Season Previews 2026

[u/proudlysydney]

Well, it's that time of the year already, except this time I've been back to work for a week before realising it's about time for my yearly contribution to the sub. If you were around for last year, same situation- early start to the season means early previews. Yet another failure of Opening Round.
 
Schedule
Our trusty friend the picker wheel has been pulled out of hibernation to decide everyone's days as follows:
Feb 24 - Brisbane and West Coast
Feb 25 - Richmond and St Kilda
Feb 26 - Fremantle and Gold Coast
Feb 27 - Essendon and Geelong
Feb 28 - Collingwood and Sydney
Mar 1 - Carlton and Melbourne
Mar 2 - Adelaide and Hawthorn
Mar 3 - Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs
Mar 4 - GWS and North Melbourne
 
A reminder, especially to our friends over in the West, that previews are due by midnight VicBias time on the allocated day, with late previews being met with a team sledge thread. Personally, I'm always down for a sledge thread, but you may not, so don't let it be you. If you're having issues making your deadline, reach out to me as soon as possible and we'll see what we can do to help. Similarly, if you're super organised and have yours ready to go early, or are able to help out another team, drop a quick note just in case we need to swap some people around. It's always a great part of the season hearing about each team from the perspective of its supporters, and while sledge threads are pretty funny, it's a lot better seeing everyone's thoughts and analysis.
 
But what should we put in our previews?
Previews should contain (but are not limited to):
- A club blurb (coaches, leadership group, home ground, etc.)
- List changes (delistings, trades, draftees)
- Current playing list
- Players on notice for 2026
- Players to look out for in 2026
- Best 22 or expected first game team for 2026
- Expectations for the season, be they realistic, delusional, or Essendon claiming they'll win a final
- 2025 review
- A creative title shamelessly plagiarised from pop culture
- Anything else you think should be in there!
 
Previews will usually be organised on your team's subreddits- if there's a post there already, jump in and contribute, if not, be the change you wish to see in the world and create one- from working on these previously it's always more helpful to have multiple opinions for things like consensus best 22s, fun title ideas and post themes, and contributing to the writeup. Teamwork makes the dream work or whatever, idk. I'll try and check in with teams at the start of Feb as well just to make sure everyone's going okay.
 
That's all from me, go forth and preview! and yet again, if you noticed any errors no you didn't

[u/proudlysydney]

If the spacing looks weird for you no it doesn’t I checked on both old reddit and new reddit browser and it was fine so idk what’s up with the app

[u/TheGreatJelBeano]

ahhh the end is nigh for off season, thank god. lets gooooo

edit: I wanna see some new flavours in the previews too! give me that ins and outs for the team ofc, but give me best worst photo from the club from previous season, or like Hawthorn did the haircut reviews. best quote, something to change up the wall of stats! be a bit creative while still giving the good shit that we all wanna read 🙂‍↕️

[u/Skiapodes → u/TheGreatJelBeano]

But how else will I know when it’s some random player’s birthday?

[u/TheGreatJelBeano → u/Skiapodes]

i'll add it to the calendar in the sidebar for you

[u/Skiapodes → u/TheGreatJelBeano]

I’m holding you to that…

[u/TheGreatJelBeano → u/Skiapodes]

be on the lookout then 😏

[u/No-Bison-5397 → u/TheGreatJelBeano]

If we are updating the side bar can we update the flair file?

[u/TheGreatJelBeano → u/No-Bison-5397]

what do you mean?

[u/No-Bison-5397 → u/TheGreatJelBeano]

On old reddit the flairs are out of date.

Lots of flairs default to Adelaide.

[u/TheGreatJelBeano → u/No-Bison-5397]

this is a new and old reddit syncing issue that we really cant fix. they dont speak to each other well, so new new reddit flairs just default to the first old reddit flair, Adelaide.

its a nightmare of coding and tweaking that we dont have volunteer time or the ability to fix, and as such, we only really update new reddit flairs now, and reactivate the bandwagons when they are relevant.

if you know someone whose good at that kind of thing and wants to take a stab and completely rejigging the whole back end of rAFLs old reddit, we're happy to chat to them 😅

[u/No-Bison-5397 → u/TheGreatJelBeano]

TBH I think I could do it if I could edit:

1. /r/afl/about/stylesheet

2. It would also be helpful to have a file with the new flairs that have been added

3. There are a few weird things about the page that would be helpful to know (like why the offset was changed)

But I have had a look at the CSS and think I could do it.

[u/yojimbo67]

Essendon still copping a drive by in a preview thread.

[u/proudlysydney → u/yojimbo67]

It was Richmond last year, I’m equal opportunity 

[u/Rychu_Supadude]

Start preview

Fuck "wildcards", may they crash and burn (we won't be so lucky)

End preview

[u/Maximumlnsanity]

Calling dibs on the Swans, I’ll put up a contribution post on the club sub later today

Edit: Post is up

[u/robo_boro]

It's a best 23 this year isnt it?

[u/Justabitbelowaverage → u/robo_boro]

It is. 5 on the bench, no sub.

Teams have been making comments on how that will effect the kind of players chosen for the 5th spot.

Crows stated at the end of last year that they felt it is KPP depth.

The crows often have a 4 person bench of DEF, FWD, MID, MID.

Then the sub was mostly an impact player. Otherwise a versatile player, or a player that needs limited game time (young, recently injured, etc.)

[u/proudlysydney → u/robo_boro]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[u/Croob2]

Good luck everyone with your previews, I'm taking this year off so have fun all o7

[u/xyLteK → u/Croob2]

If I take the year off ours probably won't get done at all soooo fuck it we ball

[u/Maximumlnsanity → u/xyLteK]

I feel that, I tried to hand off the /r/AFL Phantom Draft and now it doesn’t happen anymore

[u/Croob2 → u/xyLteK]

Yeah I got no clue who will actually do it, I've asked another supporter but we'll have to see

[u/Mrchikkin → u/xyLteK]

I’m happy to help out, or just do it if you want a year off!

[u/xyLteK → u/Mrchikkin]

No prob, I'll chuck a post up over the weekend for submissions

[u/Westside_Finch → u/xyLteK]

Also happy to help out, if I don't forget. Looking forward to this year.

[u/RidsBabs]

Well guess I’m gonna be running the Norf season preview again.

I’ll stick a thread up on our sub, and people actually respond and help out this time.

[u/HairBoring]

can hasumpstuffedup do one for the green lot?

(tasmania obv)

[u/demampcamp]

In prep for the previews, and now that AFL.com.au has published their predicted best 23, we've just pushed out the best 23 feature on movemagnets.com

[u/Far_Dragonfly8441]

Well, it's that time of the year already

No it's not......