AFL 2025: Every club’s predicted best 23 ahead of the practice matches
Pre-season is back in full swing and practice matches are just around the corner. So, how is your club’s side shaping up for 2025? Our experts predict the best 23 for every team.
Simeon Thomas-Wilson, Josh Barnes, Callum ****, Matt Turner, Eliza Reilly, Lachlan McKirdy, Matt Forrest and Al Paton
January 20, 2025 - 5:57PM
Pre-season is back
in full swing after the Christmas break and players are starting to make their move as the start of the campaign draws closer.
For some, that hard work will pay off, while others will be unlucky to miss out.
As the practice matches loom, our experts have had a crack at naming the best 23 for every club – plus what to watch for from
a SuperCoach point-of-view.
NOTE: Best 23s are made up of players available for the majority of the season.
ADELAIDE
PREDICTED 2025 BEST 23
FB: Max Michalanney, Mark Keane, Josh Worrell
HB: Wayne Milera, Nick Murray, Isaac Cumming
C: Lachlan Sholl, Jake Soligo, Mitch Hinge
HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Darcy Fogarty, Ben Keays
FF: Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker, Josh Rachele
FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine
INT: Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, James Peatling, Dan Curtin, Sid Draper
Simeon Thomas-Wilson says: It should be a much changed best Crows team with the players they have brought in and those returning from long injury layo*** in 2024. Neal-Bullen should slot straight into a half-forward role, Cumming looks set to provide some class off half-back with a fully fit Wayne Milera, while Peatling is likely to rotate between a midfield and forward role.
Draper has shown such promising glimpses in pre-season so far that he should bang down the door to the Crows side pretty quickly.
The big SuperCoach question: Where does Dan Curtin play?
The highly touted draftee can play anywhere, which makes predicting his output difficult. But he has been tried as a tall midfielder over summer and that would be the best possible result for a player SuperCoaches can pick on their forward line bench for $158,600.
– Al Paton
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BRISBANE
PREDICTED 2025 BEST 23
FB: Brandon Starcevich, Harris Andrews, Darcy Wilmot
HB: Keidean Coleman, Jack Payne, Dayne Zorko
C: Jaspa Fletcher, Will Ashcroft, Hugh McCluggage
HF: Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Jarrod Berry
FF: Charlie Cameron, Sam Day, Callum Ah Chee
FOLL: Oscar McInerney, Josh Dunkley, Lachie Neale
INT: Kai Lohmann, Zac Bailey, Levi Ashcroft, Tom Doedee, Logan Morris
Callum **** says: Daniher is the obvious omission but former Sun Sam Day should get first crack at assuming his role. The Lions will also be buoyed by the return of defensive duo Tom Doedee and Keidean Coleman, the latter was on course for a breakout season last year before rupturing his ACL. Ryan Lester would be a stiff out but it’s a very competitive side to break into.
The big SuperCoach question:How do all the returning (and new) faces fit in?
Daniher’s surprise retirement creates one vacancy in the premiership side, but there is a queue of players hoping to break in – or back in after missing the flag through injury. Coleman, Linc McCarthy and Doedee, plus boom draftee Levi Ashcroft – they could all be good SuperCoach picks, priced well under their likely output. We’ll find out a lot more in Opening Round.
– Al Paton
CARLTON
PREDICTED 2025 BEST 23
FB: Nick Haynes, Jacob Weitering, Adam Saad
HB: Jordan Boyd, Mitch McGovern, Oliver Hollands
C: Sam Docherty, Patrick Cripps, Blake Acres
HF: Matt Cottrell, Harry McKay, Elijah Hollands
FF: Jesse Motlop, Charlie Curnow, Zac Williams
FOLL: Tom De Koning, Sam Walsh, Adam Cerra
INT: George Hewett, Jaxon Binns, Jack Silvagni, Jagga Smith, Lachie Fogarty
Josh Barnes says: The injury headache has already hit Michael Voss, with the reliable Nic Newman gone for the year. Voss has been forced to draw on depth too often in the past two years to cover injuries, but at least now this squad now has strong depth. Having trained there through most of the summer, Ollie Hollands can step right in on the back flank for Newman. Marc Pittonet, Lachie Cowan, Brodie Kemp, Corey Durdin and Orazio Fantasia are all ready to play big minutes but didn’t make our cut. And then the youngsters like Ashton Moir, Ben Camporeale and Billy Wilson should be pushing. This is a squad with good depth, even if some extra midfield speed hasn’t been found yet.
The big SuperCoach question: One ruck or two?
Tom De Koning showed he could be a SuperCoach scoring beast when unleashed as a solo ruckman last season, but Michael Voss often opted to partner him with Marc Pittonet – leading to a huge drop in his SuperCoach output. We would love to get an early insight into Voss’s plans for 2025.
– Al Paton
COLLINGWOOD
PREDICTED 2025 BEST 23
FB: Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Isaac Quaynor
HB: Josh Daicos, Jeremy Howe, Dan Houston
C: Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury, Ed Allan
HF: Bobby Hill, Dan McStay, Pat Lipinski
FF: Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Beau McCreery
FOLL: Darcy Cameron, Nick Daicos, Jordan De Goey
INT: Lachie Schultz, Jack Crisp, Harry Perryman, Wil Parker, Will Hoskin-Elliott
Josh Barnes says: The glaring thing with this side is the lack of height in defence. Craig McRae will surely find a place for Billy Frampton or Charlie Dean, but squeezing them in is tough. The Pies love young Ed Allan and the team needs more young legs in the midfield. Wil Parker added some dare to the backline and the Pies need more of that, which will be bolstered by Dan Houston’s arrival and Josh Daicos playing back there more. When fit, the Magpies midfield is still strong, but getting them fit at their age is the battle. This is a strong team - even recruit Tim Membrey is relegated to back-up status - but everyone needs to be firing.
The big SuperCoach question: Is Ed Allan a regular?
Nick Daicos says he could be a ‘superstar’ and the 20-year-old played his best AFL game (of two) in the final round last season. The Pies need to refresh their midfield and Allan ($194k MID) is at the front of the queue.
– Al Paton