What separates this AFL team from all the other premiership contenders in 2026

This week on The Hitout AFL Podcast, the team discussed which clubs could still win the premiership without their most important player, with Hawthorn emerging as the standout contender given their lack of a clear No.1 option.

"I don't think Hawthorn have a player that's super integral to them," host Phoenix Trinidad said.

In response, The Hitout's Mitch Keating said the widespread strength of the Hawks' list is a reason they're well placed for a premiership push in 2026.

While fellow contenders in Brisbane (Harris Andrews), Gold Coast (Ben King), Geelong (Jeremy Cameron), the Western Bulldogs (Tim English), Collingwood (Nick Daicos), Melbourne (Kysaiah Pickett), Sydney (Tom McCartin) and Fremantle (Alex Pearce) have a player they can't afford to lose to injury, Sam Mitchell's side is humming without arguably their best player in Will Day. 

"This is my thinking in the premiership race this year: Hawthorn are so well-positioned because they don't have one player they can't afford to lose. They're so well covered across the field," Keating said. 

"When the Dogs lost Tim English, I didn't think they were a chance. If every club lost their most valuable player, which is English for the Dogs, probably Cameron for the Cats, it's Kozzy or Gawn, and then it's Daicos. 

"The Hawks just don't have one. They lose Sicily, then they've got Battle, Barrass and Scrimshaw. You lose Watson, you've got Ginni, MacDonald. Lose Newcombe, you've got Will Day. We're forgetting that they're potentially already without their most valuable player. That's why I'd have them so high. 

"I don't know who it is for Gold Coast. It's probably Ben King. Brisbane, it's probably Harris Andrews. It might be Pearce (for Fremantle). No Heeney (for Sydney) would be a big blow, but no Tom McCartin for them (could be a bigger loss)." 

The Hitout team also discussed the past week's whiteboard saga, Lachie Neale's link to Collingwood, predicted the prime time games for the floating fixture, and revealed the result of last week's guernsey competition.