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

With the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season approaching a dramatic conclusion, 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 ...

Zac Bailey let the Crows "wine and dine" him for the best part of 18 months before saying thanks but no thanks ...

THEN ...

surely he becomes a Crows target at the Gabba on Saturday night. Would love to have Tex mic'd up to hear the words he may direct Zac's way.

IF ..

Zac Bailey has been a fantastic player for the Lions and is now a two-time All-Australian ...

THEN ...

I'm still keen to see how explosive he will be in 2034, the year his new blockbuster deal with the Lions is to expire. Brilliant on-field, and equally brilliant off-field, is Zac.

IF ...

adding Cody Walker is creating genuine buzz at Carlton right now ...

THEN ...

spare a thought for two other father-son Blues, Ben and Lucas Camporeale. The footy dreams of the Camporeales are not over, but being cut from the Carlton list is a jolt.

IF ...

it's now official that Jesse Hogan is to become a Pie, via the Giants' statement on Thursday night ...

THEN ...

Lachie Neale is to follow. Yes, their dates of birth add to the Dad's Army narrative, but I like the strategy, a lot. Won't require national draft pick currency, and both will fill gaping holes on the list. Give me this strategy over the Tigers' one.

IF ...

Jack Viney is effectively on the market ...

THEN ...

the Bombers should consider a deal. Fits the McVeigh coaching mould.

IF ...

I've occupied seat 1A on the Freo flight for the past two seasons ...

THEN ...

I'm starting to eye the exits. Two bad losses in their past two finals. Simply need to find a way to get past the Cats under Friday night semi-final lights. Zero excuses. Let's see who is going to stand up alongside the captain and Luke Jackson.

IF ...

there is one thing I'm really tiring of ...

THEN ...

it is the question marks over a) Jez Cameron himself and b) the way Chris Scott is employing him while he's dealing with debilitating arm and shoulder injuries. Cameron is a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer, and has earned the right to ease himself back into the game however he sees fit. And Scott's Cats produced 37 scoring shots in a final last week, without Cameron contributing to that stat. Between them, they know how to work this out, without the outside experts weighing in.

IF ...

a lot went horribly wrong in 2026 ...

THEN ...

Ned Moyle is on the other ledger, the stuff that went right. Just 13 matches in three seasons before this year, and then 16 in a row after getting his belated chance in round eight. Clearly, still a work in progress, but the signs are good.

IF ...

the AFL's expansion focus has understandably shifted to Tasmania's entry in 2028 ...

THEN ...

some of it desperately needs to be diverted to the greater western region of Sydney generally, and GWS itself. This project was always going to be the toughest one ever embarked upon by the AFL, and it arguably needs as much AFL resource now as it did when launched in 2012.

IF ...

the Hawks have won at least one premiership every decade since the 1960s (and just a reminder here of the heady 1980s into 1990s when from 1983 they made eight of nine Grand Finals, winning five of them) ...

THEN ...

they're on track to tick off the 2020s. A blistering qualifying final win in Perth last week, now sitting pretty and waiting for the Lions or Crows.

IF ...

it's always been dangerous for presidents, and even more so for interim presidents, to get involved in list management decisions ...

THEN ...

Brad Green's big, bold, chest-out comments at the Dees' 2024 best-and-fairest, seemingly made to calm down a frustrated supporter group, was yet more proof. "I know, come round one next year, when I see the first ball bounced and our midfield of Gawn, Viney, Oliver and Petracca ... that you Melbourne faithful will be there in full force," Green said on that night. Only Gawn will be there round one, 2027.

IF ...

I remain adamant the Roos were right to sack Clarko ...

THEN ...

I also remain adamant they need to pull apart all workings of their football department. Just as signing Clarko was never going to fix all problems, simply removing him certainly won't, either. Can't get my head around Todd Viney being on the sub-committee to find the new coach, and the recruiting/list management department has long had a lot of very big question marks hovering over it.

IF ...

the 2026 season was dreadful, Butters is now officially on the way out, and Rozee's injury remains worrying ...

THEN ...

there are not many subjects of excitement for the Power. They've got still got big Georgiades, though. With him, there is hope.

IF ...

his mates Bolton, Rioli, Baker and Graham all saw the cliff fall coming and got out ...

THEN ...

Jayden Short might just seek a new home himself this trade period. The Tigers' list looking worse by the day.

IF ...

there was an AFL scenario more certain than Rowan Marshall requesting a trade out of the Saints at the end of the 2026 season ...

THEN ...

nah, there wasn't. Imagine having a really good, long-contracted, give-everything-in-every-game ruckman and making him feel unwanted and unloved.

IF ...

it's a joke that AFL list management rules allow for 36-year-old Dane Rampe to have official rookie list status in 2026 ...

THEN ...

to the outside world it would also be laughable that a rookie-list player would be allowed to captain a team in a preliminary final. With Callum Mills breaking down in the extraordinary win by the Swans in last weekend's qualifying final, the Swans are in need of a replacement. How fitting for the warrior Rampe, who has played in four losing Grand Finals, to resume the status he held for five seasons (2019-23), for him to attend the coin-toss against Dangerfield or Pearce.

IF ...

you haven't caught up with Sharrod Wellingham's recent observations of the Eagles made on the ABC ...

THEN ...

it would be worth having a listen. "There's the potential for West Coast to develop into an Essendon," was one of his views. Ouch.

IF ...

there are currently 10 legends in the Western Bulldogs' Hall of Fame ...

THEN ...

I reckon Libba could be considered for such status in the future. Wanted to go around for a 17th season but it was the right call to stop after 16. Couldn't have got one more pre-season out of this body, which is now shot after 268 of the finest games to be played at this club.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

I'm still far from convinced all senior coaches bother to vote in their AFL Coaches Association awards ...

THEN ...

I'm still not sure whether they plain forgot to vote on the wildcard matches two weeks ago, or simply don't rate them as actual finals. Either way, they've made a big statement. The coaches have chosen to vote in 216 matches (207 home-and-away season matches plus qualifying, elimination, semi, preliminary and Grand Finals) of the 218 matches played in 2026. This should prompt a post-season debrief on the status of these 7 v 10 and 8 v 9 games. The AFL has been adamant those matches have finals status. I'd still be suggesting they be called 'play-in' matches, as in they are not finals and they are not home-and-away games (and therefore there would be no Brownlow Medal connotations). But they would be recorded on players' career stats as an official match.