It's that time of year when crystal balling and theorising are at their most frequent ahead of a new AFL season.
What are some storylines to look out for in 2026? Who are the people set to shape the coming campaign?
We've listed 26 bold predictions for the 2026 AFL season...
10Mason Cox plays 10+ games
Mason Cox's reunion with former Collingwood assistant-turned-Dockers head coach Justin Longmuir was viewed as an acquisition in the name of depth, and not much else.
However, given the extensive injury histories of Fremantle's incumbent ruckmen in Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy, and ‘JL's insistence on the two-pronged approach, it will not be a shock to see the lanky American don the anchor 10 times in 2026.
Better still, Cox is primed to relish these opportunities. At his most devastating, he plays with a chip on his shoulder, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a scenario more likely to give him one than his delisting from a club he loved so dearly, at the hands of his mentor, Craig McRae.
