Prediction Round 1, 2025: Starting 23

[WCE_phil]

Kelly to the Wing with back up stints on the inside.

Dewar to HF as long as he keeps up the right attitude and the hard running both ways as he is a high level talent and an amazing kick.

Hewett mainly to HFF if he's fit with some runs through the middle but mainly around the ground stoppages. He doesn't have the tank, the experience or the power (just yet) to be playing in the centre square at bounces just yet. We just need to be happy with the progress of his injury and hope he gets through a full year and shows some of the development that his extreme talent can produce.

Owies and Cripps potentially deeper than years past (in Cripps case) but Crippa can still use his running ability to get up and back down the ground.

Ryan needs to show real intent and to get back to his best however I still think for the team his best spot is being used in the defensive half moving the ball forward.

 

[WCE777]

Kelly to the Wing with back up stints on the inside.

Dewar to HF as long as he keeps up the right attitude and the hard running both ways as he is a high level talent and an amazing kick.

Hewett mainly to HFF if he's fit with some runs through the middle but mainly around the ground stoppages. He doesn't have the tank, the experience or the power (just yet) to be playing in the centre square at bounces just yet. We just need to be happy with the progress of his injury and hope he gets through a full year and shows some of the development that his extreme talent can produce.

Owies and Cripps potentially deeper than years past (in Cripps case) but Crippa can still use his running ability to get up and back down the ground.

Ryan needs to show real intent and to get back to his best however I still think for the team his best spot is being used in the defensive half moving the ball forward.

like it
Cripps playing playing deep forward looks good, he is ageing and not as quick as he used to be but still a very clever fwd.
Hewett as you say needs to build his tank and HFF and around stoppages to build him into a season would be a big win, anything else a bonus.
Dewar replacing Ryan would be another big win for the team, I guess that would be delegating Ryan to rotating off HB with someone?

 

[Obeanie1]

There is a Best Forward lines rated article kicking around. And thought of ours.

Several ways to build the forward six plus a bench player. Is Grahem a HF mid, who do we develop there?

So I thought lets just start by a list of our most capable goal kickers as a collective and where they likely play.

Forward 50 specalist forwards.

Owies Waterman Long / Dewar
Ryan Allen Cripps

Bench: J Williams F/R

Can see us playing smaller and faster forward if we are to take territory further up the ground.

Goal kicking mids: Reid, Hewett, Kelly, Yeo.

Goal kicking utilities for 2025 season: Maric, Baker, Graham, A Reid, Shanahan

Developing forwards / utilities: Champion, Livingstone, Rawlingson, Hutchinson, Gross, Brockman (needs a breakout year)

 

[stallon]

There is a Best Forward lines rated article kicking around. And thought of ours.

Several ways to build the forward six plus a bench player. Is Grahem a HF mid, who do we develop there?

So I thought lets just start by a list of our most capable goal kickers as a collective and where they likely play.

Forward 50 specalist forwards.

Owies Waterman Long / Dewar
Ryan Allen Cripps

Bench: J Williams F/R

Can see us playing smaller and faster forward if we are to take territory further up the ground.

Goal kicking mids: Reid, Hewett, Kelly, Yeo.

Goal kicking utilities for 2025 season: Maric, Baker, Graham, A Reid, Shanahan

Developing forwards / utilities: Champion, Livingstone, Rawlingson, Hutchinson, Gross, Brockman (needs a breakout year)

I think for us, that Long/Dewar spot has to be allocated to Hewett or Reid some other midfielder

22 players, so ideally 7 fwds, 7 defs, 1 ruck, 2 actual wingers, and 5 going through the middle/covering wings.
We have probably 6 going through the middle: Kelly, Graham, Yeo, Reid, Hewett and Duggan. 4 of them will probably go forward for stints, so likely one of them is fwd at all times. Even more so if we want to use Ryan/Cripps further up the ground.

 

[TheBudgies]

There is a Best Forward lines rated article kicking around. And thought of ours.

Several ways to build the forward six plus a bench player. Is Grahem a HF mid, who do we develop there?

So I thought lets just start by a list of our most capable goal kickers as a collective and where they likely play.

Forward 50 specalist forwards.

Owies Waterman Long / Dewar
Ryan Allen Cripps

Bench: J Williams F/R

Can see us playing smaller and faster forward if we are to take territory further up the ground.

Goal kicking mids: Reid, Hewett, Kelly, Yeo.

Goal kicking utilities for 2025 season: Maric, Baker, Graham, A Reid, Shanahan

Developing forwards / utilities: Champion, Livingstone, Rawlingson, Hutchinson, Gross, Brockman (needs a breakout year)

I think Dewar looks like he'll be playing higher up the ground as opposed to a forward 50 Specialist. More wing I think.

Baker & Maric probably more D50 than anything else.

One of those smalls in the forward 7 will probably be a rotation mid Hewett/Kelly and sometimes Harley. So 3 of Owies Long Ryan and Cripps probably.

 

[mat11]

I think for us, that Long/Dewar spot has to be allocated to Hewett or Reid some other midfielder

22 players, so ideally 7 fwds, 7 defs, 1 ruck, 2 actual wingers, and 5 going through the middle/covering wings.
We have probably 6 going through the middle: Kelly, Graham, Yeo, Reid, Hewett and Duggan. 4 of them will probably go forward for stints, so likely one of them is fwd at all times. Even more so if we want to use Ryan/Cripps further up the ground.

These are some midfield changes I've thought of today very 'vaguely' with a few other positional rotations thrown in. I've gone with Cole over Hunt, Allan over Hutch and Flynn over BBW purely at a coin toss. I've balanced out the Midfield defensively a lot more but opened the wings up for a lot more run and carry. Everyone will want Hewett and Reid in tandem but I'm not sure their tanks are ready hence the mid/hff split. With plenty of small/med fwd options avaliable, I've kept Graham purely as our inside mid.

(Starting 22)
Hough Edwards Duggan
Baker Mcgovern Ginbey
Dewar Graham Kelly
Ryan Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman JWilliams
Flynn Yeo Reid

Maric Hewett Allan Cole

(First Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Baker Mcgovern Ginbey
Dewar Duggan Kelly
Hewett Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman JWilliams
Flynn Yeo Reid

Graham Ryan Allan Cole

(Second rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Cole Mcgovern Ginbey
Allan Graham Kelly
Ryan Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman Jwilliams
Flynn Yeo Hewett

Duggan Dewar Baker Reid

(Third Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Cole Mcgovern Ginbey
Allan Graham Dewar
Ryan Allen Cripps
Baker Waterman Reid
Jwilliams Duggan Hewett

Kelly Flynn Yeo Owies

(Fourth Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Baker Mcgovern Yeo
Allan Graham Dewar
Ryan Jwilliams Hewett
Owies Waterman Reid
Flynn Duggan kelly

Cole Allen Ginbey Cripps

Obviously, interchanges are extremely hard to script but the breakdown in cba's is...

-Flynn 80%
-Graham 80%
-Yeo 60%
-Duggan 60%
-Reid 40%
-Hewett 40%
-Kelly 20%
-JWilliams 20%

I've probably got Graham and Flynn pushing it a bit hard but it's just a rough write up. Assuming Yeo/Edwards are available for Round 1.

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[Obeanie1]

I think for us, that Long/Dewar spot has to be allocated to Hewett or Reid some other midfielder

22 players, so ideally 7 fwds, 7 defs, 1 ruck, 2 actual wingers, and 5 going through the middle/covering wings.
We have probably 6 going through the middle: Kelly, Graham, Yeo, Reid, Hewett and Duggan. 4 of them will probably go forward for stints, so likely one of them is fwd at all times. Even more so if we want to use Ryan/Cripps further up the ground.

Yep the sixth forward spot is difficult to nail for a couple of reasons.

We dont yet have a standout 6th forward that is demanding to be picked there.

And we also need the spot to rotate mid / forwards through or on occcassion play a 3rd tall in the F50.

We have a heap of options to rotate forward.

 

[Elite Pete]

These are some midfield changes I've thought of today very 'vaguely' with a few other positional rotations thrown in. I've gone with Cole over Hunt, Allan over Hutch and Flynn over BBW purely at a coin toss. I've balanced out the Midfield defensively a lot more but opened the wings up for a lot more run and carry. Everyone will want Hewett and Reid in tandem but I'm not sure their tanks are ready hence the mid/hff split. With plenty of small/med fwd options avaliable, I've kept Graham purely as our inside mid.

(Starting 22)
Hough Edwards Duggan
Baker Mcgovern Ginbey
Dewar Graham Kelly
Ryan Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman JWilliams
Flynn Yeo Reid

Maric Hewett Allan Cole

(First Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Baker Mcgovern Ginbey
Dewar Duggan Kelly
Hewett Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman JWilliams
Flynn Yeo Reid

Graham Ryan Allan Cole

(Second rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Cole Mcgovern Ginbey
Allan Graham Kelly
Ryan Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman Jwilliams
Flynn Yeo Hewett

Duggan Dewar Baker Reid

(Third Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Cole Mcgovern Ginbey
Allan Graham Dewar
Ryan Allen Cripps
Baker Waterman Reid
Jwilliams Duggan Hewett

Kelly Flynn Yeo Owies

(Fourth Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Baker Mcgovern Yeo
Allan Graham Dewar
Ryan Jwilliams Hewett
Owies Waterman Reid
Flynn Duggan kelly

Cole Allen Ginbey Cripps

Obviously, interchanges are extremely hard to script but the breakdown in cba's is...

-Flynn 80%
-Graham 80%
-Yeo 60%
-Duggan 60%
-Reid 40%
-Hewett 40%
-Kelly 20%
-JWilliams 20%

I've probably got Graham and Flynn pushing it a bit hard but it's just a rough write up. Assuming Yeo/Edwards are available for Round 1.

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I like it.

Shows you how desperate we are for the link mid. Sid or Jagga would’ve been perfect.

I have him around the same % as well but can’t see Kelly missing out that much from CBAs.

 

[TheBudgies]

These are some midfield changes I've thought of today very 'vaguely' with a few other positional rotations thrown in. I've gone with Cole over Hunt, Allan over Hutch and Flynn over BBW purely at a coin toss. I've balanced out the Midfield defensively a lot more but opened the wings up for a lot more run and carry. Everyone will want Hewett and Reid in tandem but I'm not sure their tanks are ready hence the mid/hff split. With plenty of small/med fwd options avaliable, I've kept Graham purely as our inside mid.

(Starting 22)
Hough Edwards Duggan
Baker Mcgovern Ginbey
Dewar Graham Kelly
Ryan Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman JWilliams
Flynn Yeo Reid

Maric Hewett Allan Cole

(First Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Baker Mcgovern Ginbey
Dewar Duggan Kelly
Hewett Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman JWilliams
Flynn Yeo Reid

Graham Ryan Allan Cole

(Second rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Cole Mcgovern Ginbey
Allan Graham Kelly
Ryan Allen Cripps
Owies Waterman Jwilliams
Flynn Yeo Hewett

Duggan Dewar Baker Reid

(Third Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Cole Mcgovern Ginbey
Allan Graham Dewar
Ryan Allen Cripps
Baker Waterman Reid
Jwilliams Duggan Hewett

Kelly Flynn Yeo Owies

(Fourth Rotation)
Hough Edwards Maric
Baker Mcgovern Yeo
Allan Graham Dewar
Ryan Jwilliams Hewett
Owies Waterman Reid
Flynn Duggan kelly

Cole Allen Ginbey Cripps

Obviously, interchanges are extremely hard to script but the breakdown in cba's is...

-Flynn 80%
-Graham 80%
-Yeo 60%
-Duggan 60%
-Reid 40%
-Hewett 40%
-Kelly 20%
-JWilliams 20%

I've probably got Graham and Flynn pushing it a bit hard but it's just a rough write up. Assuming Yeo/Edwards are available for Round 1.

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Yea I like this. Not sure with the rotation if having that many with a combo of Duggan and Graham together is aggressive enough. Bit more defensive than I would like. I wonder if JWILL is ready to bump up to something closer to 30% CBA, might look after Flynn a bit.

If Yeo and Edwards aren't ready round 1 who have you got replacing them? Barnett and Hutchinson are probably my picks as it stands atm. Bazzo maybe? But he's more a McGovern style interceptor as opposed to Edwards who is meant to be a lock down. I feel Hutch is unlucky not sure who he comes in for though, maybe Allan or Dewar but I like both of them playing early games this year.

 

[mat11]

I like it.

Shows you how desperate we are for the link mid. Sid or Jagga would’ve been perfect.

I have him around the same % as well but can’t see Kelly missing out that much from CBAs.

Yeah it's pretty grim when you sit down and try and balance out a fair rotation. Whatever it takes to get tk back playing like the 2023 season. I think we're significantly better than the last couple of years but mid depth is still a major problem

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[mat11]

Yea I like this. Not sure with the rotation if having that many with a combo of Duggan and Graham together is aggressive enough. Bit more defensive than I would like. I wonder if JWILL is ready to bump up to something closer to 30% CBA, might look after Flynn a bit.

If Yeo and Edwards aren't ready round 1 who have you got replacing them? Barnett and Hutchinson are probably my picks as it stands atm. Bazzo maybe? But he's more a McGovern style interceptor as opposed to Edwards who is meant to be a lock down. I feel Hutch is unlucky not sure who he comes in for though, maybe Allan or Dewar but I like both of them playing early games this year.

Yeah it's very defensive. we'd be heavily reliant on ginbey and the wings to set the play up but the last couple of years our Midfield has been leaking like a seive.

Edwards and bazzo shouldn't be too far off the mark R1 but it'd be jamo or Barnett I'd imagine or maybe we sign bock.

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[Elite Pete]

Yeah it's pretty grim when you sit down and try and balance out a fair rotation. Whatever it takes to get tk back playing like the 2023 season. I think we're significantly better than the last couple of years but mid depth is still a major problem

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Yeah. Even more so if Yeo is out for a while. I find we are missing a top tier mid as the issue. (Hopefully Chad and Rodriguez RD1 2026 woudl compete it).

If Hall can have a huge spike and accumulate that would help but seems he is flying under the radar this preseason.

 

[TheBudgies]

Hall or Hutch for Yeo's CBA replacement? Anyone else? Kelly increase i guess.

 

[eaglesfan84]

OK.....for better or worse, let's have a crack at our Round 1 team.

I am going to assume Bo Allen gets selected at pick 12 and Champion comes in as well.

B: Duggan, McGovern, Hough
HB: Baker, H. Edwards, Ginbey
C: B. Allen, H. Reid, Graham
HF: Cripps, B. Williams, Maric
F: Owies, O. Allen, Waterman

Foll: Yeo, Kelly, Flynn

Int: Long, Hewitt, Hutchinson, Culley
Sub: Hunt

Close: Sheed, Champion, Cole, Bazzo

Actually looks like a team with a bit of run/speed and flexibility

Baker, Yeo, Ginbey and B. Allen can all play HB or Mid

Long, Culley, Hutchinson and Hewitt can play Fwd or Mid

Plenty of goal kicking mids.

Would like to see Cripps out or Champion at some stage

You can remove Yeo permanently from that list, I'd be very surprised if he plays another game for us.

 

[TheBudgies]

You can remove Yeo permanently from that list, I'd be very surprised if he plays another game for us.

As long as we're overreacting.

 

[stallon]

Well now with Yeo out...

FB: Hough Edwards Maric
HB: Baker McGovern Ginbey
C: Dewar Duggan Graham
HF: Hewett Waterman Cripps
FF: Ryan Allen Owies
R: Flynn Reid Kelly
Int: J.Williams Hutchinson Cole Allan
Sub: Chesser
Next up: B.Williams Hunt Hall

Itll be interesting at least to see what we do in the middle, the Kelly to hff idea is probably dead for a bit.
A bigger role for Duggan + Graham?
Reid maybe wont drop those midfield minutes and play less fwd?
Maybe Hewett is fitter than some on here give him credit for and hes capable of doing 60%+ CBAs, considering Reid did 70% in his first year?
Or just Hutch/Hall come in.

 

[TheBudgies]

Well now with Yeo out...

FB: Hough Edwards Maric
HB: Baker McGovern Ginbey
C: Dewar Duggan Graham
HF: Hewett Waterman Cripps
FF: Ryan Allen Owies
R: Flynn Reid Kelly
Int: J.Williams Hutchinson Cole Allan
Sub: Chesser
Next up: B.Williams Hunt Hall

Itll be interesting at least to see what we do in the middle, the Kelly to hff idea is probably dead for a bit.
A bigger role for Duggan + Graham?
Reid maybe wont drop those midfield minutes and play less fwd?
Maybe Hewett is fitter than some on here give him credit for and hes capable of doing 60%+ CBAs, considering Reid did 70% in his first year?
Or just Hutch/Hall come in.

Think this is probably where I'm at too. Not convinced Edwards is a lock, and I think Allan/Hunt/Hall/Chesser could all be swapped for the others. Might go Hall/Allan/Chess over Hunt to replace some of Yeo inside game. Otherwise I find them hard to split.

 

[WCErevival]

We have the perfect guy to replace Yeo