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AFL Gather Round Guernseys 2026 Ranked From Best to Worst

Jesse Mclure

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Last updated: Thu 09 Apr 2026 12:21

Jesse Mclure 09 Apr 2026

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Adelaide Crows lead with a fresh, familiar design.
West Coast Eagles revamp ochre guernsey creatively.
Essendon Bombers' design fails to captivate visually.

AFL Gather Round Guernseys 2026

AFL Gather Round Guernseys 2026 Ranked From Best to Worst

Gather Round always brings something different.

AFL Gather Round Guernseys 2026 Ranked From Best to Worst
1. Adelaide Crows
2. West Coast Eagles
3. Gold Coast Suns
4. Melbourne Demons
5. Hawthorn Hawks
6. North Melbourne
7. Port Adelaide
8. Sydney Swans
9. St Kilda Saints
10. Essendon Bombers

New venues, big crowds, and increasingly, a chance for clubs to experiment with design. In 2026, ten clubs rolled out special guernseys, and the results were exactly what you would expect.

Some nailed it. Some played it safe. Others missed completely.

Based on the transcript breakdown, here is the full ranking of every Gather Round guernsey from best to worst.

1. Adelaide Crows

Adelaide take out top spot with a design that feels both fresh and familiar.

There is something about this jumper that works immediately. It looks clean, it suits the club, and it stands out without trying too hard. Even without a clear retro reference, it carries that classic Adelaide feel.

For a Gather Round design, that balance is exactly what you want.

2. West Coast Eagles

The return of the ochre guernsey was always going to divide opinion.

Once considered one of the worst designs in AFL history, it now sits in a completely different light. Time has turned it into something fun and almost iconic.

The added detail of the wedge-tailed eagle design shaped like Western Australia gives it genuine creativity. It might not be perfect, but as a one-off, it works.

3. Gold Coast Suns

The Suns lean into pink again, and it pays off.

It is not a traditional football look, but that is part of the appeal. Gold Coast have the flexibility to experiment, and this design feels unique without being overdone.

It is clean, distinctive, and suits where the club sits in the competition.

4. Melbourne Demons

Melbourne’s guernsey sits in that middle ground between safe and creative.

The demon watermark design adds something different, and there is enough variation from their standard look to justify it. It may not jump off the page immediately, but it grows on you.

It is a solid design, even if it does not quite hit the top tier.

5. Hawthorn Hawks

Hawthorn’s jumper leans heavily into nostalgia.

The flathead hawk logo references a dominant era in the club’s history, and while that adds meaning, it does not necessarily translate visually for everyone.

The brown and gold base works, but the overall design feels more respectful than exciting.

6. North Melbourne

North Melbourne land right in the middle.

The colours are strong, but the design itself does not quite deliver. It feels more like a training guernsey than a statement piece, lacking the impact you would expect from a one-off design.

There is nothing wrong with it, but not much that stands out either.

7. Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide’s teal-heavy design is one of the more divisive entries.

At times it looks sharp and different. At others, it feels slightly gimmicky. That inconsistency is what holds it back.

It is not a bad guernsey, but it does not quite hit the mark compared to what Port have produced in the past.

8. Sydney Swans

Sydney opted for a retro-inspired look, but it lacks impact.

There is nothing wrong with the design itself, but it feels too close to their standard guernsey to really stand out. For a Gather Round opportunity, it feels like a missed chance to do something more creative.

Safe, but forgettable.

9. St Kilda Saints

St Kilda’s design draws immediate comparisons to an Uno reverse card.

The colours are strong, and the club identity is clear, but the overall look feels a little too gimmicky. It is the kind of design that might not age particularly well.

There is an idea there, but the execution does not quite land.

10. Essendon Bombers

Essendon finish at the bottom.

The red-heavy look, combined with the red shorts, gives off an unusual feel that does not quite translate as a football guernsey. It lacks the sharpness and identity that Essendon’s colours usually provide.

There was an opportunity to do something bold with red and black, but this version does not quite get there.