The top 50 AFL players of 2025: 20-11 (Part 4)

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 penultimate edition (20-11) of our top 50 AFL players of 2025... READ: PART 1 (50-41) READ: PART 2 (40-31) READ: PART 3 (30-21) 20th - Kysaiah Pickett [caption id="attachment_161228" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 19: Kysaiah Pickett of the Demons celebrates kicking a goal during the round six AFL match between Melbourne Demons and Fremantle Dockers at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on April 19, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: N/A Kysaiah Pickett became much more than a small forward livewire in 2025, living up to the enormous contract he penned early in the year by expanding his repertoire in the midfield. Pickett averaged two goals a game and 19.6 disposals, whilst also adding clearance work to his repertoire, resulting in a maiden All-Australian blazer. On three occasions, he kicked five majors and collected over 20 disposals. With the departures of Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, increased midfield influence beckons for 'Kozzie' in 2026. 19th - Isaac Heeney [caption id="attachment_162425" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 10: Isaac Heeney of the Swans falls over whilst running with the ball during the round nine AFL match between Essendon Bombers and Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium, on May 10, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 5 While not as dominant of a year as his 2024 Brownlow-calibre best, Heeney continued his midfield-forward dominance in 2025, wreaking havoc with multiple 30-plus disposal games or five-goal hauls. The top-end talent of Sydney's roster, headlined by Heeney and superstar acquisition Charlie Curnow, is set to be an intriguing watch, and should see the Swans return to September action in 2026. 18th - Zach Merrett [caption id="attachment_170086" align="alignnone" width="2560"] GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 08: Zach Merrett of the Bombers kicks the ball during the 2025 AFL Round 22 match between the Geelong Cats and the Essendon Bombers at GMHBA Stadium on August 8, 2025 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 9 Merrett, who has played 251 games at Essendon since being drafted to the club in 2013, carried the Bombers through a disastrous injury-riddled 2025 campaign, averaging 27.8 disposals, 5.3 inside 50s and 3.9 clearances per game. However, his year of epic solo performances was marred by a failed exit from Tullamarine, with the pressure to excel now higher than ever for the ex-Bombers captain. When contributing to a winning side, Merrett is undoubtedly a top 10 player, but 2026 will test his willingness to reach those heights for a club he has become "disenchanted" with. 17th - Ed Richards [caption id="attachment_164469" align="alignnone" width="2560"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 27: Ed Richards of the Bulldogs kicks the ball during the round 16 AFL match between Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs at Sydney Cricket Ground on June 27, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: N/A One of the AFL's most improved players of 2025, Richards was instrumental to maximising the Bulldogs' midfield weapons with his sharp ball use and clinical ball-winning abilities. He averaged career-best figures across the board - 26.0 disposals, 5.7 clearances and 8.3 score involvements per game - and elevated his play during the Western Bulldogs' injury crisis to begin the year. It highlights Richards' star capabilities that are set to be demonstrated again in 2026. 16th - Max Holmes [caption id="attachment_168808" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Max Holmes of the Cats celebrates a goal during the AFL Preliminary Final match between Geelong Cats and Hawthorn Hawks at Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 19, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 30 Holmes broke out into a legitimate superstar next to Bailey Smith in 2025, becoming one of the league leaders in metres gained with his running power maximised under Chris Scott's latest tactical evolvement. His career-year ensured he claimed a second straight Carji Greeves Medal. With a bolstered engine room featuring the likes of Worpel and Bruhn in 2026, expect Holmes to go to another level again. 15th - Tom Green [caption id="attachment_162171" align="alignnone" width="2560"] GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - MAY 11: Tom Green of the Giants celebrates kicking a goal during the round nine AFL match between Geelong Cats and GWS Giants at GMHBA Stadium, on May 11, 2025, in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 32 Tom Green's statistical output was as extraordinary as the AFL has seen in recent memory as he shouldered a heavy load in the Giants' midfield. He became the only player since Clayton Oliver in 2022 to average at least 29 disposals and eight clearances per game, doing so for a GWS side that ranked 13th in the league for clearances won. With his growing leadership and the addition of Oliver to the Giants' engine room, 2026 looms as a big year for Green. 14th - Harris Andrews [caption id="attachment_169124" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Harris Andrews of the Lions marks the ball 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: 17 The undisputed best defender in the country right now has to be Harris Andrews after he claimed a third All-Australian blazer and second premiership medallion in 2025. Andrews ranked top two in the league for marks and intercept marks, fourth in spoils and led the league in kicking efficiency, with 89 per cent of his 10.5 kicks per game hitting a target. The Lions' co-captain's selfless attitude was also heavily reflected in the amount of one percenters he recorded (229), ranking first in the league by more than 40. 13th - Hugh McCluggage [caption id="attachment_144026" align="alignnone" width="2005"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Hugh McCluggage of the Lions celebrates kicking a goal during the 2023 AFL Grand Final match between Collingwood Magpies and Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on September 30, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 33 In the successful premiership defence, perhaps no other Lion made a bigger contribution all year than Hugh McCluggage. McCluggage finally was rewarded with an All-Australian blazer in 2025 and it's obvious to see why - 27.1 disposals, 6.0 clearances and 7.2 score involvements per game is just scratching the surface of his measurable impact. His level of stardom was best seen in the 2025 Finals Series, however. After being well and truly frustrated by Geelong tagger Oisin Mullin in the qualifying final, McCluggage exacted revenge in the most dominant way possible three weeks later, wreaking havoc on the Cats midfield and defence with an explosive 26 disposals and four goals to help Brisbane claim the premiership. 12th - Andrew Brayshaw [caption id="attachment_165188" align="alignnone" width="2560"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 12: Andrew Brayshaw of the Dockers nursing his head injury during the 2025 AFL Round 18 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Hawthorn Hawks at Optus Stadium on July 12, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 40 A star in the purple chevron guernsey, Brayshaw has firmly solidified himself as one of the league's elite with an exhilarating 2025 campaign that helped Fremantle capture a spot in the post-season for the first time since 2022. Brayshaw jumped ahead of the footy more regularly in 2025, averaging a career-high 4.8 inside 50s per game and 6.7 score involvements, but also was brilliant defensively, laying 6.7 tackles, highlighting his strong two-way abilities. The expectation for Fremantle is to finally crack the top four in 2026 and with Brayshaw only just entering his physical prime at 26 years old, there's a good chance that goal is achieved. 11th - Zak Butters [caption id="attachment_161920" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 13: Zak Butters of the Power celebrates at full time during the round five AFL match between Port Adelaide Power and Hawthorn Hawks at Adelaide Oval, on April 13, 2025, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)[/caption] 2024 rank: 11 Butters achieved a third-straight best and fairest medal in 2025, despite facing early injury interruptions to his campaign to remain on the fringe of the AFL's top 10. The 24-year-old would ultimately average a career-high 28.0 disposals, 6.6 clearances and 6.1 score involvements over 20 games and earn a spot in the 2025 All-Australian squad, standing out as one of few bright spots in the Power's marred season. Even while missing three games, Butters still recorded an extraordinary 87 coaches votes for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year in 2025. That's an average of 4.35 votes per game - only bettered by Bailey Smith and Marcus Bontempelli.

The top 50 AFL players of 2025: 20-11 (Part 4)

Ranking the league’s best talents from the year gone by 👇

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

17th - Ed Richards

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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