Three burning questions every AFL team will face during 2025 season
Will LDU re-sign? Will Chad Warner head west? Can the Lions contend without Joe Daniher? We examine the burning questions facing every club ahead of the 2025 season.
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Every club starts the new season with questions to answer — even the reigning premier.
Our experts have delved into the crystal ball to look at the three biggest questions all 18 clubs will need to answer this year.
From contract conundrums to positional problems and selection squeezes, there’s plenty to dissect.
Scroll down to see the burning questions for 2025 for every AFL side.
ADELAIDE
HOW MUCH WILL THE RECRUITS IMPROVE THEM?
Adelaide promised it would be aggressive in the off-season and the Crows delivered.
Melbourne premiership player Alex Neal-Bullen and GWS duo Isaac Cumming and James Peatling arrived at West Lakes to add significant depth to the Crows list.
Neal-Bullen adds to their forward line and could even flick through the midfield, while there is a lot of excitement about Peatling and his potential ceiling.
Cumming is set to start on the wing, but can also play in defence.
Already, the Crows look stronger.
CAN THE FOUR TALL FORWARDS WORK?
The Crows could be bucking the trend in the AFL when it comes to forwards.
With many teams going smaller in their forward lines, the Crows have adopted a four-tall attack of Taylor Walker, Riley Thilthorpe, Darcy Fogarty and Dan Curtin in pre-season.
There is plenty of excitement about what Thilthorpe could do in 2025 after a knee injury prevented a breakout year last year, while Curtin has added size to his frame and has had an excellent pre-season.
It gives the Crows plenty of targets going forward, but what happens when the ball is going the other way?
HOW WILL RACHELE REACT?
Dropping Josh Rachele for the final game of the season was the match that lit a powder keg of frustration and anger from Crows fans regarding how 2024 went and the direction of the club.
Nicks has said that Rachele has had one of the best pre-seasons he has seen in response to the axing and the Crows feel vindicated by the contentious call because of this.
But Rachele and his form will be heavily scrutinised at the start of the season and while the Crows feel vindicated right now how will this age as the year progresses?
BRISBANE LIONS
HOW DO THEY FILL THE DANIHER-SIZED HOLE?
Brisbane might have the best list in footy but Joe Daniher’s shock retirement has removed one of the Lions’ most dangerous weapons from the board. He was their September saviour but even before then, what Daniher offered as a star key forward with brilliant cameos in the ruck was something no other player in the AFL could match.
Sam Day has been brought in to fill that void but it would be asking too much of the ex-Sun to emulate Daniher’s output at this stage of his career. The Lions have goalkickers galore but how will the 2025 game plan marry-up without Daniher?
WHAT IS LEVI’S LEASH?
Levi Ashcroft watched his older brother win a flag and Norm Smith medal in just his second season of AFL footy and now joins him at the Lions with a mountain of expectation on his shoulders.
Brisbane fans are foaming at the mouth to see last year’s pick 5 replicate the incredible early career form of his brother, but with a limited pre-season under his belt following shoulder surgery, the Lions could move slowly to get him up and running at AFL level.
If he even produces at 70 per cent of Will’s debut games, the Lions will be grinning from ear-to-ear.
CAN ZORKO KEEP GOING?
Dayne Zorko would love it if everyone stopped reminding him of his age but at 36, the veteran is entering rarefied air in the AFL world as one of only 112 players in history to play at the top level beyond age 35.
Incredibly, he enjoyed a career-best campaign in 2024, earning All-Australian honours, and was a major reason why the Lions went all the way last September.
But Father Time always wins in the end and if he comes for the running defender at some stage this year, it would leave the Lions short of another major weapon.
CARLTON
WHICH RUCK SET UP DO THEY USE?
Tom De Koning has shown he is more than capable to run as the sole ruck for Carlton, but so has Marc Pittonet at times during his Blues career.
That will make for an intriguing battle for the main duties when Pittonet returns from injury, unless De Koning can make it his own during that time.
De Koning is out of contract at the end of the season and would be one of the biggest names on the trade table if he chose to explore some of the mammoth offers that have come in, so will be motivated to have a strong campaign.
Michael Voss has shown a tendency to change his ruck line-up depending on opponent, with a dual ruck set-up preferred against stronger and heavier opponents.
With Richmond’s Toby Nankervis, Hawthorn’s Lloyd Meek, Western Bulldogs’ Tim English and Collingwood’s Darcy Cameron in the opening month of footy, Voss is likely to rely on two rucks often to start the campaign.
WHO FILLS JAGGA’S SPOT?
Carlton leveraged its future during the trade period, trading out its future selections and then trading up to the No. 3 selection in the draft.
The Blues selected Jagga Smith, who was considered by the Tigers at pick 1 after starring for Richmond’s VFL side late in the campaign.
One of the draft’s best accumulators, Smith is light-framed but exceptional at finding the football and has been earmarked for an immediate role in Carlton’s midfield.
But has ACL injury in the pre-season game against St Kilda was a brutal blow for the Blues and will force Michael Voss to draw on the club’s on-ball depth.
Carlton already has a strong midfield contingent, led by captain Patrick Cripps and guns Sam Walsh, Sam Docherty and George Hewett.
Watch for Cooper Lord, a big-bodied midfielder, to step into the role the Blues had slated for Smith.
WHO STEPS UP IN DEFENCE?
Jack Silvagni has been shifted down back on his return from an ACL injury that wiped out his 2024 campaign, with the forward line evolving in his absence.
But there are no guarantees that Silvagni is even in the best 22 come round 1, with former Giant Nick Haynes also playing that third-tall role.
Silvagni is a heart-and-soul type player, and he’ll play senior football in 2025, however he is likely down the pecking order to start the season.
The father-son didn’t play in the practice match against St Kilda, while Ollie Hollands floated between wing and defence and looked solid, meaning Lachie Cowan was shifted into a lockdown role.
However, Silvagni showed promising signs against GWS.
Adam Saad looks like he will be a major ball distributor off halfback flank with Nic Newman out for most, if not all, of the season.
COLLINGWOOD
CAN THEY BOUNCE STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE FINALS?
They are clearly expecting so. The Magpies will take confidence from how they ended 2024, winning four of their last five matches, which included victories over finalists Carlton and premier Brisbane, as well as a three-point loss to runner-up Sydney at the SCG.
Dan Houston is a huge recruit as one of the best halfback flankers in the competition.
As much as last year went awry, Collingwood only missed the top eight by 7.7 per cent.
With superstar Nick Daicos yet to reach his prime and plenty of other top-end talent, the Magpies will feel primed to make their break from September a short one.
WHAT WILL THEIR FORWARD LINE LOOK LIKE?
Dan McStay looms as a significant inclusion after playing only five games last year to end the season and has been added to the club’s leadership group. He and Brody Mihocek did not feature together at all in 2024 due to injuries. Bobby Hill has tipped 30-year-old ex-Saint Tim Membrey to be a missing piece in the forward line. What does that mean for Mason Cox, coming off a 16-game campaign? Collingwood will be expecting former Docker Lachie Schultz to improve on his 24-goal haul in his debut season as a Magpie. Craig McRae still has plenty of firepower at his disposal with Hill, Jamie Elliott and Jordan De Goey rotating forward.
WHERE DOES PERRYMAN FIT?
The former Giant has the ability to be a bit of a Mr Fix-it for Collingwood, as someone who can plug holes across the ground. But expect the 26-year-old to line up through the midfield, at least to begin with, boosting the Magpies’ on-ball mix. Perryman was highly sought after during the exchange period and Collingwood — the club he supported as a child — swooped late on the unrestricted free agent. After playing 129 matches across the past eight seasons at GWS, he looms as an underrated acquisition as the Magpies chase another flag.
ESSENDON
HOW MANY TALLS IS TOO MANY?
The Bombers’ most intriguing selection question almost each week last year was what they would do with their mix of key forwards and rucks. In a 12-point win over Collingwood, Scott rolled out all of Sam Draper, Peter Wright, Harry Jones, Nate Caddy, Kyle Langford and Jake Stringer. Dynamic no. 13 pick Isaac Kako will give the Bombers better forward-half balance as a smaller replacement for Stringer, while a clearer ruck pecking order with Nick Bryan and Draper splitting the duties emerged in the final weeks of last season. Todd Goldstein played 14 games last season, but in 2025 expect the ruck great’s cameos to be sparse as the Bombers’ younger talls mature.
WHERE DOES MARTIN FIT BEST?
Nic Martin spent most of last season across halfback, but his best moments were often when he was let off the leash and allowed to roam the forward half of the ground.
He kicked four goals against Melbourne in a rapid burst in round 18 to drag the Bombers back into the game, and few players in the game have his combination of running power and goal sense.
His move into a high half-forward role could be one of the Bombers’ most positive changes this season, with hopes Mason Redman will be revitalised and Dylan Shiel can find a new home in Martin’s place.
HOW MANY GAMES DOES ZACH REID PLAY?
Ben McKay and Jordan Ridley both had their moments last season, but Essendon’s defence lacked cohesion when they were putunder aerial pressure. After a mostly uninterrupted summer, 202cm Zach Reid could be the missing piece in the puzzle alongside the duo, but the 22-year-old will need luck on his side to break from a nightmare run of injuries which have kept him to nine games in four seasons.
FREMANTLE
IS THIS THE YEAR THE DOCKERS RETURN TO FINALS?
Fremantle was being talked up as a potential premiership smoky last season when the Dockers were sitting pretty in the top-four with a month of footy to play. But in what can only be described as an unmitigated disaster, Fremantle lost its last four home-and-away games to crash out of the top eight and spend another September on the sidelines. The addition of ShaiBolton this off-season means that many are tipping the Dockers to return to finals but the burden of expectation hasn’t been kind to Fremantle since it last made finals in 2022.
CAN SEAN DARCY DELIVER?
It’s a make-or-break season for Sean Darcy. The 203cm big man’s best has been brilliant for Fremantle. But fans haven’t seen it enough. The 26-year-old only managed 12 games in 2024 due to knee issues. Darcy went to work in the off-season, returning noticeably lighter. He also travelled to the Aspetar Sports Clinic in Doha to improve his durability. But recent ankle surgery has Darcy in doubt for round 1. Given the investment Fremantle has made, the Dockers need to reach a point where Darcy and Luke Jackson are the most dominant ruck combination in the AFL. That hinges on Darcy’s availability.
COULD LONGMUIR STILL FACE PRESSURE?
Fremantle surprised the AFL world when Justin Longmuir signed a one-year contract extension on the eve of the 2024 season, a vote of some confidence. But the show of short-term faith didn’t pay off and the Dockers missed finals for the fourth time in five seasons under his tenure. Now, the Dockers have put Longmuir on what is essentially a rolling employment contract, rather than a fixed deal. It’s been said the move was about keeping the pressure off club and coach, but try telling that to Dockers supporters if they don’t break into the top eight with one of the league’s best lists.
GEELONG
WHAT IMPACT DOES BAILEY SMITH HAVE?
The new Cat was everywhere in his first game against external opponents since tearing his ACL. He played less than a half of football against Hawthorn, but collected 16 disposals, four tackles and four inside-50s, playing mostly off the half forward flank as he was eased into action. Smith was one of the hardest-working runners in the competition during his first seasons at the Western Bulldogs, and he showed that gut running in the clash with the Hawks.
Geelong is eager to replenish its side on the run while remaining in contention, and the addition of Smith points towards that. They’ll give him time to work into the season, but there is an expectation Smith is a major centre bounce midfielder alongside young star and reigning best-and-fairest Max Holmes.
WHAT IS THE BEST RUCK SET-UP?
Toby Conway has all the talent in the world, but his body has refused to let him show it in his first years in the system. Geelong drafted Mitch Edwards at the end of the 2023 season and he has been mightily improved this summer, but is still not ready for senior football.
Sam De Koning has shown flashes but is a better key defender, while Mark Blicavs has been moved into defence as he edges closer to retirement.
Rhys Stanley has been kept as a depth option and the Cats will be hopeful he’s seldom seen at senior level, while Jacob Molier and Joe Pike are project draftees that will not see the field at AFL level. Chris Scott has never had a bona fide ruck star in any of his teams, often relying on the grunt work of Stanley to lead the division. But heading into 2025 the cupboard is truly bare.
WHO STEPS INTO THE HAWKINS VOID?
When Tom Hawkins went down with injury in the middle of 2024, Geelong fans were hopeful Shannon Neale could fill the void while he recovered. Fast forward to the finals campaign and it was the same Cats fans that were hopeful Scott backed in the fast-improving 203cm forward. Hawkins’ retirement at the end of the season signalled the new era for the Cats, and the goalsquare is now Neale’s to dominate for the next decade. The 22-year-old has stacked on muscle in the off-season and was impressive in the hit out against Hawthorn in the practice match. Neale booted 23 goals in 15 games last season, only going goalless once, and had multiple majors eight times. But he will be need to boot 40+ in 2025 as he takes full ownership of the forward 50. Cameron is still there and will be the main avenue to goals in 2025, but he’ll play his roaming half-forward role he has owned in the past few seasons.
GOLD COAST
WILL ROWELL STAY?
If 2025 wasn’t important enough already, the Suns find themselves in a double-or-nothing scenario with superstar midfielder Matt Rowell. Both Rowell and Hardwick have stipulated the key to him remaining on the Gold Coast is winning more football games and if the Suns fall short on that metric, Rowell will have a host of suitors lining up out the door to tempt him back to Victoria. Another losing season – and losing Rowell – would be a near-fatal blow for a club that has, on paper, one of the most talented lists in footy.
HOW DO THEY WIN AWAY?
Gold Coast’s achilles heel last year was its inability to win games away from home until it was too little, too late. The Suns successfully turned People First Stadium into a fortress but it took until Round 22 — and an after-the-siren Mac Andrew goal — to finally taste success on the road. That simply cannot happen in 2025 if Hardwick’s side is to feature in September.
The Suns get West Coast, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Richmond away from home in their first six games of the season. That t is a gilt-edged opportunity to plant an early flag in the ground. Can they do it?
WHAT’S THE SOLUTION TO SCORING WOES?
At one point Gold Coast was the No. 1 inside-50 team in the AFL last year but at the same time among the least efficient teams at hitting the scoreboard — and with Jack Lukosius, Sam Day and Levi Casboult all gone the key forward stocks have been thinned considerably. Ben King looks ominous after his first full pre-season in a handful of years, while second-year forwards Jed Walter and Ethan Read have both shown great strides on last year. But is that trio — with Crows free agent Elliott Himmelberg in the mix — enough to solve the Suns’ scoring woes of 2024?
GWS GIANTS
CAN THE PACKAGE DELIVER?
Jake Stringer’s arrival in western Sydney looks great on paper. He fits into a strong forward line, which includes skippe rToby Greene and Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan, where the pressure isn’t on him alone to win games off his boot. He’s also relished life in NSW having put together a solid body of work across pre-season. They desperately missed that cutting edge in last year’s finals series, and ‘The Package’ could be the quality they’ve been crying out for to take them to the next level.
WHO FILLS THE GAPS ACROSS THE FIELD?
The Giants lost three key members of their best 23 over the summer in Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and James Peatling. The club wanted all three to remain but could never offer close to what they’re receiving from their new teams. But in the end, they didn’t win a flag with them. So it gives them a chance to throw some of their very talented youngsters in. James Leake and Phoenix Gothard are both looking primed for a debut, while Harry Rowston and Conor Stone are seeking more regular opportunities.
HOW QUICKLY CAN THEY GET KEY SIGNATURES?
The next 12 months will be key for the future of the Giants given the players they have coming off-contract. Finn Callaghan headlined that list, but resisted a mega offer from St Kilda to ink a new deal in western Sydney. Then others like Leek Aleer, Callum Brown and Xavier O’Halloran are undoubtedly talented players, but sit on the fringe of Kingsley’s best 23. Can the Giants keep them all happy, and get them to stay? They have a good track record of keeping all the players they want to keep, but this year is set to test them again.
HAWTHORN
WILL THE MIX-AND-MATCH FORWARD LINE WORK?
No. 1 key target Mitch Lewis had an injury-riddled 2024 campaign, and is set to miss a large chunk of 2025 as he recovers from a torn ACL. Last year it was Calsher Dear who came from the clouds to have an immediate impact despite being a first-year player, but with the father-son out to begin the campaign, someone else will have to shoulder the burden. Mabior Chol booted 37 goals in his first season at the club and will have to take on more responsibility to start the season, while his key-target partner looks set to be either veteran Jack Gunston or youngster Max Ramsden. Gunston got more opportunities in the scratch match against Geelong, but struggled in a match up against Jack Henry.
IS IT TIME TO SETTLE DOWN?
James Sicily and Blake Hardwick were swung from defence into attack, Josh Weddle was deployed in the ruck and Dylan Moore was a pinch-hitting centre bounce midfielder. Add in a new defensive spine in Tom Barrass and Josh Battle, Mitchell will have more freedom to throw the magnets around, with Hardwick already pegged for a deep forward role. Connor Macdonald has spent time on a wing this pre-season, while Nick Watson dominated match simulation in a high half-forward role. What changes are next? Hawk champion Dermott Brereton suggested recently he thinks Josh Battle will spend time forward.
WERE THE ‘HOLLYWOOD HAWKS’ A ONE-HIT WONDER?
Fresh off a 16th-placed 7-16 season in 2023, alarm bells must’ve been ringing at Waverley Park after five rounds. The Hawks were 0-5, were the worst scoring team in the competition and had leaked the fourth-most points behind just West Coast and North Melbourne. They had lost their starting full back, James Blanck, to a torn ACL on the eve of the campaign, and Mitch Lewis lasted three games to start the year before missing until after the bye. It was shaping up to be another year of hurt at the Hawks, and with Mitchell staring down the barrel of a third consecutive bottom-eight season to start his coaching career after the controversial succession plan involving Alastair Clarkson, Hawthorn needed to turn it around. By the end of the season they were 14-9, going 14-4 after a nine-goal loss to Gold Coast where Mitchell called the playing group out in the post-match press conference. In the final nine games of the season the Hawks were the best scoring team (110.2ppg) and the second best defensive team (64.2ppg) — behind only Port Adelaide. Add in an experienced key defensive unit in Barrass and Battle, who have played 273 games between them, and the Hawks are primed for improvement, despite a harder fixture in 2025 and a target on their backs.
MELBOURNE
WHERE DO THE GOALS COME FROM?
Blessed with elite talent down back and on the ball, the Demons remained a difficult nut for opponents to crack last year, but all too often made scoring look impossible. Petracca could spend more time inside-50 this year, while Matt Jefferson is finally set to be blooded and No. 6 pick Harvey Langford could also provide a point of difference. The real key though will be increasing the speed of their ball movement, and whether they can their most lethal finisher in Bayley Fritsch more regularly as a result.
TOO FAST, TOO FURIOUS?
After an impressive debut season on the wing, Caleb Windsor is set to spend time at halfback for an injection of leg speed and foot skills, with Trent Rivers likely to remain in the middle after he was a revelation in the second half of last season. Ed Langdon has also been a regular attendee at centre bounces during Melbourne’s match simulation drills, as Goodwin searches for more flexibility from his senior players. Kysaiah Pickett and Judd McVee are unlikely to be strangers to the midfield mix either when they return, with leg speed to be a priority around Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney on the inside.
WILL PETTY’S SWITCH WORK?
Harrison Petty’s struggles at centre half-forward last season could quickly be forgotten as he returns to where he made a stellar contribution to the Demons’ premiership campaign. With a big vertical leap and strong pair of hands, the 25-year-old is set to usurp Tom McDonald from the backline and remind critics why Adelaide pursued him so intently at the end of 2023. At the other end, Jefferson will likely join Jacob van Rooyen and Daniel Turner in attack, but the Demons may only have room for two of the trio when Pickett returns.
NORTH MELBOURNE
IS THIS THE BREAKTHROUGH YEAR?
The Roos are entering the third year of a five-year deal for coach Alastair Clarkson, who has endured a spluttering start to his tenure at the club. But there is hope on the horizon for North Melbourne, with talented youngsters finally starting to show promise and a real push to trade for seasoned veterans to help lead the way. Luke Parker, Jack Darling and Caleb Daniel all add serious class and leadership to a side that desperately needed calming presences on all lines of the field, and all will play vital roles in 2025. And without a first-round selection in this year’s draft, along with their best player being out of contract at season’s end, there is no incentive to focus on development in 2025. This is the year for North Melbourne to improve. It has to be.
WILL THEY RUE THEIR LIVE DRAFT TRADE?
North Melbourne shocked footy pundits by trading its premium future pick to move into the back-end of 2024’s first round to draft tall utility Matt Whitlock. While the Kangaroos got a second-round selection in return, which is expected to be one of the first picks on night two of the 2025 draft, North Melbourne is banking on finishing high enough to justify the trade.
But with a bottom-two finish in each of the past five years, history is against the Roos, with the trade potentially handing Richmond the first two selections of the draft. North Melbourne recruiters have been adamant they saw Whitlock as a top-10 draft prospect, and an extra year of development into the tall before the pick will be taken is valuable, but footy fans will judge the trade based on where the Kangas finish the 2025 season.
WHAT IS LDU’S PASS MARK?
Luke Davies-Uniacke wants to play finals. He also wants to remain committed to the club that drafted him. But with big money on the table from rivals, with some offering the star midfielder a better chance at playing in September, all eyes will be on Davies-Uniacke’s signature. The Roos will need to show some form of improvement on the field in order to keep him, whether that’s in the form of more wins (21-1-86 career record), or closer games (23 career 60-point losses, two more than career wins). Not many are expecting North Melbourne to suddenly be a finals contender in 2025, but a solid season with 6-8 wins could be enough for Davies-Uniacke to sign an extension and remain at the club, even if it isn’t a long-term commitment that rivals are offering.
PORT ADELAIDE
HOW DO THEY PLUG THEIR KEY DEFENSIVE HOLES?
First Brandon Zerk-Thatcher went down with a back injury, then Esava Ratugolea underwent a knee procedure. Both are set to miss the start of the season, leaving the Power shorthanded in their key defensive posts. Aliir Aliir returned to his best form last year, finishing third in the best-and-fairest. But who partners him? Miles Bergman (186cm), Logan Evans (189cm), Lachie Jones (188cm) and Ryan Burton (191cm) are all capable of playing on taller opponents. Jeremy Finlayson (196cm) began training with the defenders last month, reprising his role from his early days at GWS. Finlayson never got going in 2024, serving a three-game ban for a homophobic slur and having his season ended early by a ruptured spleen, but he might be the short-term answer this year.
HOW MUCH WILL A NEW-LOOK FORWARD LINE HELP?
At the end of last season, Charlie Dixon’s nine-year reign as the Power’s spearhead ended in retirement, Francis Evans and Quinton Narkle were delisted and Ratugolea was sent back to defence. They were four of the Power’s forwards in the qualifying and preliminary final losses to Geelong and Sydney. In come Gold Coast swingman Jack Lukosius, ex-Collingwood goalsneak Joe Richards, clever draftee small forward Joe Berry and heart-and-soul player Sam Powell-Pepper, who returns from a serious knee injury. Port plans to play a faster style to suit its more mobile, athletic attack and will be hoping it can lead to easier goals. The Power ranked 18th for expected accuracy — essentially meaning it took the toughest shots in the competition — and 12th for goals from 0-15m. Todd Marshall’s long-term absence because of a ruptured achilles is a sizeable loss.
HOW DOES THE SUCCESSION PLAN GO?
Port Adelaide is adamant nothing will change this season, Hinkley’s last in the top role before handing to Carr. The Power is also confident there will be no tension in the handover, unlike previously at some other clubs. But the proofwill ultimately be in the pudding. Port knows that questions will come thick and fast about its succession plan at almost every turn, particularly after bad losses or a run of wins. Hinkley is unlikely to enjoy the extra scrutiny that comes with making an announcement before the season, but he is also very much used to it. He and his players are determined not to be distracted as they try to snap the club’s 21-year premiership drought.
RICHMOND
WHAT’S THEIR IDENTITY?
If Yze and Richmond had formed a coherent game plan last year, then a catastrophic spate of injuries to their stars meant it was quickly no longer visible. Armed with both Lynch and Noah Balta up forward, the Tigers rolled Sydney at the MCG in round 3 in one of their two wins for the season. With a bit of luck they could assemble a similar spine when Balta returns, but the losses of Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli mean they cannot rely on outside run and skill to break down opponents.
HOW DO THEY FIND ANOTHER GEAR?
Taranto, Prestia, Hopper and Ross is a hard-nosed midfield combination, but the Tigers must quickly find more dynamic players to sprinkle into that mix to avoid faster teams blowing them off the park. Diminutive 20-year-old Seth Campbell is an obvious option to trial in the centre, while there will be hopes Sam Lalor can have an impact at centre bounces as the season goes on. Maurice Rioli is another who may be pushed up the ground to throw a different challenge at opponents.
HOW MUCH CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE KIDS?
Lalor was on track for a prime time debut against Carlton before suffering a fractured jaw. He’s not been completely ruled out, but don’t expect the world of the hulking midfield prospect even if he does play. It wouldn’t shock if he followed a similar developmental arc to the likes of Martin, Petracca and De Goey. The No. 1 pick and Josh Smillie (No. 7) are both key position-sized but will be under pressure to settle in as quickly as other midfielders taken in the top 10. Alger, Armstrong, Trainor and Sims could all be turned to early, but the Tigers will still need to turn to older bodies like Kamdyn McIntosh to shield their cubs through the season.
ST KILDA
HOW WILL THE DEFENCE STRUCTURE UP?
No Dougal Howard, no Josh Battle, some worry for St Kilda’s key defensive stocks. Howard will miss the first couple of months of the season after a shoulder dislocation at training, adding insult to Battle’s departure in the off-season. Top 10 draft pick Alix Tauru is also out of action with a back stress fracture, stretching the Saints’ depth. There have been murmurings about Anthony Caminiti training in defence this summer but it would be a tough initiation up against Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe in the Saints’ season opener. Zaine Cordy only played eight senior games last year but is the most experienced option while Arie Schoenmaker will have to take on more responsibility.
WHAT DOES MACRAE BRING?
St Kilda’s midfield has been fighting above its weight division for a while now. But the Saints became the beneficiary of Jack Macrae falling out of favour at the Western Bulldogs. Macrae is a leader and a prolific ball-winner but at 30, he might not cover the ground as well as he used to. There was a lot of buzz around Mattaes Phillipou’s midfield potential but he’ll be sidelined for the start of the season. Darcy Wilson displayed impeccable footy IQ and running capacity in his first season at the top level and should get more opportunities on-ball. Jack Steele and Marcus Windhager should pick up where they left off but St Kilda would love to unlock some new combinations.
WILL THEY LAND A BIG FISH?
St Kilda’s multimillion-dollar pursuit of Carlton star Tom De Koning tells us one thing about the Saints – they have money to spend and they want everyone to know about it. Jacob Weitering, Zach Merrett, Andrew Brayshaw, Luke Davies-Uniacke and now De Koning have all been linked to St Kilda’s war chest. The Saints can’t let it become a distraction in 2025 but the club also needs to develop a clear direction to tempt one of the many free agents on the market. Make steady inroads this season, add an A-Grader at the end of the year and Saints fans can start to get excited.
SYDNEY
CAN THEY COVER MCCARTIN’S SHIFT?
One of the big changes Dean Cox has made this pre-season has been moving key defender Tom McCartin into the forward line, where he played much of his junior footy. It’s an attempt to get arguably the club’s best contested marker ahead of the ball. The Swans have enough weapons in attack that they can afford the risk there. But will they be able to cover his absence in defence? Lewis Melican had a career-best year in 2024 and will be given more responsibility. Nick Blakey and Dane Rampe will then be considered the club’s next ‘tall’ defenders. It feels like they could be missing a key defender to be considered premiership contenders, but game plan and experience could be everything.
YOUTH OR EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE MIDDLE?
There are several players on the fringe of the team who did not play in the grand final and think they deserve a shot under Cox. Taylor Adams sticks out as the most experienced option, with the former Pie putting together a strong pre-season as he looks for a hybrid/midfield role. He could be competing with a youngster like Angus Sheldrick, who has been one of the club’s best performers so far in 2025. Time will tell just how much Cox wants to look to the future or look for immediate results.
HOW DO THEY IGNORE THE DISTRACTIONS?
Talk will follow the Swans all season in 2025. First, it’ll be Chad Warner and his contract situation. The talented midfielder still has to make his mind up, but the longer it draws on the more it could impact him and his teammates. Then there’s the Grand Final record. If they’re successful and make it to the last Saturday of September again, they will need to put it in the back of their minds. It’s there for the taking for the Swans, but they’re going to have to be made of pretty strong stuff to win that elusive flag.
WEST COAST
WILL MCQUALTER’S REVOLUTION TAKE OFF?
Andrew McQualter has made it clear that the Eagles’ new game style will take inspiration from Richmond’s frenetic football. And that’s been evident this pre-season as West Coast put a premium on speed and chaos. The Eagles want to play front-half football and they’ve designed their pre-season around pace and repeat efforts. The question is whether West Coast has the cattle and talent to make it work. First and foremost, McQualter’s job is to make the Eagles competitive again. But he’s also clearly put an onus on flair which will help keep fans engaged after several tough seasons.
CAN HARLEY BACK IT UP?
Harley Reid has already become the face of West Coast after just one season and how the Eagles manage the precocious talent is one of Andrew McQualter’s first big tests. The No. 1 pick transformed West Coast, injecting some much-needed spark and a touch of arrogance into a club that had lost its competitive edge. Now the challenge is to keep him. Reid will want to see on-field improvement before committing to an extension. But there’s also an onus on him to back up his incredible debut season. Reid has endured a stop-start pre-season but the 19-year-old is an indispensable part of West Coast’s rebuild.
WILL THE RECRUITS FAST-TRACK THE REBUILD?
West Coast went after experience in the off-season but it remains to be seen whether the acquisition of Liam Baker, Jack Graham and Matt Owies will lift the Eagles out of the bottom four. Richmond premiership teammates Baker and Graham have both been elevated into the Eagles leadership group and the latter has had an instant impact in a midfield that’s set to be without Elliot Yeo early. Owies will provide another reliable small target in attack. The big question is whether the trio can offset the loss of Tom Barrass who leaves a gaping hole in the Eagles’ defence.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
DO THEY HAVE THE DEPTH?
The Bulldogs’ list is going to be seriously tested early on. In Cody Weightman they are missing their best small forward, in Liam Jones their best key defender and in Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, a matchwinning key forward. Throw in All-Australian midfielders Marcus Bontempelli and Adam Treloar and the injury list is worrying long. Matt Kennedy comes in from Carlton and will help, while Ryley Sanders could explode with the opportunities he should get in the engine room. The Dogs are going to need several second-tier players to stand up.
WHAT WILL BEVO DO?
Coach Luke Beveridge comes into the final year of his contract under an increasing amount of pressure to perform. While he has a premiership and Grand Final appearance on his resume, there has still been a sense that he has underperformed with the list he has — especially since the Dogs have never made the top-four under his watch. Already, some are predicting he won’t see out the year, but Beveridge has shown he is a fighter and could have some tricks up his sleeve. Swinging Rory Lobb into defence last year was a masterstroke and with the Bulldogs’ depth already tested because of injuries, could similar moves be in store for 2025?
WHAT HAPPENS WITH JAMARRA?
It was a positive sign that Ugle-Hagan has returned to training after his interrupted pre-season as he deals with personal issues.
But given he has hardly trained since Christmas, Ugle-Hagan isn’t expected to play in the early rounds of the season.
It will be great to see the former No. 1 draft pick back on the field, but his issues and his future at the Dogs will be under the microscope all season.
Given it is looming as such an important year for the Dogs, will it be a distraction?
Originally published as Three burning questions every AFL team will face during 2025 season
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