As we sit just weeks away from pre-season action, and almost one month away from the 2025 AFL season officially beginning, coaches will be looking to finalise their first selection of backmen for their opening clash of the year.
Defence is critical for success in the AFL, and in the final instalment of our backline rankings, we've determined the top six teams with the calibre to help push their club for premiership glory in 2025.
Boasting bonafide stars, a deep pool of talent, and a well-structured game plan, the top six sides in our rankings will likely be the toughest to score against this season.
TEAMS 18-13: Every AFL team's backline ranked: Part 1
TEAMS 12-7: Every AFL team's backline ranked: Part 2
Without further ado, here are Zero Hanger's final backline rankings...
5. (5th) Melbourne
Is this star-studded backline set to reclaim their title as the AFL's best defence in 2025? A fit and firing back six could lead the Demons back into contention.
The Demons struggled defensively last year in comparison to their previous three seasons, where they claimed the 2021 premiership and two top-four appearances thereafter.
Melbourne ranked eighth for points against in 2024, conceding 78.8 points per game, while they conceded just 72.2 in 2023 and 67.4 in 2022.
However, their key defender pairing of Steven May and Jake Lever spent periods of the season on the sideline with injury, evidently nullifying the Demons' usual defensive prowess. May missed four games in 2024 while Lever missed five.
Additionally, the Demons' usual depth was depleted due to injury carnage, with Trent Rivers stepping outside his usual role to join the midfield while Christian Petracca was sidelined, as Jake Bowey and Christian Salem were held to just 14 and 17 games through injury in 2024.
However, ahead of their pre-season fixtures, Jake Lever has resumed full training in a promising sign for Melbourne's defence, while improved signs for Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca could increase the Demons' depth stocks if Trent Rivers returns to his regular role. Additionally, the forward trial of Harrison Petty is over, with the 25-year-old to be an additional key option.
Time will tell if 2024 was a blip on the radar or if the Demons' plunge from the eight is a sign of things to come, but on paper, they have one of the competition's best back six.
