Season 2026 - Brisbane

Football Discussion Non Essendon Stuff
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Brisbane

Coach – Chris Fagan

2025 –

Points For – 6th
Points Against – 6th

Top 5 Best and Fairest

  1. Josh Dunkley
  2. Hugh McCluggage
  3. Will Ashcroft
  4. Harris Andrews
    =5. Darcy Wilmot
    =5. Jaspa Fletcher

2025 Rising Star Noms

Levi Ashcroft (Rnd 4)

Ins – Oscar Allen, Sam Draper, Dan Annable, Cody Curtin, Koby Evans, Tai Hayes, Ben Murphy

Outs – Callum Ah Chee, Sam Day, Oscar Mcinerny, Deven Robertson, Brandon Ryan, Brandon Starcevich, Darcy Craven

My Prediction

Brisbane last season were the definition of cruising. They just did enough during the season to stay in touch and then ramped things up towards the end of the year, hitting finals absolutely cherry ripe. They then took Geelong and dealt with them, much like they had Sydney the year before. Luckily we have equalisation measures in AFL football to stop them getting stronger and ensure other teams get a good run as well.

The backline is pretty much unchanged from last season. They will just be hoping to keep them on the track for as much of the season as possible. They lose Starcevich this year but he is one head knock away from being finished anyway. Andrews is a poor man’s Zach Reid but he has been pretty good. Zorko will hold his spot on half back although Coleman looked like a star a couple of years ago and will want back in. Fletcher found his run and AFL feet. I can actually see them improving back here on last season.

The midfield is frighteningly good. Dunkley for two top ten picks feels like a bargain when you look back. He is the player every team needs. I don’t know if the Neale stuff will cause any friction but I doubt it. Both Ashcroft boys will be better again. Berry is a gun, McCluggage is brilliant and kicks into forward 50 as well as anyone. You then have Bailey and Raynor who will push up from the forward line and pinch hit in the middle. They also picked up possibly the best mid in theirs years draft.

The forward line is maybe the weakish link. Hipwood is a spud and not sure he will be missed. He needs better forwards around him to take some pressure off. They have added Allen who if he stays fit instantly becomes their best forward and maybe their most important player. Logan Morris looks like being a gun and will continue to develop. I think everyone expects Cameron to improve but I wonder if he is actually cooked, Bailey, Lohmann and Raynor are good enough at ground level to cover for him anyway.

Sam Draper may still be ready for round 1 but he may also never see grass again if Essendon experience is to be trusted. He would be a ridiculously good addition to this team if he gets his body right, if not we get to see Darcy Fort play more football and luckily for them, their midfield is good enough to cover his ineptness. The coach is a manager of men, he isn’t a tactical genius but he keeps the team happy and pushing in the right direction.

I don’t think Brisbane will win the minor premiership but mostly because I am not sure they care about it. I think they will do enough to make the top four and will win their third premiership in three years. The only thing that could stop them, is injuries or ego. They will finish top four.

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Despicable AwFuL lovechild club. One of the worst things about living in Brisbane is having to share it with these kents.

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Genuinely laughed out loud at this

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GF certainties.

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May they Farking rot.

Screw Daniher.

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I agree. They have quality all over field, class on every line and a favourable setbup with drafts that allows them hefty lead over all opposition. That lead will need to be addressed soon, or it will skew the whole competition even more than it already is. The advantages given to the Lions has already done its job, provided them withnonfield success and establised the code in Brissy. Time to scale it back.

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They had something like 8 players under 22/23yo in their Premiership side last year, and most of them are guns. Farkin’ Hell!!! They’ll be around the top for quite a few years to come…4peat.

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Won’t be able to keep them all will ask for more money.

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Maybe, but most are now Queenslanders and love living there, a bit like Geelong keeping players on lower pay because of the environment and living conditions.

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Money talks tho. when they hit FA status they will get crazy offers that are hard to refuse some might want to cash in after winning multiple flags

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Maaaaan coulda / woulda / shoulda on those top 2 bnf

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They are lucky the AFL bailed them out when they were crap and losing players every year not only that but hey are cheats in the 2001 GF fark them

Essendon have been crap for 20 years where is our help AFL

Brisbane can get farked

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Lions aren’t going anywhere but the Suns will be equally frightening in years to come. QLD footy is very strong right now.

The gap between the good and bad teams feels very big atm, free agency clearly adding to that.

Tipping lions to get it done again. Can’t see anyone other than a resurgent Geelong or out of nowhere Suns or Dogs really knocking them off.

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And what are the AFL doing about it? oh that’s right nothing just let the gap get wider and wider

I would change the draft the bottom 8 teams have access from picks 1-30. Teams that finish 1st on the ladder get pick 18 what a joke

Top 8 teams start at the 3rd round of the draft

Free agents get bonus money if they join a bottom club would also put a limit on how many FA a top side can get in one year

Brisbane for eg can’t get both Draper and Alen

If a bottom team loses a FA their compo for him doesn’t get wiped out if they bring in a FA

These are some of the things the AFL can do to close the gap between the good and bad teams

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I agree with much of that mate, particularly the free agent part.

The drafting plan would certainly make finishing 8th a bit rough but I get the intention.

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Could have the top 4 teams locked out from the first two rounds of the draft

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I’d bring in a pre-draft nomination trade period. Teams who finished sixth and above (it could even be a rolling metric or a combination of things) would be forced to trade for NGA, F/S, or other linked players directly with a bottom 12/13 team if they indicate they would select them on draft night with a pick ahead of one held by the top six team.

If indicated, and no trade occurs, you are now obliged to take that player with that pick (so overvaluing to try force a trade carries risk). The team who nominates with the lowest (highest?) pick gets the negotiating table. But it means (a) a fairer value is paid and (b) the recipient of that value is a weaker team.

Fairy dust points still apply for linked players at bottom 12/13 clubs.

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You spelt Draper wrong.

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They’re spelled the same:

S N A K E

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You are kidding? What might they be? Rich are getting richer. When was the last time a gun FA went to a battler? Brisbane could lose half last years GF side and they’d still waltz into top 4. Equalisation? Flat earth. Martians. Powdered water.