Demonland

CARLTON v GEELONG CATSWednesday February 25, 7.10pm at Ikon Park How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 6.30pm with Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Tom Hawkins, Sarah Jones, David King & Jon Ralph Blues’ burning question: How much of a point of difference can Jagga Smith and recruits provide? It’s been an eventful off-season of change and several new faces at Ikon Park as one of the clubs with the biggest list turnover. Blues fans couldn’t help but get a bit excited about their new-look side’s pre-season win over reigning back-to-back premier Brisbane in last week’s match simulation. Now to put them to the test again on a slightly elevated stage. All eyes will be on Jagga Smith after he wowed against the Lions and looked like an AFL player already, despite an ACL injury wiping the former No. 3 draft pick’s first season. The 20-year old, who’s effectively a new recruit could add a more dynamic edge to Carlton’s otherwise relatively one-pace midfield, not that Smith alone can turn the club’s fortunes. Beyond Smith, how father-son draftee Harry Dean handles himself in an undermanned back six missing Jacob Weitering and Nick Haynes will also be a watch. And which of their other recruits, including Will Hayward and Ollie Florent, look capable of having a genuine impact? Cats’ burning question: Is it Mitch Edwards time? After missing out on Rowan Marshall, Geelong’s ruck set-up remains its biggest selection conundrum heading into 2025. With Toby Conway (ankle/knee) still slowly building after a few injury-interrupted seasons, Rhys Stanley and Mark Blicavs (both 35) have been seen as arguably the Cats’ leading ruck options at the start of the season, with Shannon Neale and/or Sam De Koning to pinch-hit if needed. But track-watchers have been mightily encouraged by third-year ruck Mitch Edwards’ near full pre-season. Taken in the second round of the 2023 draft, Edwards’ first two seasons at the Cats were primarily hampered by injury. After showing a glimpse of his potential in the back half of the 2025 VFL season, Edwards has trained strongly and shown off his athleticism across the summer, leading to a strong showing against Hawthorn in match simulation last week. Post-game, Cats assistant coach James Rahilly suggested Edwards was “definitely a chance” for Opening Round, telling reporters: “Mitch has the ability to get after the ball. He’s 208cm, but he’s pretty agile for someone his size.” Stanley didn’t face the Hawks, nor will he take on the Blues … so, yes, it could be Mitch Edwards time. SYDNEY SWANS v GWS GIANTSThursday February 26, 4.10pm at Henson Park How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 4pm with Corbin Middlemas, Kelli Underwood, Brad Johnson, Gerard Healy & Ruby Schleicher Swans’ burning question: Charlie looks ready to get back to his best … what about another secret weapon? Charlie Curnow looks set to be as good as advertised for Sydney, if last week was anything to go by. Curnow was firing on all cylinders with four goals in the Swans’ match simulation game against Western Bulldogs and the superstar recruit will clearly play a key role in helping Sydney bounce back in 2026. Four-time premiership great Shaun Burgoyne labelled Curnow a “big-time player” who’ll “enjoy the change of environment”. Burgoyne told foxfooty.com.au: “I think the freshness of moving to a new club – Sydney is off-Broadway a little bit away from a big club like Carlton in Melbourne – I think he’ll be refreshed. I think he’s got some really good talent around him kicking the ball – I saw highlights of Gulden kicking the ball inside 50 against Western Bulldogs – so I think he’s going to thrive.” But don’t discount the potential impact Logan McDonald could have. The 23-year old also slotted four majors against the Dogs and could be the perfect forward partner for Curnow after McDonald missed the entirely of last season due to injury. It’s easy to forget that the former No. 4 pick booted 37 goals in Sydney’s 2024 grand final season — just his fourth AFL campaign — so he too is almost like a new recruit. With star midfield trio Errol Gulden, Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner delivering it inside 50, Curnow and McDonald are set for several more big outings this season. Giants’ burning question: Who’s ready to fill midfield voids? We already saw Clayton Oliver impress in his first unofficial outing for GWS in last week’s match simulation against Collingwood. The marquee recruit was clean around stoppage and showed some burst around the ground in what looks like the ideal like-for-like replacement for the injured Tom Green. That was against an undermanned Magpies midfield though — now to do it against the star-studded crop of Errol Gulden, Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner. Beyond Green, GWS is still missing Fin Callaghan and set to be without Josh Kelly for most of 2026, so they’ll need others to step up too. Harry Rowston got plenty of midfield chances against Collingwood and showed some good signs as one they’ll be hoping can make a leap in 2026. Just no more injuries for the club that’s probably been hit the hardest this pre-season, please. BRISBANE LIONS v GOLD COAST SUNSThursday February 25, 7.10pm at Brighton Homes Arena How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 7pm with Dwayne Russell, Jack Riewoldt, Cameron Mooney, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch & Jon Ralph Lions’ burning question: Can the back-to-back premiers level up again? Jarrod Berry, Lincoln McCarthy, Jack Payne, Eric Hipwood, Keidean Coleman, Noah Answerth, Tom Doedee, Oscar Allen, Sam Draper and Dan Annable. That’s the list of players who didn’t play in last year’s Grand Final mauling against Geelong. It’s scary to consider that the back-to-back premiers could level up yet again, with a combination of best 23 players returning, albeit, at various stages of the season, and key recruits set to bolter them. Not to mention how young Brisbane’s list still is across the board including the likes of Kai Lohmann, Darcy Wilmot, Jaspa Fletcher, Will and Levi Ashcroft and Logan Morris still 22 and under. So on Thursday night Lions fans will have a myriad of reasons to tune in and found out where they could get improvement from this season against the side that some consider their biggest roadblock to a three-peat. Suns’ burning question: Is Jamarra ready for Opening Round? You can’t be too critical of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in our first look at the recruit in a Suns guernsey last week. The forward struggled to have an influence in the match simulation loss to St Kilda in what was a tough night for key forwards in dewy conditions on the Gold Coast. It wasn’t helped by some pretty ordinary supply up forward either and constantly being overmatched in two or three v ones. But on Thursday we’ll get a better idea if the recruit is ready for Opening Round and playing in his first official AFL game since 2024 after impressing at the Suns over the pre-season. Plus a look at how Ugle-Hagan function alongside Ben King in a combination Gold Coast fans will be hoping can spearhead a premiership caliber forward line in 2026. If the former No. 1 pick can step up against the reigning back-to-back premiers, imagine what sort of confidence he could take into the season proper. MELBOURNE v RICHMONDFriday February 27, 4.10pm at Mars Stadium How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 4pm with Dwayne Russell, Jess Webster, Brad Johnson, Nick Dal Santo & Ben Dixon Demons’ burning question: How real is this more exciting brand under King? It was like you were watching a totally different side last week. Melbourne looked re-energised in a dominant 80-point win over North Melbourne in their match simulation match. Forget the scoreboard, the Demons passed the eye test with flying colours and you could see the brand new Steven King is trying to install. They defended well and looked organised behind the ball, then attacked with a more daring, chaotic brand. Sounds simple enough, but it’s effectively how Melbourne and 17 other clubs will be wanting to play. We’ll get another look at it against Richmond in a method that Kysaiah Pickett and cousin Latrelle thrived in to provide serious optimistic for Demons fans and renewed faith for what 2026 could hold. Tigers’ burning question: Will the new ‘Ferraris’ be Round 1 ready? Fox Footy’s David King — an avid training track-watcher at this time of the year — cheekily suggested on X in January there were “Ferraris” everywhere at Richmond. If that’s the case, No.1 pick Sam Lalor would be in pole position, evidenced by his tantalising showing against Essendon. He took an awesome mark early and, overall, was clean and comfortable in possession, attending many centre ball-ups. Then there’s 2025 top-1o draft picks Sam Grlj and Sam Cumming, who are eyeing early-season debuts. Grlj was arguably the most impressive Richmond youngster against the Bombers with his daring dash and adept decision-making exiting defence, while Cumming improved as the game progressed and benefitted from more centre ball-up attendances. It’s one thing to show glimpses in the pre-season, but how quickly can they convert their form into home and away season class? Because you sense they’ll be heavily relied upon early. WESTERN BULLDOGS v HAWTHORNFriday February 27, 7.10pm at Mission Whitten Oval How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 7pm with Anthony Hudson, Garry Lyon, Ken Hinkley, Lauren Wood & David Zita Bulldogs’ burning question: Will there be enough growth from within? We all know the Dogs’ A-graders — Bontempelli, Darcy, Richards and Dale, to name a few — and how important they are to the team’s success. But for the Bulldogs to take the next step in 2026 and become the flag contender many think they can be, the emerging youngsters and ‘depth players’ need to step up. We’ve seen signs of that in recent weeks, most notably in the match sim against Sydney. After 18 games and four seasons, Arty Jones looks primed to cement his spot in the Dogs’ line-up, while Ryley Sanders and Lachie Jaques loom as potential weapons ahead of their third and second years respectively. Add in a full year in the midfield for emerging star Joel Freijah and there’s more tools for Luke Beveridge to work with. Hawks’ burning question: Are midfield reinforcements hiding in plain sight? So much of the talk over the off-season has surrounded Hawthorn’s midfield and whether it has enough firepower after the club missed out on Zach Merrett and the subsequent injury blow to Will Day. Would they have gone harder at Merrett if they knew they’d be without Day for half the season? Well, two emerging players ready to help fill the void could be hiding in plain sight — Josh Ward and Connor Macdonald. Ward already levelled up his game in 2025 to become a key part of Sam Mitchell’s midfield, without becoming a bona fide star of that engine room. Meanwhile Macdonald has never gotten great on-ball exposure at AFL level but was a gun midfielder in his junior days. Both players impressed in last week’s match simulation against Geelong and should only get more opportunities to show their worth against the Western Bulldogs. Some of these names going to another level could be the difference in the Hawks being a genuine contender in 2026. Triple premiership Hawk Shaun Burgoyne told foxfooty.com.au his former side would “be around the mark” for a flag, adding: “They seem to be riding the wave of expectation. They’re embracing it, playing a really exciting brand, they defend really well … the whole team seem to be gelling under Sam.” ST KILDA v ESSENDONSaturday February 28, 3.10pm at Mars Stadium How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 3pm with Leigh Montagna, Gerard Healy, Ken Hinkley & Ben Dixon Saints’ burning question: TDK came with the biggest price tag … but is another recruit set to have a greater impact? Sure, it was only match simulation, but a big tick to the new-look Saints in their first unofficial game of 2026 in a 71-point drubbing of Gold Coast. Sam Flanders was everywhere in a pure midfield role where he racked up a stack of touches. Save it for the real stuff, Sam! So while $12 million man Tom De Koning comes on the biggest price tag of their recruits and thus should have the highest expectations, Flanders could end up being their most valuable addition. The ex-Sun led a more dynamic looking midfield alongside Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Mattaes Phillipou, who himself is like something of a new recruit after his 2025 was ruined by injury. Clearly, teams are going to put more attention into Wanganeen-Milera this year, so if the likes of Flanders and Phillipou can also wreak havoc through the midfield, it could go a long way for Ross Lyon’s troops. Bombers’ burning question: Is their forgotten star primed to bounce back? Darcy Parish feels like a bit of a forgotten man at Essendon after injuries have derailed the midfielder in recent years. But he might be ready to re-announce himself to the AFL world in 2026. Parish, 28, racked up plenty of the footy as one of the club’s best in their 50-point match simulation win over Richmond last week. A midfield led by Parish, Zach Merrett, Jye Caldwell and Sam Durham shouldn’t be underestimated if they can all stay on the park and build reps together after an injury year from hell in 2025. Parish was one of the biggest victims of that injury curse with just three appearances, so Bombers fans will be keen to see the All-Australian back up last week’s efforts, and as much as anything, simply show he’s fit and ready to fire for the season proper. FREMANTLE v ADELAIDE CROWSSaturday February 28, 6.10pm at Lane Group Stadium How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 6pm with Adam Papalia, David King, Will Schofield & Kath Loughnan Dockers’ burning question: How lethal could they be forward of centre this year? Fremantle’s key forwards have given fans plenty to be excited in recent years. And the excitement was only augmented last week with Jye Amiss, Josh Treacy and Pat Voss taking advantage of a young West Coast backline to kick eight of Fremantle’s 11 goals. But what’ll be just as important this year is the delivery they receive up the field. Rising Star winner Murphy Reid has been the buzz player across the summer at Freo — a title he lived up to last weekend as he took on a bigger role in the midfield. While coach Justin Longmuir was keen to temper expectations on Reid, he did admit: “His kicking inside 50, I know the forwards lick their lips leading at him.” The kick inside 50 has never been more important — and Reid, according to Longmuir, is “probably our best ball user forward of centre”. Watch out. Crows’ burning question: Are Reilly O’Brien’s days numbered? The Crows, like many clubs, are experimenting with a different ruck set-up this off-season with new rules and an extended bench. The athletic Lachlan McAndrew has surged into the No. 1 ruck spot, while the versatile Toby Murray looms as the likely forward-ruck option, therefore allowing the ominous Riley Thilthorpe to remain closer to goal. So what does that mean for Reilly O’Brien? A best and fairest winner and member of the leadership group, O’Brien has suddenly gone from the Crows’ clear preferred ruck for seven consecutive seasons to third in the pecking order. Crows legend Mark Ricciuto said O’Brien was a proud player and integral clubman who “will be having an absolute crack as well” to get back into the senior side, but conceded the rule change that helps jumping rucks “hurts Riley a bit”. Ricciuto told foxfooty.com.au: “He’s more of a stronger-bodied ruckman, but Reilly is really good around the ground and he’s pretty good when it’s on the ground as well. So while it hurts him in the jump in the centre square, it might aid him against the jumpers because as soon as it hits the ground he might be able to follow up better. It’s not completely against him, so let’s wait and see. Everyone has to adapt to the rules, some can do it better than others, but he not going to throw the towel in just because there’s a rule change and say ‘my career’s over’. He’s been great for the Adelaide Football Club and I reckon he’ll find a way.” NORTH MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOODSunday March 1, 1.10pm at Mars Stadium How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 3pm with Leigh Montagna, Matt Hill, Jack Riewoldt, Jordan Lewis & Eddie Betts Kangaroos’ burning question: Surely they’ll be better than last Friday night? After six consecutive bottom-three finishes, North has indicated it’s ready to make genuine inroads and challenge for finals. But the match sim loss to Melbourne would’ve been a jarring experience for its fans. Yes it was only a February match simulation, so setting off the alarm bells now would be premature. But you could sense the Roos’ frustration post-game, with assistant coach Michael Barlow dubbing the 80-point loss to Melbourne as “unflattering and disappointing”. Barlow told reporters: “We had a really good discussion as a group just before around having real belief and confidence in what we’ve been able to do in the last few months and the back-end of last year – we have the faith and things will be OK. We’ll get another opportunity to butter up next week.” Well, the opportunity comes this weekend against reigning preliminary finalists Collingwood. The Roos are missing several key players through injury, but must show more defensive accountability against the Pies to ensure they hit the home and away season with some confidence and momentum. Magpies’ burning question: Is Craig McRae retooling his midfield? Granted, Collingwood was missing several key stars including both Daicos brothers and Darcy Cameron. But a starting midfield of Oscar Steene, Jordan De Goey, Ed Allan and mature-aged draftee Angus Anderson in their match simulation clash with GWS showed Craig McRae might be ready to turn a page with his engine room and give more opportunities to young players. That’s not to say they’ll be relying on these less experienced players, but simply be more willing to expose them to bigger roles after they’ve consistently gone back to the well with the likes of Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Jack Crisp. Anderson was impressive with serious physicality and defensive presence as the type of player who could be ready for senior footy early, while Beau McCreery also had some impressive stints through the midfield as a De Goey-esque type of player. WEST COAST EAGLES v PORT ADELAIDESunday March 1, 6.10pm at Mineral Resources Park How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 6pm with Adam Papalia, David King, Will Schofield, Kath Loughnan & David Zita Eagles’ burning question: How bold will they be for Round 1 selection? There’s a lot of uncertainty around how the Eagles will line up for their first home and away match. Could they name all three 2025 first-round draftees to face Gold Coast? No.1 pick Willem Duursma looks like a lock, while No.4 pick Cooper Duff-Tytler is in a good spot for an early debut with fellow tall Archer Reid probably slightly behind Duff-Tytler and Jobe Shanahan in the pecking order. And with Liam Baker banned for one match, No.19 pick Josh Lindsay is right in the mix to face the Suns after impressing with his composure and pinpoint ball use in recent weeks. Elsewhere, would the Eagles look at Jacob Newton over Matt Owies if there’s room for only one small forward? And does the versatile Bo Allan get a gig first up? And if so, what role does he play? We could get a few answers on Sunday. Power’s burning question: How underdone is Jason Horne-Francis? For now, the Power are keeping calm on Horne-Francis’ fitness, but he’s dealing with a lingering foot injury. Horne-Francis who underwent off-season surgery to address the foot issue that saw him miss the back-end of 2025, was withdrawn from last week’s match sim against Adelaide during the second quarter. Power assistant coach Luke Webster said it was “awareness” in Horne-Francis’ foot, while the player himself told 7News Adelaide “it was just being extra careful”. Horne-Francis has already been carefully managed across the summer, especially after he left the track early in November with a foot concern. But the star midfielder declared: “I definitely feel I can turn it around and hopefully have a good season.” For now, every Horne-Francis step – literally and figuratively – will be eagerly watched.

2026 COMMUNITY SERIES FIXTURE (all times AEDT)Wednesday, February 25Carlton v Geelong, Ikon Park, 7.10pm Thursday, February 26Sydney v GWS, Henson Park, 4.10pm Brisbane v Gold Coast, Brighton Homes Arena, 7.10pm Friday, February 27Melbourne v Richmond, Mars Stadium, 4.10pm Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, Mission Whitten Oval, 7.10pm Saturday, February 28St Kilda v Essendon, Mars Stadium, 3.10pm Fremantle v Adelaide, Rushton Park, 6.10pm Sunday, March 1North Melbourne v Collingwood, Mars Stadium, 3.10pm West Coast v Port Adelaide, Mineral Resources Park, 6.10pm

AFL umpires will be given access to statistics when voting on the Brownlow Medal, but there’s a key detail within the adjusted polling procedure. The league on Wednesday morning confirmed that its umpires would be allowed to request access to 17 key stats to assist in making their voting decisions. Those figures will be provided by the AFL and “accessed on an AFL-issued device”, such as an iPad or mobile phone, if the umpire is seeking further information about players’ performance. Stat access will be closely monitored, and umpires won’t be able to use their own devices for ethical reasons. However, key to the new development is that it “is designed to assist deliberations only”, rather than act as the key indicator in the four field umpires’ voting process. The aforementioned 17 key stats are kicks, handballs, marks, disposals, tackles, contested marks, goals, behinds, goal assists, score involvements, clearances, contested possessions, intercept marks, intercept possessions, spoils, kick-ins and hitouts. “The Brownlow Medal is the most prestigious individual award in the AFL competition. Field umpires who are entrusted to vote are instructed to take time, care and thoughtfully deliberate before reaching a unanimous decision to ensure the integrity of the award is upheld,” AFL football boss Greg Swann said. “While statistics can provide useful and reliable data, the essence of the award is clearly set out on the ballot paper. It is the subjective opinion of the field umpires that will determine the voting for the award, and the umpires are acutely aware of the importance of the award and the standing in which Brownlow Medallists are held in the game.” Herald Sun and Fox Footy reporter Jon Ralph reported that seasoned AFL whistle-blowers had pushed for access to stats, “sick of being mocked on Brownlow night for perceived errors”. There was major uproar last September when St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera received two votes instead of three after his matchwinning Round 20 performance against Melbourne when he kicked four goals from 34 disposals. But while there’ll be a change to the way some votes are finalised, umpires will continue to follow the same procedure as in seasons past; convening to adjudge their best players in 3-2-1 format as a consensus.

For case for 2026 ....

No Kozzy 🤣

2025 ladder position: 14th (7 wins, 16 losses) 2025 best-and-fairest: Max Gawn Senior coach: Steven King A rearguard effort to restore continuity that eventually became a definitive turning of the page of Melbourne’s most successful modern era. Simon Goodwin went into the season bullish that a revamped game plan – more on the specifics below – could revitalise a list beginning to show the ill effects of age and discontent. His stated belief that his side could still contend if he pushed the right buttons looked naive after a 0-5 start that made everything else academic. You can’t lose by 10 goals to North Melbourne and expect things to stay the same. The season wasn’t without highlights – a win at the Gabba! – and the Dees were desperately unlucky on the numbers. But it didn’t change the fundamental fact: this cycle had run its course, and the club’s board believed Goodwin wasn’t the right man to start the new one. Not many coaches have been sacked three days after winning a game by 83 points. But then, not many coaches had a reign quite like Goodwin’s: an astonishingly dominant flag year followed by two seasons that yielded zero finals wins and a string of off-field headlines. It’s not possible to succinctly capture how Melbourne fans felt: relief, mingled with gratitude at what Goodwin had delivered and regret that there wasn’t more of it. Troy Chaplin assumed the reins on an interim basis, and on September 12th, Steven King (not the horror writer) was appointed as Melbourne’s new Senior Coach. His appointment reflected a decisive break with the past: the club sanctioned the departures of club legends Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, failed to keep hold of Judd McVee, delisted seven players, and brought in 10. The king is dead; long live the King. For most of the Simon Goodwin era, the Demons played with one of the clearest identities in the AFL: win contests, own territory, overwhelm opponents with volume. The fullest expression of that was the final 45 minutes of the 2021 Grand Final – 45 minutes of the most destructive footy played this decade. But by 2024 (it still worked in the 2023 finals series! Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce the right way), that system was beginning to fray. Some of it was opponents getting better at absorbing what Melbourne threw at them. But just as much, probably more, was personnel-based: Angus Brayshaw’s retirement, Clayton Oliver’s personal drama, Steven May’s physical decline (and personal drama). The model grew increasingly dependent on episodic individual brilliance to offset systemic wear. Goodwin’s late-era – last-gasp – response was to try and adapt instead of doubling down. Before the beginning of the 2025 season, Melbourne signalled a desire to move away from brawn and towards brains: cleaner exits, more overlap handball, earlier involvement of outside runners. In theory, that evolution made sense. But in practice, it proved destabilising. Last season, the Demons were still one of the league’s strongest contested sides. But the clearance strength that had powered their dominance had degraded due to the combination of personnel decline and structural change. The Demons suddenly became leaky in the middle and lost their ability to close space quickly enough to constrict opposition transition. They won enough of the ball, but retention didn’t translate into control or damage. The problem was that Goodwin believed that the old Premiership core, overlaid onto this new game plan, was capable of taking Melbourne back to the summit. The club’s hierarchy believed differently – and decided to go in a different direction. King’s early influence has been decisive. The club’s moves during the trade and draft period, as well as early pre-season games, point to further steps in the direction Goodwin was trying to go: away from clearance-centric football toward a faster, more networked system built around speed and transition. Early patterns have (wisely) funnelled play through Kysaiah Pickett, not as a static forward target but as a mobile forward-half connector who receives on the move, gains territory via carries, and links via handball chains. Instead of relying on repeat inside 50s and contested marking to grind opponents down, Melbourne are positioning themselves to score more frequently from turnover and secondary transition. A renewed emphasis on speed and two-way running is designed to restore the integrity of the defensive layer. The caveats are clear: it’s early and no serious footy has been played yet. But it represents a decisive break with the Premiership identity and towards something faster, more exciting – and, perhaps, more dangerous. In: Xavier Taylor (2025 National Draft, Pick #11) Latrelle Pickett (2025 National Draft, Pick #12) Thomas Matthews (2025 National Draft, Pick #30) Changkuoth Jiath (trade – Hawthorn) Brody Mihocek (trade – Collingwood) Jack Steele (trade – St Kilda) Max Heath (trade – St Kilda) Riley Onley (Rookie Draft) Kalani White (Category A Rookie, father/son) Oscar Berry (Category B rookie) Out: Clayton Oliver (trade – Greater Western Sydney) Christian Petracca (trade – Gold Coast) Judd McVee (trade – Fremantle) Charlie Spargo (free agent – North Melbourne) Jack Billings (delisted) Kynan Brown (delisted) Tom Fullarton (delisted) Marty Hore (delisted) Oliver Sestan (delisted) Will Verrall (delisted) Taj Woewodin (delisted) Number of top-10 draft picks: four (T-13th) Average age at Opening Round: 25.6 (3rd) Average number of games played: 80.8 (4th) Melbourne’s off-season had two clear themes: to move on from the Goodwin Era and to recruit for speed. It’s not often you trade out two players who, between them, have seven All-Australian nominations, two Coaches Association Player of the Year awards, and a Norm Smith. It’s rarer still that doing so is the right decision. Petracca and Oliver will forever be heroes of the Melbourne Football Club. But enough baggage had accumulated that a reset felt necessary. Petracca fetched a significant return: Picks 7, 8 and 37 in the 2025 draft (used on Xavier Taylor, Latrelle Pickett and Thomas Matthews), plus the Suns’ 2026 first-rounder. Oliver garnered only a future third-round pick from GWS – a blunt reflection of his diminished standing. Those departures were the beginning rather than the end of Melbourne’s list recalibration. Brody Mihocek arrived from Collingwood to mentor the younger talls and manufacture ground ball opportunities for smalls. Jack Steele adds leadership and a mature body to a midfield that suddenly looks short on both. The compensation pick for Charlie Spargo became Changkuoth Jiath. On draft night, the Dees targeted pace and rebound in Taylor and – to some surprise – Glenelg small forward Latrelle Pickett. Judd McVee, who had agitated for midfield time, departed for Fremantle, where he is unlikely to get any. Seven delistings underlined the appetite for renovation. Taken together, these moves prioritise experience, speed and flexibility over star power – a profile that makes more sense in the context of Steven King’s likely preference for overlap, width and transition rather than contest dominance. The biggest defensive question surrounds Steven May. He was integral to Melbourne’s early-decade success, but he may no longer fit the club’s strategic direction, and the off-field noise now clearly outweighs the on-field value. To me, the answer looks clear: see what it looks like without him. Melbourne aren’t short of key defenders – Jake Lever, Tom McDonald (is he still doing that all-meat diet?), Harrison Petty (surely back where he belongs), Daniel Turner and Jed Adams can probably form a workable rotation. Even if they can’t, that’s valuable information in a year designed for recalibration. Jake Bowey remains the preferred distributor. Beyond him, the small and medium mix is unsettled: Andy Moniz-Wakefield is returning from an ACL, King might want to see Jiath on a wing, and Christian Salem’s skills remain exquisite but, at 30, the club may decide it’s time to see a younger face in his role. Across two seasons, Melbourne’s midfield has shifted from the league’s most recognisable to one defined by transition. There is still talent. Max Gawn remains the best ruck in the game. Kysaiah Pickett is now a bona fide – and very good – midfielder. Steele offsets some of what was lost, even if he can’t replicate it. Jack Viney is the last of the old guard, but concussion interruptions and a serious achilles injury make it difficult to see him returning to his peak. Trent Rivers shapes as a more permanent midfield piece after a 2025 season in which he attended the majority of centre bounces in the games Viney missed with a concussion and almost none for the rest of the season. Melbourne fans, however, will be most excited to see Caleb Windsor and Harvey Langford. Langford’s debut season was impressive and further physical development should take him to the next level. Windsor’s second year was disrupted by injury and a switch to half-back that made some sense on paper but never really did on grass. He has looked sharp this pre-season. The wing roles, meanwhile, appear genuinely open – Ed Langdon (probably running laps of the MCG as I type), Xavier Lindsay, Jiath, Jai Culley (post-injury) and Harry Sharp all in the frame. An average forward line worked well enough when Melbourne overwhelmed opponents with volume. That equation probably no longer holds. But a new method might produce greater efficiency. Kozzie Pickett will be Melbourne’s best forward when stationed inside 50 and their best midfielder when rotated on-ball. His cousin Latrelle will add speed and flair. Bayley Fritsch remains a reliable medium target; Kade Chandler is a clever and underrated small. Beyond that core lie many unresolved questions. Does Mihocek have two more strong seasons left? Is Jacob van Rooyen trending toward genuine second/third tall quality or plateauing as serviceable? Is there hope left for Matt Jefferson? Can King extract anything from Shane McAdam? Is it time to phase out Jake Melksham? What exactly is Koltyn Tholstrup? The virtue of Melbourne’s current phase is that they can afford the patience required to find out. Defence: Average Midfield: Average Forward: Average Ruck: Elite The disappointment of seeing a once-great side not quite fulfil its awesome potential before fading into irrelevance and acrimony might linger. But in 2026, another set of more positive emotions should begin competing for space in the hearts of Dees fans: curiosity about what the next great Melbourne side could look like, excitement about a faster, more attacking style, and hope that the club’s – perhaps belated – recognition of its predicament augurs well for its ability to keep doing the same in the future. Style is not a trivial matter. Attritional footy is easy to accept if it delivers success. It’s rather harder to swallow if it produces a 14th-placed finish. This isn’t an argument against developing effective defensive structures. It’s recognition of the fact that there are many supporters who evaluate their relationship with their team – or at least the choice to spend their hard-earned to go to the footy on a freezing night – based on the endeavour of the stuff that’s served up. Melbourne shifting to a more exciting brand is something to look forward to. There is cause for significant optimism, too, about several of the club’s recent draftees. There is lots of excited chatter about Caleb Windsor this pre-season. Harvey Langford looked excellent in his debut season. Both now have fewer players between them and meaningful midfield roles. Xavier Lindsay’s first year wasn’t as attention-grabbing as Langford’s, but he still looks like he could be an important piece of the next generation. There’s still hope for players like Koltyn Tholstrup. Jacob Van Rooyen should benefit from the presence of Brody Mihocek. It’s too early to say anything definitive about Xavier Taylor or Latrelle Pickett – perhaps beyond the fact that both make for good media interviews – but there’s also nothing wrong with getting excited about the prospect of Latrelle and Kysaiah linking up for the next decade. Not every draftee becomes a star. But extrapolating based on promising early glimpses is a core part of the footy fan experience. Long may it reign. The cherry on top is that, despite Melbourne’s manifest frailties last season, they were a better team than their win-loss record showed. Based on expected scores, they should have won four more games than they did – the same number as Carlton and only 1.5 behind Greater Western Sydney. It’s interesting to consider what choice the club hierarchy would have made about Goodwin had those expected wins materialised into real ones. They might have been more open to his claims that last season’s list could still contend. Obviously, many of the players who contributed to the side in 2025 won’t be there in 2026. But some of them will be. If they perform, and the pendulum swings the other way, that may already be enough to put the Dees in the play-in conversation. The first steps of any rebuild are especially treacherous because, in addition to the high stakes riding on every high-end draft pick, there’s a fundamental tension: coaches are motivated to seek wins to consolidate their job security, even if it might ultimately undermine the long-term objectives of the build. That’s why it’s so important that the board and CEO give the coach genuine permission to lose now in order to win later. Well-run clubs have a strong alignment between what the CEO and Board expect, and what the coach is trying to do. Melbourne have not been an obviously well-run club for many of the past few seasons. Supporters ought to be heartened by the early moves of the Brad Green/Steven Smith era, especially their steadfastness in sacking Simon Goodwin. But their resolve hasn’t been tested by on-field results not meeting off-field expectations. There is risk there. Clubs undertake rebuilds because they recognise that their list can no longer compete at the pointy end of the ladder. Lists that can no longer compete at the pointy end typically lack two important things: enough star players and a coherent distribution of AFL-level talent. Those issues overlap but aren’t the same. In Kysaiah Pickett, the Demons have one of the brightest stars in footy. Until further notice, Max Gawn is still the best at what he does. The departures of Petracca and Oliver and decline of Steven May mean that’s probably where it ends (for now). The distribution of AFL-level players is lumpy – contributors at the top end, but holes created by players not yet living up to their draft position. There are multiple ways to interpret Melbourne’s choice to bring in Brody Mihocek. The most benign is that he’s there to provide structure, physical support, and experience to a callow crop of tall forwards. The least benign is that the club is concerned about the development of said tall forwards. Either way, importing short-term solutions to solve long-term development problems at the beginning of a rebuild is risky. There are similar questions to be asked of the key defensive posts. Melbourne tried hard to make Steven May another club’s problem during the Trade Period. They did not succeed. The situation is far from ideal: a Premiership hero whose persistent off-field issues appear to have broken containment. The football solution is clear. The off-field solution is less clear; unresolved culture problems can metastasise. To an extent, bad lists are self-correcting: they tend to finish lower down the ladder and have more opportunities to select better talent to drive improvement. But the impending entrance of Tasmania into the AFL landscape makes the next few years a more dangerous time to be rebuilding. The Demons have a productive Next Generation Academy (as Melbourne fans know, there’s a world, very similar to this one, where Mac Andrew wears red and blue) but that looks like rather small beer next to the Northern Academies. The AFL’s equalisation mechanisms are under stress. Dees fans know what it’s like to be stuck at the bottom for so long that you re-evaluate your relationship with footy. It shouldn’t be this bad this time. There is still top-end talent, a decent mid-career core, draftees that have shown great promise, and a capacity to develop talent. But they are still taking the first steps down a very long road. Not everyone gets to the end. Harvey Langford finished fourth in last year’s Rising Star award. He impressed all who watched him (a shrinking audience, given how quickly Melbourne’s season went south). And yet it was clear that one was watching a player only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. The disposal skill and quality of decision-making are already apparent. The next step is more meat on the bones. When Langford develops the strength to move inside and reliably shrug opposition tackles, his game should ascend to the next level. Kysaiah Pickett’s status as Melbourne’s most important player for the rest of the decade and beyond was cemented on June 12th last year, when he quashed persistent chat about his future to sign a contract until the end of 2034. His move into the midfield – only Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver attended more centre bounces! – elevated him into the game’s very top bracket as both a clearance winner and goal-kicker. Kozzie is a delight to watch. And for as long as he’s a Demons player (now almost certainly the rest of his playing days), there will be optimism. Throughout this preview, I’ve largely accepted the premise that Melbourne is embarking on a rebuild. There is strong circumstantial evidence this is the case: a new coach, with a new plan, and many new players. But it’s not quite definitive. There could be an element within the club which believes that a good season from key players, faster-than-expected development from emerging talent, and better luck could result in a return to finals. Given that, the decisions that King and his selection committee make about players like Steven May, Jack Viney (when they’re available) will probably reveal their preference: build, with the pain that implies, or hedge? When the Melbourne board made the decision to sack Simon Goodwin and trade out Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, it implicitly agreed to the proposition that the win-loss record and ladder position should rank low on Melbourne’s list of performance indicators for 2026. It also committed to the idea that progress in 2026 is better measured by how successfully a new coach can embed a new game plan, how much younger players develop, and how much information is gained about which areas of the list need most attention. And, ideally, that process would also be rewarded with another couple of high-end draft picks. This time last year, Melbourne fans were debating whether to stick with the core and the coach that had delivered a drought-breaking Premiership or twist. That question was definitively answered. 2026 will be the dawn of a new era. There’ll be bad days. But, unlike the last two years, it might actually be fun.

RICHMONDDo not panic: The Tigers were thrashed at stoppages by Essendon on Friday and suffered a heavy 50-point loss, but their heavily managed first-choice midfield group was only together for the first quarter. In that opening term, Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and Sam Lalor seized early control of the game and were well supported by Jack Ross, Kane McAuliffe and Taj Hotton. Richmond will be far more competitive come round 1, as they were this time last year after a heavy pre-season defeat to Collingwood sparked concern they would go winless in 2025. Ready to ‘sizzle’: Top-10 pick Sam Grlj looks ready to play across halfback after he was the Tigers’ go-to rebounder for much of his pre-season debut. Grlj was always going to catch the eye with his speed, but he was also clean and composed against a competitive Bombers forward line. Nasty rules for Nank: Captain Toby Nankervis looks among the ruckmen least suited to the new rules preventing players from crossing the centre line at ball-ups. The 31-year-old struggled against the high-jumping Lachie Blakiston and gave away a free kick early in the contest trying to block his run. Ollie Hayes-Brown appears to be improving, but the Tigers are very thin on ruck depth and will need their skipper to work out a method against the leapers. Lefau is very good: Richmond supporters who have watched his 11 games would already know this, but Mykelti Lefau is just a very good footballer. The New Zealand-born tall issued an early reminder of his lovely set shot kicking against the Bombers, and it looks like he will be able to handle the second-ruck duties. Because his defensive pressure is so strong, it means the Tigers can also play both Harry Armstrong and Jonty Faull alongside Tom Lynch in attack. Defensive squeeze: Adem Yze has his work cut out for him trying to strike the right backline balance with Nathan Broad, Nick Vlastuin, Noah Balta and Sam Banks all missing from the line-up against Essendon. It could be Josh Gibcus against WA Origin representative Broad for the third tall spot, while Tom Brown is no selection certainty after 23 games last year. - Ed Bourke

MELBOURNEEasy pickings: All Dees fans drove away from Casey Fields talking about the Pickett pairing, as cousins Latrelle and Kysaiah tore up the Roos. Kysaiah bagged five goals and had his way with the game, while Latrelle added the exact exciting energy Steven King is after as coach. Expect Latrelle to play in round 1, it’s impossible to keep him out now, surely. Max factor: Could we have the first double Max ruck pairing? Max Heath, already known as the ‘Moose’ at Melbourne, jumped all over Tristan Xerri and impressed in his first outing as a Demon, and appears primed to give a chop out to Max Gawn this year. Dwayne Russell is already listing puns for his commentary. Supermax, maximum impact, Maxibomb … Luker’s leap: If some questions were answered by the scratch match, the tall forward mix clearly wasn’t. Brody Mihocek didn’t make it to quarter-time due to concussion, but he should be fine to play round 1. Jacob van Rooyen and Matthew Jefferson were quiet, while Luker Kentfield shone with three goals to put his hand up. If Heath is picked, that means van Rooyen, Jefferson and Kentfield are likely fighting for one spot, which surely goes to van Rooyen to start. Man of Steele: Jack Steele’s composure and smarts stood out in a new-look Melbourne midfield without Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver or Jack Viney. He could be one of the bargain pick-ups of the year. Harvey Langford is set for more centre minutes, and Caleb Windsor has had a strong summer. With Trent Rivers also floating through, the Dees batted deep enough to be able to rotate Kysaiah Pickett forward whenever needed. It looked a good mix against the Roos. Attacking flair: We’re not going crazy about a scratch match but the signs were all positive for Steven King’s new attacking style as the Dees booted 19 goals. Only once last year did Melbourne kick more in a game. - Josh Barnes

MELBOURNE Result: 80-point win over North Melbourne (129-49) What we learned: Dees fans would be going into 2026 with more optimism after a dominant 80-point win over North Melbourne in Casey in a game the Pickett cousins put on a show. Melbourne unofficially kicked off the Steven King era on a high note and a preview into some exciting footy to come this season. The Dees played a more daring brand where they looked to move the ball quickly at just about every opportunity and embraced a more chaotic style. It saw Kysaiah Pickett thrive in a five-goal masterclass as the best player on the ground, splitting his time between midfield and forward. “That run and gun through the middle with Pickett – he’s just so quick with ball in hand. And not only is he quick, but he can execute a kick on the run like that. It’s such a great asset for them to use him through that middle of the ground,” Carlton AFLW player Harriet Cordner praised on Kayo Sports commentary. His cousin, Latrelle Pickett, also had some dazzling moments that would’ve got Demons fans seriously excited. More of that from the Pickett cousins in 2026, please! Elsewhere, Jack Steele delivered a strong performance in the midfield in his first showing for Melbourne, while Brody Mihocek kicked the first two goals for Melbourne before his day ended prematurely due to concussion and 2024 mid-season recruit Luker Kentfield kicked three wearing a ‘Batman’ mask.

Of course not. We're 2nd on the Preseason Ladder.

TEST

I wouldn't look to the legacy media for any validation of our footy team/club. Even when we were good for 5 minutes they were sharpening knives.

MELBOURNE SCOUTING NOTESCALEB WINDSOR The summer standout started in the middle and won the first clearance but wasn’t as impactful as some of his midfield teammates. Only played midfield as he transitions to become a full-time onballer. JACOB VAN ROOYEN Presented often but didn’t trouble the scorers until late in the final term and wasn’t needed for the Dees to rack up a big score. BRODY MIHOCEK Kicked two opportunistic goals in the first term before being ruled out of the rest of the game with concussion. MATTHEW JEFFERSON Quiet day for the young forward and was outshone by Kentfield. HARVEY LANGFORD Plenty of inside midfield minutes for the onballer, who showed no signs he will slow down after a very impressive debut season. Bagged a monster goal in the final term. MAX HEATH The ex-Saint looks a winner of the new era of jumping rucks as he took it up to Tristan Xerri at ball ups, including a glorious tap to Kysaiah Pickett for a goal. With Tom Campbell injured, Heath is clearly the No.2 ruck. Courageous effort in the first part of scenario play secured the win. LATRELLE PICKETT There is not much to him physically he is just full of talent. Knew how to get involved in link play and create some space, and will play for the Dees early. Already Dees fans get up whenever Pickett wins the ball and can run into space. XAVIER LINDSAY Had a heap of ball coming off half-back and could be one player to benefit by the loss of Judd McVee and Jake Bowey. XAVIER TAYLOR Only came on in the final term and had a couple of moments. Dees didn’t appear to miss him in defence so his chances of a round 1 debut may have taken a step back. CHANGKUOTH JIATH Turned into Nedd Brockman as he ripped through a long running session when pulled out of the match at half-time, even doing laps while the game was being played. Took one excellent intercept grab and tried to add run out of defence. KYSAIAH PICKETT With ball in hand he was as vicious as a drunk bride at a MAFS dinner party. A genuine class above as he sent a serious warning to the league with five goals. LUKER KENTFIELD Wearing a Phantom of the Opera mask to protect a facial injury, came from the shadows to put a hand up for an AFL debut. The big man showed some good glimpses, kicking three goals and jumping hard in the ruck. JACK STEELE Has all the markings of being the shrewdest pickup of the trade period. Steele did all the basics right, directed the midfield at stoppages and looked the part in his new colours. Kicked two final term goals. KOLTYN THOLSTRUP Playing a new role at half-back this year and performed well, added some rebound will doing enough defensively. Floated forward for a nice goal. TOM MCDONALD Absolutely rock solid at full-back and worked well in tandem with Jake Lever. DANIEL TURNER Keep buying stocks in the defender. Positioning was superb and he is on track to take another leap towards the better defenders in the game. BLAKE HOWES A forgotten man outside of Melbourne’s fan base, played an integral role as a hybrid tall defender in a structure where the Dees were clearly desperate to create a loose man.