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
8Aaron Naughton
A career-high return of goals (2.6 goals per game), Naughton was stiff not to make the All-Australian team.
The Bulldog tallied 60 majors, topping his previous record of 51 (2022), with an accuracy of 60 per cent, whilst also getting heavily involved in scores as the club rivalled the best for their scoring prowess.
Naughton was a defensive-forward pressuring machine, laying 30 tackles inside 50 and was unstoppable on the lead, taking 33 grabs.
