Mick McGuane: Off-season recruits rated for every club, boom pick ups and players on notice

Some have started 2026 in fine form for their new clubs, but others are struggling.

Which club has made the most of their fresh faces?

Here’s Mick McGuane’s early verdict on the recruits at every club.

It hasn’t been the start to the year that Ah Chee would have liked. A two-time Brisbane Lions premiership player who kicked a combined 51 goals across his 2024 and 2025 campaigns, he had a small hamstring issue in the State of Origin game in February and then suffered a high-grade hamstring strain during his second game in Crows colours and will be sidelined for at least another month. Adelaide can only hope Ah Chee will get back to his best in the second half of the year, because the Crows need more firepower in the front half.

Maley has still only played nine AFL games, but his first two matches for Adelaide over the past fortnight have been promising. Coach Matthew Nicks likes to play three tall forwards and if Taylor Walker is managed or Darcy Fogarty or Riley Thilthorpe are injured, Maley is capable of stepping in. He approaches the contest with conviction in the air and can provide back-up in the ruck if required.

A large chunk of the footy world had forgotten about the talent that Allen possesses. The past two weeks, a rejuvenated Allen has given us a firm reminder. This is a key forward who kicked 53 goals in 2023, for a West Coast team which won only three games. Injuries cut him down the past two years, but he has kicked five goals and taken six forward-50 marks in the past two weeks. The more he plays alongside his new teammates – including fellow key forward Logan Morris – and understands their leading patterns, the better he will become.

He could be the next Joe Daniher – another former injury-prone key forward who got his body right at Brisbane and played a key role in a premiership. Draper missed opening round with a foot injury but has fit hand in glove into the Lions’ line-up over the past three games. On the back of Oscar McInerney’s retirement, Brisbane needed a new partner for Darcy Fort and found one. Draper’s game against Collingwood last week was particularly impressive and was a performance he should look to springboard off.

We’re only a month in, but it’s hard to give a tick to any of the Blues’ recruits so far. I had high hopes for Hayward and Ainsworth in particular coming into the season, but neither has had the early impact that coach Michael Voss would have liked. I was always a fan of Hayward at Sydney and he was a logical recruit on the back of Charlie Curnow’s departure. But he has managed only two goals from four games and has now got himself suspended on the back of a poor, ill-disciplined decision. Ainsworth works hard up the ground but has only kicked three goals in a forward line that’s desperate for goal kickers.

At the other end of the ground, Florent is finding a bit of the footy and has been Carlton’s highest rebounder from defensive 50. However, along with fellow rebounder Oliver Hollands, his ball use has been questionable in high pressure situations and there have been some significant clangers. Chesser’s kicking efficiency has also been a problem and he had minimal impact at VFL level after being dropped last week. Derksen is a great story of resilience and can be a handy swingman, while Reidy is going to be a back-up ruck option in time but looked off the pace in his one AFL appearance in opening round.

The recruitment of Buller made sense for the Magpies, with Brody Mihocek departing for Melbourne, Tim Membrey at a juncture in his career and Dan McStay having injury issues. Buller had shown a bit in 10 games with Sydney, as a 199cm forward with a completive nature. But he isn’t the No. 1 man yet and looked all at sea in his first two games this season before being dropped. He is a player with some upside, though, and four goals at VFL level last week was a step in the right direction.

This former Suns midfielder is what the Bombers need, as an on-field organiser and voice of reason when things go astray. Being included in Essendon’s leadership group in his first season at the club highlighted the immediate impression he made in that area. However, lower back pain after just his second game in new colours was untimely and a return date is unclear. Fiorini has been a durable player in the past, having previously not missed a game through injury since 2019.

Former Demon McVee has been more than handy for the Dockers as a lockdown defender being played on some of the opposition’s most dangerous smalls. He has spent time on Shaun Mannagh, Latrelle Pickett and Izak Rankine across his first four games in purple, keeping each of those players goalless during his time opposed to them. McVee also has a good balance in his game of when to defend and when to attack and has been providing some rebound out of the back half for the Dockers. Cox was recruited as a back-up ruck-forward, but there’s not a spot for him at the moment with the Dockers at full-strength in those areas.

Signed on a four-year deal as a free agent, Worpel has spent the past two weeks at VFL level since featuring in an opening round loss to Gold Coast. That’s not where you want to be as a 27-year-old who won Hawthorn’s best-and-fairest award in 2019. The Cats are evolving their midfield with more running power. As much as Worpel can win the ball in tight and brings strong defensive intent, his transition running ability is questionable and he is very limited in the roles he can play if he’s not onball. So, Worpel clearly has some work to do.

He missed the Suns’ last game with a hamstring, but Petracca’s impact across the first three matches for his new club was off the charts. The former Demon’s opening round performance against Geelong was the highest-rated game of his career as he racked up 34 disposals and three goals. He then backed it up against West Coast the following week with 23 disposals and four goals. Petracca provides the centre-forward, Dustin Martin-type player that coach Damien Hardwick likes to have at his disposal and he could prove to be the icing on the cake in Gold Coast’s premiership push this year.

He brings power, strength and leadership in spades, while he also looks to have improved his kicking after a big summer on the training track. Ugle-Hagan is coming from a long way back after not playing any footy in 2025. It was a gutsy call by the Suns to recruit him and they will give him every chance to succeed, but he needs to put in the hard yards if he doesn’t want to become a wasted talent. A knee issue last month after his first VFL game back was an unfortunate setback.

The Giants were excited to see what the combination of Clayton Oliver and Tom Green looked like this year. But Green’s savage ACL injury during pre-season denied that opportunity, leaving Oliver to carry a heavy load. The former Demon has stepped up, though, averaging 30.5 disposals and seven clearances across his first four games. While he might not have the burst speed of some other midfielders, he certainly knows how to win his own ball and I hate to think where the struggling Giants would be without him given their injury issues. Laverde has also provided terrific cover down back in the absence of fellow injured star Sam Taylor. While Laverde is undersized and can frustrate at times with his defensive decisions and ball use, you can always rely on him to give his all and willingness to compete.

A 24-game North Melbourne player, Perez spent the past two years in the SANFL before earning another AFL opportunity as an SSP signing. He played his first game for the Hawks on Easter Monday – arguably the best match of the season – and showed he has enough to work with. While it will take some time for him to get used to the speed of AFL football again, Perez is a beautiful kick and tackles with great intent. It’s a credit to him that he has persevered to get back into the AFL system.

Leaders like Steele don’t fall out of trees. Don’t forget that this guy was a St Kilda captain – who can play. Steele showed against Gold Coast last week that he can be coach Steven King’s go-to stopper through the midfield. He clamped down on Matt Rowell, while also finding a way to impact himself. It was the fourth-highest rated game of his career as he gathered 26 disposals (18 contested), 11 clearances and eight tackles. He is a midfield constant who has complemented speedy teammates like Caleb Windsor and Kysaiah Pickett perfectly.

According to Champion Data, Steele’s AFL rating at the Saints last year was 289. This year he sits at No. 13. Mihocek has also had a positive impact for the team and on the players around him in attack. He works hard up to the wing to connect the lines and draws a crowd when inside 50, where he is rarely out-marked. Seven goals across Mihocek’s first four games has been a respectable return. Jiath aligns with the way the Demons want to play with risk and rebound from the back half, but his ball security can be a problem at times. Heath has been putting in some good performances in the VFL but isn’t replacing star veteran Max Gawn in the No. 1 ruck role anytime soon.

A premiership player with Melbourne in 2021, Spargo’s start to 2026 was delayed by a concussion in pre-season and he has spent the past two weeks at VFL level since returning to the field. A creative and talented player, he’s got a quick mind. But does he have the legs to carry him? With Zane Duursma and Cooper Trembath starting the season strongly and draftee Lachy Dovaston being exposed to AFL level early, there aren’t many spots up for grabs in the Kangaroos’ forward line right now.

Port had lost some talent in front of the ball over the past few years, but Durdin has added something. He is not going to be Eddie Betts, but he can provide good front-half pressure and has booted seven goals across his first four games – which would have him sitting equal-first on the goalkicking leaderboard at his former club Carlton. Wehr has also featured in the Power’s first four games and has been serviceable. He finds the footy in space and is generally a good decision maker and ball user going forward, who can also hit the scoreboard himself. Brodie was traded to his third club in exchange for pick 103 last October. He can find the footy but was dropped after winning 18 disposals against West Coast in round 3 and is some way down the order in terms of midfield options for coach Josh Carr.

The Tigers have already used 32 players and have been decimated by injury. Retschko has been available but hasn’t got a game, which shows where he’s at. Richmond is missing a quality outside ball user at the moment, and while Retschko is an outside midfielder his ball use has been a worry. He has recorded an average kicking efficiency of 41 per cent across three VFL games this year.

It’s not De Koning’s fault that he received a mammoth contract offer, but fans will be asking him to do more because of it. De Koning has been solid without being sensational across his first four games in new colours, featuring at the Saints’ primary ruckman. What I would like to see is him have a greater scoreboard impact. The former Blue has been goalless so far this season, but he has shown in the past that he is capable of sliding forward and taking a mark. Given the athleticism he possesses, De Koning needs to dictate more to his opponent in the ruck, like Tim English does for the Western Bulldogs.

Flanders has been playing roles in defence and through the midfield and is a player who finds the ball at will, but I’d also like to see him have more scoreboard impact centre-forward rather than winning possession in low impact areas. Ryan brings excitement and energy with his offence and defence, from chase-down tackles to high-flying marks. Six goals from his first four games has been a reasonable return. Silvagni has plugged a hole down back and is defending with strong intent, but needs to come back at the opposition with more speed when he does win an intercept.

He hasn’t quite hit career-best form, but Curnow is well on his way to delivering on his promise of being a boom recruit. He has kicked nine goals from his first four games, often being the beneficiary of the Swans’ desire to move the ball at speed into an open front half. Curnow brings real enthusiasm, kicks goals that matter and is starting to understand that his team will prosper if he and fellow key forwards Joel Amartey and Logan McDonald can work selflessly together.

The former Blues star has got caught in the trap of engaging in wrestling contests with opponents at times, but is at his best when he gets separation leading at the leg of the kicker. Rosas also suits the way the Swans want to play with his electrifying speed in the front half and has kicked three goals across his first three games as well as registering three goal assists. Serong has been a surprise packet of sorts, playing a significant role on a wing and across halfback. He is averaging 20.5 disposals and gets back strongly to support the defence when playing on a wing. Some people at Hawthorn thought Serong was stiff not to get a consistent game last year, but he has fit into the Swans set-up beautifully.

Starcevich was the Eagles’ headline recruit of the off-season, but is yet to play a game. He had a known history of concussion issues, but a significant setback with a calf injury is set to sideline the two-time Brisbane Lions premiership player for at least another five weeks. He will certainly help strengthen West Coast’s defence when he gets himself fit, though. Young has performed as expected as a no-frills defender who is part of an evolving backline group, while Robertson is a no-fuss midfielder who provides the team with balance given his defensive intent and ability to clamp down on an opponent. Macrae is a ball-hunter but if he can’t get a game in an Eagles midfield which has been missing Elijah Hewett then he’s in trouble. Schoenberg has played two games for his new club, but got a footy audit against Sydney last week as he failed to keep up with the speed of the game.

He doesn’t quite come into the category of ‘Boom Recruit’, but I’m a big fan of what Budarick is doing at the Western Bulldogs. He provides great kicking skills out of the back half to kickstart his side’s counter-attack. Opposition sides are increasingly attempting to limit the impact of fellow rebounder Bailey Dale, but in Budarick the Bulldogs have a second weapon in the back half who makes good decisions, can break the lines and complements the way the side wants to play with back-to-front ball movement at speed. Budarick has averaged 23 disposals from his first four games and has been the Bulldogs’ fourth-highest metres gained player.