Best 23 2026

[Critter]

B: Budarick JOD Busslinger
HB: Freijah Lobb Dale
C: Williams Libba Davidson
HF: Kennedy Naughton Richards
F: West Darcy Dolan
R: English Bontempelli Baker
I/C Weightman Croft Sanders Bramble Hynes

Midfield
My core group would be Bont, Libba, Baker, Ed, Kennedy & Weightman. Yes, Baker... and, yes, Weightman! Richards and Baker give us speed and carry, while Kennedy and Libba give us defensive strength. Weightman adds general class. All six can, and do, lay tackles that stick... all six can, and do, take contested marks. I guess most Woofers will disagree with my call for Baker to play in the midfield but I believe his run of games at the end of 2025 demonstrated his capacity to be a strong contributor in the role - particularly, with his pace. I believe he offers more than his competitors - Treloar (tackling and perhaps pace), Harmes (pace) or Sanders (pace and tackling). I didn't consider Freijah as I think he should play in the backline this year but I've included Weightman here as I think it's time for us to expand his role. He is a highly skilled player who, during pre-season match-sims, has demonstrated his capability to play in the midfield. His recovery from injury will be the decisive factor.

Williams' best football is on the wing. His skills enable him to switch his style fluidly between defence and attack, according the the demands of the game. Davidson is similarly flexible, adding a running dimension that enables him to accrue big numbers in metres gained. However the the defensive side of his game needs work and, along with many other Bulldogs, needs to increase his strength so that he can stick tackles.

Backs
Budarick is a welcome addition but this alone doesn't put my mind at rest. We need to inject further class into the backline and to me Freijah is our best option. He's an A-Grade footballer who is powerful both offensively and defensively and, potentially, could be our strongest defender. He is capable of both matching any opponent one-on-one and carrying the ball into attack. I believe he should play in defence for the whole of 2026.

I have nominated Croft to start on the bench but I would like to see him spending most of his on-field time in defence. (Though I could also I see his role in 2026 developing along the lines suggested by Rocco - as a Swiss Army Knife.) While he's still rather raw, he has shown he has good speed, is a good mark and is an improving kick. He lacks physical presence at the moment but he has a nice touch of sh..t in him. I believe he has great, long-term potential as a KPD.

I haven't seen enough good games yet from Sellwood to convince me he will be a solid defender at AFL level, so have him as a watch and see. Focusing on his disposal would be a good starting point. I think Walker has good potential but is very slight. He needs to to build up his body significantly in order to have a good chance of succeeding in the AFL.

While I do have some doubts about Busslinger, I class him also as a watch and see. Now is the time to find out conclusively whether he can hold down a KPD role. He needs an intense pre-season, both on the track and in the weights' room. And he needs the support of a midfield that gets back to help out in the event of a turnover.

In fact, all our defenders need better support from our midfield than was demonstrated in 2025. We can't have all four midfielders rushing blindly into attack, leaving us vulnerable to a swift counter attack. Too often midfielders are knackered from the charge into the forward line, and have little in their tank to get back to help defend a turnover. We need a game plan that enables us to get numbers back quickly and effectively when we lose control of the ball, without totally losing our attacking capability. You might say good luck with that, but that's why Beveridge et al get paid the big bucks.

Forwards
West, Naughton & Darcy don't require explanation. Nolan is impressive, particularly close to goal, and should spend 2026 in that role. He's capable of 30+ goals. I'm excited by the potential of Hynes, with his silky disposal and game awareness, and I think he will blossom in 2026. I've also enjoyed much of what Sanders has shown... and sometimes been somewhat disappointed. I don't think he has developed a consistent awareness of the pace of a game, sufficient to justify playing in the midfield. He gets caught a little to often and regularly does things at odds with a game's flow. But he most definitely has potential and he most definitely is a keeper. I would play him as a high forward. Think Cam Rayner. He's a more-than useful overhead mark, is a surprisingly nice set-shot kick and uses handball effectively as an attacking weapon. (But much less so when he uses it as means of getting out of trouble.) At this stage of his career, I think he would benefit from a more structured role.

[Jasper]

Outstanding post Critter
I really appreciate the effort you have made.

The team looks close to spot on from my perspective.

[Danjul]

I’m not trying to be combative here, but it depends on what you define as a wasted season. I had us 6-8 the in 2025, just shy of the experienced cattle to push the top teams. I would have been very surprised (and delighted) if we made the GF.
We can continue to play the same experienced / older role players (Harmes, Poulter, McNeil, Duryea, L.Jones), and still be short of a GF, or identify their replacements and strategically get games and experience into them whilst building chemistry, game plan and effectively being competitive.
2 games shy of top 4, healthy percentage, games into the next wave of stars, all while missing Bont, Darcy, Weightmen, JUH, and Treloar. Maybe I’m the internal optimist but I think it was a worthwhile and enjoyable year, excited for 2026, super excited for 2027 and beyond.

Good players move to successful clubs, based upon what they see as winning and getting into the finals. The Dogs are almost successful, but not enough to generate the attraction because of a lack of consistency. Being 8th and then getting tossed out doesn’t count for much, and totally missing the finals is embarrassing.

The most important thing a minor club must focus on is winning, and recently we have not done quite enough of that because we have played young guys who are not ready. No criticism intended , but one player frequently mentioned positively here has kicked the ball less than a dozen times in the last two years (and never more than 5 in a game in his whole career). I don’t want to see him until he can dominate in the development squad. These selections might have a feel good factor but they have seriously damaged the club in terms of being attractive to supporters and potential players.

Anyone who runs into the field next year must be genuinely the best suited for their position.

[dukedog]

B : Budarick - Busslinger - JOD
HB : Bramble - Lobb - Cleary
C : Dale - Freijah - Davdison
HF : Williams - Naughton - Dolan
F : Weightman - Darcy - West
Foll : English - Bontempelli - Richards

Interchange : Kennedy - Liberatore - Treloar - Sanders - Sellwood

I'm taking Dale out of the backline, i have always wanted to see him as a pure winger along with Davidson, both 100% offensive players who can run and run all day, we just need to tighten up that backline, Sellwood adds some toughness on the bench and Cleary really took some big steps this year, Williams to a half forward with Freijah ready to explode in the centre, let's hope Cody get's back to being fully fit as he makes our forward line so much more dangerous.

why do i actually like this lineup?

William HF. Dale on the Wing sending .308 rounds into the forward 50. Interchange needs work though . haha

[mighty_west]

why do i actually like this lineup?

William HF. Dale on the Wing sending .308 rounds into the forward 50. Interchange needs work though . haha

Because it's a good line up ha! I have always wanted Dale on a wing, 100% offensive slotting them through from 50 or lace out to our forwards, he panics too much under pressure in the backline plus we desperately need to tighten up the backline and his pressure and defensive efforts are, well..........Dale and Davo all guns blazing.

Also think Truck could be an extra weapon up forward, Friejah is ready to rock & roll in the mid.

[doggies ftw]

Because it's a good line up ha! I have always wanted Dale on a wing, 100% offensive slotting them through from 50 or lace out to our forwards, he panics too much under pressure in the backline plus we desperately need to tighten up the backline and his pressure and defensive efforts are, well..........Dale and Davo all guns blazing.

Also think Truck could be an extra weapon up forward, Friejah is ready to rock & roll in the mid.

Harsh to say a two time all Australian defender panics too much in defence, how do you propose we move the ball out of the backline without Dale there?

Id love to see him on the wing too and also want a more defensive edge but this year he was pretty much 99% of our offensive ball movement out of defence. You need to be aggressive out of the backhalf and that backline you’ve listed is just not worrying teams IMO, would be super easy to close up on when there’s not a single player there who would be capable of consistently hitting the 45s, breaking lines cutting through an offensive press

i don’t mind the line up though

[mighty_west]

Harsh to say a two time all Australian defender panics too much in defence, how do you propose we move the ball out of the backline without Dale there?

Id love to see him on the wing too and also want a more defensive edge but this year he was pretty much 99% of our offensive ball movement out of defence. You need to be aggressive out of the backhalf and that backline you’ve listed is just not worrying teams IMO, would be super easy to close up on when there’s not a single player there who would be capable of consistently hitting the 45s, breaking lines cutting through an offensive press

i don’t mind the line up though

There have been quite a few times when he doesn't immediately go the first option gets himself under pressure, i understand we need run out of the backline and he's a sublime kick.....most of the time, but i'm backing in Budarick too, his skills are quite decent from what i have seen and can be hard to match up on, we still also have Bramble who i think is getting better each game, i just think we need a harder edge backline which is why i'm having Sellwood on the pine, i think his kicking can let himself down at times but his contest work is solid from what i have seen, we don't necessarily have to be dangerous from defence just reliable and solid, i want that full throttle pace from the wings especially having a couple of gun tall forwards and another looking likely, ultimately we need to tighten up all over the ground and stop the good oppo getting that easy run on for goal when we seem to part the seas for them to run through, i'm also looking at what the best teams do and how they structure up, Dale has been good in fact great running out of the backline yet, as a team it's just not working, i'm looking at things from the teams structure and not what individuals can do, if his running out of defense is a winning formula fine, but it's not.

I want my cake at to eat it too, i want the best attacking style into the forward 50 but i also want to best defence, i don't want us to go full on attack like i said out of defence and leave ourselves wide open, let's do that from the wings, the middle of the ground.

[doggies ftw]

There have been quite a few times when he doesn't immediately go the first option gets himself under pressure, i understand we need run out of the backline and he's a sublime kick.....most of the time, but i'm backing in Budarick too, his skills are quite decent from what i have seen and can be hard to match up on, we still also have Bramble who i think is getting better each game, i just think we need a harder edge backline which is why i'm having Sellwood on the pine, i think his kicking can let himself down at times but his contest work is solid from what i have seen, we don't necessarily have to be dangerous from defence just reliable and solid, i want that full throttle pace from the wings especially having a couple of gun tall forwards and another looking likely, ultimately we need to tighten up all over the ground and stop the good oppo getting that easy run on for goal when we seem to part the seas for them to run through, i'm also looking at what the best teams do and how they structure up, Dale has been good in fact great running out of the backline yet, as a team it's just not working, i'm looking at things from the teams structure and not what individuals can do, if his running out of defense is a winning formula fine, but it's not.

I want my cake at to eat it too, i want the best attacking style into the forward 50 but i also want to best defence, i don't want us to go full on attack like i said out of defence and leave ourselves wide open, let's do that from the wings, the middle of the ground.

Dale gets himself in trouble purely because he’s tasked with opening up the game and there’s no one else capable of doing it. He’s one of the best users in the AFL, can’t nitpick the handful of turnovers he has throughout the year when he’s asked to play this style of game. Every single player in the comp would have the same on the yearly highlights package - he is an elite half back flank. We’ve already plucked every other quality defender out of there to play in the front half of the ground we need to stop draining talent out of defence

Budarick id say is a neat kick, not damaging. I have both him and Selwood in my starting 22 too for a defensive edge, but I still think you need a real damaging ball mover out of defence.

Looking at all the best teams they pretty much all do - Brisbane carry Zorko who doesn’t have a defensive bone in his body, Pies same with J Daicos, Hawks have at least one of Impey, Amon & Mass down there usually 2. Suns Rioli, Freo Clark, Giants Whitfield & Ash.

The only top teams that don’t carry at least one full blown offensive player in def are probably Crows & Geelong but they have completely different make ups to our side in that pretty much all of there defenders are all rounders & great kicks too - I like that but we absolutely don’t have that with the likes of Bramble, Cleary, Sellwood, Budarick & our talls. Majority of these guys are neat at best and butcherers at worst.

That backline would struggle to move the ball big time IMO, we need to lessen the reliance on Dale - this year it was all on him otherwise we could just not exit defence with any impact at all. But not sure moving our only capable ball mover out of defence is the answer

[Aidan7557]

Dale gets himself in trouble purely because he’s tasked with opening up the game and there’s no one else capable of doing it. He’s one of the best users in the AFL, can’t nitpick the handful of turnovers he has throughout the year when he’s asked to play this style of game. Every single player in the comp would have the same on the yearly highlights package - he is an elite half back flank. We’ve already plucked every other quality defender out of there to play in the front half of the ground we need to stop draining talent out of defence

Budarick id say is a neat kick, not damaging. I have both him and Selwood in my starting 22 too for a defensive edge, but I still think you need a real damaging ball mover out of defence.

Looking at all the best teams they pretty much all do - Brisbane carry Zorko who doesn’t have a defensive bone in his body, Pies same with J Daicos, Hawks have at least one of Impey, Amon & Mass down there usually 2. Suns Rioli, Freo Clark, Giants Whitfield & Ash.

The only top teams that don’t carry at least one full blown offensive player in def are probably Crows & Geelong but they have completely different make ups to our side in that pretty much all of there defenders are all rounders & great kicks too - I like that but we absolutely don’t have that with the likes of Bramble, Cleary, Sellwood, Budarick & our talls. Majority of these guys are neat at best and butcherers at worst.

That backline would struggle to move the ball big time IMO, we need to lessen the reliance on Dale - this year it was all on him otherwise we could just not exit defence with any impact at all. But not sure moving our only capable ball mover out of defence is the answer

Spot on. We need another elite kick out of defence cough cough Bont. We are often Dale or bust and it goes very underrated.

[JackCJohnston2000]

Spot on. We need another elite kick out of defence cough cough Bont. We are often Dale or bust and it goes very underrated.

It won't happen. It should happen, to some degree, but it won't.

He already doesn't play 100% midfield time because he will float forward as the third tall occasionally. With the talent and production we have in that forward line already (plus Weightman), why not allocate that 10-20% non-midfield time down back rather than up forward?

He can:

• Take contested intercept marks
• Tackle effectively
• Kick with accuracy and damage
• Navigate pressure and traffic
• Smother the dayum ball

What more could you ask for out of a defender?

(This is a pipe dream but it's fun to imagine)

[Bornadog]

At this stage Dolan is not best 23, but he has the skill to get there, same with Hynes.

[doggies ftw]

Spot on. We need another elite kick out of defence cough cough Bont. We are often Dale or bust and it goes very underrated.

Yep, somehow coaches either didn’t put much time into him this year or he doesn’t really suffer from a tag (which is another elite trait)

I said to my bulldogs mates at least 15 times this year that the first thing I’d do against us is put huge focus into stopping Dale. Stop his impact and we’re literally ****ed out of defence - I dunno why or how majority of the time they couldn’t do it

We need to add help but without worsening our defensive ability obviously, which is hard. As you said Bont or Richards are a couple of the guys who could potentially do this but yeah it’s a weigh up

[doggies ftw]

It won't happen. It should happen, to some degree, but it won't.

He already doesn't play 100% midfield time because he will float forward as the third tall occasionally. With the talent and production we have in that forward line already (plus Weightman), why not allocate that 10-20% non-midfield time down back rather than up forward?

He can:

• Take contested intercept marks
• Tackle effectively
• Kick with accuracy and damage
• Navigate pressure and traffic
• Smother the dayum ball

What more could you ask for out of a defender?

(This is a pipe dream but it's fun to imagine)

Id love to see this actually - think it could have a huge impact letting Bont rest behind the ball. As good as he is as a 3rd tall fwd we just really don’t need him that badly there.

[mighty_west]

Dale gets himself in trouble purely because he’s tasked with opening up the game and there’s no one else capable of doing it. He’s one of the best users in the AFL, can’t nitpick the handful of turnovers he has throughout the year when he’s asked to play this style of game. Every single player in the comp would have the same on the yearly highlights package - he is an elite half back flank. We’ve already plucked every other quality defender out of there to play in the front half of the ground we need to stop draining talent out of defence

Budarick id say is a neat kick, not damaging. I have both him and Selwood in my starting 22 too for a defensive edge, but I still think you need a real damaging ball mover out of defence.

Looking at all the best teams they pretty much all do - Brisbane carry Zorko who doesn’t have a defensive bone in his body, Pies same with J Daicos, Hawks have at least one of Impey, Amon & Mass down there usually 2. Suns Rioli, Freo Clark, Giants Whitfield & Ash.

The only top teams that don’t carry at least one full blown offensive player in def are probably Crows & Geelong but they have completely different make ups to our side in that pretty much all of there defenders are all rounders & great kicks too - I like that but we absolutely don’t have that with the likes of Bramble, Cleary, Sellwood, Budarick & our talls. Majority of these guys are neat at best and butcherers at worst.

That backline would struggle to move the ball big time IMO, we need to lessen the reliance on Dale - this year it was all on him otherwise we could just not exit defence with any impact at all. But not sure moving our only capable ball mover out of defence is the answer

All good points but for me our game needs to adapt and our back 6 should at the very least hit a target, our back also all need to defend well mostly, i see Lobb as an excellent intercept defender probably almost AA but his defending game is another story, Bramble runs and carry's the ball out but his defense? Dale is purely offensive and we simply have to do something about that, like i said i want our most dangerous kick in the most dangerous position for the oppo and lace out the forwards or having shots himself on a more regular basis, i want our overall game style to be more structured like a Geelong or Pies and i can't see that happening with too many loose defenders down back.

[Bornadog]

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