Kyrgios, Kerr, Tszyu, Ricciardo: The superstar Australian athletes on the comeback trail in 2025
Self-imposed gap years, injuries, shock setbacks, retirement backflips - these are the Australian athletes and coaches on the comeback to their respective sports in 2025.
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Everyone loves a comeback story but for the athletes living the reality it can be a long trail back to the summit.
Whether it be through a self-imposed hiatus, injury, shock setbacks, or shelving retirement plans, these are the Australian athletes and coaches ready to return to their respective sports with a bang in 2025.
It’s a big comeback year for ...
NICK KYRGIOS (TENNIS)
Australian sport’s most polarising athlete returned to tennis this summer at the Brisbane International and Australian Open. It has been almost 18 months since Kyrgios played a competitive singles match but he has remained in the spotlight as a media commentator and social media provocateur. Kyrgios has never been afraid to speak his mind but this year, body-willing, he will be expected to back it up on the court. At his best one of the most brilliant players on the ATP tour, the big question is whether the 29 year old can rediscover that same level.
SAM KERR (FOOTBALL)
The Matildas captain missed all of 2024, including the Olympics, after rupturing her ACL in January. It has been revealed the injury is worse than first expected with the Chelsea striker now not expected to make a return until February or March. Kerr has plenty happening off the field as well including her pending court matters and the arrival of a baby.
STEPHANIE GILMORE (SURFING)
Australia’s queen of surfing decided to take the year off the World Surf League tour in 2024, opting to go surf in far flung locations around the globe as part of The Search with sponsor Rip Curl. But the eight-times world champion’s intention was always to return in 2025 with the WSL granted her a wildcard before she even announced her “gap year”. Can Gilmore bounce back to the top of the WSL charts immediately or has the young brigade advanced the sport beyond her incredible reach?
LAURIE DALEY (RUGBY LEAGUE)
Few were unhappy to see Daley depart as Blues coach after 2017, so the unveiling of his return didn’t quite match his status as a NSW Origin icon. Which means Daley might not have a long leash when he steps into the coaching box against Queensland for Origin I in May. A series loss could be unrecoverable.
BRANDON SMITH (RUGBY LEAGUE)
He’s the big-money star out big-time with an ACL injury and without a deal beyond 2025. And it definitely won’t be at the Roosters, who have already moved on. Best-case scenario has him back mid-season, and then it’s a race to prove he can still be one of the best hookers in the league.
WAYNE BENNETT (RUGBY LEAGUE)
The seven-time premiership-winner makes a welcome return to Redfern, where he takes over a club that has spurned chance after chance at another premiership with one of the best rosters in the competition. Bennett was the last time to get them to a grand final in 2021, without Latrell Mitchell. Can he do it again?
TOM LYNCH (AUSSIE RULES)
It’s been a rough past two years for the Richmond key forward, a two-time AFL premiership player who has been struck down by injury in his twilight years. Since winning the Tigers’ best-and-fairest award in 2022, Lynch has managed just four games in each of the past two seasons due to foot and hamstring issues. Richmond won’t be a flag threat in 2025, but it would love for Lynch to return to fitness and again spearhead the attack.
BAILEY SMITH (AUSSIE RULES)
One of footy’s most marketable faces will be sporting new colours this year and has plenty to prove following a season on the sidelines. Smith missed the entire 2024 AFL campaign with the Western Bulldogs after suffering an ACL injury during pre-season. The 24-year-old was traded to Geelong in October, where he will hope to play more midfield minutes and return to his career-best form of 2021.
STORM HUNTER (TENNIS)
Hunter was the No.1 women’s doubles player in tennis and had a memorable singles run at the 2024 Australian Open when suddenly disaster struck in the form of an Achilles injury. Due to return to the court some time in 2025, Hunter would dearly love another doubles grand slam title as reward for the hard yards in the recovery room.
TIM TSZYU (BOXING)
Back-to-back defeats in 2024 have left Tim Tszyu’s international career on the rocks. His stunning knockout loss in Orlando in October forced the boxer to abandon his plans to permanently base himself in the US and he’s returned to Sydney to rebuild his career and reputation. At 30, he still has time on his side to return to world champ status.
ALYSSA HEALY (CRICKET)
The wicketkeeping skipper of Australia’s women’s team battled a knee injury as the team suffered a shock semi-final exit at the T20 World Cup last October. With an Ashes battle this month against England and an ODI World Cup in India in August, Healy will be desperate for redemption.
SAM SHORT (SWIMMING)
Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 2022, world champion in 2023, Short went to the 2024 Paris Olympics full of hope as one of Australia’s most promising distance swimmers in years. But his campaign was ruined by an untimely illness and a shoulder injury that curtailed his finely-tuned preparations. His best result was fourth in the 400m freestyle. Only 21, Short has time on his side and 2025 will be a great chance for him to get things back on track with the world championships in Singapore his main goal.
ROHAN BROWNING (ATHLETICS)
The flying mullet Browning is no longer the alpha dog of Australian athletics after a disappointing Paris Olympic campaign where he was eliminated in the 100m heats. Now, he has rising teen Gout Gout nipping at his heels. Who will become just the second Australian to break the 10 seconds barrier? Smart money is on Gout, but Browning won’t give up.
JAMES MAGNUSSEN (SWIMMING)
The former two-times world champion is making a shock comeback to swimming in pursuit of the $1m payday being offered if he can break the 50m freestyle world record at the Enhanced Games. Magnussen, 33, retired from racing in 2019 but is making an audacious return, uprooting his life to move to the US and commence a program of medical-enhancements to chase the world record.
DANIEL RICCIARDO (MOTORSPORT)
Sacked by Red Bull in 2024, the Australian F1 star is yet to reveal what his plans are for 2025. Is he finished in motorsport? Will he reappear in another racing series somewhere? With a Cadillac team set to join the F1 grid in 2026, there are whispers Ricciardo is high on the wish-list for the US-based team to make an immediate impact on and off track next year.
ROB WHITTAKER (UFC)
The ‘Reaper’ had been building towards another shot at the UFC middleweight title in 2024 before his shocking defeat at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev. Whittaker had his jaw dislocated in gruesome fashion and was forced to submit. The 34-year-old will have to head back to the drawing board and look for some top-10 middleweight scalps and put himself in the frame for a Chimaev rematch or a trilogy fight with Israel Adesanya before even being considered for a title fight.
AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS (NETBALL)
After coughing up the Constellation Cup, against New Zealand, for just the third time in history the Diamonds have a lot of work to do this year if they want to remain contenders for the fast approaching 2027 Netball World Cup.
SYDNEY SWANS (AUSSIE RULES)
After another embarrassing AFL Grand Final defeat in 2024, it is time for the Swans to make amends. Sydney won 13 of its first 14 games last season and finished the season as minor premiers. But on the final Saturday in September, the Swans fell in a hole on their way to a 60-point loss to the Brisbane Lions. Long-time coach John Longmire has since stepped down. Can new coach Dean Cox now take this talented side all the way in 2025?
CHLOE MOLLOY (AUSSIE RULES)
After finishing equal-second in the AFLW best and fairest count in 2023, Molloy managed just one game for the Sydney Swans in 2024 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury at training in early September. It was a huge blow for the Swans co-captain and her side, which slumped to 15th on the ladder last season. However, Molloy is still just 26 years old and is a professional who will do everything in her power to come back better this year.
DONNELL WALLAM (NETBALL)
Not named in the 2024/25 Diamonds squad and forced to move overseas for a domestic contract, goaler Donnell Wallam will have to really impress if she wants to work her way back into the green and gold dress in time for the next World Cup.
BRODIE KOSTECKI (SUPERCARS)
The 2023 Supercars series champion all but forfeited his title defence when he sat out the opening rounds of 2024 over a dispute with his Erebus team. A shift to Dick Johnson Racing for 2025 will give Kostecki renewed enthusiasm, but can he recapture his finest form and help DJR get back to the top of the Supercars grid?
HARRY FROLING (BASKETBALL)
A victim of a one-punch attack that almost cost him his life, the former NBL big man is slowly plotting his path back to the game after overcoming significant head trauma and mental health battle. Froling is set to make a playing return in a second tier competition with a view that maybe he can return to the NBL.
Originally published as Kyrgios, Kerr, Tszyu, Ricciardo: The superstar Australian athletes on the comeback trail in 2025
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