AFL 2025: Captains have their say on grand finalists, Brownlow Medal winner, Rising Star
The AFL captains are forecasting a difficult year for Victorian AFL fans, with the cup likely set to stay north of the border.
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All 18 AFL captains have backed the premiership contenders to come from outside of Victoria in 2025.
The skippers were surveyed ahead of the season and half labelled Brisbane as the biggest challenger.
Brisbane collected nine of the possible 17 votes, with voters not able to vote for their own side for that question.
Eight of the remaining captains backed GWS to contend for its maiden flag, while the other backed the Swans for another shot at redeeming their grand final heartbreak.
Despite collecting a record-high 45 Brownlow Medal votes in 2024, Carlton superstar Patrick Cripps was tipped by only one captain to win the league’s highest honour again.
Collingwood’s Nick Daicos gathered six votes, while top Dog Marcus Bontempelli grabbed four prior to his ankle injury on Friday night.
Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron, who is two straight kicks away from 650 goals, was the common selection to win the Coleman Medal (five votes).
He was followed by reigning Coleman winners Charlie Curnow (Carlton) and Jesse Hogan (GWS).
The Rising Star race is wide open, according to the captains, with injured guns Sam Lalor (Richmond) and Jagga Smith (Carlton) leading selections.
Lalor, who is recovering from a hairline fracture in his cheekbone and unlikely to play round 1, was tipped by four captains, while Smith, who sustained a season-ending ACL, was backed by three captains.
Sid Draper (Adelaide) was the next best with two votes, ahead of nine individual vote-getters.
The Showdown edged out other big rivalries to be the game the majority of the captains are looking forward to the most.
Five captains voted for the Showdown, two ahead of the Ken Hinkley-Jack Ginnivan fuelled Port Adelaide and Hawthorn clash set for Gather Round.
Anzac Day and the NSW Derby also polled three votes.
Which other club is most likely to reach the grand final?
9 – Brisbane Lions
8 – GWS GIANTS
1 – Sydney
Who do you think will win the 2025 Brownlow Medal?
6 – Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
4 – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
2 – Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1 – Patrick Cripps (Carlton), Jordan Dawson (Adelaide), Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne), Jason Horne-Francis (Port Adelaide), Zak Butters (Port Adelaide), Tom Green (GWS)
Who do you think will win the 2025 Coleman Medal?
5 – Jeremy Cameron (Geelong)
4 – Charlie Curnow (Carlton), Jesse Hogan (GWS)
2 – Nick Larkey (North Melbourne)
1 – Ben King (Gold Coast), Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide), Mabior Chol (Hawthorn)
Who do you think will win the 2025 Telstra AFL Rising Star?
4 – Sam Lalor (Richmond)
3 – Jagga Smith (Carlton)
2 – Sid Draper (Adelaide)
1 – Bo Allan (West Coast), Harvey Langford (Melbourne), Leo Lombard (Gold Coast), Finn O’Sullivan (North Melbourne), Isaac Kako (Essendon), Connor O’Sullivan (Geelong), Ty Gallop (Brisbane), Joe Berry (Port Adelaide), Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane)
Which clubs are you most looking forward to watching match up this year?
5 – Adelaide and Port Adelaide (SA Showdown)
3 – Port Adelaide and Hawthorn, Collingwood and Essendon (on Anzac Day), Sydney and GWS Giants (NSW Derby)
2 – Carlton and Collingwood, Brisbane and Sydney (grand final replay)
Originally published as AFL 2025: Captains have their say on grand finalists, Brownlow Medal winner, Rising Star
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