The AFL's 2025 trade and free agency period was one of the more star-studded in recent memory, with a Coleman medallist and Norm Smith Medal winner among those to seek a fresh start.
The captain of the bottom-placed side also sought a switch to the premiers, while some of the game's biggest names requested trades while being under contract.
The headline trade plays of the off-season have brought new benchmarks for the clubs that lured quality talent through their doors, lifting the pressure on their premiership prospects and the recruits to perform.
With that in mind, we look at the five recruits under the most pressure heading into the 2026 season...
4Christian Petracca
Petracca's past 18 months of unrest have resulted in the Melbourne champion securing a move to the Suns, despite being under contract until the end of 2029.
Gold Coast forked up three first-round picks for the Norm Smith Medal winner, who will be seen as the piece of the puzzle that lifts them from a finals side to a truly contending one.
He'll be away from the big lights of Melbourne, but the AFL world will be watching Gold Coast more than it ever has in 2026, and Petracca will be the reason why.
If the year doesn't go to plan, things could turn quite quickly for the Suns' new headline act.
