List of AFL debuts in 2026
This is a list of players in the Australian Football League (AFL) who have either made their AFL debut or played for a new club during the 2026 AFL season. Games and goals statistics are correct to round one, 2026.[1][2]
Summary
| Club | AFL debuts | Change of club |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | 1 | 2 |
| Brisbane Lions | 2 | 1 |
| Carlton | 2 | 5 |
| Collingwood | 0 | 1 |
| Essendon | 3 | 1 |
| Fremantle | 0 | 1 |
| Geelong | 1 | 1 |
| Gold Coast | 1 | 1 |
| Greater Western Sydney | 1 | 2 |
| Hawthorn | 0 | 0 |
| Melbourne | 1 | 3 |
| North Melbourne | 2 | 0 |
| Port Adelaide | 1 | 3 |
| Richmond | 1 | 0 |
| St Kilda | 0 | 4 |
| Sydney | 0 | 3 |
| West Coast | 4 | 2 |
| Western Bulldogs | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 23 | 31 |
AFL debuts
| Name | Club | Age at debut | Debut round |
Games (in 2026) |
Goals (in 2026) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Dean | Carlton | 18 years, 112 days | Opening | 2 | 0[3] | Pick 3, 2025 national draft |
| Jagga Smith | Carlton | 20 years, 36 days | Opening | 2 | 0[4] | Pick 3, 2024 national draft |
| Zeke Uwland | Gold Coast | 18 years, 316 days | Opening | 2 | 0[5] | Pick 2, 2025 national draft |
| Phoenix Gothard | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 181 days | Opening | 2 | 1[6] | Pick 12, 2023 national draft |
| Lachie Jacques | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 279 days | Opening | 2 | 0[7] | Pick 29, 2024 national draft |
| Michael Sellwood | Western Bulldogs | 22 years, 156 days | Opening | 2 | 0[8] | Pick 5, 2025 mid-season rookie draft |
| Zane Zakostelsky | Brisbane Lions | 20 years, 83 days | Opening | 2 | 1[9] | Pick 51, 2023 national draft |
| Sam Grlj | Richmond | 18 years, 229 days | 1 | 1 | 0[10] | Pick 8, 2025 national draft |
| Hussien El Achkar | Essendon | 18 years, 345 days | 1 | 1 | 1[11] | Pick 53, 2025 national draft |
| Max Kondogiannis | Essendon | 18 years, 119 days | 1 | 1 | 0[12] | Pick 36, 2025 national draft |
| Dyson Sharp | Essendon | 18 years, 294 days | 1 | 1 | 2[13] | Pick 13, 2025 national draft |
| Will Lewis | Western Bulldogs | 26 years, 313 days | 1 | 1 | 1[14] | Pre-season supplemental selection in 2025 |
| Mitchell Edwards | Geelong | 20 years, 285 days | 1 | 1 | 0[15] | Pick 32, 2023 national draft |
| Daniel Annable | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 343 days | 1 | 1 | 0[16] | Pick 6, 2025 national draft |
| Toby Murray | Adelaide | 22 years, 132 days | 1 | 1 | 0[17] | Pick 7, 2024 mid-season rookie draft |
| Lachy Dovaston | North Melbourne | 18 years, 290 days | 1 | 1 | 0[18] | Pick 16, 2025 national draft |
| Tom Blamires | North Melbourne | 23 years, 214 days | 1 | 1 | 0[19] | Pre-season supplemental selection in 2025 |
| Jack Watkins | Port Adelaide | 25 years, 87 days | 1 | 1 | 1[20] | Pick 4, 2026 rookie draft |
| Latrelle Pickett | Melbourne | 20 years, 77 days | 1 | 1 | 1[21] | Pick 12, 2025 national draft |
| Cooper Duff-Tytler | West Coast | 18 years, 205 days | 1 | 1 | 0[22] | Pick 4, 2025 national draft |
| Willem Duursma | West Coast | 18 years, 267 days | 1 | 1 | 0[23] | Pick 1, 2025 national draft |
| Josh Lindsay | West Coast | 18 years, 342 days | 1 | 1 | 0[24] | Pick 19, 2025 national draft |
| Milan Murdock | West Coast | 25 years, 258 days | 1 | 1 | 2[25] | Pre-season supplemental selection in 2025 |
Change of AFL club
| Name | Club | Age at debut | Debut round |
Games (in 2026) |
Goals (in 2026) |
Former clubs | Recruiting method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Ainsworth | Carlton | 28 years, 23 days | Opening | 2 | 1[26] | Gold Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Campbell Chesser | Carlton | 22 years, 312 days | Opening | 2 | 0[27] | West Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Charlie Curnow | Sydney | 29 years, 31 days | Opening | 2 | 3[28] | Carlton | Traded in 2025 |
| Will Hayward | Carlton | 27 years, 130 days | Opening | 2 | 2[29] | Sydney | Traded in 2025 |
| Ollie Florent | Carlton | 27 years, 226 days | Opening | 2 | 0[30] | Sydney | Traded in 2025 |
| Liam Reidy | Carlton | 25 years, 264 days | Opening | 1 | 0[31] | Fremantle | Traded in 2025 |
| Malcolm Rosas | Sydney | 24 years, 252 days | Opening | 2 | 2[32] | Gold Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Jai Serong | Sydney | 23 years, 18 days | Opening | 2 | 0[33] | Hawthorn | Traded in 2025 |
| Christian Petracca | Gold Coast | 30 years, 61 days | Opening | 2 | 7[34] | Melbourne | Traded in 2025 |
| James Worpel | Geelong | 27 years, 41 days | Opening | 1 | 0[35] | Hawthorn | Restricted free agency in 2025 |
| Jayden Laverde | Greater Western Sydney | 29 years, 329 days | Opening | 2 | 0[36] | Essendon | Pre-season supplemental selection in 2025 |
| Clayton Oliver | Greater Western Sydney | 28 years, 228 days | Opening | 2 | 1[37] | Melbourne | Traded in 2025 |
| Oscar Allen | Brisbane Lions | 26 years, 393 days | Opening | 2 | 2[38] | West Coast | Restricted free agency in 2025 |
| Connor Budarick | Western Bulldogs | 24 years, 335 days | Opening | 2 | 1[39] | Gold Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Jack Buller | Collingwood | 24 years, 296 days | Opening | 2 | 0[40] | Sydney | Traded in 2025 |
| Tom De Koning | St Kilda | 26 years, 235 days | Opening | 2 | 0[41] | Carlton | Restricted free agency in 2025 |
| Sam Flanders | St Kilda | 24 years, 227 days | Opening | 2 | 0[42] | Gold Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Liam Ryan | St Kilda | 29 years, 157 days | Opening | 2 | 2[43] | West Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Jack Silvagni | St Kilda | 28 years, 81 days | Opening | 2 | 0[44] | Carlton | Unrestricted free agency in 2025 |
| Brayden Fiorini | Essendon | 28 years, 203 days | 1 | 1 | 0[45] | Gold Coast | Traded in 2025 |
| Judd McVee | Fremantle | 22 years, 219 days | 1 | 1 | 0[46] | Melbourne | Traded in 2025 |
| Sam Draper | Brisbane Lions | 27 years, 167 days | 1 | 1 | 0[47] | Essendon | Unrestricted free agency in 2025 |
| Callum Ah Chee | Adelaide | 28 years, 156 days | 1 | 1 | 0[48] | Brisbane Lions & Gold Coast | Pick 1, 2026 pre-season draft |
| Lachlan McAndrew | Adelaide | 25 years, 292 days | 1 | 1 | 0[49] | Sydney | Pre-season supplemental selection in 2024 |
| Corey Durdin | Port Adelaide | 23 years, 335 days | 1 | 1 | 2[50] | Carlton | Traded in 2025 |
| Jacob Wehr | Port Adelaide | 27 years, 253 days | 1 | 1 | 0[51] | Greater Western Sydney | Unrestricted free agency in 2025 |
| Changkuoth Jiath | Melbourne | 26 years, 275 days | 1 | 1 | 0[52] | Hawthorn | Traded in 2025 |
| Brody Mihocek | Melbourne | 33 years, 39 days | 1 | 1 | 3[53] | Collingwood | Traded in 2025 |
| Jack Steele | Melbourne | 30 years, 92 days | 1 | 1 | 1[54] | St Kilda & Greater Western Sydney | Traded in 2025 |
| Deven Robertson | West Coast | 24 years, 258 days | 1 | 1 | 0[55] | Brisbane Lions | Pre-season supplemental selection in 2025 |
| Tylar Young | West Coast | 27 years, 191 days | 1 | 1 | 0[56] | Richmond | Traded in 2025 |
See also
- List of AFL Women's debuts in 2026
References
- ^ "AFL Tables". Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ "AFL Team Lists". wheeloratings.com. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ Harry Dean's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jagga Smith's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Zeke Uwland's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Phoenix Gothard's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Lachie Jacques's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Michael Sellwood's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Zane Zakostelsky's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Sam Grlj's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Hussien El Achkar's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Max Kondogiannis's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Dyson Sharp's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Will Lewis's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Mitchell Edwards's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Daniel Annable's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Toby Murray's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Lachy Dovaston's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Tom Blamires's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jack Watkins's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Latrelle Pickett's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Cooper Duff-Tytler's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Willem Duursma's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Josh Lindsay's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Milan Murdock's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Ben Ainsworth's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Campbell Chesser's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Charlie Curnow's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Will Hayward's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Ollie Florent's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Liam Reidy's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Malcolm Rosas's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jai Serong's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Christian Petracca's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ James Worpel's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jayden Laverde's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Clayton Oliver's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Oscar Allen's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Connor Budarick's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jack Buller's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Tom De Koning's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Sam Flanders's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Liam Ryan's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jack Silvagni's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Brayden Fiorini's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Judd McVee's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Sam Draper's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Callum Ah Chee's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Lachlan McAndrew's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Corey Durdin's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jacob Wehr's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Changuoth Jiath's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Brody Mihocek's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jack Steele's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Deven Robertson's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Tylar Young's playing statistics from AFL Tables