Each Batman needs a Robin.
Every Lance Franklin needs his Jarryd Roughead and every Josh J. Kennedy needs his Jack Darling, so who are the best Robins in the AFL today?
The star key forward is one of the most important players on the field for every AFL team. They demand the most attention and can completely turn a game on its head. Their gravity creates opportunity for their key forward counterparts to stand up and deliver out of the spotlight.
The secondary key forward is an unheralded role, and when at their best, can lift teams from a great offensive team to an outright powerhouse. Having an elite complementary forward can produce a formidable pairing with defences forced to divide their attention between both key forwards.
Possessing multiple elite avenues to goal creates an imposing forward line and is why many of the best teams in the competition have a dynamic secondary key forward so we've ranked them from most to least impactful to highlight some of the dominant seasons from supporting keys and some of the underwhelming seasons in 2026.
18Mykelti Lefau
Main key forward: Tom Lynch
Coming off an ACL, Mykelti Lefau has shown heart at the AFL level this season putting his body on the line and throwing himself into the contest. He shows flashes, but easily goes missing during games, only kicking multiple goals twice in 13 games. There is not much Lefau can do, playing for one of the bottom teams in the competition with delivery leaving a bit to be desired.
