List Mgmt. Best side for start of 2025

[backtothedraft]

B: Archer, Logue, Corr
HB: Goater, Comben, Daniel
C: McKercher Wardlaw, Scott
HF: Duursma, Darling, Parker
F: Curtis, Larkey, Zurhaar
R: Xerri, Sheezel, Davies-Uniacke

I: Powell, Simpkin, McDonald, Ford, Fisher

 

[Chadwiko]

FB: Archer - Logue - Corr
HB: Goater - Comben - Daniel
C: Fisher - Wardlaw - McKercher
HF: Duursma - Darling - Ford
FF: Curtis - Larkey - Zurhaar
R: Xerri - LDU - Sheezel

INT: Simpkin - Parker - Scott - Maley
SUB (from): Phillips, Stephens, Stephenson

So including the potential subs, that leaves us the following contracted younger/developing players on the fringe/depth;

• Will Phillips
• Dylan Stephens
• Jaidyn Stephenson
• Miller Bergman
• Kal Dawson
• Will Dawson
• Brayden George
• Riley Hardeman
• Toby Pink
• Brynn Teakle

I'm a believer in Finn Maley and I think with another AFL preseason under his belt we'll start seeing him push into the AFL team, which is why I've listed him here. But I suspect others will have doubts.

 

[Psicosis]

From my perspective, the biggest watch in 2025 is the balance between senior players and our young emerging stars. Now that we have acquired three senior players, we CANNOT continue to roll out the likes of Fisher, Tucker etc. The "experience" excuse to play these guys is rubbish. There is no reason that we need anymore "seasoned bodies" than Parker, Daniel & Darling. Let our young stars flourish.

FB - Comben - Corr - Archer
HB - Daniel - Logue - Goater
C - McKercher - Parker - Scott
FOL - Xerri -Davies-Uniacke - Sheezel
HF - Simpkin - Darling - Zurhaar
FF - Curtis - Larkey - Konstanty

IC - Wardlaw - Powell - Duursma - McDonald - Teakle

Over to you Alastair. No more excuses.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

From my perspective, the biggest watch in 2025 is the balance between senior players and our young emerging stars. Now that we have acquired three senior players, we CANNOT continue to roll out the likes of Fisher, Tucker etc. The "experience" excuse to play these guys is rubbish. There is no reason that we need anymore "seasoned bodies" than Parker, Daniel & Darling. Let our young stars flourish.

FB - Comben - Corr - Archer
HB - Daniel - Logue - Goater
C - McKercher - Parker - Scott
FOL - Xerri -Davies-Uniacke - Sheezel
HF - Simpkin - Darling - Zurhaar
FF - Curtis - Larkey - Konstanty

IC - Wardlaw - Powell - Duursma - McDonald - Teakle

Over to you Alastair. No more excuses.

Yep.

Playing guys who have experience, even though they’re rubbish, is mind numbingly stupid.

It stops now.

 

[HBFlanker]

2025 Round 1
B:	Aiden Corr	Griffin Logue	Jackson Archer
HB:	Caleb Daniel	Charlie Comben	Tom Powell
C:	Bailey Scott	George Wardlaw	Colby Mckercher
HF:	Cameron Zurhaar	Jack Darling	Luke Parker
F:	Paul Curtis	Nick Larkey	Zane Duursma
FO:	Tristan Xerri	Luke D-Uniacke	Harry Sheezel
INT:	Josh Goater	Will Phillips	Jy Simpkin	Brynn Teakle
SUB:	Eddie Ford

 

[Blightys Barrel]

Can’t speak for Costanza and how quick he is, but he looks like he can lay a decent tackle for his size. He did well in the Combine on the leaping and agility tests (top 10 out of 68 who tested).

So with 3 other plodders coming in, as Tom Cruise said “I feel the need for speed”. So it’s either the #2 or the mooted split of 6/10 or other combo we look for that pace.

I also hope our Strength and Conditioning staff have specific sprint training for those who could do with improvement over the summer. Publish this for the fans. Pure raw data of before and after to see who is invested and who is taking the piss. I would rather this than spruced up Insta pics of sweaty guys with zinc on their noses and excessive hair ruffling.

 

[backtothedraft]

FB: Archer - Logue - Corr
HB: Goater - Comben - Daniel
C: Fisher - Wardlaw - McKercher
HF: Duursma - Darling - Ford
FF: Curtis - Larkey - Zurhaar
R: Xerri - LDU - Sheezel

INT: Simpkin - Parker - Scott - Maley
SUB (from): Phillips, Stephens, Stephenson

So including the potential subs, that leaves us the following contracted younger/developing players on the fringe/depth;

• Will Phillips
• Dylan Stephens
• Jaidyn Stephenson
• Miller Bergman
• Kal Dawson
• Will Dawson
• Brayden George
• Riley Hardeman
• Toby Pink
• Brynn Teakle

I'm a believer in Finn Maley and I think with another AFL preseason under his belt we'll start seeing him push into the AFL team, which is why I've listed him here. But I suspect others will have doubts.

Fingers crossed on Finn. The post from roos_fanatic08 about the clubs thoughts on him were encouraging. If he can have a big preseason and develop into a viable fwd/ruck option that would solve a lot of headaches. If not, i'd probably prefer to play another runner ahead of Teakle and Pink at this stage and use Darling as 2nd ruck.

 

[Psicosis]

Things I will not accept:

• Darcy Tucker, Bailey Scott
  8

  Bailey Scott

  Age

  24

  Ht

  186cm

  Wt

  77kg

  Pos.

  D/M

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  10.6

  3star

  K

  5.8

  2star

  HB

  4.9

  4star

  M

  3.1

  3star

  T

  1.5

  3star

  MG

  155.6

  2star

  D

  8.0

  2star

  K

  5.0

  2star

  HB

  3.0

  2star

  M

  2.5

  3star

  T

  1.8

  3star

  MG

  114.8

  2star

  D

  11.8

  3star

  K

  6.0

  3star

  HB

  5.8

  4star

  M

  3.6

  4star

  T

  1.2

  3star

  MG

  171.6

  3star

  playing ahead of Josh Goater / Ryley Hardeman in the back half
• Zac Fisher, Colby McKercher playing as a rebounding defender in the same side as Caleb Daniel
  5

  Caleb Daniel

  Age

  28

  Ht

  171cm

  Wt

  72kg

  Pos.

  M/F

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  21.3

  5star

  K

  11.5

  4star

  HB

  9.8

  5star

  M

  3.5

  4star

  T

  2.9

  4star

  CL

  1.4

  4star

  D

  19.5

  4star

  K

  11.1

  4star

  HB

  8.4

  4star

  M

  3.6

  4star

  T

  2.0

  3star

  CL

  1.0

  3star

  D

  16.4

  4star

  K

  7.2

  3star

  HB

  9.2

  5star

  M

  3.4

  4star

  T

  2.6

  4star

  CL

  0.2

  2star

If we are going to play a more attacking style, we simply cannot cannot carry more then one purely attacking half back. We need guys in the back half that can defend first.

 

[Makeshift Park]

I'm gonna go with

Archer - Logue - Corr
Daniel - Chom - Goater

Kerch - Parker - Scott
Xerri - LDU - Sheezel

Simpkin - Darling - Zurhaar
Curtis - Larks - Fisher

INT: Wardlaw - Powell - W Dawson - Duursma - sml fwd (best of Konstanty / RHJ / Payne)

Depth: Teakle - Phillips - Tauru - Stephens - Tucker - Ford - LMac - Bergman - Maley

Pretty killer VFL team

 

[Only Forwards]

FB: Archer ~ Logue ~ Corr
HB: Goater ~ Dawson ~ Daniel
C: Scott ~ Wardlaw ~ McKercher
HF: Simpkin ~ Chom ~ Zurhaar
FF: Hansen ~ Larkey ~ Curtis

R: Xerri ~ LDU ~ Sheezel

INT: Powell ~ Parker ~ Darling ~ Tucker

Emg: Duursma - Fisher - Teakle

Duursma is still building his tank, so I have left him out for now. The club wants chom forward and W Dawson at chb, so I left them there. I left Tucker in as the wing/hb utility, but I would prefer more small forward coverage. Powell could be that utility player too. Bit of a small forward raffle with Hansen and co, but we clearly need 1-2 pure small forwards in that line up. In reality, we all know L Mac is going to be picked before goater.

Pretty close to what I would have.

Agree completely about Chom and WDawson.

I can't see us starting the year without McDonald in the side.

This side also lacks a second ruck option but is probably more balanced not having Teakle on the bench given that we will be playing our new traded in recruits.

there is probably a question on where we would put whoever we select at pick 2 if we keep it as well, because they are likely to get a gig.

 

[Caracas]

Everyone has Bailey starting, except Nostradamus. No surprises there, obviously. However, I do think the day Scott gets dropped (if ever) will mean we’re making great progress. If that makes sense…

 

[Disco Dew]

Things I will not accept:

• Darcy Tucker, Bailey Scott playing ahead of Josh Goater / Ryley Hardeman in the back half
• Zac Fisher, Colby McKercher playing as a rebounding defender in the same side as Caleb Daniel

If we are going to play a more attacking style, we simply cannot cannot carry more then one purely attacking half back. We need guys in the back half that can defend first.

Spot on.
Keep Scott on a wing and **** Tucker off completely. Some will say he does some good things which is true, but I think he’s largely shithouse and should be nothing more than depth

 

[apollo_creed]

Forward line still stands out as the issue for me and potentially the size of the defense.
I think though the defensive issues last season were in the first half of the season and were structure related more than anything else. However the lack of structure on turnovers combined with our small backline made it hard to defend anything.

The forward line though is my biggest issue - Darling is cooked. He's slow and cumbersome (and that was when he was near his prime) and is as immobile as Larkey is. Stats like tackles are sometimes indicative of spilled marks being second to a contest. Duursma wasn't ready last season and I'm not expecting drastic improvement this season. Don't mind the idea of trying Fisher in attack but it's a bit of a hit and hope.

I'm a fan of Parker and Daniel and can see them improving us across the ground.

Not going to comment on unproven and unsighted acquisitions, will wait and see.

Ball use through the middle and turnovers is still a weakness. LDU is great but his F50 kicking is terrible, Simpkin and Scott are also still regulars so our unforced turnovers will still be high.

5-7 wins is I think where we might land next season. I think 6 is the pass mark for Clarkson - 7 or 8 would be a good result.

 

[travelli]

I’m thinking that Parker, Daniel and Darling will be fit and starting on the ground day one. I think we will persist with LMAC in the early games, but he wouldn’t want to get too comfortable.



FB: Archer Logue Corr
HB: LMac Dawson Daniel
C: Scott Wardlaw McKercher
HF: Parker Chom Darling
FF: Hansen Larkey Curtis

R: Xerri ~ LDU ~ Sheezel

INT: Fisher ~ Simpkin ~ Duursma ~ Zurhaar

Emg: Goater - Powell – Stevens



It is going to be a real crunch year for guys like Powell, Phillips, Ford, Hansen & Tucker. Gotta do the next level or they’ll be surplus late 2025.

 

[sheezy2ez]

Archer Logue Chom
Goater WDawson Daniel
Scott LDU McKercher
Ford Darling Duursma
Curtis Larkey Zurhaar
Xerri Wardlaw Sheezel
Simpkin Parker Teakle Powell
Sub Hardeman

 

[Better Loosen Up]

FB	Archer	W. Dawson	Logue
HB	Daniel	Comben	Goater
C	Scott	Wardlaw	McKercher
Foll	Xerri	LDU	Sheezel
HF	Konstanty	Darling	Parker
FF	Curtis	Larkey	Zurhaar
Int	Powell	Teakle	Simpkin	Hardeman
Sub	Ford

Can't have Daniel and Fisher in the same backline. I think you can only get away with one defender at any one time that can't defend.

A lot of players not named that could be named which suggests there is solid competition for spots. It's just that the bottom 6 or so players really need to raise their level.

 

[davefromjerra]

This side also lacks a second ruck option

Wil Dawson played the last two VFL games as our main ruckman. Showed a fair bit of promise.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Wil Dawson played the last two VFL games as our main ruckman. Showed a fair bit of promise.

Can’t see him playing over Teakle

Dawson still looks a fair way off it

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Wil Dawson played the last two VFL games as our main ruckman. Showed a fair bit of promise.

Don't know why we're stuffing around with Wil Dawson in the VFL like we are.

He is a key defender. Train him to be the Harris Andrews we so desperately need rather than trying to make him serviceable in half a dozen different roles that we don't need him for.

 

[zoomba23]

Don't know why we're stuffing around with Wil Dawson in the VFL like we are.

He is a key defender. Train him to be the Harris Andrews we so desperately need rather than trying to make him serviceable in half a dozen different roles that we don't need him for.

No, no, you're doing it wrong. The correct way is to play players in unnatural positions, **** with their confidence, and by the end of it have a bunch of psychologically crushed footballers who are able to rotate between almost every position and play there with sublime lack of inspiration and mediocrity. Haven't you read David Noble's 10 Commandments Of Crafting A Shithouse Football Team?

 

[Themanbun]

Can’t see him playing over Teakle

Dawson still looks a fair way off it

Word I've got is the boy is gaining muscle like no tomorrow. Will be a big unit, hopefully a few dominant VFL games next year and straight into our 2026 lineup.

 

[zoomba23]

Reckon it starts off looking something like this:

B: Archer Logue Corr

HB: Daniel Comben Goater*Tucker (please come back well Josh, oh Christ)

C: Scott LDU McKercher

HF: Zurhaar Darling Simpkin

F: Curtis Larkey Hansen

R: Xerri Wardlaw Sheezel

IC: Parker LMac

And the remaining three spots for everyone else to fight it out, including new draftee/s

 

[muttley45]

1st intra club praccy will be worth watching, i always like to try and identify a few possible debutant's, plenty to choose from.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

From the replies on here, there would be a 90% agreement on the starting 18, interchange, sub and emergencies.

The backline and mids look really settled as projected combos and even the forward line seems clearer with Darling, Parker and the possible emergence of Nople.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

No pressure on the kid - but I want to see Stiffy Hardemann win the the Most Improved player in 2025. Displaces LMac and goes top 10 in the Syd Barker and gets a couple of Charlie votes. Slap me now if I am dreaming too much