The beginning of the AFL season is upon us as 10 sides kick off their 2026 campaigns.
Every club’s burning question ahead of Opening Round, as well as the commentators for every Fox Footy game, in our ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!
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Remembering Dennis Cometti | 03:40
OPENING ROUND FIXTURE (all times AEDT)
SYDNEY SWANS v CARLTON
Thursday March 5, 7.30pm at the SCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 6.30pm with Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King, Leigh Montagna, Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, Brad Johnson & Jon Ralph
Swans’ burning question: With ‘Buddy-type hype’ running rampant, is their top six as good as any?
There’s “Buddy Franklin-type hype” in Sydney as marquee recruit Charlie prepares to make his debut against his old mob. No pressure, Charlie! The Swans go into 2026 with lofty expectations and high hopes of bouncing back with the addition of Curnow and much healthier list compared to this time las year. This is a Sydney outfit that won eight of its last 11 games when it finally got all its key names on the park, with none more valuable than Errol Gulden after the first half of his campaign was disrupted by an ankle issue. Melbourne legend Garry Lyon is extremely bullish about the talent Dean Cox has at his disposal in the Swans coach’s second season in charge ahead of a blockbuster encounter with Carlton. “They’ve got as good a six A-graders nearly as anyone in the competition. Grundy is in good nick … let’s throw Charlie in there on trust. Then you’ve got Gulden, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey. That is your top, top of the shelf stuff. I think Sydney fans are going along there with great expectation, they’ve got Buddy Franklin-type hype around Curnow … Coxy has tried to play it down and described him as one of 23 — no he ain’t Coxy!,” Lyon said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
Blues’ burning question: Can Curnow trade be a ‘win-win’?
There’s a big spotlight on Charlie Curnow’s first game against his old side in a fixturing dream to open the season. And as the Blues retool without their dual Coleman medallist, it’s possible they could be better placed overall after a promising glimpse at Michael Voss’ new-look side over the pre-season. A list that maxed out with a preliminary final appearance three years ago gets a needed face lift with the additions of several fresh faces including ex-Swans Will Hayward and Ollie Florent. Carlton also owns Sydney’s first-round picks in the next two drafts — along with the Carlton’s own firsts — to further help replenish a Blues list that doesn’t have a plethora of elite young talent, barring Jagga Smith and Harry Dean, who will both debut on Thursday night. So while much of the discourse around the Curnow trade has surrounded how it could help Sydney bounce back to flag contention, Collingwood great Nathan Buckley suggested it could be a “win-win” for both clubs. “Clearly Carlton were able to get some players in who have stood up already in pre-season and look like they’re going to add to the depth of Carlton’s run through the midfield. Hayward, Florent and an early pick which gives them an opportunity to really have a crack. I think Carlton will be better, and I’m pretty sure Sydney is happy with their lot as well,” Buckley said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.
Swans coach halts Curnow v Buddy talk | 02:23
GOLD COAST SUNS v GEELONG
Friday March 6, 8.05pm at People First Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 7pm with Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown, Tom Hawkins, Jordan Lewis, Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch & Jon Ralph
Suns’ burning question: We think we know what one recruit will provide. What about the other?
Expectations have never been higher for the Suns and their first-ever finals win and a busy off-season of recruiting. That included the additions of Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to further bolster the starpower on Gold Coast’s list. So what can they deliver? You could argue Damien Hardwick didn’t need another midfielder, with an already elite crop at his disposal led by Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell, who will miss the start of the season through injury, Touk Miller and Bayley Humphrey. But they say you can never have enough mids, and Petracca will clearly bring a different dynamic and more scoring power with him up north. There’s a greater question mark on Ugle-Hagan, however. The former Bulldog is coming off a stormy 2025 season off-field where he failed to play a game. And though clearly still getting back up to full speed, Ugle-Hagan didn’t look overly impressive over the pre-season and reportedly hasn’t been named for his club debut on Friday night. That’s even despite a one-match suspension for Jed Walter, so clearly Hardwick has a different mix that’s preferred at this stage. After all, Ben Long and Jy Farrar played like talls next to Ben King last year, while Ethan Read can play forward or further up the ground as a towering wingman. So while we’re pretty sure we know what Petracca — a Norm Smith medallist and four-time premiership player that’s well regarded for his professionalism — will bring to Hardwick’s side, there’s still a big watch on Ugle-Hagan. If things break right, look out!
Cats’ burning question: Will the heavy grand final loss leave any scars?
Obviously we won’t necessarily get an answer to this on Friday night. But there’s previous history the Cats can’t ignore — teams that have been belted in grand finals have generally fallen away badly the next season. So will their 47-point loss to Brisbane in last year’s decider leave any scars? Chris Scott said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 the club hadn’t swelled on the game and barely reviewed it with the group, calling it “pretty much irrelevant.” It’s a message largely echoed by skipper Patrick Dangerfield, who said the Cats simply had to move on to back up an otherwise strong 2025 season where they were the second-closest team to silverware. “It’s the fine balance between what you can learn from it and making sure you don’t be in it and with it. You live with it in the sense of, it’s a grand final and opportunity you would’ve loved to have nailed. But you can’t be disabled by that disappointment. If you live in it too long, you run the risk of doing that. The message for our guys and talking to myself in the dark moments post, was we had a hell of a season. We just didn’t have as great a season as Brisbane, who were incredibly deserving .. for our guys, it was disappointment, clearly. But we had a hell of our year, just didn’t quite get there and 17 other teams were in that same position. We got the closest, just didn’t quite get there. It stings over the simmer, it’ll sting longer for some. Personally, for me, you’ve got to move on quickly, and I did,” Dangerfield said on AFL 360.
Miller: ‘I don’t know about nightmares’ | 00:47
GWS GIANTS v HAWTHORN
Saturday March 6, 4.15pm at ENGIE Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 3pm with Super Saturday hosts Kath Loughnan, Jack Riewoldt, David King & Jay Clark followed by game coverage Mark Howard, Leigh Montagna, Jordan Lewis, Nick Dal Santo & Ben Dixon
Giants’ burning question: Has a team ever been this banged up going into a season?
There’s bad runs with injury. Then there’s whatever the Giants are going through. The club has had a nightmare spate of setbacks, with the likes of Leek Aleer, Toby Bedford, Aaron Cadman, Fin Callaghan, Brent Daniels, Tom Green, Darcy Jones, Josh Kelly and Sam Taylor currently injured. That’s at least six of their top 10 players, though Callaghan is expected to play against Hawthorn. But Green is out for the season and Kelly and Jones’ campaigns are also in doubt, while Taylor is a minimum four weeks away. It feels unprecedented, especially for early March! There’s a tipping point for any club, where, if they lose a certain amount of players, they just aren’t the same product any more. The Giants have surely reached that point, to the extent that it’s a major blow to their flag hopes. Those Clayton Oliver and Jayden Laverde pickups sure turned out to be handy! You’d still be a brave to write off the Giants with the way Adam Kingsley has gotten this group to buy in and everyone to embrace their role.
Hawks’ burning question: Who’s ready to help Nuke?
You sense this will be a conversation that continues throughout the year, for better or worse. After losing James Worpel, missing out on Zach Merrett and with Will Day going down with injury, just what will Hawthorn’s midfield look like? And who, if anyone, is capable of helping Jai Newcombe in that engine room? In a major sight of relief, the new Hawks co-captain got off his suspension, so Hawthorn’s undermanned midfield won’t be as depleted as it could’ve been. Though Cam Mackenzie, who was among those Hawks seen as capable of going to another, will miss through concussion. Connor Macdonald looked good in the pre-season without setting the world on fire, while Josh Weddle is another set for more on-ball opportunities. Whether or not these types of names can ascend their games in the middle of the ground and give Newcombe some much-needed support will be critical to the fortunes of Sam Mitchell’s side and its ability to match it with other contenders stacked with on-ball depth.
Hawthorn get perfect result at tribunal | 04:14
BRISBANE LIONS v WESTERN BULLDOGS
Saturday March 6, 7.35pm at the Gabba
How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 7.15pm with Anthony Hudson, Dwayne Russell, Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown & Alastair Lynch
Lions’ burning question: Is the ‘gap widening’ on the rest of the competition?
Brisbane is coming off two-straight premierships. But is the gap between them and the rest of the competition only widening? There’s been plenty made of the way the Lions have topped up their list with free agency additions Oscar Allen and Sam Draper. But even without those recruits, the rest of the their list is still coming into its own from a demographic standpoint. Hawthorn legend Jordan Lewis highlighted that 12 Lions from last year’s grand final side were 26 and under in an “array of talent.” Lewis also pointed out that just four of their hypothetical best 23 for 2026 is over 30 years old. It suggests they’re still very much in the sweep spot and will be for some time. “The scary thing for me is it seems the gap might be widening between Brisbane and the rest of the competition. The more you look into player retention, which they’ve had issues with in the past, they’ve got the right players in and right personalities in there and competitive personalities. And also hat’s coming up underneath. When you’re a successful team, one of the things you neglect is the ability to play younger players … if you put up their best 23, only four of those players are over 30, which is Zorko, Neale, Lester and Cameron. So the players that miss, you could make an argument they would fit into nearly any other side in the competition,” he said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.
Bulldogs’ burning question: Can young guns help raise their ceiling?
We know what we’re getting with the Bulldogs’ array of stars. But can their next wave of young players make meaningful leaps? And does that hold the key to them going from a good team to a great one? The likes of Jordan Croft, Ryley Sanders and Arthur Jones impressed in the club’s pre-season win over Hawthorn. So too Lachie Jaques and Michael Sellwood, who will both make their debut on Saturday night. You only have to look at their opponent to understand the importance of young guns emerging with the way the likes of the Ashcroft brothers, Logan Morris, Darcy Wilmot and Jaspa Fletcher have helped contributed to Brisbane’s success. Unfortunately Sanders won’t make the trip north due to concussion, but there will be a fascinating watch on which of their other emerging players look ready to step up and become meaningful contributors. Luke Beveridge has aggressively retooled the make-up of his side over the last couple of years to help transition it into a new era. The Dogs coach could now have the team capable of going deep into September again. And one that might even finish in the top four for the first time in Beveeridge’s coaching tenure at Whitten Oval.
Curnow has ‘Buddy Presence’ Heeney | 03:54
ST KILDA v COLLINGWOOD
Sunday March 7, 7.20pm at the MCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: Channel 504 from 6.30pm with Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, Leigh Matthews, Nathan Buckley, Anthony Hudson, Matt Hill, Cam Mooney & Jon Ralph
Saints’ burning question: Has Nas gone past Nick?
There’s been plenty made of St Kilda’s recruiting drive. Particularly after two impressive pre-season performances as Ross Lyon’s side goes into 2026 with added expectations. But another narrative doing the rounds more recently surrounds whether Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera — the game’s first $2 million player — has ascended past Nick Daicos as the AFL’s best player. It was put on the agenda by former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley, who said on Fox Footy Wanganeen-Milera was “the most exciting thing in football at the moment” during his epic four-game display against Essendon in their pre-season clash. Asked whether Wanganeen-Milera had “gone past” Daicos, Hinkley said: “Yeah, I think so, because of this – 4.1. That’s what he has gone past.” Well, we’re going to get a good old fashioned superstar matchup between the two Brownlow Medal contenders on Sunday. Where they’ll get a chance to make a statement and put their best foot forward for those claims around who’s the superior player. Hard to say that’s Wanganeen-Milera, based on their current runs on the board, with Daicos already a three-time All-Australian and premiership player. But footy moves fast, and a big 2026 season from the Saints jet could make him hard to deny.
Magpies’ burning question: Will mass restings have them better prepared?
Certainly took a bold approach into their final pre-season game by resting multiple stars against North Melbourne. In fact, Collingwood left out more than 1270 games of AFL experience including Nick Daicos, Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury, Jordan De Goey, Jack Crisp and Jamie Elliott. So was it the right call to essentially try and keep a key chunk of the AFL’s oldest list fresh for the season proper? Or is it better off to have them battle hardened? Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt questioned if the Pies took the right approach. “Is that a worry? They’ve got a game in seven day’s time. It is your last tune up. If you’re Scott Pendlebury, would you want to play and get going?,” Riewoldt posed on Fox Footy’s On the Couch. However Brisbane great Jonathan Brown thinks it’s smart to keep them cherry ripe for the real stuff. “If you’ve got a game in seven days, that’s reason to rest. Brisbane did it the other night, part of the reason is they didn’t want to get players injured before their big game against the Bulldogs. I think Collingwood would’ve been in a similar situation. We don’t know how much teams have done match simulation. At the end of the day, the most important thing is having the healthiest list you can at the start of the season,” he said. Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley agreed with Brown, pointing highlighting the contrast from the Pies’ lead into last year’s disaster 52-point loss to GWS in Opening Round. “We’ve got short memories. This time 12 months ago, Collingwood played everyone through pre-season and compounded against the Giants in their first game an looked like they were shot. So they’ve changed up the way they prepare for the first game this year to do better,” he said.
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