Former Adelaide, Gold Coast and Port Adelaide utility Rory Atkins joined as a development coach to work with former Casey Demons coach Taylor Whitford, who was appointed head of development.
Veteran coach Mark Williams departed, as did assistant coach Nathan Bassett, who returned to South Australia. Sam Radford joined West Coast to work in development.
Their new CEO, Paul Guerra, began in the job in September after being appointed earlier in the season, while Brad Green is preparing to hand over the presidency to Steven Smith, who was elected to the board at the end of last season.
Green took over as president in 2024 to see the club through a period of change before handing the baton on to Smith. He led a review into the football program following the 2024 season and the decision to end Goodwin’s time at the Demons.
Melbourne’s first-to-fourth-year players returned to training on Monday to prepare for 2026.
The club is continuing to work on a business case to build a training and administration centre at Caulfield Racecourse.
Crows and Blues to open Gather Round
Carlton will open Gather Round against Adelaide next year as the AFL resisted the temptation to kick off the annual festival of football with a grudge match.
It’s the second time the Blues have opened Gather Round against the Crows, having done so the first time the round was played in 2023. In that encounter, the Crows thrashed Carlton by 56 points after a blistering opening quarter.
The league could have opened with Izak Rankine playing against Collingwood for the first time since he was suspended for a homophobic slur when playing the Magpies last season, and missed the finals.
Instead, the Magpies will play against the Dockers on Friday night at Adelaide Oval in a blockbuster clash before Essendon play against Melbourne early on Saturday afternoon. It is the third time the Bombers and the Demons will have met during Gather Round.
Star Carlton midfielder Sam Walsh will be a key player for the Blues in Gather RoundCredit: Getty Images
Hawthorn will play the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, a clash between two of the most watchable teams in the competition.
In 2025, the AFL scheduled Hawthorn to play Port Adelaide in the final game of the South Australian round after the controversial end to their 2024 semi-final when Power coach Ken Hinkley sledged Hawks forward Jack Ginnivan on the ground after the siren.
However, this season Port Adelaide will face the Saints at Adelaide Oval in the final match of the round, which has become one of the most anticipated weekends of the year.
St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will be a focus of the build-up after he resisted a huge offer to play with Port Adelaide in 2026 and opted to stick with the Saints for two more seasons.
North Melbourne have been given the chance to take on the reigning premiers, the Brisbane Lions, in the Barossa Valley on the Saturday afternoon.
The Western Bulldogs have also announced they won’t play two games at Mars Stadium in Ballarat in 2026 while the venue is being redeveloped. They will play two games in Ballarat in both 2027 and 2028.
However, the region will host three AFL community series matches in the lead-up to next season, and an AFLW game in 2026.
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The Bulldogs played against Port Adelaide in round eight this year at Mars Stadium before the league decided to relocate the second match, which was against Adelaide, to Marvel Stadium in round 18 due to the reduced capacity and television spectacle.
In a statement, the club said their Ballarat members would receive complimentary access to two Western Bulldogs home matches they wish to attend at Marvel Stadium during the 2026 AFL season.
Full-season members who renew their membership before the end of the year will also receive access to the two relocated Marvel Stadium games, giving them entry to 11 home games for the price of nine in 2026.
