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Running It Straight is back!Hinkley’s Top 10 impactful midfielder/forwards
SEN • March 4th, 2026 10:39 am
Ken Hinkley has listed his Top 10 impactful midfielder/forwards in the AFL ahead of season 2026.
These are the guys he believes are the best at having an impact as a midfielder while also being a dangerous asset inside forward 50.
“These are the impactful mids/forwards who can go forward and hit the scoreboard plus impact in the middle,” Hinkley said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“It came about because of the Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera conversation.”
See Ken’s Ten below:
10 - Cam Rayner (Brisbane)
“Zac Bailey misses out, I love him, he’s as star, but Cam Rayner at 10.”
9 - Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
“He doesn’t play that much forward. He’d be right at the top if he went forward more often.”
8 - Luke Jackson (Fremantle)
“He can be a mid, he can be a ruck, he can also be a forward. Wasn’t absolutely convinced on Luke as a forward but I went there (putting him in).”
7 - Izak Rankine (Adelaide)
“I think the Crows will want to play him on-ball a lot more than he wants to play forward, so that will be a challenge.
“But he’s as frightening as anyone when he’s in the forward line. I love him as a player.”
6 - Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne)
“He’s emerging as a midfielder a bit more than a forward now.
“But wherever he is he’s dangerous.”
5 - Jason Horne-Francis (Port Adelaide)
“A favourite of mine who I coached. He could be close to No.1 if he has a full season and a really good season.
“He’d only be 6.5 out of 10 for fitness this pre-season because he’s had a lot of interruptions.
“I wouldn’t have thought that ‘Hornet’ is anywhere near fit, that’s why Josh (Carr) is doing a great thing by looking after him in the goal square.
“But geez he looks dangerous.”
4 - Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide)
“I think he could be the All-Australian ruckman/forward.”
3 - Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs)
“Sam’s got everything. Everyone tells me how ferocious he is.
“He’s a pretty special player for the future as well as today.”
2 - Isaac Heeney (Sydney)
“There’s a bloke called Isaac Heeney who can really play.
“He goes to the goal square and just says, ‘Look out, kick me the ball, get out of my way’.”
1 - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)
“He’s special. He’s now my No.1 impactful mid as well as a forward.”
Honourable mentions: “Jordan De Goey, Christian Petracca, Patrick Dangerfield, Toby Greene - sorry guys, too old, you had to miss out.”
Emerging players: “Bailey Humphrey, Nick Watson, Murphy Reid - you can just wait in the queue, you’ve got time to surge still.”
