In the first season of a young AFL career, many players take some time to adjust to the physicality and skill gap between junior football and the elite competition.
Every year, there are players who take leaps in their second season. Some go from fringe best 23 players in their first year to mainstays in their respective lines, while others go from elite first-year talents to some of the very best in the competition.
There are many potential second-year talents who could take leaps in 2026. We look through the five players most likely to take a sizeable second-year leap next season.
Harvey Langford
Across 22 games last season, Harvey Langford boasted elite numbers for a first-year talent, averaging 18.0 disposals and 4.5 score involvements per game.
His effectiveness by foot and strong ball-winning ability saw Langford break into a talented Melbourne midfield early in the year.
With the departure of both Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver from the Melbourne midfield, Langford's role looks to rapidly increase as an inside-outside midfielder.
Langford's final game of 2025 saw him amass a career-high 26 disposals and seven marks against Collingwood, displaying flashes of what may be to come in 2026.
