AFL 2025: Every club’s glaring positional battle
Every side has at least one question mark over a position, with players staking their claims for a spot in the senior team over the pre-season. We break down all 18 clubs’ major positional battle.
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January marks a special milestone for AFL teams in their pre-season journeys.
The traditional arrival of full-blown match simulation and the rising interest from fans and media scrums that line the fences of training fields is a stark reminder the real stuff is edging closer.
But while practice matches are only three weeks away, clubs are starting to lock in what their best 23 might look like.
Every club has at least one question mark over a position, a battle between two or more jockeying footballers eager to secure a position in the senior side.
The Herald Sun has broken down each club’s glaring positional battle, who is fighting for a spot, and who can stake a claim for the role.
ADELAIDE
POSITION BATTLE: MIDFIELD MIX
The Crows had an aggressive off-season, trading in James Peatling and drafting Sid Draper to transform a midfield that came under fire in recent seasons for being too one-paced. Jordan Dawson’s move into the midfield in 2023 began that transformation, with Izak Rankine following suit in 2024, but Peatling and Draper will continue the shift. But where does that leave veterans Matt Crouch and Rory Laird, who have been midfield mainstays in recent seasons? Laird is tipped to return to the half-back line, where he began his career. Jake Soligo is another midfielder that faces a battle to retain centre bounce attendances in 2025.
BRISBANE LIONS
POSITION BATTLE: JOE DANIHER REPLACEMENT
With Joe Daniher’s shock retirement after the premiership win, Brisbane will be desperate to fill the void left as both a key forward and a back up ruck. The Lions picked up former Sun Sam Day, who will have first crack at the role, but he will have to fight off former Hawk Brandon Ryan and developing tall Henry Smith. Darcy Gardiner is still rehabbing his knee injury suffered last year but could come in and challenge for a position during the season. After playing in the premiership win, could Darcy Fort get a chance up forward?
CARLTON
POSITION BATTLE: NIC NEWMAN REPLACEMENT
Newman’s devastating knee injury will impact Carlton’s season in 2025, with the rebounding Blue out for the entire campaign. Carlton does have versatility across the field, with Sam Docherty and Zac Williams spending recent seasons in different roles despite history as defenders. Docherty only played two games in 2024 due to a torn ACL, and has played mainly through the midfield in recent seasons, but is an All Australian calibre half back. Nick Haynes has joined the club and could come into the defensive unit to start the season, while Jack Silvagni is training down back and is pushing for a role, but neither are the same type of player as Newman. If the Blues turn to youth, Billy Wilson or Harry Charleson could feature in the position, Ollie Hollands could move back from a wing or Lachlan Cowan could take on more distributive responsibilities after playing 17 games in 2024.
COLLINGWOOD
POSITION BATTLE: KEY DEFENDER
The Pies are still wanting for a Nathan Murphy replacement after the premiership defender was medically retired last year. Murphy was an understated part of Collingwood’s structure, and is a major reason for the side’s drop off in 2024. Finding a ready-made replacement is never easy, and while the Pies landed Tim Membrey in the off-season, they did not bring in a mature tall defender. Billy Frampton looks like the incumbent No.2 with Darcy Moore, while Charlie Dean managed eight games and is challenging for the role. Jeremy Howe would be a good third tall, but is likely undersized to play second fiddle in what will be his 15th AFL season. Joel Cochran is down the pecking order as a new draftee, while Reef McInnes is impressing as a swingman and could earn a spot down back.
ESSENDON
POSITION BATTLE: RUCK/KEY FORWARD
Has Essendon figured out what it is going to do with its talls? Have the Bombers moved on from Todd Goldstein? Does Sam Draper still have the No.1 ruck role, or does Nick Bryan get a go? There are plenty of questions surrounding how Essendon’s ruck department looks in 2025, which has a direct flow-on effect on its forward structure. If the Bombers play two rucks in Draper and Bryan together, then Peter Wright likely does not feature. But if only one ruck plays, then Wright can offer a pinch-hitting service. Nate Caddy has been impressive in the summer and is ready for a full senior season and would pair with Kyle Langford as two dangerous undersized and mobile key marking targets, but whether the Bombers play Harrison Jones as well is up for debate, with the key forward playing in a variety of positions during the pre-season.
FREMANTLE
POSITION BATTLE: MIDFIELD-FORWARD
Former captain Nat Fyfe has been the incumbent ball winner for years now, but with the younger Dockers coming through he has been relegated to a pinch-hitting option in the engine room. Now dominated by Caleb Serong and Andy Brayshaw, and with the addition of Hayden Young in 2024, the Dockers’ midfield mix is just about complete. But who rotates in? Shai Bolton was brought to the club and plays that role, Matthew Johnson will start to get more opportunities inside the midfield and Neil Erasmus is banging down the door for chances. Can Fyfe hold off the new era of Fremantle stars?
GEELONG
POSITION BATTLE: RUCK
After three injury-plagued seasons, Cats fans will be praying 2025 is the year Toby Conway’s body starts to hold up to the rigours of an AFL campaign. Conway has long been seen as the eventual No.1 ruck at Geelong, but has managed just six senior games of football. Rhys Stanley is nearing the end of a storied career and will push Conway, who has again endured a limited pre-season. Mitch Edwards, a second-round ruck from 2023’s draft, is making major strides and could challenge for a debut as well. Then there is Sam De Koning and Mark Blicavs, who both have rucked at times in their career but look to be playing in key defensive posts in 2025.
GOLD COAST
POSITION BATTLE: RUCK
How many senior games in 2025 is enough to keep Ned Moyle on the Gold Coast? He signed a four-year extension halfway through last season and is slated to remain at the Suns until 2028, and with Jarrod Witts 33 years old at the end of the season, Moyle’s time is not far away. But teams have been sniffing around the prodigious ruck talent, and with Gold Coast impressed with Ethan Read as a ruck-forward prospect, Moyle may want assurances he is the next in line. Can Moyle and Witts play alongside each other? The soon-to-be 23 year old has played 10 AFL games, with only one alongside Witts: round 20 last season where he had four touches and 10 hit outs before being subbed out.
GWS GIANTS
POSITION: REPLACEMENTS FOR DEPARTING GIANTS
There is not one major positional question mark heading into 2025 at the Giants; there is three. GWS lost two mainstays from its midfield/defensive rotations in Isaac Cumming (Adelaide) and Harry Perryman (Collingwood), and promising young midfielder James Peatling (Adelaide). The benefit for the Giants is that Cumming played just six games in 2024 due to injury, and Peatling was a perennial substitute candidate despite breaking into the main 22 by the end of the year. Joe Fonti has been impressive this pre-season and could feature early and often down back, James Leake is expected to debut if fit, and Jake Stringer has come to the club and will slot in up forward.
HAWTHORN
POSITION: KEY FORWARD SET UP
The man who shouldered Hawthorn’s attacking burden for years, Mitch Lewis, was almost a forgotten footnote in 2024 as he battled to get his body right for games. Heading into 2025, Lewis is still on the sidelines recovering from an ACL injury. But his absence paved the way for Mabior Chol and Calsher Dear to shine. Now Dear is racing the clock to be fit and the Hawks have a hole at full forward. James Sicily was used as an effective swingman in 2024 and could start there, but project tall Max Ramsden has been impressive in match simulation, playing in the stronger outfits and taking strong marks up and down the ground. He is a real watch for Opening Round if Dear is not fit.
MELBOURNE
POSITION BATTLE: ANGUS BRAYSHAW’S REPLACEMENT
Brayshaw’s retirement at the start of the 2024 season shocked many footy fans, with the premiership Demon medically retired due to his battle with concussions. But the void left by Brayshaw was well felt by Melbourne, who struggled to find a suitable candidate to play outside midfield and half back at the same level as the 2018 Brownlow podium placer. First-round draftee Xavier Lindsay looms as a potential bolter for the role, having impressed in his draft year as a dashing midfielder but showing promise off a half back, while Trent Rivers’ move into the midfield last season may be permanent, opening another role in defence to be filled. With Harry Sharp coming to Melbourne to play on a wing, Caleb Windsor could also be given the chance to play off half back.
NORTH MELBOURNE
POSITION BATTLE: DEFENSIVE DISTRIBUTOR
In 2023 it was Harry Sheezel’s role, in 2024 it went to Colby McKercher. Who will take the reigns in 2025? Both Sheezel and McKercher are expected to play prominent midfield roles this season, with the pair of top draft choices excelling over summer. Caleb Daniel was brought to the club and will play as a rebounder off half back, but former skipper Luke McDonald’s position could also come under threat due to the influx of talented youngsters at the Roos’ disposal. Riley Hardeman has impressed over summer, Josh Goater is recovering from his Achilles injury, and Tom Powell and Finn O’Sullivan have played the role at times this pre-season.
PORT ADELAIDE
POSITION BATTLE: DAN HOUSTON REPLACEMENT
The rebounding All Australian defender defected to Collingwood, opening a massive hole to be filled in Port Adelaide’s back six. Jase Burgoyne got a taste of it in the finals campaign and excelled, but is training on a wing and looks to be out of the running for the defensive position. Willem Drew had surgery on his plantar fascia last week and will miss about a month of training, putting his fitness for the start of the season in doubt. Kane Farrell will likely become the main distributor off half back but needs some assistance, with Lachie Jones, Josh Sinn and Dylan Williams all tipped to be in contention.
RICHMOND
POSITION BATTLE: NEXT-GEN CUBS
How many 18-22 year olds is too many in the same side? How many games can the Tigers afford to play them together? There was an unprecedented turnover of Richmond’s list at the end of last season, and paired with several long-term injuries still keeping senior players out of the side, the Tigers could be in a position to blood six draftees. Sam Lalor and Josh Smillie have impressed in the midfield, Luke Trainor may be needed to play down back in the absence of Noah Balta, while Jonty Faull and Harry Armstrong are battling to pair with Tom Lynch in the forward line. Jasper Alger has been a surprise packet as well, performing strongly in a bid to earn a small forward role.
ST KILDA
POSITION BATTLE: RUCK OR FORWARD
Rowan Marshall was drafted as a forward but has spent almost his entire career in the ruck for St Kilda. Now with the arrival of Harry Boyd, a 26-year-old Margery medallist from the SANFL, Marshall is poised to return to the forward 50 to help out Max King in attack. But a lot is riding on a player who just signed with the club last week to be the saving grace for the Saints. If Boyd is not the answer, does Marshall return to the ruck and the Saints pick another key forward, or do they turn to draftee Alex Dodson or project tall Max Heath to help?
SYDNEY
POSITION BATTLE: NO.1 KEY FORWARD
The Swans’ forwards came under attack after a dismal grand final performance: 0 goals between Joel Amartey, Hayden McLean and Logan McDonald. Sydney looks to be running it back in 2025, not bringing any key forwards in the draft or trade periods, but questions over the exact look of the forward line will come into question. Joel Hamling is a forgotten man after moving from Fremantle to Sydney, but played forward in the VFL and could challenge for a role if any of Sydney’s big three fail to fire early. Tom McCartin has also been floated as a forward and has trained there this summer.
WEST COAST
POSITION BATTLE: TOM BARRASS REPLACEMENT
While the Eagles struggled in 2024, they recruited well in the off-season and have no glaring holes in the side. Tom Barrass’ defection to Hawthorn hurts, with Harry Edwards set to be given first crack at his replacement. Rhett Bazzo has played some AFL in his three years at the Eagles, but just one of his 21 came last year. At 195cm and fiercely competitive, Bazzo could push for more senior opportunities in 2025 but it would likely be at the expense of Edwards, with Jeremy McGovern ageing like fine wine.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
POSITION BATTLE: MIDFIELD
Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Adam Treloar, Tom Liberatore. It’s as impressive a starting midfield as there is in the competition. But it is the next line of Bulldogs, those that give the superstars chop outs, that have the questions raised. Ed Richards: breakout midfielder but gun defender. Ryley Sanders: elite at under-18s but rarely given the true chance to showcase AFL talents. Riley Garcia: VFL superstar but only 12 AFL games in 2024. Matt Kennedy comes in after Carlton couldn’t promise him midfield minutes; does he get an increased role at the Bulldogs? Cooper Hynes was drafted as a midfielder as well, but he’ll likely be forced to start his career at Footscray.
Originally published as AFL 2025: Every club’s glaring positional battle
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