AFL Townsville 2026 Season Preview: Club Strengths and Breakout Stars Revealed
With the AFL Townsville senior season rapidly approaching, excitement is building across the local football community. As teams complete their off-season preparations, we take an in-depth look at what each club has been working on during the break, starting with the powerhouse Thuringowa Bulldogs and the determined University Hawks.
Thuringowa Bulldogs Men: Continuing a Dominant Legacy
The Thuringowa Bulldogs men's team enters the 2026 season as defending premiers, having completed an undefeated 2025 campaign with a perfect 14-0 record. This remarkable achievement extends their dominance in the men's competition, where they have been the benchmark team for several consecutive seasons.
Bulldogs captain and ruckman Brock Wilson expressed confidence about maintaining their winning form, noting that while some players have departed, new additions have strengthened the squad. "The team's looking good, we've had a fair few numbers down on the track, plenty of new faces, but plenty of old faces as well," Wilson said. "Building on last year, being an undefeated season, is probably just to continue that form through this year, which is slightly ambitious but we've done it before so I can't see why we couldn't do it again."
Greatest Strength: Wilson identified continuity and consistency as the Bulldogs' primary advantage. "Just keeping a lot of the same numbers, rolling into the next season with good form, coming off an undefeated season," he explained. "We just want to continue to do what we do."
Breakout Player Prediction: Chris Tidswell is tipped for a standout season after regularly being among Thuringowa's best performers in 2025. Wilson highlighted Tidswell's exceptional skills: "His ability around the ball to keep his feet and hit targets. He's pretty agile, he gets a lot of touches around the ground as well."
Thuringowa Bulldogs Women: Building on Strong Foundations
The Bulldogs women's team finished second in 2025 with a 10-3 record before suffering a surprise semi-final defeat to the University Hawks. Despite this disappointment, player Dakotah Camin remains optimistic about their prospects for the upcoming season.
Camin reported excellent pre-season attendance and several positive developments, including the appointment of new coach Josh Hollis, who has long been associated with the club. "We've had really good numbers at pre-season, which is great," Camin said. "We have had quite a bit of turnover in the last few seasons, but this year we've got quite a few girls returning, which is good."
Greatest Strength: Improved squad depth should address previous bench shortages that hampered the team. "Having numbers there so that we can come off and refresh and then go back out and give it our best," Camin noted. "I think it's going to be really good having a few girls on the bench and a few experienced players sticking around the club to guide the new girls."
Breakout Player Prediction: Gabby Plunkett, a new recruit from Victoria with five years of playing experience, is expected to make an immediate impact. "She's going to be in the mids, she's a quick runner, very fit, young, so I feel like she's going to have a really good season," Camin predicted.
University Hawks Men: Speed and Determination
The University Hawks men's team finished as runners-up in 2025 with an 8-6 record, and senior midfielder Darcy McKenny is optimistic about their chances in the new season. Strong pre-season numbers, with up to 40 players already training, have created positive momentum.
"We've lost a few of the senior boys but likewise we've got a lot of new fellas in from uni and work and people moving to Townsville so it's a good group," McKenny said.
Greatest Strength: The Hawks plan to leverage their speed and running game to overcome any height disadvantages. "We've probably got a bit of a shorter team this year, so hopefully we can run the ball with speed and use our leg speed," McKenny explained.
Breakout Player Prediction: Joe Rauter is poised for a breakthrough season after recovering from a serious shoulder injury in 2025. "He had a bit of a rough year last year, dislocated his shoulder, but he's had a really strong pre-season," McKenny said. "He plays on the wing, but hopefully this year pushing to the midfield."
University Hawks Women: Youth and Fearlessness
The University Hawks women's team also finished as runners-up in 2025 with a 6-8 record. Midfielder Tara Bettington highlighted successful recruitment efforts that have brought new talent to the squad, though the university team faces unique challenges with fluctuating availability.
"We have a new team as well, a lot of new faces, but we're definitely working a lot more on skills and gameplay knowledge," Bettington said. "Obviously being a uni team, we kind of have a different team each week, so hopefully we can get a good group of girls and build a good team dynamic."
Greatest Strength: The Hawks' youthful squad combines fitness with fearless approach to the game. "We're a young side so we do have that fitness aspect but we have girls that aren't afraid of the footy which is great," Bettington noted. "We've got great ground-ball skills which, especially in women's footy, you get a lot of new players so it's hard for them to not be scared of the footy but these girls are mongrel and they're really into it."
Breakout Player Prediction: Marla Falvey is expected to shine with increased availability in 2026. "She was great last year but she obviously was in and out. This season she said she's going to be at more games and come down to more trainings and she's an absolutely amazing player," Bettington said. "She's just so fit and she's got really good ball knowledge. She knows where to be and she works really hard."
As the 2026 AFL Townsville season approaches, both the Thuringowa Bulldogs and University Hawks appear well-prepared to build on their previous successes. With strong pre-season preparations, strategic recruitment, and emerging talent ready to make their mark, the upcoming season promises exciting football action across the competition.
