As the Australian Football League home-and-away season nears its finish, clubs occupying the lower half of the ladder are formulating their rebuilding plans for the upcoming year, according to football analysts on Code Sports’ digital segment ‘Tackle The Headline’. Featuring insights from sports journalists Lauren Wood, Jon Ralph, and Glenn McFarlane, experts broke down the specific roster adjustments, leadership demands, and cultural shifts required for the bottom 10 teams heading into the next premiership campaign.
Essendon Bombers: Fixing the Locker Room Culture
Essendon holds the first overall pick in the national draft, but Jon Ralph argues that player acquisitions alone will not fix the club until internal leadership standards improve. According to Ralph, the team suffers from a weak set of standards where players selectively choose brief patches of matches to compete before fading. Ralph stated that until the middle core of leadership beneath Andy McGrath decides “enough is enough” and takes a stand, the club cannot progress, regardless of coaching or talent additions.
Richmond Tigers: Resetting Through Physical Preparation
Richmond endured an injury-ravaged season that delayed its list rebuild by twelve months, according to Glenn McFarlane. The Tigers require a clean bill of health for key youngsters like Sam Lalor and Josh Smillie next season. Jon Ralph suggested that Richmond should heavily invest in its high-performance management, noting that physical preparation is just as critical as tactical planning following three difficult years.
West Coast Eagles: Overcoming Post-Premiership Malaise
West Coast has shown on-field progress, but Jon Ralph warns that the club remains infected by a post-2018 premiership malaise and an acceptance of losses. Ralph noted that despite coach Andrew McQualter’s hard work, the team missed a winnable opportunity against Collingwood. The Eagles need to introduce ruthless standards alongside their developing youth.
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Port Adelaide Power: Securing Key Signatures Beyond Departures
Port Adelaide prepares for the expected departure of Zak Butters, shifting its priority toward locking down forward Mitch Georgiades, according to Lauren Wood and Glenn McFarlane. McFarlane emphasized that Georgiades represents a pillar for the club’s forward line, while Jason Horne-Fancis will face increased pressure under a healthy list following Butters’ exit.
Gold Coast Suns: Eliminating Rhetoric After a Difficult Season
Following a ten-match losing streak, Gold Coast must eliminate internal rhetoric and focus purely on winning habits after what Jon Ralph labels a “disgusting season.” Ralph stated that senior players and coach Damien Hardwick need to accept scrutiny honestly and return to basic football performance rather than relying on talk.
North Melbourne Kangaroos: Acquiring Defensive Assets and Match Belief
North Melbourne requires a key defender to anchor its backline, alongside a sustained sense of belief after narrow matches against Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs, according to Glenn McFarlane. McFarlane noted that the Roos must find a player capable of filling a role similar to Jacob Weitering to help them convert close games into regular wins.
GWS Giants: Sweeping Out Older Names for Youth
Jon Ralph suggests the GWS Giants should use a tactical broom to move past older players who will not feature in the club’s next premiership tilt. Following Max Gruzewski’s two-year contract extension, Ralph indicated that veterans like Toby Greene, Jesse Hogan, and Jake Stringer could make way as the club fully backs its emerging youngsters.
St Kilda Saints: Managing Max King and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
St Kilda faces significant list pressures regarding forward Max King’s health and an impending contract conversation with Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. Glenn McFarlane noted that Wanganeen-Milera’s contract status will immediately generate intense salary-cap scrutiny for the Saints as the early rounds of next season unfold.
Carlton Blues: Strengthening Defenses and Game Plans
Carlton enters the offseason with positive short-term prospects, featuring the recruitment of Cody Walker, the defensive return of O’Farrell, a healthy Jacob Weitering, and assistant Josh Fraser adding depth to the team’s tactical game plan, according to Jon Ralph.
Western Bulldogs: Targeting Support for the Midfield
The Western Bulldogs hold interest in Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters—who maintains close ties with Marcus Bontempelli—while simultaneously hunting for a key defender to support an already strong midfield group, according to Glenn McFarlane.
Track club injury lists and high-performance staff movements during the AFL offseason to gauge which rebuilding teams are successfully addressing their physical preparation gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main priorities for Essendon in the upcoming season?
According to Jon Ralph, Essendon needs to build a stronger locker room culture and establish higher leadership standards among its player core rather than relying solely on talent acquisition.
Who are Port Adelaide’s primary retention targets?
Port Adelaide is prioritizing the signature of forward Mitch Georgiades as a cornerstone for its future forward line following the expected departure of Zak Butters, according to Glenn McFarlane.
What positional needs do North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs share?
Both clubs have identified a pressing need to recruit key defensive personnel to shore up their backlines and support their existing lists, according to Glenn McFarlane.
What changes do you think your club needs to make to climb the ladder next year? Share your thoughts in the comments below, explore our latest AFL analysis articles, or subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates.