11 of the best VFL recruits for the 2025 season

The VFL's off-season of player movement has been one of the busiest in recent memory, with exited AFL names, state league stars and overlooked draft talent all finding new homes for 2025.

With the VFL's season start just over a month away, we've looked at the headline moves and signings across the competition as the premiership race prepares to take shape.

Here we named 11 of the best signings ahead of the 2025 VFL season

Corey Ellison (Williamstown to Frankston)

Williamstown's loss has been Frankston's gain, with Ellison a massive fish that fills a list need in attack for the Dolphins.

The Casey premiership player kicked 38 goals in 20 games for the Seagulls in 2024 from averages of 11.8 disposals and 4.8 marks per outing.

Hauls of three and four goals in the club's elimination and semi-final outings respectively last year capped off a strong season for the 24-year-old, who alongside VFL Team of the Year member Matt Johnson, will cause headaches for the opposition in 2025.

Lachlan Gollant (Adelaide to Williamstown)

With Ellison out, the Seagulls managed one of the other headline key forward signings with their move for cut Crows attacker Lachie Gollant.

The 23-year-old has returned to Victoria after five years in Adelaide, where he managed 16 games in the top flight on top of prolific SANFL form.

Gollant kicked 29 goals from 12 games at the state league level last year to back up a season haul of 42 majors the year prior.

The athletic attacker - who still holds AFL quality attributes - should be a threat this year in a contending side, with ex-Sun Brodie McLaughlin to also command the front third under Justin Plapp.

Williamstown also managed to secure ex-AFL names in Carter Michael, Hugo Hall-Kahan and Kye Turner over the off-season, while Calder Cannons product Damon Hollow will be one to watch.

Mitch Hardie (Geelong to Casey)

The journeyman might be the best recruit of the lot, having landed on the open market after being cut from Geelong's AFL program at the cessation of the 2024 season.

Hardie averaged 28.8 disposals, 5.8 clearances and 4.9 tackles for the Cats' reserves last year to earn VFL Team of the Year honours, Geelong's VFL best and fairest and rounded out a stellar season with a fourth-place finish in the J.J. Liston Trophy count.

His ball-winning ability, scoreboard impact and defensive contributions will be pivotal for the Demons in 2025 as they look to return to premiership contention after a low 2024.

Hardie also lands at Casey alongside fellow former AFL-listed names Jai Culley, Riley Bonner and Deakyn Smith.

Dyson Heppell (Essendon to Port Melbourne)

The Essendon champion is perhaps the biggest name to sign with a VFL side for the season ahead, with Heppell making the move to North Port Oval along with his ex-coach James Hird.

Heppell has also been joined by former teammate Tex Wanganeen at the Borough, while the club's aggressive off-season planning has seen notable names in Dom Bedendo, Charlie Lazzaro, Will Martyn and James Van Es make the move to Port Melbourne.

The former Essendon captain's leadership, experience and skill as a defensive general will do wonders for new coach Brendan McCartney as the standalone side looks to make a finals return in 2025.

Heppell is coming off a 2024 season in the AFL that saw him average 21.28 disposals and 5.67 marks from 18 games in the red sash.

Sam Lowson (North Melbourne to Southport)

The Sharks have quickly become known for making headline off-season acquisitions over the past couple of years, and their recruitment of Lowson out of Arden Street is no exception.

The energetic ex-Coburg talent heads north after a pair of promising seasons for the Kangaroos, with his zip through the middle of the field set to be a big welcome for Matthew Primus' first campaign as coach of the Queensland club.

Lowson managed 13.1 disposals and 2.7 tackles per game and eight goals from a limited 10-game season last year with North Melbourne, with a spot in the Sharks system likely to see VFL representative nicely complement stars Boyd Woodcock and Jacob Dawson.

The loss of Lowson is set to hurt the Roos too, especially if Jack Watkins' SSP trial with Port Adelaide is successful.

Ajang Kuol mun (Geelong to Port Melbourne)

Kuol mun has earned plenty of interest over the past 12 months from AFL clubs, and his move to Port Melbourne will be one he hopes can take his career further.

The emerging ruckman played just the five games for the Cats' reserves last year but showed plenty of upside early to be in contention for the Mid-Season Draft.

With his strong form for Geelong and District Football League outfit Anakie helping his case, Kuol mun was invited to the AFL's State Draft Combine where he topped the running vertical jump test with a 90cm leap.

A venture to North Port Oval will likely see Kuol mun given a larger role and reliance at VFL level, with the promising key position talent a chance to reach his full potential in his new colours.

Ethan Phillips (Hawthorn to Carlton)

The 2022 Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal winner's time at Hawthorn wasn't as fruitful as first hoped, but with Phillips absent from the AFL team he managed to flourish in his more familiar environment at VFL level with Box Hill.

Alongside fellow Hawks defender Jai Serong, Phillips was named in the extended 2024 VFL Team of the Year squad after averaging 17.3 disposals, 10.2 marks and 7.9 intercepts for Box Hill in 13 matches.

His promise as an aerial threat in defence is sure to have been a key reason for Carlton's play to secure Phillips, with the Blues also weighing up his services as a potential SSP option.

A full year at Princes Park in the VFL could quickly rekindle strong interest in the AFL one-gamer, whose dream to play top-flight football isn't over.

Darby Hipwell (Sandringham to Frankston)

A major loss for the Zebras was confirmed with the exit of Hipwell - a best and fairest winner for Sandringham - as he linked up with the Dolphins for the year ahead.

Hipwell, who managed means of 18.9 disposals and 4.7 tackles per game last year, could get back to his breakout 2023 form with a move to Frankston Oval, linking up with the standalone side after their finals finish.

The midfielder's ball-winning nous and attacking creativity are sure to excite second-year coach Jackson Kornberg as Frankston plans to contend again in 2025.

Along with the aforementioned Ellison, Frankston has also secured ex-Crow Will Hamill as well as emerging names in Kade De La Rue and Tom Blamires, among others.

Curtis Taylor (North Melbourne to Collingwood)

The delisted Roos youngster was considered unlucky not to be offered another chance in the AFL, whether that be at Arden Street or elsewhere.

The long-kicking midfield-forward has plenty to offer as a raw talent yet to reach his peak, with Collingwood coming away with one of the signings of the summer in Taylor.

In his sixth season with the Roos, Taylor played eight AFL games for averages of 10.75 disposals, 3.75 marks and 2.25 tackles while positioned as the sub on multiple occasions.

His form in the VFL was a bit more promising, averaging 15.6 touches, 5.9 marks and 3.7 tackles along with four goals from his seven appearances last year.

Jack Bytel (Collingwood to Coburg)

The Lions have pulled off one of the biggest signings for 2025 by securing Bytel's signature, with the ex-St Kilda and Collingwood ball magnet to play an integral role for the struggling standalone club.

Bytel averaged 27.2 disposals, 5.0 marks and 4.6 clearances per outing in his 11 games in the VFL last year for Collingwood's reserves, adding to his seven matches under Craig McRae in his sole season with the Magpies.

Set to combine with star midfielder Flynn Gentile, the on-ball duo could be a real headache for any side in the centre of the field this season.

Bytel isn't the only ex-AFL names to make their way to Piranha Park this off-season either, with former Saints teammate Matthew Allison and delisted Geelong project ruckman Joe Furphy also landing at the Lions.

Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne to North Melbourne)

The former GWS and Melbourne stopper is a sensational signing for the Kangaroos as their VFL side plans to push further in the state league competition.

Tomlinson, who remains an AFL quality asset, was a dominant defensive force for Casey in his nine games at the level last year, recording 20 or more disposals in eight of those games - headline by a 38-disposal, 15-mark performance against Richmond in Round 5.

With a crop of young Roos set to continue their careers in the VFL before pushing for senior opportunities, the mentorship a player like Tomlinson can provide will be substantial.

The Roos were again busy over the off-season break, having added Darcy Macpherson his brother Ewan, Olli Hotton, Nathanial Sulzberger, Adrian Cole, Bailey McKenzie and other promising names to their list.