WELCOME back to The 25.
AFL.com.au's rolling list of the top players is back for the third edition of the AFLW season, where we will rank the best of the best in the women's comp every month throughout the year.
The criteria is simple – if every player in the competition was fully fit and lined up against a wall right now, who would you pick first? Multiple members of the AFL.com.au team did exactly that, with our overall consensus forming the final list.
For October's edition, a Sun has made a huge jump up the rankings, climbing 16 places, a Carlton veteran has cracked the list for the first time, while a Saint who made a strong start to the season has fallen out of favour.
Melbourne is the best-represented club with four players, while the irrepressible North Melbourne has three players selected, as does Sydney.
As for those unlucky to miss out, two Blues were among the five players on the cusp of selection.
The Cats' co-captain is often overlooked alongside fellow midfielders Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald, but Morrison has a style of her own. While perhaps not as flashy, Morrison is remarkably effective and her outstanding skills, intelligence and composure provide stability to the Cats' star-studded midfield. Morrison's output has steadily increased throughout the season, averaging 25.6 disposals and a goal per game across the last three rounds.
It's about time the older Prespakis has made it into The 25, with the Bombers midfielder having one of her best seasons to date. This ball-winning midfielder is averaging 31.8 disposals per game despite her side having won just one match for the season. She's recorded more than 30 disposals in all but two matches this season, while averaging more than three inside 50s and three rebound 50s per game, highlighting her workrate across the ground.
Dawes has fallen seven places in the rankings. Over the past month, the Brisbane midfielder's pressure has increased to 7.5 tackles per game, but her clearance work and disposal numbers have dipped slightly. Her drop in rankings coincides with Brisbane's slide down the ladder, with the Lions losing five of their past six matches.
This Fremantle veteran and former League best and fairest winner has earned her place in The 25 for the first time this season. 'Turbo' is a workhorse in the Dockers' midfield, averaging 29 disposals and more than 10 tackles across the past month. Renowned for her contested work, Bowers has had 19 clearances in her past two matches against St Kilda and North Melbourne.
Another player to slide in the rankings, Randall has dropped eight places since our last edition despite averaging a career-best two goals a game. The Kangaroos' key forward is a low disposal, high impact player, as highlighted in North's win over Essendon in round 10 where she had five shots on goal from her six disposals.
The biggest slider in this edition of The 25, Conti has dropped 11 spots to sit at No.20. The seven-time Richmond best and fairest winner was sidelined for six matches before making a return in round 10 against Melbourne. The Tigers' A-grade midfielder played managed minutes in that match and was therefore below her usual output, but there's no doubt this star will be back to her best before long.
Strom has slipped five positions since the last edition of The 25. The Fremantle ruck's form has been slightly inconsistent across the past month, recording 20 or fewer hitouts in three matches before bouncing back with a 31-hitout, 27-disposal game in the club's most recent match against Essendon.
The young Hawthorn ruck is enjoying a stellar season and is in contention for her first All-Australian blazer. Wales has been extremely consistent in the ruck, but it's her workrate across the ground that stands out. While her output has dipped slightly over the past month, her effort hasn't dropped, recording 10 tackles in round 10 during the Hawks' surprise one-point loss to the Giants.
The speedy Swan has climbed one place since September and is emerging as the competition's best running half-back. Fish's run and carry, along with her attacking flare, is key to Sydney's quick ball movement and scoring ability.
This Blues veteran has earned a place in The 25 for the first time this year following a strong year. Cordner is currently leading the competition for intercept possessions, averaging 10.6 per game. Her round 10 performance against the Bulldogs could be one of the best of her career, the 34-year-old amassing 18 intercept possessions, 16 marks and 30 disposals.
The unconventional, goal-scoring Cat has jumped up five places in the rankings since September. In the past month Moloney has kicked six goals, including a four goal haul against Greater Western Sydney in round nine. The Irishwoman forms part of the three-pronged forward line at Kardinia Park, with Moloney, Chloe Scheer and Jackie Parry combining for 56 goals so far in 2026.
Purcell's return to football this season has been exceptional, with the Demons midfielder averaging a career-best 30.5 disposals per game. The former All-Australian's stoppage work has been first-class in the past fortnight, recording six clearances against Gold Coast in round nine and eight clearances against Richmond in round 10. Purcell's disposal efficiency has also improved in the second half of the season, averaging more than 78 per cent efficiency across the past five rounds.
The Crows' star has slipped five places in the past month despite. The former league best and fairest was unusually quiet in the round eight Showdown against the Power, finishing with just 14 disposals, well below the star's usual output. The 28-year-old’s tackling has been outstanding, with 10 plus tackles in three of her last five matches.
After slipping down the rankings in the last edition of The 25, Molloy is back up into the top 12 with some impressive performances over the past month. Molloy kicked three goals in her last two matches, against Carlton in round nine and against Collingwood in round 10. The former Sydney skipper also recorded 16 score involvements across those two games, providing plenty of highlights with her silky skills and football smarts.
McDonagh continues to lead the competition’s goal kicking with 22 goals across 10 rounds. After kicking three or more goals in each of the first five rounds, the Hawk has cooled slightly, going goalless in round six against North Melbourne and round eight against Carlton. Despite having less impact on the scoreboard, the Irishwoman is still finding plenty of the footy, averaging 18.4 disposals across her past five matches.
The Blues star has climbed one spot as she continues to impress with her speed, creativity and work rate. Fitzpatrick has been consistent over the past month, recording 20 or more possessions in each of her last three games. The Irishwoman's outstanding form has also been recognised with a new deal to remain at Ikon Park until 2030.
Pritchard has well and truly established herself as one of the competition's A-graders and has been key to the Bulldogs' rise into the top four. The co-skipper has risen six positions in The 25, breaking the top 10 for the first time. The 24-year-old's best performance of the past month came in round nine against Essendon, where the left-footer recorded 30 disposals and 10 clearances.
This Sun has surged up the rankings, jumping from 24th to eighth. The powerful midfielder is enjoying a career-best year, averaging 32.5 disposals, 7.6 clearances and 6.8 tackles. Rowbottom currently sits second in the AFLCA Coaches' Votes behind Jasmine Garner. In her round 12 outing against the Crows, she was named best on ground after recording 42 disposals, 12 clearances and 430m gained.
It's been a big month for the Eagles' star. The 21-year-old just notched up her 50th match in her side's 10-point win over Essendon in round 10 and was instrumental in the Western Derby. Roberts was awarded the Western Derby medal after finishing with 22 disposals, six tackles and a crucial goal.
Scholz has dropped two places despite taking one of the marks of the year against Brisbane in round 10. The Port tall had a cracking game against the Bulldogs in round seven, recording 40 hitouts, five clearances and 22 disposals. Still one of the game's most exciting rucks, Scholz is slightly down on her output from last season in clearances, marks and tackles.
The Demons midfielder seems to get better each week, climbing one place to fifth in the rankings. One of the hardest working midfielders in the competition, Hanks has been applying her defensive pressure, averaging 7.8 tackles per game to go with her 25.6 disposals. In the Demons' surprise loss to Gold Coast, Hanks pushed forward to kick two goals, while against the Magpies in round eight, she recorded 24 disposals, 12 tackles and a goal as she continues to establish herself one of the game's most damaging midfielders.
Melbourne's captain has slid down two places since our last edition, with a neck injury forcing her to miss the past three matches. The firestarter was reasonably well held when the Demons faced North Melbourne in round seven, finishing with 16 disposals and a goal. Hore's return will be a welcome boost late in the home and away season as the Demons prepare for finals.
Riddell remains in third position, continuing to find plenty of the footy and lead the competition for disposals averaging 34.6 per game. In the past month the ultra-consistent North midfielder has been firing, with a 38-disposal, one-goal game against Fremantle in round nine and a 33-disposal and 18-contested possessions game against Essendon in round 10.
For the first time, Georgie Prespakis has climbed to second place in The 25. The smooth-moving midfielder has been tearing games apart with her long handballs, evasive skills and her dominance around stoppages. In her past two matches the Clearance Queen recorded 11 and six clearances, respectively, to go with her 39 and 40 disposals. At just 23 years of age, Prespakis is set to be a star for years to come.
The North skipper has gone back-to-back-to-back in The 25, just as she could do this premiership season, earning the competition's No.1 ranking for the third time. In seven out of her 10 matches in 2026, Garner has had 30 or more disposals, with the star currently averaging a career-best 31.2 disposals per game. The 32-year-old has also been hitting the scoreboard over the past month, booting five goals in her past four matches.
THE FIVE THAT JUST MISSED
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