What a ride 2025 has been – quality games, big crowds, and just enough upsets to keep us guessing. Now the finals are here, and while Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane and Collingwood prepare for qualifying blockbusters, the rest of the top eight sharpen for sudden-death September.
For all the drama and twists of the home-and-away season, the real theatre of football begins now. Because this is the time of year when legacies are written, heroes are made, and one team gets to experience the ultimate – that last Saturday in September, the big dance, holding the premiership cup aloft on the MCG.
That’s where it all starts and finishes in the end.
The season that shaped the finals
Adelaide earned the minor premiership and, with their slick ball movement, look every bit the powerhouse. Geelong once again proved their system is relentless, while Brisbane produced what coach Chris Fagan called their best home-and-away campaign ever, even without key stars for much of the year. Collingwood’s form dipped late but their finals pedigree means they remain dangerous. Fremantle surged into September with momentum after toppling the Bulldogs, GWS stuck to their pressure brand, Hawthorn’s rebuild accelerated faster than anyone predicted, and Gold Coast finally broke through for their first-ever finals berth under Damien Hardwick.
At the other end, the Bulldogs’ slip was a reminder that timing is everything. It was a season where every week seemed to matter, and as always, it underlined a truth I’ve held since my playing days: footy is 90 per cent above the shoulders. The teams that absorbed pressure, set high standards and refused to fold under fatigue or injury are the ones now preparing for finals.
Hardwick’s mantra – responsibility or bust
No voice cut through louder this season than Damien Hardwick’s. He told his Suns: “If you need me as a coach to motivate you, then we’re already in trouble.”
That’s finals footy in one line. It’s about owning the moment, lifting after flat patches, and taking responsibility from the leadership group down. For Gold Coast, finally tasting September, Hardwick’s “two-game season” mantra has become a cultural turning point.
For every other club, it’s a reminder that standards matter more than slogans. Because once the first ball is bounced in September, the contest becomes as much about resilience and leadership as it is about skill.
Form pulses heading into September
Collingwood, despite losing five of their last six before beating Melbourne, remain finals-hardened but must sharpen late-game execution. Adelaide’s ball movement is elite, but without Izak Rankine they’ll need scoreboard impact from their mids and small forwards. Geelong v Brisbane promises to be a heavyweight qualifying final – the Cats’ system against the Lions’ stoppage power. Fremantle arrive with real tailwind after their late surge, and GWS’s pressure game looks built for finals intensity. Hawthorn, meanwhile, remain a live threat if their mark-and-control game clicks.
Trade season: theatre off the field
As finals heat up, trade whispers begin. We’ve already seen the sparks: Tom De Koning to St Kilda, Wanganeen-Milera rejecting $30 million offers to stay a Saint and become the AFL’s first $2m-a-year player, and Harley Reid recommitting to West Coast despite Victorian clubs circling.
But trade season isn’t just about who moves. It’s about the journalistic arms race to be first. Agents leak to boost value, list bosses float whispers to unsettle rivals, and journos fight tooth and nail to be the news breaker. For fans, it’s pure theatre – because the headlines of October can shape the ladder we see the following September.
The regional heartbeat
Crowds averaged nearly 37,000 per game this year, with more than 7.6 million fans attending overall. A fair slice came from the regions – families piling into cars and buses from Bendigo, Ballarat, the Macedon Ranges or down the Princes Highway to Geelong. The AFL might be a national sport, but it’s still powered by grassroots and country passion. For Star Weekly readers, that connection is part of the magic: seeing someone from a country town rise onto the MCG stage on Grand Final day.
What wins September (2025 edition)
Front-half footy: Control territory and lock it in.
Pressure that sticks: Create scores from turnover when stoppages dry up.
Leaders who absorb heat: When momentum swings, true captains earn their stripes.
Final word
The 2025 season reminded us of one truth: the scoreboard often tells less of the story than the mindset. Teams that stood tall when it mattered most are the ones who survived. Now it’s about September – the stage every player dreams of, the stage that decides careers and club history.
Because no matter how thrilling the season has been, everything in AFL starts and finishes with that one day in September – the Grand Final, the roar of 100,000 at the MCG, and one team lifting the cup to etch their name in history.
And that’s why we love this game.
Finals Storylines to Watch
Players to Watch
Jordan Dawson (Adelaide): The skipper sets the standard — clean ball use and composure under pressure.
Jeremy Cameron (Geelong): Coleman Medal winner, the Cats’ barometer.
Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane): Midfield class and endurance will be vital.
Nick Daicos (Collingwood): Can flip a game with skill and run.
Matt Rowell (Gold Coast): Finally playing September — his contested work will define the Suns.
Key Storylines
Can Adelaide go all the way? Minor premiers but missing Izak Rankine until the Grand Final.
Geelong’s consistency: The old machine keeps on rolling — will experience count again?
Brisbane’s resilience: Injuries tested them, but they’re still top four.
Collingwood’s wobble: Form questioned, but don’t underestimate finals experience.
The Suns’ breakthrough: Damien Hardwick has them believing — can they shock the competition in their first finals campaign?
