Surprise and revelation, shock and disappointment - the emotions that drive every footy fan. They bring people together to either share in their frustrations or revel in their unfiltered joy.
Whether it is through player improvement or through coaching methods, every action has an equal and opposite reaction to what fans have come to expect from the years prior, with a player's form or a lapse in coaching sometimes either making or breaking a season.
Accounting for this, I took a look at each team's surprise player or coach and each team's shocking disappointment.
Port Adelaide
Surprise: Darcy Byrne-Jones
Despite a woeful 2026 campaign, Port Adelaide should be very pleased with the improvement 30-year-old Byrne-Jones has shown during his 11th AFL season. The last three years looked like a decline might be imminent, and now he has potentially saved his career by improving across the board in possessions, marking and rebound 50s.
Shock: Ollie Wines
Once a Brownlow Medallist and now a veteran on a club looking on the side of a rebuild, it's been quite a journey for Wines and one that looks to be ending soon. His form has severely suffered after dealing with a knee issue all season, which has played a part in Wines notching the fewest number of touches and clearances since his rookie year.
