Your team’s 3 key players that’ll shape 2025

[geelong_crazy26]

Our midfield was hot garbage this year and we were within a kick (eventual premiers) of making it through to another grand final.

If they all perform at a similar level (hot garbage) but we've added in a player who will very likely average 25-30 disposals/5 clearances per week, is 2025 really a write off despite this?

It was a bit of peaking and timing ourselves not just talent in the end. There were periods of the year we looked like a bottom four team and our midfield was horrendous. That third term against brisbane they just blew us off the park in 10 minutes out of the middle also.
Our reliance is way too heavy on system and structure and thr hole in the donut is our midfield talent. Things could easily fall apart badly if we dont address this with improvements to bruhn holmes etc with the addition of smith

 

[Wallaby]

Lynch.

If he plays well (see: injuries), we'll be not very good. If he doesn't play well (see: injuries), we'll be f****** terrible.

 

[Skipper_]

Zach Reid
Jordan Ridley
Nate Caddy

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

1. Comben - needed to hold down CHB and provide strong structure with Corr and Logue returning as the other key defenders.

2. Wardlaw - we need an inside bull, this kid could be a freak, but will he be fit enough to nail down that inside mid spot, will rotate with Parker no doubt.

3. Sheezel - our classiest player (LDU very close). We rely on his skill an polish a lot, gets us out of trouble plenty of times, needs to continue to grow.

Honourable mention: Darling, we have no CHF without him leaving Larkey as our only real key FWD of AFL standard.

 

[dylan93]

1. Max Gawn: Finally seem to have a bit more depth in this department in the case he goes down.

2. Steven May: Ditto above. Game seemed to be starting to catch up to him this past season. Probably makes more sense with Petty training with the defenders leading into the coming season.

3. Clayton Oliver/Christian Petracca - For the love of all that is holy, just shut up and play well please. Then we can work out what to do with you this time next year.

Honourable mentions:

- Matthew Jefferson/JVR/Daniel Turner: Keen to see them develop some synergy as a trio.

- The younger midfield brigade: With the exceptions of say Rivers/McVee, there seems to be a significant drop off in quality of mids. So looking very much forward to seeing how the likes of Sparrow/Koltyn/Windsor try to take their game to the next level. Also really keen to see how our first round lads can add to the team.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

1. Max Gawn: Finally seem to have a bit more depth in this department in the case he goes down.

2. Steven May: Ditto above. Game seemed to be starting to catch up to him this past season. Probably makes more sense with Petty training with the defenders leading into the coming season.

3. Clayton Oliver/Christian Petracca - For the love of all that is holy, just shut up and play well please. Then we can work out what to do with you this time next year.

Honourable mentions:

- Matthew Jefferson/JVR/Daniel Turner: Keen to see them develop some synergy as a trio.

- The younger midfield brigade: With the exceptions of say Rivers/McVee, there seems to be a significant drop off in quality of mids. So looking very much forward to seeing how the likes of Sparrow/Koltyn/Windsor try to take their game to the next level. Also really keen to see how our first round lads can add to the team.

Big call on Jefferson given he is yet to debut.

Had to google him as had not heard of him.

 

[dylan93]

Big call on Jefferson given he is yet to debut.

Had to google him as had not heard of him.

To be fair he should've debuted last year given how horrible Petty was.

 

[HairyO]

Barrass
Lewis
Day

If all three are fit at the pointy end of the season we will be a chance.

We need to be able to succeed without Lewis because I dont think he plays much at all. And certainly not with any consistency.

Barrass
Day
CMac

If CMac improves on 2024 then our forward line will be top 3 in the comp.

 

[1990crow]

1. Rankine. If he has a whole year of midfield he began to show in 2024 he goes pretty close to All Australian level a real match winner.

2. Thilthorpe. Beast mode showed from even an injury riddled season, hopefully a full preseason and he becomes a legitimate star forward kicking 50 plus.

3. Fogarty. Kicked 41 for 2024 but has threatened at times to become a dominant player without succeeding. I think he still has another level to go to, and if he does alongside Thilthorpe Adelaide will he tough to beat.

 

[Dazb86]

Richards

Lobb

Bontempelli

 

[Run n Spread]

Houston. There is a reason we sold the farm for him. An elite ball user who adds polished and crucial to how we will play.

Hill When on look very dangerous. Gives the foward line and team dynamism.

De Goey You know what you'll get from Daicos x2 and Pendles. If he has a big year gives us that extra grunt and class. Waa pivotal in gf and pf 23.

 

[saintscott]

For mine, Marshall easily number 1. No real backup ruck and our midfield isn't good enough to rove a dominant opposition ruck.

Wilkie number 2. Holds the backline together, with Battle gone I wouldn't trust Howard to step up.

Third is between Sincs and Nas. We showed we can kick goals without King. But those 2 set-up our sling from defence with precision kicking and run and carry

 

[brutus76]

Zac Reid - needs to get his body right as if he can stay in the team frees up our other defenders to rebound quickly and turn defence into attack (Red Dog, The Riddler, Roberts, Saad, McGrath)

Nate Caddy - needs to stamp his authority as a CHF

Zac Merrett - like Hirdy the team plays better when he is in the team than when not in the team and he is one of the few leaders we have and who actually gives a fruit about the jumper.

 

[Crow till I die]

Rankine
Thilthorpe
Dawson

 

[ScrappyDo]

Marshall
Phillipou
King

Not that the likes of Wilkie, Steele, Sharman, etc aren't also critical, but the above 3 probably have the most riding on them for StKilda to prosper in 2026.

 

[Milanista28]

Don't care about 2025 per se, but if we are to do something with this group, Reid, Caddy and Tsatas need to make the grade like we hoped when we drafted them.

 

[H00t]

Dear, Mackenzie and Watson.

Not our best three players but if these three continue to improve this year it will go a long way to getting us to the pointy end of the ladder.

 

[bobs head soup]

English, Liam Jones, Darcy

- At his best English is All Australian, his worst is uncompetitive. Our back up Ruck is not ready, and Darcy or Lobb as first Ruck would badly hurt structurally. A firing English is crucial.

- Jones finished 4th in b&f and has been a great acquisition. Without him, inexperienced backman Lobb has to take a massive step up to be the main man, next in line are still developing (O'Donnell, Busslinger, Khamis, Croft). Jones defying father time helps a lot of people.

- Darcy, just because his ceiling is so huge. At his height, his athleticism, touch and footy nous is outrageous. Loves the hard side too (eg his clear game high 11 tackle effort vs Geelong in filthy conditions). No-one knows what he could become.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Barrass
Lewis
Day

If all three are fit at the pointy end of the season we will be a chance.

I wouldn't consider Lewis in this type of question.
We rose from 17th to 6th in half a season without him. We have enough scoring options now that he isn't as vital to our success as other teams who are reliant on their number 1 key forward.

 

[SSSSSS]

I wouldn't consider Lewis in this type of question.
We rose from 17th to 6th in half a season without him. We have enough scoring options now that he isn't as vital to our success as other teams who are reliant on their number 1 key forward.

A fit firing Lewis at the pointy end of the season could be the difference between a 6th-12th finish or going all the way is how I view it.

 

[glengowan]

Thilthorpe, Dawson and Rankine.

Thilthorpe to take over the mantle from Tex and be the number 1 big dog, injury free. Dawson to continue his consistency since coming to the Crows. Rankine to have a clean run with injury and suspension and be in contention for the Brownlow come seasons end as a goal kicking midfielder.

 

[ImCheatingToWin]

I wouldn't consider Lewis in this type of question.
We rose from 17th to 6th in half a season without him. We have enough scoring options now that he isn't as vital to our success as other teams who are reliant on their number 1 key forward.

Fit lewis being fed by this ruck and midfield is a 60 goal + proposition
We have nothing else close to that output on the list

 

[Clark G]

Parish - he simply must add consistent two way running and good ball use to his contested work for opposition teams to struggle to nullify the midfield, otherwise too easy to stop Essendon by stopping Merrett.

Wright - with Stringer gone, it is a must for Wright to get somewhere near his 2022 form otherwise kicking a winning score is going to be hard most weeks.

Kako - only a kid but for a team that gets plenty of inside 50 ball, only to not make use of it, a player that can both apply pressure and kicks goals is a must (also serious question marks over whether Davey or Menzie will make it).

 

[Ralll]

Balta (Playing back all season)
Nank
Lynch

With the 3 pillars in position the kids can play around them.

 

[My Tilly]

Balta (Playing back all season)
Nank
Lynch

With the 3 pillars in position the kids can play around them.

So 17th then?