AFL 2021: Predicted best 22 players for every team

Kieran Francis

AFL 2021: Predicted best 22 players for every team image

The start of the 2021 AFL campaign is fast approaching with teams currently in pre-season preparing for round one.

Which players are shaping up to be in your team's best 22 when the season begins?

Sporting News have compiled the predicted starting line-ups for all 18 teams assuming they have best available players.

Adelaide Crows Best 22

FB Luke Brown Daniel Talia Tom Doedee
HB Will Hamill Fischer McAsey Andrew McPherson
C Wayne Milera Matt Crouch Brodie Smith
HF Tom Lynch Elliott Himmelberg Shane McAdam
FF James Rowe Taylor Walker Darcy Fogarty
R Reilly O'Brien Rory Laird Rory Sloane
INT Jackson Hately Lachlan Sholl Harry Schoenberg
  Chayce Jones    

 

Brisbane Lions Best 22

FB Marcus Adams Harris Andrews Brandon Starcevich
HB Callum Ah Chee Darcy Gardiner Daniel Rich
C Hugh McCluggage Lachie Neale Zac Bailey
HF Keidean Coleman Eric Hipwood Cameron Rayner
FF Charlie Cameron Joe Daniher Lincoln McCarthy
R Oscar McInerney Jarryd Lyons Dayne Zorko
INT Jarrod Berry Nakia Cockatoo Mitch Robinson
  Jack Payne    

 

Carlton Blues Best 22

FB Lachie Plowman Liam Jones Caleb Marchbank
HB Sam Docherty Jacob Weitering Adam Saad
C Zac Williams Patrick Cripps Sam Walsh
HF Zac Fisher Charlie Curnow Jack Martin
FF Eddie Betts Harry McKay Levi Casboult
R Tom De Koning Will Setterfield Ed Curnow
INT Sam Petrevski-Seton Jack Newnes Marc Pittonet
  Marc Murphy    

 

Collingwood Magpies Best 22

FB Jeremy Howe Jordan Roughead Jack Crisp
HB Brayden Maynard Darcy Moore Isaac Quaynor
C Steele Sidebottom Jordan De Goey Josh Daicos
HF Jamie Elliott Will Kelly Will Hoskin-Elliott
FF Josh Thomas Mason Cox Brody Mihocek
R Brodie Grundy Scott Pendlebury Taylor Adams
INT Brayden Sier John Noble Chris Mayne
  Levi Greenwood    

 

Essendon Bombers Best 22

FB Aaron Francis Cale Hooker Jordan Ridley
HB Dyson Heppell James Stewart Nick Hind
C Kyle Langford Andrew McGrath Zach Merrett
HF Will Snelling Peter Wright Devon Smith
FF Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti Michael Hurley Jake Stringer
R Sam Draper Darcy Parish Dylan Shiel
INT Mason Redman Jye Caldwell Ned Cahill
  Nik Cox    

 

Fremantle Dockers Best 22

FB Nathan Wilson Joel Hamling Luke Ryan
HB Griffin Logue Alex Pearce Hayden Young
C Darcy Tucker Andrew Brayshaw James Aish
HF Michael Walters Rory Lobb David Mundy
FF Sam Sturt Matthew Taberner Sam Switkowski
R Sean Darcy Nathan Fyfe Caleb Serong
INT Adam Cerra Blake Acres Brennan Cox
  Brett Bewley    

 

Geelong Cats Best 22

FB Jake Kolodjashnij Lachie Henderson Jed Bews
HB Tom Stewart Mark Blicavs Mark O'Connor
C Sam Menegola Cameron Guthrie Joel Selwood
HF Shaun Higgins Jeremy Cameron Brandan Parfitt
FF Gary Rohan Tom Hawkins Luke Dahlhaus
R Rhys Stanley Patrick Dangerfield Mitch Duncan
INT Isaac Smith Zach Tuohy Gryan Miers
  Jack Henry    

 

 

Gold Coast Suns Best 22

FB Connor Budarick Sam Collins Jack Lukosius
HB Oleg Markov Charlie Ballard Wil Powell
C Brandon Ellis Hugh Greenwood Lachie Weller
HF Ben Ainsworth Sam Day Josh Corbett
FF Izak Rankine Ben King Alex Sexton
R Jarrod Witts Touk Miller Matt Rowell
INT David Swallow Noah Anderson Rory Atkins
  Jack Bowes    

 

GWS Giants Best 22

FB Nick Haynes Phil Davis Isaac Cumming
HB Adam Kennedy Sam Taylor Lachie Whitfield
C Harry Perryman Stephen Coniglio Tim Taranto
HF Brent Daniels Jesse Hogan Toby Greene
FF Harry Himmelberg Jake Riccardi Bobby Hill
R Braydon Preuss Josh Kelly Jacob Hopper
INT Ian Hill Tom Green Matt de Boer
  Callan Ward    

 

Hawthorn Hawks Best 22

FB Sam Frost Kyle Hartigan Blake Hardwick
HB Jarman Impey Ben McEvoy James Sicily
C Liam Shiels Tom Mitchell Tom Phillips
HF Jack Gunston Tim O'Brien Chad Wingard
FF Luke Breust Mitchell Lewis Shaun Burgoyne
R Jonathon Ceglar Jaeger O'Meara James Worpel
INT Will Day Jack Scrimshaw Denver Grainger-Barass
  James Cousins    

 

Melbourne Demons Best 22

FB Michael Hibberd Steven May Tom McDonald
HB Trent Rivers Jake Lever Jay Lockhart
C Christian Salem Jack Viney Ed Langdon
HF Jake Melksham Sam Weideman Bailey Fritsch
FF Luke Jackson Ben Brown Kysaiah Pickett
R Max Gawn Christian Petracca Clayton Oliver
INT James Harmes Angus Brayshaw Adam Tomlinson
  Bailey Laurie    

 

North Melbourne Kangaroos Best 22

FB Luke McDonald Robbie Tarrant Ben McKay
HB Kyron Hayden Aidan Corr Jack Ziebell
C Jared Polec Ben Cunnington Jed Anderson
HF Curtis Taylor Nick Larkey Jaidyn Stephenson
FF Kayne Turner Cameron Zurhaar Tarryn Thomas
R Todd Goldstein Luke Davies-Uniacke Jy Simpkin
INT Trent Dumont Bailey Scott Shaun Atley
  Taylor Garner    

 

Port Adelaide Power Best 22

FB Darcy Byrne-Jones Tom Jonas Hamish Hartlett
HB Dan Houston Aliir Aliir Ryan Burton
C Karl Amon Ollie Wines Xavier Duursma
HF Connor Rozee Mitch Georgiades Orazio Fantasia
FF Zak Butters Charlie Dixon Robbie Gray
R Scott Lycett Travis Boak Sam Powell-Pepper
INT Tom Rockliff Steven Motlop Peter Ladhams
  Kane Farrell    

 

Richmond Tigers Best 22

FB Liam Baker Dylan Grimes David Astbury
HB Nick Vlastuin Noah Balta Jayden Short
C Trent Cotchin Dion Prestia Kamdyn McIntosh
HF Jason Castagna Tom Lynch Shai Bolton
FF Daniel Rioli Jack Riewoldt Shane Edwards
R Toby Nankervis Dustin Martin Kane Lambert
INT Ivan Soldo Jack Graham Nathan Broad
  Bachar Houli    

 

St Kilda Saints Best 22

FB Ben Paton Dougal Howard Callum Wilkie
HB Hunter Clark Jake Carlisle Nick Coffield
C Zak Jones Brad Crouch Brad Hill
HF Jack Billings Tim Membery Jack Higgins
FF Rowan Marshall Max King Dan Butler
R Paddy Ryder Jack Steele Jade Gresham
INT Ben Long Dan Hannebery Josh Battle
  Seb Ross    

 

Sydney Swans Best 22

FB Harry Cunningham Dane Rampe Lewis Melican
HB Callum Mills Tom McCartin Jake Lloyd
C Justin McInerney Josh Kennedy Jordan Dawson
HF Will Hayward Sam Reid Isaac Heeney
FF Tom Papley Lance Franklin George Hewett
R Sam Naismith Luke Parker James Rowbottom
INT Robbie Fox Dylan Stephens Ollie Florent
  Sam Wicks    

 

Western Bulldogs Best 22

FB Bailey Williams Ryan Gardner Hayden Crozier
HB Caleb Daniel Alex Keath Easton Wood
C Lachie Hunter Jack McCrae Bailey Smith
HF Laitham Vandermeer Aaron Naughton Mitch Hannan
FF Mitch Wallis Josh Bruce Bailey Dale
R Stefan Martin Marcus Bontempelli Adam Treloar
INT Jason Johannisen Stefan Martin Josh Dunkley
  Ed Richards    

 

West Coast Best 22

FB Shannon Hurn Tom Barrass Brad Shepherd
HB Jackson Nelson Jeremy McGovern Alex Witherden
C Andrew Gaff Luke Shuey Dom Sheed
HF Liam Ryan Jack Darling Oscar Allen
FF Jamie Cripps Josh Kennedy Zac Langdon
R Nic Naitanui Tim Kelly Elliot Yeo
INT Jack Redden Tom Cole Liam Duggan
  Jake Waterman    

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.