AFLW 2026 AFLW Season

[TigermanM2]

47 days with no Coach, 120 till pre season starts.
Still no announcement

Fev's in charge. It's ok.

 

[TigermanM2]

Stepping up: Your club's breakout player of 2025​

From new stars to established ones who have found another gear, we choose the player from each club that turned heads this season
By Gemma Bastiani and Dylan Bolch

ISABEL BACON

The Sandringham Dragons product took another big stride forward at the Tigers in 2025, playing all 12 matches this season. While Bacon's raw numbers don't exactly jump off the page, her defensive pressure and ability to play through the midfield or across half-back makes her a promising player for the Tigers. A hard-worker with explosive speed, endurance and power, Bacon's versatility means she is often called upon to plug holes or try to create something different for Richmond. The young gun could be in line for an increased midfield role next season after Grace Egan's departure, or as more of a distributor out of defence pending how the Tigers swing the magnets.

 

[TigermanM2]

Stepping up: Your club's breakout player of 2025​

From new stars to established ones who have found another gear, we choose the player from each club that turned heads this season
By Gemma Bastiani and Dylan Bolch

ISABEL BACON

The Sandringham Dragons product took another big stride forward at the Tigers in 2025, playing all 12 matches this season. While Bacon's raw numbers don't exactly jump off the page, her defensive pressure and ability to play through the midfield or across half-back makes her a promising player for the Tigers. A hard-worker with explosive speed, endurance and power, Bacon's versatility means she is often called upon to plug holes or try to create something different for Richmond. The young gun could be in line for an increased midfield role next season after Grace Egan's departure, or as more of a distributor out of defence pending how the Tigers swing the magnets.

I hope we don't hurt a players development by wasting time trying to turn them into something they may never be.

Settle her into a half back role and let her find her feet, get her numbers up and develop her game and confidence there. Conquer that and you are on your way.

Sometimes the best way is to not throw good talent into into the midfield before they are ready.

 

[toenail63]

I hope we don't hurt a players development by wasting time trying to turn them into something they may never be.

Settle her into a half back role and let her find her feet, get her numbers up and develop her game and confidence there. Conquer that and you are on your way.

Sometimes the best way is to not throw good talent into into the midfield before they are ready.

This.

 

[toenail63]

The Sandringham Dragons product took another big stride forward at the Tigers in 2025, playing all 12 matches this season. While Bacon's raw numbers don't exactly jump off the page, her defensive pressure and ability to play through the midfield or across half-back makes her a promising player for the Tigers. A hard-worker with explosive speed, endurance and power, Bacon's versatility means she is often called upon to plug holes or try to create something different for Richmond. The young gun could be in line for an increased midfield role next season after Grace Egan's departure, or as more of a distributor out of defence pending how the Tigers swing the magnets.

Bacon did spend the first 5 weeks as an on-baller last year then was moved out and IMO her rebound and defence put her in the frame as a walk up start in our defence. Grace Egans departure will be covered by actual midfielders in Sienna Grieves and Dana East and possibly Georgia Stubbs next in line.

Sienna Grieves had less games and time in the mids and showed glimpses to what she will bring to the group. Stats wise she stacked up there for a first year mid and for Bacon her attributes sit better with the strengths as either a lock down defender or rebounding defender/wing to break lines and launch attacks.

 

[toenail63]

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1945175/which-tiger-had-a-breakout-2025



AFL Media has assessed which player from each team enjoyed a breakout 2025 AFLW campaign, as a number of players elevated their game to a new level during the season.

After a standout year, Isabel Bacon has been recognised as the Tigers' breakout player, with AFL Media writing:

"The Sandringham Dragons product took another big stride forward at the Tigers in 2025, playing all 12 matches this season.

"While Bacon's raw numbers don't exactly jump off the page, her defensive pressure and ability to play through the midfield or across half-back makes her a promising player for the Tigers.

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video...dal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1761372830001

"A hard-worker with explosive speed, endurance and power, Bacon's versatility means she is often called upon to plug holes or try to create something different for Richmond.

"The young gun could be in line for an increased midfield role next season after Grace Egan's departure, or as more of a distributor out of defence pending how the Tigers swing the magnets."

 

[Cdog71]

I think it was a testing time for her last season, tested her confidence I think.
That’s the most important thing in my view.
Bacon doesn’t have 150 junior games behind her and looks to me like a task oriented player. At the moment.

I’d be shutting down any talk of her being the breakout player and get her back to feeling like she’s winning her position.

We didn’t have alotve that last season.

 

[TigermanM2]

I think it was a testing time for her last season, tested her confidence I think.
That’s the most important thing in my view.
Bacon doesn’t have 150 junior games behind her and looks to me like a task oriented player. At the moment.

I’d be shutting down any talk of her being the breakout player and get her back to feeling like she’s winning her position.

We didn’t have alotve that last season.

I think that's the problem when Gemma writes an opinion piece about something from every team. You have to pick someone. Realistically no one had a breakout year.

 

[toenail63]

Draft, trade, cross-coders: How your club built its AFLW list By Gemma Bastiani​

Some clubs back themselves to identify and develop young talent, while others hit trade periods hard. This is how each club has built its list

THERE are many avenues for clubs to populate their AFLW lists, and finding a combination that works, alongside relying on elite talent identification, is half the battle when pursuing ever-coveted premierships.
Historically, both Richmond and St Kilda have gone heavy during trade period, as the only clubs with double-digit players on their 2026 list coming via trades from other clubs. Meanwhile, 2022 expansion teams Essendon, Hawthorn, and Port Adelaide each have more than 10 players who were signed via free agency/priority/expansion rules.

Bottom six clubs	Players taken via draft
Essendon, Port Adelaide	11
Richmond	12
Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney	13

Notably the fourth club to join the League that year – Sydney – has turned its list over significantly since that initial list build, with many of those initial expansion signings no longer listed. The club largely shifted away from free agency and toward trades, including recent boom recruit Taylor Smith from Brisbane.
Fremantle, Melbourne, Geelong, and Collingwood have chosen to target rookies, with the latter adding three throughout this off season – Emma Brady, Maisie Nankivell, and Liv Lewis. Five clubs – Essendon, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, and West Coast – do not have any rookies listed for 2026.

Top six clubs	Rookies signed
Fremantle	6
Geelong, Collingwood, Melbourne	5
Carlton, Brisbane	4

AFLW Draft: 12 (16th most)

Trade: 11 (most)

Rookie list: 2 (equal eighth most)

Free Agency/Expansion/Priority: 4 (seventh most)

Replacement: 1 (equal seventh most)

 

[toenail63]

Historically, both Richmond and St Kilda have gone heavy during trade period, as the only clubs with double-digit players on their 2026 list coming via trades from other clubs. Richmond
AFLW Draft: 12 (16th most)

Trade: 11 (most)

A couple of things that stand out for our women's list build is that as mentioned above we have the most of any club at 11 players currently playing from trades ins, but also we have traded in 21 players in the 6 years we've been in the comp, so a tad over half of these trade ins are on our current list (52%). Only 3 of the 21 trade ins are currently on other AFLW lists. i.e. Fredericks, Cordner and Egan as trade outs.

Of all the club's list builds of HOMEGROWN v HEADHUNTED we sit at either end of each spectrum in that we rank last in clubs having developed homegrown talent (15 players last season) and first in having headhunted talent (17 players last season). This trade/draft period we went with 3 new draftees to AFLW and 1 rookie (Ireland), and just the 2 traded in East and Stubbs.

 

[TigermanM2]

A couple of things that stand out for our women's list build is that as mentioned above we have the most of any club at 11 players currently playing from trades ins, but also we have traded in 21 players in the 6 years we've been in the comp, so a tad over half of these trade ins are on our current list (52%). Only 3 of the 21 trade ins are currently on other AFLW lists. i.e. Fredericks, Cordner and Egan as trade outs.

Of all the club's list builds of HOMEGROWN v HEADHUNTED we sit at either end of each spectrum in that we rank last in clubs having developed homegrown talent (15 players last season) and first in having headhunted talent (17 players last season). This trade/draft period we went with 3 new draftees to AFLW and 1 rookie (Ireland), and just the 2 traded in East and Stubbs.

View attachment 2514042

These articles serve more as filler between seasons rather than actually teaching us anything.

The stats with this sort of thing are always going to be skewed in such a young competition where early days you would more likely pinch from other clubs as the good talent depth just wasn't there in drafts. Now its probably the other way around.

 

[toenail63]

These articles serve more as filler between seasons rather than actually teaching us anything.

The stats with this sort of thing are always going to be skewed in such a young competition where early days you would more likely pinch from other clubs as the good talent depth just wasn't there in drafts. Now its probably the other way around.

Agree, still some interesting information though, 5 clubs this year without any rookies with the Bulldogs the only successful one with a flag but that was wayback early days, but we've done Ok with rookies, its only the Irish connection that sits poor with us.

IMO the fact that we are the least homegrown and the most pinched from other clubs harks back to our poor initial list build. Early days we only had Conti, Brennan, Frederick, Bernadi, Monahan, Brancatisano, Makur Chuot and Burchall so lots from draft and VFLW team initially, all untried talent. I agree we did have reason to pinch heavily after that and that now with the improved talent coming through draft and from other comps this stat for us will change to something more comparable to a Melbourne or a Kangaroos.

 

[toenail63]

 

[Yze does it]

Fev still there....head coach material?

 

[Phar Ace]

Fev still there....head coach material?

Personally I hope not, mainly because I think we can do better.

 

[toenail63]

 

[TigermanM2]

Every club's best moment of 2025​

The W Download crew pick out the highlights of your club's season
By staff writers
Jan 26, 2026, 6:00 am

Finally, a win

The Tigers had an ugly start to the season. It took until round eight to land any premiership points, but notably it came against Adelaide – it's first against the Crows in three meetings. The win came off the back of a starring performance from former No.1 draft pick Ellie McKenzie, who played in attack and broke the game open with three goals.

"It was an infuriating win, because they finally got one over the 'big four', finally, after years and years of trying, but it was completely like A) at the point of the season where it was almost like 'what's the point' and B) where has this been all year?" Black said.

 

[TigermanM2]

"It was an infuriating win, because they finally got one over the 'big four', finally, after years and years of trying, but it was completely like A) at the point of the season where it was almost like 'what's the point' and B) where has this been all year?" Black said.

Not entirely accurate. I'd definitely put Brisbane in the "big four" bracket and we've knocked them off.

 

[TigermanM2]

Personally I hope not, mainly because I think we can do better.

Hell would have to freeze over first.

Then again, I saw The Eagles perform live at Rod Laver in their Hell Freezes Over tour.

 

[Bojangles17]

Personally I hope not, mainly because I think we can do better.

Put it this way was there a shrek of evidence that his tuition on forward craft positively impacted the group . Both Brennan and greiser had career worst seasons and most weeks we barely kicked any goals at all

Not so sure about fev

 

[TigermanM2]

Put it this way was there a shrek of evidence that his tuition on forward craft positively impacted the group . Both Brennan and greiser had career worst seasons and most weeks we barely kicked any goals at all

Not so sure about fev

I think he is fine doing what he is doing. I think he would be a positive influence.

Caitlin has definitely had worse seasons with the Saints. Very frustrating. Has all the physical attributes to take games by the scruff of the neck.

Katie, well, she's is 33. Very few maintain their output at this age and she has had a career interrupted by injury quite a few times.

We definitely need others to step up.

On a side note, another club looking for a coach now that Port's Lauren Arnell making the decision to step down. Leaves us, Dees and now Port without coaches.

Maybe Koch will put Kenny there. These two must have the same blood type.

 

[toenail63]

On a side note, another club looking for a coach now that Port's Lauren Arnell making the decision to step down. Leaves us, Dees and now Port without coaches.

Speaking of this I wonder how we are going on that front? Lions are also currently looking for a new GM of AFLW, going to market at least publicly yesterday. Similar to Arnell, Breanna Brock stood down from Lions in mid Dec to focus more on her family.

 

[Cdog71]

I’ll drop this here as well.
Dellaway would’ve had to have dropped off a bit not get a start Rnd 1 I’d have thought.

 

[toenail63]

Dellaway would’ve had to have dropped off a bit not get a start Rnd 1 I’d have thought.

The problem with best 21's can change depending on match ups. Like this afl.com.au team which has 1/3rd of our team as tall match ups. Dallaway played 10 games last season so a decent chance that she'll be given a good run if she can show the same form.

 

[TigermanM2]

The problem with best 21's can change depending on match ups. Like this afl.com.au team which has 1/3rd of our team as tall match ups. Dallaway played 10 games last season so a decent chance that she'll be given a good run if she can show the same form.

I have no doubt there are references to matchups within the team at selection but I reckon AFLW clubs go into games with what they see as their best 21 available players.