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Name your team for Opening Round

No polls, no votes, just name the 23 players you think will run out against the Fluffy Ducks.

While team structure is important, you don’t have to name players in positions but keep team balance in mind.

You can have 8 defenders, 8 forwards and 7 midfielders, or any other combination of 23 players.  Apart from Harry O’Farrell, assume that everyone on the list is available.  White and E Hollands aren’t on the list.

My 23 is:

Defenders - Weitering, Newman, Cowan, Florent, Haynes, Saad, Dean, L Young.

Midfielders - Cripps, Pittonet, Walsh, Hewett, Acres, Smith, Hollands

Forwards - McKay, Hayward, Williams, O’Keeffe, Kemp, Motlop, Moir

Emergencies - Lord, Cerra, Ainsworth

I thought that Lord and Cerra would be monties, but I just couldn’t fit them 🤔
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #1 –
Quote from: DJC – on
I thought that Lord and Cerra would be monties, but I just couldn’t fit them 🤔

Depth ;)  :D
I'm going to have a think about it (but I won't be leaving Lord out :D  )
He's my guy for 2026

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Lods – on
Depth ;)  :D
I'm going to have a think about it (but I won't be leaving Lord out :D  )
He's my guy for 2026

I said in one of Kruddler's polls that Lord was definitely in my midfield rotations but I went for the untried Jagga Smith and the two "specialist" wingers in Acres and Hollands.  I suspect that Lord will be in the 23 more often than not.
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #3 –
Newman, Weitering McGovern
Saad Haynes Florent
Cottrell Cripps Chesser
Ainsworth McKay Motlop
Hayward Kemp Williams

Reidy Hewett Walsh

Cerra, Smith, Cowan, Carroll

Side looks well balanced however it’s clear that unless one of McGovern, Haynes, Dean or Kemp stands up as a key defender we’ll be exposed.  Other concerns are our ability to defend clever/strong small forwards & the durability of Cottrell & Chesser who could provide much needed pace.

All of Cripps, Weitering, Smith, Hewett, Walsh, Kemp, McKay, Cerra, Hayward, Saad and possibly McGovern have the ability to make the AA squad so let’s hope we see at least half of them get there.

Unlucky not to make the side  - Okeefe (could swap with Kemp), Dean (could swap with Haynes or McGovern), Lord, Pittonet, Acres, Boyd, Hollands, Moir & Evans

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #4 –
I doubt OH falls behind Chesser or Cottrell in the pecking order, Carroll might struggle.

So much depends on our game plan for 2026, it must surely change but to what exactly, we have no idea as yet!

Plus, there going to be an extra bench spot for 2026 so I'm sure one of them will be a ruck or KPP?
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #5 –
Dean Weitering Florent
Saad L.Young Newman
Chesser Cripps O.Hollands
Hayward O'Keeffe Motlop
Moir McKay Ainsworth
Pittonett Cerra Walsh
Lord Smith Williams Cowan Hewitt

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #6 –
Forwards :
McKay
Motlop
Williams
Hayward
Kemp
Moir

Mids + Ruck :
Pittonet
Cripps
Hewett
Walsh
Cerra
Smith

Defenders :
Weitering
Newman
Haynes
Dean
Florent
Cowan

Interchange : Evans, Byrne, McGovern,  O Hollands, Ainsworth

You could select a few combinations and still have a decent team. I found it tougher to select a starting line up than I have in several years.

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #7 –
Quote from: JonDorotich – on
Newman, Weitering McGovern
Saad Haynes Florent
Cottrell Cripps Chesser
Ainsworth McKay Motlop
Hayward Kemp Williams

Reidy Hewett Walsh

Cerra, Smith, Cowan, Carroll

Side looks well balanced however it’s clear that unless one of McGovern, Haynes, Dean or Kemp stands up as a key defender we’ll be exposed.  Other concerns are our ability to defend clever/strong small forwards & the durability of Cottrell & Chesser who could provide much needed pace.

All of Cripps, Weitering, Smith, Hewett, Walsh, Kemp, McKay, Cerra, Hayward, Saad and possibly McGovern have the ability to make the AA squad so let’s hope we see at least half of them get there.

Unlucky not to make the side  - Okeefe (could swap with Kemp), Dean (could swap with Haynes or McGovern), Lord, Pittonet, Acres, Boyd, Hollands, Moir & Evans

Hey dorotich you're short one on the interchange
"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #8 –
Every year we get sucked into included all our recruits into our best 22 (23) and every year we get disappointed.

I can't see how someone like cheeser gets a game in our side after only managing 4 in a very poor Eagles side in 2025... and not much more in years before that. Even if it's simply down to injury history.

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #9 –
I couldn't do it
I tried, but I couldn't do it.
Someone had to miss out
I just couldn't pick one. ::)

So I picked two... :D  :D
(and the chances of making a mistake and including someone twice are pretty high, so feel free to point that out. I have a few reserves)

Team 1
Boyd, Weitering, Cowan
Saad, Haynes, Wilson
L Camporeale, Hewett, Hollands,
Cottrell, McKay, Hayward
Evans, Moir, Motlop
Pittonet, Lord, Cerra

Team 2
Carroll, Young, Newman
Florent, Dean, McGovern
Chesser, Cripps, Acres
F Young, Kemp, Fogarty
Ainsworth, OKeefe, Williams
Reidy, Walsh, Smith

Interchange from- Charleson, Byrne, Monahan B, Camporeale, Ison, Duffy

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #10 –
My philosophy is that they would not recruit someone unless they were planning to play them. So all our recruits will play except for Reidy unless Pittonett is injured. Also this thread is name the team for the opening round.
I also look at who is not going to play, but are good enough, and I have broken that into two groups, younger guys coming through and more senior guys.
Senior guys who will miss out are Fogarty, McGovern, Acres, Kemp, Haynes, Carroll, Boyd and Cottrell. If O'Farrell wasn't injured L.Young would miss out. If E.Hollands is on the list he would be on this list. If White is on the list, he would be on the next list.
The young guys who will miss out are Wilson, L.Camporeale, B.Camporeale, Charleson, Evans and F.Young.
What this tells me is the depth of the side is fine but until the season starts we won't know about the quality. At this stage I am not convinced about the quality.

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Blue Moon – on
My philosophy is that they would not recruit someone unless they were planning to play them. So all our recruits will play except for Reidy unless Pittonett is injured. Also this thread is name the team for the opening round.
I also look at who is not going to play, but are good enough, and I have broken that into two groups, younger guys coming through and more senior guys.
Senior guys who will miss out are Fogarty, McGovern, Acres, Kemp, Haynes, Carroll, Boyd and Cottrell. If O'Farrell wasn't injured L.Young would miss out. If E.Hollands is on the list he would be on this list. If White is on the list, he would be on the next list.
The young guys who will miss out are Wilson, L.Camporeale, B.Camporeale, Charleson, Evans and F.Young.
What this tells me is the depth of the side is fine but until the season starts we won't know about the quality. At this stage I am not convinced about the quality.

That's fair enough.
It is very much a wait and see.
I agree with the point about draftees.
The club sees something that could benefit the side.
It's not like they've thrown a dart and the player it's landed on is the one we get.
There's been a bit of thought, and observation, gone into it  and while it might not be obvious to us, there would be a reason we've taken them on.

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #12 –
I reckon when you perform this exercise, you are probably better off trying to work out the following:

At all clubs I have been involved at, there is a "pecking order".

Irrespective of where the relative talent and ability, capability lies, you will usually find that players sit in different categories.  Accomplished, promising or an unknown quantity. 

The promising players usually have to earn their stripes to get a game, but usually dont have too hard a time. 

The unknown players could be anywhere from a walk up start, to having to jump categories to get a game.  They are unknowns.  Chesser and Reiddy fit into this bucket from the new acquisitions.

The promising players are more you Jagga Smiths and Harry Dean types.  Talented kids who have yet to really test their mettle at AFL level.

The rest are accomplished AFL players.  Been in the system for years, notched up 50+ games, and you generally know what you are going to get.  Fans tend to ignore these types because they tend to think we need better than that.

Expect the accomplished AFL players to be at the top of the pecking order initially with the others trying to knock them off or jump the order. 

So in saying that, where are our acquisitions fitting into the team (note, they may have more accomplished performers ahead of them and have to earn their stripes accordingly)?

IMHO, Haywood, Florent and Ainsworth being walk up starts or there abouts.  From the rest, Chesser will need to be better than Acres to get a game unless its on the opposing wing and all our other options are out, which I dont think will happen as I anticipate Ollie Hollands being there too.  The draftees will likely be in the latter category of promising without having to get a game, and unless they are outstanding talents, probably wont get a game unless they prove they are of superiour quality to the rest.  Reiddy only has pittonet to contend with so is most likely to play ahead of time.  Chesser is a bit of a wildcard.  I dont think he was a priority signing, and was more opportunistic in he wanted to come home, and we need another winger with Cotters foot issue looking to drag on.
"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #13 –
Re recruits, just because we get them, didn't mean we think they are best 23 starters.

Eg look at the ruck. Tdk left, we needed someone to come in. Obviously we try and get someone with great talent but had we not been able to trade for one, we would've got one another way (draft, ssp)

So with that in mind, a ruck was coming one way or another.  So does that make Reidy a starter? I don't think so. Will he play some games? IMO absolutely.

Another way of looking at recruits is this.
What did it cost us?
What could we get with that same value elsewhere?

Eg chesser. He cost us pick 41. Could we get a ready made player with pick 41 at the draft?  Unlikely. So he was recruited as it was better than we could expect to get otherwise. Sure, he would have some desirable attributes and fills a position of need etc (debatable, but i digress).
But ultimately, it's simply about value.

That doesn't mean automatic best 23 though.
 

Re: Name your team for Opening Round

Reply #14 –
You're right Kruds
It looks like he's been recruited to add a bit of run and pace.
Things we lack...
But how he fits into the side is yet to be determined.
Obviously we're looking at a wing position so his challenge will be against the likes of Acres and Ollie Hollands
Lucas Camporeale with a season and pre-season under his belt may also be in the mix
I personally don't see him playing round 1 and it will depend on how he goes in the VFL as to when he eventually plays.
The bottom line is we've recruited him for a need.
We see aspects we like.
We've given him an opportunity.
The rest is up to him.