked treacle slow, need him fit and firing to add some life to how we win and move the ball
3: Dawson - still think he provides most of our offensive drive through the middle, clearly a midfielder of high value
4: Worrell - his combination of intercept and rebound might be our most irreplaceable defensive weapon
5: Murray - would be ahead of Worrell if we didn’t have Butts as a decent replacement
6: Fogarty - think it wouldn’t hurt quite as much replacing Fog with Burgess/Turray as it would hurt with RT
7: Soligo - again, projecting a bit, but it’s hard to replace the smarts and cleanliness in the contest that he brings
8: Peatling - the wildcard. Adds pace, toughness, clearance ability, defensive pressure smarts around goal and the clutch gene, arguably a combination none of our other mids have. Really think he’ll be important for us the same way a Rowbottom-type is important for Sydney
9: ANB - if he does in fact enable Rankine to maximise his offensive impact by covering for him defensively, he’ll be one of our most understated weapons
10: ROB - just purely for the fact that we’re ****ed if we have to play Strachan