AFL
1 month ago
SEN’s 2026 AFL predictions: Premiers, Brownlow, Coleman, breakout player & more
By SEN
The 2026 AFL season is almost here and with that comes a whole host of predictions.
All the big names across the SEN network as well as the SEN.com.au digital team have forecast the year ahead, naming their premiers, Brownlow and Coleman winners, unexpected storylines and more.
See all the season predictions below:
SEN1116/AFL Nation
Garry Lyon
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Western Bulldogs
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Josh Treacy (FRE)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: 16 teams still a chance to make top 10 going into last round
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Arthur Jones (WB)
Tim Watson
PREMIERSHIP: Gold Coast
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Murphy Reid (FRE)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Sam Darcy (WB)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Western Bulldogs
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: The AFL reverse its decision on the centre bounce as international fans turf off the game in droves
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Mattaes Phillipou (STK)
David King
PREMIERSHIP: Fremantle
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Jai Newcombe (HAW)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Fremantle
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Greg Swann scraps the ruck rule after only eight rounds... and four PCLs
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Max 'Maximum Damage' Hall (STK)
Kane Cornes
PREMIERSHIP: Western Bulldogs
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Noah Anderson (GCS)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Sam Darcy (WB)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
BIGGEST RISER: Fremantle
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
Dwayne Russell
PREMIERSHIP: Sydney
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Umpiring will improve significantly
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Murphy Reid (FRE)
Andy Maher
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Fremantle
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Sam Walsh (CAR)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Very little moaning about umpiring
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Angus Sheldrick (SYD)
Andrew Gaze
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Noah Anderson (GCS)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: St Kilda
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Michael Voss signs five-year contract extension
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Mitch Lewis (HAW)
Julian De Stoop
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Sydney
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Zak Butters (PA)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Riley Thilthorpe (ADE)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: 10th beats 7th in Wildcard Final
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Jordan Croft (WB)
David Schwarz
PREMIERSHIP: Fremantle
RUNNER-UP: Sydney
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Taj Hotton (RIC - tipped before Hotton injury)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Brad Scott sacked by Round 7
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Pat Voss (FRE)
John Donohoe
PREMIERSHIP: Sydney
RUNNER-UP: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Caleb Serong (FRE)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Alix Tauru (STK)
WOODEN SPOON: Port Adelaide
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Port Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: TDK silences the critics, earns his first All-Australian blazer with a dominant ruck display
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Cam Mackenzie (HAW)
SEN WA
Scott Cummings
PREMIERSHIP: Fremantle
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Willem Duursma (WCE)
WOODEN SPOON: North Melbourne
BIGGEST RISER: Fremantle
BIGGEST SLIDER: Carlton
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Twilight Grand Final
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Sam Darcy (WB)
Tim Gossage
PREMIERSHIP: Fremantle
RUNNER-UP: Western Bulldogs
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Hugh McCluggage (BRI)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Josh Treacy (FRE)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Eagles win two games in a row
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Murphy Reid (FRE)
Peter Bell
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Sydney
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Alix Tauru (STK)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: More serious discussions on concussion
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Lawson Humphries (GEE)
Mark Duffield
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Fremantle
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: Richmond
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood.
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Clarkson out at North Melbourne
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Harley Reid (WCE)
SEN SA
Mark Bickley
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Western Bulldogs
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Zeke Uwland (GCS)
WOODEN SPOON: Melbourne
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Bombers to win a final
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Jordan Croft (WB)
Chad Cornes
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: North Melbourne
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Todd Marshall and Jack Lukosius to swap defence and forward mid-year
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Aidan Schubert (HAW)
Kym Dillon
PREMIERSHIP: Gold Coast
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Noah Anderson (GCS)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: AFL will change the ruck rule
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Sam Flanders (STK)
SENTrack
Campbell Brown
PREMIERSHIP: Gold Coast
RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Sam Darcy (WB)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: Port Adelaide
BIGGEST RISER: Richmond
BIGGEST SLIDER: Geelong
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Lions players join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Jed Walter (GCS)
Miles Pfitzner
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Noah Anderson (GCS)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Jeremy Cameron (GEE)
RISING STAR: Jobe Shanahan (WCE)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Gold Coast
BIGGEST SLIDER: Western Bulldogs
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Brownlow medal tie
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Joe Berry (PA)
Cam Luke
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Sydney
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Errol Gulden (SYD)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Fans actually enjoy Wildcard Weekend
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Bailey Humphrey (GCS)
Josh Jenkins
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Fremantle
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Will Ashcroft (BRI)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Riley Thilthorpe (ADE)
RISING STAR: Dan Annable (BRI)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Richmond
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Only 3 can win the Cup - Freo, BL, GCS
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Judd McVee (FRE)
Paul Sebastiani
PREMIERSHIP WINNER: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR WINNER: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: Port Adelaide
BIGGEST RISER: Gold Coast
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Essendon makes the wildcard playoff
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Jack Whitlock (PA)
AFL Record
Ashley Browne
PREMIERSHIP: Fremantle
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR WINNER: Daniel Annable (BRI)
WOODEN SPOON: Richmond
BIGGEST RISER: Fremantle
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: High-profile AFL figure quits, citing burn-out
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Tom McCarthy (WCE)
SEN.com.au
Andrew Slevison
PREMIERSHIP WINNER: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Sydney
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Marcus Bontempelli (WB) & Noah Anderson (GCS) tie
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR WINNER: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Wildcard round creates absolute havoc - 10th or 9th goes on fairytale run (but doesn’t win flag)
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Levi Ashcroft (BRI)
Lachlan Geleit
PREMIERSHIP: Sydney
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Jeremy Cameron (GEE)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Pies still highest finishing Melbourne-based team
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Tom McCarthy (WCE)
Jaiden Sciberras
PREMIERSHIP: Fremantle
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS Giants
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Drawn Grand Final, Fremantle win first ever flag in extra time
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Murphy Reid (FRE)
Ethan Clark
PREMIERSHIP: Sydney
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Jesse Hogan (GWS)
RISING STAR WINNER: Willem Duursma (WCE)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Collingwood
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Max King (STK) to kick 35+ goals and play 15+ games
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Harvey Langford (MEL)
Simon Chapman
PREMIERSHIP: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: GWS
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Jeremy Cameron (GEE)
RISING STAR: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Toby Greene in Brownlow contention mid-season
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Tom McCarthy (WCE)
Nicholas Quinlan
PREMIERSHIP: Gold Coast
RUNNER-UP: Brisbane
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Caleb Serong (FRE)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Jesse Hogan (GWS)
RISING STAR WINNER: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: No Victorian side makes the preliminary finals
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Connor Macdonald (HAW)
Zac Sharpe
PREMIERSHIP WINNER: Sydney
RUNNER-UP: Geelong
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Charlie Curnow (SYD)
RISING STAR WINNER: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Bevo makes song with Kane and Kingy for Fireball
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Josh Ward (HAW)
Sam Watson
PREMIERSHIP WINNER: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Nick Daicos (COL)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Ben King (GCS)
RISING STAR WINNER: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: West Coast
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: GWS
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Last disposal out of bounds rule is a flop
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Jai Serong (SYD)
Alex Patterson
PREMIERSHIP WINNER: Brisbane
RUNNER-UP: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Errol Gulden (SYD)
COLEMAN MEDALLIST: Sam Darcy (WB)
RISING STAR WINNER: Jagga Smith (CAR)
WOODEN SPOON: Port Adelaide
BIGGEST RISER: Sydney
BIGGEST SLIDER: Port Adelaide
UNEXPECTED STORYLINE: Geelong to win a final in 2026 breaking the 40+ loss in a GF curse
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Tanner Bruhn (GEE)
