The season is starting to take shape.
Six rounds is a small sample size in the grander scheme of things, yet it’s big enough to start passing plausible judgements on teams.
No matter if you’re the high-flying Swans or the slow-starting Tigers, every AFL club has a noteworthy strength and weakness.
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Powered by Champion Data, Foxfooty.com.au assesses every club’s overarching strength and weakness after Round 6.
ADELAIDE CROWS
Strength: Defence
Stopping the opposition has been a strong point for the Crows for a while now, after Matthew Nicks’ side last year ranked second for points against and first for score-per-inside-50 against. This year to date, it ranks sixth for points against, sixth for score-per-inside-50 against and fifth for chain-to-score against. So, while not quite as prolific as last season, it’s still impressive considering Mark Keane’s been out of the side and a couple of others have had niggles. History tells us the eventual premier almost always ranks in the top six for defence.
Weakness: Ball movement
This isn’t a new issue for the Crows by any means, but it’ll only concern the club’s supporters more as the season goes on. Because right now, their ability to move the footy is at record bad levels: Adelaide’s current defensive-50-to-inside-50 rate, ranked 17th in the competition, is its worst on record after Round 6, per Champion Data.
BRISBANE LIONS
Strength: Clearance
Simply put, Brisbane is doing incredible things at stoppage to start the year. Its average per-game clearance differential of +11.3 isn’t only the best in the competition, but it’s the best-ever return after Round 6 since before Champion Data started recording. The Lions are led in that category by Lachie Neale, who averages a league-best 8.3 clearances per game, and Will Ashcroft, with 6.0 per game.
Weakness: Defence
Even in their flag year last season, the Lions weren’t spotless behind the ball, ranking sixth ‘without the footy’ — and their 78.4 average points conceded last year was the third-worst result of the past 14 premiers. And things have started in a similar way this year. Chris Fagan’s side is currently 10th for points against, ninth for score-per-inside-50 against, 10th for turnover-to-score against and a lowly 15th for defending turnover. Sitting at 3-3 after six games, it’s a watch.
CARLTON
Strength: Clearance reward
There mightn’t be a team in the competition with a more predictable method for victory than the Blues, who continue to rely on their stoppage game. They currently sit third in the competition for points from clearances. But when it’s not working from that source, it’s not as if Carlton turns to the turnover game — ranking dead-last to this point in the year for points from turnovers.
Weakness: Second halves
Carlton’s scoring drop-offs as games progress are just too glaring to ignore. In first quarters this year, Michael Voss’ men are a whopping +74 points. In second terms, they’re -10 for the year — not great, not disastrous. But after half-time, things have repeatedly hit the fan. The Blues are -68 in third quarters this year, before — wait for it — a staggering -121 in fourth quarters. It’s been one of the great mysteries of the season to date. Is it an inability to run out games? Does the game plan simply falter over 120 minutes once the opposition adjusts? Is the mental demon too much to bear? All of the above? It’s hard to truly know.
COLLINGWOOD
Strength: Defence
Not dissimilar to clubs like the Giants and Crows, the Pies have been considered a defensive stalwart for a few years now. Led by Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard, Isaac Quaynor and Jeremy Howe, there aren’t many more daunting backlines than Collingwood’s, which sits third for points against, fourth for score-per-inside-50 against and seventh for chain-to-score against. And that’s come almost completely without Moore to date.
Weakness: Punishment
Clearly, the attacking side of the equation has been nigh-on unsolvable for Craig McRae and his coaching team so far. Whether it’s method, personnel or a combination of both, Collingwood currently sits 17th for clearance-to-score, 18th for half-back-to-score and dead-last also for score-per-inside-50.
ESSENDON
Strength: Uncontested and turnover improvements
The Bombers have undeniably seen some silver linings in the past two and a half games. In particular, they’ve been able to play more of their uncontested game. The Dons were -251 for uncontested marks over the first 14 quarters of their season, but have gone +81 in the metric in their past 10 quarters. And over the same two periods of time, Essendon has improved its points-from-turnover differential from -127 to start the year to +37 across the past 10 quarters. Overall, they’ve won seven of their past 10 quarters after managing to win just two of their first 14.
Weakness: Defending transition
But if there’s one thing that seems to have stayed the same under Brad Scott’s leadership, it’s the Bombers’ inability to defend the opposition’s transition. They currently sit dead-last for defending ball movement, and dead-last for defensive-50-to-score against.
FREMANTLE
Strength: Attack
Who said the Dockers weren’t exciting? Because Justin Longmuir’s side is thriving with the footy, ranking third for intercept-to-score, fourth for half-back-to-score and second for score-per-inside-50. They know exactly what they’re doing when they turn the ball over, and the personnel forward of the footy is getting it done for them once they surge forward. Through six rounds, the Dockers are converting 24 per cent of intercepts into a score — their best start to a season since 2010, per Champion Data. Another one? They’re scoring from 51 per cent of their inside-50 entries, which is their best start since 2016. Jye Amiss has taken a step early in the campaign alongside Josh Treacy.
Weakness: Clearance conversion
With Caleb Serong and Andy Brayshaw at the forefront, Fremantle has been considered a clearance juggernaut for some time now. And while it sits second in the competition for clearance differential thus far, its clearance-to-score rate ranks 14th. Something within the forward connection piece needs work.
GEELONG
Strength: Territory return
Geelong has quickly announced itself as the league’s pre-eminent territory side, ranking first in the competition for inside-50 differential. And not just that, it’s cashing in on that dominance, too, sitting first in the AFL for both forward-half intercepts and points from forward-half intercepts. But nobody is really that surprised that a Chris Scott-led side structures itself well all around the ground.
Weakness: Forward efficiency
Evidently, the Cats aren’t having any worries keeping the footy in their forward half. However, where there is room for improvement is conversion. Through six matches, Geelong sits just 13th for score-per-inside-50, with a shot-at-goal accuracy rate that ranks a lowly 16th. It’s a hard one to comprehend, given some of the names roaming that area of the ground.
GOLD COAST SUNS
Strength: Forward-half game
Playing the game in the forward half — I challenge you to find a footy philosophy more akin to Damien Hardwick-led teams. His Suns currently rank first in the competition for time in forward half, forward-half intercepts and points from forward-half intercepts.
Weakness: Midfield conversion
It’s been talked about to some degree now — most notably by Hardwick himself following Gold Coast’s loss to Melbourne — but this midfield group has struggled thus far in the campaign. The Suns rank fourth for hitout win rate — so they’re getting taps — but they sit 15th (!) for first-possession rate. It’s quite an astounding disparity. Concerningly, the Suns also sit 16th for clearance differential.
GWS GIANTS
Strength: Defence
Even without superstar stopper Sam Taylor at their disposal, the Giants have still been one of the best defensive outfits this season to date, ranking fourth for chain-to-score against, half-back-to-score against, and score-per-inside-50 against. It speaks to an unwavering structure and defensive discipline under Adam Kingsley.
Weakness: Forward efficiency
While we’ve seen snippets of the Orange Tsunami in full flight this year, what we haven’t seen is a consistent ability of the Giants to convert their opportunities in front of goal. They rank 16th for score-per-inside-50 and 14th for shot-at-goal accuracy.
HAWTHORN
Strength: Attack
After defensive-half ball movement was a question mark for the Hawks last year, they’ve turned into the second-best side for half-back-to-score rate. Sam Mitchell’s mob also currently ranks first for intercept-to-score and first for score-per-inside-50. Early evidence suggests the Hawks are looking to go direct to goal once they gain possession, while their inside-50s entries are typically classy — rarely any long bombs inside if they can help it.
Weakness: D50 groundball
There’s just a watch on Hawthorn’s ground-level work in the back half. There’s no questioning the Hawks’ aerial work in defence, led by Tom Barrass, James Sicily and Josh Battle, but they currently rank a surprising 16th for defensive-50 groundballs.
MELBOURNE
Strength: Transition
The Steven King-led Demons have been all the rage over the season’s first six weeks, with their fast, free-flowing brand of play proving conducive to early wins over tough opponents. They’ve passed the eye test, and the numbers back it up: they’ve been the third-best side at moving the footy, behind only the Suns and Giants. Melbourne has generated an inside-50 from 26 per cent of its defensive-50 chains, which, according to Champion Data’s archives, is its third-best return after Round 6 across the past 10 years.
Weakness: Defence
Melbourne certainly isn’t the same impenetrable defensive juggernaut it was a few years ago. And while King’s fast-movers are getting down at one end of the ground, they’re just as easily getting scored against. The Demons rank a lowly 16th for defending ball movement, 16th for score-per-inside-50 against and 13th for turnover-to-score against.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Strength: Stoppage work and reward
Not dissimilar to the Blues, the Roos love building their game on contest, and converting from their stoppage work has been a strength to start the season, ranking first for points from clearances. Not just that, but North Melbourne’s current scores-from-stoppage mark of 43.7 points per game is its best on record after Round 6, per Champion Data. It just tops the 42.3 points it was averaging from that source after Round 6, 2013. The Roos also rank third for clearances and second for
Weakness: Mettle test
Nothing overly glaring has stood out from a negative aspect, but the Roos are set to be tested big-time across this next block of games. The Roos had the second-easiest fixture across the first six weeks, and they’re about to be confronted by the second-hardest slate in the next six. That next six: GWS in Canberra, Geelong at Kardinia Park, Sydney, Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, Gold Coast and Fremantle in Bunbury (a home game they sold). We’re quickly going to find out a lot about North Melbourne.
PORT ADELAIDE
Strength: Turnover punishment
Say what you will about this iteration of Port Adelaide under first-year coach Josh Carr, but the long-time assistant has got his mob playing a modern brand of footy. Punishing the opposition’s mistakes and defending transition are crucial in today’s AFL, and the Power currently rank fifth for points from turnover and fourth for points from turnover against. Port Adelaide is currently scoring from 23 per cent of its intercepts, which, according to Champion Data, is its best start to a season since 2017. Granted, they’ve had one of the easiest starts to the season in terms of their fixture, but the profile gives cause for some long-term hope.
Weakness: Defensive profile
Port Adelaide has been a tough territory team to play against this year, conceding a league-best average of 46.2 inside-50s. However, if you can get it inside 50 against Carr’s side, you’ll like your chances, as it ranks 14th for score-per-inside-50 against.
RICHMOND
Strength: Defending back-half chains
Very little has gone right for Richmond to start the season, but in a silver lining, the club has made a couple of sizeable improvements in defending ball movement. The Tigers have gone from 17th last year to eighth for defensive-50-to-inside-50 against, and 15th to fifth for points against from defensive 50. It suggests that at least structurally, they’re doing something right in how they’re setting up their full-ground defence.
Weakness: Attack
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more boring attacking unit than Richmond at the moment. There’s very little imagination or creativity when Adem Yze’s side looks to transition the footy, and that’s reflected in the statistics. Through six rounds, the Tigers sit dead-last for chain-to-score, score-per-inside-50 and defensive-50-to-inside-50.
ST KILDA
Strength: Stoppage game
The Saints sit just within the top half of the league for clearance differential, but more promising than that is the fact that they’re converting those clearances into scores at the fifth-best rate through six rounds. Whether it’s structure or the way the smalls are getting to work at ground level — or both — Ross Lyon’s men are finding a way to convert at a top-six rate despite the continued absence of their spearhead Max King.
Weakness: Punishment
St Kilda’s concern is quite clearly their current inability to punish the opposition. It has actually dropped from ninth last year to 16th thus far in 2026 for intercept-to-score rate. Lyon’s brigade also presently sits 14th for ball movement, indicating an inability to hurt the opposition once it’s in their possession.
SYDNEY SWANS
Strength: Defence
The Swans’ backline is performing at a historically-good level. And the rest of the competition should be taking serious notice. Their 66.2 average points allowed is the club’s second-best result on record after Round 6, while their turnover-to-score against rate of 17 per cent is their fourth-best result on record. Tom McCartin and Nick Blakey have led from the front, while veteran Dane Rampe has played at a high level.
Weakness: Ground-level hunt
There aren’t many things to nitpick with Dean Cox’s premiership-contending side, but if there’s one thing to put a question mark on, it’s their groundball game. The Swans have won the groundball battle just once this season thus far, and their -20 result in the metric against the Giants last Friday was their third-worst result under Cox’s guidance.
WEST COAST EAGLES
Strength: Ground-level hunt
West Coast has had some highs and lows to start the season, but one thing Andrew McQualter can hang his hat on is his side’s groundball game, ranking fourth in the competition in the metric, behind only Brisbane, GWS and Fremantle. As a matter of fact, this has been the Eagles’ second-best groundball return after Round 6 over the past 15 years, per Champion Data’s archives.
Weakness: Defence
Granted, the Eagles have come up against strong flag aspirants in Gold Coast, Sydney, Geelong and Fremantle among their first six, but 116 average points against is their worst result after the opening six rounds since 1989. West Coast is also getting ripped apart in transition once it turns the ball over — 69 average points against from turnovers is the club’s worst output since 2010.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Strength: Transition
The Dogs have been a threatening force attacking from their back half. They’re averaging 39.0 points from their defensive half, which not only ranks fourth in the competition thus far, but it’s the club’s best start to a season in the metric since 2011, according to Champion Data. All-Australian Bailey Dale leads all Bulldogs with 4.8 rebound-50s per game.
Weakness: Defence
It’s a familiar story for the Bulldogs from a back-half perspective, as despite a promising start to the year in terms of tactical adjustments made by Luke Beveridge, we’re still seeing poor results in key metrics. They’re conceding the 10th-most inside-50s, and they’re allowing the opposition to score from those entries at the sixth-worst rate in the league. They also sit 17th for defensive-50 contested possessions after ranking dead-last in the metric last year.