I think we have a good to very good list.
2 Likes
Only one small forward would be a disaster. One of El-Achkar, Guelfi or Gresham has to play. Opposition defenders would stroll out of that forwardline.
Id just back in Hus and see how we go. We’ve seen what Guelfi and Gresham are capable of.
2 Likes
I think Merrett will spend lots of time forward this year as we have other options on/around the ball;-
Durham/Caldwell/Parish/McGrath/Sharp
Reckon McGrath should play in the middle and Nyugen take the defence role. I think we have never seen the best of him and maybe as captain can step up.
6 Likes
It’s a fair assessment given what we know at this stage. However, from a realistic standpoint, there remain a number of question marks, stemming from injury concerns, current form, or unknown levels of ability and talent, in relation to the following:
McKay Ridley
Reid
Parish
May
Sharp Cox Farrow Johnson
Robey, Visentini, Kondogiannis
1 Like
This is what I’d like to see round 1.
McGrath McKay Saad
Roberts Reid Redman
Clarke Sharp Duursma
Langford May Merrett
Kako Caddy Huss
Vig Duz Caldwell
Johnson Unwin Nguyen Tsatas Blakiston
But that’s a fantasy and obviously all of Parish, Ridley, Wright, Fiorini and Prior (and probably Setterfield, Jones and Perkins) will play for the limited time they are all fit.
What is clear in listing this out is that our half forward line SUCKS. Need Robey to come on and Martin back.
2 Likes
Farrow better be good.
Because Dovaston was the most obvious choice ever to fill a list need. And meh who cares if he likes a beer. If you’re fair dinkum about believing in your program you back yourself in to mould a player. Within reason obviously.
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He was. But I’m also super bullish on Huss.
In any event, Kako, Huss and Dov would have gone some way to turning an area of weakness into strength (or at least AFL standard).
2 Likes
I’m super bullish on Arki Butler. He will fix the issue.
1 Like
To be fair, Welsh did say it would be a tough year. If we manage to bring in Bailey and look to draft one small/medium forward type which 2026 looks pretty flush in Arki Butler, Templeton, Kodah Edwards, Gabriel Patterson, or my favourite Marlon ‘the Nuke’ Neocleous then all of a sudden Essendon’s forward stocks are up. Small forwards are generally more easier to develop and it will be a season to see how HEA and Unwin look before writing them off. 2027 then might look to have Robey, Martin, Bailey, Kako, Caddy as forwards.
4 Likes
The presumed acquisition of Bailey doing a lot of heavy lifting in this rosy forecast.
2 Likes
Forgot the first rule of blitz was don’t be optimistic/hopeful
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If we had traded merrett, we could have selected THE DOV so naturally, he will be a GUN
I would like to see something like this.
FB: Andrew McGrath - Ben McKay - Archie Roberts
HB: Mason Redman - Zach Reid - Jordan Ridley
Mid: Xavier Duursma - Darcy Parish - Brayden Fiorini
Fol: Nick Bryan - Jye Caldwell - Zach Merrett
HF: Kyle Langford - Nate Caddy - Sam Durham
FF: Hussien El Achkar - Peter Wright - Isaac Kako
Interchange: Angus Clarke - Jayden Nguyen - Archer May - Zak Johnson - Nikolas Cox
13 Likes
Here is my go at it. Less height, more speed. Less nice, more aggression. My personal preference.
FB: Nguyen, Reid, Redman
HB: Roberts, Ridley, McGrath
C: Fiorini, Durham, Duursma
HF: Langford, Caddy, Kako
FF: Unwin, May, El Achkar
R: Blakiston, Parish, Caldwell
Int: Merrett, Sharp, Clarke, Johnson, Cox
2 Likes
Speed theme as well
FB: McGrath Reid Nguyen
HB: Redman Kondogiannis Clarke
C: Fiorini Caldwell Duursma
HF: Merrett Caddy Kako
F: El Achkar May Durham
R: Blackiston Sharp Parish
2 Likes
All these best 23s get me excited, until I reach the forward line. I just can’t see a whole lot of goals coming from this group.
I’m hoping we can come up with a structure that elevates this group. Perhaps a not so important game plan 
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I think too many are sleeping on Huss he was down slightly in his senior year but also had an ankle injury and has shown he can go it at vfl level.
Basically getting him on the cheap allowed us to fill the other need, but wouldn’t it be Sharp vs Dovaston instead of farrow as that would have been more likely the pick we would have used?
3 Likes
Overlooking Guelfi maybe, but Perkins, are you kidding us!? Gresham no doubt has/had talent, but would need to improve dramatically to push out the kids with better upside!!!
Perkins has talent, size etc, but we all know he has had a thousand opportunities for his 3-4 good (not great) games. Play him in scoobs until or unless he smashes the door down. Wish he would, but I doubt it.
Nguyen McKay McGrath
Redman Reid Roberts
Fiorini Durham Duursma
Merrett Caddy Clarke
El-Achkar Langford Kako
Blackiston Caldwell Sharp
Parish, Farrow, Cox, Wright, Johnson
Emg: May, Vigo, SEH
4 Likes