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Live sport on SN this weekendKane Cornes AFL panic ratings: Which clubs are in meltdown?
SEN •  January 16th, 2026 10:09 am
With just seven weeks to go until the 2026 AFL season gets underway, which coaches and captains are lying awake at night in a pool of sweat, panicking about what the next seven months could bring?
It’s a question Kane Cornes has given a significant amount of thought; so without further ado, he brings you his 2026 January panic station ratings by club.
HAWTHORN 5.5/10
They made a prelim without him (Will Day) and they don’t have the luxury of having him often. Worpel leaves and they miss out on Merrett but in panic stations, I give Hawthorn a 5.5/10
Macdonald, I think he has great agility, he plays more midfield minutes, Ward can stand up, McKenzie is too good not to be playing this year. But there is a sameness about this midfield.
Mitch Lewis plays eight, Day plays six; it’s not ideal but they’re not panicking greatly yet.
Macdonald, I think he has great agility, he plays more midfield minutes, Ward can stand up, McKenzie is too good not to be playing this year. But there is a sameness about this midfield.
Mitch Lewis plays eight, Day plays six; it’s not ideal but they’re not panicking greatly yet.
SAINTS 6/10
The Max King situation is becoming dire for them. For them to have immediate success he needed to be fit.
TDK, Silvagni have been hampered pre-season, it rises the level of panic at the Saints. I like the fact they’re having a crack and not hiding behind youth.
NORTH 7/10
It’s the worst blackline in the competition by some way - maybe with West Coast. An already terrible backline is weaker.
Five wins in 2025, this has to be a 10 win season for Clarko to survive.
They did nothing in the trade period to help the backline evolve; there is a level of panic that time is running out for North to make a giant leap. I’m doubtful.
Players are hard to get and they’re harder to get to struggling clubs. There are positives about North but there’s an impatience as there should be amongst the fan base.
PORT 6.5/10
Edmund: they should be panicking just as much as North.
Kane: there’s a new coach factor that relieves some pressure, there always a bit of grace. They are the home of the list clogger. They have pinned hopes on depth players that will play a lot of SANFL. The Butters panic meter is high.
They’re a club that needs to rebuild but hasn’t gone to the draft. This year things will be difficult.
GEELONG 2/10
Stengle is not ideal but they’re a club that can handle these things. Chris Scott is just calm and composed. The club never panics.
MELBOURNE 3/10
New coach, low expectations. I don’t think anyone things they play finals. They’re young and rebuilding on the run but I don’t know who kicks their goals.
BULLDOGS 2/10
You’re set, it’s a good a five as there is. They are going to have a very good premiership winning year. Something would have to go seriously wrong for them not to be up there.
CARLTON 5/10 upgraded to 7
CARLTON 5/10 upgraded to 7
There is always a level of panic about the injuries.
Edmund: You’re being kind with a five I would nudge it up. It’s the last year of the coaches contract, Curnow leaves because he is unhappy. They’re a 7/10.
WEST COAST 1/10
They’re irrelevant.
ESSENDON 4.5/10
There is always heart in mouth stuff for Bombers fans but there is also a level of low expectation. The injury list is always a watch and the Merrett saga will continue.
BRISBANE 3/10
When you win two premierships in a row who gives a stuff…I had them at 1/10 until Neale did what he did. I think there’s an extra spotlight on Brisbane at the moment but not related to footy.
They will be hoping there’s not another off-field story. Not panic but heightened anxiety.
With the coach there’s a level of calmness, this guy knows what he is doing. It’s a calming influence.
ADELAIDE 2/10
New fitness boss, but Ian McKewan is really good. In really good shape to be honest. There’s a level of high performance panic but the group trains incredibly hard, they’re powerful athletes and they are strong,. They will kick a lot of goals and blow some teams away.
They will panic at finals when they come around but now, they’re in good shape. First week of finals if they are there, there will be some anxious players.
FREO 3/10
Similar to Adelaide, the coaches have been there same amount of time. Both have good lists but both probably underperforming. They do have a good amount of youth. It’s a good list and young. Expectation is playing finals for now but there’s a lot of clubs in a similar boat.
Edmund: I think Justin’s under more pressure than Matthew Nicks. Adelaide getting that minor premiership where as Freo have bluffed a little, they went out weakly to Gold Coast which leaves a bitter taste.
COLLINGWOOD 9.5/10
He’s got a heart rate monitor on and it is blowing up. This is genuine, sweating on a plane in significant turbulence panic for Collingwood. Hill, Moore, Howe, McStay, oldest list, forward line – if you’re relying on that group of grandpas to get it done…
Midfield can you rely on De Goey? No. It’s Nick and Josh or bust. they’re the club that should be panicking the most.
Big club, well led, it gets them eight wins before you even start. Does it get you to premierships? No. Then you have to deal with what’s next.
SUNS 1/10
Going well. The only thing I would say is I don’t need any more Jamarra hype. Looks can be deceiving. Let’s get 15 good games together and be on time for training. Love to see it, but don’t plaster it all over my social media.
RICHMOND 2/10
The only little bit of panic for me is Lalor. There's been a couple of serious issues which happens for young players and they overcome that but I wouldn’t want to see too many soft tissues issues for him.
SYDNEY 1.5/10
Is their best five along with Bulldogs the best in the comp? I like Dean Cox, theyr well coached
Edmund: Charlie looks good, some of the vision looks really up for it.
Edmund: Charlie looks good, some of the vision looks really up for it.
GWS 6.5/10
Four home games in the first 15 rounds, they cop it. Hogan Greene Stringer Oliver concerns. Has this group taken them as far as they can without a flag? I think yes.
"They have an impressive coach. They have good players to win a number of games but they’re not a genuine threat.
