Like new recruits: 10 injured AFL stars ready to make a comeback in 2026

A club's best recruit doesn't always come from the draft or the trade table. More often than not, the best recruits come from the rehab group - a player returning to the main group after a long injury layoff. We analyse some of the competition's best players set to return from injury in 2026. Keidean Coleman It has been an injury-ravaged two years for Coleman after an incredibly promising start to his AFL career. He has managed just two AFL games across the past two seasons, restricted heavily by persistent knee injuries. In 2022 and 2023, Coleman elevated himself into one of Brisbane's prime movers off half-back. His blistering speed and precise skills tore opposition defences apart, averaging just over 17 disposals, 300 metres gained and five marks per game in this period. Speaking to SEN recently, Brisbane head of football Danny Daly said Coleman had returned to pre-season training in superb condition and was training well. “Last night watching training, his ability to hit those kicks through the corridor in a little bit of match sim type practice was unbelievable. You forget what type of footballer he is," Daly Said. “His ability to be able to penetrate with his kicking is exceptional – his 2023 Grand Final, he came runner up in the Norm Smith Medal. We're looking forward to having a fit Kiddy Coleman back next year, which will be great for us.” http://gty.im/2215103524 Tom Doedee It has been a forgettable start to life as a Lion for Doedee. He arrived in the Queensland capital at the end of 2023 after rupturing his ACL that year with Adelaide. He missed the entire 2024 season after another ACL injury, but returned to the field in 2025 for 13 VFL games and one AFL appearance. His season was ended abruptly once more by a wrist injury that required surgery in September. With his first full pre-season in years, Doedee could quickly become a crucial part of Chris Fagan's lineup. His intercept ability, aerial competitiveness and ability to play on talls and smalls is a rare combination. A fit Doedee would be a superb addition to an already established defensive unit. http://gty.im/2197687138 Jagga Smith A devastating ACL injury late in the pre-season ended Smith's 2025 season in February. It was a brutal blow for the highly-touted youngster who was firming for a Round 1 debut. The smooth-moving midfielder was selected by the Blues with Pick 3 in the draft in 2024 after putting together a superb underage campaign. Smith averaged 33.8 disposals in the Coates Talent League, 29.2 in the U18 National Championships and 27.0 in four games for Richmond's VFL team. Smith is incredibly evasive, good at stoppage and classy on the outside. Smith, a player in a similar mould to teammate Sam Walsh, will be a valuable addition to the Blues in 2026 with his powerful running and ability to accumulate the football. Will likely spend plenty of time on the wing before he becomes a permanent midfielder later in his career. http://gty.im/2200409971 Will Day The Hawks had a superb season, making the preliminary final despite missing arguably their best player in Will Day for the majority of the season. Day managed just the six games for the year as he battled persistent navicular injuries. He showed how important to the Hawks he was in the opening four rounds of 2025, where he averaged 23 disposals, four tackles and a goal per game. However, a stress injury in his foot meant he would only play two more games for the year, re-injuring his foot in Round 21 and missing the rest of the season. With his ability to hurt teams on the inside and outside, Day is a game-breaker. If he is fit in 2026, he will form a destructive partnership in the centre square with fellow midfield ace Jai Newcombe. You have to wonder whether a fit Day would've changed Hawthorn's September fortunes in 2025. http://gty.im/2203758242 Todd Marshall It was a devastating blow for Marshall and Port Adelaide when the forward went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in January at training. He underwent surgery and missed the entire season. Prior to the injury, he had become an important part of Port Adelaide's forward mix, kicking 126 goals across the past four seasons. Marshall has nice hands and competes strongly in the air. He was Port Adelaide's most experienced forward heading into 2025, so it was a big blow when he went down, leaving 24-year-old Mitch Georgiades to spearhead the forward line. Captain Conor Rozee hinted that Marshall will be moved to defence in 2026 when speaking to SEN in November. Whether Marshall returns as a forward or is reinvented as a defender, his experience and versatility will be a welcome boost for Port Adelaide as they look to rebound in 2026. http://gty.im/1251845149 Max King As has been the theme of King's AFL career so far, 2025 was another injury-interrupted season. King did not feature once as the Saints limped to a 12th-place finish. At his best, King is a genuine match-winner, but he has played more than 20 games in a season just twice since being drafted in 2018. Persistent knee injuries have hampered the towering key forward throughout his career. In 2025, a series of procedures were required on his troublesome right knee to address ongoing issues. Having kicked 159 goals in just his first 83 games, everyone knows King is capable of becoming one of the AFL's most prolific key forwards. If he can manage a full pre-season leading into 2026, Saints fans should be excited by what he could produce. http://gty.im/2157553901 Logan McDonald It was a frustrating 2025 for McDonald, who failed to feature at AFL level due to an ankle injury. After being taken at Pick 4 in the 2020 AFL Draft, he has played 70 games and kicked 93 goals. Across 2023 and 2024, the young key forward began to show Sydney fans why the club selected him with their first pick. With strong hands and good forward craft, McDonald became an important part of Sydney's front half, kicking 69 goals from 46 games in those two years. And it looked like he was ready to explode, as we've since seen from fellow 2020 draftee Riley Thilthorpe. But it hasn't gone to plan for McDonald, who will be eager to put a frustrating injury run behind him with a big pre-season moving into 2026. It will be an interesting watch as to how Charlie Curnow's arrival impacts McDonald. Curnow will no doubt attract plenty of attention from opposition defences, and this may be exactly what McDonald needs to spark his career. http://gty.im/2172330188 Cody Weightman 2025 was a disaster for lively small forward Weightman. He didn't feature once as he suffered from the rare condition bipartite patella, where the patella forms as two separate bones instead of one. After five bouts of surgery, he looks set to return to the Dogs' forward line in 2026. Incredibly dangerous in the air and at ground level, Weightman has proven a handful for defenders across the early part of his career, kicking 126 goals from 76 games. He has put together some remarkable individual performances through his career to date, including two six-goal hauls. Weightman will be a welcome addition to the Dogs' forward line after finishing ninth in 2025. Although star big men Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton had big years ahead of the ball for the Dogs, they lacked spark at ground level, and Weightman provides exactly that. http://gty.im/2166490486 Elliot Yeo Two-time All-Australian and premiership player Yeo didn't play a single game in 2025 due to ankle and knee injuries sustained in the pre-season. The veteran ball-winner became one of the competition's most prolific midfielders between 2017 and 2019. This was followed by a frustrating run with injury, playing just 37 games in the following four years. Yeo hit back in 2024 as he rediscovered his best, playing predominantly as an inside midfielder. He averaged 22.5 disposals, 6.6 clearances and 6.5 tackles across 20 games. The Eagles would have been stoked with Yeo's form, but it was his ability to guide the Eagles' youthful midfield that they would have been more pleased with. Yeo's experience was critical in the development of younger players, particularly emerging star Harley Reid. Without Yeo in 2025, the Eagles' midfield at times looked lost. If he can get his body right, Yeo's return in 2026 would not only boost the Eagles' on-ball brigade but it would accelerate the growth of their next generation. Yeo also has the ability to pinch-hit at half-back and control the game from there. http://gty.im/2165592892 Charlie Ballard After being drafted at Pick 42 in 2017, Ballard has developed into a reliable key defensive option for the Suns, where he has played 134 games. An ACL injury sustained in Round 1 this year cruelly ended his season. Ballard has developed a reputation as a strong one-on-one defender and has formed a nice key defensive combination with Sam Collins. Intercept marking is also a feature of his game, having averaged three intercept marks per game across his career. If he can return to full fitness, Ballard looms as an important inclusion for the Suns in 2026, adding stability and experience to their defence. His ability to lock down key forwards while also impacting in the air makes him an important piece as Gold Coast look to build on its breakthrough 2025 season. http://gty.im/2168155658

Like new recruits: 10 injured AFL stars ready to make a comeback in 2026

We take a look at the key players who will effectively be new recruits for their clubs as they return from injury.

5Todd Marshall

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		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	ADEL	23	18	5	72	139.3
2	GEEL	23	17	6	68	141.5
3	BL	23	16	6	66	114.2
4	COLL	23	16	7	64	122.4
5	GWS	23	16	7	64	115.3
6	FRE	23	16	7	64	109
7	GC	23	15	8	60	124.9
8	HAW	23	15	8	60	120.9