The kick-in of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has seen players in the million-dollar club more than double, with 58 players recorded earning seven figures in 2025.
It is a major jump from the previous 25 stars a year earlier, which has seen a leap in average earnings of over half a million dollars ($505,961) across the entire competition
The report indicated that two players jumped into the $1.6 million range, with AFL Media tipping injured St Kilda star Max King to be one of them, given his heavily front-loaded contract extension.
Fellow stars such as Christian Petracca, Nick Daicos, Isaac Heeney, Hugh McCluggage, Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield, Zak Butters and Marcus Bontempelli are also expected to have reached the million-dollar mark in 2025.
Per News Corp, Kelly and Richmond veteran Tom Lynch were the two players to clear the $1.6 million mark last year.
The reported figures are set to spike once more in 2026, which will include the Saints' lucrative contracts for Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and free agent Tom De Koning.
For the first time, the average paid player earns more than $500,000 per year, doubling the mean of the 2012 season.
1990-2025 Summary of AFL Listed Player Earnings (credit to AFL.com.au)
| $ | 1990* | 2000* | 2010* | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| $0-$200,000 | 538 | 456 | 229 | 151 | 136 | 128 | 117 | 107 |
| $200,001-$400,000 | - | 102 | 249 | 238 | 235 | 202 | 207 | 187 |
| $400,001-$600,000 | - | 8 | 54 | 177 | 166 | 171 | 169 | 163 |
| $600,001-$800,000 | - | 2 | 10 | 71 | 71 | 96 | 111 | 94 |
| $800,001-$1,000,000 | - | - | 6 | 13 | 39 | 44 | 39 | 54 |
| $1,000,001-$1,200,000 | - | - | - | 2 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 36 |
| $1,200,001-$1,400,000 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 16 |
| $1,400,001-$1,600,000 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| $1,600,001+ | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| TOTAL | 538 | 568 | 548 | 655 | 659 | 660 | 668 | 663 |
* 1990-2010 figures only include players who played a senior game
2010-2025 AFL total player earnings (credit to AFL.com.au)
| Year | Gross player payments ($) |
Average gross earnings ($) |
| 2010 | 136,698,418 | 226,165 |
| 2011 | 153,699,344 | 237,388 |
| 2012 | 173,717,042 | 251,559 |
| 2013 | 181,560,623 | 265,179 |
| 2014 | 188,944,174 | 283,029 |
| 2015 | 200,199,169 | 302,104 |
| 2016 | 204,305,032 | 309,208 |
| 2017 | 231,354,739 | 352,470 |
| 2018 | 240,417,657 | 362,471 |
| 2019 | 242,345,042 | 363,430 |
| 2020 | 170,043,949 | 259,651 |
| 2021 | 233,853,380 | 372,224 |
| 2022 | 257,574,937 | 406,105 |
| 2023 | 280,862,089 | 441,464 |
| 2024 | 296,300,000 | 459,173 |
| 2025 | 327,652,493 | 505,961 |
* All figures related to Primary Listed Players
