One of the biggest nights on the footy calendar has arrived, with the 2025 All-Australian team to be unveiled and two highly-respected individual awards to be crowned at the 2025 AFL Awards ceremony.
The game’s biggest stars and names will convene on Centrepiece in Melbourne on Thursday night to celebrate the best of the best from the 2025 premiership season.
The AFL Awards will be broadcast live on Fox Footy — via Foxtel and Kayo Sports — from 7.30pm (AEST).
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The following accolades will be presented at the 2025 AFL Awards (Note: The AFL Rising Star award will be handed out on Brownlow Medal night):
AFL
— 2025 AFL All-Australian Team
— 2025 Coleman Medal
AFL Players’ Association
— 2025 Leigh Matthews Trophy for Most Valuable Player
— 2025 Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award
— 2025 AFLPA Best First Year Player Award
— 2025 AFLPA Best Captain
AFL Coaches’ Association
— 2025 AFL Coaches’ Association Champion Player of the Year
— 2025 AFL Coaches’ Association Best Young Player
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The AFL on Tuesday announced the 44-man squad for the 2025 All-Australian team, which will be narrowed down to a 22-man team on Thursday night.
There are 18 players who’ve earned selection in the squad for the first time. Of the 44 players, 28 are vying for their first All-Australian team selection — including triple premiership Tiger Nick Vlastuin, who was ranked equal-fifth in the competition for intercept possessions in his 13th AFL season.
“This man has put a body of work in over a decade and has never been selected All-Australian,” ex-Tigers teammates Jack Riewoldt told Fox Footy’s On The Couch.
“This is the year. Sides are tagging him week-in, week-out. For a side that’s going to finish 16th, you must get him in.”
One All-Australian point of contention this year is who’ll be named skipper, with five club captains named in the 44-man squad: Melbourne’s Max Gawn — who’ll be aiming for an eighth All-Australian blazer — Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli, Adelaide’s Jordan Dawson, Brisbane’s Harris Andrews and Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson.
“There’s no need for a ceremonial captain this year – not when that set are there,” AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley said.
Melbourne legend Garry Lyon said Dawson deserved the honour.
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“I was pumping hard for Noah Anderson earlier in the year, but I think Jordan Dawson has got his team across the line as much as any singular player in the competition – and his team just happens to be on top of the AFL ladder,” Lyon told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“He does it all the time. I’ve been watching a lot of Adelaide over there and, as it has been over the years with (Nat) Fyfe and (Patrick) Dangerfield, your eyes just go to them – and he’s elevated into their status.”
Dawson was also Lyon’s pick for the AFLPA MVP award.
“He’ll vote really well, because every player would rate him and have great respect for him for what he’s been able to do,” Lyon said.
“I don’t think he’s the ‘standout’ player – that would be disrespecting the others – but he’s got my nod.”
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