What each AFL club needs to show this pre-season

The 2026 AFL pre-season is here, offering the first real glimpses into how clubs will address 2025's shortcomings. While there's no premiership points available, a strong showing can build momentum into the 2026 campaign, and demonstrate what is potentially possible once the home-and-away season gets underway. So, here's what your favourite AFL club must show in their two pre-season fixtures this month... Adelaide Who can inject life into the midfield? [caption id="attachment_165783" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Alex Neal-Bullen of the Crows celebrates a goal with Isaac Cumming of the Crows during the round eight AFL match between Adelaide Crows and Carlton Blues at Adelaide Oval, on May 03, 2025, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)[/caption] Adelaide's biggest knock in 2025 was their midfield's shortcomings, particularly in the short-lived Finals campaign. In a broader sample size, the Crows were below league average for centre clearances - a disappointing return, given the significant investment that has gone into improving this engine room, through the acquisitions of Isaac Cumming, James Peatling and Alex Neal-Bullen. 2025 Rising Star nominee Dan Curtin looked capable of bolstering this area of the field in 2026, having been deployed in the inside during pre-season before a dislocated kneecap ruled him out until Round 7. Youngster Sid Draper will also look to make his way into the middle, with his youthful athleticism and speed making him an intriguing prospect to consider. Time will tell if the Crows can improve following a quiet off-season, but their pre-season fixtures against Port Adelaide and Fremantle will be a good indicator, nonetheless. Brisbane Roles for new youth [caption id="attachment_161239" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 13: Daniel Annable of the AFL National Academy celebrates kicking a goal during the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys match between Australia U18 and Richmond VFL at RSEA Park on April 13, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos)[/caption] There's not a lot to prove for Brisbane entering this pre-season, given they've just won two premierships in as many years. However, an area of intrigue will be how their young stars will be dispersed during pre-season, as with less stakes and a greater opportunity to experiment, fans may see the roles senior coach Chris Fagan has in store for his superstars of the future. One to keep an eye on is first-round Academy selection Dan Annable. The sixth selection of the 2025 National Draft commanded attention from scouts thanks to his dominance as an inside midfielder, but as is well-publicised, the Lions have arguably the best, and deepest, engine room in the competition. A similar thought will be asked of young gun Levi Ashcroft. Fagan has stated over the off-season that the 19-year-old will have to continue to buy his time, and likely return to a role on the wings in 2026, but perhaps a dominant stint in the middle during pre-season could persuade him otherwise. Carlton Threaten by foot [caption id="attachment_172451" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 16: Cooper Lord of the Blues, Hudson O'Keeffe of the Blues and Harry McKay of the Blues celebrate a goal during the round 23 AFL match between Carlton Blues and Port Adelaide Power at Marvel Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)[/caption] The viral vision from earlier this month of Carlton players repeatedly miskicking highlights a concern that played a critical role in the Blues' downfall from premiership contention in 2025. While it's important to not overreact to that particular footage, given the hot conditions on the day it was filmed and it being only February, Carlton were in fact one of the worst teams in the AFL last year using the Sherrin by foot. Only Port Adelaide had a kicking efficiency worse than Carlton's 63.3 per cent, and at the very least the Power were somewhat threatening with those disposals. Carlton, meanwhile, ranked 16th in Wheelo Ratings Kick Threat Rating metric. If senior coach Michael Voss is to cool the flame under his seat, his side will need to demonstrate significant improvements in this area as early as this month, with no better way of doing so than against both 2025 Grand Finalists. Collingwood Nick Daicos' midfield support [caption id="attachment_172298" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MAY 08: Nick Daicos of the Magpies looks to the umpire after marking the ball against Corey Wagner of the Dockers during the round nine AFL match between Fremantle Dockers and Collingwood Magpies at Optus Stadium, on May 08, 2025, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)[/caption] Daicos' 6.2 clearances per game led Collingwood last season, with his closest teammate averaging 4.0 in Darcy Cameron. But you don't need stats to prove that Daicos typically carries the bulk of the load in the midfield for the Magpies, and while his skillset is certainly elite to have, the repeated efforts can be taxing. The lack of depth was particularly notable in Collingwood's preliminary final collapse against Brisbane, outclassed in the middle as they lost the clearance count by nine, despite winning nine more first possessions from ruck contests, while also getting dominated on the scoreboard from stoppage - 65-33. So, who steps up? Eyes will be on Ned Long, who broke through to become a regular member of the best 22 in 2025, as well as youngster Edward Allen to take on a bigger role as Scott Pendlebury enters a record-breaking 21st season. Essendon Bring back the 'Essendon Edge' [caption id="attachment_169077" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14: Zach Merrett of the Bombers is tackled by Connor Macdonald of the Hawks during the round one AFL match between Hawthorn Hawks and Essendon Bombers at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on March 14, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)[/caption] In 2024, Essendon found themselves positioned in the top four as late in the season as Round 17, and were inside the top two with just two months of footy remaining. It was an incredible charge that came about in thanks to the Dons' branded style of football under Brad Scott, labelled as "the Essendon Edge". The club was prioritising winning contested footy - and it was working. The Bombers jumped from 16th in contested possession in 2023 to as high as eighth in late April, 2024, and around that time, also improved from 17th in clearances per game to fifth. Ultimately, as is well-publicised, the Bombers fell away dramatically in the final month of that season, missing finals after being so perfectly poised to end the finals-win drought. Yet, there were building blocks toward success, and they should not go without some further assessment, because that was Essendon's first year winning more contested possessions than their opponent on average since 2018. While many key members of that 2024 side have departed, Essendon's contested ball capabilities have hardly wavered in their top-end talent. Among the top 20 contested possession leaders in 2025, three of them were Bombers. No other club had more than two. The only problem? Two of those Bombers played a combined 14 games, with Darcy Parish and Jye Caldwell facing frustrating years with injury, as did much of the Bombers outfit. Essendon should give the "edge" another chance in 2026 and there's no better chance to test the theory and build some confidence than against two of the poorer contested ball-winning sides from 2025 in St Kilda and Richmond. Fremantle Defensive line-up [caption id="attachment_172342" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Fremantle recruit Judd-McVee. Credit: Fremantle Football Club[/caption] Fremantle has depth across the ground and were above average in almost every statistical category of note last season. However, where they will likely want to improve is their transition from half-back, hoping to balance the reliance on WA Origin star Jordan Clark with their top off-season recruit, Judd McVee. Clark may miss at least one of Fremantle's two pre-season clashes, given his appearance in AFL Origin, which means there's an opportunity for Longmuir to demonstrate where improvements will come from. Geelong The ruck plan [caption id="attachment_169104" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Mark Blicavs of the Cats in action during the AFL Grand Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 27, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] At the moment, the Cats' main ruckman is a 35-year-old Rhys Stanley, and there's no telling if he will be good enough to be a premiership ruck again at his age. Developing youngsters Mitchell Edwards and Toby Conway haven't shown enough to be relied on consistently, with the latter facing constant injury woes the last two years to hold him out of consistent competitive play. Their next options would be to play a mixture of Mark Blicavs, Sam De Koning and Shannon Neale, a combination which worked well in two of their three Finals, but struggled in the rematch with Brisbane in the decider. Obviously, this is something that can chop and change throughout the year, thanks to the incredible versatility that Blicavs' skillset provides, but it will be an intriguing watch how Geelong utilises their talls against Hawthorn and Carlton this pre-season. Gold Coast Which draftees will push for an Opening Round debut? [caption id="attachment_153812" align="alignnone" width="2418"] 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships All Australian representative Zeke Uwland will feature in this week's trials for the 2024 Marsh AFL Futures game. Photo: Rob Lawson/AFL Photos[/caption] February is the first opportunity for Suns fans to see their haul of top draft picks play in competitive action, with a plethora of Academy products set to be unveiled. The likes of Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson will be ones to keep an eye on, given their status as top five draft picks, and their date with the reigning premiers in a match simulation this week. However, late first-round selection Beau Murray, Tasmania product Avery Thomas and Academy midfielder Koby Coulson will also be an intriguing watch, given the Suns' desperate desire to retain their rights on draft night. GWS How will the midfield injury crisis be mitigated? [caption id="attachment_172189" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Clayton Oliver during the 2026 pre-season. (GWS Media).[/caption] On the eve of the season, the Giants have been handed a brutal blow in the injury department, losing superstar Tom Green to a potentially season-ending ACL injury, and defensive midfield gun Toby Bedford for a month. That places a lot of pressure on Clayton Oliver to return to his superstar ball-winning abilities of old, while a group of emerging players will need to quickly find their footing at AFL level to mask the void Green inevitably has left. Jack Ough is one to keep an eye on, as is Harry Rowston, with the pair already set to take on greater roles for the 2026 season before the untimely injury. With the star-studded midfield of Sydney and a unique cohort in Collingwood's engine room on the agenda, an insight into how senior coach Adam Kingsley will prepare his troops for the season ahead must be seen this month, if there is to be belief for a return to September action in 2026. Hawthorn The midfield solution [caption id="attachment_172225" align="alignnone" width="2560"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Connor Macdonald of the Hawks celebrates a goal during the AFL Elimination Final match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and Hawthorn Hawks at ENGIE Stadium on September 06, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)[/caption] Hawthorn will understandably not want to show their full hand in the pre-season, but how they initially manage the absence of Will Day, plus the loss of James Worpel, will be a point of intrigue. Senior coach Sam Mitchell has addressed that while Connor Macdonald has spent the bulk of pre-season in the engine room, it's more likely he'll resume his position as a lively forward come Round 1, though the idea of him floating through there at times remains a possibility. As does increased centre bounce opportunities for Nick Watson, who has demonstrated an ability to generate attacking pressure when given elevated time in the middle. There will be a lot riding on the development of youngsters Cameron Mackenzie and Josh Ward too. How the Hawks engine room perform as a collective in the pre-season will either give Hawthorn fans considerable optimism or a pessimistic outlook on the year ahead. Melbourne Prove that Steven King's system could exceed expectations [caption id="attachment_168523" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Melbourne coach Steven King posing for a photo on his first day in charge of the Demons (Image via Melbourne FC)[/caption] Melbourne being a bottom four side is a foregone conclusion to most pundits entering this season. A major off-season overhaul will see the Demons go into 2026 with a refreshed list and a new approach under the tutelage of senior coach Steven King, with the departures of Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca allowing the club to focus on what's next. King plans to prioritise the development of youth over stars of years past but that doesn't mean they'll be uncompetitive, considering the top-end talent on his list. Adjusting to King's gameplan could take several weeks, but an optimistic view would be that the Dees quickly illustrate his gameplan. Considering how strongly the likes of off-season recruits Jack Steele and Changkuoth Jiath bought into King's pitch, pre-season could highlight that Melbourne may just be "retooling" rather than undergoing a full blown rebuild. North Melbourne Signs of defensive improvement [caption id="attachment_163915" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 14: Jordan Clark of the Dockers tackles Harry Sheezel of the Kangaroos during the round 14 AFL match between North Melbourne Kangaroos and Fremantle Dockers at Optus Stadium, on June 14, 2025, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)[/caption] The Kangaroos are building confidence that their current playing list will be the one to make the jump toward the top 10, and much of that belief can be built on the fact that the Roos have figured out how to turn clearance dominance into scores. Alastair Clarkson's young side ranked third for centre clearances, second for stoppage clearances, second for first possession rate, second for scores from centre bounce, and fourth for scores from stoppage in 2025. However, if these numbers are to matter, they need to stop the Sherrin from flowing the other way too. The Kangaroos have struggled to stop opposing midfields having their way with them, allowing the most points from stoppage in the league, and the second-most from centre bounce. With fixtures against Collingwood and Melbourne looming, pre-season will be a perfect opportunity to demonstrate some growth in that area and to hopefully build some excitement into the home-and-away season. Port Adelaide What does Josh Carr's new system have to offer? [caption id="attachment_168228" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 16: Josh Carr, Assistant coach of the Power looks on ahead of the round 23 AFL match between Carlton Blues and Port Adelaide Power at Marvel Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)[/caption] Newly appointed senior coach Josh Carr looks set to radicalise the Power's ball movement in order to dynamise their way forward, and if it's as good as he makes it sound, Port Adelaide should find itself back in the Finals hunt in 2026. Matchups against Adelaide and West Coast will allow the Power to test this new system against sides on both ends of the spectrum, giving fans a solid understanding of what can be expected from the black and teal. While a seamless transition from Hinkley-ball to Carr's gameplan is unlikely, the Power would like to demonstrate an improved ability to win clearances and convert those into scoreboard damage, ranking 13th from scores from stoppages and ninth in scores from centre bounces in 2025, a significant drop from their rankings of 10th and fifth in these categories in 2024. Richmond Control the contest [caption id="attachment_163442" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 11: Sam Banks of the Tigers runs with the ball during the round nine AFL match between Richmond Tigers and West Coast Eagles at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on May 11, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)[/caption] The Tigers were one of the surprises of the 2025 season, despite winning just five games for the year, but the consensus for 2026 is that Richmond will regress rather than advance a rapid rebuild following an off-season of minimal player movement, outside of their two first-round draft picks. However, the Tigers have the opportunity to prove they are a step ahead of other clubs in a similar position this pre-season, with matches against Essendon and Melbourne to come before their annual Round 1 matchup with Carlton. Yze's Tigers will be hoping to control possession and generate consistent inside 50 chances in these games, as these are the areas they were dominated in during 2025. In fact, they lost the disposal count by over 50 touches per game last year, and the inside 50 count by 11.5 on average. The only other side to be dominated that much on a weekly basis? The West Coast Eagles, who won just one game all year. Richmond fans will be hoping the five-win campaign wasn't a fluke, and pre-season clashes against two clubs preparing to bottom out is one way to prove to them that it wasn't. St Kilda Effective management of Tom De Koning and Rowan Marshall as dual rucks [caption id="attachment_172511" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Tom De Koning and Rowan Marshall at pre-season training in 2026 (Image via St Kilda FC)[/caption] One of the bigger question marks to be answered in 2026 at Moorabbin is how the Saints intend to use the star ruck pair of De Koning and Marshall. St Kilda was firm on their stance with Marshall, despite the 29-year-old's attempted exit during the trade period to Geelong due to wish to remain the club's number one ruckman. They'll become the next club of many expected to roll out a dual ruck line-up in 2026, as the AFL looks to speed up the game with its latest rule changes. Pre-season will be an opportunity to iron out the wrinkles in this set-up, and should the Saints prove its effectiveness, particularly with the new ruck rules that emphasise athleticism, it will bolster the confidence of Saints fans around the country that this team can return to September action after a two-year hiatus. Sydney Quickened speed of play [caption id="attachment_171791" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 07: Nick Blakey of the Swans runs with the ball during the round 13 AFL match between Richmond Tigers and Sydney Swans at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on June 07, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)[/caption] The Swans believe they didn't push the pace enough last season, with Errol Gulden recently revealing that Dean Cox has asked for a "massive shift" in the way he wants Sydney to play. But actions speak louder than words, and the Swans will be looking to demonstrate their revamped style of play as soon as this month. Perhaps Chad Warner's explosive play for Western Australia is a sign of things to come in the Harbour City, with the 24-year-old racking up over 600 metres gained against Victoria from just 16 possessions, but time will tell if the Swans can overcome the things that held them back from a post-season berth last year. West Coast Signs of competitiveness [caption id="attachment_172145" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 19: Andrew McQualter, Senior Coach of the Eagles addresses the players at the break during the 2025 AFL Round 19 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Richmond Tigers at Optus Stadium on July 19, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] Despite winning last year's pre-season clash against North Melbourne, a dive into the film and underlying numbers highlighted a team on the back foot for the majority of the game, and one ultimately saved by inaccuracy. A result doesn't matter in pre-season typically, and if West Coast lose to Port Adelaide on March 1, no one will really bat an eyelid. But, there must be some semblance of competitiveness from a club coming off a historically bad year. Pre-season can set the tone for the year ahead and the Eagles could use all the positive momentum they can get. Western Bulldogs Defensive competence [caption id="attachment_165318" align="alignnone" width="2278"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 12: Bailey Dale of the Bulldogs looks dejected after a loss during the 2025 AFL Round 18 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Adelaide Crows at Marvel Stadium on July 12, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] The defensive unit is the biggest point of intrigue for the Bulldogs this year, particularly after a largely unsuccessful off-season recruitment period. The Bulldogs had the best scoring profile from defensive 50 in 2025, thanks to the elite dash off half-back from the likes of Bailey Dale, Lachie Bramble and Bailey Williams, who will all be locks to feature prominently in 2026. However, the Bulldogs struggled to limit their opposition's attacking prowess due to their weak key defender stocks. In pre-season, they'll come up against Hawthorn and Sydney - the Hawks featuring several key forward options and Sydney notably boasting two-time Coleman Medal winner Charlie Curnow. If the Bulldogs can display positive signs in this area during the pre-season against these formidable opponents, perhaps a return to premiership contention can be confidently predicted.

What each AFL club needs to show this pre-season

While there’s no premiership points at stake, every team has something to prove this month 👇

Sydney

Quickened speed of play

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		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	ADEL	23	18	5	72	139.3
2	GEEL	23	17	6	68	141.5
3	BL	23	16	6	66	114.2
4	COLL	23	16	7	64	122.4
5	GWS	23	16	7	64	115.3
6	FRE	23	16	7	64	109
7	GC	23	15	8	60	124.9
8	HAW	23	15	8	60	120.9