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The player at your club who has exceeded expectations in 2025
SEN • May 7th, 2025 2:16 pm
Which player at your club has most exceeded expectations in the first part of the 2025 season?
Whether it be a youngster getting regular game time, someone playing in a new role or a veteran winding back the clock, these are the guys who have surprised us all.
See your club's candidates below:
Josh Worrell
There were some very good signs from Josh Worrell in 2024, particularly late in the season.
Expectations at West Lakes may have been high but the wider footy public probably didn’t expect what he’s produced so far in 2025.
Worrell, 24, ranks first at the Crows for intercept possessions, equal first for rebound 50s, second for intercept marks and third or spoils. Fantastic numbers for a player who had played just 30 games prior to this season.
The 2019 draftee has taken a while to hit his straps, but the patience from the Crows has paid off and they are now reaping the rewards.
He is becoming a seriously good footballer who rarely loses a one on one and uses the ball nicely.
Andrew Slevison
Jaspa Fletcher
After starting his career off on a wing, Jaspa Fletcher has officially made the move to half-back in 2025.
While he’s not picking up huge numbers, he’s had more than 20 disposals in four of his last five games as he gains more trust to find targets exiting defensive 50.
He’s also been brilliantly supported by Darcy Wilmot, with the 22-year-old also deserving a shout-out for his defensive work and improving ability to really impact from an attacking point of view.
The Lions are well set at half-back for the best part of the next decade thanks to these two youngsters.
Lachlan Geleit
George Hewett
Few have reinvented themselves in the manner that George Hewett has this year.
With an increased role in the midfield, Hewett has been a revelation for the Blues, averaging 30 disposals, seven tackles and seven clearances to lead the line on the inside.
+6 on average disposals, +3 on tackles and +2 on clearances from last season, the Blues and Michael Voss allowing Hewett to control the engine room has been a major success through eight rounds.
Jaiden Sciberras
Steele Sidebottom
339 games, two flags, an All-Australian, two best and fairests, a Gary Ayres Award and a second-place finish in the Brownlow are all part of Steele Sidebottom’s resume, but he might be playing the best footy of his career in 2025.
Playing full-time on-ball, Sidebottom’s class has set him apart from his midfield contemporaries with the Magpies re-emerging as a real premiership threat.
While he’s just about reached these heights before, no one would have expected it from Sidebottom at age 34, particularly as his impact has naturally waned in recent years.
He’s also currently equal-second in the AFLCA coaches votes alongside teammate Nick Daicos.
Lachlan Geleit
Archie Roberts
Second-year youngster Archie Roberts has slotted in perfectly down back for the Bombers in 2025.
After only debuting in Round 21 last season, he’s played every game so far this season, averaging 22.1 disposals, 3.3 rebound 50s and three tackles per match.
With his silky left boot and composure under pressure, Roberts has put the AFL on notice.
He’s comfortably exceeded expectations, quickly becoming one of Essendon’s main distributors out of defence as a vital cog in their rapidly improving backline.
Connor Scanlon
Murphy Reid
He was highly-rated when he arrived at Fremantle, but there’s no doubt Murphy Reid has overachieved so far for a player taken at Pick 17 just months earlier.
A natural midfielder, Reid has proven that he also has great forward nous and he started his career with a big four-goal, 13-disposal performance in the loss to Geelong.
Since then, he’s had 15 or more disposals in four of his last six games, with his clearance numbers steadily increasing as well.
If there was a very early 2024 re-draft, you’d imagine Reid would push up the board a fair bit.
Lachlan Geleit
Patrick Dangerfield
It’s safe to say that not many players can reinvent themselves in their 18th season, but Patrick Dangerfield isn’t your typical player.
The 35-year-old has been a revelation since transitioning into a primary forward role this year, kicking 16 goals from eight games and having multiple displays of near single-handedly winning games off his own boot.
Dangerfield currently sits 13th on the Coleman leaderboard and in contention to make his ninth All-Australian team - an incredible feat to accomplish considering he should also surpass the 350-game mark this season.
Jack Makeham
Ben Long
Talk about a step up!
Since moving to Gold Coast from St Kilda, Ben Long has been trialled in multiple roles, with the Suns initially struggling to find his best position.
In fact, he played just once in the first seven rounds last year before shifting forward and then cementing his spot. But few saw this breakout coming of 26 goals and 19 goal assists.
In 2025, Long has become one of the competition’s best small forwards, averaging 5.2 marks, seven contested possessions, 2.5 tackles, booting an impressive 14 goals and providing seven goal assists.
We thought he exceeded expectations last year but he has gone to another level in 2025.
Connor Scanlon
Harry Himmelberg & Darcy Jones
Harry Himmelberg has been quietly in career best form this season whilst playing as a third key defender for GWS.
Through eight games, Himmelberg has been averaging just under 20 disposals, seven marks, 329 metres gained and 5.6 rebound 50s – which are all career best numbers to date.
And the fact that he’s achieving these feats at the age of 28 having spent the majority of his career as a forward, further shows the desperation the Giants demonstrated in keeping him over the last few seasons despite significant rival interest.
Himmelberg has been a vital cog in this Giants defence this season, which is ranked third in the competition for points against so far.
Small forward Darcy Jones is developing nicely, leading the Giants for goal assists with six while adding seven goals (currently fourth at the club) and the equal most tackles inside 50 (with nine).
The diminutive 21-year-old has also had the third most score involvements at GWS with 44. Only Toby Greene and Finn Callaghan have had more.
Zac Sharpe
Lloyd Meek & Josh Battle
The Hawks settled on Lloyd Meek as their No.1 ruckman during the course of the 2024 season and hasn’t it been a masterstroke.
The former Docker has emerged as one of the form big men in the league in 2025, sitting third for total hit outs and third for hit outs to advantage (ahead of Max Gawn).
He is averaging 14 disposals, 4.4 clearances and four tackles and is currently the fourth highest rated Hawk this season according to AFL Ratings.
We knew what Josh Battle was capable of at St Kilda, and while he’s had some quiet patches already, he has slotted in fairly seamlessly in brown and gold.
His contributions so early at a new club would likely be exceeding most expectations.
Andrew Slevison
Jake Bowey
Not many Demons fans would’ve thought that Jake Bowey had it in him to go to another level in 2025, which has been a pleasant surprise in what has been a tough year to date.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed being the main distributer out of the Demons’ back 50, collecting an average of 23.6 disposals a game which is a career high for the premiership player.
Remarkably, he’s also on track to gain career best numbers in metres gained (average of 440), marks (5.5) and tackles (2.8).
If the season ended today, Bowey would most likely be the favourite for the club’s best and fairest award, despite Max Gawn’s crazy three-week stretch of form.
Zac Sharpe
Paul Curtis
Of all their high-quality young talent, Paul Curtis has most certainly been the surprise of the bunch.
The former Pick 35 has excelled in the small forward role, breaking out to become one of the most threatening front-half players in the AFL.
18 goals (seventh in the AFL) and 48 score involvements (equal-first at North) while being rated Champion Data’s most improving player of the season so far, Curtis looks the pick of the bunch at Arden Street.
Jaiden Sciberras
Christian Moraes & Joe Richards
2025 hasn’t exactly gone to plan for Port Adelaide, but at least they’ve uncovered a pair of little surprises that will play a part in the club’s future plans.
Christian Moraes looks to be a lovely gem that the Power picked up deep in the 2024 draft, with the 38th overall selection already having played six games, with his 15 touches per game ranked 10th among rising stars.
New recruit Joe Richards also looks the goods, slotting straight into Port’s forward line and playing all bar one game so far this season, with the six goals he’s kicked already equalling the amount he tallied last year for Collingwood.
Jack Makeham
Luke Trainor
Of Richmond’s haul of first-round draft picks, Luke Trainor might have had the lowest profile of the lot.
The no-nonsense defender was taken with Pick 21 in last year’s draft and simply gaining some minutes at senior level would have been seen as invaluable in his debut campaign.
But Trainor has barely put a foot wrong since pulling on the black and yellow and has been arguably the club’s brightest shining light so far in 2025.
While No.1 pick Sam Lalor clearly has plenty of class, he’s toiling away in a high half-forward role which is difficult for anyone, let alone a first-year player.
Lalor’s highlights have been bright and while he’ll likely flourish further with more midfield minutes, Trainor has been the pick of the crop to date as an assured defender with an innate intercept ability.
Andrew Slevison
Max Hall
The 23-year-old has found himself far way from his Yea cattle farm this year, playing all eight games for the Saints so far.
It’s clear to see why he has won the favour of coach Ross Lyon with his tenacious, high work-rate game style that sees him average a handy 14.4 disposals, 3.6 marks and 2.5 tackles.
His role is similar to Dan Butler’s last year but while the 28-year-old is out injured, Hall has assumed it seamlessly and provided the same level of forward-half intensity.
Despite goal kicking not being his main function in the side, that can be the next focus for Hall to go to another level.
Ethan Clark
Riley Bice
A first 18 lock in his debut AFL season, Riley Bice has been a revelation for the Swans.
Arriving off the back of a VFL premiership at Werribee, Bice has slotted into the half-back flank with ease, displaying his elite run and ball use on a weekly basis for the reigning minor premiers.
Deployed as a vital piece in the back half under Dean Cox, the recruitment of Bice will go down as one of the top scouting assessments in the competition this season.
Jaiden Sciberras
Ryan Maric
Since shifting to defence this season, Ryan Maric has emerged as one of West Coast's best performers.
He is averaging 22.1 disposals and has stepped up in the absence of vice-captain Jeremy McGovern, who’s been in and out of the Eagles side because of injury.
Maric has taken on the role of West Coast’s primary rebounder, averaging an elite 5.6 rebound 50s per game and is kicking it at better than 75 per cent - the second best of any Eagle with 100 or more disposals behind McGovern.
He’s become the go-to man down back and has well and truly exceeded all expectations in 2025.
A mid-season draft selection as a lead-up forward, Maric has taken to his new role like a duck to water.
Connor Scanlon
Joel Freijah
Doggies fans caught some very nice glimpses of Joel Freijah in 2024.
He showed what he is capable of in a prolific outing against North Melbourne late last year, amassing 27 touches and 13 marks off half-back.
They would have been dreaming for more of the same in 2025, but all and sundry would be over the moon with what he has produced so far.
Freijah has spent more time in the midfield, closer to the contest and forward of centre and has delivered in spades, averaging 21 disposals, 4.1 clearances and 3.5 inside 50s.
He is one of nine, that's right, nine Dogs with 50-plus (53 to be exact) score involvements which highlights how dangerous he has been.
Selected with Pick 45 in 2023, the damaging 19-year-old is already considered a draft steal.
A tip of the hat to Sam Davidson who has played all eight games to date after being drafted out of the VFL. Another Dog who has 50 or more score involvements to his name in 2025.
Andrew Slevison
