With the 2024 AFL Draft having come and gone, attention now turns to next year's draft class.
An early look at the top end of the 2025 crop sees an even spread across states, with Queensland home to a handful of next year's most promising prospects.
South Australia and Western Australia are also set to feature highly, while Victoria will look to replicate their dominance from this year.
Here, we've named 10 prospects for 2025 to keep an eye on over the next 12 months.
Position: Defender-Midfielder
Height: 178cm
State: Queensland
The headline act of next year's Suns Academy crop, which features a handful of first-round prospects who could match Gold Coast's 2023 haul.
Uwland, the younger brother of breakout Suns backman Bodhi, had an exceptional carnival with the Allies to be the only 2025 prospect named in the U18 All-Australian team - having averaged 23 disposals and six rebound 50s across his four games and would poll Larke Medal votes in three appearances.
The Burleigh junior would also take out the Hunter Harrison Medal as the best player in the Talent League's Academy Series.
Uwland is capable of playing across half-back or as an outside midfielder, showing his true value as a ball-winner and intelligent user.
He would also breakthrough for a VFL debut this year and a total of five appearances at the level before capping off a strong bottom-age year with 22 disposals, seven marks, seven inside 50s and two goals in the Future Stars game on grand final day.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 188cm
State: South Australia
A midfield bull who looked a level above this year at the U18s level for Central District while holding down an integral role in South Australia's midfield at the National Championships.
Sharp would partner with the likes of Sid Draper and the Camporeale twins as key cogs in SA's carnival run, averaging 17.8 disposals, 5.5 tackles and 5.3 inside 50s as one of the best bottom-age performing players.
The hard-nosed onballer would play at all three SANFL levels for the Bulldogs this year, dominating across eight appearances at his age level before earning his stripes with a pair of reserves appearances and then five games for Central District's seniors.
That latter run included a trio of finals appearances as the Dogs pushed for a premiership, with showing little issue coming up against state league talent.
Position: Utility
Height: 191cm
State: Victoria
A name familiar to most footy fans, Duursma is the fourth sibling from his family who has paved a prolific journey through the draft pathways and is expected to follow Xavier, Yasmin and Zane and land on an AFL list.
The Gippsland Power swingman, who stands above 190cm, has a strong bid to be the first overall selection in 12 months' time after a formidable two seasons in the Talent League and with Vic Country.
Capable of playing across all three lines of the field, Duursma flexed his versatility at every level this year off the back of a dominant U16s carnival in 2023, where he averaged 22 disposals, seven marks and three tackles to earn MVP and All-Australian honours.
On top of his U18s efforts, Duursma played three games for Mid Gippsland club Foster, featuring among his side's best in two of those games while amassing a return of four goals.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 184cm
State: South Australia
Cumming was a bonafide ball winner for North Adelaide this year, recording 30 or more disposals in six of his 10 games to finish the year with averages of 27 disposals, six marks, four clearances and over a goal per game.
His strong year for the Roosters saw him earn the SANFL U18 MVP title and finish one vote shy of claiming the McCallum Tomkins Medal as the competition's best and fairest.
Cumming played in South Australia's first two games of the U18s National Championships and showed his value as a fleet-footed mover through the middle of the field.
The cherry on top of 2024 for Cumming came in the Future Stars game, with the South Australian collecting 24 disposals, 11 marks, six inside 50s and a goal in a win.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 183cm
State: Queensland
Another Suns Academy prospect, with Patterson joining the aforementioned Uwland as well as Kalani White, Beau Addinsall and Jai Murray as U16 All-Australians last year.
Just like Uwland, Addinsall and Murray, Patterson earned a VFL debut a year out from his draft campaign, with the pacey and versatile teenager playing seven games at the state league level - headlined by a 15-disposal and two-goal outing against Brisbane in July.
Patterson played four Talent League games for the Suns Academy this year and would average 14.8 disposals, 3.3 inside 50s and 3.0 tackles across several roles as a complementary piece in midfield.
The Palm Beach Currumbin junior had one of his best games at the Future Stars showcase in September, showing his grit and space as a flanker on his way to recording 20 disposals and four marks, with his efforts on the last line among his standout moments.
Position: Ruck-Forward
Height: 198cm
State: Victoria
The Oakleigh Chargers prospect was quick to utilise this year as an opportunity to show his value as a dual-position threat who can have a big impact on the game.
Emmett played nine games for the Chargers in 2024 to add to his quartet of appearances as a year 16 talent, with the 198cm youngster averaging 16.7 disposals, 13.2 hitouts and 3.2 marks per game while kicking 11 goals in nine matches.
He was handed a pair of appearances for Vic Metro at the U18s National Championships as a ruck-forward hybrid, featuring in his side's title-clinching thriller against Vic Country after his 25-hitout, 14-disposal outing against All-Australian tall Alex Dodson a fortnight prior.
Boasting plenty of upside, Emmett may headline the key position talent on offer from next year's draft class.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 191cm
State: Victoria
Off the back of a year 16 season that saw him earn All-Australian honours as a forward threat, Greeves honed his midfield craft for the Eastern Ranges this year as a large presence in the engine room
Standing alongside 2024 draftees Josh Smillie and Cody Anderson, Greeves may have been mistaken for a talent ready for this year's draft as the three midfield bulls went about their business.
Greeves averaged 19.1 disposals, 3.7 marks and 4.0 inside 50s per game from his seven matches in the Talent League, maturing as a quick-thining onballer.
His past two seasons have shown an ability to have an impact in the middle or go forward and cause headaches for opposition defenders, with 2025 now set out for Greeves to take the next step as a damaging ball winner.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 194cm
State: Victoria
Another midfield who stops the tape past 190cm is Murray Bushrangers onballer Riley Onley, who had a strong finish to the year in the Talent League.
That rise in form came with a trio of appearances for Vic Country at the National Championships, with Onley averaging 15.3 disposals, 3.7 marks and 3.7 inside 50s as a bottom-age talent.
Agile and with size on his side, Onley is a strong aerial threat and is equally as promising at ground level, with his smart decision-making often teeing up set shots for Bushrangers stars Joe Berry, Josh Murphy and the Whitlock twins.
Adding some more muscle over the next 12 months could see Onley explode onto the scene and pace his name toward the top of the board as a midfielder with plenty of upside.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 183cm
State: Queensland
A promising midfielder tied to the Lions, Annable could end up fetching the earliest Academy bid the Lions have seen in their time at the AFL draft.
The likes of Jaspa Fletcher, Eric Hipwood and - most recently - Sam Marshall were all taken in the first round of their respective drafts, with early indications from Annable's game suggesting he'll follow suit.
Annable played all four games for the Allies to average 19.5 disposals per game - trailing only Marshall, Leonardo Lombard and Zeke Uwland.
The competitive ball winner had a consistent run across his three Talent League games for the Lions, averaging 27.7 disposals, 6.3 tackles and 4.34 inside 50s per game as a focal point for Brisbane.
He would also represent Redland in the QAFL on 10 occasions to gain senior experience, kicking six goals and featuring among his side's best in four matches.
Position: Defender
Height: 197cm
State: Western Australia
The younger brother of Adelaide rookie Dan, Curtin has shown similarities to his sibling given his athletics and size as a commanding player across multiple lines on the field.
A member of Claremont's WAFL Colts premiership side, Curtin was an integral piece for the Tigers on their way to successive flags, averaging 10.3 disposals and 4.1 marks from his eight games while kicking a return of 13 goals.
He would have little issue as a bottom-age talent for Western Australia at this year's U18s National Championships, mostly positioned in defence to prove his abilities as a backman capable of holding lockdown and intercept roles.
If Curtin can show further versatility as a midfield option - much like his brother did last year - his stocks will soar on a similar trajectory.