Our look at the 2025 club lists opens with Adelaide, see below.
2025 Draft list - first look
The first open look at our 2025 draftees came in the under-age match before the Grand Final. From it, we were able to identify the notable players and their general playing positions, then identify their surrounding statistics. Of course, over the next 12 months, boys will grow and we will need to alter where they sit in terms of the height ranges.
Adelaide 2025
List:
It is time to get excited at Adelaide as the fruits of evolution are taking place. Younger players are earning central roles in the team's make up, while a solid depth is building across nearly all height and age ranges.
Disappointingly, a couple of ordinary Adelaide performers have been given second chances.
A few years ago, the Adelaide midfield was bare and the club was forced into moving defenders into the midfield. Now, the midfield has been built up sufficiently that midfielders can be regularly rotated - Rankine, Berry, Soligo, the workhorse Crouch, Sholl, Laird, Dawson, Jones, and now Neal-Bullen, Peatling & Draper. In team selection, it now needs to share the midfield opportunities amongst its rising stars. Rachele should now be building himself into a rotational midfielder/forward.
The forward half has many options, and Walker can now share the load with a variety of tall, medium and small forwards.
The back half has excellent depth in its key position players, but does need to build its depth of quality intercepting flankers. This is where its lack of mature taller mediums (186-189cms) kicks in. Cumming should be a "walk-in" onto one of the flanks. Maybe Neal-Bullen could be used as a back-flanker.
The rucks look good with O'Brien coming off a near career-best season. Thilthorpe averages 2 goals a game, as a forward/ruck. Strachan and the young Murray wait in the wings.
The major challenge will be to get full seasons out of their key players, like Worrell, Rankine, Thilthorpe, Milera, and the aging Crouch.
One would expect Adelaide to begin its rise this season.
Select 22:
The 2024 defence had very good intercepting talls, but its flankers lacked strength. I'd do a Zorko with Laird, and return him to defence. Young Borlase and Nankervis showed enough in the stats that they will grow as defensive flankers. Sholl could rotate midfield/defense too.
As said, the midfield squad is large enough, now, to be divided into rotating teams, with Crouch being just part of a rotation rather than carrying the whole load.
The forwards pick themselves, so does O'Brien as first ruckman. Neal-Bullen will have to earn a place. Adelaide is one team I can begin to get excited about.
It is time to get excited at Adelaide as the fruits of evolution are taking place. Younger players are earning central roles in the team's make up, while a solid depth is building across nearly all height and age ranges.
Disappointingly, a couple of ordinary Adelaide performers have been given second chances.
A few years ago, the Adelaide midfield was bare and the club was forced into moving defenders into the midfield. Now, the midfield has been built up sufficiently that midfielders can be regularly rotated - Rankine, Berry, Soligo, the workhorse Crouch, Sholl, Laird, Dawson, Jones, and now Neal-Bullen, Peatling & Draper. In team selection, it now needs to share the midfield opportunities amongst its rising stars. Rachele should now be building himself into a rotational midfielder/forward.
The forward half has many options, and Walker can now share the load with a variety of tall, medium and small forwards.
The back half has excellent depth in its key position players, but does need to build its depth of quality intercepting flankers. This is where its lack of mature taller mediums (186-189cms) kicks in. Cumming should be a "walk-in" onto one of the flanks. Maybe Neal-Bullen could be used as a back-flanker.
The rucks look good with O'Brien coming off a near career-best season. Thilthorpe averages 2 goals a game, as a forward/ruck. Strachan and the young Murray wait in the wings.
The major challenge will be to get full seasons out of their key players, like Worrell, Rankine, Thilthorpe, Milera, and the aging Crouch.
One would expect Adelaide to begin its rise this season.
Select 22:
The 2024 defence had very good intercepting talls, but its flankers lacked strength. I'd do a Zorko with Laird, and return him to defence. Young Borlase and Nankervis showed enough in the stats that they will grow as defensive flankers. Sholl could rotate midfield/defense too.
As said, the midfield squad is large enough, now, to be divided into rotating teams, with Crouch being just part of a rotation rather than carrying the whole load.
The forwards pick themselves, so does O'Brien as first ruckman. Neal-Bullen will have to earn a place. Adelaide is one team I can begin to get excited about.
Brisbane 2025
List:
Well, Brisbane finally won their premiership. Hurrah!
As said for the last couple of seasons, Brisbane's premiership window is all about the here and now. Similar to Geelong in 2022, the injection of younger legs into a mature team can make all the difference in winning a premiership. Now Brisbane are facing similar challenges to Geelong post 2022, i.e., what to do now? Do we maintain our twilighting stars? Do we inject more youth? Most teams that have successive premierships face this dilemma. We can use successful multiple premiership clubs - Hawthorn, Richmond, Geelong - as examples. And, we learn from Footscray, Melbourne, and Collingwood too.
The big gap in their 22-24 yo age range shows there's not a lot coming up, apart from smaller-mediums.
Their well-overdone list of smaller-mediums clearly shows that Beecken, Brain, McLachlan and Torrent just won't get a go, and the small Craven too; especially, with Marshall and the younger Ashcroft coming in.
Yet, Doedee and Coleman will put pressure on the existing back-flankers, and will Zorko and Lester go again?
There will be a real contest for Daniher's spot - the existing Morris, the new/old Day, and the talented Ryan will be battling for it.
And, will Brisbane maintain Fort as 2nd ruckman, or continue the development of talented 22yo Smith?
But, as said, Brisbane is all about the here and now before the cliff comes.
Select 22:
After a premiership, one is inclined to keep the same faces, but also need to inject new faces. The team is settled and should start as is, except for forced changes. Injuries and rotations will create opportunities. Day, at 2 goals per game, should start, if he stays fit. But, Morris will want to remain in, and Ryan still kicked a goal a game playing in just four games, without getting a real go. Levi Ashcroft, if he starts well should be in the team, with Marshall wanting his opportunity too. And, I'd put games into the developing ruckman Smith, before he does a Fort (at Geelong) and walks off to play in a premiership elsewhere.
Well, Brisbane finally won their premiership. Hurrah!
As said for the last couple of seasons, Brisbane's premiership window is all about the here and now. Similar to Geelong in 2022, the injection of younger legs into a mature team can make all the difference in winning a premiership. Now Brisbane are facing similar challenges to Geelong post 2022, i.e., what to do now? Do we maintain our twilighting stars? Do we inject more youth? Most teams that have successive premierships face this dilemma. We can use successful multiple premiership clubs - Hawthorn, Richmond, Geelong - as examples. And, we learn from Footscray, Melbourne, and Collingwood too.
The big gap in their 22-24 yo age range shows there's not a lot coming up, apart from smaller-mediums.
Their well-overdone list of smaller-mediums clearly shows that Beecken, Brain, McLachlan and Torrent just won't get a go, and the small Craven too; especially, with Marshall and the younger Ashcroft coming in.
Yet, Doedee and Coleman will put pressure on the existing back-flankers, and will Zorko and Lester go again?
There will be a real contest for Daniher's spot - the existing Morris, the new/old Day, and the talented Ryan will be battling for it.
And, will Brisbane maintain Fort as 2nd ruckman, or continue the development of talented 22yo Smith?
But, as said, Brisbane is all about the here and now before the cliff comes.
Select 22:
After a premiership, one is inclined to keep the same faces, but also need to inject new faces. The team is settled and should start as is, except for forced changes. Injuries and rotations will create opportunities. Day, at 2 goals per game, should start, if he stays fit. But, Morris will want to remain in, and Ryan still kicked a goal a game playing in just four games, without getting a real go. Levi Ashcroft, if he starts well should be in the team, with Marshall wanting his opportunity too. And, I'd put games into the developing ruckman Smith, before he does a Fort (at Geelong) and walks off to play in a premiership elsewhere.
Carlton 2025
List:
Carlton is a classic case of seeing a promising list in 2022 and thinking that it is ready for success. The club under-achieves for a year or two, but stocks up on expensive mature players, and delists its developing players. Suddenly, in 2024, it finds improvement, but then it has to jettison performing players because their contracts are expiring, while maintaining lesser performing players whose contracts are yet to expire. I couldn't believe it when Carlton announced salary cap problems mid-season 2024, and it hadn't even won a premiership.
Now, Carlton looks like an old list.
Why would you let go of Owies, a mature small forward, played 23 games in 2024, with a 1.5 goal average?
Why would you recruit a 32yo tall defender, who played 8 games last year, when you already have an overly tall defence? (And, he was GWS's 7th best interceptor on average.)
Why do you have 4 key forwards all in the same age group - McKay, Curnow, De Koning & Sivagni?
Or, if you think De Koning is a first ruckman, why do you have a statistically better first ruckman in Pittonet who is about the same age?
And look at all that empty yellow in the developing 22-24 yo age range.
Carlton is at a crucial point, it either succeeds very soon, or it becomes a tipping point for a slide.
Failure in finals is usually due to a lack of intensity training leading up to September. However, increased intensity training with so many twilighters usually ends with injuries.
As for their juniors, Jagga Smith is a brilliant junior midfielder and can be played straight away.
The Camporeales are talented, but as defenders, they will need to find their feet in the VFL and gain experience before being elevated.
Select 22:
Carlton lines up tall, possibly overly tall, across the ground. Four tall defenders, four tall forwards, and two first ruckmen.
Good for the first half of the season, but when the rain hits in July of nearly every season, .........?
The team almost picks itself on the basis of last season's improvement, but the loss of Owies and Marchbank creates opportunities. Smith should walk into one of those forward running roles, where he should be able to roam up the ground, but also run back to defend his direct opponent's rebound opportunities. Moir gets in on his 1 goal average, but based on 2 games only, and Motlop needs to improve on a 0.85 goal average, based on only 7 games. While, young Cooper Lord looks like he might have something, based on stats of his 2 games last season.
Carlton is a classic case of seeing a promising list in 2022 and thinking that it is ready for success. The club under-achieves for a year or two, but stocks up on expensive mature players, and delists its developing players. Suddenly, in 2024, it finds improvement, but then it has to jettison performing players because their contracts are expiring, while maintaining lesser performing players whose contracts are yet to expire. I couldn't believe it when Carlton announced salary cap problems mid-season 2024, and it hadn't even won a premiership.
Now, Carlton looks like an old list.
Why would you let go of Owies, a mature small forward, played 23 games in 2024, with a 1.5 goal average?
Why would you recruit a 32yo tall defender, who played 8 games last year, when you already have an overly tall defence? (And, he was GWS's 7th best interceptor on average.)
Why do you have 4 key forwards all in the same age group - McKay, Curnow, De Koning & Sivagni?
Or, if you think De Koning is a first ruckman, why do you have a statistically better first ruckman in Pittonet who is about the same age?
And look at all that empty yellow in the developing 22-24 yo age range.
Carlton is at a crucial point, it either succeeds very soon, or it becomes a tipping point for a slide.
Failure in finals is usually due to a lack of intensity training leading up to September. However, increased intensity training with so many twilighters usually ends with injuries.
As for their juniors, Jagga Smith is a brilliant junior midfielder and can be played straight away.
The Camporeales are talented, but as defenders, they will need to find their feet in the VFL and gain experience before being elevated.
Select 22:
Carlton lines up tall, possibly overly tall, across the ground. Four tall defenders, four tall forwards, and two first ruckmen.
Good for the first half of the season, but when the rain hits in July of nearly every season, .........?
The team almost picks itself on the basis of last season's improvement, but the loss of Owies and Marchbank creates opportunities. Smith should walk into one of those forward running roles, where he should be able to roam up the ground, but also run back to defend his direct opponent's rebound opportunities. Moir gets in on his 1 goal average, but based on 2 games only, and Motlop needs to improve on a 0.85 goal average, based on only 7 games. While, young Cooper Lord looks like he might have something, based on stats of his 2 games last season.