Cornes: The easiest club to sell in 2026

Which club is the easiest to sell to their fans and the media ahead of the 2026 season?

This is when considering pre-season interviews with players, coaches and club executives - who often discuss win targets and playing finals.

Some clubs can easily set lofty expectations with things uttered in the lead-up to a season which more often than not does not come to fruition.

Pondering the 18 AFL clubs this year, Kane Cornes reckons there is one club whose messaging is as simple as it gets.

“Who is the easiest club to sell right now? For me it’s Richmond,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.

“That is the easiest message to sell. They have absolutely timed the rebuild to perfection. You couldn’t have timed it any better.

“They’ve been steadfast in the direction that they’re going, they’ve all been aligned, they’ve kept some experienced players around to shepherd this young crop through.

“Then it’s about excitement, it’s about youth, it’s about improvement, it’s about maximising the assets they’ve got, it’s about getting senior players to be healthy and guiding this young crop through.

“There’s zero expectation on them. They’ve been content with the success they’ve had and now it’s about youth, excitement and the future.

“Richmond is just the easy sell.”

What about at the other end of the scale with pre-season messaging for the fans of back-to-back premiers the Brisbane Lions?

“They’re walking on water, they can’t do anything wrong,” Cornes added.

“You’ve won two, that sets you up for 15 years. They could have 15 years of poor performance and you can still reflect to winning two (flags).

“There’s clubs out there waiting… Adelaide haven’t won one this decade, St Kilda, Fremantle…

“You win two, that buys you 12 to 15 years.

“The Western Bulldogs are still dining out on 2016. There’s zero pressure on the Dogs from one premiership 10 years ago.”

Cornes also spoke of the difference in messaging at St Kilda compared to last year.

“I’ve enjoyed the messaging from the Saints this pre-season more so than last year,” he said further.

“Last year they rammed youth down our throats. This year I haven’t heard youth.

“I think the expectations have rightly risen. They’ve played it pretty well.”