The AFL landscape was once again defined by storylines of significance in 2025.

Paradigm-altering trades, moments of individual brilliance and administrative decision-making were just some of the sagas to fuel the perpetual news cycle this season.

So with most of the year in the rearview mirror, let's count down the 10 biggest stories of 2025, with some honourable mentions to kick us off!

Honourable mentions
- Richmond's Round 1 win over Carlton
- Jeremy Cameron's pursuit of the elusive 100-goal season
- The departure of Melbourne's dynamic midfield duo of Petracca and Oliver
- AFL scraps the bounce as the method of restarting play
- Tasmania's stadium gets parliament approval 

5The Lions scale the mountain once again

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Harris Andrews of the Lions, Chris Fagan, Senior Coach of the Lions and Lachie Neale of the Lions celebrate with the Premiership Cup on the dais during the AFL Grand Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 27, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Harris Andrews of the Lions, Chris Fagan, Senior Coach of the Lions and Lachie Neale of the Lions celebrate with the Premiership Cup on the dais during the AFL Grand Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 27, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The brilliant Brisbane Lions qualified for their third consecutive AFL Grand Final, and won back-to-back premierships. Years of ‘bridesmaid' status are a distant memory now, after the grandfatherly Chris Fagan stewarded an intelligently constructed playing list with aplomb, becoming the V/AFL's oldest premiership coach in the process.

The Lions became the most successful club of the 21st century with a fifth flag, surpassing the four enjoyed by the Geelong Cats and Hawthorn Hawks.

The Lions will aim to equal the Hawks with a sixth flag in the AFL era next season, and given the influx of father-son and Academy talent they've acquired at the pointy end of recent National Drafts, chances are that the pride of Brisbane town will be in the mix for years to come.

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