The Sydney Swans and Hawthorn Hawks have been condemned to watching the 2026 AFL Grand Final, as opposed to participating in it, following crushing, last-gasp defeats in their respective preliminary finals.
The Swans were reeled in by a hardened Fremantle outfit, laden with stars. Dean Cox's men battled gallantly; their fleet of unflinchingly competitive inclusions in the wake of August's Pullman incident lost no admirers. Sydney surrendered a considerable lead, out of petrol tickets as the Dockers continued their charge to a maiden premiership.
The Brisbane Lions truly outlasted Hawthorn in a titanic battle - the kind of game that should encourage the code's stewards to stop tinkering with its rules and regulations. The Hawks will take little comfort from the fact that the match was a classic, having fallen short of the big dance at the final hurdle for the second consecutive year.
So, how do these two eliminated sides go one better? What are the off-season acquisitions they could feasibly make, in the hopes of getting over this very same hump next year?
Hawthorn Hawks
In his post-match press conference, a devastated Sam Mitchell refused to shy away from the fact that his club will again be major players in the trade and free agency space this October.
“We need to continue to improve to make sure we are two steps further next year," he said.
“Between now and March 15th, or whenever Round 1 of next year is, our job is to improve our organisation as much as we possibly can. We will improve our playing list, we will improve our staff, we'll improve our facilities - we'll improve every part of our organisation to continue to make growth and go where we want to go - because it's not losing on preliminary final weekend."
The acquisition of wantaway Suns spearhead Ben King is viewed as merely a formality when free agency opens on the 2nd of October. Jack Gunston and Mitch Lewis were particularly superb in a losing effort on Saturday night, with Mabior Chol sure to feel his place in the side is a vulnerable one, managing a meagre two disposals - the least on the ground - with King inbound.
Calsher Dear looms as another likely departure, having spent much of the season playing for Box Hill in the VFL, with rival clubs Collingwood, Melbourne and Geelong circling the father-son.
The Hawks are expected to come again for former Essendon skipper Zach Merrett, who tried with all of his might to force that same move through, last season. Merrett would add to an engine room buoyed by the emergence of Josh Ward as a star of the rather immediate future, the return to health of one Will Day, and the unquestionable toil of co-captain Jai Newcombe.
The Hawks also face a battle that was almost unfathomable a week ago, with very raw prospect Noah Mraz offered considerable cash to defect to Essendon.
The Hawks, courtesy of their top four finish and preliminary final berth, hold a very late first selection in the upcoming National Draft, with their pick expected to be around Pick 17, after bids are matched. The Hawks currently own back-to-back selections in the mid-20's, too.
Club-tied Next Generation Academy member Keenan Boi will make his way to the Hawks. Boi is an exciting small forward, who most recently saluted with Gippsland Power, winning the Talent League Grand Final.
Teammate Marlon Neocleous is another in calculations to alleviate the pressure Nick Watson will continue to garner, while Harvie Cookie and Khaled El Souki have also been floated. Sandringham Dragons key defender Tyson Bradley looms as another lever the recruiting team at Dingley may pull.
Father-son prospect Cooper Hodge recently confirmed his desire to join the Hawks, as opposed to the Lions, where he had been an Academy member.
