Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch has undergone hand surgery after attempting to break up a fight between his two dogs.
He attempted to break up a fight between the dogs, who could not be separated, and was bitten in the process.
It remains unclear just how long he will be sidelined for, however he is in doubt for round one.
READ MORE: ‘High level’ talks underway for AFL’s Olympics return
READ MORE: Eddie, Bartel fire back at ‘totally wrong’ Brownlow claim
READ MORE: From dynasty to disaster: How Dees crumbled in four years
Bayley Fritsch and one of his dogs. Instagram
The bite wound on his hand got infected, leading to the need for a procedure.
Fritsch has played 171 career games for the Demons, and is a five-time club leading goal kicker.
Here’s every club’s injury list heading into the season:
Izak Rankine (hamstring) – In doubt for round one
Callum Ah Chee (hamstring) – Suffered during Origin, doubtful for round one
Dan Curtin (knee) – Will miss the start of the season
Mark Keane (broken leg) – Out long term
Jake Soligo (heart) – Underwent a procedure, in doubt for round one
After what was a dream run with injuries in 2025, Adelaide enters 2026 in a more difficult spot.
Izak Rankine and Callum Ah Chee are both in doubt for round one with hamstring injuries, while Dan Curtin, Mark Keane and Jake Soligo are all unavailable and will miss time.
Keane’s long-term injury is of most concern, after he broke his leg at a training session.
Hugh McCluggage of Victoria in action during the 2026 AFL Origin match. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Sam Draper (foot) – Will miss the start of the season
Eric Hipwood (knee) – Out long term with torn ACL
Ryan Lester (concussion) – Must clear protocols
Hugh McCluggage (calf) – Good to go for Opening Round
Jack Payne (knee) – Will miss the start of the season
Noah Answerth (Achilles) – Working his way back from ruptured Achilles in 2025
Only Eric Hipwood and Noah Answerth remain from Brisbane’s long-term injuries that piled up in 2025. Sam Draper tore his Achilles as a Bomber last year and looked ready to go for the season, before suffering a stress fracture in his foot.
Hugh McCluggage has been cleared after being subbed out during the AAMI Community Series and he will play in Opening Round.
Jacob Weitering of Victoria is seen injured. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Jesse Motlop (knee) – Out for the season
Harry O’Farrell (knee) – Tore his ACL late in 2025
Jacob Weitering (ribs) – Likely to play Opening Round
Blake Acres (shoulder) – Will return early in the season
Adam Cerra (hamstring) – Out indefinitely
Matt Cottrell (knee) – Slated to return post round two bye
Nick Haynes (ankle) – Slated to return post round two bye
Lachie Cowan (calf) – In doubt for the start of the season
Carlton’s injury list is lengthy as it generally has been for the last few years, but only Jesse Motlop, Harry O’Farrell and Adam Cerra appear to be long-term concerns at this stage.
Cerra’s history of hamstring injuries means the club will take an incredibly cautious approach, while Motlop tore his ACL at training. O’Farrell ruptured his ACL late in the 2025 season.
Jacob Weitering is expected to return from the ugly rib injury suffered in State of Origin either in Opening Round or the following week.
Darcy Moore (calf) – Ruled out for Opening Round
Jeremy Howe (calf) – Likely to miss the start of the season
Bobby Hill (personal) – Out indefinitely
Reef McInnes (knee) – Out for the first month of the season
Pretty clean bill of health at the Pies, with the likes of Harvey Harrison, Charlie West and Lachie Sullivan all likely to be available for Opening Round.
Howe the only one facing a delayed start that we know of at this stage. Hill is seemingly not in the club’s planning for 2026 at this stage.
Nic Martin and Will Setterfield of the Bombers. via Getty Images
Nick Bryan (knee) – Tore his ACL in 2025, expected back early in the season
Thomas Edwards (knee) – Tore his ACL in 2025, expected back mid-season
Lewis Hayes (knee) – Tore his ACL in 2025, expected back mid-season
Nic Martin (knee) – Tore his ACL in the pre-season, out for the year
Sullivan Robey (back) – In doubt for round one
Will Setterfield (knee) – Will miss the start of the season
Jordan Ridley (calf) – Expected to be available early in the season
Isaac Kako (hamstring) – Expected to miss the start of the season
Essendon’s injury list blew out of control in 2025 and the aftermath of it is still being felt now, with Nick Bryan, Thomas Edwards, Lewis Hayes and Harrison Jones all unavailable for the start of the season. Jones played a half in the VFL as he works his way back from an ankle fracture.
Star defender Nic Martin will miss the season with a torn ACL suffered in the pre-season, while Jordan Ridley continues have setback after setback of his own.
Isaac Kako and Will Setterfield will miss the start of the season with their respective injuries.
Sam Sturt (knee) – Will miss the first half of the season
Brennan Cox (calf) – In doubt for round one
Luke Ryan (shoulder) – Likely for round one
Sean Darcy (calf) – Likely for round one
Reasonably fit list at the Dockers. Sean Darcy, Brennan Cox and Luke Ryan are all best 22 players who have had pre-season setbacks, but are all pushing to be available for round one.
Sam Sturt remains sidelined long term.
Bailey Smith of Victoria celebrates. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Jeremy Cameron (quad, arm) – Likely for Opening Round
Gryan Miers (thumb) – In some doubt for Opening Round
Shannon Neale (shin) – Likely for Opening Round
Bailey Smith (calf) – Likely for Opening Round
Tyson Stengle (personal) – Early in the season
Toby Conway (foot, knee) – Will miss the start of the season
Harley Barker (knee) – Joined the club in the draft with a torn ACL
Geelong will be hoping reigning Coleman Medallist Jeremy Cameron can overcome a pre-season quad issue, coupled with the arm he broke in the grand final, to play Opening Round.
Bailey Smith was rested through the pre-season after Origin, while Shannon Neale has bounced back well from the shin injury he suffered in the ruck against Carlton.
Matt Rowell (finger) – In doubt for the start of the season
Beau Addinsall (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Jai Murray (leg) – Will miss the start of the season
Elliott Himmelberg (knee) – Out until mid-season
Jake Rogers (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Charlie Ballard (knee) – Close to return after a 2025 torn ACL
Matt Rowell broke his finger during State of Origin, and is in doubt for Opening Round and potentially beyond.
Charlie Ballard will be a handy inclusion down back once he is cleared to return from his torn ACL.
Tom Green injured at training. News Corp
Tom Green (knee) – Torn ACL, will miss the entire 2026 season
Darcy Jones (knee) – Tore his ACL late in 2025, expected to miss most of the season
Josh Kelly (hip) – Expected to miss most of the season following serious hip surgery
Sam Taylor (hamstring) – Will miss at least the first month of the season
Brent Daniels (hamstring) – Will miss at least the first month of the season
Toby Bedford (hamstring – Will miss at least the first month of the season
Leek Aleer (groin) – Unavailable for the start of the season
Finn Callaghan (hip) – Expected to be available for Opening Round
Yikes. The Giants enter the 2026 season battered and bruised. Losing Tom Green for the season and Sam Taylor to another soft tissue injury in the same weekend was brutal.
Brent Daniels and Toby Bedford hamstrings added to the unfortunate pile, while Josh Kelly was always expected to miss most of the season.
In better news, Finn Callaghan is expected to be available for Opening Round.
Will Day (shoulder) – Will miss the first half of the season
Cam Mackenzie (concussion) – Ruled out of Opening Round
Tom Barrass (back) – Likely for Opening Round
Losing Will Day to another long-term injury was brutal for the Hawks and their already understrength midfield.
Cam Mackenzie adds to that depth problem after he was concussed in the AAMI Community Series. Not to mention captain Jai Newcombe now faces a one-game suspension.
Bayley Fritsch of the Demons. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Jake Bowey (foot) – Expected to miss the first chunk of the season
Jai Culley (arm) – Will miss the start of the season
Jack Viney (Achilles) – Expected to miss the first half of the season
Kalani White (glandular fever) – Out indefinitely
Luker Kentfield (knee) – Will miss the start of the season
Harry Sharp (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Jack Henderson (pelvis) – Out indefinitely
Bayley Fritsch (hand) – In doubt for the start of the season
Bayley Fritsch will likely miss the start of the season. He needed hand surgery after breaking up his dogs from fighting.
Jake Bowey and Jack Viney are long-term outs in Melbourne’s best side, while Harry Sharp is pushing for early availability.
Jackson Archer (knee) – Torn ACL, out for the season
Aidan Corr (calf) – Expected to return early in the season
George Wardlaw (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Taylor Goad (ankle) – Out indefinitely
Riley Hardeman (ankle) – In doubt for round one
Josh Goater (hamstring, Achilles) – Not expected early in the season
Colby McKercher (finger) – Likely for round one
Jackson Archer was the big blow for North Melbourne, with the young defender ruled out for the season.
And now George Wardlaw’s ongoing hamstring issues have flared up once again, leading to a delayed start.
Jackson Archer of North Melbourne. Â Getty
Sam Powell-Pepper (knee) – Tore his ACL in 2025, expected to return later in the season
Ivan Soldo (knee) – Torn ACL, will miss the 2026 season
Tom Cochrane (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Ivan Soldo tore his ACL at training and will miss the season, but otherwise Port Adelaide enters the season pretty close to full strength.
Sam Cumming (shoulder) – Will miss the start of the season
Josh Smilie (quad) – Will miss the start of the season
Judson Clarke (knee) – Will miss the first half of the season
Dion Prestia (hamstring) – Unlikely for round one
Nick Vlastuin (ankle) – Unlikely for round one
Taj Hotton (hip) – Will miss the first half of the season
Thomas Sims (foot) – Unlikely for round one
Richmond will be hoping veterans Dion Prestia and Nick Vlastuin are ready to go to face Carlton, but both are in doubt.
Injury setbacks to star youngsters Sam Cumming and Taj Hotton have flattened the buzz of the pre-season somewhat.
St Kilda star recruit Jack Silvagni concussed. Â Instagram
Max King (calf) – Will miss the first month of the season
Liam Henry (hamstring) – Unlikely for Opening Round
Ryan Byrnes (ankle) – Injured in pre-season game
Jack Silvagni (concussion) – Must clear protocols to play Opening Round
Max King just continues to miss footy with various injuries. This time it’s a calf that will see him sidelined into the season, after missing all of 2025 with a knee injury.
Jack Silvagni was concussed in a practice match, but the star recruit would have sat the mandatory 12 days in time for the Collingwood clash.
Taylor Adams (Achilles) – In doubt for round one
Max King (back) – Will miss most of the season
Errol Gulden (ankle) – Ready to go for round one
Sydney scared fans when they took Errol Gulden out of their pre-season game during the week, but made it very clear he simply rolled his ankle and he is good to go for Opening Round.
Errol Gulden of Sydney. Getty
Noah Long (knee) – Ruled out for the 2026 season
Liam Duggan (concussion) – In doubt for round one
Brandon Starcevich (calf) – In doubt for round one
Reuben Ginbey (toe) – In doubt for round one
Bailey Williams (groin) – In doubt for round one
Tom Cole (finger) – in doubt for round one
Tom Gross (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Jack Graham (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Tyler Brockman (hip) – Will miss the first six weeks of the season
No shortage of injuries for the Eagles, but the good news is most of them are short term, meaning they could have a near full-strength side by the first month of the season.
Losing Noah Long for the season to a knee injury was the big blow of the off-season.
Adam Treloar training in 2026. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Adam Treloar (calf) – Will miss the start of the season
Bailey Dale (knee) – In doubt for Opening Round
Ryley Sanders (concussion) – Ruled out of Opening Round
Cody Weightman (knee) – Will miss the start of the season
Riley Garcia (hamstring) – Will miss the start of the season
Laitham Vandermeer (Achilles) – Will miss Opening Round
Setbacks for Adam Treloar and Cody Weightman are frustrating after both have spent so long on the sidelines across the last year.
Bailey Dale hurt his knee in the AAMI Community Series meanwhile and is unlikely to feature in Opening Round.