Best 23 in 2025

[RobJD]

Do we play two rucks this year? Cox is a really handy backup option to have for the ruck or to throw forward and disrupt defence setups. His stats alone don’t justify his selection among a pretty deep list, but his inclusion somehow just seems to make the team better. With the sub remaining, we can always sub on a runner for him or another tall late in the game if we are fortunate with no injuries. Without Cox, who should relieve Cameron?

Mitchell, Lipinski, WHE, Frampton/Dean, Membrey and even Sidey/Pendles are the other potential starters who have question marks over their place in our best side IMO. Hopefully Allan puts some pressure on those mids or perhaps Parker claims a spot down back and releases Crisp or Houston into more midfield time to improve the side.

What great problems to have!

I have Cox in my best, he adds structure to the side and his performance in the '23 GF was a great example of the value he brings to the side - his last quarter allowed us to largely control the flow of the game. Whilst I hope one of Stein/Smit/Condon develop into a better version of Cox this year, I still have him in my best side.

 

[sr36]

Also no more playing young players out of their natural position. Playing allan on the wing in his debut was a mistake, he played so much better in the final game when he was allowed to play as a mid, which is his natural position .

We have to do the same with hdm, no more playing him across the half back line, full time mid only.

All our current centre square mids started in the AFL oustide of the centre square - all of them - and you can go back to guys like Swan and Beams too and most of our mids before them too.

 

[Granit1962]

It sounded like fly was really keen on giving some of the older players a rest, but injuries made that impossible.
If we are able to maintain a relatively healthy list next year, I can see fly load managing some of the senior players throughtout the season.

Also no more playing young players out of their natural position. Playing allan on the wing in his debut was a mistake, he played so much better in the final game when he was allowed to play as a mid, which is his natural position .

We have to do the same with hdm, no more playing him across the half back line, full time mid only.

Agree on managing older players, however, I think with Allan it is was as much that he wasn’t ready in his first match. It was no surprise that his VFL work was much improved before his much improved AFL game.

 

[RobJD]

Agree on managing older players, however, I think with Allen it is was as much that he wasn’t ready in his first match. It was no surprise that his VFL work was much improved before his much improved AFL game.

Best to watch your spelling of player names or develop a thick skin, some are a little pedantic about the spelling of player's names.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

AFL
B: Quaynor Howe Maynard
HB: Houston Moore Perryman
C: J.Daicos N.Daicos Sidebottom
HF: Schultz Mihocek McCreery
F: Elliott McStay Hill
FOLL: Cameron De Goey Crisp
INT: Lipinski Mitchell Pendlebury Hoskin-Elliott Cox

VFL
B: Parker Frampton Jiath
HB: DeMattia Dean Markov
C: Hayes Allan Long
HF: Johnson West Harrison
F: McInnes Membrey Crocker
FOLL: Steene Macrae Sullivan
INT: Smit Ryan Cochran Lane Glover

 

[Jen2310]

AFL
B: Quaynor Howe Maynard
HB: Houston Moore Perryman
C: J.Daicos N.Daicos Sidebottom
HF: Schultz Mihocek McCreery
F: Elliott McStay Hill
FOLL: Cameron De Goey Crisp
INT: Lipinski Mitchell Pendlebury Hoskin-Elliott Cox

VFL
B: Parker Frampton Jiath
HB: DeMattia Dean Markov
C: Hayes Allan Long
HF: Johnson West Harrison (Injured, ACL til prob mid year)
F: McInnes (playing key defence now) Membrey Crocker (signed with Moe, may or may not be coming back)
FOLL: Steene Macrae Sullivan
INT: Smit Ryan Cochran Lane (Retired) Glover

 

[cfc19902010]

AFL
B: Quaynor Howe Maynard
HB: Houston Moore Perryman
C: J.Daicos N.Daicos Sidebottom
HF: Schultz Mihocek McCreery
F: Elliott McStay Hill
FOLL: Cameron De Goey Crisp
INT: Lipinski Mitchell Pendlebury Hoskin-Elliott Cox

VFL
B: Parker Frampton Jiath
HB: DeMattia Dean Markov
C: Hayes Allan Long
HF: Johnson West Harrison
F: McInnes Membrey Crocker
FOLL: Steene Macrae Sullivan
INT: Smit Ryan Cochran Lane Glover

I think we need another tall defender

It’s frampton or reef in for me
And Allan should go past lippy

 

[Thinking Magpie]

In my opinion, we have a fantastic squad and they return from injury of key players as well as the trades / new recruits will allow Fly to create & play a different (more attacking) game plan. Racing through the middle and either going long or short creating gaps in the defence of the opposition will be enjoyable to watch.

For that reason and the rare situation where there are no injuries, I am unclear who is best and it will depend on the opposition. Food for thought includes a team like this....

Maynard Frampton Howe
Housten Moore Crisp
J.Daicos DeGoey Perryman
Elliott Mihocek Membery
Hill McStay Schultz
Cameron N.Daicos Mitchell

Quaynor Pendlebury Sidebottom McCreery Allan

Frampton will be the player who will play depending upon matchups with WHE and Sidebottom rotating to ensure freshness.

 

[well left]

In my opinion, we have a fantastic squad and they return from injury of key players as well as the trades / new recruits will allow Fly to create & play a different (more attacking) game plan. Racing through the middle and either going long or short creating gaps in the defence of the opposition will be enjoyable to watch.

For that reason and the rare situation where there are no injuries, I am unclear who is best and it will depend on the opposition. Food for thought includes a team like this....

Maynard Frampton Howe
Housten Moore Crisp
J.Daicos DeGoey Perryman
Elliott Mihocek Membery
Hill McStay Schultz
Cameron N.Daicos Mitchell

Quaynor Pendlebury Sidebottom McCreery Allan

Frampton will be the player who will play depending upon matchups with WHE and Sidebottom rotating to ensure freshness.

It’s when you see a team like that you know we have some depth if all available.

FWIW I don’t think we’ll play both Allan and Mitchell as they are both pure mids that I don’t see playing elsewhere. I’d start with Allan as the younger player. Cox comes in for Mitchell.

I reckon we might also go with Reef as the first option over Frampton at least initially.

The Sidey v WHE call is a good one and I think that’s how it will play out if everyone’s form and fitness holds.


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[Jen2310]

It’s when you see a team like that you know we have some depth if all available.

FWIW I don’t think we’ll play both Allan and Mitchell as they are both pure mids that I don’t see playing elsewhere. I’d start with Allan as the younger player. Cox comes in for Mitchell.

I reckon we might also go with Reef as the first option over Frampton at least initially.

The Sidey v WHE call is a good one and I think that’s how it will play out if everyone’s form and fitness holds.


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I agree.
Seems Allan is a pure mid, like Mitchell so probably can't play them both. Yeah Allan can play on the wing, but its clear his better position is in the middle in getting the ball, as he can get lost sometimes on the wing.
Sidey/WHE don't play the same role. WHE is now a pure HF I don't think we'll ever see him back on the wing. He's now a third tall. And has been training with the forwards

Agre re: reef.
If he has good pre-season games, I reckon he could be the one we have been looking for and might start opening round.

 

[RobJD]

AFL
B: Quaynor Howe Maynard
HB: Houston Moore Perryman
C: J.Daicos N.Daicos Sidebottom
HF: Schultz Mihocek McCreery
F: Elliott McStay Hill
FOLL: Cameron De Goey Crisp
INT: Lipinski Mitchell Pendlebury Hoskin-Elliott Cox

VFL
B: Parker Frampton Jiath
HB: DeMattia Dean Markov
C: Hayes Allan Long
HF: Johnson West Harrison
F: McInnes Membrey Crocker
FOLL: Steene Macrae Sullivan
INT: Smit Ryan Cochran Lane Glover

I'd have: McInnes as the CHB, Dean in the back pocket as 3rd tall. Ryan plays HBF, DeMattia on the wing and Long interchanges with Allan. Thought I had read that Crocker is playing full time for Moe, so Smit plays Forward/Ruck, Markov in a floating role wherever we need his leadership.

 

[Ctracks]

What if the best 23 play regularly without injury interruption and lose games consecutively?

 

[manicpie]

What if the best 23 play regularly without injury interruption and lose games consecutively?

I'm guessing we ain't making the 8

 

[Pistol Night]

What if the best 23 play regularly without injury interruption and lose games consecutively?

Then we’ll know what Essendon go through every year

 

[Ctracks]

I want the team that’s going to beat the opposition more comfortably in the H&A, but more importantly win the 2025 Grand Final by half time….and actually win at the final siren.

 

[whiskeytown]

recruits usually get a go early

So I wouldn’t be surprised if Membrey plays rd 1 as well in addition to Houston and perryman

I think they play a one ruck model with mcstay chipping in … therefore there is room for all of mihocek, mcstay, Elliot and Membrey as marking forwards

Last year there was always a Bytel, Sullivan, Long, etc getting a game

With a full line up… there’s no room for that this year

… to the detrimental point where some of the promising kids like Allan, HDM, Jiath etc might find it harder to get a look in

The only spot truly up for grabs in a fully fit line up being the 2nd tall defender role with neither Dean and Frampton likely to own that position outright

 

[timokane]

This is mine for AFL:

FB: howe dean maynard
CB: josh daicos moore houston
C: perryman nick daicos quaynor
CF: membrey mcstay de goey
FF: hill checkers pendles
R: cameron crisp allan

 

[Dtennent94]

recruits usually get a go early

So I wouldn’t be surprised if Membrey plays rd 1 as well in addition to Houston and perryman

I think they play a one ruck model with mcstay chipping in … therefore there is room for all of mihocek, mcstay, Elliot and Membrey as marking forwards

Last year there was always a Bytel, Sullivan, Long, etc getting a game

With a full line up… there’s no room for that this year

… to the detrimental point where some of the promising kids like Allan, HDM, Jiath etc might find it harder to get a look in

The only spot truly up for grabs in a fully fit line up being the 2nd tall defender role with neither Dean and Frampton likely to own that position outright

I wouldn’t write Dean off too soon. The club have shown a lot of faith in him to this point in his career and he finished the year well in the VFL.

 

[IlovethePies]

great ideas on this thread.
It shows how many options we now have.
I think we will definitely be able to much more flexibly align our selections to negate the strengths of the opposition, with Reef or Frampton or Dean coming into the defence if contending with a tall opposition forward line.

I agree with those who see the presence of Cox as a very significant component of our overall structure. With the development of Steene and Roo, there will be back ups for Cox, but I think that the two ruck concept works the best in our game plan.

i am just so rapt with the rebounding brilliance we will now command across HB. in some ways, this lessens the requirement of another tall in defence

 

[whiskeytown]

I wouldn’t write Dean off too soon. The club have shown a lot of faith in him to this point in his career and he finished the year well in the VFL.

If he can hold the spot down for the year great.

I just don’t see him playing 23 games… think he and Frampton will chop and change in an otherwise relatively stable best 23

 

[Eric Shin]

It’s bloody hard trying to make a best 23.

You could potentially make 3 or 4 versions of our best 23 and we still match it with the best. There are going to be some unlucky players who miss out.

Hopefully, a bit more luck is on our side on the injury front and we have the luxury of managing a few.


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[well left]

I agree.
Seems Allan is a pure mid, like Mitchell so probably can't play them both. Yeah Allan can play on the wing, but its clear his better position is in the middle in getting the ball, as he can get lost sometimes on the wing.
Sidey/WHE don't play the same role. WHE is now a pure HF I don't think we'll ever see him back on the wing. He's now a third tall. And has been training with the forwards

Agre re: reef.
If he has good pre-season games, I reckon he could be the one we have been looking for and might start opening round.

In that case it’s WHE v Membrey and a bit like Allan and Mitchell you can’t play both.


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[Dtennent94]

In that case it’s WHE v Membrey and a bit like Allan and Mitchell you can’t play both.


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Not sure it’s WHEvMembrey. Membrey presumably wouldn’t cover as much ground and isn’t as quick as The Hoss. Though I do remember reading that Membrey is the type to swing back and play as a spare in defence at the end of quarters or while trying to hold a lead, so maybe there’s something there.

Can we really play McStay, Mihochek, Membrey, Cameron and Cox together, though?

 

[sr36]

Not sure it’s WHEvMembrey. Membrey presumably wouldn’t cover as much ground and isn’t as quick as The Hoss. Though I do remember reading that Membrey is the type to swing back and play as a spare in defence at the end of quarters or while trying to hold a lead, so maybe there’s something there.

Can we really play McStay, Mihochek, Membrey, Cameron and Cox together, though?

I'd say indirectly WHE vs Membrey. One of the roles Membrey will be competing for is Elliott's deep leading forward role. If they go with Tim, Elliott plays higher up the ground, probably pushing WHE out of the forward line when we have our forwards all healthy.

 

[Dtennent94]

I'd say indirectly WHE vs Membrey. One of the roles Membrey will be competing for is Elliott's deep leading forward role. If they go with Tim, Elliott plays higher up the ground, probably pushing WHE out of the forward line when we have our forwards all healthy.

Elliott is undoubtedly the more dangerous forward and has the ability to pinch-hit in the midfield (wasn’t great at this in my opinion). WHE has him covered for wing/defender though.

I suppose this is the benefit of having lots of versatile players in the team. We don’t need to carry players who are overall a bit weaker just because they play a required role (unless you’re a KPD).