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.
9Elliot 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.
