Following the nine-part series ranking each AFL club's positional lines, it is time to review each AFL team's list in its entirety and determine which sides can enter 2025 with full confidence in the talent on their list.
While some clubs may be star-studded in one spot, this list will take the entire squad into account, looking into the depth, firepower, and performances in 2024 across all three areas of the field.
Those who have been consistently at the top of the rankings throughout our series will undoubtedly find themselves at the top of the board once again, but those who popped into the top six just once, or those who had a starkly low ranking in comparison to their other results, may find themselves dropped to midtable or below.
RELATED: FORWARD LINE RANKINGS, MIDFIELD RANKINGS, & BACKLINE RANKINGS
So, here is the concluding chapter to Zero Hanger's pre-season list rankings, signifying the best and worst teams on paper for the year ahead.
4. Hawthorn
(Backline ranking: second; Midfield ranking: eighth; Forward line ranking: fourth)
The Hawks are primed to make a deeper run in September this year with one of the more versatile lists in the competition.
Key backmen such as James Sicily and Blake Hardwick can roll forward, Josh Weddle and Changkuoth Jiath can gain time on the wing, and Jack Ginnivan and Dylan Moore have the tank to push high up the ground.
It's for this reason Hawthorn hold a firm spot at the top of the list rankings, as their flexibility will allow the Hawks to cover any unavailabilities or adjust the magnets to fix any weak spots that arise during the season.
The Hawks also have an assortment of depth to rely on should unavailabilities arise too, especially in the backline after Tom Barrass and Josh Battle's arrival. Previous fringe members, and even walk-up selections of 2024, such as James Blanck, Sam Frost, Jai Serong and Seamus Mitchell, are now further down in the pecking order and will have to fight harder to earn a spot in the side, but should an opportunity arise, they will still be solid talents to include.
