AFL 2026 Predicted Ladder: Brisbane's Dominance and Emerging Contenders
The 2026 AFL season is shaping up to be a thrilling contest, with teams like Brisbane Lions showing untapped potential and Gold Coast Suns under Damian Hardwick ready to make their mark. Our predictions highlight key strengths and weaknesses across the league.
6. Adelaide Crows: Lingering Questions After a Turbulent 2025
Adelaide's 2025 season ended on a sour note, marred by Izak Rankine's homophobic slur incident. Darcy Fogarty described it as "not ideal," impacting the team's morale and focus during finals. Despite a strong regular season with a double chance and broken hoodoos, the Crows fell to Collingwood in the qualifying final, exposing soft spots in midfield depth, rucks, and wings.
With a favourable draw and injury luck last year, Adelaide faces tougher challenges ahead. Their defence remains solid, and star power keeps them in contention, but consistency will be crucial.
5. Hawthorn Hawks: A Study in Competence Without Breakthrough
Hawthorn exemplifies evenness and basic footballing competence, built with patience and common sense. Their elimination final win over GWS showcased resilience, but a loss to Patrick Dangerfield's team in the preliminary final raised questions. Without Will Day, the midfield looks light, and doubts persist about depth and class for the next step.
The Hawks may serve as the competition's audit, highlighting where other clubs stand, but a premiership push seems unlikely without significant improvement.
4. Fremantle Dockers: High Expectations Amid Flaws
Fremantle faces industry-wide impatience, with expectations of a premiership list not yet fully realised. Young players in key roles struggle under pressure, reminiscent of Chris Scott's pre-flag teams. They can be cautious but inflict damage when aggressive, prompting questions about consistency.
Admirable for their grit and road performances, the Dockers have the potential for a flag with time and development under coach Justin Longmuir.
3. Gold Coast Suns: Hardwick's Challenge with Abundant Talent
Damian Hardwick has transformed Gold Coast into a serious team with up-tempo football, inheriting crack players and moulding them effectively. His challenge lies in managing a roster full of high draft picks and award winners, unlike his Richmond sides defined by role players.
A tougher draw this year raises the stakes, but anything less than a preliminary final would disappoint given their raw talent and Hardwick's coaching prowess.
2. Sydney Swans: Talent and Frustration in Equal Measure
Sydney's 2025 season was inconsistent, with slow starts and poor goalkicking blighting their play after a grand final loss. Stars like Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney shine in training, but the team lacks premiership experience and atonement for past failures.
With top-tier talent and a festive SCG atmosphere, Sydney remains a strong contender to challenge Brisbane, but discipline and synergy are key.
1. Brisbane Lions: The Team to Beat with Untapped Potential
Brisbane's premiership side, featuring eight players aged 23 or under, suggests their best is yet to come. Their patience and strategic play, from defence to precise kicking, make them remorseless in attack. Depth, balance, and youth position them as potential all-time greats.
In 2025, they advanced relentlessly once in control, with defenders showing cool heads and midfielders executing perfect plays. The challenge now is to cement their legacy in AFL history.
