The top 50 AFL players of 2025: 10-1 (Part 5)

Welcome to Zero Hanger's top 50 player rankings for 2025 - a list based primarily on a player's 2025 production in addition to their career pedigree and future projections. The bar is as high as ever to impact as an AFL footballer consistently, let alone to a star level. All-Australian discussions are in constant debate as several guns often find themselves snubbed from proper recognition. Here is the final edition (10-1) of our top 50 AFL players of 2025... READ: PART 1 (50-41) READ: PART 2 (40-31) READ: PART 3 (30-21) READ: PART 4 (20-11) 10th - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera [caption id="attachment_167039" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 15: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera of the Saints celebrates kicking a goal during the round 23 AFL match between Essendon Bombers and St Kilda Saints at Marvel Stadium on August 15, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: N/A Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's value is undeniable at 22 years old. While largely featuring off half-back in 2025, the latter half of the season saw him become a key figure in St Kilda's engine room. In the final six games of the season, Wanganeen-Milera attended close to 70% of all centre bounces and dominated in that role, averaging 31.0 disposals, 5.4 inside 50s, 6.2 clearances and 1.6 goals per game. The move to the midfield highlights the enormous impact he'll have for years to come and certainly suggests a more permanent role as a midfielder in 2026 is on the cards, which could see him surge into Brownlow Medal conversations early into the campaign. 9th - Max Gawn [caption id="attachment_161816" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Max Gawn of the Demons kicks a goal during the 2025 AFL Round 08 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Melbourne Demons at Optus Stadium on May 3, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 8 Max Gawn remains the league's most dominant and influential ruckman, and perhaps the best captain in the competition too. While Gawn was unable to guide the Demons' ship back to September, the soon-to-be 34-year-old's influence was as elite as ever, averaging a career-high 20.7 disposals, 5.7 marks and 6.8 score involvements, mitigating an intraclub cultural disaster with on and off-field class. His ability at stoppages is unmatched, while his off-ball work rate to either get behind the next kick or push forward to add to the scoreboard is just as damaging, and was worthy name to equal the All-Australian blazer record this year, sharing the honour with fellow greats Gary Ablett Jnr, Patrick Dangerfield, Lance Franklin, Robert Harvey and Mark Ricciuto. Time will tell if he can break the record in 2026, but there's every possibility the twilight years of Gawn's stellar career aren't here just yet. 8th - Jordan Dawson [caption id="attachment_160951" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Jordan Dawson of the Crows celebrates a goal during the 2025 AFL Round 01 match between the Adelaide Crows and the St Kilda Saints at Adelaide Oval on March 16, 2025 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 41 Jordan Dawson's leadership and on-field execution played a pivotal role in Adelaide claiming the minor premiership in 2025. His efficiency with ball-in-hand was a difference maker regularly for the Crows and rarely went missing in big matches, recording 20-plus disposals in all but four games this year. If Adelaide are to bounce back from a more-than-disappointing straight-sets exit, Dawson's tenacity will need to be at the forefront of their game in 2026. 7th - Caleb Serong [caption id="attachment_162395" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MAY 08: Caleb Serong of the Dockers in action during the round nine AFL match between Fremantle Dockers and Collingwood Magpies at Optus Stadium, on May 08, 2025, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 16 After an enormous year for the Dockers, Serong claimed his third consecutive best and fairest medal. Serong's numbers weren't career-best figures across the board in 2025, but his impact was arguably as good as it's ever been, thriving within the contest to make Fremantle an elite contested ball-winning team. His 14.4 contested possessions per game were just shy of league-best, trailing Tom Green for first place, but were Serong's career-best output, as were his 5.6 inside 50s per game. Furthermore, despite Fremantle's early September exit, it was through no fault of Serong's, whose 35 disposals and 13 clearances saw him receive a perfect 10 coaches votes. Serong is built for the big stage, and with an expanded finals system, it's likely we'll get to see that again in 2026. 6th - Bailey Smith [caption id="attachment_168724" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Bailey Smith of the Cats celebrates a goal during the AFL Second Preliminary Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Hawthorn Hawks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 19, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: N/A The former Bulldog relished in his increased midfield minutes at the Cattery, leading the league in disposals per game and averaging career-highs in metres gained, clearances, inside 50s and score involvements. While many thought Bailey Smith would perform well with a change of scenery, few expected him to become one of the league's most dominant ball winners so soon, nor turn Geelong's once middling midfield into one of the league's most dangerous engine rooms. With a grand final appearance, All-Australian nod and AFLCA Champion Player of the Year title to boot, Smith has certainly staked a claim to be a top 10 player in the league at minimum. If he can clean up his efficiency by foot to further capitalise on his run-and-gun power, there's a strong likelihood he's up even higher this time next year. 5th - Noah Anderson [caption id="attachment_156827" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Gold Coast Suns player Noah Anderson sporting the club's new jumper for 2024 (Image via Gold Coast FC)[/caption] 2024 rank: N/A Appointed Gold Coast skipper for the first time, Noah Anderson didn't disappoint, delivering on a personal level as well as leading the club towards its first-ever finals appearance. The co-winner of the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award averaged a career-best 30.1 disposals in 2025 and dominated inside the heat of the contest, notching seven clearances per game, four of which came from stoppages. Considering the recruitment of 2021 Norm Smith Medal winner Christian Petracca too, Anderson's rise as one of the league's elite midfielders may have only just begun. 4th - Matthew Rowell [caption id="attachment_168932" align="alignnone" width="2047"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Matt Rowell of the Suns is seen after winning the Brownlow Medal during the 2025 Brownlow Medal at Crown Palladium on September 22, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 36 Matthew Rowell deservedly rises into the top five after claiming the 2025 Brownlow Medal, becoming the first Sun to win the award since the legendary Gary Ablett Jnr. Rowell elevated his game on Gold Coast's biggest stage in its 15-season history thus far, recording 34 disposals in their thrilling elimination final win over Fremantle in front of nearly 60,000 spectators. It's the biggest crowd Rowell has ever played in front of, and he did not let the moment pass him by. It epitomised what was a dominant season for the young midfield bull, averaging 26.3 disposals, 8.2 clearances and 7.3 score involvements per game. Defensively, Rowell might be one of the better midfielders in the competition, as he averaged a ridiculous 8.6 tackles and 12.9 defensive pressure acts per game - both ranking second in the league. 3rd - Jeremy Cameron [caption id="attachment_169100" align="alignnone" width="2454"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Jaspa Fletcher of the Lions is tackled by Jeremy Cameron of the Cats 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)[/caption] 2024 rank: 12 Cameron enters 2026 as not just the Coleman medallist, but off the back of the AFL's greatest goal-kicking campaign since Brendan Fevola's 86 goals in 2009, snagging 88 majors from 26 games, including an 11-goal haul against North Melbourne. Helped by a dynamic Cats forward line, Cameron was able to escape lockdown defenders and punish the scoreboard with his running up the ground. Geelong's reliance on him up forward may not need to reach those heights in 2026, but don't count out another spectacular campaign from the 32-year-old to maintain his spot inside the top five. 2nd - Nick Daicos [caption id="attachment_163688" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 09: Nick Daicos of the Magpies is tackled by Ed Langdon of the Demons during the round 13 AFL match between Melbourne Demons and Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on June 09, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 4 Albeit a year which ended in disappointment for Nick Daicos, both in an individual and team sense, the 22-year-old is unsurprisingly on track to become one of the game's greatest ever. 2025 was Daicos' third consecutive year averaging 30 disposals per game, making him the fifth player since 2011 to accomplish such a feat, joining Darcy Parish (2021-2023), Clayton Oliver (2021-2023), Matt Crouch (2017-2019), Gary Ablett Jnr (2009-2014) and Dane Swan (2009-2013). Daicos' scoreboard impact continues to accelerate too, averaging a career-high 7.8 score involvements per game - seeing him involved in almost a third of all Collingwood scores (32.4%). Considering his poise in big moments, Daicos remains one of the more enthralling players in the league to watch and is undoubtedly within reach of a first Brownlow Medal in the near future. 1st - Marcus Bontempelli [caption id="attachment_162406" align="alignnone" width="1895"] DARWIN, AUSTRALIA - MAY 10: Marcus Bontempelli of the Bulldogs looks dejected after a loss during the 2025 AFL Round 09 match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Western Bulldogs at TIO Stadium on May 10, 2025 in Darwin, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 1 If Marcus Bontempelli played a full 23-game season in 2025, there's a good chance he would have won the Brownlow Medal, as the 30-year-old's impact was simply something to marvel at on a weekly basis. After missing the first five rounds, Bontempelli exploded onto the scene in Round 6, tearing apart a St Kilda side who had been building momentum to that point with 30 disposals, eight clearances and 12 score involvements. He'd follow that up with six more performances of at least 30 disposals, eight performances recording 10 score involvements or more and became the first player since Gryan Miers in 2023 to average at least 1.5 goal assists per game. Yet, despite all those sensational figures, Bontempelli's year flew under the radar somewhat, given the Bulldogs fell short of a finals appearance and the superstar was unable to truly compete in the Brownlow count due to his missed time. It highlights the level of dominance that has simply come to be expected from the Bulldogs star, and it's something that should not go underappreciated. Hence, Bontempelli heads into 2026 as the AFL's best player.

The top 50 AFL players of 2025: 10-1 (Part 5)

IT’S HERE! The best of the best from this year have been named and ranked 👇

READ: PART 1 (50-41)
READ: PART 2 (40-31)
READ: PART 3 (30-21)
READ: PART 4 (20-11)

8th - Jordan Dawson

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		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	ADEL	23	18	5	72	139.3
2	GEEL	23	17	6	68	141.5
3	BL	23	16	6	66	114.2
4	COLL	23	16	7	64	122.4
5	GWS	23	16	7	64	115.3
6	FRE	23	16	7	64	109
7	GC	23	15	8	60	124.9
8	HAW	23	15	8	60	120.9