Unofficial Preview Best 23 2025 Predictions

[lioninthesand]

Answerth, Payne, Starcevich
Coleman, Andrews, Lester
Berry, Dunkley, McCluggage
Lohmann, Hipwood, Ah Chee
Cameron, Morris, Rayner

Followers Big O, Neale, W Ashcroft

Bench L Ashcroft, McCarthy, Smith, Wilmott, Zorko

Depth Fletcher, Bailey, Doedee, Reville, McKenna, Gardiner, Fort, Sam Marshall (BOG in under 18 final)

Bleary eyed, need coffee certain ive missed someone, but looking at that unsure where we can fit any spuds

Knew I missed someone how could I forget the Frog, Cobra Kai & Bags - gosh we bat deep!

Bailey will get offers of 800k+ elsewhere.

Handy depth player!

 

[lioninthesand]

Great thread.

A lot of casual assumptions that we will bottle the exact team/individual out put of this finals series and get an extra 10% out of everyone.

Very common fan reaction to winning a premiership.

Progression is never lineal and even if we win back to back, next years line up will be very different.

There will be players who played in the granny who will never be as good again, players who get injured, older players we are talking about needing to be dropped, and the team won’t look and feel the same again.

Depth = options.

There is no world a fit kiddie doesent play.

Levi will play.

Fages will want his third tall forward.

Linc might become a Jarrod Lyons figure, but I’d imagine he plays if fit.

Really interesting seeing how it all plays out.

 

[Section 5]

It will be a very difficult selection time before OR if all players are available excluding the ACL boys. Coleman maybe.
From the GF side Daniher, Fort then McKenna most likely miss although i think McKenna carried some minor injuries most of the season.

Answerth: Played 16 of 27 games including all finals. I was happy he was selected for the finals basically over McKenna.
However, he has a few players after that spot, so he needs to keep up the good form

Fort: McInerney takes his spot when available

Daniher: Retired and has left a spot open for someone that is preferably a forward/ruck relief.
Day or Smith the frontrunners with Fort an outside chance.
Others considered if Hippy takes some ruck time, Gardiner, Doedee, Ryan, Gallop, maybe Lloyd

Morris: Because he is a KPF that helps his selection with Jo retiring.
Most posters including myself have him as an automatic selection
However, it is just his 2nd year, and he will get more opposition planning attention next year.
I think he should improve but it is not a given.
Should his form drop off in the preseason and early season games Fagan has a selection problem.

Daniher: Retired and has left a spot open for someone that is preferably a forward/ruck relief.
Day or Smith the frontrunners with Fort an outside chance.
Others considered if Hippy takes some ruck time being Gardiner, Doedee, Ryan, Gallop, maybe Lloyd

It is hard to find a reason to drop any of the others if their form holds up.
For simplicity Levi for McKenna and maybe someone else as Sub

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Is Big O in any doubt for round 1 ?

 

[Grasshopper17]

Is Big O in any doubt for round 1 ?

Apparently he's expected to miss the first 3-4 games.

 

[Elixuh]

It will be a very difficult selection time before OR if all players are available excluding the ACL boys. Coleman maybe.
From the GF side Daniher, Fort then McKenna most likely miss although i think McKenna carried some minor injuries most of the season.

Answerth: Played 16 of 27 games including all finals. I was happy he was selected for the finals basically over McKenna.
However, he has a few players after that spot, so he needs to keep up the good form

Fort: McInerney takes his spot when available

Daniher: Retired and has left a spot open for someone that is preferably a forward/ruck relief.
Day or Smith the frontrunners with Fort an outside chance.
Others considered if Hippy takes some ruck time, Gardiner, Doedee, Ryan, Gallop, maybe Lloyd

Morris: Because he is a KPF that helps his selection with Jo retiring.
Most posters including myself have him as an automatic selection
However, it is just his 2nd year, and he will get more opposition planning attention next year.
I think he should improve but it is not a given.
Should his form drop off in the preseason and early season games Fagan has a selection problem.

Daniher: Retired and has left a spot open for someone that is preferably a forward/ruck relief.
Day or Smith the frontrunners with Fort an outside chance.
Others considered if Hippy takes some ruck time being Gardiner, Doedee, Ryan, Gallop, maybe Lloyd

It is hard to find a reason to drop any of the others if their form holds up.
For simplicity Levi for McKenna and maybe someone else as Sub



View attachment 2178471

I have Answerth as a bit of a lock. Our defence looked so much better with him in it, especially dealing with ground ball.

 

[MSB ROYS]

I have Answerth as a bit of a lock. Our defence looked so much better with him in it, especially dealing with ground ball.

Agree, both him and Starcevich take on selfless roles when needed. Answerth's skills have improved a lot in the last few years. I remember one rocket handball in the GF out of congestion in particular.

 

[Nunez]

Assuming all are fit, my starting 23 is:

Starce Andrews Doedee
Coleman Payne Wilmot
Fletcher McCluggage Berry
Ah Chee Hipwood Rayner
Cameron Day Lohmann
Oscar Neale Dunkley

Morris Bailey Ashcroft Ashcroft Answerth

Right now, Zorko and Lester are not in my starting 23 IF Coleman and Doedee are fit and firing. Given their ages and the likes of Kiddy and Tom being in their prime, I think we should focus on getting games into them over the old veterans. It'll be line ball early in the season though. McCarthy too.

To potentially have:
Zorko
Lester
McCarthy
Gardiner
McKenna
Marshall
Robertson
Smith

As our main depth is great. That is a potent top 30 and could interchange many of the deptch with my best 23 and lose very little.

 

[Kevvo]

Assuming all are fit, my starting 23 is:

Starce Andrews Doedee
Coleman Payne Wilmot
Fletcher McCluggage Berry
Ah Chee Hipwood Rayner
Cameron Day Lohmann
Oscar Neale Dunkley

Morris Bailey Ashcroft Ashcroft Answerth

Right now, Zorko and Lester are not in my starting 23 IF Coleman and Doedee are fit and firing. Given their ages and the likes of Kiddy and Tom being in their prime, I think we should focus on getting games into them over the old veterans. It'll be line ball early in the season though. McCarthy too.

To potentially have:
Zorko
Lester
McCarthy
Gardiner
McKenna
Marshall
Robertson
Smith

As our main depth is great. That is a potent top 30 and could interchange many of the deptch with my best 23 and lose very little.

I think this is about right, and I’m probably being sentimental, but I think Lester’s late season and finals series was consistently better than I’ve seen Doedee play. I’m confident Doedee will get an early run but I legit think it’s line ball.

 

[Nunez]

I think this is about right, and I’m probably being sentimental, but I think Lester’s late season and finals series was consistently better than I’ve seen Doedee play. I’m confident Doedee will get an early run but I legit think it’s line ball.

Certainly not black and white. Whoever gets the spot will have to perform in the pre-season.

 

[Elixuh]

I think this is about right, and I’m probably being sentimental, but I think Lester’s late season and finals series was consistently better than I’ve seen Doedee play. I’m confident Doedee will get an early run but I legit think it’s line ball.

If Doedee and Lester were the same age I’d have Lester as a lock based on form. The issue is balancing Lester being 33 next year and at some stage having to look to the future. Which makes it much more difficult.

 

[buttermuffs]

If Doedee and Lester were the same age I’d have Lester as a lock based on form. The issue is balancing Lester being 33 next year and at some stage having to look to the future. Which makes it much more difficult.

I think with Lester being in good form and Doedee coming off another ACL and having signed on for another couple years I doubt there’s much issue letting him work his way back into form in the reserves. It’s not like Doedee will ask for a trade considering he specifically sought to move here.

 

[Elixuh]

I think with Lester being in good form and Doedee coming off another ACL and having signed on for another couple years I doubt there’s much issue letting him work his way back into form in the reserves. It’s not like Doedee will ask for a trade considering he specifically sought to move here.

I expect this will happen, but at some stage in the year we may have to make a tough call.

 

[GOTHELIONS16]

I have no faith in Doedee getting back to playing whatsoever.

Lester has earnt his spot and should keep it until if form drops.

To push Zorko out of the round zero lineup is bordering on ridiculous.

I’d imagine Ahchee will get games over McCarthy now.

Sam Day deserves a chance to cement his spot early on. He has the biggest upside if he delivers. If he doesn’t perform well and take it, then at least we know he’s not up to it early on in the season.

If we have Gardiner, Doedee, Lester and Payne all fit and available. I’d be keen to experiment with Harris forward. Could be huge.

Coleman in for McKenna.

 

[Nunez]

I have no faith in Doedee getting back to playing whatsoever.

Lester has earnt his spot and should keep it until if form drops.

To push Zorko out of the round zero lineup is bordering on ridiculous.

I’d imagine Ahchee will get games over McCarthy now.

Sam Day deserves a chance to cement his spot early on. He has the biggest upside if he delivers. If he doesn’t perform well and take it, then at least we know he’s not up to it early on in the season.

If we have Gardiner, Doedee, Lester and Payne all fit and available. I’d be keen to experiment with Harris forward. Could be huge.

Coleman in for McKenna.

He's 36. Just won a flag and up but I last year had a very rough run with his body. It is hardly ridiculous.

 

[BuntonRules]

I have no faith in Doedee getting back to playing whatsoever.

Lester has earnt his spot and should keep it until if form drops.

To push Zorko out of the round zero lineup is bordering on ridiculous.

I’d imagine Ahchee will get games over McCarthy now.

Sam Day deserves a chance to cement his spot early on. He has the biggest upside if he delivers. If he doesn’t perform well and take it, then at least we know he’s not up to it early on in the season.

If we have Gardiner, Doedee, Lester and Payne all fit and available. I’d be keen to experiment with Harris forward. Could be huge.

Coleman in for McKenna.

HA forward? Ludicrous.

 

[Section 5]

He's 36. Just won a flag and up but I last year had a very rough run with his body. It is hardly ridiculous.

Zorko is the current HB in the AA team.
Played every game last year which means he is over some of his previous niggles.
Previously 20, 22 and 23 game seasons is still a good output for someone with injury niggles.
He failed by 1 point to claim what would have been his 6th Merret-Murray B & F medal.

If he was playing midfield i would agree somewhat on his age but HF is such an easy position for good midfielders to easily extend their career and play good footy.
Coleman has huge potential but has not got there yet. Zorko is a proven performer.
Coleman career is 5, 18, 18, 23 & 1 games each season

Most of us on BF think Coleman gets his spot back if he can regain his old form.
It may come at the expense of someone like Zorko or Lester.
With the available players we have i think Coleman needs to get his confidence back in the VFL first.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

To push Zorko out of the round zero lineup is bordering on ridiculous.

I think people are leaving Zorko out of their lineups if everyone was fit and firing, not for the start of next season.

With that in mind, I'd go:

First game 2025

B: Lester, Andrews, Zorko

HB: Wilmot, Payne, Starcevich

C: McCluggage, W. Ashcroft, Fletcher

HF: Berry, Day, Rayner

F: Lohmann, Hipwood, Cameron

FOLL: Fort, Dunkley, Neale

I/C: Ah Chee, Morris, Bailey, Coleman

SUB: L. Ashcroft

By the end of the season (if everyone's fit)

B: Doedee, Andrews, Coleman

HB: Wilmot, Payne, Starcevich

C: McCluggage, W. Ashcroft, Berry

HF: L. Ashcroft, McInerney, Rayner

F: Lohmann, Hipwood, Cameron

FOLL: Smith, Dunkley, Neale

I/C: Ah Chee, Morris, Bailey, Zorko

SUB: Fletcher

I reckon Levi will end up making himself impossible to leave out, he'll be very potent in the forward line. Doedee still has the talent, it's just a matter of whether he can come back from his injuries. I also expect Smith to take a big leap this year and be interchanging with Oscar between ruck and the forward line. Fletcher might be the odd man out if he doesn't step it up another level this season, though I also think he could easily stay in the 22 if someone like Bailey loses form.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Coleman has huge potential but has not got there yet.

He was easily our best player in a grand final. If a kick at goal had gone the other way he'd probably be a Norm Smith medallist. What more does he have to do to get there?

With the available players we have i think Coleman needs to get his confidence back in the VFL first.

If he does well in preseason then I see no reason why he shouldn't come into the team, probably replacing Answerth.

 

[Nathan Barley]

He was easily our best player in a grand final. If a kick at goal had gone the other way he'd probably be a Norm Smith medallist. What more does he have to do to get there?


If he does well in preseason then I see no reason why he shouldn't come into the team, probably replacing Answerth.

Exactly and compared to Zorko who had a pretty average final series

 

[martinson]

Exactly and compared to Zorko who had a pretty average final series

Zorko was second to Heeney in the GA medal after the Prelim . ahead of any other Brisbane player and let's face it there wasn't a lot for him to do in the GF. where his numbers were still exceptional so if his finals series was pretty average he was still better than 90 others according to the coaches.

People have been writing off Zorko for years as the bar keeps getting raised higher for him but he keeps delivering.

I suppose the time's coming where the Zorko haters will be able to say I told you so.

 

[martinson]

Zorko was second to Heeney in the GA medal after the Prelim . ahead of any other Brisbane player and let's face it there wasn't a lot for him to do in the GF. where his numbers were still exceptional so if his finals series was pretty average he was still better than 90 others according to the coaches.

People have been writing off Zorko for years as the bar keeps getting raised higher for him but he keeps delivering.

I suppose the time's coming where the Zorko haters will be able to say I told you so.

Let me edit that . 170 others.

 

[Section 5]

He was easily our best player in a grand final. If a kick at goal had gone the other way he'd probably be a Norm Smith medallist. What more does he have to do to get there?


If he does well in preseason then I see no reason why he shouldn't come into the team, probably replacing Answerth.

I was comparing Zorko career and recent years on Zorkos injury niggles to Colemans.
So, i will change the comment from "not got there yet" to "now where near to getting there yet" and that is just a fact.
Coleman had an excellent 2023 GF, but he still lacks some fitness in his overall game.
That came out in the 2nd half of the GF with just 1 and 3 disposals in the last 2 quarters.

It is an ACL injury to a young player with possibly a great future.
We played Hippy in the seniors after his ACL because we had no one in the VFL anywhere near his ability.
Hippy took some time to get his confidence back and his form was very average in that time
Last year young Will started okay and gradually built up his confidence to play his best game in the GF.
Once again Will was way ahead of Dev & Tunstill so the team benefits with him playing

Coleman most likely follows a similar recovery time.
If he is named early i won't be complaining but we do have suitable players to take his spot unlike Hippy & Will.
It is a long season and no rush to get the ACL boys back in the seniors in my opinion.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I was comparing Zorko career and recent years on Zorkos injury niggles to Colemans.
So, i will change the comment from "not got there yet" to "now where near to getting there yet" and that is just a fact.
Coleman had an excellent 2023 GF, but he still lacks some fitness in his overall game.

Why would you compare Zorko's career to Coleman's when Zorko is 11 years older? It's an absurd comparison. Coleman is good enough to walk straight back into our 22. Again, I would have him in ahead of Answerth rather than Zorko.

That came out in the 2nd half of the GF with just 1 and 3 disposals in the last 2 quarters.

So what? He got marked out of the game and we didn't adjust.

It is a long season and no rush to get the ACL boys back in the seniors in my opinion.

Unlike some of the others, Coleman has had a full year out and will be coming back after a full pre-season.

 

[Section 5]

Zorko was second to Heeney in the GA medal after the Prelim . ahead of any other Brisbane player and let's face it there wasn't a lot for him to do in the GF. where his numbers were still exceptional so if his finals series was pretty average he was still better than 90 others according to the coaches.

People have been writing off Zorko for years as the bar keeps getting raised higher for him but he keeps delivering.

I suppose the time's coming where the Zorko haters will be able to say I told you so.

I think JB was referring to the 2023 final series