As another year of footy approaches, every club's fanbase enters the season with a sense of cautious optimism.
However, some have more reason to be hopeful than most, as their side looks to embed itself into AFL folklore.
Could we see a three-peat in 2026, or will a new club be crowned as kings of the competition?
Here are the five teams most likely to win the 2026 AFL premiership...
4Geelong Cats
Since 2000, none of the 12 sides who have lost a grand final by 40+ points have returned to the big dance the following year, and just one club has managed a September victory the following campaign (Sydney, 2015). A top four finish would help Geelong defy these odds, but the Cats are facing the toughest fixture on paper this year, scheduled to play four top six opponents from 2025 twice.
However, the Cats' playing list is not one to gloss over and could take another leap in 2026, boosting their premiership odds.
Arguably their best four players on Grand Final Day were their youngest stars, with Ollie Dempsey, Connor O'Sullivan and Max Holmes refusing to be shunned by the magnitude of the stage.
That suggests the Cats aren't about to fall off a cliff - the Grand Final loss may just be the beginning of a new era.
There's plenty of adversity facing Geelong, but if there's one club that should never be counted out of the premiership conversation, it's these timeless Cats.
