2026 Pre-season betting markets*

* Not actual betting. If you're upset at not being able to punt on this please contact gambling assistance services in your state or territory.

First the indicative markets came in dedicated pre-season posts, until I didn't have enough time for them. Then they were stuffed at the end of the last pre-season match review, which I forgot to do this season. So, for the public record, here they are in all their 'plucked straight from the arse' glory. 

Allen Jakovich Medal for Player of the Year
In the main event, we say goodbye to the winners of six previous medals. This is good news for Nathan Jones, because once Oliver was paid to go away his record of five individuals wins is confirmed safe for many years to come. Unless Gawn keeps winning well into middle age, and we all hope he will. With star power going out the door at warp speed, this could be the first double digit odds winner since Oliver '17.

Previous winners:
2005 - Travis Johnstone
2006 - Brock McLean
2007 - Nathan Jones
2008 - Cameron Bruce
2009 - Aaron Davey ($8)
2010 - Brad Green ($4)
2011 - Brent Moloney ($9)
2012 - Nathan Jones (2) ($3.50)
2013 - Nathan Jones (3) ($2)
2014 - Nathan Jones (4) ($3.50)
2015 - Jack Viney ($15)
2016 - Nathan Jones (5) ($8)
2017 - Clayton Oliver ($35)
2018 - Clayton Oliver (2) ($3.25)
2019 - Max Gawn ($9)
2020 - Christian Petracca ($6)
2021 - Clayton Oliver (3) ($6)
2022 - Clayton Oliver (4) ($3)
2023 - Christian Petracca (2) ($3.50)
2025 - Max Gawn (2) ($8)

2026 market:
$4 - Kysaiah Pickett
$5 - Max Gawn
$8 - Jack Steele
$9 - Trent Rivers
$12 - Harvey Langford
$18 - Caleb Windsor
$20 - Ed Langdon, Christian Salem
$22 - Bayley Fritsch, Xavier Lindsay, Daniel Turner
$25 - Tom Sparrow
$30 - Jake Lever, Jacob van Rooyen
$35 - Kade Chandler, Harrison Petty, Changkuoth Jiath
$45 - Jack Viney
$50 - Blake Howes, Tom McDonald, Brody Mihocek
$65 - Koltyn Tholstrup
$70 - Jake Bowey, Latrelle Pickett
$75 - Jai Culley, Jake Melksham, Harry Sharp
$90 - Jed Adams, Max Heath, Bailey Laurie, Xavier Taylor
$120 - Matt Jefferson, Luker Kentfield
$200 - Paddy Cross, Aidan Johnson
$220 - Jack Henderson, Andy Moniz-Wakefield
$1000 - Shane McAdam (assuming he is ever coming back), Ricky Mentha, Kalani White
$1500 - Riley Onley
$4000 - Oscar Berry, Tom Campbell

Marcus Seecamp Medal for Defender of the Year
Most overall votes for a defender. Anyone who spends too much time midfield or forward will be disqualified at the discretion of the committee.

May departs tied with James Frawley with four wins, while defending champion Bowey will have to launch his campaign post-injury. I don't expect Rivers to qualify, hence his lower position here than the overall market. Caleb Windsor only listed because the website calls him a defender. Warning - contains the shame of dual favourites.

Previous winners:
2005 - Nathan Carroll and Ryan Ferguson
2006 - Jared Rivers
2007 - Paul Wheatley
2008 - Matthew Whelan
2009 - James Frawley ($22)
2010 - James Frawley (2) ($3.50)
2011 - James Frawley (3) ($4)
2012 - Jack Grimes ($7)
2013 - James Frawley (4) ($2.80)
2014 - Lynden Dunn ($25)
2015 - Tom McDonald ($14)
2016 - Neville Jetta ($13)
2017 - Michael Hibberd ($16)
2018 - Christian Salem ($20)
2019 - Christian Salem (2) ($4.75)
2020 - Steven May ($11)
2021 - Jake Lever ($8)
2022 - Steven May (2) ($7)
2023 - Steven May (3) ($4)
2024 - Steven May (4)
2025 - Jake Bowey ($15)

2026 market:
$10 - Christian Salem, Daniel Turner
$12 - Jake Lever, Harrison Petty
$15 - Blake Howes
$18 - Changkuoth Jiath
$25 - Tom McDonald, Trent Rivers
$40 - Jed Adams, Xavier Taylor
$70 - Andy Moniz-Wakefield
$80 - Caleb Windsor
$100 - Luker Kentfield
$500 - ANY OTHER PLAYER
$1000 - NO ELIGIBLE PLAYER
$2000 - Oscar Berry

Nathan Jones Rising Star Medal
Yes, that's right I've made a snap decision to name this award sensibly rather than for a zany comedy player. Otherwise, the rules stay the same - high scoring overall player who has played a maximum of four AFL games at the start of the season. Even though Scully was allowed to once again be seen with an S instead of a $ thanks to the post-premiership amnesty, he still carries the stain of being the only person ever to have one of these awards revoked. You'll also note I forgot to include Turner in the 2024 market and the Demonblog integrity department won't let me go back and pretend he was there.

Previous winners:
2005 - No players eligible.
2006 - Matthew Bate
2007 - Michael Newton
2008 - Cale Morton
2009 - Jack Grimes ($4)
2010 - Tom Scully ($5) (revoked in September 2011)
2011 - Jeremy Howe ($30)
2012 - Tom McDonald ($8)
2013 - Jack Viney ($5)
2014 - Jay Kennedy-Harris ($15)
2015 - Jesse Hogan ($4.50)
2016 - Jayden Hunt ($50) and Christian Petracca ($10)
2017 - Mitch Hannan ($15)
2018 - Bayley Fritsch ($4.50)
2019 - Marty Hore ($8)
2020 - Trent Rivers ($40)
2021 - James Jordon ($30)
2022 - Toby Bedford ($12)
2023 - Judd McVee ($20)
2024 - Daniel Turner (N/A) and Caleb Windsor ($6)
2025 - Harvey Langford ($5)

2026 market:
$10 - Latrelle Pickett
$12 - Xavier Taylor
$15 - Max Heath
$20 - Jed Adams
$30 - Thomas Matthews
$40 - Paddy Cross, Luker Kentfield
$50 - Ricky Mentha, Riley Onley, Kalani White
$100 - NO ELIGIBLE PLAYER
$750 - Oscar Berry

Jim Stynes Medal for Ruckman of the Year
Always the most pointless of awards, considering there's usually one person who qualifies. Maybe when Gawn retires we'll co-brand this category after him and wrap it up.

Previous winners:
2005 - Jeff White
2006 - Jeff White (2)
2007 - Jeff White (3)
2008 - Paul Johnson
2009 - Mark Jamar ($3)
2010 - Mark Jamar (2) ($1.50)
2011 - Stefan Martin ($30)
2012 - Stefan Martin (2) ($12)
2013 - Jack Fitzpatrick ($50) and Max Gawn ($45)
2014 - Mark Jamar (3) ($5)
2015 - Max Gawn (2) ($10)
2016 - Max Gawn (3) ($1.80)
2017 - Max Gawn (4) ($1.25)
2018 - Max Gawn (5) ($1.10)
2019 - Max Gawn (6) ($1.50)
2020 - Max Gawn (7) ($1.05)
2021 - Max Gawn (8) ($2)
2022 - Max Gawn (9) ($3)
2023 - Max Gawn (10) ($4)
2024 - Max Gawn (11)
2025 - Max Gawn (12)

2026 market:
$1.30 - Max Gawn
$10 - Max Heath
$50 - Tom McDonald, Jacob van Rooyen
$75 - ANY OTHER PLAYER
$125 - Kalani White
$150 - NO ELIGIBLE PLAYER
$200 - Tom Campbell
$300 - Oscar Berry