AS THE home and away season draws to a close, it's time to put your club under the microscope.

From breakout stars and season-defining moments to trade targets and overall grades, we've assessed the highs, lows and lingering questions from your team's 2026 campaign.

Here's our report card on all the eight clubs that didn't reach the finals. The remaining teams will be added as they drop out of the premiership race.

Best-and-fairest favourite: Zach Merrett

Most improved player: Vigo Visentini

Best moment of 2026: Gather Round. Essendon's win over Melbourne in Adelaide snapped an equal-record 17-game losing streak, stopping the Bombers from setting a new worst-ever run of 18 consecutive losses.

Worst moment of 2026: The Bombers decided to sack coach Brad Scott after round 11, with results getting worse in the second half of the season as the club limped towards the finish line to claim just their second wooden spoon in more than 90 years.  

Biggest surprise of 2026: How quickly Sullivan Robey looked one of the Bombers' best and most accomplished players. Perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise or maybe it just said something for the lack of red and black highlights this year, but the No.9 pick from last year's draft very swiftly showed he was one of the most exciting talents to come through the club in some time in a promising debut year before it ended with a knee injury.

Trade priorities: They are chasing experience and leadership – Lachie Neale, Scott Pendlebury and Touk Miller have all been targets – but selling the dream for the Bombers without certainty on their coach has been a very tough task. With Zach Merrett set to leave and Jordan Ridley also eyeing an exit, the Bombers will need some maturity to add to their young group.

2026 season rating: 1 out of 10. A disaster from start to finish. The Bombers had hopes to keep building their form this year after a bottom-four finish in 2025 but after a bad start to the season the club sacked coach Brad Scott with a year and a half to run on his contract. The long stint under interim coach Dean Solomon saw Essendon struggle to the end of their campaign, with wins only against Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney all year. The Bombers have taken the long rebuild path and it's the right way but there are still many tough years ahead. The positive lay in the experience given to their 2025 draft crop and other youngsters and they will provide the core in their future. - Cal Twomey

Best-and-fairest favourite: Bodhi Uwland

Most improved player: Leo Lombard

Best moment of 2026: In an underwhelming season for the Suns, the contract extension of Bailey Humphrey until the end of 2030 was a highlight. The powerful forward/midfielder explored his options 12 months ago and the expectation was he would do so again in the upcoming trade period, but with an outstanding final eight weeks of his season, Humphrey’s signature was a huge boost and vote of confidence for the Suns.

Worst moment of 2026: There was no singular moment (although coughing up a seven-goal lead to North Melbourne could count), but losing 10 consecutive matches was as incomprehensible as it was disastrous. When the coach says the season is "effectively gone" with six rounds remaining, that tells you everything. 

Biggest surprise of 2026: On paper, the addition of Christian Petracca gave the Suns the most stacked starting midfield in the competition alongside Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Touk Miller. It just never clicked. Although just one metric, the fact Gold Coast was dead last in clearance differential until the final round was staggering. Whether it was individual form, balance, structure or all of the above, the midfield needs to improve dramatically in 2027.

Trade priorities: In terms of talent, the Suns lack for very little. They could do with a touch more experience though, including a key forward to plonk alongside Jed Walter and Ethan Read, assuming Ben King departs via free agency. Similar could be said at the other end of the ground, with a heavy reliance on Sam Collins and Mac Andrew each week.

2026 season rating: 3 out of 10. They started the season as a premiership fancy and finished it without even sniffing the wildcard weekend. Although suffering a few untimely injuries (most notably to Rowell), the Suns were largely healthy for the majority of the season. They were 7-3 after 10 games before going into a 10-game freefall that had everyone scratching their heads. If King goes, he takes 60 goals with him, and although Hardwick has recently said 2026 could be the making of his team, they have a huge 12 months ahead to climb the ladder and prove to pending free agents Rowell and Anderson it is a club worth staying at in the long-term. - Michael Whiting

Best-and-fairest favourite: Clayton Oliver

Most improved player: Aaron Cadman

Best moment of 2026: The 78-point win over Brisbane in round 11 showcased one of the most blistering attacking displays in modern AFL history, as GWS piled on 26.10 (166) to dismantle the Lions' 13.10 (88). Not only was this the highest score recorded by any team in 2026 and a club record, but the Giants' 86-point third term also set the VFL/AFL record for the highest third quarter ever, ranking as the equal fourth-highest single quarter in League history.

Worst moment of 2026: The three-point loss to bottom-of-the-ladder Essendon in round 19 came at a time when GWS desperately needed to beat lower-ranked opponents to keep control of its wildcard aspirations. For a side already feeling the loss of Tom Green to a pre-season ACL injury and a raft of other key absences, this defeat dealt a crushing blow to the Giants' post-season hopes.

Biggest surprise of 2026: Clayton Oliver cemented his impact through a seamless transition and swift takeover of the Giants' midfield. While many expected an adjustment period for the premiership Demon given his late-career move and the presence of established stars in charcoal and orange, Oliver became the Giants' most reliable, dominant player almost instantly – featuring in every game in 2026.

Trade priorities: The Giants are entering a pivotal off-season transition. Following an injury-plagued campaign and contract stalemates with several key figures, Jason McCartney and Adrian Caruso face a delicate balancing act between pursuing targeted external acquisitions and retaining key talent. With veteran key forwards Jesse Hogan and Jake Stringer facing uncertain futures at the club, the Giants need forward-line protection for young target Aaron Cadman and newly extended Max Gruzewski. Furthermore, despite acquiring Oliver ahead of the season, GWS remains vulnerable in the engine room when injuries strike – highlighting a vital need for explosive running capacity, clearance support, and dynamic depth in the midfield.

2026 season rating: 5.5 out of 10. The Giants' 2026 campaign earns a pass mark, yet it ultimately falls short of the club's standards under Adam Kingsley. Despite showing flashes of premiership-calibre footy, significant injuries and costly slip-ups made for a frustrating year. A clear silver lining was the development of talented depth players like Joe Fonti, Gruzewski, and Harvey Thomas. However, while the team's destruction of Brisbane showcased the Orange Tsunami's ceiling, costly losses to Essendon and West Coast severely damaged the Giants' post-season push. All eyes now turn to Tom Green's return from an ACL injury, with pending departures leaving GWS facing a critical off-season transition. - Emily Patterson

Best and fairest favourite: Luke Davies-Uniacke and Harry Sheezel.

Most improved player: Finn O'Sullivan.

Best moment of 2026: The victory over Gold Coast, where North Melbourne stormed from 43 points behind to secure a remarkable turnaround and set up a run of four wins from its next five games.

Worst moment of 2026: It probably came the week after that Gold Coast victory, when the club travelled to Western Australia and got hammered by Fremantle to the tune of 124 points.

Biggest surprise of 2026: Finding a genuine player in mid-season recruit Cooper Trembath was a welcome surprise for North Melbourne. He looks the type of footballer that can impact in multiple ways in a variety of positions for quite some time.

Trade priorities: Clearly, North Melbourne will circle a key defender as its most glaring need. The Kangas are going after Adelaide's Nick Murray, but he's contracted for another two seasons so they may need to stump up a first-round pick to prise him to Victoria. They've also done their work on Jordon Butts, as well as Jordan Ridley and Charlie Ballard across the course of the year. North has players with A-Grade potential on its list, notably the likes of Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw and Finn O'Sullivan, but needs bodies that will help raise the floor before it can consistently compete among the finals sides.

2026 season rating: 5 out of 10. Strange old season. Nine wins was a good jump, having secured only 20 in the previous six years, but you could still sense a gap between North Melbourne and the middle tier of the competition. The Kangas found it difficult to claim a big scalp and never really looked likely against top eight opponents, while defeats to the likes of West Coast and Port Adelaide crushed any lingering finals hopes and meant the side couldn't capitalise on a soft draw. Still, the potential of this group is there. The majority of the club's best players are all under 24 and, with the right additions across the off-season, you can see where the improvement comes from in 2027. - Riley Beveridge

Best-and-fairest favourite: Jason Horne-Francis

Most improved player: Joe Richards

Best moment of 2026: There might have been just seven wins this season, but thankfully for Port, one of them was in a Showdown. After losing by a point in the dying stages when the teams met earlier in the year, they weren't leaving the second meeting to chance, slamming on six consecutive goals either side of half-time to run away 26-point victors over Adelaide in an emphatic win. Zak Butters was incredible with 37 disposals.

Worst moment of 2026: The round 18 loss to St Kilda felt like a premature end to the season. Just as Port had strung together some good form (three wins from their previous five), not only did they lose to the Saints, but suffered injuries to Butters, Horne-Francis and Mitch Georgiades. Butters would not play again, and although the latter pair missed just a week each, the wheels began to fall off and they were largely uncompetitive against the League's best teams.

Biggest surprise of 2026: Acquiring Corey Durdin from Carlton as part of a three-team deal with Gold Coast was one of the more low key moves of last year’s Trade Period, but he turned out to be a huge win for Port. Durdin played every game of the season in a forward line that wasn’t always getting the best service, but busted his backside to finish with 32 goals and 13 assists in an excellent first year under Josh Carr. His previous best haul in five seasons at the Blues was 15 goals.

Trade priorities: Everything this Trade Period centres around what they can get in exchange for restricted free agent Zak Butters, should he do as the entire football world expects and exercise his right to move. Port will match a bid with the rival club of Butters' choice and then it's about getting a fair deal for a top five player in the competition. Having missed out on luring Tom Sparrow from Melbourne, it's apparent Port needs to invest heavily in the draft to set themselves up for a strong future.

2026 season rating: 5 out of 10. For much of the season Port was outplaying expectations, but finishing with seven wins and a percentage below 90 probably dictates something around par. Defensively they were frugal until the final six rounds when a long campaign seemed to overwhelm them when the competition's heavy hitters (Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne) came along. They unearthed some talent in Richards, Joe Berry, Jack Whitlock and Josh Lai, but with Butters almost certainly out the door, it could be a tough year or two ahead. - Michael Whiting

Best-and-fairest favourite: Tim Taranto

Most improved player: Jack Ross

Best moment of 2026: Only three wins to choose from, but beating West Coast in Perth in round eight, with 17 on the injury list (18 including Prestia's first-minute calf) gets the nod. Shoutout to Sam Lalor's Dusty-esque sealer in the return game against the Eagles.

Worst moment of 2026: The 114-point loss to Sydney takes some beating.

Biggest surprise of 2026: The recruitment of Pat Retschko – a Geelong rookie who hadn't played a game – was a canny pick-up, impressing on the wing since he debuted in round six.

Trade priorities: Zak Butters. Richmond has already done all it can in its hunt for the Port Adelaide star, offering the most money of any side in the mix. Aside from that, a seasoned key forward wouldn't go astray, even as a stop-gap, to help support the young talls and a battered Tom Lynch. The ruck beyond Toby Nankervis remains a hole, while there's a serious need for speed across the board, which has started to be addressed in the past year.

2026 season rating: 1 out of 10. Another disappointing season for Richmond, exacerbated by yet another injury crisis (the Tigers are set to hire their third S&C boss in four seasons). Next year is looming as vital in measuring just how far Richmond has come in its rebuild and under Adem Yze, who still hasn't had a properly fit squad to coach. Some of the kids showed a few nice signs throughout the season, but aside from pushing Adelaide in round 22, the wheels have well and truly come off in the back-end of the season. - Sarah Black

Best-and-fairest favourite: Hugo Garcia

Most improved player: Hugo Garcia

Best moment of 2026: After interest from virtually every other club in the competition, young gun Darcy Wilson re-signing was a massive relief. The 101-point win against West Coast was also nice, but ultimately empty calories.

Worst moment of 2026: Where to start? Max King injuring his hamstring in his first AFL game in two years was pretty grim.

Biggest surprise of 2026: For all the talk about St Kilda's trade acquisitions, it was the less flashy ones that worked the best. Jack Silvagni put in a strong and consistent season, while when fit, Liam Ryan provided plenty of highlights. Campbell Lake also slotted in nicely after being picked up in the mid-season draft.

Trade priorities: A key forward. The Saints struggled massively without a focal point up forward, and while Max King would hypothetically fill that gap, he has been just that - hypothetical, not actual - for two seasons now. It's time to bite the bullet and shore up an alternate, as while Cooper Sharman, Rowan Marshall and Anthony Caminiti have battled admirably, they've shown they're just not up to the task of being the No.1 target.

2026 season rating: 3 out of 10. A middle-of-the-road year ended with a whimper, with the Saints failing to fire a shot against Carlton, Gold Coast and Sydney in the last month of the season. Remarkably, the Saints did not defeat any team higher than them on the ladder, but hey, at least they beat up on lower-ranked teams which is an improvement on last year. Injuries to Jack Sinclair and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera certainly hurt in the back end of the season, but a decent team is stronger than just two players. The Saints clearly aren't a decent team yet. - Sophie Welsh

Best-and-fairest favourite: Harley Reid 

Most improved player: Rhett Bazzo 

Best moment of 2026: The round three win against Port Adelaide gave the Eagles back-to-back wins for the first time in almost two years and the club's first road win under Andrew McQualter. From 29 points down in the second quarter, the Eagles played with grit as young players stood up in big moments and the leaders performed.  

Worst moment of 2026: The two losses against Richmond were deflating, but the uncompetitive 128-point loss to Sydney in round four was a step backward. No part of the game was on the Eagles' terms at Optus Stadium and Harley Reid was tagged relentlessly with no support forthcoming. 

Biggest surprise of 2026: From starting the season in the WAFL to signing a contract extension through to 2032, Bailey Williams went through a serious transformation in 2026. The big man thrived under new ruck rules and attracted opposition interest before re-signing. The rapid impact of mid-season recruit Marcus Herbert was an unexpected win.   

Trade priorities: The priority for West Coast is to retain its prime No.3 draft selection and use it to land a midfield jet who will emerge under Harley Reid and Willem Duursma. If the door is ajar to bring Lachie Neale back to WA, the Eagles should pursue the unrestricted free agent aggressively as a player who brings immediate support for Reid and elite on-field standards for a young core to follow. Arthur Jones remains out of contract at the Western Bulldogs and is the type of player West Coast needs amid turnover in the small forward ranks. Signing Marcus Herbert and warding off opposition interest should be another priority.

2026 season rating: Four out of 10. McQualter's second season in charge was a step forward, and four wins on paper is a fair result after just one in 2025. It is the way the year finished with 11 straight losses, however, that leaves a sour taste. There were significant positives, including Jobe Shanahan's elevation as a young star, the growth in superstar Harley Reid, and the leadership of Reuben Ginbey. Rhett Bazzo took his opportunity as a key defender, and there is clearly young talent accumulating. Fundamental skills remain a serious issue, however, that the group needs to get to work on over summer. If the players can improve there and execute McQualter's game style consistently, a big step forward should be expected in 2027. – Nathan Schmook