AFL 2025: Three positional swaps every club should be eyeing this season
Rebounding half backs have been critical to every good team for a while now, so which young guns are being slated for a switch into the back half from their more familiar midfield or wing roles for 2025?
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Coaches and senior players will tell you the slate is wiped clean at the start of pre-season.
But we know that is not true – most players who finished the AFL season in their team’s best 23 will start there in the same positions.
That doesn’t mean a few moves can’t make a difference.
Every club has shifted some magnets on the board to start summer, with Carlton openly swapping Brodie Kemp and Jack Silvagni, and Melbourne sending a defender-turned-forward back to defence.
Last year, John Longmire decided in pre-season to put Isaac Heeney in the middle and the Swan was the best player in the league in the first month.
In Geelong, master tinkerer Chris Scott changed his season fortunes multiple times with shrewd moves, sliding Tom Stewart, Max Holmes, Sam De Koning and Jeremy Cameron around his board as his team came within a whisker of the grand final.
Moves like that matter and these are the changes your coach should be making as the preparation for next season restarts at many clubs this week.
ADELAIDE
GIVE SID DRAPER MIDFIELD TIME
Soon after selecting Draper with the fourth pick of the draft, Crows recruiting boss Hamish Ogilvie said the words every fan would have feared: “he can play half-forward”. Adelaide fans have raged at young prospect after young prospect being put on a half-forward flank to begin their careers and of course this is done with a long-term view in mind. But Draper has already shown such speed and explosiveness in pre-season to suggest that he can definitely play a role in the Crows midfield at times this year should he be given the chance.
CURTIN CALL FOR BIG BODIED MIDFIELDER
Drafted as a key defender, former No. 8 pick Dan Curtin was switched into the midfield in his debut season and even spent some time up forward. So far this pre-season Curtin has been training with the midfield group and at 197cm looms as a potential big- bodied midfielder in the making. The Crows believe the Western Australian has bags of talent and while he hasn’t truly shown this in his seven games to date so far he could potentially do some damage as a taller midfielder/forward in 2025.
CHARLIE EDWARDS IN THE BACKLINE
While Curtin was drafted as a defender and could become a bigger bodied midfielder, the untried Edwards could do the opposite. The Sandringham Dragons product has been used in the backline at times in this pre-season. Now the Crows’ backline looks to be a tough one to break into but with Edwards one of few players on Adelaide’s list who hasn’t yet tasted any AFL action is this how he can find a spot in the team?
BRISBANE
SAM’S DAY TO SHINE?
Sam Day is the low risk, high reward pick-up that could just work out big time for the Lions. If – and it’s a big if, given his history – he can stay healthy, Day can fill the role left by Joe Daniher. He won’t offer the same output, but with so much talent around him it could be enough for Brisbane to give the flag another shake in 2025. Stuart Dew will know how to get the most out of him.
KEEP CAM INSIDE 50
For the past five years we’ve wanted Cam Rayner to become a full-time mid. But Brisbane seemed to strike the perfect balance last year as a high-marking medium forward with short stints in midfield. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And if the Lions go smaller this year with no Daniher, Rayner can play an even bigger role.
DOUBLE ASHCROFT TROUBLE
Chris Fagan, give the people what they want. Find a way to get Levi Ashcroft in the team early and let the two brothers run rampant. Give Will his standard midfield minutes and rotate Levi into the guts when his brother needs a rest.
CARLTON
HOLLANDS DAYS DOWN BACK
Ollie Hollands was sent to half-back late in 2024 and it saw a big up-tick in his numbers. While his wing running has been good to start his career, he managed to find plenty more of the ball when playing behind it. Michael Voss should keep him there and speed up his development.
RUN AND GUN
This Carlton midfield would have been awesome in Voss’ peak playing days. But 20 years on, more speed is needed around the ball. Carlton slipped in the contest a little in 2024 so Voss may be hesitant to throw unproven players in there but he needs to find a few minutes each quarter to add X-factor players like Zac Williams, young legs like Jagga Smith and Ben Camporeale or even Ashton Moir for some zip and confusion around the ball.
KEMP A KEY
Unfortunately for the always-competitive Marc Pittonet, it is time the Blues stop playing two rucks and focus more on leg speed. While Brodie Kemp doesn’t have that leg speed, his ability as a third tall up forward can provide enough stability for Harry McKay to run in the ruck and give Tom De Koning a chop out. Kemp showed he can play forward if needed and has trained there throughout pre-season, with the returning Jack Silvagni sent the other way to defence.
COLLINGWOOD
EDDIE EVERYWHERE
Ed Allan has been tipped by many Pies as the one to watch this summer and the tall midfielder appears ready to play week-in-week-out. With Josh Daicos eyeing a move to half-back, Allan should be slotted on the wing to start the season.
FREE WIL-ING FROM DEFENCE
Shifting the older Daicos back and the addition of Dan Houston will add some serious kicking power to the Magpies defence. With John Noble now gone, Wil Parker can provide some dash. Collingwood lost some of its magic rebound last year and the former cricketer showed he can run well late last year.
MCSTAY JUMPS IN
Understandably, Collingwood was somewhat cautious with Dan McStay when he made his way back from a knee injury late last year. In 2025, he should be ready to take on a bigger role and spend some time in the ruck to support Darcy Cameron. Mason Cox has been putting in the hours through pre-season but the giant is another year older and playing him as a second ruck/third tall forward slows the Pies down. McStay did a good job as a backup ruck in his Lions days and should give Cameron a chop out.
ESSENDON
IN GOOD NIC
All clubs want good distributors in the back-half and the Bombers sent Nic Martin to that job last season. He always finds plenty of the ball but his kicking is so-so. Martin had a good year but he was often thrown forward when the Bombers needed it and delivered, with four goals against Melbourne in round 18 and three against Sydney in round 23. Players who can rack up the ball and kick goals are rare, and the Bombers should use Martin as such, especially if Saad El-Hawli is ready to run off half-back.
LAST DITCH DYLAN
This next season looms as a make-or-break for the out-of-contract Dylan Shiel. He played some of his best football in recent years when he was stationed as a mid-forward in 2023. His kicking isn’t perfect but he was able to create from there and that is where he should start to have a big 2025.
CENTRE SQUARE SAM
More by necessity than anything, Essendon played Sam Draper as a tall forward at times in 2024, as Peter Wright battled and Nick Bryan came on. Draper is serviceable there but he is never going to be a star up forward. And the Bombers need stars. As unfortunate for Bryan as it is, Draper should be pegged to play 80 per cent ruck time and find a point of difference for a midfield that is often lacking one.
FREMANTLE
CENTRE BOUNCE SHAI
The Dockers already have one of the best midfields in the competition with Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Hayden Young all guns but imagine what they could do if they get Shai Bolton pinch-hitting in there? It would make Fremantle an extremely damaging team offensively, something we have not said about the Dockers for a while.
THE JACKSON QUESTION
The term ‘unicorn’ gets thrown about a lot in the AFL these days but when Luke Jackson is fully in flight there is arguably no other player like him. The challenge for the Dockers is that they have to find a way to maximise the output from their young star. He had a career-best year in 2024 but you get a sense that there is so much more to come from the 199cm hybrid who is terrific in both the air and at ground level.
ERASMUS ACTION
The big three of the Fremantle midfield is settled, but who will join them in 2025? The fourth-year Neil Erasmus is pushing for a regular spot in the midfield and with Nat Fyfe and Jaeger O’Meara another year older is it time to give the former No. 10 pick more of a crack in the middle of the park?
GEELONG
PUT BAZ ON THE INSIDE
Bailey Smith came to the Cats with the promise of more midfield minutes, and they shouldn’t worry about sticking him on a half-forward flank like Dogs magnet man Luke Beveridge. Playing him as a full-time midfielder will give the Cats greater flexibility with Max Holmes (wing-mid-half-back), Tom Stewart (half-back-mid), and Patrick Dangerfield (forward-mid). A win-win.
SAM THE RUCK MAN
Lacking confidence, De Koning was thrown into the ruck against his younger brother last year and while he got soundly beaten, he still collected 20 disposals himself – something Rhys Stanley hasn’t done since round 21, 2021. De Koning got the points over breakout Hawk Lloyd Meek a fortnight later. With Toby Conway’s unreliable body and Stanley now 34, De Koning is a mobile ruck option who can act as another midfielder around the ground.
KNEVITT’S TIME
When you have Patrick Dangerfield singing your praises, it is a very good sign. Knevitt managed just four games last season – one of those as the sub – but the Cats skipper expects to see him in the engine room at the start of 2025. Knevitt was best-on-ground in their last VFL final as an inside midfielder, amassing 38 disposals, 23 contested possessions, 13 clearances, 10 tackles and 224 SuperCoach points, and his running power and 193cm frame can give the midfield a point of difference.
GOLD COAST
KEEP MAC OUT OF THE ATTACK
The Suns sent Mac Andrew forward in the final month of the season and among his cameos was a matchwinning display against Essendon – but don’t be fooled, they still see him as a key defender. Unless King/Walter goes down injured, expect Andrew to start the season in defence.
ROLL ROWELL FORWARD
Matt Rowell was on Brownlow Medal pace at the start of last season but as the year wore on began to show his battle scars. Damien Hardwick has to strike the right balance to keep his superstar clearance machine humming for the whole season, even if that is just five minutes each quarter in the forward 50.
GIVE JAKE THE SNAKE A REAL SHAKE
The Suns’ inside 50 entries killed them last season. They need a player who can hit the eye of the needle and that person is Jake Rogers. He looks like a carbon copy of Dayne Zorko and has the foot skills to match. Time to find a role for him that lets him hit targets forward of centre.
GWS GIANTS
HOW TO USE BEDFORD?
There’s no doubt that Toby Bedford had success as a tagger in 2024, but did we see the best of him in attack? Teams will also be ready for his tactical deployment next season, so how can Kingsley get the best out of his incredible speed and game-breaking ability?
LOCK IN LEEK
Leek Aleer has proven he has the X-Factor to impact a game and can rise in the big moments. While he also needs to find the consistency, this year has to be his season, especially considering he is off-contract. Whether it’s in defence, or if Adam Kingsley thinks more creatively and pushes him higher up the ground, he’s in their best 23, no question.
LET RICCARDI RIP
Injury halted Jake Riccardi’s season in 2024, but after serving his suspension early in the year he should be primed for a big campaign. He should be given the confidence that he is going to play alongside Hogan and Cadman regularly.
HAWTHORN
SWINGING SICILY
Plenty of Hawks fans are salivating at the idea of skipper James Sicily playing as a permanent forward. Removing an A-grader from defence to likely be a B-grader forward is a mistake. But bouncing him back and forth like a grippy-handed, sweet kicking yoyo is the way to go for Sam Mitchell. The reason that has worked as well as it has is the swingman can scramble opposition defences and allow Sicily to surprise teams.
WING WEDDLE
Another move Hawks fans have been crying out for is to push Josh Weddle up to the wing. This is a winner. The utility’s running power will allow him to move back and forth and he showed glimpses of being a shock ruckman in short bursts last season. He could be Mitchell’s Mark Blicavs.
CAST THE WIZARD’S SPELLS
Nick Watson will end up with buckets of goals in his career. But it’s worth giving the young star a crack at some centre bounce time. He is tough enough – pound for pound there was no better tackler in 2024 – and his ability to draw free kicks would be an asset in the middle. The Wizard can then lose his man as he spits forward. He can add spark to a midfield that can be accused of being one-paced.
MELBOURNE
HAPPY HARRY IN DEFENCE
After kicking just nine goals last season playing primarily as a key forward, Harry Petty has started the pre-season in the backline. Petty looked bereft of confidence in the attacking arc in 2024 and is much better suited in defence, where he combined beautifully with Steven May and Jake Lever in their premiership year.
WINDSOR OFF THE WING
Caleb Windsor was spotted off half-back at Melbourne training before Christmas, but it is in the forward-half that his assets are most needed for the Dees. Melbourne’s lack of midfield polish is well documented and moving the dashing distributor into the engine room occasionally will help improve this area.
GAWN FOR A BREATHER
Melbourne was massacred out of the middle in round 19 when Harry Petty came up against Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson in the west while Max Gawn was sidelined. The Demons now have a seasoned back-up in Tom Campbell there to give the 33-year-old the odd freshen up. SuperCoaches will be praying this doesn’t come to fruition.
NORTH MELBOURNE
SHEEZEL 2.0: COLBY’S MIDFIELD MOVE
“I am super keen.” That was Colby McKercher last month on moving into the midfield. McKercher tore opposition sides apart at junior level as an on-baller with his speed and damaging left boot, and those weapons are best used in the engine room. His teammate Harry Sheezel is the perfect example as to why it should happen sooner rather than later.
INSERT CD AT HALF-BACK
North Melbourne resorted to throwing Zac Fisher off half-back last year and Caleb Daniel is a serious upgrade. An All-Australian and Charles Sutton medallist as a distributing defender in 2020, Daniel’s poise and pinpoint kicking are exactly what the Roos need off half-back.
ZANE UNLEASHED
Being stuck in starvation corner in the second-last team in the competition is difficult for any player, let alone one in his first year. Dynamo Zane Duursma made his name at junior level as a goalkicking midfielder but didn’t attend a single centre bounce in 2024. While their midfield group bats deep, the Roos and Duursma’s confidence will benefit from a five-minute injection here and there.
PORT ADELAIDE
PUT JASE ON THE REBOUND
The Power’s main hole it needs to fill is going to be the Dan Houston-shaped one after he went to Collingwood. Port got an early look at life after Houston after he was ruled out of its final series through suspension and the pick of those who tried to step up and replace him was Jase Burgoyne against Hawthorn in the semi-final. Burgoyne himself has said he would like to stay on the wing but he was so impressive in the backline against the Hawks.
ALL THE WAY WITH DBJ
The Power have struggled with its small forward stocks in recent years. But after this off-season that is no longer the case. Joe Richards came from Collingwood, while Joe Berry was drafted by the Power with its first pick. That plus Sam Powell-Pepper being available after his season-ending ACL injury means the Power’s small forward cupboard looks quite full in 2025 so does Darcy Byrne-Jones – more hardworking than a classy small – need to be in the forward line next season?
END THE ESAVA EXPERIMENT
It looks like it is over based on pre-season but does the Power need Esava Ratugolea as a key forward in 2025? While he consistently provided a contest in the forward line it was what happened after that which was an issue so he should return to defence. But if Ratugolea continues to struggle in 2025 then his long contract all of a sudden becomes a bit of an elephant in the room for the Power.
RICHMOND
SAM STARTS BACK
We all want Sam Lalor to explode into the mid-forward role Dustin Martin made his trademark during his glittering career. But starting your AFL life in that spot is so hard, and it can take a long time to truly make that spot your own – just ask fellow No. 1 pick Cam Rayner. Instead, the Tigers should ease him in by playing some minutes on a half-back line. It certainly helped Harry Sheezel and Nick Daicos, and it allows Lalor to play in the most experienced part of Richmond’s ground. He will get on-ball minutes and some up forward, but getting his hands on the ball will help his development.
KOSI ON THE DEFENCE
With Nick Vlastuin, Noah Balta, Tom Brown, Nathan Broad and Jayden Short there, Richmond’s defence is clearly its strength heading into next season. And after impressing at training, Jacob Koschitzke should get a crack there as Josh Gibcus eases his way back to fitness. The old adage of a failed forward getting a go in defence may ring true for the former Hawk. And Adem Yze should lock Balta back there too. The ball will be in defence a lot and he has the potential to be an All-Australian full-back.
RYAN AND NANK SPLIT DUTIES
Nobody will ever question the warrior that Toby Nankervis has been. And now he can help the next wave by splitting minutes with Samson Ryan in the ruck next year. Ryan turned 24 earlier in December and should be ready to shoulder more ruck minutes and Nankervis’ big body can help the forward line, even if he is unlikely to kick many goals. Less midfield minutes should keep big ‘Nank’ on the park and allow Ryan to develop into the next No. 1 ruck.
ST KILDA
GO HIGHER WITH NASIAH
Taking a strength away from half-back to bolster the midfield is always a risky strategy but the Saints are crying out for X-factor in the guts and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has that in spades. And St Kilda should be able to cover is offensive game from defence, with draftee Tobie Travaglia, the left boot of Arie Schoenmaker and a bit more run from there via Brad Hill. Wanganeen-Milera may have some quieter afternoons in the midfield but it is worth getting his kicking high afield, and for him to get some more wing minutes.
MITCH’S MAGNET LOCKED IN
Mitch Owens is all potential. After an impressive 2023, he stalled somewhat in 2024, but still has all the tools to be a star. The Saints flirted with folding him into more midfield minutes but the athletic marvel should be locked in as a marking high forward and left to learn that trade next season. Both he and Mattaes Phillipou can combine as the link players into the forward line.
FORWARD RO IS A GO
Similar to the quandary in moving Wanganeen-Milera from his pet position, shifting Rowan Marshall out of the midfield is a risk. He is the best midfielder at the club, even if he plays in the ruck. But the star Saint drifted forward more in the back-end of 2024, and had 15 scoring shots in the final five games. Only four players – Lachie Whiftfield, Tristan Xerri and Harry Sheezel – averaged more SuperCoach points than Marshall’s 129.3 in the final six weeks of the year. He should still play majority onball time, but the ruck can be sent forward more. And the Saints are planning for that, after drafting ruck Alex Dodson and adding mature big man Harry Boyd as support.
SYDNEY
GET THE BEST MARKER AT FULL-FORWARD
The Swans were comprehensively outmarked in the grand final and need more of a presence aerially in attack. Tom McCartin’s move up the field has been floated to help McDonald, McLean and Amartey. They also picked up two strong markers in the draft in Jesse Dattoli and Ned Bowman, while there are still big wraps on Jack Buller. Pick one and commit.
CALLUM’S CRACK ON BALL
Callum Mills earned All-Australian selection in 2022 for his work in the midfield. He came back to the team after an injury in 2024 in defence, but he has to return to the centre. Around the stoppages, he could form an elite combination with the likes of Isaac Heeney and James Rowbottom.
GIVE GRUNDY SOME HELP
Brodie Grundy was elite in his first season for the Swans, but the ruckman doesn’t need to play 26 games again in 2025. Pete Ladhams and Will Green are capable backups and should be given some opportunities to deputise.
WEST COAST
KEEP LIAM DUGGAN IN THE MIDFIELD
The Eagles co-captain split time between his usual backline role and the midfield in 2024, with his position at some points depending on who was injured or not. But with still plenty of youth in the Eagles midfield they need one of their leaders to stand up strong and provide some fight against the bigger bodies of other teams’ midfields.
RYAN MARIC DOWN BACK
Drafted as a forward, Maric has been training as a defender of late under new coach Andrew McQualter and with Tom Barrass now at Hawthorn the Eagles could use a new gun key defender. At 196cm, Maric is a good size for a key defensive role and he can also move well. It looks like something the Eagles are going to try in 2025.
PLAY LIAM BAKER IN DEFENCE
The prized recruit has played both as a small defender and forward for previous club Richmond, but he should have the biggest impact for the eagles in the backline. There’s not too many great ball movers in the Eagles defence so baker down back could fix that quickly for McQualter.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
SLOT SAM UPFRONT
Luke Beveridge loves his role players and Sam Davidson will run up and down the ground all day long. The VFL graduate is ready to go and will give their forward-mix something different with his running power, height and marking ability.
RYLEY IS READY
Ryley Sanders is too talented to be playing VFL: he averaged 32 disposals, eight clearances and 126 SuperCoach points in his first season there. The No. 6 pick was another victim of the Bulldogs’ midfield squeeze, but Beveridge needs to find a way to play him – whether that be in the midfield, up forward or even across half-back.
BREWING UP THE PRESSURE
Dom Brew, 27, hasn’t been signed through the supplemental selection period yet after copping a quad injury before the new year break. But if the much-loved Liston medallist gets his AFL shot, the Dogs should use him as a pressure forward and defensive midfielder – two areas they lack. Remarkably, Brew has averaged above 9.5 tackles in all seven of his VFL seasons and will fight tooth and nail for every contest.
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