AFLW 2026 preseason matches

In late July 2026 all 18 AFLW clubs staged practice matches across Australia as a lead‑up to the new season. The early reports highlighted standout individual displays – Taylor Smith for Sydney, Ruby Schleicher’s two‑goal effort for West Coast and Ella Roberts’ 32 disposals for Collingwood – while also noting serious injuries, such as Grace Beasley’s ACL rupture that will sideline her for the entire season and Maeve Chaplin’s foot fracture.

A few days later the focus shifted to further on‑field performances and their impact on fantasy leagues. Players such as Sabrina Frederick, Amber Ward and Isobel Kuiper delivered strong numbers in state‑level games, and emerging prospects like Mizuki Brothwell and Cassie McWilliam drew attention. Fantasy rankings responded, with Charlotte Thomas moving up the inside‑midfielder tier and Zoe Wakfer gaining recognition as a back‑line defender. The preseason narrative thus moved from injury concerns to assessing player form and fantasy value ahead of the 2026 AFLW season.