Hinkley’s Top 10 impactful midfielder/forwards

Ken Hinkley has listed his Top 10 impactful midfielder/forwards in the AFL ahead of season 2026.

These are the guys he believes are the best at having an impact as a midfielder while also being a dangerous asset inside forward 50.

“These are the impactful mids/forwards who can go forward and hit the scoreboard plus impact in the middle,” Hinkley said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“It came about because of the Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera conversation.”

See Ken’s Ten below:

10 - Cam Rayner (Brisbane)

“Zac Bailey misses out, I love him, he’s as star, but Cam Rayner at 10.”

9 - Nick Daicos (Collingwood)

“He doesn’t play that much forward. He’d be right at the top if he went forward more often.”

8 - Luke Jackson (Fremantle)

“He can be a mid, he can be a ruck, he can also be a forward. Wasn’t absolutely convinced on Luke as a forward but I went there (putting him in).”

7 - Izak Rankine (Adelaide)

“I think the Crows will want to play him on-ball a lot more than he wants to play forward, so that will be a challenge.

“But he’s as frightening as anyone when he’s in the forward line. I love him as a player.”

6 - Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne)

“He’s emerging as a midfielder a bit more than a forward now.

“But wherever he is he’s dangerous.”

5 - Jason Horne-Francis (Port Adelaide)

“A favourite of mine who I coached. He could be close to No.1 if he has a full season and a really good season.

“He’d only be 6.5 out of 10 for fitness this pre-season because he’s had a lot of interruptions.

“I wouldn’t have thought that ‘Hornet’ is anywhere near fit, that’s why Josh (Carr) is doing a great thing by looking after him in the goal square.

“But geez he looks dangerous.”

4 - Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide)

“I think he could be the All-Australian ruckman/forward.”

3 - Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs)

“Sam’s got everything. Everyone tells me how ferocious he is.

“He’s a pretty special player for the future as well as today.”

2 - Isaac Heeney (Sydney)

“There’s a bloke called Isaac Heeney who can really play.

“He goes to the goal square and just says, ‘Look out, kick me the ball, get out of my way’.”

1 - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)

“He’s special. He’s now my No.1 impactful mid as well as a forward.”

Honourable mentions: “Jordan De Goey, Christian Petracca, Patrick Dangerfield, Toby Greene - sorry guys, too old, you had to miss out.”

Emerging players: “Bailey Humphrey, Nick Watson, Murphy Reid - you can just wait in the queue, you’ve got time to surge still.”