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...
3. (3rd) Western Bulldogs
The Bulldogs were the best defensive team in 2024 but with a growing injury toll and emerging talents transitioning into the midfield, their stocks may be depleted early on.
Liam Jones' reascension as one of the league's best defenders has taken a devastating blow, with the 33-year-old set to be sidelined for months with a hamstring injury.
Had Jones been healthy, the Bulldogs would've entered 2025 with a surefire lockdown defence pairing of Jones and Rory Lobb, with the latter transitioning into his new role down back rapidly and proficiently in the middle of the 2024 season.
It may mean 2022 draftee Jedd Busslinger sees an early season debut after two seasons developing in the VFL, or more responsibility for 22-year-old James O'Donnell.
Taylor Duryea and Lachie Bramble were dependable men in 2024, with the former Hawks playing 22 and 24 games respectively.
Ball magnet Bailey Dale will be a lock in the back six, although he may play some midfield minutes too, while Ed Richards seems more likely to play most of his minutes in the midfield than defence after a breakout year.
The Bulldogs have more young depth in Buku Khamis and Joel Freijah too, two up-and-coming Dogs that will be vital with Jones' absence in the first part of the year.
However, despite the injury concerns and Richards' midfield move, Luke Beveridge has provided proof last year that his defensive game plan is sturdy. With the Bulldogs owning the league's least leaky defence, the men from Whitten Oval clearly have a structure that could carry them to another finals appearance in 2025.
