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
2The soap that was Zach Merrett's unsuccessful defection
Essendon captain Zach Merrett's unsuccessful attempts to depart Tullamarine for greener, contending pastures made for appointment viewing this trade period.
The Bombers' best player of the last 15 years is one of the few bright spots for the struggling, dormant powerhouse, and as such, the tenability of his captaincy became talkback fodder for weeks once his desire to jump ship became public knowledge.
Additionally, Hawthorn being his preferred destination was salt in the wound for the smarting faithful, given the spicy and storied rivalry that exists between the two clubs.
With a deal ultimately unable to be struck, Merrett was forced to return to the Hangar, with work presumably underway to repair damaged relationships. Forecasting that his captaincy would no longer be viable was proven correct, with the 30-year-old relinquishing the role in recent weeks.
