WITH the AFLW practice Matches in the rearview mirror, plenty of coaches are feeling the pressure to put together a complete side before the start of the season on August 9.

If you are looking to join the party late, here's a look at the most popular players in the game and a 'vanilla' team made of the consensus picks among Fantasy coaches this pre-season.

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The team below features 26 of the 33 most selected players in AFLW Fantasy right now, with a few unlucky players missing the squad based on salary cap and position restrictions (and a few rookies joining the squad despite lower ownership).

A vanilla team is handy if you are unsure of where to start squad-building in 2026 – never forget the age-old Fantasy adage of "you won't win the car based on your starting squad, but you could lose it!"

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The defenders

Sydney young gun Zippy Fish (78.44 per cent selected) is the most popular pick in the backline, and the second most popular pick in AFLW Fantasy so far this season. She averaged 81.8 Fantasy points in her debut year to immediately establish herself as a premium Fantasy option. With her newly acquired defender status, the majority of coaches are betting on Fish to be the highest scorer on her line in 2026. Maddison Gay (58.25) comes in as next most selected defender, slightly discounted thanks to a few knee injuries last season that limited her to two games.

From here, there is far less of a consensus on who to take next. Daisy D'Arcy (39.84) was an early lock for Fantasy coaches – also discounted due to a knee injury that ruled her out of 2025 – before a quiet practice game brought her ownership down a little. Greater Western Sydney's Tilly Lucas-Rodd (44.95), Collingwood's Tarni White (29.3), Port Adelaide's Ella Heads (22.39), St Kilda's Serene Watson (22.22) and West Coast's Charlie Thomas (21.16) all have significant ownership, indicating a preference of AFLW Fantasy coaches to pay up for premium talent in the defensive line. I have elected to add White and Heads to the squad to help some of the salary concerns down the line.

At the cheaper end, Geelong's Evie Cowcher (43.6) and Richmond's Georgia Stubs (43.6) have been the pick of the rookie-priced players. Cowcher is a high draft pick looking to establish herself in new coach Mick Stinear's defensive line-up, while Stubs arrived at Richmond in the off-season from the reigning premier North Melbourne in an effort to earn more playing time. Finally, Port Adelaide's Olivia Crane (35.53) has taken up a key lockdown defender role this pre-season, impressing in the practice match against Melbourne last weekend.

Next in line: Tilly Lucas-Rodd (44.95 per cent), Holly Egan (27.88), Serene Watson (22.22), Charlie Thomas (21.16)

A note to coaches that own the following players, they did not play in their team's practice matches due to injury or form and are unlikely to line up in round one.

• Holly Egan (FRE, 27.68 per cent ownership)
• Scarlett Johnson (GWS, 19.27)
• Mizuki Brothwell (WBD, 16.22)

The midfielders

Yet again the most popular player in the game is the Fantasy superstar herself, Adelaide's Ebony Marinoff (79.12 per cent). Even after dropping her average by 15 points last season, Marinoff was the second highest Fantasy average of 2025 and looks ready to burst out of the blocks again, following a score of 152 in the practice game against St Kilda. Close behind her is the rest of the uber premiums we've come to know over the past couple of seasons – Sydney's Laura Gardiner (72.53) and North Melbourne's incredible pair of Ash Riddell (64.67) and Jas Garner (53.64). Given the ceiling and consistency of these players, Fantasy coaches are opting for about three of them in their teams in the hopes of landing some massive captain scores across the 2026 season.

The next highest owned players in the midfield are a group of highly touted midfield rookies. Adelaide's Chloe Bown (44.41) had a great practice game against the Saints, kicking two goals on her way to 83 Fantasy points. Gold Coast recruited a bumper crop of draftees from the Academy system, with Sunny Lapin (49.71) and Ava Usher (41.7) the standout pair. Finally, GWS's Kiera Yerbury (27.75) was pick No.3 and looks to have found a home on the wing for the Giants.

The last spots on the team were far more competitive, with a bevy of premium players and rookies being considered for a spot on 'Team Vanilla'. Ultimately West Coast's Ella Roberts (39.83) and Mia Russo (14.67) were the most highly owned of the rest, edging out plenty of strong contenders. And in the utility spot, Gold Coast's Lily Quigley (8.59) – the No.1 pick of the AFLW Pre-Season Draft – has started to gain ownership quickly after an outstanding practice game for Gold Coast, kicking two of the Suns' three goals for a score of 82 on debut.

Next in line: Charlie Rowbottom (21.31 per cent), Kiara Bowers (13.91), Alyce Parker (13.64), Claudia Whitfort (12.9), Mon Conti (12.48), Anne Hatchard (11.52%)

A note to coaches that own the following players, they did not play in their team's practice matches due to injury or form and are unlikely to line up in round one.

• Charlie O'Connor Moreira (WBD, 10.6 per cent)

The rucks

The battle for our only ruck on field has come down to two players it seems – Port Adelaide's Matilda Scholz (43.86 per cent) and Fremantle's Mim Strom (40.84). Both have shown an excellent ceiling in recent seasons, and adapted well to the changing ruck rules of the AFLW. But neither is the highest owned ruck, with Melbourne's Jacinta Hose (45.06) taking the honours. Hose has had some poor luck in recent years, rehabilitating through back-to-back ACL injuries and a significant back surgery. But with Lauren Pearce out injured to start the season, Jacinta Hose is primed to make the spot her own and bank coaches plenty of cash.

Next in line: Georja Davies (19.77 per cent), Maise Evans (5.26), Ally Morphett (5.21)

The forwards

Despite being $140,000 more in price than the next highest priced forward, AFLW Fantasy coaches are paying up for Geelong's Mikayla Bowen (73.97 per cent). Coming off a career-best year, Bowen looks to be settling into a new midfield role in 2026 that could bump her average up even further.

Further down the ownership list though, AFLW Fantasy coaches are looking to uncover a bit of value compared to other lines. Collingwood's Ash Centra (56.84) is also quite highly owned, with coaches prepared to back a second-year breakout following an injury-marred debut campaign. Veteran scorers in the Western Bulldogs' Ellie Blackburn (50.81) and Essendon's Bonnie Toogood (45.54) are familiar faces in Fantasy teams, but for salary cap reasons I have dropped Toogood in favour of St Kilda's Ash Richards (40.92) and Gold Coast's Havanna Harris (26.71). Richards was in the midst of a breakout midfield role last season when an ankle injury curtailed her season, but evidence suggests the role should continue into 2026 in some capacity. Harris is another second-year breakout candidate who will lead the Suns' forward line in 2026, with her combination of height and agility a nightmare match-up for opposition teams.

For the rookies, Collingwood's Mischa Barwin (59.49) is the most highly owned rookie in the game, likely owing to her MID/FWD dual-position status. She played plenty of minutes in Collingwood's practice match against West Coast, unlike her teammate Imogen Trengove (47.67) who is also fairly well owned due to her DPP status. The rest of the forward rookies are well spread thanks to plenty of options popping up this season. I have settled on Hawthorn's Lavinia Cox (16.13) who is switching to half-back in 2026.

Next in line: Bonnie Toogood (45.54 per cent), Courtney Hodder (34.18), Charlie Mullins (26.25), Chloe Molloy (24.07), Olivia Wolmarans (23.22), Erone Fitzpatrick (17.71), Teah Charlton (16.5), Lauren Young (15.25)

A note to coaches that own the following players, they did not play in their team's practice matches due to injury or form and are unlikely to line up in round one.

• Lucy Waye (ADE, 51.8 per cent)
• Chloe Gaunt (PA, 17.6)

The full squad

Team Vanilla for 2026 has taken a guns-and-rookies approach, bringing in some top-end talent across most lines. This strategy has certainly dominated the AFLW Fantasy ranks in recent years, but with the move to a larger squad size this season, I would prefer to seek a bit more value in midfield and defence. There are also some key players missing that are shaping to be the biggest breakout candidates of the year, such as Port Adelaide's Lauren Young. But the team has a lot of scoring power and forms a great base from which to build your squad this season.

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