THE FESTIVE season is upon us and clubs have been furiously writing to Santa about what they'd like most in 2026.
While a premiership cup is high on the agenda for most teams, others would simply love nothing more than a healthy list heading into next season.
Will your club's Christmas wish come true?
An injury-free season for Chelsea Randall
She's one of the most decorated players in the history of the AFLW competition, but 2025 just wasn't Chelsea Randall's year. The Adelaide veteran missed eight matches this season due to concussion and family reasons, but when fit, she was a force to be reckoned with. The five-time All-Australian was adjudged best on ground in two of her five home and away clashes, underlining her importance to the side when fit and available. Not only is Randall one of the toughest and most courageous players in the competition, her leadership and experience is also invaluable.
The next wave to push through
When you think about Brisbane's stalwarts who have done the bulk of the heavy lifting over the past decade, the likes of Ally Anderson, Bre Koenen and Sophie Conway are just some of the names who come to mind. Belle Dawes, Courtney Hodder, Charlie Mullins and Jade Ellenger took their game to the next level in 2025, but it's time for Brisbane's youth to really step up, to give the Lions an edge in their bid for that elusive third premiership. Rania Crozier, Sophie Peters, Evie Long and Claudia Wright were all talented juniors but are yet to break into the senior side consistently, but if Craig Starcevich can get a big bounce out of a name like that the Lions will be stoked. Crozier in particular could be one that steps up to fill the void left by Taylor Smith.
To keep the vibes high again
Let's be honest, if 2025 was anything to go by, this shouldn't be a problem for the Blues next season. Whether it was first-year draftees or senior players, every single Carlton player raved about how much fun they had this season under coach Mathew Buck. The Blues soared into their first finals campaign since 2019 this season, winning two finals before the Lions eventually flexed their muscles in the preliminary final. The Blues rediscovered their offensive spark, thanks in part to the additions of draftees Sophie McKay and Poppy Scholz, as well as the addition of former Sun Tara Bohanna. Irish duo Dayna Finn and Erone Fitzpatrick brought plenty of dash and dare to the side, while the Blues' midfield duo of Mimi Hill and Abbie McKay, plus key defender Harriet Cordner, also had strong seasons. If they continue on their natural path of development, then who knows how far the Blues can go in 2026.
To see the best of Ash Centra
Ash Centra genuinely could become the face of this competition one day and she only scratched the surface of her potential in 2025. In a year where the likes of Zippy Fish, Sophie McKay, Poppy Scholz, Havana Harris and Lucia Painter starred, last year's No.1 draft pick struggled for continuity due to a range of injury niggles. The 19-year-old's 'Centra Bounce' went viral early in the season and she showed glimpses of what she can do at the top level, her two performances in rounds five and six drawing votes in the AFLW Best and Fairest award. A true gamebreaker who is a threat through the midfield and in the front half, the Pies will be hoping they get a full season out of their star youngster in 2026.
Some more forward firepower
The Bombers won just four games in 2025, despite making finals the year before. Coach Nat Wood will be desperate to unlock some more forward firepower next year, after what was a pretty tough season, booting just 46 goals (third worst in competition). Bonnie Toogood struggled with injury and form, leaving Sophie Alexander and Georgia Gee as the club's leading goalkickers with eight apiece. The Bombers only scored over 43 points once in 2025 and it'll be tough to consistently win games when they're struggling to score like that. Draftee Nalu Brothwell will provide some more speed in the front half but it might take her a while to acclimatise to the top level.
Aine Tighe to get a decent run at it
The game is better off when Dockers forward Aine Tighe is up and about. After suffering an ACL injury in 2024, Tighe returned in round nine but her comeback didn't last long, after she was ruled out of the rest of the season with another knee injury. The Dockers missed out on a finals campaign by percentage and they struggled at times to score, but Tighe's return would certainly boost that area of the ground. Coach Lisa Webb would no doubt hope her side can be more competitive against the best teams in the competition next year too, after two blowout losses early in the year put them behind the eightball.
The return of Chloe Scheer
Remember Chloe Scheer? The exciting Geelong forward hasn't been seen since 2023 after dealing with an array of injuries over the past couple of seasons. Scheer booted 41 goals across her first three years at the Cattery, making a name for herself as a dynamic, high-flying forward with a great goal sense. A strong mark who has a high footy IQ, Scheer's possible return will be a sight for sore eyes. Alongside Irishwoman Aishling Moloney and ex-Dee Jackie Parry, that's a pretty dynamic forward line.
More growth from Academy talent
Rhyce Shaw is building something special at the Suns and the AFLW competition needs to be on alert. While the Suns might not jump massively next year, they are well and truly putting the building blocks together for a sustained push for success. Midfield beast Charlie Rowbottom is already a dual All-Australian, while Havana Harris could be anything at AFLW level after an exceptional debut season. Co-captain Lucy Single still has plenty of room to develop, likewise young duo Annabel Kievit and Darcie Davies. And there's more to come. Ava Usher is a quick and powerful midfielder who has developed incredible resilience after a tough run with injury, while Georja Davies, the sister of Darcie, can play across all three lines as a mobile tall. Sunny Lappin, the daughter of ex-Blue Matthew, is another who could make an impact sooner rather than later as a tough nut with a high footy IQ. The Suns landed a total of eight Academy prospects through the draft, making it 13 across the past two seasons.
Veteran duo to bounce back
The Giants could be bolstered by the return of a pair of guns next season in Alicia Eva and Alyce Parker, who both had very minimal impact in 2025. Eva suffered a toe injury and played just four matches this campaign, while Parker wasn't sighted after round one due to a foot issue. Throughout the Giants' 10-year history, that duo have won half of the club's best and fairests. Zarlie Goldsworthy continues to star in the orange and charcoal, while young guns Kaitlyn Srhoj and Sara Howley fast-tracked their development as a result of the injuries to Parker and Eva. Cambridge McCormick and Emily Pease had career-best campaigns in defence, Eilish O'Dowd continues to show positive signs while Tarni Evans and Georgia Garnett are also developing nicely. The Giants have never won more than four games in a season but there's reason to believe that they're on the up.
A better run on the injury front
The Hawks had a horrific run on the injury front in 2025, needing to call on top-up players in the second half of the season as the crisis took its toll on Daniel Webster's side. Despite their stacked medical room, the Hawks still made the top four, but were bundled out in straight sets for the second year running. Having the fully fit versions of Lucy Wales, Emily Bates, Jasmine Fleming, Aileen Gilroy, Najwa Allen and Bridie Hipwell available all of a sudden makes the Hawks a far different side. The silver lining to the injury woes, however, was the exposure to young talent such as Daisy Flockart, Laura Stone, Keely Coyne, Elli Symonds and Grace Baba. How the Hawks replace Tilly Lucas-Rodd remains another point of intrigue as well heading into 2026.
Young key-position players to stand tall
The Dees lost star forward Eden Zanker during the trade period, which means it'll be up to others to pick up the slack. Kate Hore is one of the best players in the competition and Tayla Harris has just signed a fresh deal, but Zanker contributed 22 goals this year (sixth in competition). The Dees landed ex-Blue Mia Austin during the trade period, and she could slot straight into Zanker's role, while youngster Ryleigh Wotherspoon booted a goal in each of her three finals and Georgia Gall also has plenty of upside. Alyssa Bannan is still only 23 years of age, while Georgia Campbell, Maggie Mahony and Alyssia Pisano are others who will want to make their mark in 2026. An increase in output from a handful of the above names will go a long way to ensuring the Dees feature at the pointy end again next season.
Desire to go again, again
The Kangaroos became the first ever AFLW side to go back-to-back after they defeated Brisbane in this year's decider. Can they go again and become the first team to win a three-peat? There's no reason why they can't, should the players remain as motivated as they have been the past couple of seasons. The Roos are currently riding the high of a 27-match win streak, the most in AFL/VFL/AFLW history. They're the greatest AFLW side we've ever seen and are showing no signs of slowing down. The addition of former No.1 draft pick Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner is a high upside selection as well, and she looms as a player for the future when the Roos' aging stars eventually call time.
A more consistent campaign
After charging to a preliminary final in 2024, the Power struggled to reach the same heights this year. There would've been a few sides happy the Power didn't scrape into the finals given their hot finish to the year, where they beat both Hawthorn and Adelaide in the final three weeks of the season. A slow start which involved losses to Fremantle, West Coast, Geelong and St Kilda, ultimately proved costly, but their best is really, really good. Indy Tahau and Gemma Houghton are one of the best key forward duos in the League, while Matilda Scholz, Abbey Dowrick, Teagan Germech, Ella Heads, Shineah Goody and Sachi Syme form a strong young nucleus that should set the club up for long-term success.
Someone to help Monique Conti
She is one of the best players the AFLW has ever seen, but Conti desperately needs some help in the middle of the ground if the Tigers are to shoot back up the ladder. Young gun Ellie McKenzie has shown glimpses of her brilliance but could Sierra Grieves or Issy Bacon have a breakout season to take the Tigers to the next level? The Tigers had only four players poll votes at the AFLW Best and Fairest which puts into perspective their desperate need for some others to stand up. Emelia Yassir is another name to keep an eye on during the pre-season as a player who could step into an increased midfield role. There is plenty of scope for others to stand up, especially given Grace Egan has also departed.
A fit and healthy playing list
St Kilda finally broke their finals drought in 2025 and did so despite suffering from a lengthy injury list. The Saints were without some key contributors throughout the season, including Olivia Vesely, Ash Richards, Molly McDonald, Bianca Jakobsson, Jaimee Lambert and Nicola Barr. So, with a healthy slate in 2026, how high can Nick Dal Santo's Saints go? The injury toll galvanised the group this season, but you'd imagine they're only going to get better with greater player availability next year.
To bridge the gap between their best and worst
At their best, the Swans were a formidable outfit in 2025, but there was simply too big of a gap between that and their worst. Wins over Carlton and West Coast showed exactly what they can do when things go to plan, but losses to the Pies, Dons and Giants proved costly in their finals quest. When the likes of Chloe Molloy, Montana Ham, Sofia Hurley and Zippy Fish are firing, there aren't too many better sides to watch but they need to find a way to challenge the competition's best for longer periods of time. Adding ex-Lion Taylor Smith to the list was a huge coup and there's good reason to believe that the Swans will bounce in a big way next year.
To prove that it wasn't a once-off
The Daisy Pearce effect was in full swing in 2025, as the Eagles finally made the finals for the first time in their AFLW history. But they won't want to stop there and it's important that they back up this year's success with an improved year in 2026. Ella Roberts is already a star of the competition and is only going to get better, while Jess Rentsch, Lucia Painter, Georgie Cleaver and Zoe and Lauren Wakfer are exciting youngsters. With Bella Lewis and Charlie Thomas at the helm as co-captains too, the sky is the limit for what this Eagles side can achieve.
A finals berth
Tamara Hyett is building something special at Whitten Oval. In her first season in charge, the Dogs won four matches. In 2025, they won five, finishing just a game out of the top eight. Their percentage was really healthy as well, ending with 126.5 per cent, ranked fourth in the competition. That's generally a pretty good sign of where a club is tracking. Issy Pritchard took her game to another level and earned an All-Australian squad nomination, while the Doggies' young guns in Emma McDonald, Elaine Grigg and Rylie Wilcox showed they are well and truly players for the future. Ellie Blackburn rediscovered some spark, while Brit Gutknecht, Jess Fitzgerald and Jasmyn Smith had career-best seasons. Former Pie Mikala Cann and exciting draftee Mizuki Brothwell should also be great additions. If they can continue on their upwards trajectory, they could well and truly give the finals a shake in Hyett’s third season at the helm.
