{"id":485812,"date":"2026-02-17T13:27:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/485812\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T13:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:27:18","slug":"kane-cornes-top-50-afl-players-which-clubs-are-stacked-who-gets-snubbed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/485812\/","title":{"rendered":"Kane Cornes\u2019 top-50 AFL players: Which clubs are stacked, who gets snubbed"},"content":{"rendered":"

If grand finals are predicted by top-50 players, this year\u2019s decider will be played out between reigning premiers Brisbane<\/a> and the Western Bulldogs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The two clubs dominate Kane Cornes\u2019 top-50 AFL players list<\/a>, with the Lions boasting a whopping eight players and the Bulldogs having a total of six (including two superstars inside the top three).<\/p>\n

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Kane Cornes crowns Sam Darcy as AFL\u2019s No.1 player.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

There are two clubs next in line, with Fremantle and the Sydney Swans (thanks to the inclusion of Charlie Curnow in the off-season<\/a>) having five players apiece.<\/p>\n

But, as always, there will be debate, particularly among Richmond and West Coast fans who might feel a touch aggrieved when they quickly realise the high-end talent from their clubs has been snubbed.<\/p>\n

For the second consecutive year, there is not a single Tiger on Cornes\u2019 top-50 list, while retired Eagles defender Jeremy McGovern and forward Jake Waterman (who only managed eight games last year due to injury) have been removed from the 2026 edition.<\/p>\n

\"IsIs 2026 the year Harley Reid can take the AFL by storm and become a top-50 player? Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Given West Coast finished bottom, and Richmond second bottom, it is not a total shock that they are without a top-50 player.<\/p>\n

But Richmond fans will undoubtedly make a case for back-to-back best-and-fairest winner Tim Taranto, while emerging West Coast superstar Harley Reid still needs to put together a complete season to convince Cornes he belongs.<\/p>\n

Collingwood fans might also vent when they realise they only have one player in the top 50, and that is the undeniable Nick Daicos at No.2.<\/p>\n

Out of the teams that finished in the top eight last year, that is the lowest. And it might seem harsh given the Magpies made a preliminary final, only to be knocked out by eventual premier Brisbane.<\/p>\n

While there is no doubt Nick Daicos is Collingwood\u2019s best player (despite finishing runner-up to Darcy Cameron in the club\u2019s B&F), forward Jamie Elliott and Nick\u2019s brother, Josh, have been left out in the cold.<\/p>\n

Elliott finished with 60 goals last year and was unlucky to miss out on All-Australian blazer, and, like Elliott, Josh Daicos was in the AA squad but didn\u2019t make the cut.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, Collingwood\u2019s veteran champs Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury also failed to make the grade, but they did have top-10 finishes in their club\u2019s B&F last year.<\/p>\n

Cornes, however, has made his thoughts on the Pies\u2019 2026 prospects abundantly clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery confident that it\u2019s going to be a rough year for Collingwood. Very confident,\u201d he told Channel 7\u2019s Sunrise this week.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cBobby Hill, we don\u2019t know about their best pressure forward. There\u2019s injuries everywhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are old and slow, and the Saints are coming so sorry to the Collingwood fans, I think it\u2019s going to be a rough year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Club-by-club guide to Kane\u2019s top-50 AFL players<\/p>\n

Adelaide<\/p>\n

21. Izak Rankine, 19. Jordan Dawson, 16. Riley Thilthorpe TOTAL: 3<\/p>\n

Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n

47. Dayne Zorko, 45. Will Ashcroft, 43. Zac Bailey, 38. Jaspa Fletcher, 34. Josh Dunkley, 30. Lachie Neale, 9. Harris Andrews, 8. Hugh McCluggage TOTAL: 8<\/p>\n

Carlton<\/p>\n

49. Sam Walsh TOTAL: 1<\/p>\n

Collingwood<\/p>\n

2. Nick Daicos TOTAL: 1<\/p>\n

Essendon<\/p>\n

28. Zach Merrett TOTAL: 1<\/p>\n

Fremantle<\/p>\n

44. Josh Treacy, 41. Jordan Clark, 32. Andrew Brayshaw, 26. Hayden Young, 17. Caleb Serong TOTAL: 5<\/p>\n

Geelong<\/p>\n

42. Bailey Smith, 20. Max Holmes, 7. Jeremy Cameron TOTAL: 3<\/p>\n

Gold Coast Suns<\/p>\n

11. Matt Rowell, 5. Noah Anderson TOTAL: 2<\/p>\n

GWS Giants<\/p>\n

37. Toby Greene, 33. Tom Green, 22. Finn Callaghan, 18. Sam Taylor TOTAL: 4<\/p>\n

Hawthorn<\/p>\n

31. Dylan Moore, 27. Jack Gunston, 25. Jai Newcombe TOTAL: 3<\/p>\n

Melbourne<\/p>\n

14. Max Gawn, 12. Kysaiah Pickett TOTAL: 2<\/p>\n

North Melbourne<\/p>\n

24. Nick Larkey TOTAL: 1<\/p>\n

Port Adelaide<\/p>\n

46. Mitch Georgiades, 39. Jason Horne-Francis, 35. Connor Rozee, 4. Zak Butters TOTAL: 4<\/p>\n

Richmond<\/p>\n

TOTAL: 0<\/p>\n

St Kilda<\/p>\n

10. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera TOTAL: 1<\/p>\n

Sydney<\/p>\n

36. Charlie Curnow, 29. Nick Blakey, 23. Chad Warner, 15. Errol Gulden, 6. Isaac Heeney TOTAL: 5<\/p>\n

West Coast<\/p>\n

TOTAL: 0<\/p>\n

Western Bulldogs<\/p>\n

50. Aaron Naughton, 48. Tom Liberatore, 40. Bailey Dale, 13. Ed Richards, 3. Marcus Bontempelli , 1. Sam Darcy TOTAL: 6<\/p>\n

What Kane says about his top-10 guns<\/p>\n

10. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)<\/p>\n

Wanganeen-Milera rounds out the top 10 after a historic 2025 campaign where he claimed his maiden best and fairest and All-Australian honours at just 22 years of age. The move from half-back to the midfield was genius and his Round 20 match-winning heroics was legendary.<\/p>\n

9. Harris Andrews (Brisbane Lions)<\/p>\n

The three-time All-Australian takes the No.9 spot as the game\u2019s premier key defender. Could have easily won the Norm Smith and his finals series was as good as it gets.<\/p>\n

8. Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane Lions)<\/p>\n

The new Brisbane captain was a statistical powerhouse last year, ranking in the league\u2019s top five for score involvements, inside-50s, and total clearances and finally earning his first All-Australian blazer. He\u2019s a beautifully balanced and versatile midfielder.<\/p>\n

7. Jeremy Cameron (Geelong)<\/p>\n

The All-Australian captain is fresh off a monster 80-plus goal season and is still the AFL\u2019s best and most damaging key forward.<\/p>\n

6. Isaac Heeney (Sydney)<\/p>\n

Heeney is the league\u2019s most dangerous dual-threat, winning a second best and fairest and a third All-Australian blazer in 2025. Heeney is one of the league\u2019s most clutch performers.<\/p>\n

5. Noah Anderson (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n

Anderson breaks into the top five after a career-defining season where he claimed the AFL Coaches Award and captained the Gold Coast Suns to their first finals series. He is a beautiful hybrid midfielder who is as comfortable winning the ball on the inside as he is cutting up the opposition in open space.<\/p>\n

4. Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)<\/p>\n

Butters averaged career-high numbers in 2025 and solidified himself as a top-five player. He is a fearless, high-impact players who has elite skill and ball-winning ability. The free-agent is set to sign the AFL\u2019s biggest contract.<\/p>\n

3. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)<\/p>\n

Bontempelli maintains his top-three standing through unparalleled versatility, coming off a 2025 season where he earned a record seventh All-Australian blazer and ranked second in the league for goal assists. The Bont combines elite clearance work and more damage per possession that no other player can match.<\/p>\n

2. Nick Daicos (Collingwood)<\/p>\n

Daicos cements elite offensive production is showing no signs of letting up, averaging over 30 touches per game for the third consecutive season. Daicos combines high-volume ball-winning with elite scoreboard impact and metres-gained, even though he receives more opposition attention than any other player.<\/p>\n

1. Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs)<\/p>\n

Darcy\u2019s rare combination of 208cm height, elite mobility, refined foot skills and insane competitiveness makes him the league\u2019s most dominant prospect since Wayne Carey. Ranked No.1 in the league for contested marks per game last season, and if his body stays sound 80-plus goals is not out of the question.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nick Daicos ousted as new No.1 steals AFL crown<\/p>\n

4 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Bailey Smith cops reality check in Kane Cornes\u2019 top-50 players<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

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