Unofficial Preview Best 23 2025 Predictions

[Big Sauce 21]

Round 1

Lester - Payne - Starcevich
Zorko - Andrews - Answerth

Berry - Dunkley - McCluggage
Big O - Neale - Ashcroft

Lohmann - Nadal - Rayner
Cameron - Fort - Morris

Bailey - Ah Chee - Willmot - L.Ashcroft/Fletcher

Doubt Kiddy will front up Round 1. His tank will need building. Naturally poor at running out games. Not playing for 12 months wont help that.

 

[John_Proctor]

There's always a surprise player or two who come through in pre-season and grab a spot in the team, but I feel like aside from the Big O the guys who missed out on the grand final have it all to prove to get back into the team.

Are Gardiner or Doedee really knocking out any of the back six? Gardiners disposal doesn't really fit with the extreme high quality kicking of the Grand Final and Doedee won't have played in 2 years by the time of his return.

Love Coleman - and he is no doubt an elite kick... but does that outweigh the fact he is the worst runner out of our group of smaller defenders? you'd probably have him in the team over McKenna but not sure about over Answerth/Zorko/Wilmott/Starcevich. The run we had in the finals series seemed a level above previous years and part of that was not having the likes of Rich/Coleman/Hodge as lower mobility small defenders.

McCarthy maybe has just been superceded by Lohmann. If we ran a smaller forward line with Joe gone maybe he's in... or he could come in for McKenna at the end of the bench... also if Cameron/Ah Chee/Bailey/Morris were to drop away he could replace them.

In short... subject to trade period and any key forward rabbits coming out of hats my best 23 is.
Big O in for Fort,
Smith in for Daniher,
L Aschcroft in for McKenna...

then see who is injured/out of form during the season as the ACL players come back and therefore what spots might open up.

 

[GOTHELIONS16]

Lester - Doedee - Starcevic
Zorko - Payne - Coleman

McCluggage - Dunkley - Berry

Rayner - Hipwood - Lohmann
Cameron - Andrews - Morris

McInerney - Neale - Ashcroft

Ah Chee - Ashcroft - Wilmot - Bailey -Fletcher

Unlucky: Answerth, McKenna, Gardiner, McCarthy, Marshall

 

[HereIGoAgain]

They seemed to get the balance right with Starc and Answerth playing the lockdown roles. It will be interesting to see how they set up because Zorko, Coleman, McKenna and our other halfbacks are not a like for like swap with Answerth.

 

[lionshine]

Assuming sub is dropped for a best 23 from next season and Smith replaces Daniher, Levi replaces McKenna & Coleman replaces Answerth, we will have some insanely good players in the VFL including McCarthy, Answerth, Doedee, Gardiner, Fort, McKenna, Reville, Brain.

What if McLachlan and/or Beecken come on after a big pre season? They already showed signs of AFL potential slotting in mid year. Plus Sam Marshall looks a talent. Luke Lloyd might surprise after a pre season, showed some promising form at times in the VFL at both ends of the ground.

Competition for spots next season will be hotter than we have ever seen before during Fage’s tenure. Our squad could bat 35 players deep in terms of senior level readiness.

 

[Scubaveg]

Kiddy back, Zorko to be a permanent sub next year. Answerth staying, the extra defensive pressure proved to make a big difference.


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[McIvor]

Assuming sub is dropped for a best 23 from next season and Smith replaces Daniher, Levi replaces McKenna & Coleman replaces Answerth, we will have some insanely good players in the VFL including McCarthy, Answerth, Doedee, Gardiner, Fort, McKenna, Reville, Brain.

What if McLachlan and/or Beecken come on after a big pre season? They already showed signs of AFL potential slotting in mid year. Plus Sam Marshall looks a talent. Luke Lloyd might surprise after a pre season, showed some promising form at times in the VFL at both ends of the ground.

Competition for spots next season will be hotter than we have ever seen before during Fage’s tenure. Our squad could bat 35 players deep in terms of senior level readiness.

Keep in mind it could also be reduced back to 22 players only too. This notion that it is either 22 plus a sub or 23 players is wrong. I’m personally in the camp of 22 only and no sub but that’s just me.

 

[pod17]

McCarthy has been a wonderful player for us, but I don’t see him playing many senior games unless he can play another position.

I also see Jasper Fletcher taking his game to an even higher standard next year - he will be a lock in the wing role.

Finally, we can’t accomodate both Zorko and Coleman in the same backline due to their defensive lapses. Given his form this year (and versatility if an injury happens during the game), Zorko starts for mine. Coleman will play reserves and build up conditioning.

Whilst his best was fantastic, Doedee unlikely to dislodge Lester or any of the other backs. There’s also a chance his body doesn’t stand up after multiple recos, and he struggles to play many games for us at all.

Answerth, Andrews, Starcevich
Zorko, Payne, Lester
Fletcher, W Ashcroft, McLuggage
Ah Chee, Hipwood, Lohmann
Cameron, Morris, Rayner

McInerney, Neale, Dunkley

Interchange: L Ashcroft, Wilmot, Bailey, Berry, Fort* (or Joe replacement in trade period for structural purposes).

Gardiner, McKenna, Brain, McCarthy, Coleman all very stiff and would play ones for most other clubs. Like everyone has said, when fit, we have some serious depth which all contenders should. A nice place to be in.

 

[Dom PC]

My attempt:

Lester | Andrews | Starcevich
Wilmot | Payne | Coleman

McCluggage | Dunkley | Berry

Rayner | Hipwood | Lohmann
Cameron | Morris | Ah Chee

McInerney | Neale | WAshcroft

Smith | LAshcroft | Bailey | Fletcher | Zorko (sub)

Emg: McCarthy, Answerth, McKenna, Gardiner, Doedee

Some thought points:

• I would love to see us give a relatively small foward line a go next year (I don't think it's sustainable against the better teams with quality key backs, but worth a try)... it would mean our key forwards are Hipwood and Morris and we play McCarthhy instead of Smith with Hipwood being 2nd ruck...
• Zorko needs to be phased out of the backline next year to an extent (Coleman takes his role).
• I think it'll be a two ruck solution next year with no Daniher - there should be zero expectation that Big O or Smith can kick more than 10-15 goals next year too - the extra goals will need to be made up from our other forwards
• Where do we find 50 odd extra goals for the season?
  • Cameron 44 goals in 2024 - est to kick the same in 2025 (no change)
  • Hipwood 33 goals in 2024 - est to kick 40 goals in 2025 (+5 on this season)
  • Morris 24 goals in 2024 - est to kick 30 goals in 2025 (+5 on this season)
  • Rayner 31 goals in 2024 - est to kick 40 goals in 2025 (+ 5 on this season)
  • Kai Lohmann 36 goals in 2024 - est to kick 40 goals in 2025 (+ 5 on this season)
  • Big O/Smith 9 goals in 2024 - est to kick 20 goals combined in 2025 (+ 10 on this season)
  • Cal Ah Chee 27 goals in 2024 - est to kick 30 goals in 2025 (5+ on this season)
  • Zac Bailey 22 goals in 2024 - est to kick 30 goals in 2025 (5+ on this season)
• The extra 5 goals per person and Big O/Smith kicking 20 for the year would get us to making up 40 odd goals (I have rounded a bit). The risk there is that it is a big assumption that everyone can improve their goal output by ~ 10% on a premiership year. But on the flip side, Joe would have been getting the prime real estate and targeting which now could be allocated more to the group.
• I can't help but think of that final goal against GWS, not sure we'll have a key forward who could out mark a gun key defender in the comp which was such a weapon with Joe. Maybe Big O if the ball was plonked straight on their heads. It will be fasinating what Fagan does - very real possibility we will be frustrated fans watching our forward entries in 2025.
• One other thing is, confience is a powerful thing, Hipwood is good enough to be a 50 goal a year foward with a bit of luck I think he could touch that next year if he is injury free and became our focal point (we should all just pray Hippy practices the shit out of his set shots in the offseason, Joe became very reliable in his last few years with us which was underrated by some)
• Finally... In all honesty, our midfield is a so OP next year... just going to list the depth chart for fun... Neale, WAshcroft, Dunkley, McCluggage, Berry, Fletcher, Bailey, Rayner and LAshcroft.... it's such a great balance of inside and outside players too.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Definitely the biggest spot under threat but after his great finals series and ability to age like fine wine I expect him to hold his spot valiantly until Doedee proves that he would be the better option.

Yeah agreed I can see Doedee as best 23 in 2025 depending of course on fitness & Lester's form.