Who's made Victoria's "starting nine"?

Victoria’s “starting nine” highlights a market where Angus leads on both volume and price. However, when it comes to clearance and competition, the Charolais, Shorthorn and Red Angus articles are leading the charge.

As the 2026 AFL season gets underway - and footy tipping competitions start to take shape, AuctionsPlus has assembled its own “starting nine” - not on the field, but across the nation’s cattle listings.

Drawing inspiration from the 18 players per side in AFL (here halved), the “starting nine” lists the top cattle breeds in each state based on throughput since July 1, 2025 to March 20, 2026. The data captures all stock categories listed on the platform, offering a broad snapshot of supply, pricing and buyer demand. This article will focus on the results from Victoria.

Since July 1, 2025, Victoria has offered 47,538 head across 1,823 lots, clearing 72%.

Angus cattle have dominated throughput, with just shy of 37,000 head offered, achieving a 74% clearance and the highest average price in the state at $2,018/head. Listings were centred around the Western District, with Mortlake emerging as the key supply hub.

However, several breeds outperformed Angus on clearance and competition.

Shorthorn and Charolais cattle delivered the strongest clearance rates in the state, at 88%, with both breeds also achieving strong VOR figures,  $116 for Shorthorn and $135 for Charolais.

Charolais heifers were a notable standout for Victoria. Albeit, a comparatively smaller offering compared to others listed in the line-up. However, in terms of average price, clearance and VOR, the category was in the top percentile, with Stockyard Hill the top delivery town.

Red Angus also performed strongly, clearing 88%, reinforcing demand for well-bred feeder cattle.

Click the images to look further into the leading statistics from each breed. 

Hereford cattle maintained consistency, clearing 74% at $1,910/head, while Angus x Hereford (Black Baldy) lines delivered mixed results, ranging from 75% down to 66% clearance, with Black Baldy steers returning a greater VOR and clearance. However, the Black Baldy weaners held the premium in terms of average $/head. 

Read more:  Angus leads, but Black Baldys and Shorthorns steal the spotlight in NSW starting nine

The “starting nine” is designed as a high-level snapshot, and it is important to note that results are influenced by the mix of stock categories within each breed. Higher-value lines - such as joined females or well-bred replacement stock - can lift average prices, while clearance rates are often shaped by seasonal supply and vendor price alignment.