The Herald Sun published a club-by-club breakdown on Thursday examining how each AFL team's strongest 23 is coming together, headlined around the "selection headaches" facing coaches.
According to the Herald Sun, the piece covers every club and frames the exercise around the difficult calls selectors must make when settling on their preferred lineup.
The report was published on the evening of 15 October 2026, placing it in the off-season period when list decisions and projected best teams draw close attention from supporters.
The Herald Sun's summary indicates the focus is on the composition of each club's best 23 rather than on any single team, suggesting a comparative format that works through the league club by club. The framing of "selection headaches" points to positions where competition for places is tightest, though the summary does not identify which clubs or players are involved.
No full article text was available beyond the headline and summary, so the specific players, positions and clubs discussed have not been detailed here.
Coverage of this kind typically feeds into wider debate among fans about which players are locked into a starting side and which are fighting for a spot. The Herald Sun has not indicated whether follow-up pieces are planned.
What to watch next: whether clubs or coaches respond publicly to the projected lineups, and whether the Herald Sun publishes further analysis as the season approaches.
