GATHER Round capitalised on a 2024 controversy and delivered a memorable weekend of football, while Fremantle unearthed a Rising Star who had more tricks than most in his first season.
There was an AFL crackdown that caught players off guard, and Collingwood went from seemingly invincible to ending 2025 with serious questions about its list.
In AFL.com.au's annual six-part series, we count down the biggest football stories of 2025 and the season's most memorable on-field moments, continuing with 40-31.
PART ONE 50-41 Biggest stories of 2025
40. Saints max out in recruiting spree
The story of St Kilda's trade period had as much to do with who they got as who they didn't. Aggressive in signing Carlton pair Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni as free agents, the Saints also traded for Sam Flanders and Liam Ryan in an extensive raid on opposition talent. But amid the signing spree, which will no doubt make the Saints a better team in 2026, they had to backtrack on a commitment to sign GWS defender Leek Aleer, who was left "shattered" by the decision. Courted for 18 months, the defender was set to take up a four-year deal before it was pulled by the Saints, returning to GWS and inking a two-year extension. A dramatic trade period for St Kilda concluded with captain Jack Steele heading to Melbourne.
39. Stewart's GF concussion heartbreak
The reality set in quickly after Geelong defender Tom Stewart left the ground in the preliminary final against Hawthorn, having suffered a head knock in a crunching tackle from Mabior Chol. Placed in concussion protocols, Stewart was automatically ruled out of the Grand Final, becoming the first AFL player to suffer that fate and joining AFLW star Chelsea Randall, who missed Adelaide's 2021 Grand Final against Brisbane because of concussion. Responses to Stewart missing were mixed, with some past players supportive of the protective measure, while others pondered whether a legal challenge was possible. Stewart posted his own heartfelt message on social media, saying he was shattered to miss the Grand Final but proud of his club and overwhelmed with the love and support he received. For his part, Chol was initially suspended for three matches but successfully overturned the ban at the Tribunal.
38. Ball-magnet Riddell claims major W award
Overlooked at two drafts before she finally got her chance in 2019, North Melbourne midfielder Ash Riddell reached the AFLW summit in 2025 as the League's best and fairest. Runner-up to Ebony Marinoff last year, Riddell (23 votes) won from Geelong star Georgie Prespakis (20) and Melbourne's Tyla Hanks (18) after a season of unrivalled ball-winning. The 29-year-old won 40 or more disposals on five occasions and broke her own disposal record, averaging 35.3 disposals a game to add a League best and fairest to her club champion, premiership player, All-Australian and AFL Coaches Award accolades. In other major awards, North Melbourne champion Jasmine Garner claimed the AFL Players Association MVP for the third time, while Sydney sensation Zippy Fish was named the Rising Star with a maximum 50 votes.
37. Murphy Reid the Rising Star
It was clear that Murphy Reid was going to have a big impact on the 2025 season from the moment he booted four goals in four minutes against Geelong in his round one debut, even if it took until round six for his Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination to arrive. A joy to watch with his footy IQ, Reid became an important part of Freo's forward line with his creative disposals and clever taps, ranking No.1 at the club for goal assists and No.4 for total score involvements. The teenager became the fourth Freo player to win the Rising Star award, joining Caleb Serong (2020), Rhys Palmer (2008) and Paul Hasleby (2000). The most exciting thing about the young Victorian is what he will be capable of in the midfield, having shown his wares last pre-season and continued to work with midfield coach Joel Corey through 2025. Fitter and stronger this summer, we could see him in the engine room more in 2026.
36. Concessions confirmed as Tasmania continues build
The Devils continued to tick off milestones in 2025, including the all-important confirmation of their list build concessions in October, which included a signing bonus pool of $5m outside the salary cap. Significant draft capital, access to uncontracted players, and the provision of a Tasmanian Academy were also included as the club started building its VFL list with former AFL players including Geordie Payne, Robbie Fox, Jye Menzie, Caleb Mitchell and Hugh Dixon. The club made inroads off field with building approval for its high-performance centre, but debate around the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium continued to rage through 2025 until a state parliament vote in December, which saw the upper house vote in favour of the $1.13 billion roofed stadium.
35. Grudge match headlines Gather Round
The opportunity beckoned for Hawthorn to land a significant blow on rival Port Adelaide when the teams met in Gather Round's showpiece closing fixture in April. Struggling at 1-3 and against the backdrop of 2024's semi-final controversy, Port flipped the script and raced to a 59-point lead at half-time. It was clear that the match-up still had an emotional edge to it and star midfielder Jason Horne-Francis admitted as much post-game when he said: "I know I definitely used it (as motivation)". While the Hawks were beaten in a blockbuster edition of Gather Round, they prevailed in the round 19 rematch, with forward Jack Ginnivan finally able to pull out a cheeky, albeit muted, aeroplane celebration, with Ken Hinkley seeing the funny side from the coaches box.
34. Swans grounded under Cox after 2024 GF
John Longmire's shock decision to walk away from his contract with the Swans last November was one of the biggest stories of 2024, with Dean Cox taking over as senior coach as the club tried to rebound from a 10-goal Grand Final loss. The first half of the season went poorly, with the club sliding to 4-8 after a 90-point loss to Adelaide in round 12 that took place as the 2005 premiership team celebrated its 20-year reunion. That performance was slammed by Cox as embarrassing and unacceptable, with the coach promising some tough sessions in the aftermath. What came next should give the Swans hope, with the team going on an 8-3 run to finish the season. A change of coach wasn't the reset that allowed the Swans to contend straight away, but 12 months under Cox could see them jump back up the ladder quickly in 2026.
33. Young Bulldog's rapid ascent as top-10 talent
The rise of Sam Darcy this year can be tracked through AFL.com.au's The 25, which lists the best 25 players in the game every month. Not in that group initially, Darcy made a stunning start to the season to join the elite club at No.25 in April. Soon after, however, he suffered a serious knee injury on Easter Sunday and slipped out as he completed his recovery. Back by round 14, Darcy picked up where he left off, booting 15 goals in four games and rocketing up to No.8 in July's edition. His goalkicking prowess and incredible aerial presence and reach was proving a nightmare for defenders, and Darcy was up to No.4 come August. One of the highlights of his season came in round 22 against Melbourne, showing incredible courage to take the eventual Mark of the Year. The 22-year-old settled into the No.8 spot in The 25 by the end of the season, kicking 48 goals from 17 games, earning selection in the extended All-Australian squad, and proving he will be a likely top-five player in the game for a long time.
32. Suspensions threatened in umpire contact crackdown
The AFL launched a crackdown on careless umpire contact in July, announcing that players who are cited four or more times in a two-year period would be sent directly to the Tribunal, rather than receiving a low-level fine. The change came after an increase in careless umpire contact, leading to injuries among whistleblowers. Clubs and players were unhappy with the shift and all eyes were on Matt Rowell, who told broadcaster Fox Footy he would not change his approach, despite being one charge away from a Tribunal visit. It was Carlton's Adam Cerra in the end who became the first player referred to the Tribunal for a fourth offence in two years, receiving a $5500 fine. Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson warned as part of the case that a fine won't always be seen by the Tribunal as the most appropriate penalty.
31. Ageing Magpies come unstuck after brilliant run
For 13 of the 15 weeks between round six and 20, Collingwood sat atop the ladder and had a look of invincibility about it. After being labelled as too old and too slow in an Opening Round loss to Greater Western Sydney, the 2023 premiers went on a stunning run and looked to have the depth and experience to beat anyone. Come July, however, they started to stumble, losing a one-point thriller to Fremantle at the MCG and copping a 64-point hiding to Hawthorn that exposed their weak spots, particularly in a backline that would miss Jeremy Howe's marking presence. They also had to navigate the absence of small forward Bobby Hill but showed true grit to produce their best in a qualifying final win against Adelaide as Steele Sidebottom, Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey and Jamie Elliott came up clutch. Repeating the dose against Brisbane in a preliminary final was too big a task, however, with the Magpies now at a crucial point as they look to re-tool around superstar Nick Daicos.
