Fresh off an opening-round victory, GWS defender Lachie Whitfield is excited by what the Giants can do after being "written off" early by critics.
Anna Harrington
West Coast are coming off a one-win season and are set for more pain in 2026, but optimism is growing the club's rebuild is well and truly on track.
Justin Chadwick
Defender Nick Blakey believes a showdown with the reigning premiers is the chance for Charlie Curnow-led Sydney to show they are a genuinely good team.
Richmond coach Adem Yze was left to rue a missed opportunity at the MCG, though he refused to point the finger at Tom Lynch and his wayward night in front of goal.
Tyler Lewis
Essendon goalkicker Kyle Langford spent time in Qatar over summer to get his body right and is ready to hit the ground running against Hawthorn in round one.
Shayne Hope
CAPTAIN’S LETTER: See what Liam Baker wants West Coast supporters to know as he begins his first season at the helm in 2026.
Liam Baker
It wasn't pretty, but Carlton's win over Richmond was cause for celebration in the eyes of coach Michael Voss after a tough week in the spotlight.
Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch kicked 2.7 in a wayward performance in front of goal as the Tigers opened their AFL season with a narrow loss to Carlton.
Going in under an intense blowtorch, Carlton had plenty of nervous moments against old rivals Richmond before hanging on for their first win of the AFL season.
The premiership hero has continued to let his frustration boil over ‘far too often in recent times’.
Glenn Valencich
The wife of a former AFL legend has denied a young girl stayed at their home, as he fights historical child sex abuse charges in court.
Emma Kirk
For players, round one seems less important than finals, but for some reason more significant than any other home-and-away game, writes Xavier Ellis.
Xavier Ellis
Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale’s potential move to a WA team is in jeopardy as two surprising clubs have now been tied to the embattled superstar.
Fraser Williams
West Coast will unveil a quartet of AFL debutants this weekend - their most in any match since Peter Matera and Dean Kemp were unleashed all the way back in 1990. See the details here!
Mitchell Woodcock
Last year, Fremantle went down to Geelong in round one and were throttled by 78 points. But I can assure Fremantle supporters last year’s result is in the rear-view mirror, writes Xavier Ellis.
West Coast are the least likely side to win an AFL season opener in more than a decade, according to bookmakers - but Andrew McQualter remains bullish on their chances.
Mitchell Woodcock & Chris Robinson
Peel product Mitch Edwards is set to make his AFL debut - two years on from being drafted to the Cats - with the former Freo NGA member set to come up against a few familiar faces.
James Palumbo
We already knew Brennan Cox wouldn’t play on Saturday, but now, it’s confirmed that Fremantle will be without two more stalwarts when they face Geelong. See who travelled and who didn’t here!
Jake Santa Maria
A former AFL club president has hit back at claims he defamed his wife during an investigation into a lewd photo posted to his social media account.
News Corp Australia
Collingwood captain Darcy Moore’s expected return on Saturday night from a calf injury has been shelved.
Marco Monteverde
Months after Zach Merrett unsuccessfully attempted to leave Essendon, new skipper Andrew McGrath has been able to lean on his predecessor.
Brisbane's Lincoln McCarthy will play his first AFL game in almost two years while Geelong have been bolstered by the return of two premiership stars.
West Coast could be in for some big pain in their season opener against premiership fancies Gold Coast, with at least a dozen players unavailable for the match.
