Continuing our positional rankings ahead of the 2026 season, our focus now turns to those who excel at intercepting, offensive transition and crucial lockdown roles.
This list is not just about pure stats, but also considers overall impact, versatility and the ability to influence games from the backline in this mix of half-back generals and key defender stalwarts.
So, who were the 10 best defenders in the 2025 AFL season? Before we delve into the 10 best defenders, here is a group of players unlucky not to be rewarded with a spot on the list.
Unlucky to miss:
Jack Sinclair - 27.0 disposals, 494.7 metres gained, 4.7 rebound 50s
Nick Blakey - 21.4 disposals, 557.7 metres gained, 6.3 rebound 50s
Lachie Ash - 28.7 disposals, 553.0 metres gained, 6.3 rebound 50s
Lachie Whitfield - 27.0 disposals, 487.6 metres gained, 5.4 rebound 50s
Jacob Weitering - 13.7 disposals, 7.0 marks, 12.7% defensive 1v1 contests lost
Darcy Moore - 10.6 disposals, 4.5 marks, 7.2 spoils
7Tom Stewart
Tom Stewart had a down year for his standards in 2025, yet still excelled when in possession of the Sherrin, recording an equal league best kicking efficiency of 89 per cent (minimum of 15 games played).
Just a few more accurate kicks and Stewart would have recorded just the second season of kicking efficiency above 90 per cent since 2012, still only achieved by Jordan Ridley in 2023.
However, despite fewer possessions than previous seasons, averaging just 18.6 disposals per game, Stewart recorded 2.2 score launches per game, the most since his premiership season in 2022.
In fact, two-thirds of Stewart's score involvements come from chains he started, highlighting his position deep in Geelong's defence and how effective he is at generating scoring opportunities from there. It's an underrated facet of his game, considering just how dominant he is as a loose defender inside the back 50-metre arc.
