Brisbane have set the pace in the AFL Players’ Association’s 2025 22Under22 squad, with five of their rising stars earning selection in the 40-player shortlist released this week.
Fellow contenders Adelaide and Hawthorn are close behind with four each, while Collingwood’s Nick Daicos continues to build a remarkable record; he’s in contention for a fourth straight team appearance, having never missed out since his debut.
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St Kilda great Leigh Montagna, who chaired the selection panel with input from Champion Data and the AFLPA, admitted whittling down this year’s list wasn’t easy.
"The future of footy is in good hands"
“We are spoiled for talented youngsters in the game at the moment, and it was no easy feat to put the 2025 squad together,” Montagna said.
“So many of these players are already taking on essential roles for their teams and having a huge impact on games each weekend, so early in their careers. This group of players represents the future of footy, which is clearly looking very bright.”
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To be eligible, players must have been 22 or younger on Grand Final day and played at least 12 games in the 2025 season. Fans now have the final say, with voting open until Wednesday, 13 August at vote.22under22.com.au. The final team will be revealed a week later via the AFLPA’s channels.
Notably, Carlton and Sydney failed to register a single nominee, while clubs like Gold Coast, GWS, and the Western Bulldogs all featured three players.