Our Best 22 in 2026

[Growapair]

Go back to a similar thread 2 years ago, and see all the people with Koschitze in the side

Just makes no sense

When he was still on Hawthorn's list ... that does make no sense lol

I don’t know what I’m having for dinner tomorrow and people want me to pick a team for 2026.

That's because you don't know how to cook lol

C: Bauer MRJ Ralphsmith

Powerhouse centreline that one, the flag is ours!

They just need 50 games mate lol

Cumbo will have 2 brownlows by 2026

 

[RobsJourney]

By 2026 Pickett, McIntosh, Prestia Grimes, Dusty and maybe Lynch will likely be retired and Broad, Baker and Graham will have headed west ... our Best 22 will look something like this

And we have a team full of backman

B: Blight Miller Tresize
HB: Smith Balta Banks
C: Bauer MRJ Ralphsmith
HF: Short Gibcus D Rioli
F: Bolton LeFau Ryan
Foll: Nankervis Taranto Hopper

Int from: Vlastuin, Pick 1 2024 ... Sonsie, MacAuliffe, Campbell, Pick 1 2025, Clarke, Fawcett, Kosi

Can anyone put together a better side?

We could be playing most of this side now, wouldn't that make more sense to do that now?

I think you need to just leave some spots blank where we can definitely do better and don't have the players yet. For example Ryan, I am happy to commit to saying he won't make it. I would include Banks in my team still, only because I think he will still be around, but he'd be close to not appearing on mine at all.

Here's what I think we may see:

B: Gibcus, Blight, Brown
HB: Vlastuin, Balta, Trezise
C: Ralphsmith, Hopper, Banks
HF: Clarke, Koschitzke, Bolton
F: M. Rioli, XXXX, Lefau
R: Nankervis, Taranto, Ross
Int: McAuliffe, Sonsie, Pick 1 2025, 1st Round Pick 2025

Miller - I like him, and he will still be around, but depth behind Balta, Blight and Gibcus come 2026
Short - I reckon he'll be gone come the start of 2026
Campbell - Don't rate and reckon he'll not stay in the best 22 conversation, very vanilla player
Koschitzke - Only included him as we very likely will not have anyone else yet, if we've drafted a KPF I doubt they'll be ready to come in
Ryan - Do not rate at all, will not make it, will still be here due to contract but depth at best, albeit likely in the team due to no one else
Sonsie - Barely scraped into my team there but I think full time midfield and he might be OK
Banks - As mentioned a bit above, also only just scrapes in, really don't rate him


My question is WHY don't we get the guys like, for example, Jye Caldwell? Cheap 21-ish year olds who can't get a game at clubs with an abundance of high draft picks, that end up being absolute steals. We are just never the destination for those players.

I know we had a great period that stopped us really needing to go after that kind of player, but we've been crap since 2021 (ticked up a bit in 2022, sure). I suppose we put all our eggs into the Taranto and Hopper basket, which may still prove dividends, we'll see. But it just sucks that all of our mids are so slow and have no explosiveness about them, and we never seem to get those cheap steals that clubs like Carlton and Essendon get.

 

[Growapair]

Love these threads

Appreciate the positive feedback lol

I think you need to just leave some spots blank where we can definitely do better and don't have the players yet. For example Ryan, I am happy to commit to saying he won't make it. I would include Banks in my team still, only because I think he will still be around, but he'd be close to not appearing on mine at all.

Here's what I think we may see:

B: Gibcus, Blight, Brown
HB: Vlastuin, Balta, Trezise
C: Ralphsmith, Hopper, Banks
HF: Clarke, Koschitzke, Bolton
F: M. Rioli, XXXX, Lefau
R: Nankervis, Taranto, Ross
Int: McAuliffe, Sonsie, Pick 1 2025, 1st Round Pick 2025

Miller - I like him, and he will still be around, but depth behind Balta, Blight and Gibcus come 2026
Short - I reckon he'll be gone come the start of 2026
Campbell - Don't rate and reckon he'll not stay in the best 22 conversation, very vanilla player
Koschitzke - Only included him as we very likely will not have anyone else yet, if we've drafted a KPF I doubt they'll be ready to come in
Ryan - Do not rate at all, will not make it, will still be here due to contract but depth at best, albeit likely in the team due to no one else
Sonsie - Barely scraped into my team there but I think full time midfield and he might be OK
Banks - As mentioned a bit above, also only just scrapes in, really don't rate him


My question is WHY don't we get the guys like, for example, Jye Caldwell? Cheap 21-ish year olds who can't get a game at clubs with an abundance of high draft picks, that end up being absolute steals. We are just never the destination for those players.

I know we had a great period that stopped us really needing to go after that kind of player, but we've been crap since 2021 (ticked up a bit in 2022, sure). I suppose we put all our eggs into the Taranto and Hopper basket, which may still prove dividends, we'll see. But it just sucks that all of our mids are so slow and have no explosiveness about them, and we never seem to get those cheap steals that clubs like Carlton and Essendon get.

So what your saying is we should try and trade Short and Broad for 21 year olds with an upside ... like speed?

If that is the case then we should be putting a team on the park that has a backline without them now ... we actually have the list to do that

Tresize Miller Vlastuin
Brown Balta Banks

 

[rfctigerarmy]

its funny

2034 thread was better

 

[rfctigerarmy]

When he was still on Hawthorn's list ... that does make no sense lol

Exactly my point, how can you predict the future with dumb threads like this?

 

[Growapair]

Exactly my point, how can you predict the future with dumb threads like this?

 

[A Tiger 4 lyf]

B: Blight Gibcus Brown
HB: Trezise Balta Vlastuin?
C: HRS McAuliffe Ross
HF:Campbell Gray MRJ
FF: Lefau Bauer Clarke
FOLL: OHB Taranto Hopper

Int: 2024 & 2025 top 10 picks

Coach won’t be Yze imo


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Tonythetiger]

By 2026 Pickett, McIntosh, Prestia Grimes, Dusty and maybe Lynch will likely be retired and Broad, Baker and Graham will have headed west ... our Best 22 will look something like this

And we have a team full of backman

B: Blight Miller Tresize
HB: Smith Balta Banks
C: Bauer MRJ Ralphsmith
HF: Short Gibcus D Rioli
F: Bolton LeFau Ryan
Foll: Nankervis Taranto Hopper

Int from: Vlastuin, Pick 1 2024 ... Sonsie, MacAuliffe, Campbell, Pick 1 2025, Clarke, Fawcett, Kosi

Can anyone put together a better side?

We could be playing most of this side now, wouldn't that make more sense to do that now?

I both love this and recognise how ridiculous it is, since so many of these guys have been injured through the yeaf and don't necessarily have the form that warrants them playing.

But yes, to some extent, if everyone was available and in form it would be great to see this side play a heap of football together over the next couple of years. Unfortunately a few of the younger guys who some of us have been bullish on, aren't going to make it.

 

[SunshineBoy]

yeah & i reckon by 2026 Lynch might just be a brain in a watery jar in Louie’s Basement

EFA

 

[rfctigerarmy]

Still one of my favourite threads of the year.