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Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE from 3amWho are the X-Factor players for the AFL finals?
SEN • August 31st, 2025 10:31 am
With finals starting next week, there is already plenty of excitement in the air for what September will bring.
During this time of year, players can establish their mystique around the competition through moments of brilliance that can propel their team to success and be an X-Factor.
And on SEN WA's Breakfast, Paul Hasleby and Scott Cummings went through their X-Factor player for all eight sides.
ADELAIDE
Cummings: Riley Thilthorpe
“I’m going for the big man in Riley Thilthorpe,”
“If he can just brutalise everyone near him, dominate in the ruck and then go forward and kick four or five (goals) each week in the finals, they’re done.”
Hasleby: Jake Soligo
“No Izak Rankine. Jordan Dawson will be good.”
“But if I look at Adelaide, their midfield is a little shallow. It’s the one question mark I have on them.
“And Jake Soligo is that guy that if he can be big time, I reckon they can go a fair way.”
GEELONG
Cummings: Jeremy Cameron
“He needs to kick goals. If they can get four games in, his 83 (goals) could turn into 100 pretty quickly,”
“If it does, Geelong will be tough to beat.”
Hasleby: Tom Stewart
“He’s been building,”
“He hasn’t quite been there, but Tom Stewart. I think he is ready. I think his body is allowing him to play well.
“He will have a big September.”
BRISBANE
Cummings: Josh Dunkley
“If he can play a shutdown type role on somebody while still getting the footy himself and being that in and under player, I think they have got a lot of outside players that would (cause) damage.”
Hasleby: Cam Rayner
“He had a big finals series (last year) and he is the one,”
“We saw him here against Fremantle in the second half. He doesn’t do it for four quarters, but his moments.
“Geez, he’s strong through the hips, and he can be that guy forward of centre.”
COLLINGWOOD
Cummings: Dan McStay
“I’m going a bit left field here,”
“Dan McStay needs to have one out of his backside. If he stands up, starts taking marks in the forward line, then they are going to be good.”
Hasleby: Jordan De Goey
“I worry about their midfield without Nick Daicos (or) Josh Daicos,”
“Pendlebury is there, but they’re just a little shallow. They’ve been beaten in recent times, and this guy is an X-Factor player.”
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Cummings: Jesse Hogan
“They’re just better when he is there.”
“Defensive work might be a bit iffy (with his foot injury) towards late in the game.
“But I just think that with (Tom) Green, (Toby) Greene, (Finn) Callaghan and (Lachie) Whitfield running through, they are going to get the footy there and if he can finish it off, then they’re good.”
Hasleby: Jesse Hogan
“I’ve got Jesse as well,”
“But I’ve got my doubts on whether he can.”
FREMANTLE
Cummings: Luke Jackson
“Luke Jackson is my man,”
“In the ruck, they are a better team when he is in the ruck. When he is high half-forward, they are a better team.
“I’m big on putting Jackson on as a high half-forward so he can still play a midfield role and pushing (Josh) Tracey and (Pat) Voss back.
“I think (if) Luke Jackson gets best on grounds, Fremantle could push deep.
Hasleby: Shai Bolton
“For Fremantle to win, they need to have some upsets on the way.”
“Because they are going to be away from home, and he could just be that guy on the big stage to kick two or three just to change the momentum at the right time.”
GOLD COAST
Cummings: Ben Long
“Again, midfield, you get from (Touk) Miller, you get from (Matt) Rowell. You know what you are going to get from (Noah) Anderson,”
“And Ben Long can take some pressure off Ben King, then Ben Long can be that X-Factor player.”
Hasleby: Ben King
“I’ve got Ben King,”
“But I’ve got my doubts on Ben King.
“He’s not kicking seven goals this week against Alex Pearce. He’s a low-possession player.
“Against Alex Pearce, I think he has his work cut out. If they are to go a long way, Ben King has to have a massive finals.”
HAWTHORN
Cummings: James Sicily
“Sicily for me,”
“His first part of the season was iffy. Last part, he has gotten fit again.
“The groin issue has gone away.
“If he plays a James Sicily-style game, he’s good.
Hasleby: Dylan Moore
“Dylan Moore is the barometer for them.”
“Maybe (in the) midfield. No (Will) Day, (James) Worple. Again, they are another team that is shallow through the midfield.”
The AFL Finals will begin next Thursday night with the Adelaide Crows hosting Collingwood at Adelaide Oval. The first bounce will take place at 7:40pm AEST (7:10pm local time).
SEN will have live coverage of all nine AFL Finals through its radio network alongside the SEN app.
