The best part about entering new footy season is that it's a fresh slate - every club starts from zero.
Optimism is high as fans relish in the prospect of their club making some form of improvement on last year, whether that's contending for a premiership, returning to September action, or seeing young players blossom into genuine superstars to push a rebuild forward.
Whether they've just won back-to-back premierships or are coming off a one-win campaign, each club has something to look forward to next year.
So, here's one thing your favourite club should be excited about entering the new year.
Sydney
A new superstar spearhead
Despite escaping the Melbourne footy bubble, the pressure on Charlie Curnow to excel in red and white is immense, given how poor of a year he had in 2025, at least to his lofty standards.
Yet, on paper, his acquisition is as exciting of a recruit for the Harbour City since Lance Franklin in 2014.
At full strength, the Swans are already a finals contender, as seen in the back half of last season. Considering Curnow's recruitment, however, and their fixture which consists of playing the lowly Kangaroos twice, Bloods fans can understandably have hopes for a top four finish.
The former Blue already has two Coleman Medals and two All-Australian nods to his name, but expect more accolades to come for the 30-year-old to hang up in his New South Wales home in 2026.
