The Coburg Lions and Frankston Dolphins make up 25 per cent of the 48-man VFL Team of the Year squad, with a combined 12 players.
Former Collingwood forward Jaidyn Stephenson led the charge for the Lions, which is no surprise given Coburg coach Jamie Cassidy-McNamara declared he was playing above the VFL level.
Pies mid-season draftees Harrison Coe and Mitch Podhajski were selected in the squad.
AFL-listed players such as Hawthorn duo Henry Hustwaite and Finn Maginness were included, along with Brisbane pair Darragh Joyce and Will McLachlan, Carlton's Lachie Fogarty, Essendon's Elijah Tsatas, Geelong trio Mitch Knevitt, George Stevens and Jesse Mellor, Gold Coast's Ben Jepson, Giants' Jack Ough and Swan Joel Hamling were also selected.
In their inaugural season in the competition, Tasmania trio Jye Menzie, Jed Hagan and Hugh Dixon were also named. Surprisingly, Brandon Leary wasn't selected, despite some clear interest from AFL clubs.
The full list of club representation is: Box Hill Hawks (four), Brisbane Lions (two), Carlton (one), Casey Demons (one), Coburg (six, including Mitch Podhajski), Collingwood (two, including Harrison Coe and Mitch Podhajski), Essendon (two), Footscray (two), Frankston (six, including Harrison Coe), Geelong Cats (four), Gold Coast Suns (one), GWS Giants (two), Port Melbourne (two), Richmond (one), Southport Sharks (two), Sydney Swans (two), Tasmania (three), Werribee (four) and Williamstown (three). North Melbourne, Sandringham and St Kilda do not have a representative named.
Players must have played at least 11 home and away matches this season to be considered for selection in the 2026 Smithy's VFL Team of the Year.
The 24-man team will be announced on Monday, September 14.
The 2026 VFL Team of the Year squad
Stu Horner, Box Hill Hawks
17 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 19 disposals, 88.2% disposal efficiency, 7.9 intercepts
Henry Hustwaite, Box Hill Hawks
11 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 28 disposals, 8 clearances, 6.2 tackles
Finn Maginness, Box Hill Hawks
11 matches this season, 8 goals
Averages 28.8 disposals, 6.1 clearances, 5.9 tackles
Brodie McLaughlin, Box Hill Hawks
17 matches this season, 47 goals
Averages 9.9 disposals, 6.2 score involvements, 2.8 goals
Darragh Joyce, Brisbane Lions
15 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 19.7 disposals, 7.5 marks, 6.1 intercepts
Will McLachlan, Brisbane Lions
11 matches this season, 35 goals
Averages 12.8 disposals, 7.4 score involvements, 3.2 goals
Lachie Fogarty, Carlton
16 matches this season, 13 goals
Averages 22.4 disposals, 17 effective disposals, 15.2 uncontested possessions
Riley Bonner, Casey Demons
13 matches this season, 2 goals
Averages 29.1 disposals, 20.6 kicks, 19.9 uncontested possessions
Jack Bytel, Coburg
18 matches this season, 3 goals
Averages 29.9 disposals, 19.6 uncontested possessions, 5.7 clearances
Ingo Dammersmith, Coburg
18 matches this season, 2 goals
Averages 17.8 disposals, 9.1 marks, 8 intercepts
Cooper Keogh, Coburg
18 matches this season, 0 goals
Averages 18.2 disposals, 28.4 hitouts, 8.7 hitouts to advantage
Jaidyn Stephenson, Coburg
18 matches this season, 49 goals
Averages 11.8 disposals, 6.6 score involvements, 2.7 goals
Donovan Toohey, Coburg
18 matches this season, 2 goals
Averages 27.3 disposals, 20.8 kicks, 7.4 rebound 50s
Harrison Coe, Collingwood/ Frankston
17 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 15.3 disposals, 25.1 hitouts, 4.1 clearances
Mitch Podhajski, Collingwood/Coburg
16 matches this season, 50 goals
Averages 11.6 disposals, 5.4 marks, 3.1 goals
Tyler Sellers, Essendon
18 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 17 disposals, 8.3 marks, 8.1 intercepts
Elijah Tsatas, Essendon
12 matches this season, 5 goals
Averages 33.3 disposals, 18.4 uncontested possessions, 7.6 clearances
Jack Billings, Footscray Bulldogs
18 matches this season, 26 goals
Averages 23.2 disposals, 4.1 inside 50s, 3.2 clearances
Cooper Craig-Peters, Footscray Bulldogs
15 matches this season, 8 goals
Averages 27.4 disposals, 15.3 contested possessions, 7.8 clearances
Corey Ellison, Frankston
18 matches this season, 52 goals
Averages 10.8 disposals, 5.6 score involvements, 2.9 goals
Darby Hipwell, Frankston
18 matches this season, 6 goals
Averages 25.2 disposals, 4.7 tackles, 7.9 ground ball gets
Tyson Milne, Frankston
18 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 25.9 disposals, 8.2 rebound 50s, 6 marks
Trent Mynott, Frankston
16 matches this season, 17 goals
Averages 26.8 disposals, 15.6 uncontested possessions, 5.6 clearances
Jackson Voss, Frankston
18 matches this season, 5 goals
Averages 25.4 disposals, 4.3 intercepts, 4 rebound 50s
Nathan Kreuger, Geelong Cats
13 matches this season, 0 goals
Averages 13.1 disposals, 6.7 marks, 5.5 intercepts
Mitch Knevitt, Geelong Cats
15 matches this season, 11 goals
Averages 25.8 disposals, 14.5 uncontested possessions, 7 score involvements
Jesse Mellor, Geelong Cats
17 matches this season, 40 goals
Averages 12.8 disposals, 7.1 score involvements, 2.4 goals
George Stevens, Geelong Cats
16 matches this season, 11 goals
Averages 30.6 disposals, 7.8 clearances, 9.3 score involvements
Ben Jepson, Gold Coast SUNS
14 matches this season, 5 goals
Averages 28.1 disposals, 81.2% disposal efficiency, 18.7 uncontested possessions
Harvey Hooper, GWS GIANTS
18 matches this season, 22 goals
Averages 23.7 disposals, 15.1 uncontested possessions, 6.1 inside 50s
Jack Ough, GWS GIANTS
13 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 31.8 disposals, 19.4 handballs, 17.1 uncontested possessions
Kaine Baldwin, Port Melbourne
18 matches this season, 34 goals
Averages 12.5 disposals, 4.9 marks, 1.9 goals
Ben Hobbs, Port Melbourne
16 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 28.4 disposals, 13.9 contested possessions, 7.7 clearances
Mutaz El Nour, Richmond
18 matches this season, 1 goal
Averages 16.3 disposals, 8.4 intercepts, 6.7 marks
Jacob Dawson, Southport
17 matches this season, 11 goals
Averages 34.8 disposals, 24 effective disposals, 19.1 contested possessions
Zac Foot, Southport
18 matches this season, 16 goals
Averages 26.4 disposals, 18.2 uncontested possessions, 7.3 score involvements
Joel Hamling, Sydney Swans
12 matches this season, 20 goals
Averages 17.9 disposals, 8 marks, 1.7 goals
Mitch Mellis, Sydney Swans
15 matches this season, 14 goals
Averages 21.3 disposals, 6.5 score involvements, 5.7 tackles
Hugh Dixon, Tasmania
18 matches this season, 32 goals
Averages 14.8 disposals, 2.6 contested marks, 1.8 goals
Jed Hagan, Tasmania
18 matches this season, 37 goals
Averages 13.7 disposals, 9.1 kicks, 2.1 goals
Jye Menzie, Tasmania
17 matches this season, 29 goals
Averages 20.1 disposals, 13.4 kicks, 1.7 goals
Ajang Kuol Mun, Werribee
18 matches this season, 7 goals
Averages 14.2 disposals, 33.7 hitouts, 8.9 hitouts to advantage
Louis Pinnuck, Werribee
18 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 21.1 disposals, 6.9 marks, 4.9 intercepts
Jack Riding, Werribee
18 matches this season, 19 goals
Averages 23.6 disposals, 7.1 score involvements, 1.1 goals
Brady Wright, Werribee
15 matches this season, 45 goals
Averages 9.9 disposals, 5.7 marks, 3 goals
Jake Greiser, Williamstown
16 matches this season, 4 goals
Averages 28.8 disposals, 23.9 kicks, 8.2 rebound 50s
Luke Parks, Williamstown
16 matches this season, 0 goals
Averages 17.9 disposals, 81.8% disposal efficiency, 8.9 marks
Jack Toner, Williamstown
13 matches this season, 5 goals
Averages 26.8 disposals, 16 uncontested possessions, 5.8 inside 50s
