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Your AFL club's worst nightmare ahead of 2026
SEN • October 31st, 2025 11:44 am
It's spooky season!
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, all 18 AFL teams have commenced their plans to capitalise on a fresh start... but what nightmares could await in the season to come?
Barring injuries, the SEN.com.au team have named the single worst thing that could haunt your team in 2026.
Happy Halloween.
Another scandal
Some say the Izak Rankine incident derailed Adelaide’s finals campaign.
The results suggest it certainly did as the Crows, who finished a game clear on top, crashed out in straight sets, bringing an abrupt end to something so promising.
Rankine’s homophobic slur damaged and dampened what could have been a memorable season for Matthew Nicks and his men.
The club would be wanting to do everything possible to avoid a similar nightmare in 2026.
They’d also be hoping Dan Curtin does not flag homesickness and will be praying for another injury-free season for All-Australian Riley Thilthorpe.
Andrew Slevison
Lions follow in the footsteps of previous back-to-back premiers
It is hard to see what could go wrong for the reigning premiers after yet another amazing season.
In the last 30 years, Brisbane has become only the fifth team to have won multiple AFL premierships in a row.
And they’ve only gone and bolstered their list, having signed Oscar Allen and Sam Draper through free agency and will add Academy gun and top draft prospect Daniel Annable.
Now, they could either end up like the 2013-15 Hawks and their 2001-03 predecessors and claim a three-peat which will ensconce their standing as one of the best sides the AFL has seen.
Or they might end up like the Crows of 1999 and the Tigers of 2021 and miss out on finals altogether. That would be a macabre outcome.
Nicholas Quinlan
New-look forward line fails to fire
Regardless of who won the trade, losing Charlie Curnow is a major loss for the Blues’ front half.
Their ability to move the ball from front to back was always a concern, and Carlton have done extremely well to recruit the talent necessary to aid their movement.
That said, losing a premier key forward certainly raises questions as to how the forward 50 will operate. With Harry McKay presenting as their only pure key tall, the Blues will need a huge season out of their primary target.
If the new mix fails to fire, Carlton and Michael Voss may be in serious trouble.
Jaiden Sciberras
Continual lack of kids coming through
Collingwood were criticised heavily in 2025 for not playing many kids, often having the oldest named team week in, week out.
While Nick Daicos is a superstar, the only other under 23s who featured were Ned Long, Reef McInnes, Wil Parker, Ed Allan and Charlie West… apart from Long, the others didn’t have much of an impact.
In 2026, Collingwood simply must see more from these names, as well as getting some footy out of Harvey Harrison, Harry DeMattia and whoever they take in the draft.
They’re going to need a solid group of four or five of these players to come through alongside Daicos if they’re to remain competitive once some older names inevitably step away at the end of the season.
Lachlan Geleit
Holding Merrett proves a mistake
The Bombers made a real statement over the trade period, declining the biggest trade offer in AFL history to hold onto their captain Zach Merrett.
But they could very easily live to regret that decision.
At 30 years of age, Merrett may only have a handful of top-level years remaining, and with the Bombers’ ongoing rebuild, three first-round picks and a young midfielder is certainly a desirable package.
Without disagreeing with Essendon’s call, it could very quickly become one that they live to regret, particularly if the damage done within the four walls is significantly beyond repair.
Another season in and around the bottom four and a lesser package for the six-time best and fairest in 12 months is far from a good outcome, however, is also far from unrealistic.
Jaiden Sciberras
Continued struggles in front of goal
Having made finals for just the second time in Justin Longmuir’s tenure, there is some hope that the Fremantle can continue their growth into 2026.
While there were plenty of positives, the Dockers struggled with their accuracy, having finished 12th last season in shot efficiency, which saw them finish ninth for points scored.
If their defence doesn’t hold up as it has in previous years, and the likes of Jye Amiss and Josh Treacy can’t make the next step in their development as key forwards, then it might see the side stagnate while other clubs improve.
Nicholas Quinlan
Bailey Smith continues to distract off-field
It seems that the train just keeps rolling along at Geelong, year in, year out.
With such a solid coaching group, culture and list, you’d expect the Cats to contend again.
Perhaps the only thing that could derail things is if Bailey Smith – who has been brilliant on-field – continues to distract off it.
If Smith’s or the team’s performance drops in 2026 and he continues to cause headlines off field, it could become a big issue at Geelong.
No doubt Bailey and the club will be doing everything to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Lachlan Geleit
No improvement after off-season additions
Gold Coast were the big players in the 2025 trade period, adding Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan… they’re also set to add some top end talent via the draft.
While they lost some depth to bring in Petracca and Ugle-Hagan, the Suns are certainly better on paper in 2026 than they were in 2025, a season in which they made their maiden finals appearance and earned their first September win.
With that in mind and with an exciting young list already, many expect them to improve again next season and push to contend.
If they fail to do that, or even go backwards, the Suns will wonder what went wrong. It will torment Dimma.
Lachlan Geleit
Continue their finals regression
In 2023, they made the Preliminary Final, in 2024 they made the Semi Final, and in 2025 they only managed to make the Elimination Final.
If this pattern is any indication of where GWS might be heading in 2026, then a potential finals miss could be on the horizon.
With their veteran core of Toby Greene, Stephen Coniglio, Lachie Whitfield and Josh Kelly (who will be out for most of 2026) now all in their 30s, time is ticking on the Giants’ premiership window with next season being seen as make or break.
And if the Orange Tsunami fails to push for September, then there will certainly be questions asked as to whether this group can actually claim their maiden flag under Adam Kingsley.
Nicholas Quinlan
Falling one midfielder short…
The Hawks are more than capable of cleaning up in 2026; however, their midfield cohort could have used some assistance.
Missing out on Zach Merrett was to no fault of their own, however falling agonisingly short of the ultimate goal will certainly leave Hawks fans wondering.
Those future firsts wouldn’t mean much if the Hawks got the job done, however now, they must prove that the value within their side is enough to compete for a premiership, or denying the Bombers’ final request could come back to haunt them.
Even worse if Merrett and the Bombers progress up the table…
Jaiden Sciberras
Kozzy wishes to go home... again
It’s already happened twice, and a third time would see Melbourne in an awkward situation where they may have to let yet ANOTHER of their star players go.
Pickett’s homesickness has been well documented for the past three years. He was linked to Fremantle at the end of 2024 and Port Adelaide at the end of 2023, which forced the Demons to act and sign him on a long-term deal to convince him to stay.
But now, with three key figures that helped convince him to stay (Simon Goodwin, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver) all departing the club in recent times, Pickett might be swayed a bit easier to leave at the end of 2025, especially if Steven King can’t get the club heading in the right direction quick enough.
This would be a disaster for the Demons, whose future is heavily centred around the talent and star factor that their number 36 possesses.
Zac Sharpe
Another bottom four finish
It can’t happen again, can it?
North Melbourne have been poor for far too long. Stacked with young talent, Alastair Clarkson simply hasn’t been able to fire his side up the table, but with an extra year of experience, 2026 simply has to be a breakout season.
A bottom four finish in 2026 would be their seventh straight, and with the talent they’ve acquired and side they’ll field, it could also spell the end for their legendary coach.
It would be a real nightmare if the Kangaroos fail to make the jump.
Jaiden Sciberras
Butters returns home to Victoria
Even though it seems likely to happen, this would be a disaster for the Power.
One of the best players in club history leaving at age 26 as he truly enters his prime… that would hurt.
Even though he’s a restricted free agent and the Power can match any bid, their bargaining power could go down in one key situation… if he nominates Geelong and not a Melbourne-based club.
Given he’s from Western Victoria, this is a very real proposition.
Port fans would hate to see one of their favourites in different colours come season’s end.
Lachlan Geleit
None of the kids come on
The Tigers are in a good position from a rebuild standpoint with plenty of emerging youngsters.
But if the likes of Sam Lalor, Luke Trainor, Harry Armstrong, Taj Hotton and Jonty Faull don’t come on, and the yet-to-debut Josh Smillie battles with injury again, it won’t end up being a fruitful 2026.
When wins are not as important as the development of the future, Adem Yze is going to need all his inexperienced jets to keep taking significant leaps.
A stagnant 2026 would be ghoulish for the Tigs who seem to be heading in the right direction but must get at least the same level of improvement as this year to keep the rebuild on track.
Andrew Slevison
Off-season splash barely makes a ripple
The Saints went HARD on new players in the trade period.
They added Tom De Koning (on massive money), as well as Jack Silvagni, Sam Flanders (also on big coin) and Liam Ryan.
This new group needs to deliver immediately to vindicate the club’s aggressive recruiting strategy.
Another nightmare would be Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera going down with a serious injury.
The club has thrown everything at him and he is by far their best player. At this point the Saints only have him on a two-year contract.
An injury would be a disaster.
It will also be somewhat of a nightmarish situation for the Saints if Leek Aleer stars for the Giants.
Andrew Slevison
Curnow move backfires
After selling the farm for Charlie Curnow, the task ahead of the Swans is simple: make a run at the premiership.
2025 was a blip highlighted by injuries and inconsistencies, but the back end of the season most certainly displayed signs of what’s to come under Dean Cox.
And given the acquisition of the superstar forward, Sydney simply must make a run at the depths of September.
If they don’t, the Swans no longer hold their future picks all while losing out on valuable years with their star core.
It was the headline trade of the year, and if it fails to pay off, the future may look grim for the Sydney Swans.
Jaiden Sciberras
Enter unwanted territory
Having won only one game last season, most Eagles fans would think this season was their rock bottom after countless years of struggle.
But with that win against St Kilda in Round 10, it still gives them room to charter into territory that only Hawthorn in 1950 and Fitzroy in 1964 have entered.
Having already lost the experience of Oscar Allen and Liam Ryan during the trade period, the Eagles’ list only gets younger, which certainly creates uncertainty about whether they’ll get better in 2026.
They need to improve or it could become a horror story.
Nicholas Quinlan
Miss finals and miss Butters
It absolutely would be a nightmare if the Dogs miss finals in 2026.
They threatened to contend at times in 2025 but in the end could not quite balance their gung-ho attack with a defence which struggled to keep up in the key posts.
If Luke Beveridge is to mastermind a September return he’ll need Marcus Bontempelli and Sam Darcy fully fit all season. Losing either would be torturous.
Then throw the Zak Butters situation on top. They could probably accept no finals if they can lure Butters to The Kennel.
Achieving both would be the dream. Missing out would give tem night terrors.
Andrew Slevison
