\n Opinion\n <\/p>\n
\n The Cats’ forward line will take some stopping, a Swan is in top form ahead of finals and more lessons from round 12\n <\/p>\n
Ash Centra celebrates a goal during Collingwood’s clash against Essendon in round 12, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
IN THIS week’s\u00a0Things We Learned, we discover where the Pies’ priorities should be, why the Saints need more than the top pick and much, much more.<\/p>\n
Check out what we learned from round 12 of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
1) Pies’ No.1 priority needs to be Centra<\/p>\n
After a tricky start to her AFLW career, 2024 No.1 draft pick Ash Centra has had an outstanding end to the season. As the Pies’ clear best player over the period, including an impressive 25 disposals and a goal against Essendon on Sunday<\/a> to finish the season, Collingwood simply must prioritise keeping her for the long term. Offering her contract extensions is one part of the puzzle, but so too is the vision the club is able to sell the young star, who will no doubt be fielding offers from opponents across the country as she nears the end of her current contract in 2027. Building for the future means proving to Centra \u2013 the player around whom a strong future can be crafted \u2013 that Collingwood is something she can invest in. – Gemma Bastiani<\/p>\n Ash Centra celebrates a goal during Collingwood’s clash against Essendon in round 12, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n 2) The No.1 pick won\u2019t solve all of St Kilda\u2019s woes<\/p>\n St Kilda has shown plenty of fight under interim coach Matt Brewer in the past three weeks, including in Saturday’s loss to Port Adelaide<\/a>, but there are still plenty of issues to address heading into 2027. Because of that, it will be intriguing to see what the club does with pick No.1. Oakleigh Chargers forward Bailee Martin is the consensus No.1 pick and a star in the making, but there is also a compelling case to split that pick and go for quantity over quality. While Martin could be the face of the club in due course, adding a few first-round picks could help to set the club up for a sustained period of success. What the Saints choose to do with that prized pick will be a fascinating watch through the trade and draft period. – Dylan Bolch<\/p>\n 3) No team’s backline alone can stop the Cats<\/p>\n Geelong has managed to amass a powerful forward line of four gun goalkickers, and there’s unlikely to be a backline in the League that can shut down the entire quartet at once as they again starred against the Western Bulldogs on Friday night<\/a>. Jackie Parry’s overhead marking is rising week on week, Chloe Scheer is the power athlete at ground level, Aishling Moloney is one of the best linking forwards in the game, and now Chantel Mason is looming as a genuine second tall option. Given the depth and variety on show, fellow finalists’ best chance of getting on top of Geelong comes in the middle of the ground, limiting supply before it gets to the dangerous end of the field. – Sarah Black<\/p>\n 4) Record-breaking Swan is cherry ripe for finals\u00a0<\/p>\n There were periods of Sunday’s clash against Fremantle<\/a> where Chloe Molloy single-handedly kept her team in the contest when momentum was against the Swans, producing a performance that will have rival defenders worried ahead of finals. Molloy kicked a goal in each of the first two quarters to draw level with Hawthorn’s Aine McDonagh and Geelong’s Jackie Parry on 26 goals for the season, with the trio setting a new AFLW record for goals in a season. Molloy was not done, however, breaking the record with six seconds left in the third quarter after using the breeze to perfection to steer through her long set shot. A constant threat inside 50 whose bodywork had opponents puzzled, Molloy set teammates up with her skill and is primed for a big finals series, finishing the home and away season on 28 goals after kicking another major in the final term. – Nathan Schmook\u00a0<\/p>\n 5) Suns’ squad depth faces biggest test yet<\/p>\n Havana Harris has become central to Gold Coast’s rise, but her importance to the Suns makes the prospect of entering finals without her all the more concerning. The young gun could face Match Review scrutiny following a third-quarter tackle on Greater Western Sydney midfielder Alyce Parker. Gold Coast was already without Ava Usher through suspension, Daisy D’Arcy and Dekota Baron in concussion protocols and Clara Fitzpatrick with a foot injury, while Tara Harrington was omitted against the Giants. The Suns’ availability concerns deepened, with Rhianna Ingram and Meara Girvan finishing Sunday’s game<\/a> in concussion protocols. Any sanction for Harris would further test Gold Coast’s depth ahead of its first finals campaign since 2023. –\u00a0Emily Patterson<\/p>\n 6) Tough Hawks have tuned their finals brand\u00a0<\/p>\n From stoppage dominance and contested ball to relentless pressure and workrate, Hawthorn will enter the finals with a brand of footy that should stack up on the biggest stage. Saturday night’s win against West Coast<\/a>, which saw the Hawks kick their highest ever AFLW score, was eye-catching because of the team’s midfield dominance and ability to finish off in the front half, but coach Daniel Webster would have been just as pleased with his team’s tackling pressure (70-60) and particularly the forwards’ ability to lock the ball in attack with 13 tackles inside 50 to the Eagles’ three. After back-to-back straight-sets exits, the Hawks have blue collar assets they can lean on in this finals series as they look to avoid an early exit and secure their first ever AFLW finals win.\u00a0– Nathan Schmook \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n Hawthorn players celebrate a win over West Coast in round 12, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n 7) Demons can go deep, Crows not far off<\/p>\n Melbourne is well-placed to go deep into the finals, with Olivia Purcell and Paxy Paxman set to return against Geelong after the important pair were late withdrawals from the side that cruised past the Crows at Unley Oval<\/a>. Coach Tom Wilson admitted he faces a selection headache ahead of the qualifying final against the Cats. Adelaide finished outside the top eight with a 5-7 record, but there was plenty to like in Ryan Davis’ first season in charge. After an off-season of upheaval that included\u00a0the departure of premiership coach Matthew Clarke,\u00a0the retirement of Chelsea Randall and news\u00a0all-time leading goalkicker\u00a0Danielle Paredes (nee Ponter) was pregnant and would be unavailable\u00a0for the season, the Crows were inconsistent but played an attractive brand\u00a0at times\u00a0and were in most games. – Jason Phelan<\/p>\n Melbourne celebrates a goal during its clash against Adelaide in round 12, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n 8) Abbie McKay is a top-notch leader<\/p>\n With her team staring down the barrel of a final-round loss and its top-four chances evaporating at Brighton Homes Arena, Abbie McKay did what great leaders do \u2013 lifted. She had plenty of mates to help overturn a 22-point deficit (Erone Fitzpatrick had claims as best-on and younger sister Sophie iced the result with three second-half goals) against Brisbane<\/a>, but it was McKay’s grunt work that turned the tide that was streaming the other way. Carlton’s captain had 15 second-half disposals and led a midfield that had been smacked around the contest in the first two quarters. McKay is built for the tough stuff, which is perfect for November footy. – Michael Whiting<\/p>\n Abbie McKay in action during Carlton’s clash against Brisbane in round 12, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n 9) The Kangaroos’ options down back continue to grow<\/p>\n