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The Boldest AFL Predictions for 2026 Ranked From Safe to Outrageous

Jesse Mclure

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Last updated: Wed 18 Feb 2026 11:00

Jesse Mclure 18 Feb 2026

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Rowan Marshall predicted to kick a career-high 25 goals for St Kilda.
Gold Coast and Port Adelaide eye fast starts with favorable fixtures.
Alastair Clarkson may leave North Melbourne mid-season.

True Footy AFL Podcast. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The Boldest AFL Predictions for 2026 Ranked From Safe to Outrageous

Every preseason produces bold AFL predictions, but not all bold calls are created equal.

Some feel like natural extensions of existing trends. Others require multiple dominoes to fall perfectly. And a few sit firmly in “if that happens, the league changes” territory.

Here are the biggest predictions for the 2026 season from True Footy, ranked from the safest call to the most outrageous.

1. Rowan Marshall Kicks a Career-High 25 Goals (St Kilda)

This one sits at the safer end of the spectrum.

Marshall’s role has steadily evolved, and St Kilda’s structure increasingly asks him to impact forward of the ball. If his ruck minutes shift slightly and he spends more time inside 50, a 25-goal season isn’t a stretch. It’s an incremental role adjustment rather than a dramatic leap.

2. Nate Caddy Kicks 35 Goals (Essendon)

Caddy’s development trajectory makes this plausible, even if Essendon’s ladder position doesn’t rise with him.

Thirty-five goals isn’t a Coleman-level breakout, but for a young forward in a developing side, it represents genuine growth. If the Bombers’ midfield provides reasonable supply, this prediction feels aggressive but realistic.

3. West Coast Receives Four Rising Star Nominations

West Coast’s rebuild is youth-driven, so multiple nominations would simply confirm opportunity.

This doesn’t guarantee wins, but it signals list direction. With young talent expected to get heavy exposure, four nominations is bold but not outrageous.

4. Shannon Neale Kicks 60+ Goals (Geelong)

This is where the predictions begin to stretch.

Sixty goals is elite production. For Neale to reach that mark, he must stay healthy, hold his spot and become Geelong’s clear focal point. It’s achievable, but it requires a genuine leap from promising key forward to consistent match-winner.

5. Dan Annable Wins the Rising Star (Brisbane)

Winning the Rising Star requires performance, opportunity and narrative alignment.

Annable’s talent is evident, but Brisbane’s midfield depth may limit his exposure. If he secures consistent midfield minutes, the ceiling is there. This prediction hinges more on role than ability.

6. Gold Coast Sits Top of the Ladder After Six Rounds

This one is fixture-driven rather than season-long dominance.

Early-season ladders can be misleading, and if Gold Coast’s opening schedule falls favourably, a fast start is possible. It doesn’t mean they finish there, but it would shift perception quickly.

7. Port Adelaide Starts 4–0

Another early-season surge prediction.

Port’s list turnover and structural questions make this interesting. A 4–0 start would quiet rebuild talk instantly, even if sustainability remains unclear. It’s bold because it contradicts broader scepticism.

8. Carlton Finishes Top Six

Given the pressure around Michael Voss and the structural reset, this is ambitious.

Carlton returning to the top six requires game-style evolution and improved consistency. It’s not impossible, but it demands that offseason adjustments translate immediately.

9. Fremantle Plays in a Preliminary Final

Fremantle’s talent profile supports finals success, but winning multiple September games is a different test.

To reach a prelim, the Dockers must handle expectation and prove their midfield balance holds up against elite opposition. This is bold, but it’s grounded in list potential.

10. Hawthorn Makes a Prelim But Misses the Top Four

This prediction relies on Hawthorn’s finals resilience more than home-and-away dominance.

It suggests a team capable of winning on the road in September while not quite banking enough regular-season wins to secure a double chance. That’s a narrow path, but it reflects belief in their system.

11. GWS Miss Finals (Even the Top 10)

This is a genuine regression call.

For a side with high-end talent and recent finals experience, missing even wildcard territory would be seen as a backward step. Injuries and structural issues would need to compound for this to occur.

12. Melbourne Pushes for the Top 10

Given current expectations, this would qualify as a surprise.

Melbourne is viewed as transitional, so climbing toward finals contention under new leadership would reshape the narrative around their reset.

13. Zak Butters Requests a Trade to the Western Bulldogs

This prediction moves firmly into speculative territory.

Star trade requests reshape the league landscape. For Butters to seek a move and specifically to the Bulldogs requires timing, list alignment and personal decision to intersect perfectly.

It’s plausible, but dramatic.

14. Collingwood Signs Ben King

Free-agency moves of this magnitude don’t happen quietly.

If Collingwood secured Ben King, it would signal a final all-in push at a premiership window. It’s bold not because it’s impossible, but because it would instantly change the balance of power.

15. Alastair Clarkson Leaves North Melbourne Before Season’s End

This is the most destabilising prediction on the board.

Clarkson’s departure mid-season wouldn’t just affect North, it would reshape the entire rebuild narrative. Whether through stagnation or mutual decision, it would represent a seismic shift.

That’s what makes it the most outrageous call of all.