AFL Draft: The top 10 forwards in the 2025 pool

Small forwards, spearheads and half forwards. There are plenty of attacking options in the 2025 AFL Draft. Bolter Sullivan Robey is most at home in the forward line, while Aidan Schubert is widely seen as the best key forward in the crop. Here's our top 10 forwards from the 2025 draft class. Sullivan Robey The best draft story of the year. Robey's rise from local footy at Rowville to the Eastern Ranges after missing Dandenong's list as a 16-year-old has been well told. Powerful, explosive, strong and exciting, he's most comfortable as a connecting, marking half-forward who takes his chances in front of goals. At the time of writing, the gut feel is Richmond is Robey's most likely destination, but could be selected by West Coast with their second selection if the draft order remains the same, which would be incomprehensible. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Sullivan Robey"] Sam Cumming The forward-midfielder is a dangerous, powerful package capable of taking strong marks and beating opponents at ground level as an Isaac Heeney type who is capable of going into the midfield. Injury brought an early end to Cumming's year, but not before he stamped his top 10 credentials and was named as part of the U18s All-Australian side. Has been linked to Essendon, a club he would suit well, which is right around his range. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Sam Cumming"] Aidan Schubert One of many former state basketballers in this draft class, Schubert chose footy in April last year and has hardly looked back. In 2025, in particular, the athletic tall forward has gone from strength to strength and spearheaded the South Australian forward line, where his crash and bash contested marking and high work rate both made it hard for opponents to beat him. Got a berth for Central District's senior side in a final late in the season, highlighting the esteem the Bulldogs hold him in. All the clubs in his range have shown some level of interest in Schubert. Could be selected in the top 10. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Aidan Schubert"] Lachy Dovaston Has been viewed for much of 2025 as the leading small forward in the crop and has doubled down on his defensive pressure and ability to impact in the midfield, which has rounded off his game nicely. A goalsneak who is most dangerous at the foot of a marking contest where he can pounce on the loose ball, the Nick Watson 2.0 tag has followed Dovaston for much of the season, and he continues to produce entertaining moments that the Hawthorn emerging talent would be proud of. Will fall somewhere between 10-20. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Lachy Dovaston"] Latrelle Pickett The mature-aged Glenelg small forward has met with every club and looms as one of the big bolters worth taking a chance on in a weak pool. Is viewed alongside Lachy Dovaston as the best small forward in the pool and some even view him ahead of the Eastern Ranges product given the speed and flair he possesses as a ground level threat. Kicked four goals on senior debut late in the season, having mostly played reserves, highlighting his scope. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Latrelle Pickett"] Mitch Marsh The strong marking South Australian forward's stocks have proliferated this season, and he was one of the best-performing players at the U18s National Championships. Hard to beat one-on-one, an excellent field kick and highly skilled, he has plenty of traits that suggest he could become a dangerous general forward or push higher up the ground. There were talks throughout the year that he could push towards the top 10, but he has come back a touch in recent times. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Mitch Marsh"] Archie Ludowyke A difficult one to place. Was the standout forward for his side in both AFL Academy games as a mobile marking forward and was dominant for Sandringham Dragons early in 2025. But an MCL injury limited his game time at the U18s National Championships and he hasn't played since mid-year as a result. Projects as a skilled player and confident aerialist with a brilliant vertical leap that a team could build their forward line around. Will likely be selected in the latter stages of the first round. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Archie Ludowyke"] Adam Sweid We've listed Sweid as a forward for this exercise given it is likely where he will start his career at the next level. A strong and powerful player with deceptive speed and offensive flair, Sweid entered 2025 off the back of an ACL-ruined bottom-aged campaign, and rose significantly across the course of the season. The Essendon Next Generation Academy prospect was afforded plenty of midfield time for Calder Cannons and Vic Metro throughout 2025, where his contested craft and defensive pressure were among the features of his game, but he is likely to spend lots of time off half-forward at the next level. Has been compared to Richmond's Dion Prestia. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Adam Sweid"] Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves An exciting and match-winning talent at his best, injuries contributed to Hibbins-Hargreaves not finding game-in, game-out consistency in 2025. A smooth-mover with excellent aerial skills, good nous and the ability to find the big sticks when his team needs a spark, he looms as a shrewd addition to an AFL list. Threatened to push closer to the top 10 at stages of 2025 but never got a sustained block of form at any stage this season, so could slide a little. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves"] Max King King's 2025 never really got going, but there were enough glimpses to back up the hype that followed him into this season. Won the vertical leap at the AFL Draft National Combine and is quick and dynamic to complement his strong and powerful 192cm frame. Has high upside and a skillset clubs are looking for at the next level. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Max King"]

		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	ADEL	23	18	5	72	139.3
2	GEEL	23	17	6	68	141.5
3	BL	23	16	6	66	114.2
4	COLL	23	16	7	64	122.4
5	GWS	23	16	7	64	115.3
6	FRE	23	16	7	64	109
7	GC	23	15	8	60	124.9
8	HAW	23	15	8	60	120.9

AFL Draft: The top 10 forwards in the 2025 pool

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