AFLW Power Rankings: Undefeated Kangaroos and Demons Set the Pace at the Halfway Mark

The 2026 AFLW season has hit its halfway mark, and the underlying metrics point to a competition in absolute overdrive. Attendance is tracking 43 per cent ahead of the same point last year, with 166,013 fans turning out across the opening five rounds. As AFL officials noted this week, "The growth we're seeing isn't limited to crowd numbers either – the game continues to evolve, with teams playing an attacking brand of football and the competition producing some of the highest-scoring football in AFLW history."[1]

But while the league as a whole is surging, the race for the premiership is already separating the genuine heavyweights from the pretenders. Two undefeated powerhouses are currently setting the pace, beginning with the back-to-back premier North Melbourne Kangaroos. Fifteen of the league's 18 captains backed the Kangaroos to make a fourth consecutive Grand Final before the season began, and their flawless start has justified every ounce of that hype.[1]

North Melbourne's depth will be tested in the coming weeks, however. Premiership defender Nicole Bresnehan is expected to miss four to five weeks after sustaining a calf strain during a weekend training session. Despite the loss, the Kangaroos remain the team to beat as they prepare to face Hawthorn at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns this Friday night.[3]

Matching them stride for stride are the undefeated Melbourne Demons. Their defensive structure has been nearly impenetrable, anchored by the breakout form of intercept defender Maeve Chaplin. Chaplin is averaging 17.5 disposals and 5.5 marks per game, operating with a 71.4 per cent disposal efficiency that allows Melbourne to control the tempo from the back half.[2]

The Demons' midfield, led by Tyla Hanks and captain Kate Hore, continues to overwhelm opposition engine rooms. Melbourne will look to extend their perfect record when they host Carlton at Casey Fields this Saturday. The Blues enter the clash bolstered by the return of former best and fairest winner Keeley Sherar from a shoulder injury, setting up a tantalizing midfield battle.[5]

Sitting just behind the undefeated leaders is a logjam of 3-2 contenders, led by the Fremantle Dockers. Currently seventh on the ladder, Fremantle is playing a brand of football that suggests a deep September run. Their structure is built around Mim Strom, who has cemented herself as the premier clearance ruck in the competition.[2]

Strom is currently averaging 18.8 hitouts and a remarkable 5.3 clearances per game—the most of any ruck in the league. Her ability to act as an extra midfielder has given the Dockers a distinct stoppage advantage as they prepare to host the Western Bulldogs at Cockburn ARC Oval.[2]

The Bulldogs, sitting in ninth place with their own 3-2 record, enter that clash with massive reinforcement and their season effectively on the line. Star midfielder Ellie Blackburn has been cleared to return from a hamstring injury that has sidelined her since Round 1. Her inclusion alongside Lou Stephenson gives the Bulldogs the firepower they desperately need for a high-stakes road trip to Perth.[4]

Further down the ladder, individual brilliance is keeping the middle of the table volatile. Port Adelaide boasts arguably the most dominant individual force in the league in Matilda Scholz. Scholz is putting together a historic season, leading the competition with 27.3 hitouts per game while also accumulating 19.8 disposals. Her sheer athleticism makes the Power a threat in any given week.[2]

Similarly, Gold Coast's Charlie Rowbottom has emerged as an unstoppable midfield bull. The 22-year-old posted a staggering 39 disposals, five clearances, and 421 metres gained in Round 3 against Geelong, dragging the Suns into the contest through sheer force of will. Meanwhile, teams like Essendon are pushing for consistency, naming extended squads to cover minor injuries as they prepare to host Gold Coast at Windy Hill.[2][6]

As the season turns toward the finals, the gap between the undefeated leaders and the chasing pack is clear, but the overall standard of play continues to rise. Analysts tracking the 2026 AFLW Draft class note that this year's crop is among the most difficult to rank due to the sheer volume of elite prospects, ensuring that the teams currently setting the pace will face even stiffer competition in the years to come.[7]