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 ...

Dan Curtin has been pretty good in the 50 AFL matches he has played in three seasons ...

THEN ...

for Matthew Nicks to get a fresh contract, which would require the Crows to explode up the ladder, he must become an elite midfielder. More than capable of doing so.

IF ..

the Zac Bailey news was huge in the week leading into the semi-final against the Crows ...

THEN ...

the Logan Morris news leading into the preliminary final against Hawthorn is even bigger. A prodigious talent, already established as elite, and nowhere near his ceiling. 

IF ...

the Blues haven't telegraphed their trade period moves ...

THEN ...

that doesn't mean they aren't planning for some. Got very active last year. Reckon they will get busy this year. They need to.

IF ...

the Pies are interested in Tiger Jayden Short ...

THEN ...

he'd be a great acquisition. But he doesn't fit the current recruiting model, given he is contracted and would require national draft capital. Would have to offload a good draft pick or a good player. Which might bring Dan Houston back into their conversations. 

IF ...

the doom and gloom was broken temporarily by the appointment of Mark McVeigh as coach ...

THEN ...

the doom and gloom has again settled on operations. The list is so bad. Good luck, Spike.

IF ...

there's Luke Jackson, Murphy Reid, Josh Treacy, Caleb Serong, Shai Bolton, Andrew Brayshaw, Alex Pearce, Jordan Clark and Jye Amiss ...

THEN ...

there's also a guy built for preliminary and Grand Finals … Hayden Young. Was brilliant with his impact in last weekend's semi-final win against Geelong. Dockers have managed and nursed his at-times fragile body through to this point of a season in which they have set themselves to win the flag. Time to let him be Young and free. 

IF ...

the Cats cop a lot of heat for their ability to fit high-priced, big-name stars into their salary cap ...

THEN ...

imagine the pile-on had Zak Butters chosen them and not the Dogs. But all the usual antagonists seem more than OK with Butters, to earn $2 million a year times nine, Marcus Bontempelli, Sam Darcy, Ed Richards, Tim English, Aaron Naughton and Bailey Dale all being on the same list. With the Butters rejection, the Cats had more moolah to offer free agent Toby Greene, and finally got him to commit on Thursday morning. Now for Rowan Marshall, two years too late.

IF ...

some weeks ago I asked for the Suns to reveal the true breakdown of their offer to free agent Pendles ...

THEN ...

I'm obviously not going to get an answer. But the more they nominate to pay him as a player on their 2027 and 2028 total player payments books, as opposed to the soft cap books as an assistant coach in 2029 and 2030 as per his contract, the more they may have to cough up in national draft selection capital in their transaction with Collingwood. They obviously can't bring him in as a free agent, as they would then lose the pick seven they will get for the loss of their own Ben King as a free agent. Aah, the unnecessarily complicated and convoluted, and open to manipulation, AFL free agency system.

IF ...

the Giants' two greatest players are about to resume being teammates at Geelong ...

THEN ...

ouch. What could've been. Toby officially to join Jez at the Cats. GWS in a world of hurt now. Interesting times for both the Giants and the AFL, which cannot let this club lose even more relevance in the most challenging sports market in Australia. 

IF ...

Will Day's first final finally arrived after seven seasons and in game No.88 ...

THEN ...

it was always going to be worth it. Day was exceptional against the Dockers in a qualifying final. The Hawks' best player, their key against Brisbane on Saturday and in qualifying for their first Grand Final since 2015.

IF ...

the Dees want former captain Jack Viney off their books ...

THEN ...

Essendon looms as a potential home. It wouldn't be the silliest idea to explore chats with the Bombers about Darcy Parish. 

IF ...

there are a lot of people saying North needs to appoint its new coach before the trade period ...

THEN ...

No. It. Does. Not. The Roos have the market to themselves. There is no rush. The Bulldogs waited until mid-November 2014 to appoint Bevo, and he took a broken club to a finals series in 2015 and to a premiership in 2016. It is overrated having a coach in place for the trade period and the national draft. It is more important to identify the right person, and if that takes until Christmas, so be it. Jaymie Graham, Daniel Giansiracusa and Corey Enright well positioned to slug this out.

IF ...

all year Port Adelaide was adamant it would match any offer for free agent Zak Butters ...

THEN ...

let's see it walk the walk. The tough talk has not just quietened but seemingly evaporated, replaced by friendly negotiation. Looming as yet another example of a football club saying one thing and doing another.

IF ...

one of the biggest problems a football club can face is being irrelevant ...

THEN ...

the Tigers are on the verge of that status. Were unwatchable for the entire season. Adem Yze has won 10 of 69 matches in charge and needs a lot of help going into 2027.

IF ...

Alix Tauru's management has both engaged discussions with another club, the Suns, and sought a very big, fresh deal from St Kilda ...

THEN ...

that's understandable, given the Saints' treatment of another player from that same stable last year, Leek Aleer. Committed to him, then bolted from that commitment. There are always consequences.

IF ...

the backline players held up remarkably well in the qualifying final ...

THEN ...

I've got doubts on their ability, partially due to the absence of the main parts of the Swans midfield, against Josh Treacy, Jye Amiss, Pat Voss, Shai Bolton, Isaiah Dudley, Murphy Reid, Shai Bolton and Michael Frederick. 

IF ...

I've just argued the Tigers have become borderline irrelevant ...

THEN ...

it's only the incredible and wealthy - and, very clearly, very forgiving - supporter base of this club that keeps the Eagles out of that territory. But surely not forever, given the ineptitude in which it has become comfortable. Since 2022, here's the ladder finishes - 17, 18, 16, 18, 16. In Harley Reid, Willem Duursma, Jake Waterman, and maybe Reuben Ginbey, Jobe Shanahan and Cooper Duff-Tytler, there is hope. But even the hope has asterisks without the Ws.

IF ...

the Bulldogs didn't have a need to negotiate with Port Adelaide for Zak Butters ...

THEN ...

there is not one iota of possibility they would be parting with two first-round draft picks for Todd Marshall, who couldn't get a game this year and is contracted to the end of 2029. The AFL rightly looking closely at this aspect of negotiations.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

the Brownlow Medal count on Monday is going to have many awkward moments when Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey register votes, with Heeney likely to be prominent on the leaderboard the entire count ...

THEN ...

here is a potential way to mitigate that fallout. At the start of the count, for Andrew Dillon, who will read out each vote at Crown Palladium, to say something like this: "At various stages of tonight's count, players who are currently suspended by their football club will be receiving votes. We politely ask that in those moments you refrain from comment or making noise."