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...
18Clarko's midfield learns to run both ways, spurring an improved ladder finish
When footy fans reminisce on the glory days of Alastair Clarkson-coached sides of yesteryear, words like ‘discipline' and ‘accountability' are among the first few to spring to mind.
Those are two traits that could hardly be applied to the North Melbourne midfield he's coached in recent years, as unpacked here.
As lethal as they are at generating scores from the middle of the ground (second for scores from centre bounce, and fourth for scores from stoppage), they are so very vulnerable the other way, allowing the most points from stoppage in the league, and the second-most from centre bounce.
In 2026, that changes. A rising star of the coaching ranks, Michael Barlow has been handed the keys to an engine room bursting with elite talent, and it is high time that Sheezel, Wardlaw and co. develop an identity that makes them as hard to beat defensively as they are offensively. This will happen, and these joeys will bound up the ladder accordingly.
