AAMI Community Series Wash-Up: SuperCoach 2026 Winners & Losers

We watched all nine AAMI Community Series matches. Every quarter. Every sub. Every ruck contest under the new rules.

Here's the short version: three ceilings went up, two players got hurt at the worst possible time, and one positional loophole might win you the league.

You've read our individual match reviews. This is the synthesis — the five biggest takeaways that should be shaping your Round 1 squad right now, plus the definitive Winners and Losers list.

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Five SuperCoach Takeaways From the 2026 Pre-Season

1. The New Ruck Rules Changed Everything

The headline from the entire AAMI Series wasn't a player — it was a rule change. The new ruck contest rules favour athletic, leaping ruckmen over traditional tap merchants, and the scoring implications are enormous.

Brodie Grundy put up 33 hitouts against GWS. Tim English produced 23 disposals, 6 marks, and 2 goals against the reigning premiers — output that looks more like a midfielder than a big man. The rules reward rucks who can leap and present in general play, and both Grundy and English are built exactly for this.

What does this mean for your team? Ruck scoring ceilings just went up. If you're choosing between spending $600k on a premium ruck and spreading cash elsewhere, the AAMI data says spend the money. The top rucks will outscore their historical averages under these rules.

And then there's Lachie Blakiston — but we'll get to him.

2. Role Changes Created Mispriced Value

Every pre-season produces role changes. This one produced profitable ones.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera moved from half-back to genuine midfield at St Kilda and immediately produced 4 goals, 28 disposals, and 805m gained for 120 Fantasy points. That's not a half-back having a good day — that's a midfielder in a new role popping immediately. At $1,163,000 he's premium-priced, but a midfield role lifts his ceiling from 95 to 110+. If you're building a DEF-heavy structure, NWM is the anchor.

Sam Flanders earned midfield CBA time alongside NWM and Phillipou at St Kilda. At $397k as a DEF/FWD with only a 72 average from his forward role, a confirmed midfield switch projects him to 90+. The 64% ownership figure tells you the market already agrees.

Kysaiah Pickett pushed inside at Melbourne, and at $399k for a 91.5 average, the increased midfield time only adds upside.

The common thread? All three are priced on their old role. You're buying them at a role they no longer play.

3. North Melbourne Is a Cash Cow Factory

If you're not loading up on North Melbourne rookies, you're overthinking it.

Lachy Dovaston kicked three goals including the winner in a one-point comeback against Collingwood. At $290k as a FWD, he's a near-certain Round 1 debutant drawing Nick Watson comparisons. Cooper Trembath came on at half-time and kicked two goals to spark the comeback — at $167k with a 71.7 average from 6 AFL games, his price is absurd. Tom Blamires was only signed to the list that week and produced 24 disposals and 92 Fantasy points off half-back.

Three rookies. Three price points. All from one club that's rebuilding and will give them games. The AAMI match confirmed what we'd already suspected — North's list rebuild is your SuperCoach gain.

For the full rookie landscape, check our Rookie Power Rankings and 10 Players to Back Before Round 1.

4. The DEF-Priced Ruck Loophole Is Real

Lachie Blakiston scored 86 Fantasy points as Essendon's primary ruck. At $399,000. As a DEF.

Read that again. A DEF-priced ruckman producing ruck-level scoring is the kind of positional exploit that wins leagues. He scored 41 points at quarter-time alone against St Kilda, went toe-to-toe with Tom De Koning in the ruck contest, and looked like he belonged.

The structural advantage is simple: ruck scoring in a DEF spot. Nobody else in your league's competition has access to that output at that position. If Blakiston is named for Round 1 as the primary ruck — and this game says he will be — he's the single most format-breaking selection in SuperCoach 2026.

5. Injury Timing Will Shape Round 1 Ownership

The AAMI Series gave us clarity on fitness — some of it good, some devastating.

Sam Walsh collected 29 disposals and absorbed an early knock, calming fitness concerns and firming his status as a buy. Christian Petracca looked explosive at Gold Coast with 24 disposals and 9 clearances, answering questions about his post-move output.

But not everyone got through unscathed. Riley Sanders failed a HIA against Hawthorn after 26 excellent disposals and will miss the start of the season. Sam Darcy was a notable absence with back/hip/groin issues and is in genuine doubt for Round 1. At Collingwood, both Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe have calf issues and are unlikely for Opening Round.

The implication? Check your team for exposure to these names before the March 20 lockout. One injury flag you ignore now is a trade you waste in Round 2.

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The Winners

Players whose SuperCoach value increased during the AAMI Community Series.

| Player | Club | Why They Won | The Signal | |--------|------|-------------|------------| | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera | St Kilda | Midfield role confirmed | 4 goals, 28d, 805m, 120 pts | | Zak Butters | Port Adelaide | Contract year monster | 152 pts in 67% TOG | | Tim English | Bulldogs | New ruck rules suit him perfectly | 23d, 6m, 2g — played like a mid | | Lachie Blakiston | Essendon | DEF-priced ruck loophole | 86 pts as primary ruck | | Brodie Grundy | Sydney | 33 hitouts under new rules | Top-3 RUC lock | | Lachy Dovaston | North Melb | Near-certain Round 1 debut | 3 goals, winning goal, $290k FWD | | Sam Walsh | Carlton | Fitness cleared | 29d including early knock absorbed | | Christian Petracca | Gold Coast | Explosive in new colours | 24d, 9 clearances | | Jagga Smith | Carlton | ACL comeback was seamless | 37d, 1g on return | | Sam Flanders | St Kilda | Midfield role confirmed | CBA time with NWM and Phillipou | | Josh Lindsay | West Coast | Polished debut candidate | 22d, 76 pts off half-back, $278k DEF | | Cooper Trembath | North Melb | Changed the game at half-time | 2 goals to spark comeback, $167k |

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The Losers

Players whose SuperCoach value decreased or whose availability came into question.

| Player | Club | Why They Lost | The Concern | |--------|------|--------------|-------------| | Riley Sanders | Bulldogs | Concussion | Will miss start of season — was averaging 26d | | Sam Darcy | Bulldogs | Back/hip/groin | R1 doubt — impacts Dogs' structure | | Darcy Moore | Collingwood | Calf | Unlikely for Opening Round | | Jeremy Howe | Collingwood | Calf | Unlikely for Opening Round | | Callum Wilkie | St Kilda | Calf cork | R1 doubt | | Ryan Byrnes | St Kilda | Ankle | Departed third quarter distressed | | Willem Duursma | West Coast | 38% disposal efficiency | Talent obvious but execution raw |

A note on Duursma: He's a "loser" only in the context of pre-season performance, not in the context of your SuperCoach team. At $350k as Pick 1 at a rebuilding club, the opportunity cost of not owning him is higher than the disposal efficiency risk. He's still a start. But temper expectations accordingly — the ROI might be slower than the hype machine suggested.

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The Verdict: What Changes In Your Team?

Here's the action list. Print it. Screenshot it. Tape it to your monitor before lockout.

✅ Lock in:

• Lachie Blakiston (DEF) — the single best structural advantage in SuperCoach 2026
• Lachy Dovaston (FWD) — near-certain debut, cash cow ceiling
• Cooper Trembath (FWD) — proven AFL scorer at $167k
• Brodie Grundy or Tim English — the new rules demand premium ruck investment

🔄 Role-change upgrades:

• NWM at DEF if you can afford the $1.16M
• Sam Flanders at DEF/FWD if midfield role confirmed for Round 1
• Kysaiah Pickett at MID if you need a $399k mid-pricer

⚠️ Check your exposure:

• Riley Sanders — out for R1
• Sam Darcy — R1 doubt
• Darcy Moore / Jeremy Howe — unlikely for Opening Round
• Callum Wilkie — R1 doubt

🔍 Pre-lockout monitors:

• Sam Walsh — fitness clearance trending up, buy window closing
• Christian Petracca — explosive at Gold Coast, watch price movement
• Josh Lindsay — if named for R1, he's a must-start DEF cash cow

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The pre-season is done. Nine matches. Forty-five takeaways distilled into five that matter and two lists you can act on.

Round 1 kicks off Thursday, March 5 with Sydney vs Carlton at the SCG. Your lockout is March 20. Eighteen days to finalise a squad that benefits from everything you just read — or ignores it and wonders why your mates are 50 points ahead by Round 3.

The data spoke. Trust it.

For the full match-by-match breakdowns, read our complete AAMI Series match reviews. For squad construction, our SuperCoach 2026 Bible covers every position.

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Data sourced from AAMI Community Series matches played February 25 – March 1, 2026. SuperCoach prices and positions reflect pre-Round 1 status. Updated March 7, 2026.