WE ARE halfway through the 2026 season, so it's time for a health check on how your club is progressing.

In April, we took a closer look at your club's first quarter of the season with our Q1 report card, and now we're taking a look at how all 18 clubs are tracking at the halfway mark.

Is your club tracking above or below expectations? Which players have lifted and which ones have not quite delivered? And what's an area of concern for the rest of the year?

We answer all the big questions in a club-by-club look at your side after 12 games.

Best-and-fairest leader: Wayne Milera
Most improved player: Brayden Cook 
All-Australian contenders: Wayne Milera 
Lowest point: On reflection, it is January when young star Dan Curtin (dislocated kneecap) and important defender Mark Keane (leg fracture) suffered serious injuries that hurt the Crows' early-season form through a 1-3 start. Both are crucial to the Crows playing their best football, with Curtin playing four games and Keane yet to feature. 
Biggest surprise: The continued emergence of Lachie McAndrew as a No.1 ruckman and his ability to carry a big workload as the successor to Reilly O'Brien. McAndrew has been suited to the new ruck rules, playing 11 games and ranking No.3 in the AFL for total hitouts (337), and total hitouts to advantage (96). 
Biggest watch: Riley Thilthorpe has not hit top form after battling a back issue, with the star big man first managed with back soreness during a pre-season game against Fremantle and later withdrawn for the round 10 clash against North Melbourne. The star big man has dealt with lower back pain that has made it difficult to walk at times, let alone play as a combative key forward. His stats across the board have dropped, with the Crows keeping him out of the ruck, and managing his return to full fitness shapes as a key challenge for the Crows. 

Mid-year rating: 6.5 out of 10. The Crows have been inconsistent this season and clearly lacked the stability of the best teams in the competition, with 6-5 an accurate reflection of their standing so far. They are more than capable of elevating in the second half of the season, however, if key players can find form and spark the intercept game and even scoring power they boasted in 2025. Generating damaging ball movement from the backline has been an issue, and one of the best defensive groups of 2025 has been unsettled by injuries and form. Keane's return is important, while the club will hope to get more out of recruit Callum Ah Chee after his early hamstring issues. - Nathan Schmook 

Best-and-fairest leader: Charlie Cameron
Most improved player: Bruce Reville
All-Australian contenders: Charlie Cameron, Lachie Neale
Lowest point: The round 11 loss to Greater Western Sydney, where the Giants put up a VFL/AFL record 14 goals in the third quarter was close to rock bottom. Losing to Fremantle at the weekend made things worse, but that was against the best team in the competition. The Engie Stadium Massacre seemed to dint the confidence like few other losses in the Chris Fagan era.
Biggest surprise: The form struggles of the leadership group. Newly appointed co-captains Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley have been well below their usual on-field impact, while fellow leadership group members Cam Rayner, Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher are in the same boat. Many have battled with their bodies, but the drop off has been jarring.
Biggest watch: Whether Brisbane can revive its season will come down to defensive intensity and getting players back on the park. Whether it’s hunger – unlikely with such a tight group – short off-seasons or the cumulative mental and physical fatigue of three straight Grand Finals, the want to defend across the park has fluctuated. If that returns, along with six to eight of the club's injured personnel, look out.

Mid-year rating: 5 out of 10. The ratings reflects the 6-6 win-loss ledger. Obviously, the two-time premiers had high expectations at the start of the season and until three weeks ago, things were right on track. However, heavy losses to Geelong, GWS and Fremantle (close on the scoreboard but comfortable for the Dockers) have completely flipped things. Injuries to key personnel at both ends (Allen, Hipwood, Payne, Lester and Zorko among them) has hurt significantly, but the Lions were in a worse position two years ago and won the flag. Things need to change shortly though. - Michael Whiting

Best-and-fairest leader: Patrick Cripps
Most improved player: Matt Carroll
All-Australian contenders: Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh
Lowest point: The sacking of Michael Voss and the culmination of events that led to it, from the eight losses in nine to the repeated nature of how the Blues were losing.
Biggest surprise: The sudden turnaround in form under interim coach Josh Fraser, capped by last week's shock upset victory over Geelong at the MCG.
Biggest watch: Can the Blues grab a wildcard spot? They're now 4-8 with a favourable draw across the next month. They'll give themselves a chance with seven more wins.

Mid-year rating: 3 out of 10. Carlton had always looked a better side than how it was playing in the final days of Michael Voss. Reverting to a more modern style of defending with possession under interim Josh Fraser, along with the promise of youth through the blooding of Jagga Smith, Harry Dean, Jack Ison, Billy Wilson, Talor Byrne and Flynn Young in important roles, has brought optimism back to Ikon Park. But the first two months still happened. Carlton suddenly looks like it could challenge for a spot in the top 10, but starting at 1-8 – and having dropped a number of winnable games after holding commanding leads over the likes of Sydney, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Collingwood and St Kilda – still looks as though it will bite the Blues at season's end. - Riley Beveridge

Best-and-fairest leader: Nick Daicos
Most improved player: Roan Steele (or Angus Anderson)
All-Australian contenders: Nick Daicos
Lowest point: Injuries have followed the Pies this season, and the trauma of Jamie Elliott's season-ending knee injury - a week after Oscar Steene also ruptured his ACL - was a definite low point. Steene's knee, combined with injuries to Will Hayes and Reef McInnes, have arguably hurt more as they are the young players who look ready to carry the club forward. The continued fitness issues of Darcy Moore have also cost the club its skipper and some structure in the defensive half.
Biggest surprise: From winning the Copeland Trophy last year, Darcy Cameron's fall has been dramatic. The new ruck rules have hurt the 30-year-old and the Pies are ranked dead last in the AFL for clearances and behind only Richmond for hitouts won. That's not entirely on Cameron, but with Steene now injured, a lot of the responsibility to stop the slide will sit on his shoulders. It will be fascinating to see if Craig McRae sticks with his man or tries a different approach.
Biggest watch: Already without Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox from last season and with Bobby Hill's status unclear, the injury to Elliot has only added to Collingwood's issues up forward. The Pies have scored more than 100 points just once this season, against the struggling Bombers, and their relative inability to hit the scoreboard is at odds with what the best teams in the competition are doing. More broadly, the Pies have been unashamedly all-in on winning another flag now, and the club's ageing list profile will only become more of a talking point if the wins don't come in the second half of the season.

Mid-year rating: 5 out of 10. A mid-range score for a club that, at this point of the season, has been mid-range. A 5-6-1 record with a percentage of 99.9 has the Pies fighting for a wildcard spot, but they seem a level or two below the very best teams. A side this experienced and this well-coached should never be underestimated, but a deep finals run looks highly unlikely unless there’s a dramatic shift through the winter months. - Martin Smith

Best-and-fairest leader: Archie Roberts
Most improved player: Archer Day-Wicks
All-Australian contenders: -
Lowest point: Sacking coach Brad Scott with a year and a half to run on his contract continued the Essendon way after losing the Dreamtime at the 'G clash to Richmond. Scott was blindsided at the timing but had known the capacity to see through a rebuild was waning.
Biggest surprise: The surprise has been how quickly Essendon's first-year players have taken on their responsibility in key roles. Sullivan Robey has done everything asked and more, Jacob Farrow is super steady at half-back and Dyson Sharp was impressing before his shoulder injury. Very swiftly they have been handed big roles.
Biggest watch: What happens on the coaching front after James Hird put up his hand to be the Bombers' next coach. Whichever way it goes, this storyline is already one of the biggest of the year. Which way do the Bombers go?

Mid-year rating: 1 out of 10. Injuries are again a mitigating excuse for some of Essendon's performances, but it has been a horror year for the club and they are staring down the possibility of just their second wooden spoon in more than 90 years. - Callum Twomey

Best-and-fairest leader: Josh Treacy 
Most improved player: Karl Worner
All-Australian contenders: Josh Treacy, Luke Jackson, Shai Bolton, Murphy Reid, Alex Pearce, Caleb Serong
Lowest point: Letting a 35-point lead slip against Geelong in round one and losing Hayden Young to hamstring and then concussion setbacks. 
Biggest surprise: The sheer power of the three tall forwards and their ability to dominate games. Combined for 78 goals so far and, with help from others, have allowed the Dockers to lift their average scores from 86.0 in 2025 to 96.4 this season. 
Biggest watch: The health of their stars, including gun midfielder Hayden Young. Late-season injuries have cost the Dockers in the past when a top-two spot was achievable. How they manage workloads and get their best players primed for September will be vital.

Mid-year rating: 9.5 out of 10. A near faultless season so far that has seen the Dockers evolve their attacking play, set a club record for consecutive wins, and beat teams in a variety of ways that makes them hard to predict and plan for. The development of players and the depth that has been built under Justin Longmuir and his coaching group has been significant and allowed the Dockers to manage injuries to key players. The only area for improvement is to show more ruthlessness with their scoring power when they have teams beaten. - Nathan Schmook 

Best-and-fairest leader: Max Holmes
Most improved player: Lawson Humphries
All-Australian contenders: Max Holmes, Bailey Smith, Jeremy Cameron, Shaun Mannagh
Lowest point: The 30-point dismantling by Port Adelaide in round seven left everyone scratching their heads, as only the Power’s wayward kicking saved the Cats from a 60-point-plus drubbing.
Biggest surprise: The highly successful move to have Sam De Koning anchor the ruck. Shifting De Koning out of his traditional key defensive post and into a primary ruck-utility role has unlocked his rare athleticism and ground-level follow-up work. This masterstroke has revitalised a traditionally vulnerable Geelong stoppage group and provided a dynamic edge.
Biggest watch: Geelong's ceiling relies on unlocking Tom Stewart. Rival teams have successfully executed tactical blueprints to curb his intercepting work and limit his capacity to dictate terms. How Chris Scott adapts his structures to release the five-time All-Australian from these defensive tags will determine whether Geelong’s backline can withstand the heat of September.

Mid-year rating: 8 out of 10. The Cats are exactly where they want to be after a highly polished first half of the season. Highlighted by a dominant win over Sydney in round 11, Geelong has blooded young talent while keeping its premiership window wide open. If the Cats can solve the Stewart puzzle and remedy their vulnerability when teams apply elite tactical pressure to tag him out, the team will go deep. With a dangerous midfield mix and versatile structural changes already paying massive dividends, the Cats have firmly positioned themselves in the mix of genuine contenders. - Emily Patterson

Best-and-fairest leader: Sam Collins
Most improved player: Leo Lombard
All-Australian contenders: Sam Collins, John Noble, Ben King, Christian Petracca
Lowest point: That came in the most recent match, the after-the-siren loss to North Melbourne where the Suns watched a 43-point lead evaporate. Not only did they lose a match they should have won, they almost gifted it to the Kangaroos by going into their shells early in the final quarter and inviting the pressure. They have 14 days to think about what went wrong over the mid-season bye ahead of Saturday's QClash against Brisbane.
Biggest surprise: It's hard to go past the form of Petracca. The Suns obviously had high hopes when recruiting him from Melbourne, but after a patchy 18 months following his horrific King's Birthday injury in 2024, it was hard to know what version of the four-time All-Australian they would be getting first up. He could hardly have played better. Fifteen goals and 12 assists in nine games tells only part of his impact in the forward half of the ground, and now that Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson are both fit again, the trio have time to build some chemistry, which can only mean good things for the Suns.
Biggest watch: The next month will tell us a lot about how serious the Suns are in 2026. To date they've had a relatively friendly draw, but that's about to change. Queensland rival Brisbane heads to People First Stadium on Saturday, followed by Geelong (away), Hawthorn (home) and Fremantle (away). That's three of the top four teams in the competition after the Lions.

Mid-year rating: 6.5 out of 10. The 7-4 record is solid, but the loss to North Melbourne left a sour taste in the mouth. Following an Opening Round blitz of Geelong and some wins over lesser opponents, it's been a little bit hit-and-miss for Damien Hardwick's team. The midfield is going OK, but has room for improvement, while the connection to the forward line is still a work in progress. The back seven has a rock solid look to it and has excelled in the past month. - Michael Whiting

Best-and-fairest leader: Clayton Oliver
Most improved player: Harvey Thomas
All-Australian contenders: Clayton Oliver, Lachie Ash, Finn Callaghan, Lachie Whitfield
Lowest point: Losing Tom Green to a devastating pre-season ACL injury brutally halted his superstar trajectory just as he was poised to explode. This, combined with injuries to other key pillars, culminated in round 10 with a shocking 17-point loss to the reigning wooden spooners, West Coast — a defeat that thoroughly exposed the Giants' vulnerabilities just as they were desperately trying to steady their season.
Biggest surprise: A spate of early injuries forced the Giants to lean on their depth, opening the door for youngsters Harvey Thomas and Phoenix Gothard to deliver breakout performances that have defied expectations.
Biggest watch: When the Giants are on, they are devastating. However, they dropped winnable games to lower-ranked opponents, West Coast and St Kilda, when their transition game was starved of oxygen. GWS must find a way to adapt when opposition teams clog up space and force them into a slow, contested grind.

Mid-year rating: 6.5 out of 10. The Giants' season has so far been defined by extreme fluctuations, structural challenges, and a recent, desperately needed resurgence right on schedule. Having survived the worst of their early-season injury crisis, Adam Kingsley's side has uncovered a winning blueprint over the past fortnight. If they can maintain the momentum of their statement victory over Melbourne in Alice Springs, their absolute best is potent enough to blow fellow finals contenders out of the water. However, another costly lapse into mid-season inconsistency risks leaving them completely stranded in the middle of the pack. - Emily Patterson

Best-and-fairest leader: Jai Newcombe
Most improved player: Nick Watson
All-Australian contenders: Nick Watson, Jack Gunston, Josh Battle, Tom Barrass, Jarman Impey
Lowest point: The Opening Round loss to GWS was horrible but the three-week winless patch (a draw to Collingwood and losses to Fremantle and Melbourne) put a dampener on a strong first half of the season. 
Biggest surprise: We all knew the Wizard would be a very, very good player but his rapid rise to be an All-Australian contender in just his third AFL season has defied belief. The 21-year-old sits equal-fifth in the Coleman Medal race on 30 goals (just five behind teammate Jack Gunston) and has become equally damaging with his pace through the middle giving opposition teams plenty of headaches.
Biggest watch: Will Day adds another layer of class and skill to Hawthorn's midfield, and if he can stay fit and healthy, it will go a long way to a run deep into September. 

Mid-year rating: 8 out of 10. Aside from that mini-slump from rounds 8-10, the Hawks have barely put a foot wrong and deserve their standing in third place on the ladder. The team's key-position depth was tested when Tom Barrass and Mabior Chol missed multiple weeks with hamstring injuries, but the Hawks will have virtually a full-strength team to choose from after the upcoming bye. Importantly, Sam Mitchell has not just relied on the same crew to get the job done, blooding four debutants this season. - Brandon Cohen

Best-and-fairest leader: Kozzy Pickett
Most improved player: Harry Sharp, although Daniel Turner's career-best season deserves a shoutout
All-Australian contenders: Max Gawn, Kozzy Pickett
Lowest point: ACL injuries to two of the club's young guns, Jai Culley and Andy Moniz-Wakefield. A baffling loss to Essendon is right up there too.
Biggest surprise: The rapid rise of Melbourne's emerging brigade. Harry Sharp leads that list - after spending much of last season in and out of games as the substitute, he's flourished under Steven King's run-and-gun system and is now entrenched in the best 23. Latrelle Pickett, Koltyn Tholstrup, Tom Sparrow, Daniel Turner, Kade Chandler and Harvey Langford have also thrived, playing with greater confidence and attacking flair in a game style that's unlocked the potential of the club's younger talent.
Biggest watch: The forward connection. Melbourne's ball movement and scoring power were major strengths early in the season, but the past two weeks have raised some familiar concerns. The link between the midfield and attack has broken down at times with poor entries and a lack of leading targets hurting the Demons' scoring power. Sunday's loss to the Giants was the clearest example - Melbourne won the inside-50 count 62-46 but still lost by 49 points. It's not a trend just yet, but it's something worth watching

Q2 rating: 7 out of 10. At 7-5 and sitting sixth, the Demons have comfortably exceeded expectations to the half-way point of the season, even if the past fortnight has taken some shine off their early-season form. A win in Monday's King's Birthday blockbuster is a must to ensure their blistering start to the year doesn't become a distant memory. With winnable games to come against Collingwood, Essendon, Adelaide, Hawthorn and Richmond either side of the bye, the next month will make or break the Demons' finals chances. - Alison O'Connor

Best-and-fairest leader: Luke Davies-Uniacke
Most improved player: Finn O'Sullivan
All-Australian contenders: Luke Davies-Uniacke, Harry Sheezel, Luke Parker
Lowest point: The loss to West Coast in round two, having held a commanding 30-point lead. Let's hope it doesn't bite North Melbourne by the end of the season.
Biggest surprise: How quickly Finn O'Sullivan has become a key part of this side. Straight into the midfield in 2026, where he adds a point of difference to a star-studded group with his blend of toughness, physicality, skill and a strong defensive mindset.
Biggest watch: How good actually are the Kangas? The comeback win over the Suns was a highlight, but it's their only scalp for the season. Still need to prove it.

Mid-year rating: 5 out of 10. The early-season optimism had started to fizzle out after four consecutive defeats, but the comeback win over Gold Coast has breathed renewed life back into North Melbourne's campaign. Individual quarters cost the Kangas dearly as they entered a daunting stretch that resulted in the four straight defeats. They conceded nine goals in the last against the Cats, six goals in the third against the Swans, then 10 goals in the second against the Crows. That would be the frustration, given they'd been relatively competitive otherwise, and remains something Alastair Clarkson needs to iron out as he hopes to raise North to the next level. A wildcard spot is still on the cards, a promising prospect given there still feels like so much improvement is within this side. - Riley Beveridge

Best-and-fairest leader: Zak Butters
Most improved player: Joe Richards
All-Australian contenders: Aliir Aliir, Zak Butters
Lowest point: It still has to be the round three loss to West Coast. Port was coming off a huge win over Essendon and hosting the battling Eagles were expected to get some early-season momentum for new coach Josh Carr. But alas, they coughed the game up by two points after leading by five goals early. It came at the end of a week in which captain Connor Rozee suffered a long-term injury that now has the club seeking further specialist opinions on what can be done to fix an ongoing nerve issue. 
Biggest surprise: The round seven win over Geelong was a surprise at the time and might end up being one of the biggest shocks of the season. Not only did Port win by 30 points, they smashed the Cats in almost every facet of the game. Mitch Georgiades kicked 4.6. Jason Horne-Francis and Butters ran riot. It was a clinical performance that offered genuine hope.
Biggest watch: The easy answer here is Butters' contract situation, but the longer it drags on without a signature, the less positive it looks for Port. Let's give a footy answer instead! The imminent return of Jack Lukosius from injury gives Carr a new dynamic in the front half of the ground. Whether he can build synergy with Georgiades, Jack Whitlock and the smalls is a tantalising prospect for a team that is looking for more scoring power.

Mid-year rating: 5 out of 10. Not a lot was expected in Carr's first season and after a rocky start, they had a terrific stretch of games that included a narrow loss to Hawthorn, the win over Geelong and a heartbreaking loss to Adelaide. They've lost four games by less than a goal – split those and the 3-8 win-loss record looks a lot different – and four straight losses into the bye was a tough stretch. Injuries to Rozee, Lukosius, Miles Bergman, Sam Powell-Pepper and others should be factored in. Some positive signs but a lot to still be gained in the second half of the season. - Michael Whiting

Best-and-fairest leader: Tim Taranto
Most improved player: Kane McAuliffe
All-Australian contenders: -
Lowest point: The constant week-to-week grind of more injuries has been more "death by a thousand cuts" for Richmond fans than a single point of woe. In terms of which loss stung the most, the 75-point thumping at the hands of North Melbourne – which saw Richmond kick 2.12 to half-time – was by far the most frustrating.
Biggest surprise: Pre-season, a partnership of Noah Balta and Ollie Hayes-Brown in the ruck would have indicated something had gone horribly wrong on the injury front. But the unorthodox pairing – while far from ideal – hasn't been a disaster, and has thrown a new look at the opposition, particularly Balta's burst through the contest and the occasional Hayes-Brown 50m scrabble kick from the centre-square.
Biggest watch: All things going to plan, Richmond should get more reinforcements back in the second half of the year. Injuries have fast-tracked the game time of the likes of Pat Retschko, Tom Burton and top draftees Sam Grlj and Sam Cumming. All four possess one thing the senior Tigers are badly lacking – speed. Adem Yze has a decision to make: defaulting to the slow midfield mix of Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and Dion Prestia, or making tough calls on some established stars, and backing the kids.

Mid-year rating: 2/10. It's been an incredibly frustrating first half of the year for Richmond. Sometimes it hasn't even felt like two steps forward, one backwards – it's been a complete and utter quagmire of nice signs from a few kids coupled with a forward line that can't function without the battered shell of Tom Lynch, and an injury list that brings new sighs of disbelief every Tuesday. In this position, wins are treasured, and the Tigers did what they had to do against West Coast and Essendon, showing they aren't far and away the worst team in it. Cumming has been a definite bright spark, Retschko a steal, McAuliffe impressed when fit and Jack Ross has blossomed, but all Tiger fans want to see is Taj Hotton and Sam Lalor on the park. The 114-point loss to Sydney showed how far off the best Richmond truly is. – Sarah Black

Best-and-fairest leader: Callum Wilkie
Most improved player: Hugo Garcia
All-Australian contenders: Callum Wilkie
Lowest point: Goalless first half against Hawthorn in round 12. 
Biggest surprise: Hugo Garcia's clearance-dominance. After starting the season without the 21-year-old in their preferred centre ball-up set-up, the Saints now struggle to win a clearance there without him.
Biggest watch: The perennial question seems to be whether Max King will get on the park in 2026. All signs looked positive back in early May before the 25-year-old strained his hamstring in his second VFL game back from persistent knee injuries that have sidelined him since round 16, 2024. Currently listed as being 2-3 weeks away from playing, St Kilda fans and the broader footy world will be waiting with bated breath to see if that is indeed the case.

Mid-year rating: 5 out of 10. An 100-point win over West Coast was undoubtedly the high point, but there's been no shortage of lows - last week's 52-point loss to Hawthorn; injuries to stars Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitchito Owens and Liam Ryan; and a further setback for luckless King have all soured the season. Sitting at 5-7, the Saints have hit a rough patch in their fixture, having faced top-four fancies Fremantle and Hawthorn in recent weeks while a date with Sydney at the SCG beckons this weekend. The Saints have won the ones they should have (against the struggling Eagles, Carlton and Richmond) but still struggle against top-eight sides, a deficiency they'll have to dig deep to overcome with clashes against Geelong, Gold Coast and the Swans again awaiting them after their round 16 bye. Throw in some 50-50 chances against temperamental Greater Western Sydney, the Western Bulldogs and the much-improved Carlton, and the cash-splashing Saints are staring down the barrel of missing even Wildcard Round. - Sophie Welsh

Best-and-fairest leader: Isaac Heeney
Most improved player: Justin McInerney
All-Australian contenders: Isaac Heeney, Brodie Grundy, Justin McInerney, Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin
Lowest point: Losing Errol Gulden to a shoulder injury for the second time in a year has ripped one of the competition's premier ball users out of the Swans' engine room for the bulk of the season. The blow was compounded a week later by a stinging loss to Hawthorn in round two.
Biggest surprise: Historically, losing a player of Gulden’s calibre would derail Sydney's fluent ball movement, yet their winning brand has barely wavered. Dean Cox has fostered a tactical flexibility that allows different players to step straight in and execute the high-pressure grid immediately, proving the Swans' depth is far deeper than critics predicted.
Biggest watch: While the Swans have been dominant enough to overpower teams late in games, their tendency to give up early leads is a dangerous trait. Against top-tier defensive set-ups, playing catch-up football is incredibly difficult. If Sydney continues to gift opposition teams head starts in high-pressure games, it will eventually cost them.

Mid-year rating: 9 out of 10. A massive, league-best percentage of 152.4% is an incredible mid-season launchpad that has firmly established the Swans as prime premiership contenders. They are playing elite, highly entertaining football, but their stumble against Hawthorn and the round 11 slip to the Cats exposed the blueprint on how to frustrate their high-octane handball game. Consequently, they still have one or two gears left to find before they achieve true four-quarter consistency. To truly solidify their flag credentials, maintaining structural discipline during those crucial opening quarters will be vital, as top-tier teams will ruthlessly punish any further lapses on the run home. - Emily Patterson

Best-and-fairest leader: Reuben Ginbey or Harley Reid 
Most improved player: Tim Kelly
All-Australian contenders: Reuben Ginbey, Harley Reid 
Lowest point: The round eight loss at home to a decimated Richmond was a disaster at the time that felt like a significant step backwards, heaping early pressure on Andrew McQualter. The recovery in the past month, however, has been impressive. Repeated concussion setbacks for Harry Edwards have been difficult for the group to manage, as have serious injuries to important recruits Brandon Starcevich (calf) and Dev Robertson (ACL).  
Biggest surprise: The rise of Bailey Williams this season as a high-leaping No.1 ruck has been a massive boost for the Eagles. More broadly, the centre square combination of Williams, Harley Reid, Elliot Yeo and Tim Kelly has exceeded all expectations, helping the Eagles turn a weakness in 2025 into a massive strength. 
Biggest watch: Elijah Hewett is one of the most talented young players on the Eagles' list, but he has not cemented himself in the team this year and was forced into an unfamiliar half-forward role that didn't suit his strengths. Out of contract this year, the Eagles can't lose skilful players and need to find a way to get the best out of Hewett in the second half of the season.

Mid-year rating: 7 out of 10. Our expectation for the Eagles after last year’s one win season was to get to four or five wins this season. They have already hit four wins at the halfway point and can accelerate their rebuild from here as their impressive youngsters, including Willem Duursma, Josh Lindsay, Jobe Shanahan, Cooper Duff-Tytler and Bo Allan, develop rapidly. McQualter’s coaching nous has been on show through clever match-ups, player development, and the uptake of his game plan among a young group. A high-pressure style has been important in wins, but the Eagles are also adding a recent layer of control to their ball movement. The way an undermanned backline has recovered from some disappointing performances has been particularly impressive. - Nathan Schmook  

Best-and-fairest leader: Marcus Bontempelli
Most improved player: Buku Khamis, but Arty Jones is coming with a rush 
All-Australian contenders: Marcus Bontempelli, Aaron Naughton, Bailey Dale
Lowest point: Still Sam Darcy's ACL injury. Although the Dogs have righted the ship in terms of form and results, it's hard to see them seriously contending without Darcy in the forward 50. 
Biggest surprise: The impact of the bargain key-position players. Michael Sellwood (2025 mid-season draft) and Will Lewis (2026 pre-season SSP) have over-delivered on their modest draft rankings. Sellwood's match-saving mark against Collingwood, and Lewis' strong marking and two goals against Port Adelaide, were crucial in season-shaping wins. 
Biggest watch: It's all about personnel for Luke Beveridge's men. Can Tom Liberatore regain fitness and return to bolster the midfield? What impact will Cody Weightman have when he returns? Will Tim English's sore knee hold up through the second half of the season? If there are positive answers to all the above, a finals berth beckons. Bonus points if Jordan Croft can grasp the forward-line opportunity that Darcy's long-term absence presents.

Mid-year rating: 6 out of 10. The Dogs have lost three of five since our last check-in, and the two wins were by a combined five points. But the cavalry is starting to return, and midfield stars Bontempelli and Ed Richards are regaining their edge. The next six weeks will tell us plenty about what the Bulldogs can salvage from a season that started with so much promise. - Michael Rogers