Analysis by Adam
At a glance
Top 5 Scorers
| Player | Games | Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Daicos | 23 | 108.1 | 8 |
| Tristan Xerri | 20 | 105 | 13 |
| Hugh McCluggage | 23 | 102.2 | 18 |
| Noah Anderson | 23 | 99.5 | 28 |
| Jack Steele | 21 | 95.9 | 36 |
Season Summary
A single point prevented them from going back-to-back. So fair to say the 2025 season was ultimately good, even if I would’ve spent 40 minutes walking around the neighbourhood in silence if that had happened to me.
I remarked in the decade review that the Sparkles now remind one of the current era Brisbane Lions. It’s hard to imagine them not being in the top four at the end of the home & away season for the next few seasons. Such is the strength and depth of their midfield, and the consistency they’ve shown, particularly over the last two seasons.
The draft strategy of trying to have their cake and eat it too, attempting to accrue the next iteration of Sparkles stars while remaining a force in the premiership race, paid dividends in the form of Marcus Windhager.
But perhaps frailties are emerging? The backline and forward line, on paper, doesn’t seem quite as compelling as some other clubs. But as those same clubs can attest, the Sparkles have players with a habit of serving up 140+ scores when it really matters. They might not be the minor premier, but nobody will want to play them in a final.
Season Grade: A
All-Australians
3: Nick Daicos, Noah Anderson, Hugh McCluggage
DangerGawn Votes
| Rank | Player | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Daicos | 24 |
| 14 | Tristan Xerri | 11 |
| 20 | Hugh McCluggage | 9 |
| 29 | Bailey Dale | 7 |
| 33 | Jack Steele | 6 |
| 40 | Jai Newcombe | 5 |
| 53 | Toby Greene | 4 |
| 73 | Noah Anderson | 3 |
| 82 | Liam Baker | 3 |
| 86 | Jy Simpkin | 2 |
| 98 | Marcus Windhager | 2 |
| 100 | Brayden Fiorini | 2 |
| 103 | Matt Crouch | 1 |
| 110 | Ollie Wines | 1 |
| 117 | Pat Lipinski | 1 |
| 119 | Joel Freijah | 1 |
Pre-Season Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | GP | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 16 | Lachie Weller | 4 | 60.25 |
| 2 | 19 | Connor Budarick | 3 | 51 |
| 3 | 26 | Ben Hobbs | 6 | 58.33 |
| 4 | 40 | Marcus Windhager | 16 | 80.81 |
| 5 | 50 | Zac Fisher | 1 | 66 |
| 6 | 56 | Angus Sheldrick | 4 | 74.5 |
| 7 | 70 | Jack Billings | 1 | 47 |
| 8 | 80 | Matt Flynn | 10 | 80.1 |
| 9 | 90 | Ted Clohesy | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | 100 | Taylor Adams | 1 | 60 |
| 11 | 110 | Zac Taylor | 3 | 42.67 |
| 13 | 130 | Wayne Milera | 19 | 72.42 |
| 14 | 132 | Harry Sharp | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | 140 | Josh Fahey | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 142 | Zac Williams | 7 | 64.14 |
| 15 | 150 | Mitch Knevitt | 2 | 72.5 |
| 16 | 160 | Nick Larkey | 4 | 52 |
| 17 | 170 | Cooper Lord | 6 | 79.17 |
| 18 | 172 | Archer Day-Wicks | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 180 | George Stevens | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | 192 | Cody Weightman | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | 200 | Brayden Fiorini | 12 | 91.25 |
Most Inspired Selection
Pick 200 – Brayden Fiorini
This draft has a few nominees, but in another, more tangible sense, there is only one answer. Getting someone who averages 91, and more importantly, becomes a keeper, with the very last selection of the draft, is inspired.
In any other universe the answer is Windhager. He’s a likely long-term keeper for the Sparkles, someone who will play a prominent role in the next era of Sparkles football. Obviously if Greg could only keep one, it would be the Saint.
But come on, a useful 90+ midfielder, that you end up keeping, with the very last pick of the draft? That’s hard to top.
Trades
| 3 February 2025 | Soldiers | Love Sparkles 2016 Round 1 pick |
| Sparkles | Roughnecks Round 2 pick (pick 16) Taxmanian Devils Round 2 pick (19) |
| 20 January 2025 | Roughnecks | Adam Cerra Love Sparkles Round 12 pick (pick 120) |
| Sparkles | Roughnecks Round 3 pick (pick 26) Roughnecks Round 6 pick (pick 56) |
Just two trades for the Sparkles, both in the pre-season. Such is their plentiful midfield stocks, they could afford to ship out a player like Cerra to bolster their pre-season pick stockpile.
List at end of 2025 season
| Player | Age | GP | AVG | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Daicos | 22 | 23 | 108.1 | 8 |
| Tristan Xerri | 26 | 20 | 105 | 13 |
| Hugh McCluggage | 27 | 23 | 102.2 | 18 |
| Noah Anderson | 24 | 23 | 99.5 | 28 |
| Jack Steele | 29 | 21 | 95.9 | 36 |
| Bailey Dale | 29 | 23 | 92 | 51 |
| Ollie Wines | 30 | 20 | 89.5 | 62 |
| Luke Davies-Uniacke | 26 | 22 | 87.7 | 69 |
| Jai Newcombe | 24 | 23 | 86.4 | 77 |
| Brayden Fiorini | 28 | 16 | 85.8 | 81 |
| Jake Lloyd | 32 | 22 | 84.1 | 91 |
| Jy Simpkin | 27 | 21 | 83.1 | 95 |
| Marcus Windhager | 22 | 23 | 82 | 104 |
| Matt Crouch | 30 | 6 | 81.7 | 108 |
| Toby Greene | 31 | 21 | 81 | 110 |
| Tom Stewart | 32 | 18 | 80.5 | 113 |
| Liam Baker | 27 | 23 | 79.4 | 115 |
| Matt Flynn | 28 | 18 | 78.7 | 123 |
| Zach Guthrie | 27 | 23 | 76.7 | 136 |
| Jack Martin | 30 | 10 | 73 | 162 |
| Wayne Milera | 28 | 22 | 72 | 167 |
| Joel Freijah | 19 | 23 | 71.3 | 169 |
| Jake Riccardi | 25 | 19 | 68.2 | 195 |
| Patrick Lipinski | 27 | 21 | 66.9 | 204 |
| Lachlan Bramble | 27 | 23 | 66.3 | 211 |
| Callum Ah Chee | 27 | 22 | 62.5 | 253 |
| Angus Clarke | 18 | 14 | 62.2 | 259 |
| Harris Andrews | 28 | 23 | 62.2 | 261 |
| Angus Sheldrick | 21 | 20 | 62.1 | 262 |
| Sam Clohesy | 22 | 14 | 62.1 | 264 |
| Tom Papley | 29 | 11 | 62 | 266 |
| Cooper Lord | 20 | 21 | 60 | 286 |
| Francis Evans | 24 | 10 | 58.7 | 302 |
| Mac Andrew | 21 | 22 | 56 | 342 |
| Harry Rowston | 21 | 10 | 51.9 | 405 |
| Henry Hustwaite | 21 | 4 | 51.5 | 412 |
| Roan Steele | 23 | 3 | 46 | 478 |
| Lucas Camporeale | 19 | 3 | 44 | 499 |
| Ted Clohesy | 21 | 9 | 37.2 | 561 |
| Charlie Edwards | 20 | 685 |
Player to watch in 2026
Tristan Xerri
Xerri has been prominent name in the speculation about the new ruck rules and their impact. The talking heads all seem to agree that it seems sub-optimal for a hulking ruck in Xerri’s mould.
But how impacted are we talking? That is the million-dollar question. 5 points a game? 15? Perhaps none at all? Xerri has been a force of nature at the end of the season for this club two years running. If the new rules render him mortal, well, good news for the rest of us. We’ll all be watching the new rules with interest, and Xerri seems like the guinea pig to keep an eye on.