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.
Slider: Melbourne
It would be a huge shock if Melbourne didn't finish somewhere near the bottom of the table. After a 14th-place finish in 2025, they could slide even further in 2026.
The loss of their two best midfielders in Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca has created a hole that cannot be fixed quickly. In response, the Demons have gone back to the draft, marking a shift away from immediate premiership contention and instead towards a list rebuild.
It is a move that inevitably comes with short-term pain. With a young core that is still several years away from its prime and no established stars outside an ageing Max Gawn and newly-minted midfielder Kysaiah Pickett, Melbourne looks set for a genuine rebuild.
For a club that was only recently in a premiership window, Dees fans must now accept that 2026 is the beginning of a rebuild that will take years.
