Astralis have made a bold decision. Just days after winning their first LAN trophy since 2019, the organization replaced HooXi and jabbi with siuhy and cmtry. The previous lineup had won 87 of its 163 maps, a 53.4% win rate, so the changes were not simply about fixing a failing team. Astralis are betting on a different structure, one that gives their young players more freedom and offers a clearer direction for the future.
The key question is not whether siuhy is individually better than HooXi or whether cmtry can immediately replace jabbi’s numbers. It is whether the new lineup can establish a system in which all five players complement one another. On paper, there are good reasons to believe that could happen.
cmtry: A Rifler Who Was Made an AWPer
cmtry spent his time with FUT as the team’s primary AWPer, although the role was not originally his specialty. During a podcast with Thorin and Mauisnake, FUT coach coolio revealed that he had initially been unaware of the Ukrainian’s background. According to the coach, cmtry was effectively learning how to play the AWP while already competing against the world’s strongest snipers. Coolio said:
I didn’t know that he hadn’t played that position before. They had just made him an AWPer
Coolio defended the Ukrainian against criticism, emphasizing that his mechanical ability was sufficient for tier-one Counter-Strike. The difficulty came from competing against specialists such as ZywOo, m0NESY and sh1ro without years of experience developing the positioning and timing required by the role. Even so, cmtry demonstrated his potential at PGL Bucharest 2026, winning the MVP award with a 1.27 rating and a +60 kill difference across 15 maps.
His weapon statistics provide another interesting perspective. During his time with FUT, cmtry recorded 1,490 rifle kills compared to 1,623 sniper kills, alongside 566 opening kills against 451 opening deaths. These numbers do not prove he will immediately become a better rifler, but they suggest he has a solid foundation. With phzy remaining the primary AWPer, Astralis can now give cmtry the opportunity to focus on a role that may better suit his strengths.
Who Takes Which Role?
The most logical setup would have siuhy as the primary caller, ryu creating space, cmtry operating as a flexible second-wave rifler, Staehr handling supportive and late-round responsibilities, and phzy remaining the dedicated AWPer. This is not a confirmed positional distribution, but it provides a reasonable starting point for understanding how the roster could function.
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ryu looks particularly suitable for an aggressive role. In Astralis’ first two series with the new lineup, the Lithuanian recorded 1.41 and 1.55 ratings against Sashi and HOTU, respectively. His ability to take initiative could allow siuhy to recreate elements of his successful MOUZ system, where the Polish captain frequently worked alongside xertioN to contest map control.
cmtry should not necessarily be limited to passive trading duties. Against HOTU on Ancient, he recorded six opening kills, demonstrating that he can also take initiative when given the opportunity. A flexible role, combining trades with occasional aggressive positions, would give Astralis more options while allowing the Ukrainian to gradually develop his understanding of rifle responsibilities.
siuhy and Staehr: Who Makes the Calls?
siuhy arrives with a proven record of leading young international teams. He guided GamerLegion to the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 final before winning ESL Pro League Seasons 18 and 19 with MOUZ, alongside BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024. His strongest teams combined structured preparation with aggressive map control and gave talented individuals room to make decisions.
Staehr could become an important second voice in that system. Although Astralis have not confirmed a secondary caller, the Dane is a logical candidate to contribute mid-round information and local decisions. His experience with the existing core and his 1.27 rating at Stake Ranked Episode 4 make him particularly valuable during this transition.
The important distinction is that Astralis do not need two competing in-game leaders. siuhy should control the overall strategy and final decisions, while Staehr can communicate information from other parts of the map and suggest adjustments. Combined with NEO’s coaching experience, such a structure could help Astralis maintain clear communication without limiting individual initiative.
The Biggest Challenge: CT-Side Positions
The most difficult part of the rebuild may not be the T side, but finding comfortable defensive positions for everyone. With siuhy potentially taking active rotation responsibilities, Staehr retaining important areas and ryu playing aggressively, cmtry could end up covering less desirable positions. That would create a familiar problem: asking a young player to learn another demanding role while competing against elite opposition.
Astralis should avoid treating cmtry as a direct positional replacement for jabbi. Instead, the coaching staff could redistribute responsibilities across the lineup, giving the Ukrainian positions that allow him to develop confidence with rifles. The exact solution will depend on the map, but finding the right balance between aggressive players and reliable anchors should be one of the team’s priorities.
There is also the question of phzy’s consistency. siuhy previously worked successfully with torzsi at MOUZ, helping build a system in which the Hungarian AWPer could contribute without carrying every round. Astralis will hope that experience can translate to phzy, although the Swedish sniper will still need to demonstrate that he can consistently perform against stronger opposition.
Why This Project Is Worth Believing In
Astralis have enough individual talent to make this roster competitive, but the project’s real strength lies in how the pieces could fit together. siuhy brings experience developing young players, ryu offers aggression, Staehr provides stability, phzy retains a clear specialist role, and cmtry finally gets the opportunity to concentrate on rifles. There is a logical foundation here, even if the team still needs time to establish its identity.
The early results have been encouraging, with victories over Sashi and HOTU providing the new lineup with a positive start. However, stronger opposition will reveal whether Astralis can maintain their attacking structure, establish reliable CT setups and make effective decisions in difficult mid-round situations. siuhy’s unsuccessful period with Liquid also serves as a reminder that a proven captain does not automatically guarantee a successful project.
Still, there is a clear reason to be optimistic. If siuhy can establish the coordinated aggression that worked at MOUZ, Staehr becomes a reliable second voice and cmtry develops into a consistent rifler, Astralis could have a more flexible team than before.
Astralis are not simply replacing two players. They are betting on a different approach to Counter-Strike, built around clearer responsibilities, player development and a leader who has already made that formula work.
