It's that time of year where our footy experts look into their crystal balls and attempt to predict the AFL season ahead. Who will win the 2026 premiership and wooden spoon? Who takes home the Brownlow Medal? Who claims the Coleman Medal? What are our BIG calls of the year?
Rohan Connolly
Premier: Brisbane
Runner-up: Geelong
Biggest riser: Gold Coast
Biggest slider: GWS
Wooden Spoon: West Coast
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Ben King
Rising Star: Willem Duursma
BIG call for the year: Player gambling becomes a major concern as more players reared with betting as a consistent backdrop to the game enter the system.
Jake Michaels
Premier: Gold Coast
Runner-up: Brisbane
Biggest riser: Western Bulldogs
Biggest slider: Collingwood
Wooden Spoon: West Coast
Brownlow Medal: Marcus Bontempelli
Coleman Medal: Sam Darcy
Rising Star: Jagga Smith
BIG call for the year: The Suns and Giants will both be playing on preliminary final weekend
Matt Walsh
Premier: Fremantle
Runner-up: Brisbane
Biggest riser: Gold Coast
Biggest slider: Collingwood
Wooden Spoon: West Coast
Brownlow Medal: Zak Butters
Coleman Medal: Ben King
Rising Star: Jagga Smith
BIG call for the year: Alastair Clarkson to be dumped as North coach after yet another underwhelming season.
Alright. Have at it. Will take feedback on board. #AFL @ESPNAusNZ
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshMedia) March 4, 2026
Brisbane
Fremantle 🏆
Gold Coast
Adelaide
Geelong
Western Bulldogs
Sydney
Hawthorn
St Kilda
Giants
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Carlton
Collingwood
Port Adelaide
North Melbourne
Essendon
Melbourne
Richmond
West Coast
Jarryd Barca
Premier: Brisbane
Runner-up: Western Bulldogs
Biggest riser: Western Bulldogs
Biggest slider: Adelaide
Wooden Spoon: West Coast
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Sam Darcy
Rising Star: Jagga Smith
BIG call for the year: Ninth and 10th will upset seventh and eighth in the inaugural Wildcard weekend, with an epic week-long build up, sold-out crowds, and monster TV ratings vindicating the concept.
Christian Joly (Champion Data)
Premier: Geelong
Runner-up: Gold Coast
Biggest riser: St Kilda
Biggest slider: Collingwood
Wooden Spoon: West Coast
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Ben King
Rising Star: Jagga Smith
BIG call for the year: Richmond to finish higher on the ladder than Melbourne and Carlton
Feature: Paying tribute to Dennis Cometti, a footy commentary icon
Results:
Premier: Brisbane 2, Fremantle 1, Geelong 1, Gold Coast 1
Runner-up: Brisbane 2, Geelong 1, Gold Coast 1, Western Bulldogs 1
Biggest riser: Gold Coast 2, Western Bulldogs 2, St Kilda 1
Biggest slider: Collingwood 3, Adelaide 1, GWS 1
Wooden Spoon: West Coast 5
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos 3, Zak Butters 1, Marcus Bontempelli 1
Coleman Medal: Ben King 3, Sam Darcy 2
Rising Star: Jagga Smith 4, Willem Duursma