AFL Rd 20 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Gold Coast at Marvel

Today at 01:18:10 am

Well, we might get Pitto back. That would stop much of haemorrhaging in the middle.
We might get Weitering back. That would also provide stability to order to a defence that was done reasonably well without him.

H probably won't play. Depending on what he's done, he may not play again this year.
That leaves us with serious holes in the forward line. And I don't know who is going to fill them.
I don't think we can afford Kemp as our key forward. His kicking loses us games. Mitch McGovern does some nice things, but not enough.
But who is there to come in? Moir? He probably doesn't deserve a spot, but he will kick goals if he gets it.
O'Keefe? Maybe, even with his poor form, at least he has some height and strength. (His kicking won't improve us.)
Do we play Reidy as a part time forward? He is slightly more reliable that Kemp.

Who comes in for Cerra? He won't play next week, maybe not for the year.
Do we try Ben Camporeale? He is worth a look.
Cooper Lord would be the obvious one, except he clearly hasn't got his fitness back yet. he had 18 possessions against Collingwood, but didn't hurt with any of them.
For that matter Blake Acres was ordinary. 17 possessions for almost as much impact as Lord did.

I'd like to give Jack Ison a few games in the twos to discover his mojo again. He has lost that confidence that was so important when he came in.
Flynn Young? Maybe. he also usually kicks goals if he has a shot.

Our structure was seriously compromised when Charlie Curnow, Jack Silvagni and Tom de Koning left. It left seriously lack key position players and the sort of ruck designed to take advantage of the new rules. The guys who have come in have been contributors, but none of them is a match winner. They don't have the height to do the jobs of the guys who have left.
Our mids have done their best, but they don't take pack marks or kick many goals.

Can we overcome our major structural weaknesses to overcome the biggest failures of 2026? I'm not feeling confident.