Interested in Demonlanders views.

Personally, I think this will be one of the intriguing things to watch our team for in 2026, along with how the team re-forms, gels and adapts to a new game style.

One thing about loosing the Petracca's, Oliver's and Spud McVee's as well as a new coach and game style, is that it will great provide opportunities for players who might have been in the showdows to step up.

While many would have expectations on guys like Langford, Lindsay and Windsor to go to the next level as part of their development trajectory, I'm also interested to see how the tier of more developed players like Rivers, Sparrow, Chandler, Howes & Co might fare. I suspect that many will would fancy Rivers to thrive given more of a free run at the midfield, but I also personally wouldn't be surprised if someone like Sparrow emerges in a more dominant form and sets the tone.

While the likes of Langford, Windsor and Co performed brilliantly in their respective first seasons, I'm not putting any expectations on our first year draftees at this point. If they come out all guns blazing, then great, but if not, then I'm happy for them to develop at their own pace and earn a spot in the team.

Hoping AMW has a big year and a change of luck. Would be great for the backline if he can have a break out year.

Windsor

JVR

Jefferson

Fingers crossed that these guys stay fit and play their best footy in the seniors

Culley

AMW

L Pickett

X Taylor

Kentfield

A real bonus would be if Kolt finally found a position and made it his own.

Everyone will have a break out season and win the premiership. That's my take.

2 hours ago, adonski said:

Windsor

JVR

Jefferson

Oh I forgot Culley & Kolt!

We may win it all after all

Edited Friday at 06:443 days by adonski

2 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

Culley

AMW

L Pickett

X Taylor

Kentfield

A real bonus would be if Kolt finally found a position and made it his own.

Good list. I reckon Culley might surprise a few sceptics.

I think Turner might go from good to... well above good.

1. Culley 2. JVR 3. Lindsay to be the three to have the highest increase in consistent impact compared to last year.

   Special mention to Chandler who will start to get better recognition outside of just being a role player and Kentfield who at minimum will start consistently dominating at VFL.
   

Windsor for me. You could see the signs it was coming together for him late last year when he got a run through the midfield and by all accounts he’s burning up track this preseason.

I also think Culley is going to make west coast look silly this year.

Edited Friday at 20:422 days by Pipefitter

14 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

Everyone will have a break out season and win the premiership. That's my take.

Such minor improvements across the board i reckon would snowball and make most teams unrecognisable - and turn most into real flag contenders.

BTW I'm not predicting it but think about this..... if a team's best 22 or so that makes the field each week have all improved such that they're worth an extra half a goal each that's 11 goals improvement - despite not one single player improving much.

Edited Friday at 20:512 days by Go Ds

58 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

1. Culley 2. JVR 3. Lindsay to be the three to have the highest increase in consistent impact compared to last year.

   Special mention to Chandler who will start to get better recognition outside of just being a role player and Kentfield who at minimum will start consistently dominating at VFL.
   

Chandler is the MOST overated player on the list!

35 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Chandler is the MOST overated player on the list!

Thanks for validating my point. Lets check in at end of season to see. I assume you didn't rate ANB either?
His workrate and pressure numbers are already elite for a high half forward and his disposal numbers are above average in a role where consistency in that area is difficult. Needs to increase his score involvements in 2026 which I suggest a less constrained game style will show quickly.

1 hour ago, Pipefitter said:

I also think Culley is going to make west coast look silly this year.

Surely WCE can do that regardless of Culley

34 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

Thanks for validating my point. Lets check in at end of season to see. I assume you didn't rate ANB either?
His workrate and pressure numbers are already elite for a high half forward and his disposal numbers are above average in a role where consistency in that area is difficult. Needs to increase his score involvements in 2026 which I suggest a less constrained game style will show quickly.

Always was a HUGE fan of ANB, but double down on Chandler, happy to revisit when he gets dropped!

1 hour ago, Go Ds said:

BTW I'm not predicting it but think about this..... if a team's best 22 or so that makes the field each week have all improved such that they're worth an extra half a goal each that's 11 goals improvement - despite not one single player improving much.

Sounds great. But we live in a competitive world where marginal improvement achieves very little because our opponents are improving too. We need all to improve, but those that can most influence the result need to improve the most. Ie, the match-winners.

True @Fanatique Demon But obviously not every side or player improves each year - compromised preseasons, injuries, lowered club morale can all occur - and of course the level of improvement for each individual will vary. IMHO if someone knew almost everything re every team's preseasons the rise and falls on the ladder would rarely surprise.

Edited Saturday at 00:402 days by Go Ds

4 hours ago, Go Ds said:

Such minor improvements across the board i reckon would snowball and make most teams unrecognisable - and turn most into real flag contenders.

BTW I'm not predicting it but think about this..... if a team's best 22 or so that makes the field each week have all improved such that they're worth an extra half a goal each that's 11 goals improvement - despite not one single player improving much.

Go DS do you mean if the backline save 5-6 extra goals and our mids/fwd’s kick an extra 5-6 we would average an extra 11 goals/game?

Windsor has the goods to take some big steps.

Langford perhaps top 50 in the comp.

Unfortunately we will still end up around 14th

My Break-out players are-

Trent Rivers- Midfielder ( dependant on Jiath releasing him from hbf)

Caleb Windsor - Mid/Wing looks ready to go.

Jacob van Rooyen- leaner meaner will be assisted by Brody Mihocek’s presence fwd.

JAI Culley- Mid/Wing fast strong aerial game

Harry Sharp - Mid/Fwd has won every speed and endurance event to date, King will find a way to utilise his pace.

They are the five that I will be hoping for But we should also expect to see an incremental lift from Sparrow, Chandler, CJ, Fritta and Howes in a more open instinctive environment.

And I haven’t even mentioned our other young guns across all lines.

Like Go DS I am looking forward to seeing what our group can deliver in ‘26, barring serious injury.

9 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Go DS do you mean if the backline save 5-6 extra goals and our mids/fwd’s kick an extra 5-6 we would average an extra 11 goals/game?

Honestly, I don't think 11 goals a game is realistic as the competition is far closer than that. We would have lost 8 games last by less than 20 points. Win just a reasonable portion of those and we play finals.

The worst blow-out losses we had against us were in the first 5 rounds and that really pretty much killed our season from the get go.

That all said, I agree with @Go Ds main premise that genuine across the board improvement and hitting our straps from Rd 1 are the real key to us having a good season as a team and how well we approach preseason is the precursor to both of those. In this respects, I'm encouraged by reports that our preseason has been one of (if not the) hardest that the players remember.

Still regardless of those things, I think there will be and needs to be individual players that go to another level in order for our team performance to thrive. Even if we evenly rotate multiple players through the midfield, we'll need some to step-up and go to another level to replace the drive that was provided by Trac and Clarry. If we can have some that do that with some better flair and efficiency going forward, then we could be well on our way. Interesting reading the words of Steven King in the latest article Re the Pickett's on the club Web sites that he thinks we can be hard to beat if we are better at connecting up forward and challenging teams with ball in hand (I mean no [censored] Sherlock, but I think it does capture the opportunity).

As some have mentioned Cully could be a player that helps deliver that, but who might be the others? To this point, I've somewhat dismissed that 'The Bison' Langford could deliver that sort of role at the level of battle hardened AFL mids, that don't typically become a force until their mid 20s, but reflecting on the contributions of the Ashcrofts at Brisbane - why not?

The other areas of the ground that I think we have the most potential for growth are across half back and up forward:

1. Can someone the like of CJ evolve his game from a flashy runner with a tendency to get beaten defensively to something that is better rounded over all? Can a Blake Howes become a better at breaking lines and become an attacking distributor? Will it be AMW that delivers on early glimpses or all of the above.

2. Who of our developing key forwards of JvR, Jeffo, Kentfield step-up with Mihocek taking some of the heat off them.

Overall, I see this as somewhat of a transion year and the other part of the ground where we are already fairly well credentialed but in need of generational change is our key defensive posts. I'll be looking for Petty to step up and assume the key gorilla wrestler post that's been so well held by Steven May since around 2020 and if Disco can fully establish himself in the defensive interceptor role he plays. Asides from that I'll be hopeful that Jed Adams can play some good footy and establish himself - Max had big raps on him last preseason, but even in a year when we lost Lever and Petty played predominantly forward, he struggled to get a game.

As I don't get to all the training sessions that some do, I confess I have realitivly little insight other than pure speculation, but genuinely interested from the avid track and Casey watches that do.

• Latrelle

• Windsor

• Lindsay

• Culley

• Tholstrup

All with a strong element of hope but if 3 of the 5 have impactful seasons, that's a win

Sparrow intrigues me. If he plays the way he has played the last few years, he might not get a game. But was that because he was playing a particular role under Goodwin? Can he show more under a new coaching regime?

4 hours ago, picket fence said:

Always was a HUGE fan of ANB, but double down on Chandler, happy to revisit when he gets dropped!

Came 6th in our best and fairest AHEAD of Oliver.

It must have hurt you badly...

He also won the Ronald Dale Barassi Leadership Award. Shows you what the heirarchy thinks of him

Edited Saturday at 02:452 days by jnrmac

If our game plan changes as we expect then our fwd line will be a big beneficiary. Guys like Chandler, JVR, Melksham, L Pickett, Mihocek will shine.

16 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Came 6th in our best and fairest AHEAD of Oliver.

It must have hurt you badly...

He also won the Ronald Dale Barassi Leadership Award. Shows you what the heirarchy thinks of him

Yeah well he just doesn't get the ball enough OR kick enough goals, thats my benchmark! For all his "pressure" acts and what an overated stat it is, if you get the ball first that pressure factor is a non event.

Edited Saturday at 03:032 days by picket fence