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AFL Coaches Under Pressure Heading Into the 2026 Season

Jesse Mclure

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Last updated: Thu 12 Feb 2026 17:13

Jesse Mclure 12 Feb 2026

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Coaching pressure in AFL is based on expectations, progress, and timing.
Brad Scott, Josh Carr, and Adam Kingsley face scrutiny over team progress.
Craig McRae and Chris Fagan remain secure due to recent successes.

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Which AFL Coaches Are Under the Most Pressure Heading Into the 2026 Season?

Coaching pressure in the AFL isn’t evenly distributed. Some coaches can miss finals and remain secure. Others feel the heat after a poor month.

Which AFL Coaches Are Under the Most Pressure Heading Into the 2026 Season?
Why Coaching Pressure Is About Context, Not Just Results
Brad Scott and the Weight of Essendon’s Timeline
Josh Carr Era Comes With Immediate Expectations at Port
Adam Kingsley and GWS’s Stagnation Question
Coaches Who Appear Secure For 'Now'

Heading into 2026, the pressure landscape is shaped by expectation, timing, and how much patience clubs believe they still have.

Why Coaching Pressure Is About Context, Not Just Results

Pressure doesn’t always reflect performance. It reflects belief. A coach with a clear list build and support from above can afford inconsistency. One with unclear direction or rising expectations cannot.

That’s the lens through which the 2026 coaching hot seat should be viewed.

Brad Scott and the Weight of Essendon’s Timeline

Brad Scott’s position is one of the most scrutinised.

Essendon has invested heavily in youth and accepted short-term pain, but patience is not infinite. Another injury-hit season would complicate evaluation, but another bottom-four finish would still raise questions.

The pressure isn’t about immediate success, it’s about visible progress.

Read more about the situation in Essendon and what would be a successful season for Brad Scott.

Josh Carr Era Comes With Immediate Expectations at Port

Port Adelaide’s coaching situation carries pressure by default.

Josh Carr inherits a list with star power but visible gaps, and early losses could quickly test buy-in. Cultural resets take time, but AFL environments rarely grant unlimited grace. The pressure here isn’t external noise, it’s internal belief.

Carr also has some Injury Concerns to contend with early in his tenure.

Adam Kingsley and GWS’s Stagnation Question

Adam Kingsley has earned significant credit, but expectations have shifted.

GWS has finals experience, strong top-end talent, and now Clayton Oliver added to the mix. With that comes the expectation of consistency, particularly defensively.

If the Giants continue to swing between dominant wins and heavy losses, scrutiny will naturally increase.

Coaches Who Appear Secure For 'Now'

Craig McRae and Chris Fagan sit at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Their recent success, cultural buy-in, and clarity of role within their clubs provide insulation even if results fluctuate. These are environments where performance dips are seen as cycles, not failures.