2026 rolling best 23

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
61

I’d love pou tonight

62

Have you tried prune juice?

15 Likes
63

He is one I’m not keen on. I like confidence and all, but he just seems like a twat and not sure he has the game to back it up.

1 Like
64

fair enough, i have no idea what his personally it like, jsut like his highlight reel

65

Perkins and Robey playing forward together is a must, both handsome so that helps

1 Like
66

Ross the Boss reckons he’s going to do everything in his power to make sure they sign him.

So ■■■■ him…and RTB too.

68

I’d like to think we look something like:

FB: McGrath - McKay - Ridley
HB: Clarke - Reid - Redman
R: Bryan - Sharp - Durham
C: Fiorini - Martin - Duursma
HF: Merrett - Caddy - Robey
FF: Wright - Langford - Kako
I/C:Perkins - Parish - Cadlwell - Farrow - Roberts

With a few under an injury cloud at this time (some guaranteed to be missing, I’d have the following replacements:

  • Ridley (Kondogiannis)
  • Bryan (Visentini)
  • Martin (Tsatas - to the bench and Parish on-field)
  • Robey (May to FF, Langford to the HFF)
  • Langford (May - ADW to the HFF if Robey out too)
  • Perkins (ADW or El-Hawli if multiples are out)

I think that ‘Best 23’ is actually a competitive side. Not to go deep into finals, but to certainly make it tougher for opposition sides for longer. We’d get to see a glimpse of what a successful Essendon side might look like if that team gets 10 weeks continuity.

And I appreciate that’s a big if.

5 Likes
69

Ridley McKay Nguyen
Redman Reid Roberts
Fiorini McGrath(c) Duursma
Perkins May Merrett
Langford Caddy Kako

Vigo Durham Caldwell

Bench: Parish(mid), Sharp(mid), Clarke(def/wing), Robey(fwd/mid), 2MP(ruck/fwd)

2 Likes
70

I’m at a loss to see what Perkins has done to be included in any best 23 equations.

He starts in the VFL for me, especially with his groin issues now meaning he’ll have a limited pre season.

15 Likes
71

Ridley McKay Nguyen
Redman Reid Roberts
Fiorini McGrath(c) Duursma
Robey May Merrett
Langford Caddy Kako

Bryan Durham Caldwell

Bench: Farrow(def), Sharp(mid), Clarke(def/wing), Parish(mid), 2MP(ruck/fwd)

8 Likes
72

He was third in the goalkicking last year. If we’re basing it on what players have done, it’s not outrageous…competition is limited. Has plenty of work to do nonetheless.

2 Likes
73

Wasn’t that a savage indictment on the rest of the forwards?

74

Sounds like there’s going to be an interesting contest for the small/rebounding defenders in the back line. Seh, Johnson, Nguyen and farrow app might be right in the conversation. The incumbents are McGrath, Roberts, Redman and prior

Could McGrath and Roberts be looking at new roles?

Could we go a bit smaller down back and play Redman as the third tall consistently (maybe injuries dictate that).

We definitely need one or two genuine attacking weapons at half back

4 Likes
75

I really hope Brad persists with Roberts down back, we don’t need any more midfielders currently and his competitiveness and grunt is exactly what we need down back

4 Likes
76

Ridley McKay McGrath
Redman Reid Roberts
Fiorini Caldwell Duursma
Edwards May Guelfi
Langford Caddy Kako

2MP Durham Merrett

Bench: Parish Sharp Clarke Robey Blaki

77

R1

McGrath McKay Ridley

Redman Reid Roberts

Duursma Caldwell Fiorini

Durham Wright Merrett

Kako Caddy Langford

Blakiston Parish Sharp

Clarke, Robey, Johnston, Farrow/Perkins

I’d love to see Johnston/Farrow pushing Redman out of a starting back-six role by end of year. I’d also like to see Vigo pushing out Blakiston or maybe 2MP with Bryan back in, or May/Cox coming from the heavens to nudge out 2MP as the forward ruck. Special mention to Nguyen who I’d love to have in but don’t want it pushing McGrath up the ground.

2 Likes
78

Hopefully Bryan is good to go early rounds. If Bryan can get on the park early it will allow us to keep 2MP forward more which will help our structure. Without Bryan we will be forced to play a couple of largely unproven talls like- Blaki/McMahon/May/Vigo
Not sure if Jones/Edwards/Cox will be right to go early rounds either - but all have some X-factor. Hopefully our round 1 starting 23 is something like;-

Ridley McKay McGrath
Redman Reid Roberts
Fiorini Caldwell Duursma
Robey Caddy Kako
Langford 2MP Guelfi

Bryan Durham Merrett

Parish Sharp Clarke Nguyen Perkins

Emergency: Tsatas Gresh Prior Cox

79

Jones has X factor?

At what, as it couldn’t be football?

1 Like
80

It would be some effort for Robey to start training in Jan and play round 1. No rush I wouldn’t have thought.

2 Likes
81

I don’t think Robey and Guelfi will be starting 22.

Parish replaces Durham

Durham replaces Robey

Tsatas onto the bench.

Maybe, Guelfi does get a game early if Hus or another smaller player don’t put their hand up.

2 Likes