NewsBite

See every club’s best available 22 for Round 1 of the 2022 AFL season

With Round 1 just hours away, our reporters have had the difficult task of selecting each side’s best available 22. Did they get it right?

Captains' 2022 premiership predictions

The start of the 2022 AFL season is just days away.

But how close to full strength is your club? We’ve predicted the Round 1 sides for all 18 teams.

See who will line up for you and which big names missed the cut.

ADELAIDE

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B L.Brown J.Butts A.McPherson

HB T.Doedee N.Murray W.Milera

C B.Smith B.Keays J.Dawson

HF R.Sloane R.Thilthorpe D.Fogarty

F N.McHenry E.Himmelberg J.Rachele

Foll R.O’Brien H.Schoenberg M. Crouch

Int L. Sholl M.Hinge J. Hately C.Jones

Sub S. Berry

Notable absentees: Rory Laird (injured), Paul Seedsman (concussion), Taylor Walker (suspended)

Will new Crows recruit Jordan Dawson step out for Adelaide in Round 1? Picture Harrison Mielke
Will new Crows recruit Jordan Dawson step out for Adelaide in Round 1? Picture Harrison Mielke

BRISBANE

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: D. Gardiner, H. Andrews, N. Answerth

HB: D. Rich, M. Adams, B. Starcevich

C: M. Robinson, J. Lyons, H. McCluggage

HF: L. McCarthy, D. McStay, D. Zorko

F: C. Cameron, J. Daniher, D. Fort

Foll: O. McInerney, L. Neale, C. Rayner

I/C: C.Ah Chee, J. Berry, N. Cockatoo, Z.Bailey

Sub: J. Madden

Notable absentees: Eric Hipwood (injured), Keidean Coleman (injured)

Sign up to NRL SuperCoach.

CARLTON

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

FB: M McGovern O McDonald A Saad

HB: Z Williams J Weitering N Newman

C: W Setterfield M Kennedy A Cerra

HF: J Silvagni C Curnow J Martin

FF: Z Fisher H McKay M Owies

R: M Pittonet Cripps Hewett

I: T De Koning L O’Brien C Durdin T Williamson

Sub: E Curnow

Notable absentees: S. Walsh (injured)

Zac Fisher looks set for more midfield time under new coach Michael Voss. Photo by Michael Klein
Zac Fisher looks set for more midfield time under new coach Michael Voss. Photo by Michael Klein

COLLINGWOOD

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J. Howe, W. Kelly, I. Quaynor.

HB: S. Pendlebury, D. Moore, N. Daicos

C: J. Daicos, T. Adams, S. Sidebottom

HF: O. Henry, M. Cox, W. Hoskin-Elliott

F: J. Elliott, B. Mihocek, J. Ginnivan

R: B. Grundy, J. Crisp, J. De Goey

INT:

J. Noble, T. Brown, F. Macrae, P.Lipinksi

Sub: C. Brown

Notable absentees: B. Maynard (suspended), N. Kreuger (suspended), J. Roughead (injured)

ESSENDON

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J. Kelly, J. Laverde, M. Redman

FB: N. Hind, J. Ridley, A. McGrath

C: N. Cox, D. Parish, D. Heppell

HF: W. Snelling, K. Baldwin, Kyle Langford

F: D. Smith, P. Wright, J. Stringer

Foll: S. Draper, Z. Merrett, D. Shiel

I/C: J. Caldwell, A. Perkins, J. Stewart, A. Francis

Sub: N. Martin

Notable absentees: A. McDonald-Tipungwuti, M. Hurley, H. Jones

Jake Stringer is set to feature in Round 1 despite some injury concerns. Picture: Mark Stewart
Jake Stringer is set to feature in Round 1 despite some injury concerns. Picture: Mark Stewart

FREMANTLE

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: B. Cox, G. Logue, L. Ryan

HB: H. Young, A. Pearce, J. Clark

C: L. Henry, D. Mundy, J. Aish

HF: S. Sturt, M. Taberner, N. Fyfe

F: L. Schultz, R. Lobb, M. Walters

FOLL: S. Darcy, C. Serong, A. Brayshaw

I/C: M. Crowden, M. Frederick, W. Brodie, S. Switkowski

Sub: Bailey Banfield

GEELONG

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J Bews M Blicavs J Kolodjashnij

HB: T Stewart J Henry T Atkins

C: M Holmes C Guthrie I Smith

HF: J Cameron E Ratugolea B Close

F: B Parfitt T Hawkins T Stengle

FOLL: R R Stanley P Dangerfield J Selwood

I/C: S De Koning Q Narkle Z Tuohy Z Guthrie

Sub S Higgins

Notable absentees: S Menegola (injured), G Miers (injured)

Youngster Sam De Koning impressed in the AAMI Community series for the Cats. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Youngster Sam De Koning impressed in the AAMI Community series for the Cats. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: P. Davis, S. Taylor, C. Idun

HB: L. Whitfield, N. Haynes, I. Cumming

C: H. Perryman, J. Hopper, J. Kelly

HF: T. Taranto, H. Himmelberg, T. Bruhn

F: J. Riccardi, J. Hogan, B. Hill

Foll: M. Flynn, C. Ward, S. Coniglio

Int: X. O’Halloran, T. Green, L. Ash, D. Lloyd

Sub: J. Brander

Notable absentees: T. Greene (suspended), B. Daniels (injured), B. Preuss (suspended)

GOLD COAST

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

FB: C. Graham, S. Collins, S. Lemmens

HB: Wil Powell, C. Ballard, L. Weller

C: B. Ellis, N. Anderson, R. Atkins

HF: B. Ainsworth, J. Corbett, J. Lukosius

F: I. Rankine, L. Casboult, N. Holman

Foll: J. Witts, M. Rowell, T. Miller

I/C: B. Fiorini, A. Davies, D. Swallow, S. Flanders

Sub: O. Markov

Notable absentees: Mabior Chol (fitness pending), B. King (injured)

Levi Casboult now looms as the Suns main target up forward following injuries to Ben King and Mabior Chol (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Levi Casboult now looms as the Suns main target up forward following injuries to Ben King and Mabior Chol (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

HAWTHORN

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J. Impey, S. Frost, B. Hardwick

HB: J. Scrimshaw, J. Sicily, D. Grainger-Barras

C: T. Phillips, J. Worpel, J. Howe

HF: L. Breust, J. Gunston, L. Shiels

F: D. Moore, M. Lewis, C. Wingard

Foll: B. McEvoy, J. O’Meara, T. Mitchell

Int: C. Jiath, N. Reeves, J. Newcombe, J. Ward

Sub: H. Morrison

In doubt: Will Day

MELBOURNE

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J. Lever, S. May, Jake Bowey

HB: C. Salem, A. Tomlinson, J. Hunt

C: A. Brayshaw, C. Petracca, E. Langdon

HF: A. Neal-Bullen, T. McDonald, T.Sparrow

F: K. Pickett, B. Brown., B. Fritsch

Foll: M. Gawn, C. Oliver, J. Viney

Int: J. Harmes, L. Jackson, C. Spargo, Joel Smith

Sub: Kade Chandler

In doubt: H. Petty (injured)

Jayden Hunt will be pressing for a Round 1 berth for the Demons after missing last year’s grand final. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Jayden Hunt will be pressing for a Round 1 berth for the Demons after missing last year’s grand final. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

NORTH MELBOURNE

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J. Ziebell, B. McKay, A. Corr

HB: L. McDonald, J. Walker, L. Young

C: B. Scott, J. Simpkin, J. Polec

HF: J. Horne-Francis, N. Larkey, T. Thomas

F: C. Zurhaar, C. Coleman-Jones, J. Stephenson

FOLL: T. Goldstein, H. Greenwood, L. Davies-Uniacke

I/C: T. Powell, K. Turner, C. Taylor, T. Xerri

Sub: J. Mahony

Notable absentees: J. Anderson (fitness pending), W. Phillips (illness)

PORT ADELAIDE

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: T. Jonas, T. McKenzie, D. Byrne-Jones

HB: R. Bonner, A. Aliir, R. Burton

C: D. Houston, O. Wines, K. Amon

HF: C. Rozee, M. Georgiades, S. Powell-Pepper

F: T. Marshall, J. Finlayson, R. Gray

Foll: S. Lycett, T. Boak, Z. Butters

Int: X. Duursma, L. Jones, W. Drew, J. Mead

Sub: J. McEntee

Notable absentees: Dixon (injured), T. Clurey (injured)

RICHMOND

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: Dylan Grimes, R. Tarrant, Short

HB: Broad, Vlastuin, D Rioli

C: McIntosh, Cotchin, Edwards

HF: Bolton, Lynch, Castagna

F: Balta, Riewoldt, Baker

R: Nankervis, Martin, Prestia

I/C: Soldo, Ross, Stack, J. Gibcus

Sub: Jake Aarts

Notable absentees: D.Grimes K.Lambert

Tigers fans will be pumped to see Dustin Martin back fit and firing in their best 22. Photo by Michael Klein
Tigers fans will be pumped to see Dustin Martin back fit and firing in their best 22. Photo by Michael Klein

ST KILDA

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: J. Geary, J. Battle, C. Wilkie

HB: B. Paton, D. Howard, J. Sinclair

C: B. Hill, S. Ross, J. Gresham

HF: J.Hayes, , T. Membrey, D. Butler

F: J. Higgins, M. King, M. Wood

Foll: R. Marshall, J. Steele, B. Crouch

Inter: J. Bytel, J. Webster, D. McKenzie, R. Byrnes

Sub: C. Sharman

Notable absentees: Hunter Clark (injured), Nick Coffield (injured), Z. Jones (personal reasons), D. Hannebery (injured), P. Ryder (injured), Jack Billings (injured)

SYDNEY

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: H. Cunningham, L. Melican, D. Rampe

HB: J. Lloyd, T. McCartin, N. Blakey

C: J. McInerney, O. Florent, I. Heeney

HF: H. McLean, P. Ladhams, W. Hayward

F: S. Wicks, L. Franklin, E. Gulden

Foll: T. Hickey, L. Parker, J. Kennedy

Inter: C. Warner, J. Rowbottom, B. Campbell, L. McDonald

Sub: D. Stephens

Notable absentees: T. Papley (hamstring)

Peter Ladhams looks set to step out in the Red and White despite a missing the Swans AAMI Community Series match. (Photo by Mark Jesser/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Peter Ladhams looks set to step out in the Red and White despite a missing the Swans AAMI Community Series match. (Photo by Mark Jesser/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

WEST COAST

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

S. Hurn, T. Barrass, J. Rotham

B. Hough, J. McGovern, J. Nelson

A. Gaff, J. Redden, S. Petrevski-Seton

L. Ryan, J. Waterman, Z. Langdon

W. Rioli, J. Kennedy, J. Jones

N. Naitanui, J. Petruccelle, C. West

H Edwards, P. Naish, B Williams, H. Dixon

SUB: X. O’Neill

Notable Absentees: O. Allen (injured), J. Darling (fitness pending), T. Cole (injured), D. Sheed (injured), E. Yeo (injured), L. Duggan (injured)

WESTERN BULLDOGS

BEST 22 FOR ROUND 1

B: T. Duryea, J. Schache, B. Williams

HB: B. Dale, A. Keath, C. Daniel

C: A. Treloar, T. Liberatore, L. Hunter

HF: B. Smith, Z. Cordy, J. Dunkley

F: C. Weightman, A. Naughton, J. Johannisen

R: T. English, M. Bontempelli, J. Macrae

I/C: S. Martin, L. Vandermeer, H. Crozier, M. Hannan

Sub: E. Richards

Notable absentees: Josh Bruce (injured), Tim O’Brien (injured)

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/see-every-clubs-best-available-22-for-round-1-of-the-2022-afl-season/news-story/f335062525fa23c43e32526b57181ade