WELCOME to the final edition of The 25 for 2026.

AFL.com.au's rolling list of the top players in the AFL is done for this year, where our team of experts rank the best of the best every month throughout the year.

THE 25 See all of our previous rankings

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?

Read on for the final edition of The 25 for 2026, where some familiar names dominate the top rungs of the list.

The powerful Lion enjoyed yet another excellent season, earning All Australian honours for the second straight year as he helped Brisbane to a third straight premiership. Bailey, who also signed an eight-year deal with the Lions, played 26 games and kicked 35 goals, but his ability to impact more around the ball – he averaged a career-high 21.5 disposals and 2.9 clearances – saw him take his game to another level in 2026.

The Hawthorn midfielder continued to improve this year as he helped the Hawks reach another preliminary final. Newcombe averaged career-highs for disposals (25.6) and clearances (7.4) this year, polling 21 votes in the Brownlow Medal. The tough midfielder continues to lead the way in the middle for the Hawks and only Matt Rowell and Patrick Cripps averaged more clearances than Newcombe in 2026.

The two-time Brownlow Medal winner is showing no signs of slowing down even at the age of 33. Set to be in Collingwood colours in 2027, Neale helped the Lions win a third straight premiership after another impressive season in the middle. Neale averaged 28.7 disposals and 6.7 clearances in 2026 and his brilliance at the coalface is sure to be crucial for the Magpies next year.

The hard-running Blue enjoyed a fantastic 2026 season, including playing a career-high 25 games as he put his injury woes behind him. Walsh averaged 29.1 disposals and 4.4 clearances this year as his running ability was on show throughout the season. Walsh's impressive form – which saw him finish in the top 20 in the AFL Coaches Association's Champion Player Award – helped Carlton make a run to the finals in 2026.

Curnow's first season at the Swans was a good one. The forward booted 75 goals in 24 games and claimed his third Coleman Medal, earning All Australian honours for the third time in his career. Curnow's impact for the Swans was enormous in his first season and he stepped up in the qualifying final, too, kicking five goals. Curnow's 75 goals was his second highest return in a season, behind only 2023 when he kicked 81 majors.

The Lions forward has enjoyed a remarkable start to his career, with the No.31 pick in the 2023 draft making it three premierships in as many AFL seasons. Morris also earned All Australian honours for the first time as the 21-year-old continued a stunning start in the AFL. He kicked 72 goals to back up the 53 he managed last year and stood up when Brisbane needed him most, kicking the final two majors in the Grand Final win over Fremantle.

The brilliant Bulldog put together yet another strong season, even if he was unable to add to the All Australian honours he managed in 2025. Richards averaged career-highs for disposals (26), clearances (six) and tackles (4.4) this year, while he continues to have an ability to hit the scoreboard. Richards kicked 22 goals for the second consecutive season and alongside Marcus Bontempelli and likely Zak Butters next year is set to form one of the competition's most feared midfields.

Bolton elevated his game to new heights in 2026, becoming one of Fremantle's most influential players. The dynamic midfielder averaged 22.8 disposals, four clearances and 3.7 tackles across 26 matches, while also booting 25 goals. He earned All Australian selection for a second time and was a driving force behind the Dockers' run to the Grand Final, where he won the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground.

Serong again set the standard for Fremantle's midfield this year, averaging 24.5 disposals, 6.8 clearances and 4.5 tackles. The co-vice-captain's consistency and contested-ball dominance helped drive the Dockers to the last day in September, while he just missed out on a fourth straight All Australian blazer.

Rankine took his game to a new level this year amid more midfield opportunities. The electric Crow comfortably averaged career-highs for disposals (24.4), clearances (5.2) and tackles (4.1) this year while continuing to kick goals, booting 25 majors in his 22 games. Rankine's speed and ability to hurt the opposition makes him one of the game's most dynamic playmakers.

Treacy produced a career-best campaign in 2026, spearheading Fremantle's attack with 57 goals. The powerful key forward averaged 12.3 disposals, 6.2 marks and 2.1 goals a match, dominating in the air and finishing among the AFL's leading goalkickers. While he had a moment to forget in the Grand Final, it should not diminish from the 24-year-old's breakout season.

The Cats star was rewarded for another consistent season with his first Carji Greeves Medal as Geelong's best and fairest, while he secured a spot in the All Australian team for the second consecutive year. Smith's running ability remains crucial for the Cats and he averaged a career-high 32.2 disposals this year, to go with 5.4 clearances and 4.9 tackles. His 11 goals was his best return in a season since 2021.

Heeney played 20 games this year before his season was ended by a club-imposed suspension for breaching standards, and he was left off our list last month after he was deemed ineligible for the All Australian side. While there remains some uncertainty around him, his on-field performances this year cannot be denied; he averaged 26.9 disposals and 6.2 clearances (the most he has managed in his career) while kicking 30-plus goals for the sixth straight season. A three-time All Australian, Heeney claimed the Bob Skilton Medal for the third straight year.

The Lions co-captain led the way again as Brisbane completed a historic three-peat this year. Andrews earned All Australian honours for the fourth time as one of the game's best defenders, thanks to his ability to lock down an opponent and intercept to help Brisbane launch attacks from the back half. The 29-year-old took the most intercept marks in the competition this year as he thwarted opposition attacks time and time again.

Playing a far greater midfield role, Pickett took his game to another level this year. It meant Pickett averaged career-highs for disposals (22.6), tackles (4.6) and clearances (4.5) this season while still managing to kick 28 goals in 24 games. Pickett, who was below his best in the Demons' wildcard final loss to Carlton, enjoyed a terrific season, highlighted by three games in which he had 25-plus disposals and three-plus goals.

Even at the age of 34, there is no slowing down Gawn. The remarkable Melbourne captain set a new mark for the most All Australians, standing alone with nine after earning honours again in 2026. Gawn was superb for the Demons once again this year with his averages of 21.5 disposals and 6.6 clearances both career-highs, while he kicked 13 goals in his best return in a single season since 2022. Adding yet another club best and fairest to his cabinet, Gawn's ability to impose himself on games at key moments was on show again this year in another excellent season.

The dashing Saint remains one of the game's most watchable players, even if his 2026 season was unfortunately cut short by injury. The Saints love to get the ball into Wanganeen-Milera's hands and he has an impact in all areas of the field, averaging more than 29 disposals for the second straight year. The 23-year-old is also having a greater impact in the front half and his 19 goals in 17 games this season was a career high.

The Adelaide skipper had a year of highs and lows shared with the football public and the wider Crows family in particular. Dawson’s 26.5 disposals a game was the second-highest of his career, his average of 5.7 tackles ranked 14th in the league, and 22 goals was his most fruitful return on the scoreboard, leading to a fourth Malcolm Blight Medal as the club's best and fairest. All this under great personal adversity and while leading his club to its first finals win since 2017. A top-10 finish in The 25 is well deserved.

Gulden started the season on fire before a shoulder injury sidelined him for 14 rounds, and yet he still climbed to seventh on this list. In the 13 games he played Gulden averaged 32 disposals – the highest of his career by almost five per game and the third highest average in the league behind Nick Daicos and Bailey Smith. With just 10 appearances in 2025, luck hasn’t gone Errol’s way for a while, but if fortunes change next year there’s no telling what the classy Swan can achieve.

A first Merrett-Murray Medal is recognition of Will Ashcroft going from finals specialist to all-season superstar, but he still managed to lift another level - and another seven spots in The 25 - in September. Like most of his teammates, the qualifying final loss wasn’t his best game, but he turned it around to average 30 disposals through the next three weeks and be the pivotal factor in Brisbane’s stunning Grand Final comeback. A second Gary Ayres Award at just 22 is testament to how important Ashcroft is when the stakes are at their highest.

The electrifying Hawthorn forward didn't just take the next step in 2026, he exploded into superstardom. Watson became one of the competition's most feared players, placing fifth in the Coleman Medal race and finishing with 63 goals while averaging 13.7 disposals. With dazzling bursts of brilliance, game-turning moments and a six-goal preliminary final masterclass, 'The Wizard' cast his spell across the season, emerging as the face of the Hawks and a genuine game-breaker.

It was a shame that Butters' season was ended prematurely by an ankle injury with six games to play, as it would have been fascinating to see how close he would have run eventual Brownlow medallist Nick Daicos. Butters had 26 votes from 17 games in a team that had won just six matches to that point. With a career-high average of 29.8 disposals, the 25-year-old was the dominant figure in a Port Adelaide team that missed captain Connor Rozee for most of the season. What will Zak be like with Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards by his side next year?

It's no surprise to see the 'Unicorn' so high in the rankings. Jackson produced an All Australian season, establishing himself among the AFL's premier ruckmen. Across 27 games, he averaged 18.4 disposals, 26.5 hitouts, 5.1 tackles and 4.9 clearances while kicking 29 goals. His athleticism and versatility were simply on another level as he spearheaded Fremantle's drive to the Grand Final.

'The Bont' confirmed his greatness by winning a seventh Charles Sutton Medal in 11 years on Thursday night, equalling the record of fellow Bulldogs champion Scott West. It was just reward for another remarkable year, in which he averaged 26.6 disposals and 1.3 goals a game as the Dogs won a wildcard final before losing an elimination final to the Crows. He finished second to Nick Daicos in the Brownlow – the third time he has finished in the top three, and the seventh time in the top 10. There is not many better than Bontempelli on his day.

A record-breaking haul of votes to claim his first Brownlow Medal capped off what had already become abundantly clear in 2026 – Nick Daicos is the best player in the game. He averaged a career-high 34.7 touches and 1.1 goals a game to lead Collingwood into a wildcard final berth, adding a fourth All Australian blazer, a second Copeland Trophy as the Magpies' club champion, the Leigh Matthews Trophy as the players' MVP and the AFL Coaches Association's Champion Player of the Year award. With more midfield support around him in 2027 in the form of two-time Brownlow medallist and three-time premiership player Lachie Neale, the sky is the limit for the champ who will still only be 24 when round one rolls around.