Geelong mastermind Chris Scott has two duties this week: one being to coach Victoria, while the other is to start getting in the head of Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters about a move east.
The Cats are among a host of Victorian clubs vying for Butters' services, who is the hottest free agent of 2026.
And as a result of the State of Origin's return, and subsequent coaching selection, Scott and the Cats may begin to have the upper hand in the race for the Power star's signature.
The same can be said for Hawthorn and Zach Merrett, who desperately tried to lure him out of Essendon, all until a trade deadline day deal fell through with minutes to go.
Sam Mitchell could use his Victorian assistant coaching title to get closer to Merrett.
Gold Coast free agent Ben King is another player to watch throughout 2026 as he determines where his future lies.
King has strong ties to Victoria, and the Hawks have been in search of a genuine star forward. Mitchell could have his hands full.
Melbourne livewire Kysaiah Pickett has flirted with the idea of moving to Fremantle, and Dockers coach Justin Longmuir will be instructing him on how to beat the VICs. But will it stop there?
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley took a strong stance against using current-day coaches for representative football for this exact reason.
Hinkley, on SEN, noted Chad Wingard featured in the International Rules Series for Australia in 2014, with Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson leading the group.
By 2019, he was donning the brown and gold.
"It is an absolute advantage to those coaches and these clubs. Connection is the word we all look for. If you get a four- or five-day opportunity to create a connection with a potential new player," Hinkley posed.
"The AFL have not given any thought to what should have happened here. There's so many others that could have coached the sides. Adam Simpson, Paul Roos…the list goes on.
"I'll go back in time and back to international rules. Chad Wingard played for Australia and was coached by Clarko at the time, and we (Port Adelaide) lost him to Hawthorn.
"Part of that conversation was he enjoyed playing under Clarko and then thought he wanted to play for him. He had never had an opportunity to connect with Clarko before that.
"Those relationships can stick and can make a decision (to move clubs) a little bit easier. They can talk to players anytime, but this can make it easier."
