Whether it’s new draftees ready to make an immediate impact or youngsters who have needed time to develop, close to 150 AFL players will enter 2026 eyeing a debut. 

Exactly 100 players made their AFL debut in 2025, with Essendon’s record-breaking 15 debuts strongly supporting that tally. 

Clubs working through a rebuild will look to the next wave of talent to help shape their future, while competing clubs could uncover their next quality player to help regenerate on the run. 

Here are the players on each AFL club’s list who are yet to debut, and those who stand the best chance of getting a game in 2026.

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1 – Adelaide2 – Brisbane3 – Carlton4 – Collingwood5 – Essendon6 – Fremantle7 – Geelong8 – Gold Coast9 – GWS10 – Hawthorn11 – Melbourne12 – North Melbourne13 – Port Adelaide14 – Richmond15 – St Kilda16 – Sydney17 – West Coast18 – Western Bulldogs

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Adelaide

Rookies: Archie Ludowyke, Mitch Marsh
Still waiting: Toby Murray, Oscar Ryan, Tyler Welsh, Charlie Edwards

Most likely to debut: Entering his third season at West Lakes, Charlie Edwards looks the best shot at breaking through for a debut in 2026, having continued to make his case in the SANFL over the past 18 months. Both of Adelaide’s 2025 draftees might need time to develop, given their standings as key forwards in a pecking order that also has Murray and Welsh ahead of them. 

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1 – Adelaide2 – Brisbane3 – Carlton4 – Collingwood5 – Essendon6 – Fremantle7 – Geelong8 – Gold Coast9 – GWS10 – Hawthorn11 – Melbourne12 – North Melbourne13 – Port Adelaide14 – Richmond15 – St Kilda16 – Sydney17 – West Coast18 – Western Bulldogs

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