2025 best 23

Jones is not a star but his strength is his versatility. He can play a number of roles - forward, wing - possibly even a defensive role. For this reason you’ll find him in most people’s best 23

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Cox isn’t in your team and he’s still on notice! Plus, no Roberts? One of the first selected for mine, along with Caddy and Tsatas. Need to play these promising kids.

FB Reid McKay McGrath
HB. Roberts Ridley Redman
C Duursma Durham El Hawli
HF Gresham Langford Martin
FF Caddy Wright Kako
R Draper Caldwell Merrett
INT Tsatas Parish Prior Perkins
SUB Guelfi

Next in line…
Bryan, Jones, Hobbs (Baldwin if there)

Form pending…
Davey, Menzie, Cox, Hayes the rest of the draftees

Pure depth regardless of form: Shiel, Setterfield, Laverde, Goldstein

Happy with this team. Prior the seventh defender with Merrett to spend around 20% of his time playing of half back this year, allowing Durham and Tsatas more minutes. Parish rotating middle, forward and bench.

A faster, more dynamic forward line (both Stringer and Jones out of the team (even though he played mostly wing). Across the field, none of these two, along with no Cox, means a faster and better defensive side in general. Sure Jones had some good tackle games, but was also exposed a lot.

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Keen to see Roberts play too. Just struggling to find his best position with all of McGrath, Martin, El Hawli, Duursma, Redman and Prior expected to play similar roles. If Martin does end up playing permanent forward then would drop Gresham and bring Roberts in.

Saad is also very versatile, whilst also possessing speed and pressure.
I’d be starting him every single day over Jones, our teams far to slow for modern football.

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McGrath first lock down defender.
I’m hoping El Hawli plays wing, rotating with Duursma and Martin, on a forward flank / bench.

Redman, Roberts and Prior half back / 7th defender.

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I’m expecting Bryan to be #1 ruck very very soon, Draper to Fwd/ruck, 2MP to be challenged to kick a few bags in the 2s to demand selection

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Can’t disagree with your take other than I’m hoping Prior will own the lock down small defender role allowing McGrath to be more attacking across half back.

Either way can see all 7 filling specific needs next year.

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Id give reid a good solid month in the vfl before i trust his body.

That was exactly the scenario in the last 4 weeks of the season. So it’s not really a very, very soon thing, it’s already happened

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So Bryan not “next in line”…

I hope Draper has the mindset of needing to win his spot back as the number 1 ruckman. Because he needs to get better. Maybe this gives him the motivation he needs

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This is purely a bat signal for @ivan

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I’d rather Prior the attacking hb in all honesty.
Watching Andy kick raises my bloody pressure to dangerous areas

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1st team

FB Reid McKay McGrath
HB. El Hawli Ridley Redman
C Duursma Parish Martin
HF Guelfi Jones Gresham
FF Wright Langford Kako
R Draper Durham Merrett
INT Tsatas Caddy Caldwell Perkins Roberts

2nd team

FB Lual Baldwin Laverde
HB. Clarke Hayes Prior
C Nguyen Setterfield Johnson
HF Day-Wicks Cox Menzie
FF Davey Gerreyn Goldstein
R Bryan Shiel Hobbs
INT Visentina , Unwin, … , …

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FB: McGrath McKay Redman
HB: Roberts Reid Ridley
C: Martin Caldwell Duursma
HF: Merrett Caddy Gresham
FF: Kako Draper Langford
Fol: Bryan Duzz Parish

Int: Tsatas Perkins SEH Jones Prior

VFL

FB: Nguyen Lav Baldwin
HB: Johnson Hayes Foley
C: Davey Setterfield Hatley
HF: Day-Wicks Cox Unwin
FF: Menzie Gerryen Lual
Fol: Goldy O’Neill Hobbs

Int: Sheil Visentini Eckersley Toma Taha

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Find it hard to believe you can play someone who can’t kick at Full Forward

FB Ridley McKay McGrath
HB. Roberts Reid Redman
C Duursma Durham Martin
HF Perkins Caddy El Hawli
FF Guelfi Langford Kako
R Draper Caldwell Merrett
INT Tsatas Parish Prior Bryan
SUB
Cox

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Believe it. We played Joe there for years.

Then we’ve played a bloke who can’t mark or kick in the Weed for most part of a year.

And again we played Draper as a key forward for large parts of this year.

So get on board the faith train brother, because we’re believers around these ways.

Yeah cause assuming everyone is fit and at peak output I don’t see him ahead of anyone named as key forward or defender and can’t see him playing wing so IMO he has to refine his craft as a high endurance/ work horse key forward if he’s any chance to lock down a senior role.