Currently i would have a blank team sheet. Every spot must be earned.

12 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

Currently i would have a blank team sheet. Every spot must be earned.

Yeah, after everything that’s happened, Gawn should have to earn his spot.

/s

1 hour ago, buck_nekkid said:

Currently i would have a blank team sheet. Every spot must be earned.

4 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Yeah, after everything that’s happened, Gawn should have to earn his spot.

/s

Yep, if Heath is better, then he has to be #1 ruck. I have no probs with that at all…

2 hours ago, buck_nekkid said:

Yep, if Heath is better, then he has to be #1 ruck. I have no probs with that at all…

maxy will be #1 ruck no doubt about it

Gone down a somewhat youth path for this 23 so wont be our best team by any stretch.

FB: Adams Petty Bowey

HB: Howes Turner Jiath

C: Windsor Langford Lindsay

HF: Chandler JvR Tholstrup

Ff: Jefferson Mihocek Fritsch

R: Gawn Rivers Pickett

I: Viney Heath Langdon Steele salem

Can probably substitute Jefferson for Kentfield.

Viney to spend more time in the forward line.

We are in desperate need for a high pressure small forward.

Edited October 22, 2025Oct 22 by Random Task

3 hours ago, Random Task said:

Gone down a somewhat youth path for this 23 so wont be our best team by any stretch.

FB: Adams Petty Bowey

HB: Bowey Turner Jiath

C: Windsor Langford Lindsay

HF: Chandler JvR Tholstrup

Ff: Jefferson Mihocek Fritsch

R: Gawn Rivers Pickett

I: Viney Heath Langdon Howes Steele

Can probably substitute Jefferson for Kentfield.

Viney to spend more time in the forward line.

We are in desperate need for a high pressure small forward.

A bit much Bowey...

I can see king throwing the magnets around a little bit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Salem got a position change. I reckon he could move to half forward

9 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

I can see king throwing the magnets around a little bit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Salem got a position change. I reckon he could move to half forward

Surely our I50 delivery would improve with Salem playing at half forward.

2 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

I can see king throwing the magnets around a little bit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Salem got a position change. I reckon he could move to half forward

1 hour ago, Little Richard said:

Surely our I50 delivery would improve with Salem playing at half forward.

Maybe, but HBFs have played their whole career with the game in front of them - able to peel off and push off a forward to then have chest facing the end we want to go to.

Forwards invariably win the footy and will have their back to the goals and/or with someone right on them. You can definitely have structures and set pieces that free up players in the forward half but you can just as easily do that with a HBF as with HFF.

I would leave Salem where he is until his last elite trait - his kicking - leaves him and we have to move beyond him.

Salem Petty Lever

Bowey Turner Jiath

Windsor Viney Langdon

Chandler Mihocek Tholstrup

Pickett Van Rooyen Fritsch

Gawn Langford Rivers

Lindsay Steele Sparrow Howes Culley

Emergencies: Moniz Sharp Kentfield May

Delivery out if the backline is more important than delivery inside 50.

Ideally everyone at every position is elite, but not the case.

Where is the game style going from here?

Personally I think the forward line has tactically the most room to grow for invovation.

Those that follow soccer would know that set pieces have became all the rage again. Also the top managers philosophy is structure in the back and midfield, however players must be able to interchange position on the fly. The team has a general structure but must morph as the play goes on and players must be aware of what position they need to fill etc.

The forward area is where predictable structure is thrown out the window and players are given creative licence to make something happen. Simply, you don't want to be predictable as that is exactly what the opposition defence is ready for.

I always thought with Goody it was the same thing over and over going inside 50 and the forward setup.

I feel the game will change inside 50 a lot in the coming years. Hopefully King will the one to reivent it.

On 17/10/2025 at 21:58, WERRIDEE said:

Melbourne

B: Lever, Petty, Salem

HB: Lindsay, Turner, Bowey

C: Culley, Steele, Langford

HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, Langdon

F: Melksham, Mihocek, Fritsch

FOLL: Gawn, Rivers, Pickett

IC: Windsor, Sparrow, Tholstrup, Jiath, Viney

EMERG: Pick 7, Pick 8, Howes

Casey

B: Adams, May, Berry

HB: Howes, McDonald, Moniz-Wakefield

C; Sinnema, Laurie, Sharp

HF: Henderson, Johnson, Mentha

F: McAdam, Kentfield, Jefferson

FOLL: Campbell, Pick 7, Pick 8

IC: Heath, White, Pick 37, Bonner, Cross

EMERG: Smith, Baldi, Yze

It's bit early to be picking the best 23, but one thing I would say is don't write Steven May off just yet.

He will be back with some big points to prove to the coach, and if his body holds up he may just surprise everyone.

Best 23? Too early … but

10 hours ago, rpfc said:

Maybe, but HBFs have played their whole career with the game in front of them - able to peel off and push off a forward to then have chest facing the end we want to go to.

Forwards invariably win the footy and will have their back to the goals and/or with someone right on them. You can definitely have structures and set pieces that free up players in the forward half but you can just as easily do that with a HBF as with HFF.

I would leave Salem where he is until his last elite trait - his kicking - leaves him and we have to move beyond him.

Good comments and with the pace of the game there is now a greater incentive to implement a new churn or washing machine strategy where players are constantly on the move running forward to receive the ball and then returning to run back to a defensive position to run forward again. This constant rotation would be especially effective against zone defence as runners can move into space rather than into contests. A good mix of youth and older players must be used to use the squad best while resting and matching hardened bodies when required against specific opponents.

I have promoted these action sfor some years and hope KIng will introduce some different tactics and strategies than those Goody seemed to adhere to.

Regarding the pace of our key defenders being poor, not sure either of the AA key defenders (Battle and Andrews) are racehorses. Neither are their offsiders in Barass or Gardner. Both teams rely on quick movement out of defense to allow them to get into good positions, and then pressure on the kicker coming in to take intercept marks. Neither require elite speed from the key defenders.

We used to be very good at it. That has gone and it has left our key defenders exposed for speed when it is clearly game style that has cost them for mine.

Surprised people have Melksham out of their side. Had a career best season with 33 goals with 2 bags of 5 and 2 bags of 4. In fact he kicked 14 goals in 3 weeks. I get he's aging but he deserves first dibs next year.

We have 5 forwards in Melksham, Kozzie, Mihocek, Fritta and JVR who've all had 30 goal seasons in their career and should all be in the 23 next year. Even Petty who Kane Cornes takes the absolute micky out averaged 1.3 goals in his 15 games he played as a forward which is 30 goal a season pace (based on a full season)

Aside from the need for an additional small forward, our forward line is far from the worst in the league IMO.

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Surprised people have Melksham out of their side. Had a career best season with 33 goals with 2 bags of 5 and 2 bags of 4. In fact he kicked 14 goals in 3 weeks. I get he's aging but he deserves first dibs next year.

We have 5 forwards in Melksham, Kozzie, Mihocek, Fritta and JVR who've all had 30 goal seasons in their career and should all be in the 23 next year. Even Petty who Kane Cornes takes the absolute micky out averaged 1.3 goals in his 15 games he played as a forward which is 30 goal a season pace (based on a full season)

Aside from the need for an additional small forward, our forward line is far from the worst in the league IMO.

Surprised that no one selects Tom MCD who, IMV was our best defender in 2025. Lever will have to improve a lot to be better than Tom. And I think Petty will still play forward . Mihocek is certainly not a CHF and Van Rooyen has shown nothing to suggest he is .

11 minutes ago, Farmer said:

Surprised that no one selects Tom MCD who, IMV was our best defender in 2025.

He should be selected, assuming selection isn't based on birth certificates.

B: D.Turner, S.May, C.Jiath 
HB: C.Salem, J.Lever, J.Bowey
C: E.Langdon, H.Langford, X.Lindsay
HF: J.Melksham, B.Mihocek, T.Sparrow
F: B.Fritsch, L.Kentfield, K.Chandler
FOLL: M.Gawn, K.Pickett, J.Steele
I/C: H.Petty, T.Rivers, J.Viney, C.Windsor, J.van Rooyen

Depth: Jed Adams, Blake Howes, Matt Jefferson, Tom McDonald, Harry Sharp, Jai Culley
Ins: Changkuoth Jiath (Hawthorn), Brody Mihocek (Collingwood), Jack Steele (St Kilda)
Outs: Christian Petracca (Gold Coast), Clayton Oliver (GWS Giants), Judd McVee (Fremantle), Charlie Spargo (North Melbourne), Jack Billings (delisted), Tom Fullarton (delisted), Marty Hore (delisted), Oliver Sestan (delisted), Taj Woewoedin (delisted), Kynan Brown (delisted), Will Verral (delisted)
2025 draft picks: 7, 8, 37, 66, 71

A new King calls for a new army, and Melbourne will enter 2026 as a shockingly different semblance of its 2025 version. Two top-10 picks will add to the quality youngsters coming through, and Jack Steele was a late-but-important inclusion after Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca left. Brody Mihocek will offer plenty up forward and Changkuoth Jiath gives the Demons something different in the back half. 

29 minutes ago, Demonland said:

B: D.Turner, S.May, C.Jiath 
HB: C.Salem, J.Lever, J.Bowey
C: E.Langdon, H.Langford, X.Lindsay
HF: J.Melksham, B.Mihocek, T.Sparrow
F: B.Fritsch, L.Kentfield, K.Chandler
FOLL: M.Gawn, K.Pickett, J.Steele
I/C: H.Petty, T.Rivers, J.Viney, C.Windsor, J.van Rooyen

Depth: Jed Adams, Blake Howes, Matt Jefferson, Tom McDonald, Harry Sharp, Jai Culley
Ins: Changkuoth Jiath (Hawthorn), Brody Mihocek (Collingwood), Jack Steele (St Kilda)
Outs: Christian Petracca (Gold Coast), Clayton Oliver (GWS Giants), Judd McVee (Fremantle), Charlie Spargo (North Melbourne), Jack Billings (delisted), Tom Fullarton (delisted), Marty Hore (delisted), Oliver Sestan (delisted), Taj Woewoedin (delisted), Kynan Brown (delisted), Will Verral (delisted)
2025 draft picks: 7, 8, 37, 66, 71

A new King calls for a new army, and Melbourne will enter 2026 as a shockingly different semblance of its 2025 version. Two top-10 picks will add to the quality youngsters coming through, and Jack Steele was a late-but-important inclusion after Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca left. Brody Mihocek will offer plenty up forward and Changkuoth Jiath gives the Demons something different in the back half. 

It’s Kentfield season

1 hour ago, demoncat said:

It’s Kentfield season

I don’t mind if have team at all.😁👍

That should read I don’t mind this team at all, nice to see Kentfield recognised .

My go at it. Going from little snippets of info along the way. I think Adams plays FB due to rumours dogs were into him. Need to give him an opportunity. They mentioned they believed CJ plays his best footy at HBF. I think Lever will get a crack at interceptor allowing Turner to go forward if his body is all good. Though I love Turner in that role. Otherwise he's back and JVR or Kentfield forward. AMW to get a crack at replacing McVee 🤞 his knee is alright. Langford could easily start as big bodied inside mid, though with Steele and Viney, I don't mind him on the wing. He and Culley to drift forward as the cross goal option. Langdon repurposed as a high forward connector. Heath as tall forward/back up ruck to prolong Gawn.

Salem Adams Lever

Bowey Petty Jiath

Culley Windsor Langford

Langdon Turner Chandler

Fritsch Miochek Melksham

Gawn Kozzy Viney

AMW Lindsay Steele Rivers Heath

Emer: From Tholstrup JVR Sparrow Kentfield TMc 1st rnd picks etc

What, no Mason Cox?