STRAP yourselves in, footy fans - Damian Barrett's Sliding Doors is back in full swing for 2026.

With the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season underway, Damo's got plenty of thoughts about all 18 clubs - and the AFL.

So what is he saying about your team? What's he saying about the AFL? You can't say that, Damo, can you? Check it out below.

>> ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION FROM DAMIAN BARRETT

IF ...

Jordan Dawson's most famous goal will always be the after-final siren, match-winning one in a 2022 Showdown ...

THEN ...

any one of the three he booted in Thursday night's season-shaping win against Geelong might vie for second most famous. Crows are not winning that one without him. What a player. What a leader. 

IF ..

my confidence in a Lions bounce-back last weekend was eight out of 10 ...

THEN ...

after a third consecutive and alarming drubbing, it is only at five for Saturday's QClash. The uncompromising attitude has disappeared, players are picking and choosing their moments. And having said all that, I'm still tipping them to win their first match since an unimpressive win in round nine against Carlton.

IF ...

Paddy Cripps is an all-time great whose form in the past four matches has returned to that elite zone ...

THEN ...

it remains valid to ask, for myriad reasons: where was that form and influence in the opening eight games of the season, when Michael Voss' fate as coach was being adversely determined?

IF ...

the Pies have this season regularly lost key players to injury, as well as their once renowned edge in close finishes ...

THEN ...

I won't be ruling them out of inflicting damage in September until it becomes mathematically impossible to finish in the wildcard slots. They just have a crack each week.

IF ...

the James Hird Circus is back in town and again playing to packed tents ...

THEN ...

roll up, roll up, there's every chance this tour will last at least another two months. Unless, of course, Bombers president Andrew Welsh wants to end it before it gets any more momentum. Welsh is currently strategising the characteristics and skill-set he wants in the new coach. He could very easily rule Hird out before his process even starts. He could dictate that Brad Scott's replacement must have been actively involved with an AFL club for at least the past half dozen years. As always with Essendon, intriguing times.

IF ...

the Grand Final-bound Dockers have been winning without their best two midfielders Hayden Young and Caleb Serong ...

THEN ...

what a beautifully balanced, and midfield-deep team. The brilliant Young back for Saturday's match against North Melbourne in Bunbury.

IF ...

after Thursday night the Cats have now lost matches in 2026 by one point (against the Crows), four points (Carlton) and one point (Hawthorn) ...

THEN ...

that is going to make things problematic for a top-four finish. But they'll still be there on preliminary final weekend.

IF ...

Dimma was all punchy on Thursday about rival clubs' interest in contracted Suns players Bailey Humphrey and Joel Jeffrey ...

THEN ...

he has clearly chosen to forget that in 2024 he personally lured Daniel Rioli out of a contract with Richmond that ran until the end of 2027. Dimma also had no consideration for the club he now coaches when he was setting up a Tigers' dynasty, with Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia ripped out of Gold Coast, respectively in 2018 and 2016, when they were out of contract. Love the fight of Dimma and even more the theatre, but spare me the outrage.

IF ...

the Giants finally got their season going with massive wins in rounds 11 and 12, against Brisbane and Melbourne ...

THEN ...

the bye has probably come at an inopportune time.

IF ...

there is a Coleman to be won ...

THEN ...

there is also, and way more importantly, a flag to be secured. Jack Gunston out, again – managed, injured or rested – for a Friday night lights match against the Western Bulldogs. Has played nine of the Hawks' 12 matches this year, but has a competition-best 35 goals. Closing on 300 career matches and 600 career goals. What a player.

IF ...

you're familiar with the early 1990s works of Tex Perkins ...

THEN ...

for new coach Steven King, the honeymoon is over, baby. Consecutive losses in rounds 11 and 12 have taken off a couple layers of gloss after a scintillating start.

IF ...

I realise accidents have always happened at training and always will ...

THEN ...

I still take the view that your best young player, and quite possibly best player full stop, shouldn't be getting concussed by one of the toughest players in the comp in a training session. The brilliant Finn O'Sullivan out for a crucial round 13 match, against Freo in Bunbury, after a collision with big X, who of course is right to go.

IF ...

the Power have lost four consecutive matches, and eight of 11 on the season ...

THEN ...

I can't believe they're officially pronounced-favourites for Saturday night's away match against West Coast. It will be up to their four guns to win this one – Georgiades, Butters, Horne-Francis and Aliir Aliir.

IF ...

the other team, GWS, scheduled for a bye in round 13 probably doesn't want it right now ...

THEN ...

the Tigers desperately need it. Round 12's 114-point loss to Sydney was horrendous on so many levels.

IF ...

Hawk Blake Hardwick has leapt into No.1 place as the AFL's best swingman, with eight goals from the past five quarters in which he has played as a forward ...

THEN ...

Jack Silvagni might be about to draw on Shannon Noll, and Moving Pictures before him, and ask, "What about me?" In 140 matches, he's mostly been a key back. But three goals after half-time in round 12 reminded us of his prowess in attack. Closing on 100 career goals. And is more than OK as an occasional ruck, too.

IF ...

the Swans are coming off a 114-point win and for Sunday's match against St Kilda back into the team comes captain Mills and All-Australian contending Grundy ...

THEN ...

they just need Gulden, Rampe and Papley to get better and they will want for nothing.

IF ...

Harley Reid remains a work in progress ...

THEN ...

it's a beautiful work in progress. On track for the Eagles' best and fairest. He's simply must-watch, not just in every match, but in every play. And it's almost guaranteed he will feel the need at some stage of Saturday night's match against Port Adelaide to get in the face of Jason Horne-Francis, the No.1 pick in the 2021 national draft, two years before Harley had the same status.

IF ...

Cody Weightman has become well known as a painter and artist in the 637 days (elimination final 2024 to round 13 2026) that would have elapsed between career games 76 and 77 ...

THEN ...

I really hope he gets to meaningfully resume his main professional pursuit, that of AFL footballer, after horrific complications with his leg. Love that Bevo has allowed him to bypass the VFL, too.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

there are way too many in the AFL industry who seem to think the AFL will need to sign-off on a potential James Hird return to coaching ...

THEN ...

please stop thinking so. The AFL has already allowed Hird back into the system. After enforcing its 12-month ban, which took in the 2014 season, the AFL permitted Hird to return to coach the Bombers in 2015. Then the Bombers sacked him that year, after he went 5-14. Hird returning is purely up to Andrew Welsh. No one else.