Each AFL team has at least one player ready for a breakout year or is looking to prove their value in the top flight, while others returning from a long injury layoff might be a catalyst in the upcoming campaign.
There's always increased excitement or expectation mounted on players who looked to be a big part of the season to come, even if they aren't among the top line of stars in their squad.
Here we look at your club's 'one to watch' heading into the 2026 AFL season.
Port Adelaide
Mitch Georgiades
Mitch Georgiades was one of the few sources of inspiration for the Power going forward in 2025, leading Port Adelaide with 58 goals - 31 more than the next Power goalkicker.
It was a career-best output for Georgiades, and there's potential for him to get even better in 2026. Newly appointed senior coach Josh Carr is hunting to add more avenues to attack inside 50 in his system, while Georgiades shot at a subpar 51.8% accuracy in 2025 - the fourth-lowest accuracy among players who kicked 40-plus goals this season.
If that returns to a respectable 60% in 2026, Georgiades could easily kick 60-70 goals, based on his volume from the past two years.
You can also read up on the Power's star player, the name under pressure, 2026 expectations, squad list, fixtures, stats, recruitment report, matches to watch, best 23, player profiles and more for FREE with our 2026 Season Guide.
