AFL Finals player rankings: Every Hawthorn and Brisbane player rated 1-46

The Brisbane Lions have outlasted the Hawthorn Hawks to win their way through to the 2026 AFL Grand Final, in one of the greatest games of Australian rules football the country has ever seen.

10 players have realistic claims to being the best on ground in this instant and absorbing classic. Key defenders, small forwards, clearance beasts - every archetype had at least one exemplary proponent in this one.

Here is how Zero Hanger judged every player's impact.

1. Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane) - This champion showed signs of ring rust early, but tried his guts out, with coach Chris Fagan's recent endorsement likely still ringing in his ears. You can't keep the good ones down, and McCluggage is a very, very good one. Clutch as they come in the last. A hero.

   

2. Harris Andrews (Brisbane) - This generational Lion had some moments to forget in the air and on the ground in the first quarter, leading to Mitch Lewis and Nick Watson goals. The skipper was always going to respond, and was strong in all phases after his early blunders. Momentous spoils, as is his custom, particularly in the last, when the Hawks were coming.
3. Nick Watson (Hawthorn) - Where. Do. You. Start? A freakish performance from the kid they call “The Wizard”.An electric start from the prodigious match-winner. The side's first two majors, with his speed posing enormous issues for the bigger body of Ryan Lester. Drew frees from hyper-aware opponents, displayed his clean heels and played to the crowd as he so often does. Six majors in a preliminary final as the shortest bloke out there, still in just game 66.
4. Jack Gunston (Hawthorn) - The Lions will once again be asking, “where was this in 2023?”The crafty veteran took chest marks on the lead, contested marks above his head, and was customarily dead-eyed with the opportunities this presented. Drew Gardiner deep to facilitate one-on-one battles for his fellow talls. Saw none of it while the Lions charged in the third, but kicked crucial majors in the Hawks' final-term charge. Ageless wonder, is “Gunners”.
5. Josh Ward (Hawthorn) - Josh Ward, the star that you are! The 23-year-old had some very clean moments in the phonebox to work his way into this one, after just eight touches in the 2025 preliminary final. The Hawk had the equal-most clearances in the first half, but really came alive in the last, providing either a clearance or the cleanest of links in the chain, multiple times, as the Hawks mounted their final-term charge.
6. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane) - I loved the way he ate a Mabior Chol bump in the first term. Tough as nails from the prince that was promised, before a sublime running goal to frank the Mr. September claims. Most touches on the ground in yet another preliminary final, Norms jangling around his neck and all.
7. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane) - Unsighted for much of the first half - one of the last two players to garner a touch, in an uncharacteristic start for the showman.But.It doesn't have to be your night for it to be your moment - and he took his moments when they presented themselves. Lohmann gave his side the lead in the third, after they fell behind by as many as 22 points. Had some lovely pressure acts inside forward 50, too. Three goals in the third term, and five for the match - equal with Gunston, and only outdone by one Nicholas Watson.
8. Josh Dunkley (Brisbane) - The three-time champ was huge on Will Day early. The former Dog tackled his guts out, took some intercept marks, and showed that he is a footballer as honest as the day is long.
9. James Sicily (Hawthorn) - Was swung forward to start the second term, with the Hawks a little too Watson-dependent to that point. Kicked the first goal - a beautiful snap from the boundary - of the second term, before lining up on the wing at the next ball up. Genuine swiss army knife. In the same term, he took some brave intercept marks in his habitual defensive 50. Skipper's knock.
10. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane) - Still his side's most important chess piece. A relentless competitor, whose skills, composure and short memory were features of the victory.
11. Massimo D'Ambrosio (Hawthorn) - 12 at 91% in the first half - the most of any Hawk. Was clean but lacked damage, and won his pill in inconsequential areas. Kept up his prolificity throughout the contest.
12. Ty Gallop (Brisbane) - Recovered from getting caught holding the ball in defensive 50 to have some nerve-settling moments in the first, including a nice one-on-one groundball contest with Gunston, right in front of goal. Like his brilliant captain, he had some special, timely spoils himself, particularly when the dam wall threatened to burst in the second.
13. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane) - Just too much craft for the Hawks' small backs. Still lethally quick and whip-smart, using every bit of his experience to remain dangerous whenever the pill was in his vicinity. His third goal was virtuosic.
14. Conor McKenna (Brisbane) - Was rewarded for his continuous hunt on the pill with a fun major in the first. Everything he touches turns to scores. Mercurial, and he plays with a perceptible joy,  but make no mistake - the Irishman is maximum damage.
15. Mitch Lewis (Hawthorn) - Two goals in the first term, including a sublime, shaped drop punt from outside 50, near the junction. His third, from outside 50 in the second, was goalkicking purity. Finished with four.
16. Cam Rayner (Brisbane) - Took on the tackler, put his head over it, and took territory. Most metres gained in the first half. Was frankly massive in quelling Sicily in the last.
17. Eric Hipwood (Brisbane) - A beauuuuuuutiful left-footed snap gave the Lions their first lead in the first term. Had as many head-scratching moments as he did brave marks in a true microcosm of his career to date, but always gave unquestionable effort.
18. Lachie Neale (Brisbane) - Rebounded from THAT Newcombe moment to have the equal-second-most touches in the first term, and the second-most for the match. Extended his Lions career to another grand final, in perfect timing for Fagan and co, with Will Ashcroft more than primed to take the mantle from him.
19. Jaspa Fletcher (Brisbane) - Ball use was on from the very early stages. Brave choices by foot to confirm his stance as Zorko's heir apparent. Had some brave moments, and stuck to his task with aplomb.
20. Ryan Lester (Brisbane) - Had his colours lowered by Nick Watson early, but had plenty of repelling moments afterward. Fan-favourite “Froggy” lost no admirers in one of the toughest assignments in footy.
21. Zac Bailey (Brisbane) - Had moments of selfishness that look spectacular when they come off, and pong like rotten prawns when they don't. Undid some of those moments with team-first acts in the pulsating final term.
22. Josh Weddle (Hawthorn) - Sensational effort in the second ruck battle, given the size he was giving up.
23. Logan Morris (Brisbane) - Inserted himself further afield in the first, to feel the leather in his hands. Some of his field kicking was Curnow-and-Cameron-adjacent for a big man, but he saw very little of it. Kicked the all-important first of the last, and another steadying snap settled the nerves.
24. Jarrod Berry (Brisbane) - Ball use was a concern, as it often is, for this unflinching competitor. HUGE goal to get things going in the third, after both sides peppered the goals to no avail.
25. Lloyd Meek (Hawthorn) - Led all comers in hitouts, and was huge in providing first supply in the last.
26. Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn) - Cleaned up Lachie Neale at the opening bounce, and had his customary 20 disposals and six clearances. Not his usual September damage, but solid.
27. Sam Draper (Brisbane) - Combative in the guts, with a clear focus on physical presence and follow-up work.
28. Tom Barrass (Hawthorn) - Looked to lack urgency on numerous occasions in the first frame - a trait that jumped off the tape in such a ferocious contest. The pace of the game came to him, and he played the third man up role beautifully afterwards. His chase on Zac Bailey felt like a momentum swing of consequential proportions.
29. Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane) - Handy early goal to work himself into the contest, with a smother on Josh Battle soon after, an indicator of his willingness to do the tough stuff. Had another such moment in the last.
30. Connor Macdonald (Hawthorn) - Plenty of damage with his disposal and speed, but probably needed to get busier when the whips were cracking in Brisbane's favour.
31. Dylan Moore (Hawthorn) - Had some moments as fast-break conduit in the break-neck first half.
32. Blake Hardwick (Hawthorn) - Held his own against the league's best rotating cast of small goalsneaks.
33. Oscar Allen (Brisbane) - A bit of a weird role, as a tall, high half forward, often sighted outside the arc, but competed well.
34. Darcy Fort (Brisbane) - Looked short odds to dominate Josh Weddle in the second ruck battle, but surprisingly could not capitalise as much as conventional wisdom suggests he should have. Weddle drew a ruck infringement free, and kicked truly, emphasising that point. Still a crucial structural piece though.
35. Darcy Gardiner (Brisbane) - Struggled with the assignment of former teammate Jack Gunston - as many do. Looked off the pace. Toiled hard though, and should hold his place.
36. Jack Ginnivan (Hawthorn) - Toiled in his thankless half-forward conduit role, but ultimately could not influence. Just 13 touches and five score involvements for the premiership Pie.
37. Cam Mackenzie (Hawthorn) - 15 touches, four clearances, four score involvements, but no tackles. Did not catch the eye.
38. Darcy Wilmot (Brisbane) - Had some subtle wins against Nick Watson to cool his hot start, before Watson truly got the better of him. Wilmot was not afforded his usual running lanes out of the back half, and looked jittery with ball in hand because of it.
39. Karl Amon (Hawthorn) - Lost his fourth preliminary final, and posted the lowest disposal tallies of the quartet in this one. Poor.
40. Harry Morrison (Hawthorn) - Some poor turnovers coming out of trouble in the third term.
41. Josh Battle (Hawthorn) - Unseen - usually a good thing for a key back - but when you concede 131 points, it's anything but.
42. Jarman Impey (Hawthorn) - Lost his battles with the Lions' small fleet, and will be haunted by his final term decision, forever.
43. Will Day (Hawthorn) - Had Josh Dunkley's clamps for company, and felt them. Just two touches in the first. 13 touches through three quarters - and did not add a single one in the last - and managed zero clearances for the match. Barring an injury that wasn't communicated - there's no excuse to go missing like that.
44. Mabior Chol (Hawthorn) - His lackadaisical approach, similar to Barrass', stood out, as did his poor disciplinary moments. His lone handball through three-and-a-half quarters was somewhat overturned by a huge set shot in the last.
45. Bailey MacDonald (Hawthorn) - Just the four touches.
46. Max Beattie (Hawthorn) - Non-factor, was the fourth-gamer.