Pre-season training is well underway as AFL clubs begin their preparations for 2026.
As is the case every year, there are a number of clubs that surge up the ladder as their list improves and their players mature. On the other hand, ageing lists and player turnover see other clubs regress.
We look at three clubs expected to rise, and three that may fall in 2026.
Riser: Gold Coast Suns
It was a history-making season for the Suns in 2025 as they made their first-ever appearance in September. And it was a successful one at that.
After finishing seventh, they travelled to Perth in week one of the finals where they recorded a resounding one-point victory. It was a statement win for the expansion club, signalling they now must be considered a serious threat. They bowed out the following week to eventual premiers Brisbane, but a debut finals appearance and a finals win was a success.
The Suns are set to be even stronger in 2026. With an average age of 25.5 in 2025, their young talent is beginning to mature. They have had a plethora of first-round picks since entering the competition in 2011, and it seems now they finally have a list profile that should contend for a premiership.
First-round picks Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell, Bailey Humphrey and Ben King are now established AFL players, while the trade period has been fruitful for the Suns too.
The addition of Christian Petracca over the off-season was massive for the Suns' 2026 premiership aspirations. As dangerous as a forward as he is through the midfield, Damien Hardwick will have the luxury of using Petracca wherever he needs a spark. A starting midfield of Petracca, Anderson and Rowell is scary.
All signs now point to the Suns being firmly in the premiership mix as they enter the 2026 season.
