Which AFL players are ready to launch into stardom?

Which AFL players are ready to launch into stardom in 2026?

Each season, a select group of young players take the step up to the next level, transitioning from the talent of tomorrow to the talent of today.

In 2025, the likes of Riley Thilthorpe, Noah Anderson and Josh Worrell were amongst the players elevated their game to superstardom, but who will stake their claim as the next best thing in 2026?

Adam Cooney and Josh Jenkins each listed five “under radar flyers that are about to hit the sonar” on SEN Afternoons, ranking each individual player by their chances of reaching stardom in the upcoming season.

“They are about to pop,” Cooney said.

“They might be in their infancy, they might have paid four or five years, they might just be cruising along and maybe taken a small leap forward here or there. We think they are about to go to the next level.

“Players that are 20-50 games in, if you bumped into them at IGA, maybe you wouldn’t recognise who they are, but they play every week, and they are about to go (nuclear).”

Cooney's list

5: Shannon Neale (Geelong)

“You probably would recognise this guy if you bumped into him at the IGA because he is a towering man – Shannon Neale is at number five for me.

“44 goals in 2025 as Robin. Jeremy Cameron is getting a little bit older, I think he’ll be Batman soon. I think they’ll make that transition pretty shortly.

“He’s going not his fifth year, he has only played 45 games, and as a key forward, it takes about that time to start to feel right at home. 44 goals is a very good return, I’m going high 50’s next year.”

4: Zane Duursma (North Melbourne)

“Somewhat speculative; it’s a bold call. Third year, got some talent – guess how my goals he kicked this year? Four!

“I think penny drops, permanent forward – I know he was trialled at different positions, played at half back and didn’t look great there. Hopefully he has a big summer and proves me right.”

3: Daniel Turner (Melbourne)

“He is the new Steven May. He has gone past him. He goes into his fifth year, only played 37 games, can intercept, can beat his player one on one.

“My track watchers say that he has been dominating pre-season. Dominating. It’s going to be his backline.”

2: Aaron Cadman (GWS Giants)

“Some people say, you can’t have this guy in there, he’s the number one pick! Had a sneaky good season in season 2025, with not a lot of fanfare to be honest.

“He hasn’t even played 60 games yet as a key forward, and you’ve got house buddy Hogan down there and some mercurial players in that forward line for GWS.

“44 goals – really good return, same as Shannon Neale – both playing in reasonable sides and pretty talented forward lines, with good mids that deliver the ball to them pretty well.

“He has got 50+ in him next year, hopefully he overtakes Jesse Hogan – I don’t think Jesse will be too happy for me to say that, but he goes and becomes the number one forward next year at the Giants.

“He’s ready to go coming into his fourth year, which is terrific. If he gets tohis best footy at 22/23… if he kicks 55+ as a 22-year-old, pretty good. Future is looking bright there, so he is a star.

“I reckon he is ready to take the next step.”

1: Sam Durham (Essendon)

“Potentially the Essendon skipper for season 2026. He’s five years in, 90 games, last couple of years, has been pretty consistent.

“I think he’s got another five or six (disposals) a game he can get. I think it’s going from 21 a game, to 26, 27 a game.

“He’s not a plodder – he’s sort of similar to Matt Rowell. He’s got to have a look at him and what he has been able to do to create… everything doesn’t have to be nose in the trough.

“You can get those easy ones, to get yourself from 20 a game to up to 30’s. Then you’re really starting to have an impact. A couple more inside 50’s, work on his kicking a bit more.

“Work on getting some easy pill, a bit more leadership, and then using it better.”

Jenkins' list

5: Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)

“I couldn’t believe he was out of the team at different stages last year. We are not privy t what goes on Monday to Friday, but Darcy Wilson, in his last game, just reminded us how good he could be as a hard running outside midfielder.

“He has 23 disposals and kicked five in the last game of the season, so Darcy Wilson from the Saints for me.”

4: Sid Draper (Adelaide)

“Called their pre-season game last year against Brisbane and he looked sensational. Adelaide fans were restless about the fact that he wasn’t in the team in the back half of the year, but they were a really well performed team – minor premiers, finished on top and he couldn’t get in that team.

“They are crying out for an explosive midfielder, they’ve got Dawson; too much is left to him too often. Berry and others were exposed in the finals.

“Sid the Kid needs to go pop.”

3: Paul Curtis (North Melbourne)

“I’m a bit nervous that this guy has already popped to the point that there is no more pop, but I think he can be an All-Australian.

“He has got All-Australian in him; he has just got to make sure he doesn’t get suspended. Has to stop giving away late, down the field free kicks, and his football club needs to improve.

“He could be the best small forward in the competition given the opportunity.”

2: Ned Moyle (Gold Coast)

“Little controversial, and the casual footy fan might say ‘who?’

“This is the best player on an AFL list not currently getting a consistent AFL game. He has been exposed to AFL footy on a handful of occasions, and every single time he has looked the part.

“He is the back-up ruckman on the Gold Coast. How a club hasn’t been able to steal him out of the Gold Coast is beyond me. He is already better than six or seven clubs’ starting ruckmen.

“I’ve always said, you’d rather play AFL for the worst team in the comp than VFL for the best team in the comp. He is more than happy to bide his time, which is admirable in a way.

“If you want to go and check out the stats and the performances, he has been able to put forth on an AFL venue, he is ready to go. He will dethrone Jarrod Witts next year.”

“I think the young man will outplay him to the point where the decision is made for Damien Hardwick.”

1: Jaspa Fletcher (Brisbane)

“At the risk of having already popped, I’ve gone with what I think will be the next captain of the Brisbane Lions, and the next best half back flanker in the competition.

“Sensational. I watched the Grand Final from behind the goals, and I was so drawn to him all day. He moves beautifully, he’s graceful across the turf. When you watch it from the crowd, you see a target and you think, ‘just hit that target, no worries!’

“You’ve played, you know how fast it is, and you know how that space gets closed. With him, he makes those kicks look easy. Everything he does looks easy. He’s got really good athleticism, he’s taken a couple of big hangers, he’s got courage in the air.

“He looks like he is the complete package.”