The showstoppers. The goal scorers. And sometimes, the freaks. The forwards of the AFL have an uncanny ability to drop the jaws of those watching, whether it's high-flying marks and hard-to-believe goals. Yet, the majority believe it's easier than it looks.
Forwards get recognised through the Coleman Medal, rewarding the player for kicking the most goals in the home and away season, while they normally feature heavily in the running for either goal or mark of the year.
So, who were the 10 best forwards in the 2025 AFL season?
Before we delve into the top 10, here is a group of players unlucky not to be rewarded with a spot on the list.
Unlucky to miss:
Logan Morris - 53 goals, 125 score involvements, 16 goal assists
Jack Higgins - 46 goals, 118 score involvements, 14 goal assists
Ben Long - 45 goals, 143 score involvements, 16 goal assists
Zac Bailey - 42 goals, 177 score involvements, 16 goal assists
Rhylee West - 39 goals, 144 score involvements, 23 goal assists
9Izak Rankine
The Crows livewire put in his best year to date, committing to a healthy blend of time spent in the midfield and up forward, although the latter position is where he is most damaging.
Rankine upped his total disposals, gathering on average 20.5 whilst still hitting the scoreboard frequently (1.4 goals per game) and finding the football in traffic (4.4 clearances).
He kicked goals in all but three games.
The match-winner was on his way to a maiden All-Australian blazer for his 2025 efforts, but was derailed by a suspension that put an end to his year, which could be argued put a full stop on Adelaide's campaign.
Rankine's capacity to kick multiple goals and find plenty of the football was an intoxicating prospect for Matthew Nicks, and will be one he'll continue to explore.
