The 2026 season delivered plenty of surprises, heartbreaks, upsets and list changes, setting up an intriguing off-season period.
For some clubs, the challenges facing them will be overcoming September heartbreak, while for others it'll be rebuilding a list to try and compete for a spot in the top 10.
With trades, retirements, new recruits, emerging young stars, and new coaches set to shape the competition, every club enters next year with different questions facing them.
Here are the very early biggest questions facing all 18 clubs before the start of 2027.
Adelaide
Can they turn finals appearances into finals wins?
The Crows finally broke through for their first finals win since 2017, but their loss to Brisbane exposed the gap between being a good finals side and being a genuine premiership contender.
They have to find a win to become competitive in finals matches, especially after going out in straight sets in 2025, finishing as minor premiers.
Matthew Nicks' side have lost a lot of forward experience with Tex Walker retiring and Luke Pedlar moving to cross-town rivals Port Adelaide. Reliable defender Jordan Butts' departure to the Bulldogs also leaves them with a hole in defence.
They will need to become suitors for genuine position players if they want to get over their finals woes and go deep into finals in 2027.
Brisbane
Can they do the impossible?
After "Wharfie Time" sent the Dockers crowd into a frenzy in last week's Grand Final, the Lions exploded, kicking four straight goals to nothing within the final four minutes of the game to snatch their third premiership in a row.
But can they go one better?
In a feat only accomplished once before by Collingwood in 1927-28-29-30, Chris Fagan's side has the chance to become immortals and win four straight premierships.
Of course, they still have the talent and especially the young talent, as the Ashcroft brothers, Jaspa Fletcher, Ty Gallop, Kai Lohmann, Logan Morris and Darcy Wilmot are all under the age of 23, keeping them in the premiership window for at least the next 5-10 years.
Lachie Neale looms as the only player from the premiership side to leave the club, and a big answer to this question is whether or not Fagan will decide to step away from coaching.
If Fagan decides to stay, there is no doubt they can't challenge for a fourth flag in a row.
Carlton
Was the second half of their season the beginning of something real?
Carlton's season looked finished at 1-8 before a remarkable turnaround under Josh Fraser propelled the Blues back into September contention.
The challenge for 2027, however, is proving that the revival was more than just a mid-season surge.
The Blues have already gained experience, acquiring tall forward Joel Amartey to help out Harry McKay, and if they can acquire Lachie Whitfield to slot into their halfback line, they become even more dangerous with another ball user to slingshot them forward.
Father-son Cody Walker seems as though he will land at Carlton on draft night, and they're becoming a destination club again, with no reason why they can't go even better in 2027 under Fraser.
Collingwood
Can they get the most out of their players again?
Collingwood's next challenge is less about rebuilding and more about recalibrating with the list they possess, as it seems as though they have enough established talent to expect to be playing finals.
2026 showed a changing of the guard as injuries made way for younger Pies to get games in the legs, with breakout games from Sam Swadling, Angus Anderson, Ed Allan and Roan Steele throughout the year.
Brownlow medallist Nick Daicos seems set to be alongside dual Brownlow medallist and triple premiership player Lachie Neale to help their midfield, while the experience of Jesse Hogan in their forward line could be the recipe for success for them to go deep into 2027.
Craig McRae has the chance to rewrite Dan Houston's lacklustre start in Black and White if Jayden Short joins them, as it could allow for Josh Daicos to slot back onto the wing, getting Houston with the ball in his hands again and going back to his best form since leaving Port Adelaide.
Essendon
What can McVeigh get out of this list to propel a rebuild?
A bottom-placed finish has forced Essendon into another period of uncomfortable questions, but this one seems the biggest.
Mark McVeigh was appointed their head coach, and he needs to determine which parts of the list can form the foundation of their next competitive side.
The impending loss of Zach Merrett and external reinforcements in all different positions will be crucial to obtain, as their most crucial draft year seems to be ahead of them.
Experienced midfielder Jack Viney seems to be on their radar and could provide some toughness they lose in the midfield, but an experienced defender and another key forward alongside Nate Caddy should also be on their key requirements.
They have received two extra rookie selections from the AFL for its assistance package request, and after only eight wins in two years, they need all they can get.
John Longmire joining as their General Manager of Performance has provided a lot of positivity to the fans and club, and it could be exactly what they need.
Fremantle
Can they recover from the most devastating loss in club history?
There's no doubt they should have a premiership cup in their cabinet, and it will hurt unless they can get back to another Grand Final.
The Dockers were seven points away from their first-ever premiership before the Lions produced four goals in under four minutes to steal it from them in cruel fashion.
Now comes the hardest part for them, trying to turn Grand Final heartbreak into motivation to deliver again in season 2027.
Justin Longmuir's side has only lost Sam Switkowski so far to retirement, but they may look to beef up their defence as Alex Pearce is set for a stint on the sidelines with an Achilles injury.
"Wharfie Time" may never be seen again, but the Dockers don't need to do much different than what they produced throughout 2026 to be contenders again next year.
Geelong
Can they push for a premiership again or is it time they finally drop?
Geelong remain one of the AFL's greatest constants, but another September finals campaign has ended without a Grand Final appearance.
Chris Scott looks as though he still wants to refresh the list to remain premiership contenders whilst still getting the most out of their stars.
They missed out on Zac Butters but have gained superstar Toby Greene and are in serious contention to acquire Rowan Marshall during the trade period after he requested a trade to the Cattery.
The stars are still present with Bailey Smith, Max Holmes and Jeremy Cameron headlining the Cats' side, and these additions to Kardinia Park prove they still have what it takes to beat any side heading into 2027.
Gold Coast
When does potential turn into September success?
The Suns have spent years accumulating talent, but 2026 has again left them outside of the finals for the fifteenth time in sixteen years.
The Suns faltered big time after getting their first taste of finals football last year, as some had them as premiership favourites before the beginning of the season.
Many of their major stars failed to perform when required, and Damien Hardwick needs to determine what is holding them back from turning their talented list into a consistent finals side, and whether the answer is another recruit, a tactical adjustment, or simply just more maturity from their players.
With the departure of Ben King, the Suns need some support for Jed Walter and need another key forward. Scott Pendlebury is already on his way to provide some much-needed leadership, but some key positions are still vital in the coming trade period.
GWS
How quickly can they refresh from a disappointing season?
The Giants had arguably the weirdest season of 2026 out of every side.
They defeated three of the top four sides and both Grand Final teams, including Fremantle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Geelong and Hawthorn, but were beaten by the likes of Essendon and West Coast, ruining their finals chances.
Tom Greene's return from an ACL injury will be significant for them, but the club faces many question marks over player movements.
Forwards Toby Greene and Jesse Hogan have already left, leaving a big hole in their forward half, and Keiren Briggs and Lachie Whitfield are all names who have reportedly been looking elsewhere.
Adam Kingsley's biggest challenge looks as though it will be finding the next version of their list without sacrificing too much to stay in finals contention.
Hawthorn
Can they handle the weight of expectation set on them now?
The Hawks came as close as you can to making a Grand Final, falling agonisingly short to eventual premiers Brisbane in what was one of the best games of AFL ever played.
Nick Watson's extraordinary six-goal performance put him on the map as a big-time finals player, and the Hawks are no longer an exciting young team in the competition. They're now expected to contend for a flag in the coming years.
With a young core developing quickly and Sam Mitchell looking to add superstars of the game in Zach Merrett and Ben King, the side's biggest challenge looks as though it'll be whether they can handle the expectation of remaining a contender and getting past a preliminary final.
Melbourne
Can the new wave of Demons survive the reality of finals footy?
The Demons' 2026 season was one of the most positive surprises of the year.
After initial expectations of another difficult year ahead, Steven King's side rocketed to 15 wins and returned to finals football, building an exciting "fun and dangerous" style of footy.
However, their season ended with possibly their worst performance of the year with a wildcard loss to Carlton, exposing their struggle with the midfield-to-forward line connection.
The year did reveal just how good the future looks, though, with multiple standout performers from Harvey Langford, Kysaiah Pickett and Tom Sparrow throughout.
Some experience looks set to be lost with Jack Viney given his marching orders, but more young talent in Zane Duursma looks set to join the Red and Blue as the 2027 season looms as an intriguing year.
North Melbourne
Can they win enough football games to regain hope?
North finished 2026 in 14th, but it felt like they could have seriously finished higher and need to do so soon.
The Kangaroos' most obvious need currently is a key defensive player, and Adelaide's Nick Murray seems to be the obvious answer.
Landing a key defender would provide some massive structural needs for the Roos, as their midfield is stacked with talent and their forward line under Nick Larkey is starting to gel nicely.
However, can North's individual stars put it together as a collective?
Wins and finals are what a club like North Melbourne has to come across in 2027 and at least 2028, and with no finals this season, pressure is on to see what next season holds for them.
Port Adelaide
What does life look like without Zac Butters?
Port Adelaide's off-season will be defined by the most enormous piece of list movement in their recent history.
Butters' future has been the subject of intense speculation all season long, and the Power will have to prepare for losing their most important midfielder to the Western Bulldogs over the off-season.
Josh Carr will have to decide whether he wants to rebuild around its next generation of players in Josh Lai, Jase Burgoyne, Joe Berry and Ewan Mackinlay or use the upcoming trade period to bring in established talent.
Josh Pedlar has confirmed he will come to Port Adelaide, helping their forward line, and the Power currently possess pick 4.
Jason Horne-Francis and Connor Rozee now have to become the main tag team in Port's midfield and try and help their side grow out of the bottom four.
Richmond
How quickly can they accelerate the rebuild?
The Tigers' lacklustre three-win, 17th position ladder finish confirmed that they are deep within a rebuild.
They have a lot of young talent coming through, but for Adam Yze and the club, the next phase is about giving that talent a platform to develop a winning environment.
They have secured Brett Ratten as the Head of Coaching and Strategy from the Hawks, but they still need to find a way to win games.
The departure of Nathan Broad and Dion Prestia doesn't help their cause, as well as missing out on Zac Butters, but the addition of Kieran Briggs from GWS helps out their ruck stocks.
Riccardi is set to stay at GWS, who were speculating a move to Tigerland, and another big-name key forward alongside Tom Lynch wouldn't hurt to get.
I'm sure they will look to hit this trade period hard, but they still lack quality across all positions; meanwhile, their current stars still need to lift.
St Kilda
Can Ross Lyons' investments translate into finals footy?
Ross the boss opened the Saints' war chest before the start of the 2026 season, keeping a hold of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and picking up Tom De Koning, Sam Flanders, Jack Silvagni and Liam Ryan.
However, finishing 11th and three games out of the wildcard spot has raised some worries about their future heading into 2027 and whether they have the right talent to break into the top 10.
The bottom line for the Saints is their fans expect a finals appearance in at least the next two years, and they have the talent to do so with the emergence of young guns Max Hall, Hugo Garcia and Darcy Wilson.
Getting Flanders back from his achilles injury will also provide them with more experience, and they are looking more and more likely to obtain another backman to help buff up their defensive stocks.
Sydney
Can they turn a turbulent season into another premiership opportunity?
Sydney's 2026 campaign may have turned out completely differently if things didn't turn out as they did, but it doesn't mean 2027 can't be better.
They finished second with an 18-5 record and had the competition's highest-scoring attack, but their season was obviously overshadowed after the Pullman incident.
Dean Cox will want to resolve the futures of Nick Blakey, Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney over the offseason while working out how to maximise their list if it is without them.
They still have the talent to get another premiership opportunity, and the Swans can definitely be there at the business end of 2027.
West Coast
How do they progress the rebuild further?
West Coast have had another poor year and will need to hit the draft again after another bottom four finish.
McQualter needs to see which young players are genuine long-term pieces and surround them with enough experience to accelerate their development to get them back up the ladder.
He has started this with the delistings of Harry Barnett, Harvey Johnston and Tyler Brockman while signing on Tom Cole, Noah Long and Jacob Newton, while Marcus Herbert committed to the side until 2028.
Trent Rivers, Jack Viney and Nathan Broad seem to be experienced pickups the Eagles can go after, and although the wins may not arrive immediately, improvement and a clear identity will be what fans want to see from their young side.
Western Bulldogs
What does Butters bring?
The Dogs remain as one of the competition's most intriguing sides because their ceiling is much higher than their results suggest.
They have had arguably the best midfield for the last 3-5 years, and it only gets better with Zac Butters coming across from Port Adelaide.
Butters brings toughness in a midfield that loses Tom Liberatore and Adam Treloar, and will be another genuine ball user alongside Marcus Bontompelli and Ed Richards.
Teams will have to decide which one of the three they will tag, as any of them can get off the chain and win games off their own boot, while their backline also gets better with Jordan Butts coming across from the Crows.
Butters should bring enough to let the Dogs challenge for another premiership in 2027.
