Dwayne Russell has gone through all 18 AFL forward lines and has ranked his top 10 going into the 2026 season.

Only one finalist from last year did not have their forward line make the list, which shows the importance of what a good forward line can have to a team's finals chances.

And with some teams making plays for big key forwards during last year’s Trade Period, it has certainly helped bolster their position in the ranking.

See Dwayne’s list below with some explanation behind his selections.

10. Western Bulldogs

“The reason why I’ve got the Bulldogs at 10, and some probably believe that the Bulldogs should be a little higher than 10.”

“Sam Darcy could be an absolute superstar. He could be the best player in the comp come the end of the year.”

“But I think it thins out beyond (Aaron) Naughton (and) Rhylee West. Cody Weightman is injured a bit.”

“So, I am just wondering who the fifth and sixth forwards are for the Bulldogs to make that forward line as good as it could be against some of the others that have got more weaponry.”

9. St Kilda

“Max King is the big unknown.”

“If he’s fit, (there’s a) big question mark still. But Max King, Tom De Koning, if he plays forward or Rowan Marshall, if he plays forward, depending on who rucks and who ends up being their main forward.”

“Added to Mattaes Phillipou, Mitch Owens, Jack Higgins, and Liam Ryan (who) has been added to that mix.”

“So, there’s another variable.”

8. Fremantle

“We don’t know what we’re going to get out of Pat Voss this year.”

“Showed some great signs. We don’t know if Murphy Reid is going to be the next big thing. Will Josh Treacy be the next big thing?”

“Is Luke Jackson going to spend a lot of time forward and not rucking? Shai Bolton and Jye Amiss.”

“Pretty good forward line for Fremantle, especially if they get it in there a little quicker.”

7. Hawthorn

“I’m not sure who their dominant guy is going to be.”

“But it might end up being Nick Watson. It might end up being Calsher Dear. It might end up being Jack Gunston again. It might end up being Mitch Lewis.”

“They have got a number of players that can dominate. But when you look at their overall…just look at these names (like Mabior) Chol, (Dylan) Moore, (Jack) Ginnivan, Watson, Dear, Gunston (and) Lewis.”

“That’s pretty good without one of those guys being a top 10 forward in the competition."

“So, a good spread for Hawthorn (in their forwards)."

6. Gold Coast Suns

“If Jamarra (Ugle-Hagan) has a 20-game season, then it is going to change the Gold Coast.”

“They’ve already got Ben King, who might win the Coleman; they’ve got Ethan Read, who might be the next big thing. They’ve got Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Jed Walter, Bailey Humphrey and Ben Long.”

“That’s a pretty good forward line…but Jamarra is an unknown."

“So let’s just put them at six.”

5. Adelaide Crows

“Taylor Walker…yeah, he is a year older, but they’ve added Cal Ah Chee.”

“So Riley Thilthorpe is not rucking; he plays forward. You’ve got Riley Thilthorpe, Cal Ah Chee, Tex Walker, Darcy Fogarty, Josh Rachele.”

“And you’ve got that wildcard Izak Rankine alongside Ben Keays if he’s also in there.”

“And Izak Rankine might end up playing the majority of this year in the midfield."

“But gee, it’s a pretty good forward line.”

4. GWS Giants

“They are pretty well stacked as well.”

“Jesse Hogan is a superstar. Toby Greene is a superstar. He might not have the leap that he once had, but you still have to match up on him and make sure he doesn’t get off the chain.”

“Because he can beat you in a good five minutes of footy.”

“So Hogan, Greene, (Jake) Stringer, (Aaron) Cadman.”

“And then you’ve got guys like Jake Riccardi, Toby Bedford, (and) Brent Daniels roaming the flanks. I think they are looking pretty good.”

3. Geelong Cats

“They’ve still got Jeremy Cameron. They’ve got Patrick Dangerfield, Shannon Neale, Gryan Miers…arguably the best ball user (from) just outside 50 to kick it inside 50 in the comp.”

“So Cameron, Neale, Dangerfield, Miers and (Tyson) Stengle, I think, still have Geelong at three."

“He (Jeremy Cameron) is still the most difficult player in the competition to stop as a forward.”

2. Brisbane Lions

“Because they are pretty well spread forward line when it comes to talent.”

“But they’ve also added Oscar Allen. Oscar Allen at his best is a superstar, and he’s fit at the moment.”

“So, when you consider what they have got. They’ve got Charlie Cameron, Zac Bailey, Cam Rayner, Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann, Ty Gallop showed some great signs in the finals series last year and Oscar Allen."

“They are pretty well stacked when it comes to that forward line, so I’ve got them at two.”

1- Sydney Swans

“If (Isaac) Heeney or (Chad) Warner are forward as well, if they don’t have them both in the centre square, then you’re going to have one of either Heeney or Warner (who are) two superstars on a flank.”

“But when you think about that forward line. Charlie Curnow, Isaac Heeney, Joel Amartey, Tom Papley, when he’s fit and he will be fit hopefully after the first couple of rounds."

“They’ve added Malcolm Rosas, and they’ve got Logan McDonald to come back (from an ankle injury) and Hayden McLean, who probably won’t get a game.”

“If Hayden McLean is not getting a game in that forward line, I think they are going okay.”

“I think they are going to be a very potent forward line.”

The first of the official pre-season matches gets underway on February 25 when Carlton hosts Geelong at Ikon Park.

The Blues will also start the 2026 season when they travel to the Harbour City to play the Sydney Swans at the SCG for Opening Round on March 5.