Pre-season training is well underway as AFL clubs begin their preparations for 2026.
As is the case every year, there are a number of clubs that surge up the ladder as their list improves and their players mature. On the other hand, ageing lists and player turnover see other clubs regress.
We look at three clubs expected to rise, and three that may fall in 2026.
Riser: Sydney
The Swans were incredibly disappointing in 2025 under new coach Dean Cox. After featuring in the 2022 and 2024 grand finals, the Swans started 2025 with a 4-8 record and simply couldn't recover, finishing 10th.
The positive for Sydney is that its core group of players remains intact. Injuries and form issues saw them field a younger, less experienced side than expected for large stretches of 2025, with Errol Gulden, Logan McDonald, Tom Papley and Callum Mills all missing extended periods. Their absence meant the Swans lacked explosiveness, leadership and class, strengths that saw them go deep in September in the years prior.
With injury-free pre-seasons for their prime movers, they will resemble a team very similar to the Swans of 2024. Their young talent now has another year of exposure, which should strengthen their depth. They are significantly better than their 2025 10th-place finish suggests.
