Taking a glance into the 2026 AFL season, we try to predict who will take their game to new levels.
Will it be a rising star of the competition? Or a forgotten face? How about a player who was traded?
In no particular order, here are seven players who have the opportunity to take the next big step over the coming 12 months.
3Deven Robertson
The West Australian is set to explode with consistent minutes in a struggling Eagles engine room. Strong tackling, clearance winning and a contested nous are hallmarks of his game, and are sure to be welcome additions to Andrew McQualter's midfield - a midfield that infamously lost contested possessions by 59 and clearances by 22 against a winless Carlton outfit in 2025's early sledding.
47 games in six years in Brisbane is not a true reflection of the midfielder's ability - the Lions' on-ball brigade is arguably the league's most settled, and therefore, the hardest to break into. Robertson requested a trade home after missing out on selection in both of the Lions' recent winning Grand Final sides. There, expect him to take on a leadership role of sorts, mentoring the floundering young Eagles after so many years in Chris Fagan's fabled culture.
