From sons of guns to million-dollar future stars, the must-watch players at the likes of Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon, Carlton, North Melbourne, St Kilda and Sydney in ’26

Carlton

Ben Ainsworth

The former Sun turned heads in training over the summer and carried that form into his first game for his new club, scoring four goals as a half-forward run, a role the Blues are looking to fill under Michael Voss. His readiness to be an option off defense made him difficult to stop. As his colleague Andrew Wu writes, if he can maintain this form, Blues fans will quickly warm to the 28-year-old.

collingwood

Oscar Steene

While best and fairest Darcy Cameron is rested, Oscar Steene has been given the chance to impress the Giants at Bundoora on Friday. Now under the tutelage of new whip coach Greg Stafford, Steene has shown significant improvement, giving the Magpies the opportunity to play two attacks under the new interchange rule. Speaking after the match, Collingwood assistant Matthew Boyd said: “Steeney has shown a different side of his game over the last few weeks that we have really enjoyed. His center jump work with the new tumbling rule could be a real strength for us because he has a great vertical jump.” We also liked what we saw from mature-age SANFL draft player Angus Anderson, who excelled in the contest and delivered a memorable suplex tackle on Giants ruckman Kieren Briggs.

Essendon

Darcy District

After an injury-ravaged year, Darcy Parish was at his best against Richmond on Friday. The silky midfielder, an All-Australian in 2021, found plenty of the ball and scored twice; This was a huge boost for the Bombers in a year when many pundits believed they would fail to make the finals. Parish played 12 senior matches in 2024 and just three last year. We hope he can perform well here.

Fremantle

Murphy Reid

Rising star winner Murphy Reid shined in the forward line last season but Dockers coach Justin Longmuir has included him among the players he will replace in the midfield and towering half-forward roles in 2026. The fit-again Hayden Young also looked good as a striker, while Reid looked impressive again against West Coast on Saturday. “We want Murph to play a few more minutes in midfield,” Longmuir said. “I feel like we’re starting to gain some flexibility in midfield and forward. Murph has some things to work on, especially on the defensive end, but he’s probably our best ball user up forward and sees the play very well. Our forwards are licking their lips as they move towards him.”

Geelong

Jay Polkinghorne

Uncapped Cat Jay Polkinghorne scored three goals against Hawthorn, his sticky hands remarkable. He impressed club officials over the summer and has claimed himself as the third tall man to charge 50, alongside Jeremy Cameron and Shannon Neale, should the Cats go in that direction. James Worpel was also at home in his new Cats guernsey. Worpel is one of the Hawks’ former best-and-fairest earners and played 148 games in the brown-and-gold. Judging by his form on Monday, he will fit in perfectly in the Cats’ midfield.

Gold Coast

Christian Petracca

It was an interesting week for two former Demons. After a turbulent few years, Christian Petracca made his transition to the new team smoothly. He broke through the middle a few times and conceded long to take the lead. He identified a single goal in the first period and centered the ball instead of shooting. His experience and explosiveness will help an already strong midfield and perhaps push the Suns firmly into title contention.

GWS

Clayton Oliver

All eyes were on Clayton Oliver following his controversial departure from the club where he was a premiership player and four-time best and fairest. And the star midfielder did not disappoint in his first game in the orange jersey. Using his slippery hands to clear the ball, he was right in the middle of the ball lift and covered the entire ground well. With Tom Green out for the season, Oliver’s presence has taken on an even greater dimension. Commenting for Kayo on Friday, former Brownlow medalist Swans, Hawks and Magpies star Tom Mitchell praised Oliver’s “first touch” work and clearing skills. Giants assistant coach Wayne Cripps had praise for Oliver. “He’s going to get better and better. He’s been a great leader since he’s been at the club. [and] he is very competitive. “He’s done a great job with our young players, teaching them the craft and pushing them.”

Hawthorn

Josh Weddle

Josh Weddle impressed for the Cats in a week when he signed a multi-million dollar contract. He spent most of his time in defense but is expected to spend more time on the wing throughout the season. Simply put, he is ready to become one of the true stars of the league. Watch out for Nick Watson, too. We expect creative live coverage to be allowed more time in midfield this year, which will increase the Hawks’ on-ball depth.

Melbourne

Latrelle Pickett

Any Demons fan at Casey Fields would have walked away excited about the latest flyer wearing the club’s famous number 33 jumper. Pickett, who clearly loved playing alongside his cousin Kysaiah, crossed the lines; Sometimes he even tested his luck with how many steps he took between jumps. Best of all, the Pickett forward made some wonderful, selfless decisions in and around the 50. Dees’ assistant coach Troy Chaplin could have brushed off questions about Pickett’s early-season debut, but he didn’t. “Latrelle looked this good [at training]. We knew what he could do,” Chaplin said. “He had to work hard for it – [he] I went to Glenelg reserves and played, played senior football, [and] We have really high hopes for what it can produce. When you talk to him he wants to be Latrelle Pickett; He doesn’t want to live in Kozzie’s shadow.”

North Melbourne

Cooper Harvey

Cooper Harvey, son of one of the best Shinboners of all time, Brent, worked tirelessly at fullback against a rampant Melbourne and did well for a player who has only recently joined the role. North had an “unpleasant” performance against the Dees and alarm bells should be ringing at the prospect of another barren season unless things turn drastically around. Defense is probably North’s biggest concern and they admit they are looking at different options to fill those roles. Roos assistant Michael Barlow said the team was looking for answers. “[Defensive coach] “Jed Adcock is struggling to get rebound defenders,” Barlow said. “We had two SSPs. [trial players] today in our back half. Cooper Harvey and Robbie Hansen Jr. It’s just that when we look at it from the inside in the last few weeks, they have been placed behind the ball as half-back options. “I won’t use the word involved but that’s an area we’re clearly looking at in terms of some of the players we’re trialling at the moment.”

Port Adelaide

Jack Whitlock

Jack Whitlock is an impressive athlete who looks like he needs a role to sink his teeth into. He put in a spirited display as the Power’s forward in their defeat against Adelaide on Friday. Whitlock showed clean hands and scored a great goal from the boundary, but he will play in the community series, which is exactly where he fits. If Mitch Georgiades plays higher up, that could open up a spot for the Shepparton native, who has played four games in 2025. “Whitlock definitely stepped up after half-time and helps you get a little bit better in the contest and get the ball cleaner into the front half,” assistant coach Luke Webster said. “I think he’s definitely made progress in that area and that’s great to see.”

Richmond

Sam Lalor and Sam Grlj

Sam Lalor has thrilled everyone at Punt Road and it’s no surprise. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 national draft was excellent early against the Bombers. He had a huge drive forward and was always dangerous when he was close to the ball. The man nicknamed “Dusty 2.0” looks poised for a strong campaign. Credit must also be given to Sam Grlj, given his excellent running and defensive creativity.

St Kilda

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera

This selection will surprise no one, but if the Saints go well this year we expect the brilliant Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera to be in Brownlow contention once again. His drive and creativity were on full display against the Suns; There came a remarkable moment when he passed a teammate, accepted a handball and lobbed the ball into the chest of a forward striker. Tom De Koning also played well, especially in the first season of his multi-year, $12 million contract. New running rules will help athletic jumpers.

Sydney

Charlie Curnow and Isaac Heeney

All eyes were on former Blue Charlie Curnow, who played his first game in the new colors against the Western Bulldogs on Thursday. The key forward moved up to win the ball and was a key target within 50 points. He moved well to score four goals and is shaping up as the missing piece to propel the Swans into a top four challenge. Isaac Heeney played as a power forward in the second half and showed why he is one of the superstars of the game with his unstoppable aerial body. It’s little wonder he’s the face of the Swans.

West Coast

Willem Duursma

There’s a lot to work on on the West Coast, but No. 1 overall pick Willem Duursma made an impact right off the bat, scoring the first goal from the 50-metre arc despite the Eagles and Dockers facing a tough crosswind on Saturday. Duursma came to the AFL after watching his brothers face their own first-year challenges, but looks set to offer the Eagles something of a bounce as he is clean around the football and unhurried with his possessions. The challenge for the Eagles may be to continue to find him in positions where he can make an impact. Harley Reid, another former No. 1 pick, also scored a nice goal from open play.

Western Bulldogs

Arthur Jones

Arthur Jones showed his talent but failed to get inside the 50 for the Bulldogs. He scored three goals against the Swans but it was his willingness to get involved and make second moves that impressed him. And keep an eye out for forward Jordan Croft. His fearless attack on the ball underlines his desire to make the leap with a new three-year contract.

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter