The AFL’s best players, ranked by our experts

Every month throughout 2025, AFL.com.au will rank the best 25 players in the AFL competition, based both on recent form and a body of work across previous seasons.

Our panel of journalists and experts have come up with the initial drop of 25 below based on 2024 performances, meaning it does not consider recent injuries that will see players miss the start of this season. Players like Marcus Bontempelli and Errol Gulden, who are both sidelined by injury for the start of the 2025 campaign, will slide down the list in next month’s rankings.

The criteria is simple – if every player in the competition was fully fit and lined up against a wall right now, who would you pick first?

Read on for The 25 to start 2025. We’ve also included the ‘next 25’, a group of players that featured in discussions and who could surge into our rankings during this year.

Eyebrows were raised a few years ago when Cats captain Patrick Dangerfield said Max Holmes had ‘Judd-like traits’, but the 22-year-old is starting to live up to the hype. Having signed a new deal to stay in Geelong, the No.20 draft pick exploded in 2024 on the back of more midfield minutes and looks set to get even better this year.

The Hawks skipper will be a fascinating watch in 2025. Rewarded with All-Australian selection as a defender in 2023, the 30-year-old looks set to play a mix of forward and back this season, having made an impact as a goalkicker at times in 2024. His leadership of a young Hawks group during a down-and-up 2024 is another string to his bow.

The glue that holds Brisbane’s backline together, Harris Andrews is a nightmare match-up for opposition forwards. Rarely beaten in the air, the 28-year-old dual All-Australian – who last year inked a new deal until the end of 2029 – continues to be a dominant force. Lifting the premiership cup on the last Saturday of September was just reward for the unassuming defender.

Just 44 matches into his AFL career, Harry Sheezel is already one of the game’s biggest names. In only his second season, the silky Kangaroo won his club’s best and fairest award and was named in the All-Australian squad of 44. This season he’ll take on the added responsibility as co-vice captain. Oh, and he’s only 20 years old. Expect him to fly up this leaderboard by the end of the season.

The 24-year-old became a double-edge weapon for the Crows in 2024, hitting career-best form as he added more midfield time to his vast array of skills as a small forward. After booting 29 goals and averaging 18 disposals in 15 matches last year, Rankine is set to go to another level this season.

This man looks ready to explode in 2025 after his 2024 campaign was bookended by injury. The Hawks midfielder showed a glimpse of his extraordinary ability against Sydney in Opening Round and looks fitter, stronger and more dynamic than ever before. It’s not impossible that he’ll be in the top five of this list by the end of the season.

The former No.1 pick stepped up his game into elite areas last season, averaging 21.8 disposals and 5.8 clearances, as well as kicking 27 goals to establish himself as a significant dual threat. Rewarded with selection in the All-Australian squad and finishing runner-up in Port Adelaide’s B&F, there’s no reason why the 21-year-old won’t improve as the year wears on.

It’s hard to imagine just where the success-starved Bombers would be without their inspirational skipper. A triple All-Australian and five-time best and fairest, no one deserves an elusive finals win as much as the 29-year-old midfielder. One of the most durable players in the game, Merrett seems to be getting better as his career progresses.

Plucked out of Geelong’s local footy scene, Stewart is perhaps the greatest mature-aged recruit in modern AFL history. Now a five-time All-Australian, Stewart’s intercepting ability is among the best in the comp, while his leadership and versatility have made him an integral part of the Cats’ line-up. His output slowed early in 2024 when he attracted taggers running out of defence, but a move into the midfield saw his high impact return, underlining his versatility and ability to adapt.

One of footy’s feel-good redemption arcs, Hogan’s rise to become one of the competition’s premier forwards culminated in him winning the Coleman Medal in 2024. Now loving life and football at the Giants, it’s been a long road for Hogan, who had to rebuild his body and mind after an up-and-down decade at Melbourne and Fremantle.

One of the game’s best midfielders, Serong’s ability to win the ball and use it damagingly makes him a headache for opposition sides. Ranked elite for clearances and disposals across his career, the dual All-Australian’s on-field ability is complemented by his leadership attributes. He will be a core component of Fremantle’s chances of success this season.

The leading key defender in the competition, Taylor – who was named All-Australian in 2022 – has developed into a star and looks ready to put an injury-ravaged 2024 behind him. The Greater Western Sydney defender needed just one game this year to show just why he is such a crucial asset for the Giants, taking nine intercept marks and having 12 intercept possessions in the thumping win over Collingwood.

The mercurial Giants forward is a star of the competition, kicking 40-plus goals in five seasons and earning All-Australian selection three times. Greene’s ability on the ground and in the air makes him a difficult match-up, while he is also capable of impacting in the midfield.

It’s been years since such a high-quality player been out of contract before hitting free agency, meaning Chad Warner’s playing future will be one of the biggest storylines of 2025. Dynamic around the ball, lightning fast all over the ground and lethal in front of goal, the West Australian is the perfect mix of a ball-winning midfielder who can hurt you on the scoreboard.

A serious ankle injury means Gulden will slip down this list at the start of 2025, but his positioning at No.11 is justification for a brilliant few years at the Swans. A two-time All-Australian, the smooth-moving left footer is one of the most creative and best kicks in the competition and his running ability puts him in the top few players in the game.

A Carlton fan favourite, the 194cm forward is equally imposing in the air or on the lead. After claiming back-to-back Coleman Medals in 2022 and 2023, Curnow booted 57 goals from 21 matches last year before injury ended his season. Despite a restricted pre-season after ankle and knee surgery, the 28-year-old is a force to be reckoned with at his best and could be primed for another big year.

He’s as instrumental to the Demons’ success as anyone, so it’s no surprise to see the skipper rank in the top 10. Gawn has long been the League’s premier ruckman and with a seventh All-Australian blazer in 2024 – and now just one shy of the equal-most All Australian selections of all-time – he’s entering elite company. He averaged 34 hitouts (fifth in the league), five marks, five clearances and 19 disposals in a standout 2024 campaign, but a fitter-than-ever Gawn will be an even scarier prospect for opposition teams this season after the 33-year-old told AFL.com.au his off-season injury setback had him heading into 2025 in the best running shape of his career.

Butters has emerged as one of the League’s most damaging midfielders in the past two seasons, finishing third in last year’s Brownlow Medal and fourth the year before. His hard-at-the-ball attitude and silky skills have become a trademark for the 24-year-old, backed up by his second AFLPA Most Courageous Player Award and a second All-Australian blazer following a superb 2024 season. The Power will have to do without their vice-captain for the first month of this year, however, due to a knee injury that is likely to see him slide down this list next month.

The Brisbane star is one of the best ball-winners in the competition, recognised with four All-Australian jackets and two Brownlow Medals while he led the Lions to a premiership as co-captain last year. Neale has averaged at least 26 disposals and five clearances in each of the past 10 seasons, highlighting his consistency as one of the game’s best.

The four-time All-Australian and two-time club champion is equally as lethal at the centre bounce as he is up forward and remains one of the League’s most damaging players. Harrowing injuries brought an abrupt halt to the Norm Smith Medallist’s 2024 campaign, but with a game-high 33 disposals and nine clearances in last month’s practice game, Petracca proved he hasn’t missed a beat and will be every bit as good as he was in his previous 10 seasons.

Arguably the hardest match-up in the League, the Geelong superstar has shown no signs of slowing down even into his 30s. Cameron has kicked 50-plus goals in each of the past three years, while he has also had an impact while moving higher up the ground before drifting forward.

Coming off a career-best season, the Swan showed just what he’s capable of with more time in the midfield in 2024. Heeney brought his strength and power into the middle of the ground to average 25.1 disposals and 5.8 clearances, and he still managed to kick 34 goals.

Winning the Brownlow Medal for a second time with a record-smashing 45 votes was the icing on the cake for the inspirational Carlton captain, who also earned All-Australian selection for a fourth time and his fifth club best and fairest. Cripps was simply unstoppable last year, leading the AFL in clearances and contested possessions, as well as being ranked No.2 in handballs and in the top 10 for disposals. Good luck putting a clamp on him.

The superstar Bulldog has enjoyed an illustrious career and continues to shine. Bontempelli, who will miss the start of the season due to a calf injury, is a six-time All-Australian, three-time AFL Players’ Association MVP and 2016 premiership player and remains one of the stars of the competition thanks to his strength, power and ball-winning, as well as his ability to go forward and kick goals.

The Magpies jet has made a spectacular start to his AFL career. Daicos is already a two-time All-Australian and a premiership player, to go with his Telstra AFL Rising Star Award and AFL Coaches Association gong. Through 71 career games, Daicos averages 28.9 disposals and 4.4 clearances and has kicked 46 goals.

And the next 25…

26. Jacob Weitering (Carl)
27. Tom Green (GWS)
28. Sam Walsh (Carl)
29. Hayden Young (Frem)
30. Jeremy McGovern (WC)
31. Jordan Dawson (Adel)
32. Dan Houston (Coll)
33. Matt Rowell (GC)
34. Sam Darcy (WB)
35. Shai Bolton (Frem)
36. Andrew Brayshaw (Frem)
37. Luke Davies-Uniacke (NM)
38. Connor Rozee (PA)
39. Adam Treloar (WB)
40. Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
41. Tom Papley (Syd)
42. Noah Anderson (GC)
43. Charlie Cameron (BL)
44. Hugh McCluggage (BL)
45. Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
46. Rowan Marshall (StK)
47. Will Ashcroft (BL)
48. Nick Blakey (Syd)
49. Jack Sinclair (StK)
50. Harley Reid (WC)